Webb Gets His "Modern Day Truman Commission!"
By: Lowell
Published On: 7/16/2007 6:20:15 PM
This news TOTALLY rocks!
NINE FRESHMEN SENATORS TO UNVEIL AMENDMENT CREATING
INDEPENDENT COMMISSION ON WARTIME CONTRACTING
Commission to Emulate Truman Committee Investigations into Fraud & Abuse During WWII
Washington, DC - On Tuesday at 3:00 p.m., Senate Democratic freshmen will introduce an amendment to the pending defense authorization bill to establish an independent, bipartisan Commission on Wartime Contracting to investigate U.S. wartime contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Commission will significantly increase transparency and accountability, as well as generate important solutions for longstanding, systematic contracting problems. This legislation would expand the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction's responsibilities beyond Iraq reconstruction to all wartime contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Government Accountability Office reported that between fiscal years 2003 and 2006, the U.S. government has allocated more than $300 billion to support stabilization and reconstruction efforts in Iraq alone. This increasing reliance on contractors exposes extraordinary levels of taxpayer dollars to potential misuse and waste.
The Commission on Wartime Contracting was inspired by the work of the "Truman Committee," which conducted hundreds of hearings and investigations into government waste, saving American taxpayers more than $15 billion (1943 dollars).
WHO: Senators -
Jim Webb
Claire McCaskill
Jon Tester
Ben Cardin
Bernie Sanders
Amy Klobuchar
Sherrod Brown
Bob Casey
Sheldon Whitehouse
WHAT: Media Availability to Unveil Freshmen Amendment (#2206) Creating Independent Commission on Wartime Contracting
WHEN: Tuesday, July 17, 2007, 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Radio/TV Gallery, S-325
If you recall, Jim Webb talked about a "modern day Truman Commission" during last year's race against George Allen. Now, it's coming true. I'm very, very happy...it's about time these contracts were looked at with a freakin' magnifying glass. It will be verrrrry interesting to see what they turn up.
Comments
MAY I SAY... (lgb30856 - 7/16/2007 6:26:21 PM)
THAT JIM WEBB IS MY SENATOR.
I am so proud.
Well, as one of the people who "drafted" Webb, (Lowell - 7/16/2007 6:28:34 PM)
all I can say is...
:):):):):)
He is going up against some powerful - and evil - people (relawson - 7/16/2007 6:53:10 PM)
This is an industry that trades in destruction of human lives. Senator Webb and the other freshmen are going up against the most corrupt and powerful corporations in this country.
Personally, if I were the Senator I would hire more protection and carry heat. And don't fly in any single engine aircraft. Call me paranoid, but this is one group that would probably use violence if they thought their interests were threatened.
I can't wait to find out what they uncover. I'll bet it is worse than we think.
Thank God... (KathyinBlacksburg - 7/16/2007 6:53:43 PM)
Thank God for Jim Webb. Twice a hero in two days. Thank, you, Senator Webb, and to everyone here who saw before I did what a great Senator Webb would become. Of course, I supported him during the primary. But I think those here and elsewhere who imagined this happening in the first place deserve a lot of credit.
Woohoo! (mkfox - 7/16/2007 7:00:36 PM)
Of course war hawks and Bush lapdogs will claim 1) they're trying to cripple the war effort, 2) it's a dog and pony show, 3) these freshmen don't know what they're doing, 4) we can't do such an investigation in a time of war, and 5) the ever-popular Congress shouldn't do this; not to mention industry sectors trying to cover their rears and stonewall any investigation of wrongdoing.
The contract commission senators have to ram hard the true facts of the original Truman Commission, which was not only conducted during WWII but saved the U.S. $11 billion and saved countless lives. (Not to mention Truman being on the cover of Time for his efforts in 1943)
Cindy Sheehan in Lynchburg (martha - 7/16/2007 7:19:33 PM)
Thursday at Monument Terrace. March to Riverfront.
Not sure of the time.
hey, kathy.. (lgb30856 - 7/16/2007 7:44:39 PM)
as my son at VT said he loved blacksburg, we love people like u. smart.
yes we have a true winner in Va. and so humble.
webb makes us proud (jimsky - 7/17/2007 8:55:23 AM)
Jim Webb is one of the most experienced "freshman" Senators I have ever seen. He made me proud to be a Virginian on Meet the Press on Sunday as he dissected Senator Lindsey Graham and his Administration parroting and prattling. We are so fortunate that he is serving us in the Senate--he knows the scandal of wartime contracting and he is prepared to do something about it.
Can I feel any prouder that he is my senator? (Hugo Estrada - 7/17/2007 9:27:17 AM)
I don't think so... :)
What will be the scope (Teddy - 7/17/2007 10:34:19 AM)
of this new commission? Will the Commission, or a spinoff perhaps, be able to look into the remarkable disappearance of all those millions of dollars of shrink-wrapped pallets of American 100-dollar bills ferried to Baghdad on an airplane and then, seemingly, lost--- evaporated--- mislaid (in Jordanian bank accounts??)? This is just one more example of theft and malfeasance that should be examined, but does not perhaps fall precisely into the government contract definition. There is so much graft and corruption on both sides of the Atlantic from this Administration one scarcely knows where to start, but this Commission is as good as any. Congratulations to Senator Webb, and Thank you!
Webb was interviewed by Diane Rehm on NPR (Catzmaw - 7/17/2007 5:55:27 PM)
today. It was during her segment on Government Contractors. I believe she called him and asked him several questions about the legislation. Here's the link:
Diane Rehm