[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H9019-H9022]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2006

  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 4046) to extend oversight and accountability related to 
United States reconstruction funds and the efforts in Iraq by extending 
the termination date of the Office of the Special Inspector General for 
Iraq Reconstruction.
  The Clerk read as follows

                                S. 4046

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Iraq Reconstruction 
     Accountability Act of 2006''.

     SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF THE TERMINATION DATE FOR THE OFFICE 
                   OF THE SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR IRAQ 
                   RECONSTRUCTION.

       Section 3001(o) of the Emergency Supplemental 
     Appropriations Act for Defense and for the Reconstruction of 
     Iraq and Afghanistan, 2004 (Public Law 108-106; 117 Stat. 
     1238; 5 U.S.C. App., note to section 8G of Public Law 95-
     452), as amended by section 1054(b) of the John Warner 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 
     (Public Law 109-364), is amended to read as follows:
       ``(o) Termination.--(1)(A) The Office of the Inspector 
     General shall terminate 10 months after 80 percent of the 
     funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Iraq 
     Relief and Reconstruction Fund have been expended.
       ``(B) For purposes of calculating the termination of the 
     Office of the Inspector General under this subsection, any 
     United States funds appropriated or otherwise made available 
     for fiscal year 2006 for the reconstruction of Iraq, 
     irrespective of the designation of such funds, shall be 
     deemed to be amounts appropriated or otherwise made available 
     to the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund.
       ``(2) The Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction 
     shall, prior to the termination of the Office of the Special 
     Inspector General under paragraph (1), prepare a final 
     forensic audit report on all funds deemed to be amounts 
     appropriated or otherwise made available to the Iraq Relief 
     and Reconstruction Fund.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Hunter) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on the legislation under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HUNTER, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this is an extension of oversight and accountability 
related to United States reconstruction funds and efforts in Iraq by 
extending the termination date of the Office of Special Inspector 
General for Iraq Reconstruction. Mr. Speaker, let me just say to my 
colleagues that to some degree this is what I categorize, in my humble 
experience as a Representative and a Member of this body, as one of 
those thin-air issues. This was an issue which was created out of thin 
air by a press corps which I guess was under a direction to come up 
with some issues immediately before the last election.
  This goes to the expiration of the Inspector General for the 
reconstruction money being spent in Iraq. And the initial formulation 
was that after 80 percent of that reconstruction money had been spent, 
that the time for the Inspector General before he handed it off, handed 
off his duties back to the Department of Defense Inspector General who 
oversees such funds also, would extend 10 months after 80 percent of 
that money had been spent.
  Now, as we were putting the defense bill together, and you had a 
story that came out of one of the Nation's newspapers, I think it was 
the New York Times, that said that somehow somebody had inserted a 
provision in this defense bill that they said, that at the last minute 
and in the dark of night, that would somehow cut off the Inspector 
General and his oversight responsibilities.
  And let me just say, Mr. Speaker, that is not the case, and I have 
now learned why we have signature sheets on each provision of the 
defense bill as it is put together where you have a sign-off by the 
Democrats and Republicans on each and every provision.
  In August, a month before we finished the defense bill, hardly the 
last minute, we inserted what I call a handoff provision, and it simply 
said, instead of saying 10 months after 80 percent is spent, and since 
in November we had spent already about 75 percent, we almost hit the 
threshold, we figured that that meant that 10 months after that was 
around October 31 of next year. So we put a date certain, that is, 
October 31, in the bill as the handoff date from the Inspector General, 
the Special Inspector General, to the Department of Defense IG. So we 
wanted to have a date certain.
  At that time, and this was done in a very ministerial fashion, 
representatives from the Democrat side and the Republican side in the 
conference for the other body and for ourselves, four signatures, count 
them, four, were attendant to this particular provision. So it wasn't 
done in the dark of night and it wasn't done at the last minute; it was 
done in the total open after careful review by all parties, and it 
simply gave us a date certain for the time that we thought was about 
the time that would be 10 months after 80 percent of the funds were 
spent.
  Now, after a flurry in the press, we got a Member from the other body 
who said, ``I knew nothing about this.'' We highly suggest that that 
Member read the bill as it was being put together. She said, ``My staff 
may have known but I didn't.'' Perhaps the staff of that particular 
Member and she should communicate so that she knows what they are 
signing. But this is a very ministerial thing. There was no motivation 
to try to extend or try to cut off the IG; it was simply assigning a 
date certain for the handoff from the Special IG to the DOD IG.
  Now, you may ask, well, in that case, why are you supporting this? 
Well, I am supporting it for a couple reasons. One, I don't care if we 
extend the Inspector General, the Special Inspector General, although I 
will object if we end up keeping that team in place after all the money 
has been spent and there is nothing for them to do, although that may 
give rise to another New York Times story. But I think it is fine; if 
they want to have another date certain and if they want to include 
additional reconstruction money, which this provision does, that is 
additional 2006 money that goes to reconstruction, that is fine also. 
So Mr. Speaker, this is one of those thin-air issues that needs to be 
put to rest.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in strong support of S. 4046, the Iraq Reconstruction 
Accountability Act, which was introduced in the Senate by Senator 
Collins and is the companion measure to my bill, the bill I introduced, 
H.R. 6341, which is pending here in the House.
  I can honestly say that if we pass this bill today, and I believe we 
will, it will be a good day for the American taxpayer. This bill is 
vital to ensure

[[Page H9020]]

that the good work of the Special Inspector General for Iraq will 
continue as long as we remain in Iraq. It should not be a partisan 
issue, and I am glad to see this bill come to the floor today with 
bipartisan support.
  In particular, I want to thank Duncan Hunter, who has ably led the 
Armed Services Committee for the past 4 years, and who will serve as my 
ranking member in the next Congress. I look forward to working with him 
during the next Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, during our conference with the Senate on the defense 
authorization bill this year, Chairman Hunter agreed to expand the 
jurisdiction of the Special Inspector General for Reconstruction in 
Iraq to include reconstruction funds approved by Congress in 2006, at 
the same time the conference decided to change the date upon which the 
SIGIR would be terminated from a date dependent upon when the money was 
all spent to a date certain, October 1, 2007.
  Although I disagree with that decision, it was done in an open and 
fair manner during the regular course of the conference discussions, 
and I want to recognize the fact that Chairman Hunter always approached 
this issue in an upfront and honorable way.
  Furthermore, although Chairman Hunter continues to believe that the 
October 1 termination date is appropriate, he raises no objection to 
the consideration of the Skelton-Collins bill. For that, I wish to 
thank the gentleman.
  The Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction has been given 
a unique mandate by Congress, a mandate to review our rebuilding 
activities in Iraq. Billions of taxpayer dollars have been committed to 
this effort, often using abbreviated contracting procedures, and these 
activities are being carried out in an environment uniquely challenging 
not only for contractors but for the auditors attempting to oversee 
them.
  The SIGIR has done a remarkable job in providing constructive and 
aggressive oversight of these activities, and that group estimates that 
its oversight and audit activities have resulted in savings as well as 
potential benefits of some $405 million. I am confident that those 
savings will only increase as a result of the bill we consider here 
today, Mr. Speaker.
  I would point out that this bill passed the Senate with strong 
bipartisan support under unanimous consent, without any amendment, and 
my original bill here in the House just a few weeks ago has some 58 
cosponsors, including a number of well-respected Republicans, including 
several senior leaders on defense issues.

                              {time}  1215

  In addition, incoming Defense Secretary Bob Gates testified to the 
Senate that he truly believes that the special inspector general for 
Iraq reconstruction should be extended, and the Iraq Study Group as 
well include the extension in its recommendations. We would be wise to 
heed the counsel of both Secretary-designee Gates as well as the Baker-
Hamilton group.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this bill. Vote for 
accountability; vote for good government. I can assure you it is the 
right thing to do.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  I want to thank my great colleague from Missouri for his wonderful 
service to the Armed Services Committee and the people of this country. 
He will be ascending to the post of chairman in just a couple of weeks 
or so, and we look forward to working together with him. In fact, that 
may be a congratulatory phone call coming in right now, Ike. Let me 
just say, he has been a great colleague.
  Mr. Speaker, we have a number of other colleagues who are leaving, 
and I know we have a very limited time and Members have been coming 
down in the limited amount of time we have and talking about their 
departing colleagues.
  I just want to mention that Mr. Weldon is also leaving as serving 
this country well. Probably no one has been a greater champion of 
missile defense than Mr. Weldon. And Mr. Hefley, our great readiness 
chairman, is leaving also. As is Mr. Gibbons. Also Mr. Rob Simmons of 
Connecticut, who did such a marvelous job of working undersea warfare; 
and Mr. Ryun who represents that great Fort Riley, Kansas district and 
whose heart is with our military folks so strongly, is also leaving. 
Other members are leaving also from the committee. I want to thank them 
for the great work that they have done for our country and also for 
this committee.
  Also, I watched a Special Order being given the other night about a 
giant in this House of Representatives, Henry Hyde, the great Henry 
Hyde of Illinois who led this body in major debates in the Cold War, 
helping to bring down the Berlin Wall and win that war. In the struggle 
in Central America between the Soviet Empire and the United States 
which was resolved in favor of freedom, and in the arms control debates 
that erupted on a regular basis over the last 25 years or so, Henry 
Hyde has been a giant in this body. I heard several Democrat Members 
giving great statements about Henry Hyde. I just want to add my 
statements and appreciate for his wonderful leadership.
  I want to say to my good colleague from Missouri, we have a very 
bipartisan committee, the Armed Services Committee, and I look forward 
to working with him to continue to do the most important thing that we 
are charged to do under our Constitution, and that is to protect this 
country. In doing that, we raise and equip the Army and Navy and Marine 
Corps and the Coast Guard. It has been a wonderful job being chairman 
of the committee, and I look forward to working as a partner with the 
gentleman from Missouri in continuing this work for our Nation.
  Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for letting us get a little bit off subject. 
I am sure that the inspector general team will be relieved to know that 
they are not going to be terminated on October 31 of next year, but 
that they will have license to continue to work for an extended period 
of time beyond that. I thank the gentleman for his contribution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Washington (Mr. Dicks)
  Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Skelton and Mr. Chairman.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation to continue the 
work of the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction. Our 
Nation is committing substantial taxpayer funds to reconstruction in 
Iraq. The most recent report of the special inspector general states 
that over $18 billion has been obligated as of the end of September. 
Further funds have been appropriated to continue reconstruction and 
assistance to Iraqi security forces in the current fiscal year.
  We know that the situation in Iraq is difficult and there is a 
vigorous national debate about how to best proceed. The security 
environment is extremely dangerous. Iraq's government institutions are 
not working well, and the economy is struggling. For as long as we 
continue to expend our resources there, it is important that we, 
including the Congress, Department of State, and Department of Defense, 
get the best oversight and accounting that we can of how these 
resources are being applied. This not only provides accountability for 
us; it also helps us demonstrate to Iraq's government ministries what 
we believe to be necessary practices of good government and 
accountability.
  I am very encouraged that Dr. Bob Gates, the incoming Secretary of 
Defense, endorsed continuing the work of the special inspector general. 
And further, that recommendation No. 69 of the Iraq Study Group 
specifically calls for sustaining the special inspector general.
  I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill to ensure that this 
important oversight and accountability function continues for as long 
as we are committing significant resources to Iraq's reconstruction.
  There is no doubt that there is very significant problems of 
corruption and criminality in Iraq. It is regrettable that we have to 
say that, but I think this inspector general has done an outstanding 
job and we should overwhelmingly pass this bill and indicate our 
support for this legislation

[[Page H9021]]

  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from California was kind 
enough to mention the fact that we look forward to next year, and I 
look forward to working with him as ranking member. And I appreciate 
his many, many courtesies to me during his tenure as chairman, and our 
friendship shall continue. Thank you for that.
  We are going to be losing, as Chairman Hunter mentioned, several 
people from our Committee on Armed Services. I wish to make special 
mention of Congressman Lane Evans who has been a leader in veterans 
affairs, the ranking member of that committee, and we will miss him 
sorely. He has made a great contribution for a good number of years, 
and I wish to publicly thank Congressman Evans for his efforts, undying 
efforts through the years.
  Cynthia McKinney will be leaving. Curt Weldon will be leaving; he 
spoke yesterday in the committee. Joel Hefley, that marvelous gentleman 
from Colorado who has worked with me in particular on military 
construction efforts that have been so successful for the State of 
Missouri, and I should mention that his tireless efforts through the 
years in that arena were very, very good. Dr. Joe Schwarz will be 
leaving. There are others. Chairman Hunter mentioned them by name. 
These folks that I mentioned made a great contribution, and I wish to 
acknowledge them at this time.
  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. SKELTON. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, Joe Schwarz did a wonderful job on our 
committee, bringing a great intelligence background to the committee. 
It was wonderful value added to the many hearings and conferences and 
debates and considerations. We appreciate him as well. I thank the 
gentleman for bringing his name up.
  Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. SKELTON. I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina.
  Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, let me add my thanks and congratulations to 
those that you have added, and to also add literally as we speak, 
General John Vines, the commanding general of the 18th Airborne Corps, 
a wonderful American, a patriot, a great warrior, a veteran of Iraq, 
and one of our most valued assets. The change of command ceremony and 
retirement is today, and I wanted to add his name to that list of 
distinguished folks
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for 
the Iraq Reconstruction Accountability Act. While I am pleased that we 
will have the opportunity to vote on this matter, it is important to 
note that we are not expanding accountability but are in fact 
correcting a mistake.
  Earlier this year, language was included in the National Defense 
Authorization Act to terminate funding and authority for the Office of 
the Special Investigator General for Iraq Reconstruction. This 
organization is critical to ensuring that taxpayers dollars are being 
used wisely, and the office has already uncovered millions of dollars 
lost to waste and fraud.
  Besides protecting the integrity of the Iraq reconstruction program 
and providing accountability to the American taxpayers, the Office of 
the Investigator General, is also helping the Iraqi government fight a 
culture of corruption. Corruption is a scourge on the Iraqi society 
that threatens its stability. It not only drains needed funds from the 
fledgling government, but funds skimmed from government coffers may 
also finance criminal and insurgent operations.
  I urge my colleagues to support this measure to maintain 
accountability for the American people and the Iraqi people.
  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, this bill on the floor today represents the 
way we hope to proceed with our colleagues in the new Congress: 
bipartisan cooperation on matters important to the American people.
  Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee moved quickly to 
ensure the lame duck Congress repealed some of the mistakes made in the 
just-passed Defense authorization bill.
  Today we begin by reinstating the remarkably candid and useful office 
of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.
  Democrats are talking to our colleagues and incoming leaders, and 
with the current leaders of Congress, attempting to take care of some 
of the most important things that have been ignored by Congress during 
this decade.
  In the instance of trying to keep the Special Inspector General for 
Iraq Reconstruction, we wanted to act quickly in the lame duck, so that 
one tiny component of the transparency we actually already have does 
not go away.
  In the coming Congress we will be holding hearings to get a better 
understanding of what is actually going on in the field.
  Transparency and accountability will be the watchwords of the day.
  In order for this Congress to get the confidence of the American 
people, we must be painfully honest about everything that is going on . 
. . and let the chips fall where they may.
  The only thing worse than wasting the taxpayer's money, is hiding 
that fact.
  I thank Mr. Skelton for his leadership with Chairman Hunter.
   Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful we are considering this 
legislation to extend the date for termination of the Office of the 
Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, SIGIR. This office 
provides a hugely important function as a watchdog for fraud, waste, 
and abuse of funds intended for Iraq reconstruction programs.
  The American taxpayer deserves vigorous and continuous oversight of 
how funds are being spent in Iraq. It is also important to the Iraqi 
people, for whom the American Government provided a generous package of 
development and reconstruction funds that have not always been spent 
wisely.
  I have made 15 trips to Iraq and have seen firsthand the essential 
work done by this office. Congress clearly made a mistake in passing 
the fiscal year 2007 Defense Authorization Act allowing the SIGIR 
office to close prematurely.
  This legislation will correct that mistake and also wisely require 
SIGIR to prepare a final forensic audit on all funds appropriated to 
the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund, IRRF.
  As chairman of the Government Reform Subcommittee on National 
Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, and working 
under the leadership of Committee Chairman Tom Davis, I have held 
several oversight hearings on contracting in Iraq.
  We've investigated the failure to establish realistic requirements 
and to define contract terms and conditions, limited competition and 
insufficient agency oversight. Reports provided to us by SIGIR were 
invaluable.
  We all recognize that the security situation in Iraq makes 
reconstruction especially difficult and dangerous. But the Government 
has a responsibility to the taxpayer to do all that it can to ensure 
that dollars are spent wisely and well.
  We have a special responsibility to our soldiers and marines in Iraq. 
One of the most important reasons Congress appropriated money for Iraq 
reconstruction was to support our troops by showing the Iraqi people we 
wanted to help them build a new Iraq, and reduce the risk that an 
insurgency would develop and grow. We know the insurgency exists and 
sectarian violence has flared, but the importance of the projects 
funded through the IRFF has not diminished in the slightest.
  Finally, I believe a strong watchdog office like SIGIR will help us 
to learn lessons about the realities of contracting in a post-conflict 
environment.
  I am grateful my colleagues in the Senate, Susan Collins and Joseph 
Lieberman, offered this legislation. I also thank Mr. Skelton who 
offered this legislation in the House and recognized the need to 
continue SIGIR's mission.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 4046, the ``Iraq 
Reconstruction Accountability Act.'' As our brave men and women in Iraq 
risk their lives to stabilize the region and rebuild the nation's 
infrastructure, it is absolutely crucial that the Special Inspector 
General for Iraq Reconstruction remain in place to ensure proper 
oversight of this important funding.
  To date, we have appropriated over $34 billion for reconstruction 
efforts in Iraq--ranging from projects such as roads and electric 
power, to training and equipping Iraqi security forces and providing 
school books and vaccinations for children. While there is no doubt 
that this funding is crucial to the reconstruction efforts, I have 
serious concerns about the adequacy of contract management practices at 
the Department of Defense and I have introduced legislation to begin 
reforming some of these wasteful programs.
  The Inspector General for Iraq plays a critical role, performing 
audits and investigations that provide Congress with the tools to more 
closely examine charges of misconduct and ensure effective and 
efficient use of taxpayer funds. Spending missteps and management 
weaknesses damage this government's ability to provide our soldiers 
with the resources that keep us safe. This week, as we review the 
recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, I also urge my colleagues to 
pass this important legislation to ensure accountability in our 
military spending system.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, it appears that I have no further speakers, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.

[[Page H9022]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the Senate bill, S. 4046.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds of those voting having 
responded in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the Senate 
bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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