Barbara Mikulski

But, the Secretary referenced that, on March 22, he'll have a picture of how the returns are going.

Close to a $9 billion appropriations request, $5 billion of that in NOAA; and of that, 35 percent, this satellite program that seems vociferous.

And we wonder, are we going to see more escalating costs, and then you--or Dr. Lubchenco--has to go to other services, like the Weather Service, which we're so dependent upon, to pay for the increase in the satellite program.

Yes, but that's not $87 million. So, you want to hire more commercial officers to be in foreign countries.

Well, thank you very much. Last year, the Commerce--Justice made sure that we carved out $2 million for your office to help with the oversight, not to do it in a schoolmarmish way, but we need a lot of red alerts and alarms and--to know…

So, they have to be hired and have their--remember that famous background check----that gave us pause last year, because of access to vulnerable populations with an official badge from the United States of America?

Well, we want to elaborate on that more, because I think you shared, in our office visit, the fact that you actually want to be running workshops around the country to do that.

I would welcome your--once again, your participation.

Which then takes me to jobs, jobs, jobs, something that I know we share, on a bipartisan basis.

Do you have any advice and direction on things that we could actually be doing right now, working with the--working with Commerce--Census, so that we don't have more cost overruns?

Thank you to This Subcommittee for Fiscal Year 2010 Funding and to Senator Mikulski for Statements at the Recent Help Hearing Regarding Backlog and Need for Confirmation of EEOC Nominees.

I, and speaking for Senator Shelby, who himself is a watchdog on these issues, we would very much appreciate it.

Because they had been trained, equipped, and trusted, we were able to bring that sniper to justice.

Well, we estimate that we won't be marking up our bill, of course, until June, waiting for the House.

I think there does need to be adequate training, and I think that is a core function of what these grant-making entities need to do.

We often in Congress will provide money for staff, but then not for training or for technology that maximizes the efficacy of what they are doing.

I am here to pinpoint.

That is like 10 percent of the Government's funding.

Well, in light of what has happened, I think there are going to be a lot of recommendations, and we would welcome your views on that.

We are all deeply troubled by this watch list, and the watch lists don't seem to be working the way they were intended.

We are not going to go back to the boondoggle that we had with the previous attempt.

It is not whether you are for big government or small government, but are you for smart government?

I intend to be a watchdog and a reformer in terms of the administration.

I know you will bring sensitivity and expedition to this.

First of all, I want to thank you for the question. Second, the President has got to give us a TSA nominee that we can confirm, and then we have to stop screwing around with holds so that we can confirm them.