you see, the pentagon budget, which is half of the federal government's operating expenditures, isn't auditable. the government accounting office of congress every year says the pentagon budget is not auditable. you know what that means? that means they don't know where their inventory often is, they don't know where the money's being spent, they can be stolen from and there's no accountability because there's no auditing system in place. and that's why blackwater and halliburton and all these people are ripping the taxpayer off like crazy. >> hinojosa: so a lot of people probably, you know, if they go back and they look at what it was like for you-- yes, you were leading a team of people, but you... you basically were at the head of this movement... >> mm-hmm. >> hinojosa: ...and you were confronting major corporations and the government, and you have this belief that says just one individual can actually take on any issue and make change. here's what i want to know, though. >> mm-hmm. >> hinojosa: a lot of people don't know that you're the son of lebanese immigrants. >> mm-hmm. >> hinojosa: so talk a little bit about how that experience

the results of the government accounting office and their list of duplications -- and it's very straightforward. it's less than 100 pages. and they can see and then they can advise the congress on what we have. if we cannot depend on the congressional research service to tell us where we have multiple programs when that is available from the government accounting office and list what their intentions and what their budgets are, then we need to relook at the government -- the congressional office and what it does. they do great work for me. we ask them for things all the time and they do great. this is something that they can accomplish. it is going to get easier as we go forward. but without this knowledge of what we are already doing we will never solve our problems. so my hope is -- and i know my chairman has some concerns with this initiative in terms of how it might affect this bill, but i plan on going right back to the congressional research service to have a discussion with them after i am on the floor -- after i have been on the floor. but if we can't do this, we can't do anything. if we can't change the rule so we actually know what we are doing, so we can actually

government accountability office giglio examines the u.s. government approach and concluded number-one safe havens are a threat to the united states. and number two, a more comprehensive list of agency efforts is needed so congress can adequately oversee and assess how the united states is denying safe havens to terrorists. in other words, gao concludes that this administration is not complying with these requirements. we currently have an incomplete picture of what each of these countries is doing to eliminate safe havens. but they are doing to prevent the proliferation and tracking of weapons of mass destruction and what they are doing to cooperate with u.s. counterterrorism officials. this knowledge is vital to congress' ability to craft foreign policy that holds countries accountable for a interests by looking the other way. i applaud our government's efforts but more has to be done. eliminating the terrorist base of operations where they have the ability to recruit, train and plan their operations is the key to preventing future attacks on american soil. osama bin laden orchestrated the 9/11 attack from his safe haven in afghanistan. all anwar al-awlaki has been able to inspire more than two dozen plots aga

of strategic issues at the government accountability office. we appreciate not just her presence here today but you and your colleagues at gao,he important work you do for all of our nation, but especially for congress and the resources that you bring to are working on the the hill. as well as three citizens witnesses. unfortunately, who have been victims of identity theft as it relates to the tax filings. we have first, sharon hawa, is that correct? from the bronx. we have lori petraco from york, pennsylvania, and ms. lavonda thompson also of new york. will also grateful of you being here. and as i said a number of times now, you have been very flexible with us and very patient as we try to figure out meeting schedule around floor schedule and full committee. so we are grateful for the. if i could ask all four of you to stand, and again so i can swear you income if you would raise your right hand. do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimonyyou're about to give to this committee will be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth? and the clerk will reflect that all four witnesses affirmed the of. and we are going to set the clock at five minutes but if you need a little more time, we

of strategic issues at the government accountability office. we appreciate not just her presence here today but you and your colleagues at gao, the important work you do for all of our nation, but especially for congress and the resources that you bring to are working on the the hill. as well as three citizens witnesses. unfortunately, who have been victims of identity theft as it relates to the tax filings. we have first, sharon hawa, is that correct? from the bronx. we have lori petraco from york, pennsylvania, and ms. lavonda thompson also of new york. will also grateful of you being here. and as i said a number of times now, you have been very flexible with us and very patient as we try to figure out meeting schedule around floor schedule and full committee. so we are grateful for the. if i could ask all four of you to stand, and again so i can swear you income if you would raise your right hand. do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony you're about to give to this committee will be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth? and the clerk will reflect that all four witnesses affirmed the of. and we are going to set the clock at five minutes but if you need a little more time, w

government accountability office, or gao, examined the u.s. government approach and concluded that number one, safe havens are a threat to the united states, and number two, a more comprehensive list of agency efforts is needed so congress can adequately oversee and assess how the united states is denying safe havens to terrorists. in other words, gao concludes that this administration is not complying with these requirements. we currently have an incomplete picture of what each of these countries is doing to eliminate safe havens, what they are doing to prevent the proliferation and weapons of mass destruction and what they are doing to cooperate with the u.s. counterterrorism officials. this knowledge is vital to congress' ability to croft foreign policy that holds countries accountable for aiding terrorists by looking at other way. i applaud our government's efforts, but more has to be done. eliminating the terrorist base of operations where they have the ability to recruit, train, and plan their operations is 9 key to preventing future attacks on american soil. osama bin laden orchestrated the 9/11 attacks from his safe hatch in afghanistan. others have been able to inspire more than two dozen plots against the unit

of strategic issues at the government accountability office. we appreciate not just her presence here today but you and your colleagues at gao, the important work you do for all of our nation, but especially for congress and the resources that you bring to are working on the the hill. as well as three citizens witnesses. unfortunately, who have been victims of identity theft as it relates to the tax filings. we have first, sharon hawa, is that correct? from the bronx. we have lori petraco from york, pennsylvania, and ms. lavonda thompson also of new york. will also grateful of you being here. and as i said a number of times now, you have been very flexible with us and very patient as we try to figure out meeting schedule around floor schedule and full committee. so we are grateful for the. if i could ask all four of you to stand, and again so i can swear you income if you would raise your right hand. do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony you're about to give to this committee will be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth? and the clerk will reflect that all four witnesses affirmed the of. and we are going to set the clock at five minutes but if you need a little more time, w