If confirmed, can you inform the committee as to what steps you would take to improve the relationship between TRICARE and private health care providers?

let me echo what has been said repeatedly here and express my appreciation for your service to your country under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.

I, too, want to add my support of the gentlemen who have been nominated for these positions.

I appreciate that and if you could answer it for the record it would be great, because that is such an important part of our success there...

I do have a question regarding the global war on terror, which we all realize I think requires a different strategy.

As the ranking member of the Seapower Subcommittee, I have to express my displeasure at the way in which General Pace was treated.

What I would like to share with you are some concerns I've heard from my constituents regarding TRICARE and customer satisfaction.

We think that the transformation that's being undertaken by the Air Force is important and might be something that is replicated in some of the other Services.

If thought were being given to the effect on the troops and the conditions on the ground in Iraq, I do not think you would probably see as many of these resolutions floating around here on Capitol Hill.

His departure had nothing to do with his performance or competence and everything to do with the politics of an unpopular war.

Sectarian-motivated violence now inhibits political progress, effective governance, and economic development.

Thank you very much, gentlemen, for your service. I look forward to getting you confirmed.

But it seems to me that the bottom line concern that we have to have is that our troops understand that we are committed to them and support them and want to make sure that they have every opportunity to be victorious, to complete the…

Let me express my appreciation to all of you gentlemen for your willingness to serve.

What do you think the consequences should be if the Iraqi Government fails to step up and follow through on its promises?

That's probably a very safe answer for you right now.

Thank you all very much for your service to our country and your willingness to take on new and additional responsibilities.

I think that the questions that have been asked earlier--what is most important in the debate that is occurring up here right now, in my view at least, is the impact that it has on the men and women who are wearing the uniform.

I thank the panel for their willingness to serve.

I would welcome the opportunity to host you at Ellsworth and show you the work that's underway out there.

You mentioned some of the things, ethnic cleansing, other countries interfering, terrorist groups moving in, disruptions in the flow of oil.

I think the real opportunity here for Congress to have a say in this, if they wanted to, would be with respect to the purse and the power that we have in terms of appropriations.

I am very concerned about the mixed messages that are sent by statements that are made here, not so much again as they are directed to constituencies back in the States, but more importantly what impact that has on the men and women who…

I believe that the commitment, the political commitment of the Iraqi government to the success of this plan, is probably more important right now than the additional troops.

The proposed rule change would have a big impact and lead to a lot more efficient operation of dry mill ethanol plants.