One of the things I would like to encourage through the course of these hearings is when the Congress is doing things that, frankly, do not make common sense, that do not really add up, you need to tell us.

I do not think we wish to imply that no progress has been made, obviously, there are some pockets of encouraging progress and that is welcomed and hopefully we will see a good deal more.

We will get there. It is just--it is difficult.

I think the U.S. Marine Corps was the first military service to assert audit readiness of a financial statement since the Department first articulated its financial improvement strategy.

It is good to know where your cash is. It is good to know where your equipment is.

I would just note, Mr. Chairman, for the record that this is not a Democratic or a Republican idea.

It was declared unconstitutional by the courts.

We need to go after all kinds of waste, fraud, abuse, improper spending, and all that.

A couple of us on this Committee, Senator McCain, Senator Russell Feingold, who is not on this Committee...

I am not sure if we will have a chance to vote on this proposal this year.

I thought it went way overboard.