that's allege from maryland senator barbara mikulski. the senator announced new sweeping changes in the way the veterans affairs processes the claims. currently it takes about a year for them to be processed. in fact, mikulski said baltimore had the worst record if the entire va system. she said an entirely new system that will share information eel troncally will help -- electronically will help. >> it will use the best tools of technology that have been tried in other field offices. by june 10th of this year we'll have a fully automated system that our veterans and those who adjudicate the claims can us. >> mikulski said the budget to help handle veteran claims doubled to $2 billion. the va said they're also bringing in experts from other offices to get baltimore up to speed. >> now you can go to tuhc. towson university is, t.ing the campus to harford county. the school is opening a satellite building across from harford community college. plans are now approved. students can attend at harford community and easily transition to towson.

i've met with chairwoman mikulski, and dick shelby, the ranking republican over there, as well as nita loy on my i'd -- nita lowey, on my side, the four of us have met. and we talked about this, and i think there's an openness to this idea. we'll see. but there's so many other unrelated, semirelated adjuncts to what's going on now. we've got sequestration, we've got a continuing resolution to keep the government going, which -- both of which are occurring simultaneously. and that ceiling looming in the near future as well, so there's lots of pressures and crosscurrents that are taking place around the continuing resolution effort. i would like, if we could keep continuing resolution somewhat segregated from those other really tough questions, because i think we would have a better product if we could keep it

i think it has hurt the process. >> you said you met with senator mick couple ski, she's -- mikulski, she's brand-new and the first to chair the committee on either house or senate. she has a bit of a different operating style, i think, than senator anew ue -- senator anew wee. >> i knew her when we worked in the house and worked with her somewhat there as well. anew wee and she is as determined as i am to get the house back to regular order. we talked about that the other day. and i think we'll see a different senate separation, we're hopeful, and i think she's capable of doing that and i think she's headed in that direction. and by the way, nita lowey, on my side, first woman ranking member of the appropriations committee on the house side. >> you think patty murray as head of the budget committee in the senate might work along with mikulski and you and nita lowey on getting things to the same page? >> i think paul ryan, chairman of house budget committee, has been in contact with senator murray and i think are both very practical minded people and understand that this is a practica

senator you would rather have a beer with than barbara mikulski. admit it. don't even know if she drinks beer. but if i had to pick one senator based on today, i would pick her. senator, if that offends you and you don't drink or if you find that offensive in any way, i'm sorry. you saw senator mikulski gesturing with her hands there saying george tenet brought in little aluminum tubes to make the case about saddam hussein's supposed centrifuge tubes during the leadup to the iraq war, that was part of the whole wmd case, right? well, as far as we can tell, that never happened at any public hearing. george tenet never actually brought prop aluminum tubes in to show senators. but if george tenet actually brought in little model aluminum tubes to convince the senators of that thing that was not true about saddam hussein, if he did that in a classified session and that's what barbara mikulski was physically referring to when she made that kind of knitting hand gesture today, that would be an amazing piece of history that was uncovered in today's hearing, would i

senate approoraaions committee chairwoman barbara mikulski put it this way -- until congress restoress common -- noomemberr offcongress can love what sequester will do to ameriia's milittry might. or barbara mikulski sot]in 7:20:41 "what & ttis will mean is that it will have a terrible effeet on protecting he nation from harm."trrt:09[shopping cart & efffct ]fewer ships will ply the eas, jet fighttrs will &phave llss latituue to roam thh skiess a reduced nmbbr of ccstoms booder agents will e on hand to thwaat drugg trafficckrs andd eerorists. health inssrance is n imbo. a ssorrfall by as much as $3 billion dollars coull mean lookinggin --on medical care ttey can't get.california - member of the house ammd -3 services committee. [hunter navy sot 1]]ot in 1:00:06 "it's going to be hard for us to have the military we need. 3 thousands of yearr,,a nation's strength and its econnmy tied & to its navy, especially." trt=:08[cooputerr] beyond -3 planes, ships and urloughs ii 3&pattackk.[isberg sound ]in threattrrghttnow is probbbly & the cyber threat and if the cuts start reaching into those &

>> yes, i think it has hurt the process. >> you said you met with senator mikulski. she is brand new pair of shoes the first woman to ever chair the appropriations committee in either house or senate. she has a bit of a different operating style, i think. can you talk a little bit about her? >> yes, i merely pleased with her. i met her in the house when she was in the house and we work together somewhat back and as well. i like her style. i like her energy. and i think she is determined, and as i am, to get us back to regular order. she and i talked about that today. i think we will see a different senate operation now. hopefully. i think she is capable of doing that and i think she is headed in that direction. and, by the way, nita loy, she is the first appropriations director of the house side. >> de you think -- >> i think paul ryan, the chairman of the house committee, has been in contact with senator murray. i think they're both very practical-minded people and understand that this is a practical place where we are talking about here. i hope and trust that the b

that's because senators mikulski and ben cardin will collect good on their san francisco feast. this following that super bowl win. so the senators wagered delicacies from their home states on the game and mikulski and car kin will get to enjoy crabs, napa valley wine. bread and northern california cheeses. had the 49ers won, which didn't happen we all know. the maryland delegation would have toasted the california senators with crab cakes, burger cookies, and heavy cs beers with a can of hair spray. pretty clever. >>> she was the longest serving member of the maryland house of delegates and today, you can pay your respects to hattie harrison. she had been a member of the house of delegates since 1973. the democrat represented the 45th district in baltimore city. she passed away at 84 years old. delegate harrison will lay in state in annapolis at st. anne episcopal parish church today from noon until 4:00. tomorrow she will stay in late at -- lay in state at her home church. they will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 tomorrow and starting at 11:00 on saturday and monday. then g

mikulski: madam president, what is the parliamentary situation?. ms. mikulski: madam president, i ask unanimous consent that the call of the quorum be vacated. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. mikulski: and, madam president, what is the pending business before the senate? the presiding officer: the senate is considering the hagel nomination. ms. mikulski: madam president, i ask unanimous consent that i may speak as if in morning business for approximately ten minutes. the presiding officer: without objection. the senator from maryland. ms. mikulski: i thank the presiding officer for granting me that permission, and my colleagues. i was so excited when i came in because i have a new guest in the senate. with -- a new desk in the senate. with senatority i moved to the row -- with seniority i am in the row where giants once stood, a few weeks ago was held by john kerry. though my desk location is new, i come to the floor with what seems to be a persistent pattern in the united states senate and in the united states congress, which is whe

mikulski: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from maryland. ms. mikulski: mr. president, i rise to speak in behalf of the democratic alternative that would cancel the sequester for this year. but i must -- if the gentlelady from new hampshire could just take a minute before she leaves the floor, i just want to compliment her on her energy, her passion, the fact that she actually wants to present ideas to be discussed, i think that's excellent. i want the gentlelady also to know i support that concept that she's advocating of no more delay. that you cannot solve america's fiscal situation and also important public investments we need to make in research and innovation and keep our fragile economy going by just punting it down. so i think we agree on that. the other thing that we agree is the goal. get our fiscal crisis in order, strengthen our economy, and keep america strong. we're going to disagree on the means. that's okay. that's called america. that's called the senate. that's ca

maryland senator barbara mikulski toured an nih lab wednesday learning what the $1.5 billion in cutst for nih would really mean. >> well, first, it would be an impact on 15,000 marylanders who work either at nih or benefit from the research funding at other maryland institutions. >> reporter: while the potential impact is massive, this is politics as usual and do not expect it to change. >> coming down the road again. this is too good of an opportunity to wait to bash the other party. >> reporter: both the house and senate are in recess this week w. nine days to go before $85 billion in automatic federal spending cuts begins, there is a call to reconvene the house immediately and find a way to avoid those cuts. in the newsroom, laura evans, fox 5 news. >>> we knew it was going to be cold. >> and wasn't it? >> yeah. >> i was surprised when i looked at the winds gusting. they were at 30, which is substantial and i thought more than that. it was blowing out there. today and some snow from time to time. and temperature the are dropping out. there the wind is stillboroing -- blowing and i

. >> ray lahood, i am going transportation secretary, wrote a letter to senator mikulski warning that if it goes through, it will affect air travel, tsa agents. travel will be delayed. there may be a long line that the airport. >> most of the country would ignore the sequestration because it will impact federal employees, but some of the effects are exaggerated. they would ignore this but for their travel. a lot of people travel. they know when the long lines happen that it will bring their political bell. >> the obvious answer to any of this is to allow the shift of the funds from one department from one pocket to another. it's a trivial amount of money, but it is because you cannot shifted around that it will hurt the services. the very obvious answer is to say, within any department, the secretary can shift the money around so you have important stuff like air travel, meat inspection, and stuff like the gsa guys in hot tubs. it's not hard to find the money in any department. the idea that nobody would agree, especially the president, let the president have the authority. you can sh

. >> reporter: the office of fellow maryland senator barbara mikulski also provided a written statement that did not directly answer our question. she did say she is focused on using every tool within my reach to fight sequester and stop downgrades, shutdowns or furloughs. the office of virginia senator tim kaine provided this comment. paycheck or no paycheck, senator kaine will continue to do everything he can to divert the devastating impacts of the sequester on the federal workforce and senator mark werner's office offered this statement. senator werner will report for duty and continue working for a bipartisan solution whether the lights are on or not. technically the 27th amendment does not allow members of congress to change their own pay essentially banning the type of pay cut that would come with a furlough, but lawmakers have options. for example, they could voluntarily pay extra income tax to help pay down the national debt. all four senators did vote in favor of knot budget no pay act. it dick -- the no budget no pay act. it dictates if congress fails to pass a budget by apri

mikulski: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from maryland. curl culms. mikulski: mr. presi, today i rise to come to the moore to speak on the impact of sequester on the american people, on their safety, their security, our economy, the way local and state governments can use wise resources and protect their people. mr. president, i know that we've each been assigned ten minutes. i have a robust number of the appropriations committee that want to speak. i ask the chair -- presiding officer to let me know when i've used five minutes. if senator landrieu is here, i will then yield to her. the presiding officer: the senator will be so notified. ms. mikulski: i come up here not only as the chair of the entire appropriations committee but as the chair of the subcommittee that funds the commerce department, justice department, and the majority of our science agencies. and i wanted to talk about the impact really on public safety and our future. but you have to know i come with a heavy hear

. >>> nearly a week after the ravens beat the 9ers maryland senators barbara mikulski and been cardin collecting their bet wings from california senators dianne feinstein and barbara boxer. >> this is real craft. >> the wager, a feast of sorts featuring their state's specialties. today the california senators delivered dungeness crab, napa valley wine, sourdough bread and california cheeses. if the ravens lost they would have delivered crab cakes and heavy beer. >>> today people gathered for a special symposium discussing the racial stereotypes surrounding the name redskin. panelists are urging people to push for a name change but asking them to boycott the team and its sponsors in protest and to stop the use of what they call the r word. >> when we get to that place where we start chastising our friends, relatives and our neighbors for using that word making it unacceptable, that's when things will change. >> over the years the team's owners opposed the name change citing tradition. others say money is the real reason. the redskins organization is not responding to the forum or deman

senators mikulski and cardin will collect their san francisco feast. crabs, napa valley wines, sourdough bread and northern california cheeses, had the 49ers prevailed the maryland delegation would have toasted the california senators with crab cakes, burger cookies and heavy cs beer as well as a can of hair spray. >>> a baltimore could run out of money in ten years if the mayor doesn't make some changes. the city will face a deficit of more than $2 billion by 2013. according to a new study, commissioned by the city, the mayor is preparing to launch a series of mayor reforms. -- major reforms. she will detail the plans on monday's state of the speech. >>> the world's largest auto show is here in baltimore for the weekend. we sent out abc2 news linda so for a preview to the convention center. you've shown us hot cars and sensible cars, what do you have for us now? >> reporter: all right, you want the top down? check out this one. isn't it a beauty? yeah it's nice. can't do nit this kind of weather. be -- it in this kind of weather but very soon. it's al

and diane feinstein made good on the superbowl bet with maryland senators ben cardin and barbara mikulski. even though the ravens beat the 49ers maryland senators did not gloat. >> you and your team and ours gave america a thrill of a lifetime. >> that's true. >> 34-31 right down to the last- minute. it was so exciting we were so pumped and so fired up as ray lewis did the little squirrel dance. >> she is showing off purple pride. ben cardin thearchgd the senators for the meal and making the superbowl -- thanked the senators for the meal and making the superbowl memorable. >>> we have to switch gears because weather will be present all day. >> we want to remend you to stick with us -- remind you to stick with us because if there are delays or cancellations, we will let you know as they come in. we will tweet them out and put them on abc2news.com and facebook. >>> let's go over to lynette. we are seeing drizzle out there now. is this a precursor of things to come? >> yes let me show you what's going on. when you look at the yellows and reds all this will move into the area. we are dealing

. >> barbara mikulski will cash in honor superbowl bet with diane feinstein. >> the national spotlightnues to shine on the ravens. ray rice appeared on "live with kelly and michael." >> you guys have a commanding lead but there was a power outage. did you think it would cost you the game? the 49ers picked up after that. >> for me it was 84 minutes. >> when you are not on the field. >> you want to keep your momentum. you want to keep yourself up and be ready to play. jacoby jones took the touchdown back and then the power went out. >> do you think somebody from the 49ers pulled the plug? [laughter] >> i'm glad i am a super bowl champ. >> yes. >> i cannot imagine ray rice not being ready to play. john harbaugh will appear on " late night with david letterman" tonight. and michael" ly michael airs at 10:00 a.m. >> "disney on ice"has returned with the show "treasure trove.' " this is a scene from "alice in wonderland." all the characters are having such a good time. for sure was last night and they said the audience went wild. we expect that excited to continue through the weekend. there i

mikulski: me, too. madam president, i'd also while we are waiting to take up some other important legislation, i want to come to the floor also on a very important matter. what i want to talk about is sequester. sequester is a nine-letter word which would be a big hit in a scrabble game but it's a lousy word for the game of life and the functioning of our economy. sequester is a technique that we're going to use. it's washingtonspeak for makin making -- saying that we will have across -- starting march 1, that we will have across-the-board cuts that will be devastating to our economy and to the functioning of government. i just held a hearing this morning in my full appropriations about the consequences -- in my full appropriations committee about the consequences of these cuts. madam chair, it is really scary. we're going to cut defense. it's going to have a negative impact on our readiness. and at the same time when people who are building some of the smart weapons for the future, like shipyard worker

. >>> barbara mikulski is warning of the impact of sequestration, budget cuts and the impact that that will have on the health care industry as well as her home state. the nih supports 18,000 jobs in maryland. >>> the pentagon is also sounding an alarm about sequestration. it's telling congress that hundreds of thousands of federal employees could face furloughs if no deal is reached. here is more from capitol hill. >> reporter: the fight over $1.2 trillion in across the board spending cuts set to begin march 11 is it is raging on. today it's the pentagon's turn to warn congress. more than 7,000 employees would take a pay cut. yesterday president obama blamed republicans for holding up a deal. the president said they could lose their jobs. >> these cuts are not smart, they are not fair, they will hurt our economy. >> reporter: president obama wants to reduce the cuts with new revenue. house speaker john boehner says the debate is closed. >> republicans are not comfortable with the cuts but they want to see spending cuts implemented. >> reporter: lawmakers on home at recess are feeling

crapo's long-standing commitment to victims, but also i have spoken often of the support of senators mikulski and murkowski and murray and klobuchar and coons and collins and shaheen and franken and hagan and casey and so many others who have joined to help shape this legislation and work to pass it. i appreciate also the support and the assistance of the national task force to end sexual and domestic violence against women. as many member organizations whose invieght has been so critical. i thank the vermont network against domestic and sexual violence. i am so very proud of them. they have done great work helping victims in vermont with support from the vawa programs. they have been a leader in developing and supporting this legislation. in fact, mr. president, i'd ask consent to include in the record the conclusion of my statement a letter organized by the national task force and signed by more than 1,300 national state and local organizations supporting this important bill. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. leahy: i thank the presiding officer. since we first passe

barbara mikulski said she's been jerked around time and time again. that gives you a window into a frustration where highly trusted members of congress are not getting answers and they let it be known. >> now, kelly, the brennan hearings sort of took up all the oxygen in political washington yesterday, but there was a hearing earlier in the day, senate armed services committee, leon panetta, the outgoing defense secretary, talked about many things but i want to play something about the attack in benghazi and the exchange between he and lindsey graham. >> it lasted almost eight hours. and my question to you is during that eight-hour period it the president show any curiosity about how is this going? what kind of assets do you have helping these people? did he ever make that phone c l call? >> look, there is no question in my mind the president of the united states was concerned about american lives. >> with all due respect, i don't think that's a credible statement if he never called and asked you, are we helping these people? >> reporter: now in anoth

. >> thank you, chairman mikulski. thank you for your kind words. today we will hear from our witnesses on the impacts of the sequester, which is appropriate and timely. the cuts are poised to take effect in 15 days. it should be noted that the sequester is something that congress and the president set in motion, knowing full well that this day would come. the sequester would bring spending cuts that are automatic and across the board for discretionary. the formula would determine how many cuts are made and stead of what is based on economic growth, say it, and prosperity. cuts will come without regard to a program's merit. some of the most severe cuts will hit defense programs. we must reduce spending, but it should be done in a deliberate way. the sequester was supposed to be a last resort in the so- called supercommittee failed to agree upon measures. in the end, maybe stan impasse. -- they reached an impasse. we have seen the sequester coming, but we have not taken any steps to fix it. congress has only delayed it further. this situation prevent

domestic and sexual violence act, legislation that i introduced with senator collins and senator mikulski in the fall of 2011. this bill will help women stay in their homes when they are the most vulnerable, when they need a roof over their heads the most. the link between violence and homelessness is undeniable. by one account, nearly 40% of women who experience domestic violence will become homeless at some point in their lives. and once a woman becomes homeless, she becomes even more vulnerable to physical or sexual abuse. in my state, nearly 1-3 homeless women is fleeing domestic violence, and half of those women have children with them. have children with them. that's unacceptable. frannie and i have visited battered women's shelters and i have to tell you, it's heartbreaking. they're crowded. they're full. and a lot of mothers are there with their kids. and on a bitter cold minnesota night, these women often have nowhere to go, and transitional housing is really important. if a woman has a choice between going out on a cold winter night in minnesota or maybe going back to her abuser

there has been no greater champion than yourself and senator mikulski. the waiver program extension. is there appetite to get this thing done. do we link this up with immigration -- can we get it done next year? >> about visa waivers. we look at each country on a case-by-case basis. poland i know. i just met with the polish foreign minister. the act is our bill that i had with senator schumer leading up, senator rubio and i and a group of eight senators introduced it last year. we would hope because it is in the judiciary committee that it is something we could put on this immigration bill. because of that broad support. a number of provisions for places like poland, related to making tourism easier. when you look at the growing middle class in these countries that want to visit america -- at my hearing, they showed a tape from brazil. their version of "good morning america" -- it showed people in line trying to get tourist visas to come to america, sleeping on the sidewalk for days because we did not have enough. now we are building -- they are profit c

. >> chairwoman mikulski, vice chairman shelby, and members of the committee, i want to recognize senator murray and senator collins further great partnership together and with us in making difficult and important decisions for the country. thank you for the opportunity to testify today regarding impacts of sequestration on housing and urban development programs. should it go into effect, the cuts would be deeply that it would affect middle-class and the income in the vigils. it would cost at a time when it is helping to lead our economic recovery. more specifically sequestration would meet about 125,000 individuals, more than half of whom are disabled or elderly. they would have the risk of homelessness. sequestration would result in over 100,000 homeless and formerly homeless people. the majority of them are families, and disabled adults, or veterans being removed from their programs and putting them at the substantial risk of returning to the streets. cuts to the housing opportunities would result in 7000 receiving housing assistance and threaten the population of homeless america. tha

and they are receiving good wishes and congratulations from all over for example, senator mikulski called do that tomorrow with the victory parade kick off at so:-- 10:45 and go along commercial street and m and t bank stadium. at 12:30 a celebration featuring the team and live entertainment at the stadium and abc2 will cover it live. if you can't make it downtown catch it here with us or online at abc2news.com. >>> meteor will gist lynnet in charles will let you know about the weather for -- meteorologist lynnet in charles will let -- lynette charles had let us know about the weather for than day and today. >> it feels like we are in the teens this morning and we have sunshine over the severn river but that will change as we go into afternoon as clouds move in and some snow later on this evening. as we look at the plain are for today, high temperatures only at 32 degrees and maybe a few flurries by 3:00 but here is the forecast for tomorrow. and that parade 34 degrees and cold. let's check the abc2 time sativer traffic with lauren cook. >> reporter: good morning. we have a crash in woods

eliminate tax loopholes, and for other purposes, signed by 17 senators as follows -- reid of nevada, mikulski, murray, gillibrand, reed of rhode island, brown, leahy, casey, durbin, shaheen, blumenthal, cardin, schumer, stabenow, boxer, whitehouse, begich. mr. reid: madam president, we do this so -- to make sure that people are on their toes. sometimes these signatures aren't the easiest to read. i ask consent the mandatory quorum under rule 22 be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. so ordered. mr. reid: i now ask unanimous consent that we proceed to a period of morning business with senators allowed to speak for up to ten minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask consent that we proceed to -- the senate proceed to s. res. 56. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. res. 56, a resolution recognizing the significance of the 100th anniversary of the death of hair hair -- harriet ross tubman. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceed to the measure? without objection. mr. reid: madam president, i am going to ask unanimous

hearing due in large part to the even-handed and common sense leadership of our chairwoman, senator mikulski. and to all the members of the committee who have been here and put their best efforts into carrying out our responsibilities, we thank you especially. it's been a long day, and i'm going to shut up and not prolong it any further unnecessarily. i did want to ask a question or two about sequestration. i'm just learning how to pronounce it. [laughter] to be honest. but the whole point is that we are operating under some new restraints and guidelines, if you will. but in general the sequester as written cuts off all appropriated accounts at a level that's the same percentage across the board. and so unless there are priorities identified by the this committee or by the congress in consultation with the executive, we're not going to be able to carry out the will of the people as expressed through the congress and our appropriations committee. it would with a misguided effort if we turned it all over to the administration though to come in and rewrite an appropriations bill. so i think we'

. >> thank you, chairman mikulski. thank you for your kind words.es on the impacts of the sequester, which is appropriate and timely. the cuts are poised to take effect in 15 days. it should be noted that the sequester is something that congress and the president set in motion, knowing full well that this day would come. the sequester would bring spending cuts that are automatic and across the board for discretionary. the formula would determine how many cuts are made and stead of what is based on economic growth, say it, and prosperity. cuts will come without regard to a program's merit. some of the most severe cuts will hit defense programs. we must reduce spending, but it should be done in a deliberate way. the sequester was supposed to be a last resort in the so-called supercommittee failed to agree upon measures. in the end, maybe stan impasse. -- they reached an impasse. we have seen the sequester coming, but we have not taken any steps to fix it. congress has only delayed it further. this situation prevents -- present an opportunity. the pres

attached to the defense bill that would go to the senate, it could be made better, with barbara mikulskienator shelby, and then they still want to do the sequester. i want to close with one other important thing. the budget control act already cut $1.5 trillion. it is important that the discretionary part of our budget is the lowest percentage of the economy, of gdp, that it has been in 45 years. so when we talk about cutting jobs, when we talk about destroying the economy, this is real. these are not statistics. these are people in every district in our country that are going to be hit by this. that is why this plan is really not a total solution at all, and i think what our chairman said before is critical. >> let me emphasize one thing. i talked about the 750,000 jobs lost. that does not change that at all. you are still taking this big, deep cuts within a short period of time. so again, the independent nonpartisan cbo says when you suck that much investment out of the country in a very short period of time, americans are going to lose jobs. the sequestration element, the magnitude of

there has been no greater champion than yourself and senator mikulski. the waiver program extension. is there appetite to get this thing done. do we link this up with immigration -- can we get it done next year? >> about visa waivers. we look at each country on a case-by-case basis. poland i know. i just met with the polish foreign minister. the act is our bill that i had with senator schumer leading up, senator rubio and i and a group of eight senators introduced it last year. we would hope because it is in the judiciary committee that it is something we could put on this immigration bill. because of that broad support. a number of provisions for places like poland, related to making tourism easier. when you look at the growing middle class in these countries that want to visit america -- at my hearing, they showed a tape from brazil. their version of "good morning america" -- it showed people in line trying to get tourist visas to come to america, sleeping on the sidewalk for days because we did not have enough. now we are building -- they are profit c

senator mikulski. before you start, senator, a vote is due to start at 4 p.m. it is five after 4 p.m. as soon as a senator returns, i will go. we will keep this going. members be guided by that. please go ahead. >> mr. brennan, welcome to the committee. in the short time i have, you mentioned your wife, kathy. could you introduce her to us? >> this is my wonderful and beautiful wife. my brother is also here from new jersey. >> we would like to welcome you. your entire family has served and will continue to serve. i want to echo the remarks of my colleague, senator warning and that central intelligence agency for what they do every day and in every way working often in a way that is not known or recognized and not always appreciated frankly. let me get to my question. i have been concerned for some time that there is a changing natioure of the cia. instead of being the top human spy agency, to make sure that we have no strategic surprises that it has become more and more operations. i have discussed with you in a conversation. how do you see this? i see this as

attached to the defense bill that would go to the senate, it could be made better, with barbara mikulski and senator shelby, and then they still want to do the sequester. i want to close with one other important thing. the budget control act already .ut $1.50 trillion dollar it is important that the discretionary part of our budget is the lowest percentage of the economy come of gdp, that it has been in 45 years. so when we talk about cutting jobs, when we talk about destroying the economy, this is real. these are not statistics. the rp -- these are people in every district in our country that are going to be hit by this. that is why this plan really not a total solution at all, and i think what our chairman said before is critical. >> let me emphasize one thing. i talked about the 750,000 jobs lost. that does not change that at all. you are still taking this big, deep cuts within a short period of time. so again, the independent nonpartisan cbo says when you suck that much investment out of the country in a short period of time, americans are going to lose jobs. the sequestration elemen

opportunities in front of this kind of public audience to recognize that many -- an action that senator mikulski and i took last congress and many of you joined in that we will reintroduce this year, a joint resolution to mark professionals day. to bring respectful attention to these professionals to keep our say -- nations safe every day and i look for to working with all of you to make sure we do this resolution again. the same qualities, dedication, selflessness, intelligence, and patriotism, are well represented in john brennan, in whom the men and women of the cra will find a dedicated leader in public service should he be confirmed. i have not had the opportunity to work with mr. brennan as much as the other members. i enjoyed our meeting together and as the chairman has indicated, john brennan's long career of public service and his record have prepared him to be director of the cia. he served for 25 years at the agency in the field and at headquarters including as deputy executive director in saudi arabia and as refer to to president since 9/11. he has been on the front lines in the figh