Joe Manchin

What is critical is to have goals, resources, and accountability.

It is hard for me to understand how $10 million can go missing in cash.

$10 million, that is $3.6 billion a year. This has been going on for I don't know how long.

I am just asking when was the last time we had a really good audit for the entire DOD?

It is just inconceivable for me how DOD, being one of our largest, and you can see the amount of money we put into it.

Let me just say this, that you know that with the financial challenges we are having right now, and we have our problems, too.

I simply can't explain to my constituents some of the anecdotes that we have heard with regard to financial mismanagement.

I rise today to speak of one of my gravest concerns, which is our Nation's fiscal future. All of us--Democrats, Republicans, liberals, moderates, conservatives--face a choice about whether we will seize the moment before us and confront…

To reduce the costs, just to lower the costs so we're able to provide to more people in need.

Basically, with rising costs, especially of Medicaid or Medicare Part D costs, they're estimated to rise about 9.7 percent.

I'd like to go into it in more depth with you, because I think in these budgetary-constrained times that we have, we should be looking at trying to get the best bang for our buck, and right now it doesn't seem that we're doing that.

As West Virginians you know we've been blessed with a lot of natural resources, coal being predominantly.

Do you believe it's feasible to base load off of natural gas the way we base loaded off of coal and nukes?

first of all, I rise in total support of Mr. Leon Panetta as the new Secretary of Defense. He is an outstanding public servant who has served in many capacities and he has been a tremendous leader in every role he has held.

I have the utmost respect for the Senator from Arizona and his commitment to this country and his service to this country. I can only report what I have seen. I was in Afghanistan twice--as a Governor in 2006, representing the National…

I know that Senator Murkowski and I can do that.

We've already heard from Senator Hagan.

That's why I am encouraged that this Subcommittee is working together in a bipartisan way to put in place a strategy that will help ensure reliable and affordable access to critical minerals well into our future.

As the Chair of the Senate Armed Services Emerging Threats Subcommittee, I can tell you that many of these materials are essential to our national security and our ability to equip our men and women on the battlefield.

But while we've made significant progress in assembling the infrastructure needed to manufacture these critical lithium-ion batteries domestically, we have yet to make similar investments in the production of the materials found inside…

Lithium is the material of choice for rechargeable batteries, also known as lithium-ion batteries.

I want to thank you and Ranking Member Risch for holding the hearing.

I want to acknowledge the work of the Committee Ranking Member Murkowski.

Through the Recovery Act, Congress recognized the growing demand for lithium-ion batteries by making an unprecedented investment in our ability to manufacture advanced batteries here in the United States.

Do you see the citizens of this country paying a much higher price because of our indecision in not having an energy policy?