Richard L. Skinner: “I think it is extremely important, and I think we are seeing the results of not having the Senate-confirmed Inspector…”

With having acting people in place, what you are doing is running in place. . . . [Y]ou are not taking those risks necessary as a confirmed IG would to provide oversight . . . that is absolutely critical to the success of any program.

If you asked me if we, as a Nation, are better prepared than we were 20 years ago, 10 years ago, or even 5 years ago, the answer to that is yes, of course we are.

The tragic events that are unfolding today in Japan are a stark reminder of how important catastrophic preparedness is.

But if you ask, are we as prepared as we can be or should be, then the answer to that is no, we are not.