"The current process is too confusing, too complicated, and too long."
"We must do more to make the Federal Government the employer of choice."
"The only way the Federal Government will succeed in accomplishing its many missions is if we improve our ability to recruit and retain a world class workforce."
"As Chairman and now Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia since 1999, I have worked hard to enact flexibilities ..."
"You are going to have to spend the next couple of years really shaping up OPM."
"I really would like to have you spend some time in that area because I know you are going to be under pressure to abolish the system. But to me, it is something that is important for the future of our..."
"It is critical for the safety of the country and for our citizens, and so I would devote the attention and time and energy to this to see if we could bring that gold star home."
"This is a Federal constitutional right we are dealing with and the Federal Government has the responsibility of making sure that right is vindicated either by funding indigent defense or making--or as..."
"I have talked with Senator Akaka. We have not introduced the bill yet, but again, we are working on legislation to improve performance evaluation in all of the Federal departments."
"I want to echo the thanks of this Committee and others for your service to our country and for the service of your husband to our country."
"I believe that this will go a long way toward rebuilding a collaborative relationship with employee unions and managers."
"I am concerned about that because the best way I think that you can help other agencies is to get your agency working the way it should in terms of management and in terms of employee satisfaction so ..."
"There is no way that we will be ever able to afford to really secure the border without immigration reform in this country."
"People are not aware of this, but the backlog of security clearances, particularly with private contractors, is costing us a lot of money."
"The transformation of the Department is on the High-Risk List, and one of the things that we have been trying to do is to get an agreement on the metrics that we would use to determine whether transfo..."
"I would really like you to look at that because in some areas it has been really successful."
"If you can do that in your shop, you will be able to lead by example."
"One of the problems I think we have in government, and I have talked to one person after another who have left the Federal service, is they say, I go to work for an agency, I work my butt off, and I d..."
