Joe Manchin

I am proud to say that we are very close to meeting our goals to remove or dispose of 4,353 kilograms of highly enriched uranium and plutonium in foreign countries by the end of 2013.

During the hearing you both mentioned that we have had some success in rolling back al Qaeda in Yemen and Somalia.

I think it is absolutely time to start acting in this area, and I think our legislation is a very good, reasonable, bipartisan start.

But you know they've also been declining, right?

I think the other thing that we have too...when you look at how we have been, the amount of production we have off of Federal lands that you would be responsible for has declined.

I understand you also formally supported the cap and trade carbon tax.

There has to be a balance and not a disproportionate of where the research dollars go.

The topography in West Virginia and many mountain States, a drainage ditch is not what we would consider a stream.

I would hope you would be considerate to that so I could at least sit and talk to you about it.

If you could, I know you just said you support the all above energy policy.

I come from the little State of West Virginia where there is a lot of common sense, which you do not find very common up here in Washington.

But the HSBC, I mean, they paid the largest fine in history, and nobody was prosecuted.

I would just ask for the consideration of the Chair, if you would ask the DOJ to come and give testimony on why they have not prosecuted.

We all have a hard time understanding why you have not cracked down on banks that are using illicit funds.

Secretary Donley, please provide the approximate number of contractors the Air Force presently has in its inventory.

The Air Force recognizes we will not win our war on sexual assault until we have everyone on board to fight; Guard, Reserve, Active Duty, and our civilian workforce.

With the gravity of the Air Force's sexual assault problems, it is perplexing to understand how--with over 200 general officers--the Air Force would appoint a Lieutenant Colonel as the face of the program.

General Welsh, if the current budget control caps remain in place, will you propose reductions to the Air Force's authorized end strength?

I want to commend the Navy for being responsive to my colleague, Senator Rockefeller, and myself last year.

If sequestration remains in place, would the Marine Corps have to make additional end strength cuts?

To me it just makes sense, sir, as a former governor--and we have a few former governors on this committee.

I think you know my position on contracting. It's not real favorable.

I think it was very draconian how it's been implemented across-the-board.

What we're investing in our National Guard is an ability to expand over a period of time--39 days a year they train.

The Army has spent more than $3 billion dollars on unemployment compensation over the last 10 years.