ms. bordallo. the chair: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. bordallo: thank you. i would like to commend chairman thornberry -- thornberry, ranking member smith and the committee staff who worked many long nights on the f.y. 2018 defense authorization act. while there are real questions about the top line number and i believe it would be inappropriate and reckless to have any additional funding come off the backs of nondefense spending, this is an important step forward in rebuilding our military readiness. this bill includes additional operations and maintenance funding to support more combat training center rotations and needed investment in the facilities, sustainment, restoration and modernization accounts. provide manager training opportunities and better maintenance facilities to live, work, and operate in. however, readiness cannot be bought back in a year. and these targeted investments must continue. furthermore the bill provides authorities to right size the billion personnel shortfalls that have stressed maintenance back logs at our ship yards and depot

ms. bordallo. the chair: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. bordallo: thank you. i would like to commend chairman thornberry -- thornberry, ranking member smith and the committee staff who worked many long nights on the f.y. 2018 defense authorization act. while there are real questions about the top line number and i believe it would be inappropriate and reckless to have any additional funding come off the backs of nondefense spending, this is an important step forward in rebuilding our military readiness. this bill includes additional operations and maintenance funding to support more combat training center rotations and needed investment in the facilities, sustainment, restoration and modernization accounts. provide manager training opportunities and better maintenance facilities to live, work, and operate in. however, readiness cannot be bought back in a year. and these targeted investments must continue. furthermore the bill provides authorities to right size the billion personnel shortfalls that have stressed maintenance back logs at our ship yards and depot

bordallo and members of the subcommittee, that concludes my prepared statement. my colleague and i will be happy and pleased to respond to any questions that you may have. >> thank you very much, ms. merritt. indeed, your professionalism is very, very impressive. mr. mcilrath, would you like to make a presentation? thank you very much. we now proceed to the defense logistics agency, mr. scott. >> chairman wilson, ranking member bordallo, distinguished committee members, thank you for the opportunity to be here today to discuss the defense logistic agencies administration and execution of the 1033 program, also known as the law enforcement support office program or leso program. i am mike scott, deputy director, dla logistics operations. with me today is mr. mike cannon, the director of dla disposition services. we appreciate the opportunity to discuss the july 2017 gao report on department of defense excess property and to advise you of the actions we have taken. a field activity of dla is responsible for the final dispossession of extra property received from military services. dla disposition services also administered and executes the 1033 programs through their leso. about 75

bordallo: one quick question. ms. merritt, while the majority of your report focused on the application approval and transfer of property, you can you provide insight into what you observed with respect to accountability and tracking of control property both at the disposition sites as well as once transferred to a federal, state and local law enforcement agency? i don't have much time left. ms. merritt: at the federal level, we observed one case in which one federal organization was not aware of how much property had been transferred to that agency or to its respective activities in the field. whenwas quickly remedied they contacted them, they were able to obtain a list and halt any sites, that went pretty well because they have a state coordinator. unlike the federal level, there were more checks and balances. >> i yield back. >> we now proceed to austin scott. said that you recognize the problem prior to the examination. >> correct. >> lane did you recognize the problem? started our efforts in september 2015. we br