Patrick Leahy

I believe when you strike an agreement, you should stick to it.

Do you intend to recommend any rescissions?

Have you or anyone in your Department recommended that we rescind any of the money we recently appropriated for housing and community development proposals?

Are you folks just totally tone-deaf to what's going on?

The Administration has proposed elimination of Community Development Block Grants, the HOME Investment Partnerships, the Rural Capacity Building Grants, and harsh rental reforms.

We Vermonters think when you make a deal you keep it.

What structural or institutional barriers both within the Bureau and the Department remain to achieving that objective?

I am concerned about both the Guard and Reserves, but in the full time services.

Is it safe to say that there is no service that does not have a concern about PTSD?

The care, and welfare, and wellbeing of the men and women in uniform are all of our most important tasks to maintain.

They have to have special authority for that, would they not?

We can do law enforcement duties. But there is no intention on this particular case.

I do not know of any precedent for this. I am asking, what circumstances?

Commanders in these units... have better access to ranges, better interoperability with their active duty counterparts.

The fact that our Active component and Reserve components... are training together, planning together, working together, and some day will be flowing together.

I am proud they are going to be the first Guard unit in the country to fly the F-35.

I know firsthand from the members of Vermont's own Air Guard and Army Guard the sacrifices these men and women make every day.

I think it is extremely important.

I am disappointed that you chose not to make any mention of this issue in your written testimony.

Well, I agree with you, and I must say I'm delighted to hear you say that as one who voted for your confirmation.

Will you ensure that both rural and urban see across-the-board increase in infrastructure investment?

How will you work with me and the state of Vermont to resolve this issue and ensure that Vermont can continue its successful CREP partnership with the USDA in order to meet the state's ambitious water quality goals?

Would you please help get this funding out the door as quickly as possible to help support these Farm-to-School programs around the country?

The last thing I would ask, about the Farm-to-School program, this has had enormous success. I take some credit for getting that program through originally.

The Senators I have talked with and House Members have talked with in both parties are not eager to see any rescissions.