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Good morning, Dr. Danielson, Dr. Orr, Secretary Smith and Hoffman, Mr. Kotek, we are so glad to have you all here today. Thank you all for being here today to present your 2016 program requests.

It is no secret that United States reliance on foreign energy imports—America's number one category in our trade deficit—presents a significant strategic threat, as well as a drain on our economy in terms of jobs and productivity. Last year, we turned a corner, producing more energy than we imported. Your offices deserve a great deal of credit for your accomplishments.

Some additional figures help us understand the big frame in which we are operating. For 2014, our overall trade deficit as a country in every category was up six percent, over half a trillion dollars, $505 billion. That was up from 2013, when our trade deficit was $476 billion.

Acting Administrator Lenhardt - as a fellow New Yorker I welcome you to our Subcommittee. I look forward to discussing the President's vision for development and global health. We cannot build the world we want for ourselves and future generations without a strong, stable, and well-resourced development policy.

USAID has spent the last several years endeavoring to rebuild itself as a premier development agency – on the frontlines of poverty reduction and disease eradication – while leading international efforts to advance economic opportunity, health, education, food security, and democracy activities. The efforts of you and your AID colleagues, made possible only by the continued generosity of the American taxpayer, make us all proud.

I would like to thank Chairman Dent and Ranking Member Bishop for holding this important hearing. I would also like to welcome Secretary McDonald and all of our distinguished guests this afternoon.

As the subcommittee reviews the FY2016 President's Budget request, we have the tough mission and responsibility to ensure the funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs adequately addresses some very serious issues. The number of current veterans and those transitioning into the VA healthcare system is staggering. We must ensure that we have the right programs and services these men and women deserve for their service to our nation. We made certain promises to our veterans and we are obligated to deliver.

First, I would like to thank Chairmen Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Visclosky for this hearing. Also, I want to welcome incoming Secretary Carter, General Dempsey, Undersecretary McCord, and the rest of our distinguished guests.

The President's FY16 Budget submission for the Department of Defense is roughly $33 billion above the BCA level. Some of my friends on the other side of the aisle have stated their opposition to the funding levels and revenue portions of the budget request. I would respond that after this committee has cut $1.5 trillion in discretionary spending, excluding sequestration, are you really unwilling to close tax loopholes for corporations and billionaires in order to invest more in transportation infrastructure, education and job training, biomedical research and other R&D efforts, and the military?

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate you holding the hearing.

Defense Secretary Carter and Undersecretary McCord, we look forward to hearing you testify before the Subcommittee for the first time in your current roles.

General Dempsey, I understand today's hearing may be your last official appearance before the Defense Subcommittee as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Your steady leadership has helped the Services navigate some very tumultuous years. We thank you for the dedication and sacrifice you and your family made during your 40 years of service.

Gentleman, your statements and responses to our questions play a crucial role in the crafting of the annual Defense Appropriations bill, especially in what I expect to be a very challenging legislative year.

Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement on House passage of the 2015 Homeland Security Appropriations Act:

"I am pleased the House has finally passed the 2015 Homeland Security Appropriations Act, providing critical agencies the resources they need to protect our borders, ports, aviation system, and communities.

"I am hopeful that this experience will make the most extreme elements in Congress think twice about attempting to hold critical funding hostage to enact divisive and ideological riders. The Appropriations process is too important for political games."

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"Thank you very much Mr. Chairman and good morning to everyone. It is a little earlier than we usually start these hearings, but this is such an important topic that it was important to all of us to have the opportunity for the full two hours with the distinguished panel. I am so thrilled to welcome Dr. Francis Collins, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, Drs. Fauci, Volkow, Insel, Lorsch, and Gibbons, to discuss the 2016 budget request for NIH.

Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement on Senator Barbara Mikulski's announcement that she will not run for re-election in 2016:

"The State of Maryland and the entire country have benefitted from Barbara Mikulski's nearly four decades of leadership in the U.S. Congress. The longest-serving woman in the Senate and in Congress as a whole, she has left her mark fighting for equal rights for women, expanding opportunities for working and middle class Americans, and investing in priorities that will make our nation more secure and our economy more competitive.