In the absence of the OCO budget for consideration before the Congress at this time, can you please describe the impact of OCO funding on your ability to provide 'ready' and trained forces?

How do you intend to employ these ships over the next two fiscal years, and how do you intend to use the funds that Congress has allocated if not for the purpose of modernizing these assets as Congress intended?

If requested amphibious ship retirements go forward, what is the Navy's assessment of the increased risk assumed by the Marine Corps?

Where do we need to be as far as fleet size to really do the things that we need to do?

How do you ensure you do not create a 'hollow force' and that you continue to preserve the short- and long-term ability to provide ready forces to the combatant commanders--particularly in light of the impacts to operations, training and…

I certainly understand resource issues, but from our standpoint, too, we need to be making the argument about where the resources need to be.

My concern is, where we are going; where are we going to end up with capability, especially in light of reset and needing to make sure we have that capability in an area, as we know, that is going to be a challenge and where naval assets…

In light of the existing shortfalls in the FY13 O&M accounts, what are your greatest concerns about the Navy's readiness?

In light of the fact that the Navy has spent the last 6 years operating a significant part of the force above a long-term sustainable tempo level, as the DOD draws down in Afghanistan and rebalances to the Pacific, a predominantly maritime…

What can Congress do to keep the retirement of those nine ships from happening in fiscal year 2014?

Welcome to the Readiness Subcommittee.

I believe our ship capability is the cornerstone of this Nation's defense structure.

We have to be able to know what we can do in order to battle for those resources.

What is the current requirement for amphibious lift? What level are we currently providing? What is the plan to close the shortfall?

I appreciate the efforts that you are putting forth to get our energy policy on track, especially as it relates to the Outer Continental Shelf.

And, as you know, for Virginia and for the East Coast, this means jobs, it means energy independence, and especially with the potential opportunities there for natural gas and oil.

There is agreement across Virginia, across our congressional delegation and within the State, to make sure that this happens.

So, I just wanted to know why should it take nearly a decade, if we are going to wait until 2017, why should it take over a decade for us to learn the lessons from the Gulf...

I think we have understood what happened with the accident down there in the Gulf, and currently no lease sale could take place off of Virginia until 2017.

I was alarmed when General Odierno testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday that we are heading toward a hollow force and that budget cuts could threaten Army readiness levels on the Korean peninsula.

I am really dismayed about where we are putting our Air Force and all of our military branches with sequestration.

And, again, thanks for your endurance on this most recent trip to Afghanistan.

If something was to happen literally tonight in Korea, obviously, the people that were stationed in Korea and in Japan are the ones that would actually be doing the fighting tonight.

Ladies and gentlemen, I will call to order the House Committee on Armed Services and the Subcommittee on Readiness to order.

I think it is extraordinarily important to look at sustainment plans, what elements should be in those sustainment plans...