VINH PHUC, Vietnam -- It is a pleasure and a privilege to join you today at this workshop on the role of the National Assembly in Vietnam's budget decision-making and oversight.

This workshop and other support we are providing to the Institute of Legislative Studies recognizes that the National Assembly Standing Committee, in 2008, established the ILS as the leading center of research, information and policy analysis for the National Assembly.

And as Dr. Dinh Xuan Thao and the ILS sought to develop ILS technical capacity and its delivery of services to the National Assembly, then approached USAID for support. USAID by working with the ILS to establish the Vietnam Legislative Research Program. This program also provides technical assistance and training in the areas of policy analysis, legislative research, and assists ILS in developing plans to more closely link the work of the Institute with the Committees of the National Assembly.

Many modern legislative bodies in the world have developed budget analysis offices to assist their members and committees in reviewing and overseeing implementation of their annual government budgets as they are submitted. As the National Assembly of Vietnam develops this expertise. We hope that the discussion today will be interesting and helpful not only for the staff of the ILS but for Committee Members and staff as well. You will have the opportunity to learn about the U.S. experience and the role of the Congressional Research Service and the Congressional Budget Office in the budget decision-making and oversight, and international best practices in this process.

We are fortunate to have two knowledgeable speakers at today's workshop: Ms. Susan Epstein, a Foreign Policy Advisor and budget analyst of the Congressional Research Service, and Dr. Dang Van Thanh, a former Vice-Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Finance and Budget. The workshop will also feature presentations by pre-eminent Vietnamese policy and lawmakers from other agencies of the National Assembly and Government of Vietnam.

As I finish my four years in Vietnam and take on a new assignment, I wish ILS and President Dinh Xuan Thao the best in realizing the ILS mandate in the future, and I wish you success in your deliberations today, and every success in your important and ongoing work in the National Assembly for the Government of Vietnam and Vietnamese people.

Thank you.