the trans pearn see in our work is very important and advancing it is one of my prime objectives. our third goal is to continue to improve our internal management. we continue to face considerable competitive pressure in attracting and retaining the highly skilled employees that we need. more than two-thirds of the staff consist of economists and budget analysts. talented people with those background are highly sought by private companies and universities. in closing, i would like to emphasize how much we at cbo have relied on the oversight of this committee and your help in explaining and communicating to others in congress about our role and the complex federal budget process. we rely on your constructive feedback and guidance on important legislative developments and congressional priorities. we are grateful for the support and guidance you've provided throughout the 40 years of cbo's existence and look forward to continuing that relationship for many years to come. thank you. >> thank you, dr. hall. i think, regardless of our political perspective, we want to get this economy