Jack Reed

So your operation force would be, presumably, equipped with some of the sophisticated weapons that are available now.

Could I ask you when you conclude and have your results thoroughly vetted--would you be available either in an open or a closed session to come back and let us know about the lessons you have learned, particularly the lessons learned based…

The force structure gap created between the inactivation of CVN-65 and the commissioning on CVN-78 was the direct result of previous DOD and Navy decisions.

Thank you very much, Admiral McCoy.

I suspect that the gap period has led to pressure to maintain the construction schedule at the expense of efficiency and total costs.

The long-term goal for fleet size is 313 ships.

Thank you, Senator Blumenthal.

That is an interesting comment. Thank you very much.

Secretary Stackley, one recurring theme obviously is sequestration.

That was one of his opening questions, and I did not get to it in my response.

Will the Navy have the resilience to avoid letting the shipyard make very inefficient, expensive production decisions?

We shouldn't be making changes in the middle of a shipbuilding acquisition contract.

This has been a very thoughtful and constructive hearing.

And let me join you in saluting the Capital Police officers, who protect us every day and today particularly.

On behalf of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, I'd like to convene this hearing on the fiscal year 2014 budget request for the Department of the Interior.

I think this is strong bipartisan support over the years for the LWCF.

You mean they're getting to be our age?

If the sequester continues into this 2014 fiscal year, it will be further complicated.

What it doesn't do is allow sort of the not only just oversight, but, you know, members to be able to indicate the local preferences.

Well, thank you very much. That adds, I think, some context and some real value to what has been so far a very valuable discussion in and of itself.

When we do these investments, they actually generate economic activity, provide jobs, leverage the economy forward.

Without, I think, healthy dialog within the Congress and the administration, we're not going to be as effective as we should be.

I think one of the benefits of heritage areas is they have broad community support.

There has to be at least a core Federal support level because that is what pulls a lot of the private support.

If we want the next generation to be custodians of the environment and not just in certain areas, but throughout this country, we have to expose them to environmental education and issues.