Iraq Reconstruction Accountability Act of 2006

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in strong support of S. 4046, the Iraq Reconstruction Accountability Act, which was introduced in the Senate by Senator Collins and is the companion measure to my bill, the bill I introduced, H.R. 6341, which is pending here in the House.

I can honestly say that if we pass this bill today, and I believe we will, it will be a good day for the American taxpayer. This bill is vital to ensure

that the good work of the Special Inspector General for Iraq will continue as long as we remain in Iraq. It should not be a partisan issue, and I am glad to see this bill come to the floor today with bipartisan support.

In particular, I want to thank Duncan Hunter, who has ably led the Armed Services Committee for the past 4 years, and who will serve as my ranking member in the next Congress. I look forward to working with him during the next Congress.

Mr. Speaker, during our conference with the Senate on the defense authorization bill this year, Chairman Hunter agreed to expand the jurisdiction of the Special Inspector General for Reconstruction in Iraq to include reconstruction funds approved by Congress in 2006, at the same time the conference decided to change the date upon which the SIGIR would be terminated from a date dependent upon when the money was all spent to a date certain, October 1, 2007.

Although I disagree with that decision, it was done in an open and fair manner during the regular course of the conference discussions, and I want to recognize the fact that Chairman Hunter always approached this issue in an upfront and honorable way.

Furthermore, although Chairman Hunter continues to believe that the October 1 termination date is appropriate, he raises no objection to the consideration of the Skelton-Collins bill. For that, I wish to thank the gentleman.

The Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction has been given a unique mandate by Congress, a mandate to review our rebuilding activities in Iraq. Billions of taxpayer dollars have been committed to this effort, often using abbreviated contracting procedures, and these activities are being carried out in an environment uniquely challenging not only for contractors but for the auditors attempting to oversee them.

The SIGIR has done a remarkable job in providing constructive and aggressive oversight of these activities, and that group estimates that its oversight and audit activities have resulted in savings as well as potential benefits of some $405 million. I am confident that those savings will only increase as a result of the bill we consider here today, Mr. Speaker.

I would point out that this bill passed the Senate with strong bipartisan support under unanimous consent, without any amendment, and my original bill here in the House just a few weeks ago has some 58 cosponsors, including a number of well-respected Republicans, including several senior leaders on defense issues.

In addition, incoming Defense Secretary Bob Gates testified to the Senate that he truly believes that the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction should be extended, and the Iraq Study Group as well include the extension in its recommendations. We would be wise to heed the counsel of both Secretary-designee Gates as well as the Baker- Hamilton group.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this bill. Vote for accountability; vote for good government. I can assure you it is the right thing to do.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks)

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from California was kind enough to mention the fact that we look forward to next year, and I look forward to working with him as ranking member. And I appreciate his many, many courtesies to me during his tenure as chairman, and our friendship shall continue. Thank you for that.

We are going to be losing, as Chairman Hunter mentioned, several people from our Committee on Armed Services. I wish to make special mention of Congressman Lane Evans who has been a leader in veterans affairs, the ranking member of that committee, and we will miss him sorely. He has made a great contribution for a good number of years, and I wish to publicly thank Congressman Evans for his efforts, undying efforts through the years.

Cynthia McKinney will be leaving. Curt Weldon will be leaving; he spoke yesterday in the committee. Joel Hefley, that marvelous gentleman from Colorado who has worked with me in particular on military construction efforts that have been so successful for the State of Missouri, and I should mention that his tireless efforts through the years in that arena were very, very good. Dr. Joe Schwarz will be leaving. There are others. Chairman Hunter mentioned them by name. These folks that I mentioned made a great contribution, and I wish to acknowledge them at this time.

I yield to the gentleman from California.

I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, it appears that I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill on the floor today represents the way we hope to proceed with our colleagues in the new Congress: bipartisan cooperation on matters important to the American people.

Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee moved quickly to ensure the lame duck Congress repealed some of the mistakes made in the just-passed Defense authorization bill.

Today we begin by reinstating the remarkably candid and useful office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.

Democrats are talking to our colleagues and incoming leaders, and with the current leaders of Congress, attempting to take care of some of the most important things that have been ignored by Congress during this decade.

In the instance of trying to keep the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, we wanted to act quickly in the lame duck, so that one tiny component of the transparency we actually already have does not go away.

In the coming Congress we will be holding hearings to get a better understanding of what is actually going on in the field.

Transparency and accountability will be the watchwords of the day.

In order for this Congress to get the confidence of the American people, we must be painfully honest about everything that is going on . . . and let the chips fall where they may.

The only thing worse than wasting the taxpayer's money, is hiding that fact.

I thank Mr. Skelton for his leadership with Chairman Hunter.

Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful we are considering this legislation to extend the date for termination of the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, SIGIR. This office provides a hugely important function as a watchdog for fraud, waste, and abuse of funds intended for Iraq reconstruction programs.

The American taxpayer deserves vigorous and continuous oversight of how funds are being spent in Iraq. It is also important to the Iraqi people, for whom the American Government provided a generous package of development and reconstruction funds that have not always been spent wisely.

I have made 15 trips to Iraq and have seen firsthand the essential work done by this office. Congress clearly made a mistake in passing the fiscal year 2007 Defense Authorization Act allowing the SIGIR office to close prematurely.

This legislation will correct that mistake and also wisely require SIGIR to prepare a final forensic audit on all funds appropriated to the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund, IRRF.

As chairman of the Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, and working under the leadership of Committee Chairman Tom Davis, I have held several oversight hearings on contracting in Iraq.

We've investigated the failure to establish realistic requirements and to define contract terms and conditions, limited competition and insufficient agency oversight. Reports provided to us by SIGIR were invaluable.

We all recognize that the security situation in Iraq makes reconstruction especially difficult and dangerous. But the Government has a responsibility to the taxpayer to do all that it can to ensure that dollars are spent wisely and well.

We have a special responsibility to our soldiers and marines in Iraq. One of the most important reasons Congress appropriated money for Iraq reconstruction was to support our troops by showing the Iraqi people we wanted to help them build a new Iraq, and reduce the risk that an insurgency would develop and grow. We know the insurgency exists and sectarian violence has flared, but the importance of the projects funded through the IRFF has not diminished in the slightest.

Finally, I believe a strong watchdog office like SIGIR will help us to learn lessons about the realities of contracting in a post-conflict environment.

I am grateful my colleagues in the Senate, Susan Collins and Joseph Lieberman, offered this legislation. I also thank Mr. Skelton who offered this legislation in the House and recognized the need to continue SIGIR's mission.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 4046) to extend oversight and accountability related to United States reconstruction funds and the efforts in Iraq by extending the termination date of the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the legislation under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I want to thank my great colleague from Missouri for his wonderful service to the Armed Services Committee and the people of this country. He will be ascending to the post of chairman in just a couple of weeks or so, and we look forward to working together with him. In fact, that may be a congratulatory phone call coming in right now, Ike. Let me just say, he has been a great colleague.

Mr. Speaker, we have a number of other colleagues who are leaving, and I know we have a very limited time and Members have been coming down in the limited amount of time we have and talking about their departing colleagues.

I just want to mention that Mr. Weldon is also leaving as serving this country well. Probably no one has been a greater champion of missile defense than Mr. Weldon. And Mr. Hefley, our great readiness chairman, is leaving also. As is Mr. Gibbons. Also Mr. Rob Simmons of Connecticut, who did such a marvelous job of working undersea warfare; and Mr. Ryun who represents that great Fort Riley, Kansas district and whose heart is with our military folks so strongly, is also leaving. Other members are leaving also from the committee. I want to thank them for the great work that they have done for our country and also for this committee.

Also, I watched a Special Order being given the other night about a giant in this House of Representatives, Henry Hyde, the great Henry Hyde of Illinois who led this body in major debates in the Cold War, helping to bring down the Berlin Wall and win that war. In the struggle in Central America between the Soviet Empire and the United States which was resolved in favor of freedom, and in the arms control debates that erupted on a regular basis over the last 25 years or so, Henry Hyde has been a giant in this body. I heard several Democrat Members giving great statements about Henry Hyde. I just want to add my statements and appreciate for his wonderful leadership.

I want to say to my good colleague from Missouri, we have a very bipartisan committee, the Armed Services Committee, and I look forward to working with him to continue to do the most important thing that we are charged to do under our Constitution, and that is to protect this country. In doing that, we raise and equip the Army and Navy and Marine Corps and the Coast Guard. It has been a wonderful job being chairman of the committee, and I look forward to working as a partner with the gentleman from Missouri in continuing this work for our Nation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for letting us get a little bit off subject. I am sure that the inspector general team will be relieved to know that they are not going to be terminated on October 31 of next year, but that they will have license to continue to work for an extended period of time beyond that. I thank the gentleman for his contribution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, Joe Schwarz did a wonderful job on our committee, bringing a great intelligence background to the committee. It was wonderful value added to the many hearings and conferences and debates and considerations. We appreciate him as well. I thank the gentleman for bringing his name up.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Skelton and Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation to continue the work of the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction. Our Nation is committing substantial taxpayer funds to reconstruction in Iraq. The most recent report of the special inspector general states that over $18 billion has been obligated as of the end of September. Further funds have been appropriated to continue reconstruction and assistance to Iraqi security forces in the current fiscal year.

We know that the situation in Iraq is difficult and there is a vigorous national debate about how to best proceed. The security environment is extremely dangerous. Iraq's government institutions are not working well, and the economy is struggling. For as long as we continue to expend our resources there, it is important that we, including the Congress, Department of State, and Department of Defense, get the best oversight and accounting that we can of how these resources are being applied. This not only provides accountability for us; it also helps us demonstrate to Iraq's government ministries what we believe to be necessary practices of good government and accountability.

I am very encouraged that Dr. Bob Gates, the incoming Secretary of Defense, endorsed continuing the work of the special inspector general. And further, that recommendation No. 69 of the Iraq Study Group specifically calls for sustaining the special inspector general.

I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill to ensure that this important oversight and accountability function continues for as long as we are committing significant resources to Iraq's reconstruction.

There is no doubt that there is very significant problems of corruption and criminality in Iraq. It is regrettable that we have to say that, but I think this inspector general has done an outstanding job and we should overwhelmingly pass this bill and indicate our support for this legislation

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 4046, the ``Iraq Reconstruction Accountability Act.'' As our brave men and women in Iraq risk their lives to stabilize the region and rebuild the nation's infrastructure, it is absolutely crucial that the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction remain in place to ensure proper oversight of this important funding.

To date, we have appropriated over $34 billion for reconstruction efforts in Iraq--ranging from projects such as roads and electric power, to training and equipping Iraqi security forces and providing school books and vaccinations for children. While there is no doubt that this funding is crucial to the reconstruction efforts, I have serious concerns about the adequacy of contract management practices at the Department of Defense and I have introduced legislation to begin reforming some of these wasteful programs.

The Inspector General for Iraq plays a critical role, performing audits and investigations that provide Congress with the tools to more closely examine charges of misconduct and ensure effective and efficient use of taxpayer funds. Spending missteps and management weaknesses damage this government's ability to provide our soldiers with the resources that keep us safe. This week, as we review the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, I also urge my colleagues to pass this important legislation to ensure accountability in our military spending system.