[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 21, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E598-E599]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   ACCOUNTABILITY IN CONTRACTING ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 15, 2007

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1362) to 
     reform acquisition practices of the Federal Government:

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong 
support of H.R. 1362, which makes several changes to federal 
acquisition laws to increase transparency and accountability in federal 
contracting.
  Specifically, the bill requires agencies to limit the use of certain 
types of abuse-prone contracts, and to promote integrity in the 
acquisition workforce. The bill limits the length of certain 
noncompetitive contracts and requires large federal agencies to develop 
plans to minimize the use of noncompetitive contracts and cost-
reimbursement type contracts. In addition the bill requires the public 
disclosure of justification and approval documents required for 
noncompetitive contracts and requires reports to Congress on certain 
contract audits. Finally, the bill contains a number of provisions 
which would improve the acquisition workforce.
  The Bush administration has justified the award of lucrative no-bid 
contracts claiming exigent circumstances. The spending on no-bid 
contracts has more than doubled under the Bush Administration. The time 
has come again for us to continue in the tradition of restoring 
accountability back into Congress. This legislation builds on the 
progress we have made to return to the basic principles of fiscal 
responsibility and restore Congress's role as a check on the Executive 
Branch.
  Transparency and integrity is needed in order for accountability to 
be restored in the

[[Page E599]]

federal contracting process so that taxpayers' money can be protected 
from waste, fraud, and abuse. The effect of this legislation would 
change federal acquisition law to require agencies to limit the use of 
emergency no-bid contracts and to increase transparency and 
accountability in federal contracting in an effort to protect the 
taxpayers' money.
  An estimated $10 billion in Iraq reconstruction spending has already 
been wasted and the waste will continue until legislation such as H.R. 
1362 makes it a requirement for agencies to limit the use of these 
abuse-prone contracts. Congress has held multiple hearings over the 
abuse that has occurred regarding such waste in federal contracting and 
now we must act. Waste and fraud occurred not only with Iraq 
reconstruction contracts but also in connection with Hurricane Katrina 
recovery efforts.
  Reports of government contractors defrauding the Coalition 
Provisional Authority of tens of millions of dollars in Iraq 
reconstruction funds have surfaced and this Administration has done 
little to try to recover the money. It is time to clean up fraud in 
Iraq and elsewhere.
  I wholeheartedly support H.R. 1362 to change our current federal 
acquisition laws to require agencies to limit the use of abuse- prone 
contracts. I applaud this beneficial legislation and urge my colleagues 
to join me in supporting H.R. 1362.

                          ____________________