I want to thank the gentlelady for yielding. Over the past 3 years, nearly 6 million new jobs have been added to the American economy, and the unemployment rate has fallen to 7.7 percent. Although this is real progress from where we were…

At the same time, they continue critical investments in infrastructure, education, job training, innovation, all of which will help to strengthen long-term economic growth. The fastest and most effective way to stabilize the economy and…

the law that we created, we created this now, says that Federal agencies must make across-the-board cuts to everything, and Congress writes the laws.

Today’s hearing falls on the 10-year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. Ten years ago today our Nation entered a war that has now cost the American taxpayers more than $2 trillion.

When you cut $85 billion out of a budget over a course of seven months, there are consequences. Duh.

It's my honor. I want to, first of all, thank the gentlelady for yielding, and I thank you for calling this Special Order. As I was listening to you talk, particularly when you talked about Pell Grants and women, I could not help but think…

I want to thank the gentleman for yielding, and I rise today to ask every Member of the House to join our bipartisan efforts to combat firearms trafficking and cosponsor H.R. 452, the Gun Trafficking Prevention Act. Earlier this year, I…

I agree that bipartisan oversight is critical to holding agencies accountable.

This bill would codify in law what the President has done administratively: it would establish a legal presumption under FOIA in favor of disclosure.

On his first day in office, President Obama made clear that open government would be a priority in his administration.

I appreciate the chairman's bipartisan work on this bill and I hope we will take swift action to get it on its way to becoming law.

This is Sunshine Week, when we celebrate the importance of transparency and openness in government.

I think it is fair to say that the President jump-started transparency efforts in the executive branch.

I tried to tell them if they listened to some Federal employees and asked them why they do what they do, in most instances it is because they want to help the public, period.

The thing that I guess I am really concerned about is I want us to make sure that when we say that there is going to be impact, that is true;

when we look at people losing their jobs, and there are going to be some jobs lost; when we look at people taking furloughs, like the lady that I met the other day who is going to lose $800 a month, when she has two kids, trying to put one…

I am so adamant about defending public employees is because they tell me things like this, they want to feed their soul.

These recommendations need to be followed through, and I would hope that both Departments would act on them swiftly.

I guarantee you, you ask your staff, those people sitting right behind you, them, those, they will tell you, it is not the money.

So I am trying to figure out what gives. Are you following what I am saying?

We need to be acting with the urgency of now if we are going to make a difference.

What you are talking about, Mr. Chairman, is effectiveness and efficiency.

I also want to recognize Representative Gerry Connolly, the Ranking Member of the Government Operations Subcommittee, for his critical work on these technology issues.

I certainly commend you on your bipartisan approach to developing the legislation we are considering today.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I also take this moment to thank the Congressional Black Caucus for making this happen. And I thank Representatives Horsford and Jeffries for leading this. It is quite encouraging--and I know that our…