I ask the committee to adopt the President's request for funding to support 21,370 Border Patrol agents and to hire additional 300 Customs and Border Protection officers.

We cannot balance our budget on the backs, in particular, of American's veterans.

I also ask the committee to support the President's request of $43.2 billion for the Department of Homeland Security.

There is an urgent need to address our nation's budget deficit and secure our long term fiscal stability.

The NIH is also a key to our continued economic recovery.

I am concerned that the President's budget does not include funding for border fence construction.

I believe there is an urgent need to address our Nation's budget deficit and secure our long-term fiscal stability.

No one should stand ahead of our Nation's veterans when it comes time to making funding decisions.

It has to be shared sacrifice. It has to be across the board, again, with the exception of the veterans and some of the programs I laid out.

I urge the committee to prioritize the needs of veterans as you draft the fiscal 2012 budget.

The recession won't truly be over until Americans seeking work can find jobs.