the Ramsar Convention has said it is a body of water of international significance.

I fully understand that, but you have the responsibility to set into motion the type of changes that will correct this failed system.

I understand the legal, but it was my understanding that the President has ordered that there will be no new exploration sites until the review has been done as a result of this current spill.

I rise today to discuss the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Dependent Coverage Extension Act. This bill will allow Federal employees to benefit immediately from an important provision of the new health care law. FEHBP is the…

I think the answer is no, but where do you draw the line?

A prosecutor needs to be apolitical.

I think as Mr. Smith said, changing the definition is one I think we all would agree needs to be done.

There needs to be a process here, because let me take it then to someone who is not on the same page here.

I want to follow up on Senator Kyl's point because I agree with him.

The purpose of this hearing was for us to gather information, to get better informed, and to start a record in this Committee as to the challenges we have.

Is there a difference here in regard to those who sign a non-disclosure agreement with the Government and those individuals who do not sign a non- disclosure?

there has to be a transparent process for declassifying that information if it is going to be made available to the public.

greater transparency is critical.

I think this is critical to trying to understand the espionage laws.

Who decides what harm will result.

It certainly undermines the effectiveness of the statute when this sort of practice occurs.

Congress is the entity to make our laws.

Stopping further exploration of oil offshore would be No. 2.

The more you realize the depth of information we have and we don't have about the risk factors in the oceans, it really does point out two facts.

It may be less damage than otherwise would have been caused, but it is creating a different set of factors.

We need an energy policy in this country that makes us secure, deals with economic job growth and deals with our environment.

But we need to know the damage that is being caused as a result of the choice that has been made.

It is important that we establish a hearing record, as we will today, as to the impact of both of these areas.

Yet MMS accident reports state that blowout preventers have failed or otherwise played a role in at least 14 accidents.

Ocean acidification is not a problem for the oysters. They will all be dead.