I plan to zero in on the importance of maritime security for our Nation's economic well-being.

I am looking forward to working with him and other members on the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, making sure that we spend all the dollars that go into the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund on dredging, rather than going into a black hole of a…

Our border is also liquid--in the Great Lakes between the United States and Canada.

I often say that if it is wet, cold, and impossible, send in the Coast Guard and they will get it done.

I think every Member of this committee, certainly myself included, have had a number of conversations with the maritime industry.

Thank you very much, Admiral Papp.

We are only as strong as our weakest link, which is why it is imperative that we support the work of the Coast Guard and the sister agencies within DHS.

I guess I am going to start my questions by focusing on the cutters.

I believe that America desperately needs a whole, all-of-government strategy for border security that respects State and local governments.

I have to ask that because I am sort of on a mission as well to understand why in the Northern border we essentially don't have canines.

I have a lot of heartburn with that decision and the posture that the Secretary has taken toward this committee.

If I didn't agree to this, I would just tell the committee Members, we would not have had anybody from the Department of Homeland Security show up at the committee today.

We appreciate the efforts of Congresswoman Miller for her efforts in resolving that crisis.

One of the things that I sincerely want to strive for is a bipartisan approach on this committee.

I personally believe that the Jones Act is a very critical component of America's maritime heritage.

They were saying that the Jones Act actually hindered the clean-up efforts, and had a lot of--created a lot of the confusion in the Gulf.

In reality, the Jones Act had no impact on response operations.

I recognize the challenges that we have on the southern border and the safety of our Nation.

We have less than 2 percent under operational control of our 4,000-mile... with our wonderful, wonderful trading partner.

I thought it was interesting, with the GAO report coming out, on the heels of that, President Obama and Prime Minister Harper came out with a U.S.-Canadian agreement.

We were very concerned about what the GAO said about essentially no operational control, for all practical purposes, along the northern border.

This is a huge project of national significance, shovel ready.

We do have the highest unemployment in the Nation. In fact, in the four counties that I represent, the average unemployment rate is 19 percent.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate all of your testimony.

It is really sort of Southeast Michigan and down the I-75 corridor into Dayton, I think, is arguably the worst hit from an unemployment standpoint.