There really is not that equivalent at the Federal level, and I think that has been one of the challenges.

There is governmental oversight, but there is not a governmental efficiency metrics performance group.

I salute you for your efforts.

I want to particularly thank Senator Cardin. He is an important member of both the Senate Budget Committee and the Government Performance Task Force, and I have benefited greatly from his guidance and support.

But whether this position will be maintained, whether it will have enough juice I think the jury is still out.

I think it gets harder at the State level, but you still have that chief operating officer role as the Governor.

And when you started even on the --in the ability to demonstrate the effectiveness of the program, did you sit with your leadership team and try to sort through which questions, did you have your staff--how do you even decide which is…

the worst example of penny-wise, pound-foolish is not investing in the Federal contracting oversight work force

I urge you to support that request.

I want to thank my colleagues Senator Cardin and Congressman Sarbanes for accompanying me to this hearing.

I would love both of your thoughts as this administration takes on this conversation about what is an inherently governmental function.

The only question I would have with that is I am not sure in this case more is always better and that at some point limitations--you could have--whether it is your contracting officials, whether it is your senior management, spending a…

I personally believe we have gone from GPRA to PART to now the Obama administration's efforts as well.

We put the brakes on spending.

As a matter of fact, it was ranked No. 1 in the whole country, a designation that we maintained until changes just in the last week or so.

It has been, a national embarrassment.

I think you are saying then you have unlimited access to the data and how you slice and dice may not be as burdensome as in the past.

I think our Federal work force at times feels overwhelmed with whatever--whoever is coming in has got a new set of reporting requirements.