We made that recommendation and I think a number of our colleagues represented here made the same recommendation to the VA 2 months ago just in case.

Thank you to Ranking Member Bost for welcoming me and working with me on today's agenda.

This bipartisan bill that I introduced with my colleague Congressman Rob Wittman will help ensure the bay remains a vibrant and beautiful destination for the next generation.

Another bill on the docket today sponsored by Representative Lamb, H.R. 2385.

I can imagine it would be quite a complex thing tracing back through, you know, deck logs and service records and determining dates of where ships were located at specific times.

Has the United States Navy ever made the determination that the presence of an aircraft carrier strike group has had a significant role in deterring a conflict from going from phase 0 to phase 3?

One of the things that strikes me the most when I look at the budget is the changes year over year to a 30-year shipbuilding plan.

This force is designed to do that all the way to 2030.

Secretary Stackley's response at the time was that he would go as far to say that it is the cornerstone or our maritime strategy.

If that vision changes every year, do we really have a clear vision?

As they make that tough journey in their service and faced--our military families are the--they are the last families that should be faced with the stress of choosing whether to send their children to a bad school or poor-performing school.

The current law says that we need to have 11 aircraft carriers. But you are bringing us a budget that actually is asking us in your 30 ship--your shipbuilding plan to never attain that goal.

Thank you, again, Secretary, for appearing before our Committee, and I wanted to thank you for your recommendations against an appeal of Procopio.

Have you estimated the additional full-time equivalents or additional costs or additional personnel that you will need in order to process these claims for Blue Water veterans?

I was wondering if you have an update on that now.

Do you intend to treat this class of veterans as equally eligible for Priority Group 6 VA healthcare benefits based on service within the Republic of Vietnam?

The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, H.R. 299, enjoys broad bipartisan support as we collectively work to compensate these veterans.

I applaud this step by VA toward recognizing Blue Water Navy Veterans as eligible for the same benefits as their fellow Vietnam veterans.

Thank you for your commitment while testifying before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee on March 26, 2019, to not recommend an appeal of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit's decision in Procopio v. Wilkie.

Your own report stated 'The effects of a changing climate are a national security issue with potential impacts to Department of Defense (DOD or the Department) missions, operational plans, and installations,' yet your department does not…

I am really baffled at how the Navy can submit a budget that decommissions the Harry S. Truman halfway through their life cycle.

I don't think that the President is going to turn to the Secretary of Defense and say, 'Where are my unmanned surface vessels?' when a conflict breaks out in the world.

I believe that any budget that the executive branch submits has to start with the things that are mandated by Congress to be fully funded.

They are going to turn and ask, 'Where are my aircraft carriers?'

There really are not any resources currently allocated behind fixing these problems.