mr. thornberry's comments about operations in the south versus operations in the east. we may well see we'll have to thicken the defenses in the east over the long term if the safe haven situation doesn't change. it's less about the number than it is probably about the longer term disposition of those forces on the ground to defend key population centers. >> general allen, i'm not asking the next question to get too much into the weeds on the sergeant bales incident, because that's going to be adjudicated elsewhere, but with regards to the investigation related to command in afghanistan, the situation on the ground that he was operating in, that situation, the command structure in afghanistan, is there -- are there separate investigations going on, separate from the criminal case in afghanistan? >> yes. we'll conduct and administrative investigation and criminal cession. >> can you explain what administrative investigation is. >> it looks at the entire command and control process. how he was assigned, why he was assigned. it will look at command relationships associated

mr. thornberry of texas. mr. thornberry: i thank the gentleman from ohio for yielding. mr. speaker, every person elected to the house believes that we're here to do important work on behalf of our district. of course, the house is bigger than any one issue or any one person and yet, there are a relatively small number of persons who are central to the functioning of this house. too often, i'm afraid members get wrapped up in trying to do our work but the institution is listed in the constitution and institution that provides the continuity of government as political majorities come and go and it's the institution that provides the legitimacy and the respect for what we do here. i say all that to make the point that i think in many ways the parliamentarian is the central figure for the institution of the house. since 1927, there have only been four of them. and in my time here, we have been incredibly privileged to have had two outstanding servants, and it is with some regret, but even more with respect to respect and gratitude that we honor the service, but i would say just

mr. thornberry. 64.al, my understanding from people who should know, and it's been written about in the press was the original search, the military commanders asked for the floor of 45 trips for the original surgeon afghanistan. they said the best would be if we could get 80,000, but the act of god approved was 30,000 which was a 25% cut from what they said the floor should be commended there are some people who believe it has cost us, added lives and times because that request was not agreed to. but i noticed in yesterday's wall street journal it says the plans and the results of that 25% cut was that the campaigns have to be done sequentially. you couldn't do the east and south of the same time, you had to do the south first and the plan was to move to the east. yesterday "the wall street journal" said that it is delayed to make that transition from the south to the east because things were not wrapping up in the south as was planned, and i take it from your answer to the chairman's question that that

mr. thornberry. >> thank you should chairman. general my understanding from people who should know and it's been written about it in the press, was the original search, the military commanders ask for a floor of 40,000 troops for the original surge in afghanistan or to they said the best would be if we can get 80,000. what they actually got approved was 30,000 which was a 25% cut from what they said should be and there are some people who believe that it has -- lives in time because that request was not agreed to. now that was before your time but i notice in yesterday's "wall street journal" it says that the plans, and the result of that 25% cut, was that the campaigns have to be done sequentially. you couldn't do both east and the south of the same time. you had to do this out first in the plan was to move things. yesterday "the wall street journal" said it was too late to make that transition from the south to the east these because things were not wrapping up in the south as was planned and i take it from your answer to the c

mr. thornberry, kindly resume the chair. the chair: the house is in the committee of the whole house on the state of the union for further consideration of h.con.res 112 which the clerk will report by title. the clerk: concurrent resolution establishing the budget for the united states government for the fiscal year 2013 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2014 through 2022. the chair: when the committee of the whole rows earlier today, amendment number 5 printed in house report 112-423, offered by the gentleman from new jersey, mr. garrett, had been disposed of. . it is now in order to consider amendment number 6 printed in house report 112-423. for what purpose does the gentleman from maryland rise? mr. van hollen: i have an amendment at the desk. the chair: the clerk will designate the amendment. the clerk: amendment number 6 in the nature of a substitute printed in house report number 112-423, offered by mr. ven of maryland. the chair: pursuant to house resolution 423, the gentleman from maryl