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Webb, McCaskill Seek Commission on Military Contracts
It's a pretty belated idea -- what with $6 billion worth of Pentagon contracts under criminal investigation -- but today, freshman Democratic Sens. Jim Webb and Claire McCaskill are introducing an amendment to the defense appropriations bill creating an independent, bipartisan commission to study the contracting process for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The eight-member commission would be staffed by appointees of the Congressional leadership, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense. From a joint press release release:
The Commission will study and investigate the extent and impact of this growing reliance on civilian contractors to perform wartime functions. Its focus will encompass the policies, procedures, processes, and performance associated with wartime contracting and contracts. It also will assess the extent of waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement, and the extent to which those responsible have been held financially and legally accountable. The appropriateness of agencies’ structure, policies, and processes for wartime and contingency contracts also will be assessed.
That's not all.
Tucked into the amendment is handwritten language sure to upset private military companies. The envisioned commission will be authorized to investigate "the extent of the misuse of force or violations of the laws of war or federal statutes by contractors." The commission wouldn't be toothless, either: it would have the power to subpoena contractor or agency documents and testimony.
All that raises the question, even after the Blackwater debacle, of whether the amendment can pass. John Warner (R-VA) has just come out against it on the grounds that it would take power away from the Senate Armed Services Committee. Stay tuned.
Josh
Zachary
John Warner not only LOOKS like some type of viper, he has the characteristics of a 'sneaky-snake-in-the-grass'.
What a way to end what some deemed to be a creditable career as Senator....he indicates that his gut tells him how dismal the failures of Bushco have been, but he simply does not have the intestinal fortitude to behave and act according to his innermost convistions.
Of course, he has plenty of company...on both sides of the aisle.
September 26, 2007 3:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Blocking such a committee would not keep the Senate Armed Services Committee from doing the same things. Last time I checked, Webb and McCaskill were both on Senate Armed Services. So lets consider the reason for being against a bi-partisan committee, which would include representatives of the administration. The only thing I can think of is that it would give the Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee (such as Warner) an opportunity to condemn any activities or conclusions as biased, one-sided and politically motivated.
What McCaskill has said in the past is that this would be the modern equivalent of the Truman Commission that looked into War Profiteering in WW2. It is worth nothing that in that instance, a democratic senator was looking to root out fraud, waste and abuse even though his own party controlled the administration. You know, back when the good of the country was more important than the good of the party.
September 26, 2007 4:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
So this new commission would have subpoena power? That would be great. Too bad Congress doesn't have this power.
Oh, wait...
September 26, 2007 4:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
The title makes it sound like Webb, McCaskill are seeking "a fee paid to an agent or employee for transacting a piece of business or performing a service" concerning military contracts.
September 26, 2007 6:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sen. Warner is full of it, as usual. One of the major reasons for a full-time, professionally staffed commission dedicated to this subject is the scale of the problem -- which Sen. Warner is as responsible for as anyone. Webb made the point in the press conference months ago introducing the idea that no legislator doing their job had the time to take on this massive examination, but that with a specific, finite timetable and adequate resources, a commission with political support could accomplish a lot.
I'm happy to let Sen. Warner symbolize Republican roadblocks and be seen to protect the corrupt, crony system that he's provided so little oversight for over the years.
September 26, 2007 6:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
A "commission" is not what is necessary. A full blown inquiry by all branches of government is what is required. And the impeachments and criminal indictments that would likely follow if the law and the Constitution were applied. Instead, we've got some yokels up on Capital Hill trying to create another "commission" to make sure that the statute of limitations runs out on the lesser crimes. Of course, aiding and abetting a crime is a crime in and of itself...possibly an international crime.
September 27, 2007 1:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
A commission to look into war profiteering. Prescott Bush, anyone?
September 27, 2007 2:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
parrot @ 1:38
So you'd prefer that the folks who created the mess be responsible for investigating it? We've dont htat and gotten nowhere, because they have far too much they'd rather hide.
I'd rather have the independent commission, thankyouverymuch, and tell John Warner to not let the door hit him as he retires.
September 27, 2007 2:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
In his 30 years in the Senate, I have never been so keenly disappointed in John Warner as I have been since he announced his retirement. You would normally expect that deciding to retire would give a politician more freedom to do the right thing without worrying how it will play for him politically. Warner seems to have gone in the other direction -- either that, or he's simply using his relative freedom to shed the bipartisan persona he has long cultivated and let his inner partisan run unchecked.
September 27, 2007 7:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
This looks a lot like Congressman John Tierney's legislation of the past few years. I hope he will introduce it in the House again even though he is now a Chairman on Congressman Waxmans Government reform Sub-Committee
September 28, 2007 12:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Tierney, Allen Introduce Bill to Form Commission on Wartime Contracting
Thursday September 27, 2007
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representatives John F. Tierney (D-MA) and Thomas H. Allen (D-ME) introduced legislation that would establish an independent Commission on Wartime Contracting to investigate Iraq and Afghanistan wartime contracts and the contracting processes. Senators Jim Webb (D-VA) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) introduced the companion measure, which is expected to be approved this evening, as an amendment to the Senate's Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008.
“For years I fought to establish a special committee - modeled after the Truman Committee of the 1940's - to study and investigate war contracts because GOP-led Congress chose not to hold hearings examining such issues. Fortunately, the Democrat-led Congress has ensured important oversight work is being done by the standing committees. These good efforts have exposed the magnitude of waste, mismanagement and abuse associated with wartime contracts and evidenced the need for this special commission. Establishing this commission will help ensure that taxpayer money is being well-spent and contractors are held accountable,” said Congressman John F. Tierney.
“In recent months, investigations by oversight committees in both the House and Senate have revealed stunning evidence of widespread fraud, abuse, mismanagement and waste of American taxpayers’ funds by Haliburton, Blackwater and other private contractors in Iraq,” Representative Allen said. “Harry Truman’s tireless scrutiny of defense contractors during World War II prevented the squandering of billions of dollars and uncovered faulty equipment that saved thousands of lives of our Armed Forces. Our legislation will restore similar accountability over the Bush Administration’s Iraq operations that previous Congresses failed to assert.”
Specifically, the bill would establish an independent and bipartisan eight-member Commission on Wartime Contracting to study and investigate:
(1) federal agency contracting for the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan;
(2) federal agency contracting for the logistical support of coalition forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom; and
(3) federal agency contracting for the performance of security and intelligence functions in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
The bill also will expand the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction’s (SIGIR’s) area of responsibility beyond Iraq Reconstruction and Relief Funds. In consultation with the Commission and collaboration with federal agencies’ inspector generals, SIGIR will conduct audits of agency contracts to identify potential waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement.
“Hundreds of billions of dollars have been appropriated and spent in Iraq alone, resulting in billions of dollars in waste, fraud and abuse. This amendment is about restoring transparency in the way our government does business,” said Senator Webb. “We owe Americans full accountability—and we’re headed in the right direction, with the introduction of this measure in the House by Congressman Tierney today.”
“I applaud Congressman Tierney for taking up this legislation in the House. It has the potential to save taxpayers billions of dollars by forcing the military to address this problem and find pragmatic solutions. Our taxpayers deserve it, and quite frankly, have demanded it,” concluded Senator McCaskill.
September 28, 2007 1:39 AM | Reply | Permalink