Angus King

One of the things I have learned in studying the issues of the forest is that a growing forest sequesters more carbon than a mature forest.

I appreciate your extraordinary service and your straightforward testimony here today.

30 percent of the forest land in America is federal. 70 percent of acreage burned last year was on federal land. There's something wrong here.

What in the hell is happening?

So if there were more commercial, market-based policies being applied in our forests, we'd have a healthier forest, would we not?

These are people who will be charged with defending this country in what is an ongoing and serious conflict.

We have to reimagine conflict.

It is a ubiquitous challenge not only to the government but especially to the private sector, and that is one of the really significant challenges in how we respond.

America is under attack. We are under attack today. This is one of the most serious conflicts, one of the most serious challenges that this country has faced in the post-World War II period.

The key question is violence.

I would submit that one of our first lines of defense is intelligence.

So I urge you to pay attention to the nonproliferation regime, because this is such a dangerous threat to our country.

To me, you gave the most succinct definition, which is to seek the truth and tell the truth.

IGs, I think, are some of the most important jobs in our government, but in a secret agency, it's even more important.

I think that is something that this Committee will follow up on this year.

I think there is some progress to be made in terms of the digital footprint of the National Park Service.

They clearly were proud of where they were. They were proud of the mission.

Our national parks play a huge role in what we think about when we think of America.

Any opportunity to provide a forum for local communities, local elected officials to have a say...

This is my senior pass, which is $80 for life. So this, I think, as Senator Hirono, this is the greatest deal in America right here.

We need a permanent director. The Park Service has not had a director for, I think, five years.

Thanks to legislation sponsored by Senator Collins and supported by Maine's Junior Senator Angus King.

I think that is an important point--that we have the technology today to measure on an ongoing basis so output-based regulation as opposed to prescriptive regulation can work.

I want three things--data, data, and data.

We need a Park Director. We have gone almost five years without a Director of the National Park Service.