John Mica

This is about saving taxpayers significant sums of money and achieving something that they set out to do.

We will schedule another hearing. It may not be here, but it will be in Washington.

The thing that drives you nuts with government, you've seen it, is people are making a decision.

Today's hearing, actually, again, is the result of some of the work of the Democrat leader of the committee.

And, again, we are pleased to be here.

Mr. Connolly has been very active and a leader in trying to consolidate some of the duplicative and costly data centers in the Federal Government.

What we try to do is operate the panel in a bipartisan manner.

We have the responsibility to conduct various oversight hearings and look at government operations.

I am pleased to chair one of the Oversight and Reform subcommittees, which is Government Operations, and have the opportunity to be here today.

We want to make certain that we give them the tools to be able to do the job.

I think we absolutely should empower the CIO more.

We have spent half a billion dollars on this and we have a card now that is flawed.

Well, again, we spent $23 million just on the pilot program.

I think that is what we got into, yes.

Could you write them and ask them when they think they will have that standard?

Thank God for the Coast Guard, because they are there 24/7.

I feel a little bit like that character, Mr. Connolly and Mr. Meadows. From 2002, 2005, 2006, 2009, to 2011. Last I checked, this is 2013. And we still do not have a viable TWIC program.

We have to figure out a way to get this program back on track.

I am stunned by the scope of the shortcomings identified by the GAO, particularly given that as long ago as 2009 GAO identified shortcomings that needed to be addressed to ensure the TWIC pilot program would yield reliable results.

As we are here today obviously looking at some half billion dollars spent on a program that is yet to be implemented, I am reminded of the fact that there are two ways things get done here in Washington, D.C., slow and never.

We all know that an attack on our Nation's maritime transportation system could have very serious consequences.

These findings are disappointing and of great concern.

It looks like they are whitewashing the folks at the higher pay grades and levels and you all are taking the blame; is that a fair assessment?

First of all, I have to again tell the families that we will continue to pursue this. And all the facts need to be known about what took place and hold people accountable.

Clearly, the American public was deliberately misled, and it was a political decision.