I look forward to working with Senator Hirono to ensure that our sailors and marines remain the best trained, best equipped, and most professional maritime fighting force in the world.

I would remind everyone that national defense is solely a Federal responsibility.

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

Mr. Dee, I was interested to hear you say that even without sequestration, the Marine Corps budget is the most austere of the services.

How much of a concern is that?

Mississippi today has a mature governance structure for the network that was created in 2005.

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

Unless the law changes, sequestration is back in October of this year.

Sequestration right now is the law of the land. I think we all understand that.

I hope that your offer to continue working with the state comes to fruition.

Are we being a little more realistic about the expected timeframe in which we are going to have to use these aircraft?

I think the Senate is almost unanimous in agreeing that a return to sequestration would be most harmful.

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

Mississippi was one of the grantees under BTOP and moved forward very aggressively with greater speed than any other recipient.

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

We are particularly disappointed that MED-COM is not able to go forward; a project that has received essential equipment.

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

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.

We fly aircraft a long time.

Let me just say it is my understanding that later this morning more than 250 Chamber of Commerce executives will send to Congress a letter requesting action, number one, to fund the Nation's transportation system and, second, to empower…

We are going to have to insist on more of a contribution from our international partners.

North Korea as the most dangerous and unpredictable challenge.

It's a very real contingency that happens.

It is hard to square the two statements coming from two members of the same administration.