Sen. Webb Demands Truman-style Committee

Hundreds of billions of dollars have been allocated to contractors for reconstruction and stabilization efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Correspondingly, there have been repeated allegations of war profiteering in these countries, including corruption, waste, and mismanagement of wartime contracts.  POGO investigator Nick Schwellenbach has posed the question “Will Congress create a new 'Truman Committee?” 

The answer may soon be yes. In July 2007, Senator James H. Webb and his freshman Senator cosponsors introduced a bill, entitled “Commission on Wartime Contracting Act.” (S.1825), which would mirror the objectives of the Truman Committee. Yesterday, Sen. Webb re-submitted the legislation as an amendment (No. 2999) to the Defense Authorization Bill (pdf) now before the Senate.  On Wednesday, POGO sent a letter to Senators Webb and McCaskill strongly endorsing the Sen. Webb’s legislation.

Congressional approval of this legislation will be a phenomenal step towards holding wartime contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan contractors accountable for rampant instances of fraud, abuse, and mismanagement.  It would also provide useful recommendations for future wartime contract procurement. 

Today’s New York Times underscored the dire need for more wartime contract oversight and accountability:   

Military officials said Thursday that contracts worth $6 billion to provide essential supplies to American troops in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan — including food, water and shelter — were under review by criminal investigators, double the amount the Pentagon had previously disclosed. 

In addition, $88 billion in contracts and programs, including those for body armor for American soldiers and matériel for Iraqi and Afghan security forces, are being audited for financial irregularities, the officials said.

Although the Pentagon alleged that these instances of corruption are the work of isolated individuals, many members of the House Armed Services Committee disagreed. Democratic Representative Ike Skelton, the chairman of the committee, even went as far as to say “The problems were so severe that I fear they could represent a culture of corruption.”

This alleged “culture of corruption” is inexcusable. Especially, when as Dina Rasor writes:

We are losing billions of dollars to waste in Iraq and this waste comes at the expense of our troops. We are spending two billion dollars a week with little oversight and controls and the war service industry companies are taking advantage of this desperate war situation.

Senator McCaskill echoed those sentiments in a press release today on amendment No.2999, stating, “As a former auditor, I’ve seen waste before. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as outrageous as what’s happening in Iraq and Afghanistan in terms of contracting.”

In light of what may very well be a systemic problem, Congress should approve Sen. Webb’s amendment to ensure that it’s corrected.

-- Jake Wiens