Jim Inhofe

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I believe that physical presence is oftentimes the best reassurance.

I do think that that is very important. We should honor our commitment to Ukraine and utilize lethal assistance to them.

If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order. There being no objection, the Senate, at 7:10 p.m., adjourned until Wednesday, March 15, 2017, at 9:30 a.m.

I appreciate your leadership in the FAA's Unmanned Aircraft Systems department.

Yes, OK. Is there something that takes longer than it should take on this?

Last year's FAA bill included a provision that I authored that created the regulatory fast lane to allow industry, including companies like Xcel Energy, to operate drones beyond the line of sight, to inspect transmission lines, pipelines…

I recognize this is a new thing.

I want to specifically thank you, Senator, for your amendment or your section that you added that addresses that beyond visual line of sight because that is how we are going to optimize this technology in the utility business.

They are also paying for a lot of that stuff, too.

Sportsmen are the original conservationists in this Country, going back to President Theodore Roosevelt.

I think that was a good move that we made, and we have been trying to enhance that program in answering the question.

I think it was an eye-opening experience.

I'm going to ask them to trust us. I understand why that might be a bit of a reach for them right now. But I can't fix this . . . The only way there is going to be accountability in this is somebody comes forward and tells us what happened…

I have every confidence that is what is going to happen.

I understand the key role that depots play in sustaining our aging force.

We are not currently organized, trained, and equipped to face a peer adversary in the year 2025.

In the committee, we have heard repeatedly in recent months from all the Services about the present global threat environment that we are in and our lack of adequate readiness.

I still think it is back to priorities, and a lot of people out there in the real world agree with me.

For decades, America has been uncontested, and that is no longer the case now.

The Congress has to repeal the Budget Control Act and the sequestration that follows.

Well, my time has expired, but for the record, General Goldfein, you said--I looked it up in your written statement. It was not there. But you said for every mission that I have described to you in your opening statement, you said our…

Yes, but you have to keep in mind that one of the facts is that there has not been a BRAC round yet--and I have been involved in these BRAC rounds since 1987--where they have not lost money the first 3 years or so.

In its current state, the manning pillar presents the least concerns due to recent approved increases in end strength.

What practical steps can we take to bring us closer to the 66 percent readiness goal?