Kay Bailey Hutchison

Passing an FAA bill should be a priority for this Congress.

I hope that we can have a bipartisan bill that really focuses on the two major issues and that is safety, which is Number 1, and NextGen.

We have a tremendous opportunity over the next few months to make great strides toward modernizing our air traffic control system.

We cannot expect stakeholders to support NextGen and the investment necessary if the FAA cannot demonstrate the benefits of modernization.

Are you pursuing other options? Are you beginning to look for other places where you can expand other than Pinon Canyon?

I'm very pleased about the investment that you're going to make in the fifth poly-trauma center in our country...

I hope today's discussions with the Army and Air Force addresses how the Department intends to complete all of the BRAC recommended actions before the statutory deadline of September 30, 2011.

What effect will the stopping at 45 have on the statement of the commander at EUCOM?

I thought that we should be increasing our military construction and moving it up.

I am concerned about the Army's investment in infrastructure in the United States.

I had written you this year after meeting a veteran in a wheelchair in Houston, Texas and he had been able to acquire a service dog through private donations.

So what then would be the timetable? If there is nothing in this year's budget request for generic military construction for that headquarters, what would then be the timetable for putting it into the FYDP or into a future budget?

Regardless of where it goes, have you done planning or is there nothing contingent in your budget request for any added building for that?

Are you prepared to say what is not part of the current administration's plans that was a policy of the previous administration?

The sooner we can get our servicemen and women home and into new, state-of-the-art facilities, the sooner we will live up to our commitment to provide for them in a way that is commensurate with their service to our Nation.

I just believe that, in general, the Navy has done well in focusing on quality of life issues.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate you holding this hearing today and am pleased to welcome representatives of the Army and the Air Force before the Subcommittee as we examine the President's fiscal year 2010 budget request for military…

It would be part of the expectation of this committee and Congress that you would have a plan B.

Full funding of BRAC has been a priority of mine because it is the easiest target that we have had through the years.

Would you be prepared to say that the BRAC that Congress enacted is going to continue as Congress has directed?

When will you pull the plug on Pinon Canyon if you don't see a possibility?

We should be increasing our construction in the United States, not decreasing it.

It just seems like you would want to stand it up as early as possible.

The fiscal year 2010 budget request contains $7.5 billion for implementing BRAC construction.

It is everyone's goal to leverage information technology to have veterans seamlessly transition from the DOD to the VA.