This is not uncommon, based on the experience that I know you have had with this program for the last five years.

I appreciate you saying it is a great success. I appreciate you upping the ante.

The question here is not about private sector pay, right?

Now, the fact is the taxpayer, at current accounting, is going to lose about $70 billion on TARP.

Whatever we do to resolve the problems at FHA must be done with a mindful eye on how it could affect middle-class homeowners.

We are more worried about embarrassing agencies than we are about the public safety and issues of that nature.

Structural issues remain regarding the CFPB, but I certainly appreciate your willingness to submit to congressional oversight.

But the important thing is that people have the essential information.

Can you get to a one-page mortgage disclosure and can you simplify the regs that you have put out?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I certainly appreciate it, and I hope that the commissioner hears this, as well, and that you have some compliance on behalf of taxpayers, the IRS actually has some compliance.

the confusing and complex nature of the tax code. And that is frustrating as it now stands, as it now stands.

Look, Americans know that the tax code is complex. That is obvious to even those that don't pay taxes.

Do you have any plans, like a Bretton Woods-style large action by the world to take on this issue?

The openness that this Administration promised needs to be enforced.

Frankly, I think we made the right decision, and we are going to discuss that later, about the bailout, because I thought the industry mattered.

I understand you took great offense to that, but simply saying, this is a quote from Mr. Gold, the Teamsters Director of Strategic Research and Campaigns: 'We are not at liberty to discuss any details, but we approached Harry, Mr. Harry…

I recognize that I was not on that exchange. I am not familiar with the subject matter you are bringing up.

I thank you for bringing this subject matter up and I will be happy to look at this issue.

We exist to secure two fundamental principles: first, Americans have a right to know that the money Washington takes from them is well spent and, second, Americans deserve an efficient, effective government that works for them.

It will be a very, very dangerous precedent if former Treasury officials or other government officials who worked on TARP matters and then leave refuse to be interviewed by SIGTARP.

You are here today because you know we do. You didn't come here because you believed you wanted to share information with Congress; you were brought here because of your refusal to share the information that the American public is entitled…

This is something major for our Nation and I think we need to have an accurate portrayal of what actually happened and why you made the decisions that you made.

Thousands of retirees lost their pensions, many of which are in my community in Dayton, Ohio, as a result of the Administration's decisions during the auto bailout.

The Committee will come to order.