Susan Collins

It is, however, important that we focus on what works.

It is my understanding that some public housing agencies are having a difficult time administering their voucher programs.

I look at what other countries are doing to foster the development of offshore wind, and I can't help but ask whether we should be doing more.

I know that you share my interest in streamlining the development of our offshore wind resources permitting so that we do not lose the global race in the development of this abundant, renewable energy source.

What we have found in Maine works best is working with private owners to ensure public access.

I will tell you that the harder they have pushed, the stronger the resistance has become.

This is part of the race we cannot cede to the rest of the world.

I think that is the kind of partnership that we need to ensure that the United States wins the race to develop offshore deepwater wind energy.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The Penobscot River Restoration Project is the largest river restoration project ever undertaken in the eastern part of the United States.

I appreciate the administration's continued commitment to LWCF, which has funded the acquisition of key parcels within Maine's treasured Acadia National Park.

I look forward to discussing BOEM's efforts in Maine, including the Renewable Energy Task Force and Statoil's unsolicited lease application.

First, Mr. Chairman, let me say how much I look forward to working with you and the ranking member this year in crafting this important appropriations bill.

Every one of your predecessors since 2006 has called 313 ships the minimum necessary to meet our national security requirements.

I want to thank you for the Navy's ongoing effort to reduce the $3 billion backlog of sustainment, restoration, and modernization funding at its four public shipyards.

Once that industrial base is gone, you never get it back. Once those trained workers go into other fields, you've lost them forever, and that would greatly weaken our capabilities.

It's one thing to tell a family that's lost a loved one that they did so in support of the Afghan people to help them have a secure country and to make our national security better. But it's so different to try to console a family that has…

I'm so disturbed by the frequency of these attacks. It raises questions about our vetting process.

I share a lot of the concerns that my colleagues have expressed about some of the cuts in the budget, particularly those that affect shipbuilding and the size of our fleet.

Is supportive of the bipartisan legislation being introduced by Senators Lieberman and Collins

Under the bill that Senator Lieberman and I have introduced, to try to get that essential visibility that you have emphasized is so important, we would require mandatory reporting in the event of an attack because this cannot be…

I do agree with that, Senator.

We need the expertise of industry, of NSA, of DHS, of everybody working together.

If there is an attack on critical infrastructure, the consequences are so much greater.

I think those are basic vulnerabilities.