Carl Levin

It's specific and it's set, as directed by the President.

We need not only to 'Afghanize,' but also to 'NATOize' the Afghanistan mission.

I agree with the President's emphasis on the training and rapid growth of the Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF) and transitioning responsibility to the Afghan Government for Afghanistan's security.

For the sake of our military men and women who are, or will be, deployed in harm's way, as well as the well-being of our Nation, we have to get the strategy right.

That means recruiting of soldiers and police needed to quickly expand Afghan forces; it means serious anticorruption efforts; it means national reintegration and reconciliation policies, and retention and support for honest, competent…

An adequately funded plan for reintegration is long overdue.

An Afghan surge should be our goal, and any U.S. surge should be related to that goal.

The diversity of our Nation's military and of our Nation as a whole has been a great strength.

It seems to me plays right into the hands of the extremists and the fanatics.

There is already a great deal in the public record about Major Hasan that raises concerns about the adequacy of our law enforcement...

I think you all have said that, as have the Chairman, the Ranking Member, and others on this panel.

We are going to have to end the misuse of U.S. corporations, and there is only one way to do it, and that is to require those corporations to disclose beneficial ownership.

This is an army that is willing to fight and take on the Taliban. What they need is much larger numbers. They need training. They need the equipment. And we have fallen short in providing them with all of that.

Funding for lighthouse restoration is important to Michigan and to the nation's historic preservation efforts.

Unfortunately, after obtaining custody of the lighthouses, many of the nonprofit organizations have struggled to raise the funds to adequately restore and maintain the lighthouses.

This legislation creates a three year competitive grant program at the Department of the Interior that will help to pay for the preservation and rehabilitation of historic lighthouses across the country.

It doesn't have to be that way.

We obviously have identified a problem here that the amount of index trading has created volatility.

Well, I am glad to hear you acknowledge at least that it is a contributing factor.

If it is a significant cause, it seems to me something has got to be done about it.

It is a cause, but it is not exclusive.

I would think he is an expert. He knows firsthand.

And yet we see this major change in the basis while the same contract was in effect, is that correct?

So you would agree that the basis, the price gap, is larger than has been historically the case, is that correct?

Do you believe that it was a big factor prior to 2004?