mr. boswell. president obama recently announced plans to withdraw 33,000 troops from afghanistan by next summer and transfer security responsibilities to the afghan we are asking them to undertake. what planning is under way? to make sure that d. > will will protect them? >> thank you for that question. we are engaged in a marathon of planning. i think that is the right way to describe it. the planning for the transition is probably the most complex planning effort ever undertaken by the state department and perhaps one of the most complicated civilian planning efforts ever taken by the u.s. government. we have been working on it for years. we think we have a very good planning structure is set up. we think we have a good plan. i think we will be in a position to provide the security for our people in iraq after december 31 of this year when all u.s. troops will be gone from the country. having said that, it is a very complex and difficult task. we are going to be dramatically increasing the numbe

mr. boswell and his team are working hard to address these challenges. i look forward to hearing about whitby road's efforts, as well as discussed -- hearing about the bureau's efforts, as well as discussing ways to move forward. i thank our witnesses for being here today to discuss these critical issues. i look forward to hearing from our first panel of witnesses and welcome them here today. ambassador eric boswell, assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security. jess ford, director of international affairs and trade at the government accountability office. i understand that mr. ford is retiring on friday after 38 years of a federal service, and this will be his last time testifying before this subcommittee. over the years, mr. ford has done extensive work on improving state department operations and management of american embassies, and we certainly will miss him. gao informed us that you have testified before this subcommittee more than any other gao staffer. this subcommittee has placed great value and trust in your work, and it is with great a

boswell amendment and i avoid this misguided attack on the american taxpayer. i yield back. the chair: the gentleman yields pack. for what purpose does the quelt from iowa rise? >> thank you, mr. chairman. i move to strike the last word. the chair: the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. >> the cftc acts as wall street watchdogs, overseeing something that affects our nation's families. they are in charge of higher gas prices, higher food prices. the derivatives mark has grown by 40% over the last 10 years and the u.s. government has failed to match that growth in regulators and now the -- they want to take more cops off wall street, as some said, put the little league champions up against the new york yankees. mr. bezz well: in this industry that invests $25 billion in technology each year, the commission that regulates behavior on wall street cannot afford to be left behind. our taxpayers cannot afford to pick up the bill again. to monitor and regulate this market and protect american taxpayers, last congress, we passed the dodd-frank wall street reform act and i might add that that was not an a knee jerk reaction. we took months and months, many, many hearings, workin