[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 4, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E742-E743]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IMPLEMENTING MANAGEMENT FOR PERFORMANCE AND RELATED REFORMS TO OBTAIN 
                 VALUE IN EVERY ACQUISITION ACT OF 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 28, 2010

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5013) to 
     amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for 
     performance management of the defense acquisition system, and 
     for other purposes:

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 5013, the 
IMPROVE Acquisition Act of 2010, which will implement reforms that 
reduce waste within the Department of Defense, DOD. This important 
legislation will help ensure that our government's second largest 
department acts efficiently and effectively in its pursuit of our 
national security.
  I thank Chairman Skelton for his leadership in bringing this bill to 
the floor. I also thank the sponsor of this legislation, Congressman 
Robert Andrews, for his dedication to enacting substantive government 
reform that protects taxpayers and makes our Federal Government work 
more efficiently on behalf of the American people.
  Mr. Chair, in 2009, the DOD's budget was $680 billion, the second 
largest budget of all executive branch departments. The American 
taxpayer deserves our best effort to ensure that this money is spent 
efficiently, effectively, and in areas of the most need. H.R. 5013 will 
aid in this effort by ensuring the DOD gets the maximum value possible 
from its acquisitions. The bill will require that the DOD set 
performance standards and goals for all acquisitions. It then requires 
all acquisitions to be subjected to regular assessments to ensure that 
these goals are being met.
  This legislation also directs the Secretary of Defense to manage and 
develop a highly skilled workforce that ensures that the DOD

[[Page E743]]

gets the best possible value out of its expenditures. The bill requires 
that an enhanced system of incentives be put in place to encourage 
employees to reach performance goals. Finally, H.R. 5013 will require 
that all companies receiving DOD contracts are subjected to 
comprehensive audits that ensure that their federal dollars are spent 
wisely and efficiently.
  I have long been an advocate of increased government efficiency and 
accountability. As the holder of a master's degree in business 
administration and a former employee in the private sector, I 
understand the importance of government being as economically efficient 
as possible. At a time of economic hardship across in the United 
States, government should spend its money carefully and efficiently, 
just like households and businesses across the country.
  Moreover, increased efficient and accountability is the fair thing 
for the American people. The American people deserve a government that 
works for them. If government is going to spend their hard-earned tax-
payer dollars, it must do so in a way that gets the best possible value 
out of every single dollar. H.R. 5013 will help achieve this goal. By 
ensuring that the DOD limits waste, this bill will play a critical part 
in the effort to run our government more effectively and in a way that 
protects the American taxpayer.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5013.

                          ____________________