[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 17, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3177-S3178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Coburn, Mr. 
        Levin, Mr. Grassley, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. McCain, and Mr. 
        Voinovich):
  S. 615. A bill to provide additional personnel authorities for the 
Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction; to the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce today, along 
with Senators Lieberman, Coburn, Levin, Grassley, McCaskill, McCain, 
and Voinovich, a bill that will provide the Special Inspector General 
for Afghanistan Reconstruction, SIGAR, with the authority it needs to 
quickly hire experienced, well-qualified staff to conduct rigorous 
oversight of reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.
  The United States has provided approximately $32 billion in 
humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan since 2001. 
Congress created the SIGAR in the fiscal year 2008 National Defense 
Authorization Act to conduct and oversee independent and objective 
audits, inspections, and investigations relating to these funds.
  Although the SIGAR was sworn into office on July 22, 2008, the office 
has not yet conducted any independent audits or investigations. The 
SIGAR has filed two quarterly reports, but both of those reports were 
descriptive in nature and reviewed the work of other oversight 
entities.

[[Page S3178]]

  Staffing shortages have constrained the SIGAR's oversight efforts. 
Although authorized a total of 18 auditors, 13 inspectors, and three 
investigators, SIGAR had only five auditors, two inspectors, and one 
investigator as of last week.
  SIGAR's efforts to quickly hire experienced staff have been hindered 
by the often long and difficult government hiring process. The office's 
hiring needs are further complicated by the challenging task of 
recruiting well-qualified staff willing to spend a year in a dangerous 
environment.
  The bill that we introduce today will provide the SIGAR with the 
authority to select, appoint, and employ the staff needed to perform 
effective oversight of Afghanistan reconstruction efforts. The 
authority is similar to that provided to other government ``temporary 
organizations.'' The legislation will allow SIGAR to identify and 
quickly hire candidates, avoiding the bureaucratic hurdles that beset 
the normal civil service hiring process. Employees hired under this new 
authority can serve until the termination of the SIGAR's office.
  The Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, which served 
as the model for the legislation to create the SIGAR, faced comparable 
hiring challenges. This bill contains hiring authority similar to that 
provided to the SIGIR so that office could quickly hire experienced 
staff.
  With his staff, the SIGIR has been successful in providing thorough 
oversight of reconstruction efforts in Iraq. Since 2004, the SIGIR has 
produced 20 quarterly reports, 135 audits, 141 inspections, and 4 
``lessons-learned'' reports. SIGIR's oversight work has saved or 
recovered more than $81 million in U.S. taxpayer funds and has put $224 
million to better use.
  If the SIGAR would have had this authority from the office's 
inception, it likely would be much further along in conducting its 
oversight work. We expect that once the SIGAR can quickly hire the 
skilled and experienced auditors and investigators it needs, the 
office's oversight activities will greatly increase.
  I urge every Senator to support this constructive and bipartisan 
bill.
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