the committee will come to order. the custom of this committee to read our mission statement at the start of every hearing. i think particularly today it s important that we read it. the oversight committee s mission statement is that we exist to secure two fundamental principals. first, americans have a right to know that the money washington takes from them is well spent. and second americans deserve an efficient, effective government that works for them. our duty on the oversight government reform committee is to protect these rights. our solemn responsibility is to hold government accountable to tax payers because tax payers have a right to know what they get from their government. it is our job to work tirelessly in partnership with citizen watchdogs to deliver the facts to the american people and bring genuine reform to the federal bureaucracy. this is our mission statement. and i might add, when i say citizens watchdogs that does include the inspector generals. we re h