I just want to make the point that H.R. 5499 is not a radical proposal. It is consistent with the Constitution.

the way you make sure that there's not reprisals, the way you make sure that people do not feel fearful in terms of reporting is to enforce the law and take action against the perpetrators.

I hope you can understand the frustration that some of us and maybe most of us on the committee feel and particularly in dealing with the DEA.

It's just hard to understand how an organization can operate and violate its own policies and do things that create so much bad publicity toward the agency and not impose any discipline.

Your September 2016 audit highlighted widespread issues with the DEA's tracking and oversight of payments, lack of receipts, a lack of information, justifying payments to sources.

We are trying to get the DEA in a position where they're functioning with proper oversight where there's accountability and transparency in the agency.

you're looking for a disaster.

I also would like to point out that this appears to be problematic in the Department of Homeland Security, because among the large agencies Homeland Security ranks last.

Well, I can assure you that when 79 percent don't trust leadership, it's going to be reflected in your ranking.

you need to work with us.

It is disconcerting to me, Mr. Chairman, that we have had hearings with other agencies and it just seems that this goes on and on and on and no real punitive action is taken.

Well, given that they've called votes, let me ask that question to Health and Human Services on the TANF benefits.

that's $1.1, to $1.2 trillion. That's a lot of money.

What are the statutory limitations that keep the States from reporting improper payments on TANF benefits?

So over the last 2 or 3 years, and the last report I saw was for 2014, and it was what, $3 billion, something in that range, that went out in death benefits improperly paid? Did that number decrease last year?

That seems to be a pattern ----

Has anyone been fired? Has that question been asked, Mr. Chairman?

Well, going back on the report that I read last year--actually, I'm on the Budget Committee and that's when I brought this up--65 percent of the improper payments were attributed to Medicare fee-for-service, Medicaid, and earned income tax…

So do we know how much we paid out in improper payments in TANF benefits?

But why have you just now started the process when we've been losing billions of dollars?

It just concerns me that there is not a balanced approach to this in regard to looking at the economic benefits and the benefits in terms of reduction of greenhouse gases versus the benefits--versus whatever very limited impact that…

I'd just like to point out that there's still serious debate over whether or not the climate is warming.

the bottom line is is that it hasn't worked the way it is supposed to work.

I think it has a chilling effect on scientific research.

Dr. Cohen, so far Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, and there may be others that will likely be coming down the pipeline, have announced they are leaving the exchanges.