America's 'Force in Readiness' must maintain a high state of readiness at all times to respond to contingencies and commitments throughout the globe.

We appreciate your cooperation with our committee and working together to help ensure that we have the best Navy in the world.

What other projections can you let us know about that we need to work into the budget if the subcommittee approves this for a new class of ships called the offshore patrol cutters?

It's been a pleasure working with the distinguished Senator from Louisiana, particularly on the acquisition of vessels that are needed by the Coast Guard...

We have a crisis, I believe, at our borders not just with illegal immigrants but with legal transportation of goods, et cetera, and our inability to keep up with the funding requirements necessary.

Madam Chairman, it's a pleasure to join you in welcoming the distinguished Secretary of Homeland Security to our hearing today.

What type of establishments do you foresee will be affected or governed by these new requirements?

Thank you for cooperating with our subcommittee.

The Department of Defense that we have today has his unmistakable imprint.

I look forward to continuing working with him as we develop and report the appropriations bill to fund the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2014.

A level of investment that supports readiness is our number one priority.

it is encouraging that for the first time in 4 years the Senate is considering a budget resolution. The absence of a resolution during this time has contributed to a breakdown in the legislative process. As a result, we have operated the…

today I rise to recognize the work of Dr. Hannah Gay, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center's Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children in Jackson, MS. On March 3, the news broke that one of…

I am pleased to join the Senator from Louisiana in introducing the Small Business Disaster Recovery Act. The purpose of this bill is to streamline certain burdensome procedures for small businesses that are affected by a Presidentially…

These reforms benefit end users by greater transparency, which then tends to shift the information advantage from Wall Street to Main Street.

As Senator Cochran noted, our agency has completed about 80 percent of the rules that Congress tasked us with.

Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. We appreciate your convening this hearing today.

I support the confirmation of our former colleague and my friend, Chuck Hagel, to serve as Secretary of Defense. Providing advice and consent on a nomination for the President's Cabinet is one of the Senate's most significant…

Well, I noticed that the current funding level is $207 million, and I understand from your statement that you submitted--you are saying the President has requested $308 million for fiscal year 2013.

today I am introducing the Teaching Geography is Fundamental Act. I am pleased to be joined by my friend from Maryland, Ms. Mikulski. The purpose of this bill is to improve geographic literacy among K-12 students in the United States by…

But we are here to learn from our witnesses, and so I am going to ask that my full statement be printed in the record and express the hope, again, that our good work can result in a strong and robust safety net being created for our…

We passed a bill that gave farmers the risk management tools they need to protect against disasters.

We are all trying to figure out exactly what the practical consequences are going to be for sequestration and targeting of certain programs for cuts.

It would be interesting to know what the administration's plans are so producers can plan and not be surprised totally at the last minute.

It would be a misguided effort if we turned it all over to the administration, though, to come in and rewrite an appropriations bill.