Throughout the history of our young nation, we have seen our military go bravely into battle, armed with courage and willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.

But the fact is, Mr. Chairman, for all the challenges the Postal Service of the 21st century faces, it still retains its traditional place as a key cog in how American businesses conduct their affairs and how Americans all across this land communicate.

Last month, the Iraqi people went to the polls, voting in their first free election in more than 50 years.

One in seven Americans lives without health insurance, and that's a truly staggering figure.

We also very importantly recommend continued growth in the Army and the Marine Corps end strength.

We have already seen evidence that, notwithstanding the addition of substantial resources, we are experiencing great stress in recruiting and not inconsequential retention problems.

One only has to look at the performance of the economy to understand how it shapes the perspective of America's youth about military service.