[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 45 (Thursday, March 31, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2012-S2013]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         CONTRACTING OVERSIGHT

  Mrs. McCASKILL. Mr. President, I am honored to chair a subcommittee 
of

[[Page S2013]]

the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that focuses 
on contracting oversight. I can stand here with certainty and tell my 
colleagues and America and Missourians that contract problems in the 
Federal Government are substantial, they are expensive, and they have 
to be fixed.
  While we are all focused right now on trying to make the Federal 
Government spend less money and be more efficient, there are times that 
contracting problems have significant consequences beyond that of money 
being misspent or wasted. Sometimes contracting problems have human 
consequences. One example would be some of our soldiers who were 
electrocuted because of substandard contracting work as it relates to 
showers in Iraq when they were standing up for us in a military 
conflict.
  Last summer, a problem surfaced relating to Arlington National 
Cemetery, and this was a contracting problem. So last summer, my 
subcommittee held a hearing on the contracting incompetence at 
Arlington and what the consequences of that incompetence were. As 
heartbreaking as it is, we learned that because of mismanagement of 
contracts at Arlington, graves had been misidentified and remains had 
been buried someplace other than where families had been told they had 
been buried. Obviously, this is a breathtaking revelation when we think 
about what Arlington National Cemetery means to the veterans of this 
country and to our Nation. It is sacred ground. It is the kind of place 
that America needs to know is being run well and that the remains of 
our heroes are being handled with the utmost deference, respect, and 
dignity, and certainly Americans have the right to know we are burying 
our heroes exactly where their families are told they are being buried.
  In the committee hearing last summer, I estimated, based on what we 
knew at that time, that as many as 6,600 graves had been misidentified. 
The Army responded quickly and forcefully. I wish to recognize that 
Kathryn Condon, the Executive Director of the Army National Cemeteries 
Program, and Pat Hallinan, the Superintendent of Arlington National 
Cemetery, have been responsive and I think have been working hard to 
clean up this mess. However, we now have recent reports which indicate 
that maybe I underestimated the significance of this problem and maybe 
this problem is much larger than I even anticipated. At the time, when 
I used those numbers, people seemed to think I was exaggerating.
  So we introduced a bill to make sure there is accountability as it 
relates to Arlington, with a number of cosponsors, including Senator 
Brown, who was the ranking member of the committee at the time, along 
with Senator Collins and Senator Burr and Senator Lieberman.
  We introduced a bill that would aim at accountability at Arlington, 
requiring some reporting to us in 9 months, requiring that the 
Secretary of the Army continue to be held accountable on this huge 
problem at Arlington National Cemetery.
  I think now is the time to get some interim information because 
information has now surfaced that potentially many more graves have 
been mishandled. There is now a criminal investigation because we had 
eight urns discovered in one grave site last fall as we were working on 
this legislation.
  While I am glad the legislation has become law, that doesn't change 
the urgency of the situation. I have today written to the Secretary of 
the Army, Secretary McHugh, and I have asked for immediate information 
on an interim basis about what has happened to clean up this mess at 
Arlington, where they are in the process, and what is the truth about 
graves that have been identified, have not been identified, and 
potentially never will be identified.
  I have asked the following information of Secretary McHugh:
  First, I want to know the number of grave sites that have been 
physically examined to identify the remains there. I want to know how 
many grave sites have been determined to be incorrectly identified, 
labeled, or occupied, and the methodology used to make that 
determination. I want to know immediately how many families have been 
contacted regarding problems with the grave sites and the number of 
families who have requested that those grave sites be physically 
examined. I want to know what the procedure is for contacting families 
regarding actual or potential problems with the grave sites and how 
these procedures have been implemented since our hearing last July. I 
want to know from the Army how they will be able to correctly identify 
all grave sites by the end of the year and the estimated costs and time 
required to complete an examination of that nature.
  I have asked the Secretary of the Army to respond to this letter in a 
week. I have asked what progress they have made. This is not something 
we can sweep under the rug and say we have done the best we can. This 
is not that kind of problem. I have veterans all over Missouri who walk 
up to me when I am in the grocery store, when I am at the mall, 
wherever I am, and say: Don't give up on fixing Arlington; it is too 
important to all of us.
  I do not want this cloud hanging over Arlington National Cemetery. I 
have been honored to attend funerals at Arlington National Cemetery. I 
compliment the Army for the job they do in terms of the Honor Guard and 
the dignity those services embrace. But management has a challenge. I 
want to make sure this does not go off the radar screen in terms of a 
problem that has to be fixed. It has to be fixed because of the values 
we embrace in this country.
  I look forward to the response from the Secretary of the Army. I look 
forward to continuing to work with Kathryn Condon and Patrick Hallinan, 
who I do know are trying, but this is something we have to continually 
be transparent about in terms of reporting to the public the progress 
we are making so every family member and every American, when they go 
to Arlington National Cemetery, doesn't ever have to wonder if they are 
showing respect to the hero at the grave site that is identified on the 
marker.
  I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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