And so I appreciate the opportunity to be here today to celebrate the good news of health care delivery for the American people through the Affordable Care Act.

I visit senior centers regularly where seniors now understand that the Affordable Care Act strengthens their Medicare benefit by closing the prescription drug donut hole and expanding coverage, all while lowering costs to them.

I really do see a value in James Webb as does my friend over in the Senate who breathed life into the James Webb Space Telescope in the appropriations process when some on the other side frankly wanted to zero it out entirely.

I am concerned when I look at the budget and it proposes increased funding for ground support systems without a completed design for a commercial vehicle.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Dr. Gallagher, for your testimony.

Although NIST is a relatively small agency, it is an extremely important player in federal efforts to spur innovation and economic prosperity in this country.

I applaud the strategic initiative outlined in NIST's budget proposal and look forward to hearing how this initiative will strengthen forensic science.

I am troubled by the void that will be left by the termination of TIP and am interested in exploring with the Chairman and Under Secretary Gallagher the possibility of establishing a new program, or even reconstituting a previous one, at…

Thank you, Chairman Quayle. And thank you for calling this important hearing on standards development and the role of standards in global competition.

Standards can open up new or expanding markets to a U.S. company. However, standards can also serve as a barrier to trade, keeping U.S. companies out and sending profits elsewhere.

We have a very successful standards development system in this country. It has been, and continues to be, the envy of the world.

It is critical that we preserve the ability of our companies--big and small alike--to export their products to markets throughout the world.