Rob Portman

I would hope that you all would speak up about that and work with us to try to ensure that we are not making decisions that short-term seem to be necessary for budget savings but longer-term are going to create the very problems you talked…

He has used the word 'devastating.' He has also said it would hollow out the force.

This all requires funding, and it all requires resources that are being constrained by the first step of the BCA.

I think it is a matter of intelligence and then political pressure. It is just increasing it and ratcheting it up.

I think it is particularly important we talk about this today as we are looking at downsizing our military.

I think they are probably looking at other options to include these operatives to find ways that they can continue to intimidate the international community so they can have space to achieve their objectives.

The biggest national security challenge we face is our deficit and debt.

Central America has become the key transshipment zone. Ninety percent of cocaine destined for the United States, transits the sub region.

Thank you, Madam Chairman, I welcome our distinguished witnesses here today, whose testimony today will help us to come up with a better NDAA for Fiscal Year 2013.

The impact of these cuts would be "devastating" and "catastrophic," leading to a hollow force and inflicting serious damage to our national defense.

If you'd rather talk to this in closed session or you feel you need to, I understand.

I think we have to go to a model where we assume the adversary is in our networks, it's on our machines, and we have to operate anyway.

It does sound like it's a matter of pay, but also because it is exciting work...

With respect to cyber offense, modern warfare will demand, as you said Senator Portman, the effective use of both cyber and kinetic means.

In a very tough budget environment, we see significant increases at DOD for cyber defenses, a $200 million increase from last year.

I want to hear, if I could, from the other two Service S&T folks.

I think you would all agree that without the scientists and engineers being world-class, we cannot have a world-class program.

We think the labs are a critical element to our ability to prepare for those threats, respond to those threats.

I think we balanced that in the budget submittal that's on the Hill.

We can't ignore the threats posed to the technological infrastructure by terrorist groups and other adversaries, like rogue hackers.

We have to have both, and as we're downsizing our military are we becoming too reliant on cyber defense.

I thank Senator Johnson for his perspective, and it is very helpful. We are now going to hear from another colleague who also is a new Member of the Senate but has a lot of experience in what makes the economy work and has been promoting…

I thank the Senator for his leadership on the Budget Committee. I see we have also been joined by one of our new Members, a freshman Member, who comes from the business side of things. He ran a manufacturing company, so he has an…

Is that the policy of this Administration that we should have a U.S. source of lowly enriched uranium for tritium production at TVA?

So this is a requirement that we have a domestic source.