Gerry Connolly

My head, like probably the panel's, is spinning at some of the contorted logic going on about sequestration...

Virginia is the likely new site of an FBI headquarters for several reasons.

Surely India's got to be concerned about growing instability.

Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for noting we are a commonwealth, one of four.

Broadly speaking, both countries are trying to pull Pakistan or nudge Pakistan in the same direction.

Virginia offers--northern Virginia offers one of the most skilled workforces in the United States.

We look forward to a fair, open, and transparent process, free of political influence.

I was just in India with a very large group under the auspices of the Aspen Institute--a large group of Members of Congress--which I think demonstrates this repivoting to Asia in a very complex but very important region.

Talking about Pakistan just a little bit, Mr. Nehru and Mr. Dhume in particular, as much as the United States is concerned about internal stability in Pakistan...

And so it seems to me every budget represents our values, and the budget that is about to come before the floor I fear does not represent these values and will do harm to our country in the long run.

Every budget represents our values, and the budget that is about to come before the floor I fear does not represent these values and will do harm to our country in the long run.

Sequestration and the pending Ryan budget, like the previous two Ryan budgets, only this one is going to be worse, constitute a disinvestment in America.

Mr. Chairman, I just want to thank you. This is our first hearing of this new subcommittee, and I think you have set a tone of collaboration, cooperation, and bipartisanship.

I think there is the will among senior people in these agencies to do it, but they need help doing it.

I want to thank the Chair for reaching out and I want to commend his staff who have been wonderful to work with.

No, Mr. Chairman, I just want to thank you for the hearing. I think this has been very, very thoughtful.

Disparaging the workforce does not get you skilled workers.

Instead of repeatedly attacking these key Federal workers, Congress should be pursuing ways to retain their expertise.

Congress must also ensure that agencies have the resources to hire and retain acquisition professionals.

Effective oversight is one of the best weapons against this kind of wasteful spending.

I just want to thank you. This is our first hearing of this new subcommittee, and I think you have set a tone of collaboration, cooperation, and bipartisanship.

So we want to make sure we are in sync and that we are not an outlier, because the Federal Government, frankly, is not subject to local zoning regulations and laws, and that can sometimes be problematic in terms of planning.

I agree. My concern, just to interject, and I know the chairman shares this, as someone who spent 14 years in local government, we don't want to do harm to local communities in our zeal to divest ourselves of properties we no longer need…

We want to make sure that if there is a compelling use of these properties at the local level, that they get sort of first right of refusal.

But that doesn't guaranty wise decisions, and the last BRAC round made some very unwise decisions.