Gerry Connolly

Taxpayer money is on the line here.

Are we or are we not? Is the State Department fully committed to transparency, full transparency and accountability, to the taxpayers of the United States?

I should have been listening. I wish I had. And hat's off to somebody else.

Amendment to H.R. 2992 offered by the Honorable Gerald E. Connolly

Amendment to H.R. 2918 offered by the Honorable Gerald E. Connolly

Given the ostensible inadequacies identified by the IG, why wouldn't we have a little bit less confidence...

The higher level of technical expertise, now you are competing with the private sector trying to get those people.

Not a single prosecution has occurred. Not one.

This topic, while maybe not universally sexy, the taxpayers' interest is lost or won, frankly, at this level of management.

When he was sent into space, he was in a capsule on top of a rocket with hundreds of thousands of pounds of thrust, comforted in the knowledge that both had been won by the lowest Federal bidder.

I am concerned that with the best of intentions, that has a degrading effect on the quality of acquisition.

I appreciate the committee's attention to this critical issue, and Ranking Member Connolly's proposed legislation that would support smart investments in the acquisition work force.

I am very concerned, very concerned that the progress we have made over the past 2 years is at risk.

As Congressman Connolly pointed out, we are focused on strengthening specialized acquisition cadres for IT, for services and for others.

None of use want to grow bureaucracy.

The bill sends a very strong signal of improving and strengthening the Federal Acquisition Institute.

It is a breath of fresh air to have commitment like you have shown to improving training for our Federal acquisition work force.

I introduced H.R. 1424, the Federal Acquisition Improvement Act, and Senator Collins introduced a companion bill in the Senate, bipartisan legislation.

We cannot protect the Federal acquisition process without a good Federal acquisition work force.

Congressman Connolly's comments resonate so much with us in terms of protecting and strengthening the Federal acquisition work force.

It is imperative that we maintain competitive compensation packages in the Federal work force.

We must maintain a focus on this issue, because whether it is human trafficking or the failure to hold down contract costs, our acquisition personnel are in the front lines on behalf of our constituents, the taxpayers.

The acquisition work force is experiencing a silver tsunami, in which 25 percent of employees could retire within the next several years.

I appreciate your attention to the issue which is of critical importance to Federal employees, contractors and taxpayers.

I want to also add, which I think is important to point out, is that most Serbs in Kosovo lie south of the river.