James Lankford

What is wrong with keeping these children in detention longer in order to make sure that we are not placing them with someone who is going to illegally use them as child labor or in sex trafficking.

Somebody is going to step up as a result of this hearing and take full and complete responsibility of these minor children that we have in our country.

That should set off an alarm on this clear statute that says the custody and care of alien children falls on HHS.

You are selecting these sponsors because the child has a piece of paperwork in their hand saying, 'This is who I want to stay with when I get to the United States,' correct?

If you are aware a high percentage is going to disappear or you are aware that we are putting at people at risk of trafficking, why wouldn't we hold them at their initial facilities?

Nothing breaks my heart more than the notion that these parents and their children facing unspeakable problems in their home countries took a risk that every parent in this room cannot even imagine taking.

Veteran care will be essential

There is a tendency with some of the IGs to look at efficiency of how the agency operates rather than the quality of care the patient receives

Veterans can choose to go any place they want to go for health care in the days ahead

I would highly recommend that we do look through that process to see what technology.

This is a 'feed the lions' type strategy to say where we are actually effective and people are efficient with dollars.

Why in the world did Federal taxpayers pay for that?

If the first call is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or to the IGs or something, this suddenly blew up in a hurry, it should be resolved within chain of command most of the time.

They are some of the most frustrated people about the work of the agency because they see the bureaucracy and they see the inefficiencies.

I think the IRS could do it.

Can you give us greater clarity to that? What is missing and what you do not have access to?

The mission is particularly vital today as we face a Federal debt approaching $19 trillion.

I believe we need a paradigm shift.

How are we doing on oversight, both selection of individuals to make sure that our agencies... have good oversight?

I would absolutely agree, and this hearing is not about legislation because we do not try to come with a pre-set piece on this.

Tell me why the Federal taxpayer needed to pay for that particular study.

We all want a Federal Government that serves the American people in the most effective and efficient way.

Creating a responsible, efficient government is something we all can and should agree on.

Despite these important and impressive results, agencies consistently fail to implement roughly 20 percent of what GAO recommends each year.

I would have objection to that request if I am not able to respond to the comments she makes.