Jack Reed

Thank you very much.

One of the proposals that we discussed quite seriously in the appropriations process last year, was an onshore inspection fee, that the BLM would be able to charge, an increase in fees, for that effect.

I believe, that all of the proceeds from production--from the gulf, from the Chukchi, from Bering, from Beaufort--all of those go to the Treasury of the United States.

So there is a direct correlation between the increased fees and we hope the effectiveness of the inspections and the oversights, which after the Macondo spill, clearly, we need a more effective system.

And let me say thank you, thank you, thank you to you and Senator Murkowski and the members of this subcommittee for making sure we get the additional resources to be able to do the job right.

We increased inspection fees $62 million.

Secretary Salazar is a rock star in Vermont. People still talk about his visit up there, and I appreciate that.

Thank you very much, Senator Johnson.

We expect the environmental assessment process to move forward much more quickly because of the groundwork that has been done.

Thank you, and I want to thank Deputy Secretary Hayes for his great work in this effort.

Would you also commit to helping us expedite from Interior and BOEM's position those approvals?

My concern is that in Rhode Island we are really falling behind in the timing of the environmental assessment.

I thank you again for your continued support of the Department's mission.

I also want to thank you for your intense interest in all these issues and for your accessibility and collaboration with us throughout the process last year.

Thank you very much, Senator Murkowski, for your great work and for the work of your staff.

The transitional government in Libya is on schedule and is moving towards elections and reforming the government.

What level of planning have you undertaken?

I personally do not believe that hedging, I mean, that disclosure is enough.

The current executives of banks were deferring more compensation in 2003 than they are required to defer under the current rule under 956.

I do not know of anyone who has come up with a reason, why any company should allow a kind of general freedom for executives to hedge in an engaging derivative transactions.

I mean that goes to the whole point about if we are going to have sensible rules that apply to everyone not just the most scrupulous organizations but all organizations.

Thank you, gentlemen, for your service to the Army and to the Nation.

So in effect we're working on, as we speak, pulling together that international context for efforts that are directed to the ultimate demise of the Assad regime; is that a fair characterization?

But the one area that would be problematic would be something that was perceived as unilateral or so dominated by the United States that this lack of international collaboration could undermine our intentions and our motives; is that true?

The idea of the defense growing at the rate it grew over the last decade is not within anyone's purview.