John Mica

My administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in government.

We want a positive outcome, and I hope I don't have to come again.

I try to do these, and we try to work with the agencies, the GSA.

We are closing down facilities and services to the public because we are basically on the verge of financial disruption in the country.

The clock is ticking. The cash register is ringing up deficit spending.

We do build these new courthouses, and we have existing courthouses, is the issue of security.

We are supposed to have $3 billion in savings, as Mr. Smith reported. Since 2005, in this region, we have actually realized $20 million.

If worse comes to worst and we can't get it for Miami-Dade College, then we have to get this off the taxpayer deficit column, out of the deficit column and into a productive column.

God forbid we should share anything.

This could be our third victory, Dr. Padron, small victories, but we're going to figure out some way to do this.

I did a hearing in Washington at the vacant power station building behind the Ritz Carlton on some pretty valuable real estate.

We have a vacant building. We will probably have to put utilities in part of that anyway, which is extra cost that we have incurred for at least five years.

Again, Mr. Smith, what we are trying to do is figure out how long this is going to take or if we can expedite it.

But again, what I want to envision is that by June or six months, I don't know, from this date, what is going to happen in what sequence?

Back to some of your testimony, Mr. Smith. You talked about the savings on space, disposing of excess space or properties.

Sometimes it is the only way we can get GSA's attention.

I love Mr. Goldstein, he is great, but he is sort of like--I saw the forensic school down here.

But nobody makes a decision. That is part of this process.

I want to take full responsibility if Congress is tying your hands or the law doesn't allow you the flexibility you need.

The thing is sitting vacant. We are incurring costs on a vacant building that is substantial.

We held that hearing, for the information of those here, I believe it was in February.

But the sales, $20 million. I mean, I did that yesterday on the old power station in Georgetown.

And I thought you also gave us--from 2005, was it your region, I hope it wasn't nationally, that we realized $20.3 million from properties that were disposed?

That is the criteria that you are using? You are no longer using, again, the defunct method by which we got the Ferguson--I was going to say 'monster'--the Ferguson monster to the taxpayers?

We have $3 billion in annual expenditures for IT in your Department and we have 400 information systems; some duplicative, some archaic, some obsolete.