Beto O'Rourke

I appreciate the efforts to improve that through faster crossing times, implementing technologies that will allow for that.

What are the consequences when we miss our budget targets?

I want to commend you for your focus on issues of accountability, especially when it comes to purchasing and contracting within DHS.

The fact that we are hearing from all the folks who are in the front lines on these issues... is greatly appreciated.

I hope that it continues to move in that direction.

So if I could just summarize it to a one-word answer, it would be, no, we are not suffering in other areas for prioritizing the disability claims and the other issues that you raised?

I would appeal to you to use something like the Faster Filing Act to allow veterans, VSOs to file a claim in whichever way they think is best.

We are dealing within the confines of a zero sum game.

If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I do not like the new rule making from the VBA and I do not like this forcing veterans and VSOs to use these standardized forms.

I feel so strongly about keeping our ships forward-deployed in the transit zones.

Thank you. Mr. Commandant, I would also like to join my colleagues in thanking you for your service and through you thanking the men and women who serve our country in the Coast Guard.

I would say, big picture, my concern is that the rebalancing... do cause some risk.

I think you have put your finger, Congressman, on an important issue, and we have to think about the costs and benefits of how we intervene.

I think we have demonstrated that there are types and numbers of forces that can radicalize populations.

the mess we are in is a result of our invasion of that country in the first place.

I am certainly no apologist for the administration's National security strategy, and I have some significant concerns with it.

I think when you look at this you have got to also see some of the benefits to intervention.

I think all could agree we want confirmed, full-time, fully committed heads of the agencies within DHS.

I wonder what it means... when we look at not only the threats that we have at our borders with Mexico, but the opportunities we have when it comes to capitalizing on the trade and creating more jobs?

In terms of expanding the capabilities of the attack submarine force, we have already talked about the option of building Virginia-class boats.

I think in recent years there has often been an image of China as a juggernaut that is just going to be growing at some relentless pace, and that this would eventually pose an overwhelming problem.

even at two per year, as you know, we will experience a shortfall in the attack submarine force in the 2020s relative to the 48-boat force level goal

A lot of the commentary mentioned the fact that it was intended, as these people saw it, in part to strengthen China's position in the dispute over the sovereignty of the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands.