Byron Dorgan

It is bipartisan, a very significant effort to increase international tourism in our country.

Cybersecurity perpetrated through the Internet as the number-one national hazard of attack on the homeland.

We have to decide as a country that we are going to stand up for our economic interests by expanding trade in a manner that is fair...

No trade agreement, I believe, should diminish safety standards on America's roads.

Let me tell you, we did a bilateral trade agreement with China. That is a country with whom we have a $260 billion merchandise trade deficit at the moment.

I think you are a great choice, and I appreciate your being here.

And could you just give the subcommittee a general description of the Air Force presence and activities in the war theaters of Iraq and Afghanistan?

All right. What is the status of the C-27 joint cargo aircraft program?

Mr. Chairman, thank you very much.

Just two other questions, if I still have time?

What kind of experience are you having with recruitment and retention?

Is there a need to find a way to extend TRICARE service to cover the 'gray area' between the end of affiliation with the Reserves and the start of retirement benefits?

With increased operational demands placed on the reserve component for the past several years, signs of stress and strain are showing.

I'm considering introducing legislation that would enhance retention of those experienced career servicemembers.

I must also say that we're producing in a pilot project in North Dakota. We're producing hydrogen from wind energy.

I don't think this should be an either/or or that wind and solar should compete with oil.

I'm going to put it in again because we lead the world in unconventional drilling and deep well drilling.

Listen, somebody is going to earmark all of these dollars. The question is it downtown or in the State governments.

Those of us that believe we need to be able to maximize renewable energy, solar energy in the South across the South and West--wind energy from Texas north to North Dakota in the Heartland.

The previous President kept zeroing out the $75 million for drilling research, oil and gas research. As chairman of the committee, I kept putting it in.

If you project forward what we've done in the past.

I believe we ought to be drilling most of the Gulf of Mexico. I mean, I'm for drilling.

It seems to me that a significant part of that is planning, citing and pricing and part of that is citing on public lands.

I think much more of the Gulf should be open.

I think we need to maximize the potential for renewable energy in our country.