I am concerned about tomorrow and the idea being that if we don't have information gathered with someone, some neutral people looking and asking questions confidentially, I totally agree with that, that we put ourselves at risk.

Especially with our current economic challenges, all of us in Congress are obligated, in my opinion, to create a legal and regulatory environment that strongly promotes job creation, business growth, and general economic prosperity.

We fear that the coming budget reductions are going to make it hard for NextGen to stay on track.

I don't believe it is regular order to have subcommittee consideration and then have 6 months go by and no committee consideration.

I appreciate the positions that you have taken, because you sit here and as you stand in your positions, you are basically the last wall, if you will, protecting the taxpayers from literally billions and billions and billions of additional…

I will say if you look at the procedures with regard to the Financial Reform Bill, there were more hearings, markups, amendments, recorded votes, and Floor time than any other bill I can remember.

Yes, that is true if you do it right, but it is not true if you are in conspiracy with a co-conspirator outside.

I don't see how they shed an ounce of light onto this or relate to his testimony on the relevant matter.

I respect the fact that HUD should have more of a--I have no problem with that concept.

I have not been happy with what has led up to this hearing.

As stated earlier, an effective Inspector General must be diligent and encouraging and at times insisting on strong oversight and transparency with any government.

Did you steal that money too?

we have spent an hour-and-a-half on a dog-and-pony sideshow that in my opinion, wasted the time of Congress

I would like specific recommendations about what you think we should be doing to increase and enhance the oversight of the HOME Program.

The Constitution sets forward ways to legislate and then it has a confirmation power.

I don't want to interrupt you. Are you finished?

So you stole anything you could get your hands on, I respect that.

But you didn't steal HOME money. I get that.

So what you did when there were competitive bids is you would get on the phone or in person with your co-conspirator and say, 'This contractor over here has already bid $10,000, so you have to bid $9,000.'

I totally agree that oversight is an important thing, and that we want to make sure that every tax dollar is well accounted for.

What I have read is just pretty much plain, old-fashioned, straight-up crime that could happen and does happen anywhere.

I would have rather gone right to this panel. I think you gentlemen have more to offer to the things we really want to do than we just did.

I did not do this with the other witness because the other witness only had a few things.

My fear is that if this goes into the hearing record as written, the next thing that will happen is we will see this at a sentencing hearing.

Honestly, it sounds like old-fashioned bid-rigging and kick-back scheme, if you want the truth.