It is important the positions be filled in a timely manner by qualified nominees who are ready to take on many of the challenges that face our country.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Senator Hutchison, for holding today's hearing, and I want to thank our panel for their willingness to serve.

I look forward to working with all of you and hope that we can find some solutions and some good results for the American people.

On his Defense Budget Recommendation Statement on 6 April 2009, Secretary Gates described these decisions as the product of 'a holistic assessment of capabilities, requirements, risks and needs for the purpose of shifting the department in…

To me, this proposal to delay development of the Next Generation Bomber until post-START arms control talks are completed appears problematic.

I am hoping that we can perhaps figure out a way to expedite this EIS process.

I hope that the Department will move quickly on both those programs.

I believe it's reasonable to assess that the precise requirements for land forces will continue to evolve.

I'm concerned that the future will be more uncertain and more unstable.

Thank you all very much. I appreciated very much your testimony and your very candid observations.

None of these decisions are going to be easy.

Thank you all very much for your testimony.