he's brutally honest that he still gets lost at the cvc. we're gonna miss you, buddy, you're a good man. >> and let the record note he did not say he was going to miss the chairman. [ laughter ] >> i will not correct the record. greg knows that he will be duly missed. a lot of experience and a lot of class. i think that's something that a lot of us throughout our conference and throughout the house, we really agree. thank you both. can i get a couple of extra minutes to question the witness? [ laughter ] i was a staffer when they started building the cvc. so i can remember all the discussion and all the hill newspapers and all the discussions about how long it may have taken, how much it was going to cost. but in the end look at what is there. and i remember specifically that there was a lot of concern for members of congress at the time about how do we utilize this space, not just to establish a focal point for tours and tourists coming in, but how can witness lies it for members of congress and our teams to have meetings. i know one of th

the evolution of the cvc has been a rewarding process. although inherited from me to be a part of, has seen a gigantic old underground turn into a world-class facility. it's my pleasure of your today and another for to hearing any information you would be sharing with this committee. thank you. thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you, mr. brady. does any of the member wish to be recognized for the purposes of an opening statement? seeing now and i would like to introduce our witness for today, ms. beth plemmons adjoined the capitol visitor center in september 2008 as director of visitors services where she worked to develop and up at the visit related procedures and operations which included the delivery of 40,000 capitol tours each week. that's a lot more than 40,000 40 people. those are individual tours with many, many people. unbelievable numbers. ms. plemmons and then served as acting deputy chief executive officer for visitors services from 2010-2011, after which she was named the chief executive officer and has been serving individual

the evolution of the cvc has been a rewarding project. a gigantic hole in the ground turned into a facility is truly amazing. it is my pleasure to have you here today and i look forward to hearing of any information you would be sharing with this committee. thank you. thank you mr. chairman. >> thank you mr. brady. does any other member wish to be recognized for the purposes of an opening statement? seeing none, i would like to introduce our witness for today. miss beth clemens joined the capital visitor center in september of 2008 as director of visitor's services where she worked to develop and implement the visitor related procedures and operations of 40,000 capital tours this week. that's a lot more than 40,000 people. those are individual tours with many, many people. unbelievable numbers. she then served as acting deputy chief executive officer for visitor's services from 2010 to 2011. after which she was named the chief executive officer and served in this role overseeing all aspects of the operations. she has more than 25 years in

last nine years i have welcomed more than 20 million visitors to the nations capital in addition the cvc supported well over 7000 meetings and assisted more than 31000 interns and staff to deliver capital tumors and assisted guest at gold medal ceremonies and deliberation ceremonies and memorial day and fourth of july concerts as well as three presidential inaugurations today we welcome the leader of these efforts the chief executive officer for visitor services. under her management the vast majority of constituencies rate experience as positive according to a survey 93% of visitors said their expectations were met or exceeded and they were likely to recommend the two were to their friends. last year they witnessed the highest annual number of visitors to the facility with more than 2.4 million americans and international visitors who came to see the great symbol of democracy in action and in 2017 the cbc had sales in restaurant and gift shop with made in america merchandise today we had the opportunity to hear about the lessons that management has learned during the first decade of ope

the cvc officers staffing shortages a persistent problem. i would like to learn how -- the issues at ports that are likely to be affected by these policy changes. i thank you for joining us today, and i yield back to --. >> chair is now recognizing the -- a gentleman from texas, mr. mccarthy >> thank you madam chair for holding this important hearing. almost 2 months ago, a caravan of more than 1000 central americans began a 2000 mile journey through guatemala, mexico border, and toward the united states but the journey was not easy. it, the migrants were met with great difficulty. honduras -- hunger, sickness, even exploitation by criminal gangs. so, what motivated them to make this journey? a lawless immigrant advocacy group called -- who's specific goals with circumvention of u.s. immigration law. they organize what they thought would be the largest blitz on the united states border. and, the goal is simple. overwhelm u.s. law enforcement, and tax an already overburdened immigration system with baseless asylum claims. this was not the fir