Jack Reed

I think the kind of audits concerns and unintended consequences that you are talking about may well be the worst effects.

I think it is critical that not only Congress address the defense needs, but address the State Department needs as well.

If we contract spending at the Federal level... you do not anticipate a fall-off, a significant fall-off in growth?

The issue that confronts us is this year's budget and next year's budget.

If passed without modification, there could be as much as a 2-percent decrease in the growth next year going forward and as many as 700,000 jobs lost

Thanks very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

I think you have to move with some expedition, because, again, the last time we were all here together visiting, we were talking about how much progress we were making in this global settlement.

The Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) has been a workhorse of the amphibious force for moving vehicles and cargo from our amphibious ships to shore.

Secretary Mabus and Admiral Roughead, will this delay lead to any gap in capability?

It is absolutely critical to fund the defense budget going forward not in an ad hoc, every 60 days basis, but over a long period of time.

The international community and Afghanistan cannot afford a force of 375,000 Afghan National Security Fund (ANSF) indefinitely.

We have to start now and build that in.

I would assume that you would stress with the same urgency the need to fund those types of DOS programs in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I think we've learned to our disappointment that contracting out some of these procedures doesn't help, either.

I don't think I've heard it as insightfully or thoughtfully put in terms of the cultural challenges facing the Department.

My sense is that's obviously a challenge to you and Secretary Panetta.

I salute you, your colleagues, and the SEALs for extraordinary operations, and thank you.

Your efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan are significant, but you also look to other places--Yemen particularly of concern at the moment; Somalia, there is indication of operations there.

It is a pleasure and a privilege to have the opportunity to formally introduce General Martin Dempsey to this committee.

I think we all recognize now that, even in the context of low-intensity conflict, that cyber activities are becoming increasingly more important.

This is the next war or it may be even the present war

I urge you to ensure you link up, because some of the problems that military personnel face in terms of paying bills...

History often suggests that we fight the last war and prepare for the last war.

Another point is, when we were there DOD and DOS had identified over 1,000 tasks that had to be transitioned or accommodated.

Again, let me reiterate. We all understand that when programs migrate from DOD over to foreign aid, we keep the troops in the field for support.