I want to echo the thanks of this Committee and others for your service to our country and for the service of your husband to our country.

I am concerned about that because the best way I think that you can help other agencies is to get your agency working the way it should in terms of management and in terms of employee satisfaction so that you can use your agency as a role…

You are going to have to spend the next couple of years really shaping up OPM.

I believe that this will go a long way toward rebuilding a collaborative relationship with employee unions and managers.

I believe training can go a long way to support this goal.

I have talked with Senator Akaka. We have not introduced the bill yet, but again, we are working on legislation to improve performance evaluation in all of the Federal departments.

The current process is too confusing, too complicated, and too long.

The security clearance process has been on the high-risk list since 1990.

It is critical for the safety of the country and for our citizens, and so I would devote the attention and time and energy to this to see if we could bring that gold star home.

I really would like to have you spend some time in that area because I know you are going to be under pressure to abolish the system. But to me, it is something that is important for the future of our country.

The only way the Federal Government will succeed in accomplishing its many missions is if we improve our ability to recruit and retain a world class workforce.

I think it is important that we decide what the number is, what we are capable of doing, so that there is a consensus there.