John Hoeven

Of the total outlay from TARP, how much of that has been returned?

It's incumbent on all of us to figure out how we reduce the deficit and the debt.

If you were given a hold-even budget, how would you go about meeting that? What changes would you make?

There are two kinds of schools of thought. One school of thought is everybody should take a proportional reduction.

If you would compare and identify savings that we realize by using GPO versus basically just saying to each of the Members and the Senators, 'Okay, here's a budget. You take care of your own printing. Find it where you can.'

There's the process of what you do and there's the substance of what you do.

Certainly can, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you for what you do. We appreciate it.

I request 10 minutes to speak in regard to a resolution. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sanders). Is there objection? Without objection, it is so ordered. (The remarks of Mr. Hoeven and Mr. Blumenthal pertaining to the submission of S. Res…

I think we should take a look because it might be something that would be worthwhile and something we should pursue.

I guess the question I ask, is there more that you could do to raise dollars for the program that would in essence help us with this budget?

If you think about it, the work that you've been doing with Russia and the other countries of the former USSR, it makes sense for you to look at some of the Middle East countries because you have a similar situation going on.

We appreciate tremendously what you and your staff do. It is a world-renowned institution and the quality of your work is absolutely incredible.

Your budget increase is 2.8 percent. We may not be able to increase your budget by 2.8 percent.

How about the Union Square property? That's about $7.3 million. Is that something you have to do, or is there something else you can do that will work for some period of time?

We don't budget some type of a sinking fund or depreciation fund for these big projects?

It is on schedule. It is under budget, and we intend to finish that in fall of this year.

So, that kind of depreciation doesn't cover everything.

You're doing the $20 million renovation right now, correct?

Talk about your sense of how dire it is that we get some of these projects done.

It stands to reason that the legislative branch may receive further budget reductions from those that were enacted in fiscal year 2012.

How is the threat initiative going? I mean, do you feel like it is working well and making a difference?

I appreciate very much the work that you do and recognize the challenges that go with it.

I'm just looking for any recommendations you have that might enable you to do your job more cost and time effectively.

Again, I want to thank not only the Chief but all three of you for. We have more work to do here, but you have all done good work.