Roger Wicker

Senator Kaine, that was the best use of 20 seconds I have ever seen.

These decisions should be made based on conditions on the ground, not political calculations.

I view the situation now in Afghanistan as a success story.

The Navy continues to need significant increases in our top line beyond the FYDP, not unlike that during the period of Ohio construction.

EMALS is supposed to be able to give us a better rate of launching.

Just because we made it through in 2013, 2014, and 2015 doesn't mean that the next year will be a piece of cake

Thank you very much. Thank you for your testimony and for your service.

I don't think we should be surprised, because this is a significant capital investment that comes along every 30 to 40 years.

Sequestration was designed to be stupid. It was explicitly designed to be so unacceptable that Congress would find a solution

Maximizing sortie generation rate was the purpose behind these new technologies.

Secretary Stackley, the fiscal year 2016 Department of Transportation's budget request for The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) includes $5 million for a national security multi-mission vessel design.

Well, we want to work with you on that, and be part of the solution.

Oh, I'm alarmed. Is that--yes, sir.

When that happens, to what extent will the rate be better?

There's no other shipyard in the world that has the ability to construct a Ford or a Nimitz nuclear aircraft carrier.

I think everyone here is committed to replacing sequestration, if we can.

I think Senator King has engaged in a very important line of questioning about the importance of all of our yards.

Defense spending is also known as a twofer, as I have stated repeatedly over the years, supporting both our National security and our high-tech manufacturing workforce.

I am also deeply concerned about the extraordinary cost of the Ohio-class submarine Replacement Program.

How much of a concern is that?

Mr. Dee, I mentioned concerns about substituting wheeled armored personnel carriers for amphibious track vehicles.

I honestly hope that Congress is taking this seriously enough, but I have seen it play out before.

Unless Congress acts, sequestration will return in October of this year.

Before we begin, I think Senator Hirono and I would both like to express our concern for the seven marines and four soldiers missing after a helicopter crash early this morning in Florida.

How soon can you get those troops to Korea?