Mazie Hirono

I want to thank both of you gentlemen for your service, and, of course, the service of the men and women who serve under your commands.

I commend you for taking a holistic approach to these issues.

I expect that of all of our Services.

I am very committed to the rebalance of the Asia-Pacific, and we had a discussion about that yesterday.

We must have the right platforms in the right places to ensure our friends and allied understand our commitment.

Stability in the Asia-Pacific region is critical to our National security.

I realize that the VA is the second-largest department in the entire Federal Government and so there are huge complexities involved in the challenges that you are facing.

I commend you, all of you, for the efforts that you are undertaking.

I recently introduced S. 469, the Women Veterans and Families Health Services Act, which will expand critical fertility services to injured and ill servicemembers and veterans.

Eliminating veterans' homelessness is a top priority and that you expect to eliminate homelessness among veterans by the end of this year.

I was very pleased to work with Senator Heller to introduce S. 471, the Women Veterans Access to Quality Care Act.

Implementing the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act will also be a critical issue this Congress.

How important is it for us to provide you with more consistent and better funding over a longer period of time to allow the Department to plan and execute these projects effectively?

It is really, in my view, unconscionable and we should move forward with that funding.

I'm glad that you noted that there are willing sellers, but they're not going to wait forever. So the sooner we move ahead with funding this fund, the better off we will be.

I want to thank you for your extraordinary commitment to protecting, in particular, I do represent Hawaii, Hawaii's natural and cultural treasures.

It's a good suggestion.

A big deal for Hawaii as we move toward our clean energy goals.

If confirmed, will you work to ensure that all of our computing centers are monitored and resourced under the modernization program to ensure that they all have the capability to provide required outputs?

If confirmed, I will aggressively support the Air Force's current energy efficiency strategy which includes pursuing alternative and renewable energy sources.

The Army continues to assure its partners and allies through forward presence, rotational forces, military partnership engagements and exercises.

I believe energy security is a vital component to our overall national security.

I am very concerned with ensuring that our Rebalance to Asia-Pacific is more than just rhetoric.

Although the combatant commanders (such as PACOM) are the ones who actually execute military operations...

Mr. Welby, what technologies would you want to develop to support this idea?