John Thune

As policymakers we certainly want to be in a position where we're making decisions that are based upon the very best science and the very best data.

Thank you for holding the hearing. Thank you to our witnesses today for their insightful testimony.

As you perhaps know, last year the Senate passed a Senate resolution by a vote of 94 to 3 expressing the Senate's view that detainees at Guantanamo should not be transferred stateside into facilities in American communities and…

It's important that consumer protection laws are in force as intended by the Congress.

I guess the only suggestion I would make is that there are, it is not like if you're on the list you fall off the list because you've fallen into the bad actor category or you're doing something that is fraudulent out there.

Everyone feels the effects of the recession.

But that there are things based upon industry input that say these are good actors and these are the things that good actors do.

I think it's important that consumers be aware of the protections that are afforded them under the law.

This is still an $827 billion debt we are handing off to future generations. This is the largest intergenerational transfer of debt in human history... The irony in all this is that the bill as it came over from the House, as has already…

I appreciate the question because I think that is one of the arguments that have been made against a lot of the tax amendments we have filed. This was drafted in a way so it is refundable, so all the Americans that you are talking about…

I think the multi-year procurement authority is one initiative that would help accomplish some of the things you are talking about doing, and we would like to work with you toward that.

Transportation issues are critical to my state.

I want to make sure as we go through the process that we don't de-emphasize highway investment in rural states.

The Air Force is the largest purchaser of aviation fuels. Tremendous cost.

I have a deep and abiding interest in assisting the Air Force in completing this initiative to expand the Powder River Complex.

That's why those goals I hope become reality in terms of the Air Force being able to transition to fuels that are sourced domestically.

I want to see us succeed in Afghanistan and be able to put together a strategy that would allow that to happen.

The success of the financial service transformation effort would increase efficiency and yield significant savings.

I also want to associate myself with the remarks that were made by Senator Lieberman earlier.

If you talk to troops or commanders, it continually comes up, and it really does undermine and hamstring our ability to be effective.

I can't think of individuals who are better equipped to serve in the posts for which you're here this morning.

As future policy advisors to the Secretary, I would like to get your opinions on whether or not these most recent budget decisions were indeed informed policy decisions.

He reached these decisions after consultations with the President, and with the military and civilian leadership of the Department of Defense.

Secretary Gates' most recent budget decisions were informed policy decisions.

It appears that President Obama has no intention to continue with plans to field a third ballistic missile defense site in Eastern Europe.