[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 15, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1649-E1650]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   FINDINGS OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ARMED SERVICES 
       RELATING TO EFFICIENCY AND REFORM PURSUANT TO H. RES. 1493

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. IKE SKELTON

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 15, 2010

  Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the budget enforcement 
resolution for fiscal year 2011 passed by the House of Representatives 
on July 1, 2010, as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee I am 
submitting for inclusion in the Congressional Record efforts by the 
committee that will achieve deficit reduction through reduction in 
waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement, promoting efficiency and reform 
of government, and controlling spending within Government programs 
authorized by this committee.
  As stewards of the public funds, it is imperative that Congress 
support a commitment to oversight of all aspects of federal spending 
and to ensure that tax dollars are protected from waste, fraud and 
abuse and that the Federal Government is efficient in meeting the needs 
of our country. Members of the Armed Services Committee embrace this 
obligation and have taken an active role to protect America's tax 
dollars while ensuring our nation's defense.
  Of all our efforts to ensure the best value for every taxpayer 
dollar, I am particularly proud of the Committee's accomplishments on 
defense acquisition reform during the 111th Congress. As you know, 
former ranking member John McHugh and I appointed a Panel on Defense 
Acquisition Reform in March 2009. Over the course of the subsequent 12 
months, the Panel held 14 hearings examining all aspects of the defense 
acquisition system. The exceptional work of this panel, led by Chairman 
Rob Andrews and Ranking Member Mike Conaway, led directly to passage of 
the IMPROVE Acquisition Act of 2010, which will reform much of the 
defense acquisition system and potentially save taxpayers billions of 
dollars. This is in addition to the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform 
Act of 2009, signed into law by President Obama on May 22, 2009, which 
has already started to save money for the American taxpayer by 
reforming the way the Department of Defense acquires weapon systems.
  These major efforts to bring much needed reform to the defense 
acquisition system are in addition to all of the Committee's continual 
work overseeing defense budgets, programs, and spending. Also, the 
committee undertakes an annual national defense authorization bill that 
includes a number of provisions that seek to eliminate waste, fraud and 
abuse within the Department of Defense, and the Department of Energy 
for defense matters.
  During the first session of the 111st Congress, the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, H.R. 2647, was signed into law 
on October 8, 2009. Public Law 111-84 contains a number of provisions 
that seek to root out fraud, waste and abuse within the Department of 
Defense (DOD), and also sought to enhance the effectiveness of our 
national security programs and policies. Examples of such legislative 
action include:
  Limited low rate production of Future Combat Systems spin-out early-
infantry brigade

[[Page E1650]]

combat equipment pending a technology readiness assessment, independent 
cost estimate and the testing of all systems constituting the equipment 
set in their production configuration (section 111).
  Required a joint and common requirement for unmanned cargo-carrying 
capable unmanned aerial vehicles to avoid costly duplication of 
multiple service programs (section 142).
  Limited the obligation of funds for Net-Enabled Command Capability 
(NECC) until the Department provided a roadmap for command and control 
systems. This provision contributed to the program being subsequently 
cancelled in the fiscal year 2011 budget submission (section 217).
  Required the Secretary of Defense to issue policy guidance requiring 
the establishment of a third-party certification process for private 
security contractors to allow for greater governmental oversight and 
prevent fraud and abuse within such contracts (section 324).
  Developed a comprehensive plan for improving inventory management 
practices for spare parts (section 328).
  Directed the DOD to implement a new acquisition process to improve 
the speed and quality of developing or purchasing information 
technology (IT) goods and services for the Department (section 804).
  Established life-cycle management and product support managers for 
major weapons systems to allow greater visibility of the operation and 
support costs for a weapon's entire life-cycle (section 805).
  Clarified reporting requirements to ensure that cooperative 
agreements and grants are treated in the same manner as other contracts 
in Iraq and Afghanistan to improve interagency coordination and reduce 
waste and duplication of programs among federal agencies (section 813).
  Eliminated a loop-hole that allowed contractors to overcharge the 
Department on certain contracts (section 814).
  Extended the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and 
Afghanistan by one year to continue its oversight activities (section 
822).
  Allowed the Department to recoup award fees from companies and 
contractors who activities jeopardize the health and safety of 
government employees and service members (section 823).
  Required a GAO report on the Acquisition Workforce Development 
Strategic Plan for the federal civilian workforce (outside of the 
Department of Defense) to improve the quality and training of the 
civilian workforce to enhance each agency's ability to tackle waste, 
fraud and abuse in their service contracts (section 834).
  Established an entity to oversee the transition of Defense Integrated 
Military Human Resources System (DIMHRS) from a single Department-
developed program to multiple service integrated pay and personnel 
systems in order to capture the benefits of the significant 
financial investment that had been made in the unsuccessful development 
of the DIMHRS system (section 932).

  Codified a requirement for the Secretary of Defense to develop an 
annual plan for shaping and improving DOD's civilian employee workforce 
to improve the quality and training of DOD civilian workforce, 
especially in the acquisition and audit fields (section 1108).
  During the second session of the 111th Congress, the Committee 
continued its oversight responsibilities and additional initiatives are 
contained in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2011, which builds upon the accomplishments of the previous session. 
H.R. 5136 contains legislative priorities that will continue efforts to 
reduce waste, fraud and abuse within the Department.
  Allows the Navy to budget for large capital ships over a period not 
to exceed three quarters of the number of years of planned ship 
construction. This provision would allow for more efficient use of the 
limited ship building funds available (section 121).
  Limits the obligation of funds for the F-35 program, a $380 billion 
acquisition program, until specified milestones have been met by the 
program to help ensure the program produces a viable aircraft within 
cost limits. (section 141)
  Directs the Secretary of Defense to create a comprehensive improvised 
explosive device project data base to reduce the duplicative projects 
that are being conducted by DOD (section 143).
  Requires the Secretary of Defense to determine better ways to 
effectively address its research and development and procurement 
requirements for body armor for the individual services (section 144).
  Requires separate program elements for the Joint Light Tactical 
Vehicle Program to provide Congress better visibility over the costs 
and acquisition plans for the program (section 214).
  Requires the Secretary of the Army to submit a cost benefit analysis 
of future options for developing tank-fired munitions (section 232).
  Establishes a pilot program for micro-grid components and systems for 
the Department of Defense to achieve economies of scale for bulk 
purchases of effective systems (section 243).
  Requires reports from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), 
DOD, State Department, and US Agency for International Development on 
contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The reports are intended to 
strengthen management of contracts, coordination of contracts among the 
agencies, and oversight (sections 822 and 823).
  Establishes a Joint Medical Command to improve medical care and 
services for service members, families and retirees and could result in 
significant savings for the Department of Defense's Health Affairs 
program (section 903).
  Reduces budget transfer authority to ensure that budget requests are 
validated. This will help to ensure that high priority programs are 
funded and prevent wasteful spending for lower priority programs 
(section 1001).
  Directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct an independent review of 
each working capital fund within the Department of Defense to ensure 
better management and oversight of these funds (section 1402)
  Amends the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 to 
make it more effective and provide for continuous monitoring of IT 
systems (section 1701).
  Requires the Department of Defense to provide an assessment of 
facilities that can be retrofitted with insulation to improve energy 
savings (section 2833).
  Report language: ``Matters Relating to the Common Database for 
Tracking Contracts and Contractor Personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.'' 
Highlights that agencies have been slow to implement the database, and 
that GAO and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan 
Reconstruction have both stated that if the database were complete, it 
would be a helpful tool for performing audits, oversight, and 
investigations.
  In addition, the House yesterday considered H.R. 6102, which amends 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, Public Law 
111-84, to extend the authority of the Secretary of the Navy to enter 
into multiyear contracts for F/A-18E, F/A-18F-SF, and EA-18G aircraft. 
Passage of this bill would save the Department of the Navy an estimated 
$600 million in contract savings in fiscal year 2010.
  Madam Speaker, as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee I 
remain committed to ensuring that the committee continues its efforts 
to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse and advance efforts to ensure cost-
effective capabilities and to control spending within the Department of 
Defense. I appreciate the opportunity to share the actions taken by the 
Committee during the 111th Congress to achieve deficit reduction 
through the elimination of waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement, 
promoting efficiency and reform of government, and controlling spending 
of programs authorized by this committee.

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