Blue Dogs Applaud Chairman Skelton for Demanding Fiscal Accountability in Iraq

Tuesday, members of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition held a press conference with House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton on the upcoming Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization bill and the need for fiscal accountability in Iraq.

The Blue Dog Coalition applauded Chairman Skelton for including key provisions of H.Res.97 in the Defense Authorization bill. H.Res.97 was previously introduced by Blue Dog members and calls for transparency in how Iraq war funds are spent. Specifically, the Defense Authorization bill addresses the lack of oversight and accountability in the war by requiring that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report every six months on the handling of contracts in Iraq. In addition, Blue Dog members applauded the inclusion of measures in the Defense Authorization bill which establish essential management goals for the Department of Defense and expand the authority of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction to include all reconstruction funding regardless of source or fiscal year.

"By including these Blue Dog-sponsored provisions in the Defense Authorization bill, Chairman Skelton has demonstrated a firm commitment to restoring fiscal accountability and responsibility to the government's funding of the war in Iraq," said Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Communications. "I encourage all members of Congress to embrace this goal and vote for passage of the Defense Authorization bill this week."

"As a former soldier, it makes me very proud to be able to fight for accountability and oversight in Iraq and to demand answers here at home," said Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA), Co-Chair of the Blue Dog Task Force on National and Homeland Security. "With this bill we said that it would no longer be acceptable for billions of dollars to vanish and thousands of weapons to disappear without anyone asking a single tough question. I thank Chairman Skelton and my fellow Blue Dogs for their help in implementing long-overdue fiscal discipline and openness for war operations."

"Fiscal responsibility and accountability are a Blue Dog's pedigree," said Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA), Co-Chair of the Blue Dog Task Force on National and Homeland Security. "As the quagmire in Iraq deepens, neither has been observed. That is why inclusion of our Iraq legislation in the Defense Authorization bill is a critical "leash" on out-of-control behavior."

"Accountability is no longer optional for the federal government," said Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA). "Americans deserve to know where their tax dollars are going, and Iraq and Afghanistan are no exception. This Defense Authorization makes sure our tax dollars are going where they belong - protecting our troops, not lining the pockets of contractors. This bill will scrutinize every single contract and contractor to ensure it's in the American public's best interest."

"While I strongly support providing the equipment and resources our troops need to complete their missions, we cannot afford to exempt funding for the Iraq war from responsible scrutiny. The taxpayers deserve to know their money is being spent wisely there," said Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-IN). "This is a common sense idea to ensure U.S. resources are directed at bringing a successful conclusion to this war, not lost to corrupt contractors, war profiteers, and enemy fighters."

This action taken by Chairman Skelton and members of the Blue Dog Coalition comes on the heels of a damaging report issued by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction detailing continued and egregious abuses in the government's funding of the war in Iraq. Inadequate facilities and non-functioning equipment built by highly paid contractors, insufficient monitoring of government contracts, and billions of dollars unaccounted for due to inefficiencies and bad management are just a few of the examples of waste, fraud and abuse detailed in the report.

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