I also know that your family--like many Mississippians--lost your home during Hurricane Katrina, so you know the seriousness of NOAA's mission to provide accurate information and warnings.

I am confident that he will have bipartisan support for confirmation very, very soon.

I am confident that there will be bipartisan support for your confirmation after this hearing.

Like ships, unmanned systems are vital capabilities for the twenty-first century navy.

President Trump has made an excellent nomination for NOAA Deputy Administrator.

Admiral Richardson, Mr. Pendleton said he doesn't know what caused these accidents.

Well, we await your further information, and thank you for your leadership.

To the extent we're asking fewer ships to do the--a larger amount of work--to the extent that we've--that we reduced our fleet size by 20 percent since 9/11, it is a fact that the Navy is busier than ever, and that's got to affect…

I want to be his teammate on that. It's way past time that we address this issue.

When can we expect these reports?

at some point during the course of this debate on the National Defense Authorization Act, the Senate may have an opportunity to vote on a McCain amendment authorizing a base realignment and closure round. As Members know, I have the utmost…

Well, let me get to another couple of topics.

Is that your position, Mr. Spear? And is that your position, Mr. Hall?

Well, it's not a clearly defined answer.

We're ahead of Germany, United Kingdom, and South Korea, and China in the basic regard.

If we don't get that and we don't get the exclusive use of that, as your testimony advocates, what would that mean?

So if somebody is looking to buy a boat, and if red snapper is their thing, it's hard for them to decide, 'I want to fork over a considerable amount of money,' if they don't know how much fishing they're going to be able to do.

I would like to thank my Senator for sponsoring Senate Bill 1520, the Modern Fish Act.

I think that's what you're saying and the other witnesses are saying about how recreational fishermen are conservationists because we know, along with Mother Earth, that we don't want to keep these things, we want to use them over and over.

The money that is spent improperly could have been used to build out broadband.

This is part of the infrastructure program that we need to be doing, as Americans.

The Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act of 2017 (S. 1534), sponsored by Senator Wicker, is based on the premise that recreational and commercial fishing are fundamentally different activities and therefore require different…

I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Blunt). The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

I know of no further debate on the bill. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate on the bill? Hearing none, the bill having been read the third time, the question is, Shall it pass? The bill (S. 88), as amended, was passed.

I ask unanimous consent that the Fischer substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to, and the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment…