Welcome to the new era of chest thumping
If it's worth a thump, let out a squeal of political joy to the rabble. Perhaps it's time to end franking privilege. This just in from the Welch press release machine *see offending press release below
Diss the announcement but at least love the achievement! The event Peter Welch has taken the time to announce was the White House signing of a bill overhauling contracting procedures. During the ceremony President Obama will noted the congressman's work on this issue .The new regulation forbids awarding no bid contracts that ran into so many millions in recent years .This new rule is expected to save taxpayer dollars .What is the problem being informed that our congressman is followed through on an effort he started a while back and getting recognized for his work? I hardly think announcing this heralds a new era of chest thumping or an abuse of the franking privilege. After reading of the new law and the savings it may lead to and the waste it may stop one can only wonder in awe at why the Free Press wouldn't want to cheer this rather than denigrate the announcement without noting the achievement.
Welch, a member of the House Government Oversight Committee, said he got interested in the topic during hearings on contracts for services in Iraq, including allegations that companies such as Halliburton – which has strong ties for former Vice President Dick Cheney – was ripping off American taxpayers.
Obama's new contracting rule forbids the awarding of no bid contracts and will enhance oversight of how successful the work is carried out, Welch said. This regulation will extend to the nearly $900 billion economic stimulus plan passed into law last month.
Obama thanked Welch for his work on this issue during the press conference Wednesday.
Defense bloat has stunned auditors. A report last year from the Government Accountability Office found that 95 ongoing major defense programs exceeded their budgets, providing an accumulated excess cost of $295 billion to taxpayers................
According to the government’s Federal Procurement Database, which tracks federal contracts, the Defense Department reported over $394 billion worth of business with private contractors in fiscal 2008 alone.
*offending press relaease
Congressman Peter Welch United States House of Representatives
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Welch to join Obama at announcement of government contracting procedure overhaul
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Peter Welch will join President Obama this morning for the announcement of an overhaul in government contracting procedures – a move expected to save taxpayers $40 billion.
Welch, who successfully closed the Contractor Fraud Loophole in the last Congress, will be on hand for the 10 a.m. signing of a presidential memorandum in the Old Executive Building.
Obama is expected to direct his administration to draft new rules that would make it more difficult for contractors to rip off taxpayers. The rules would reduce the frequency of no-bid contracts and would make it easier for small businesses and independent contractors to bid on federal contracts.
http://www.timesargus.com/article/20090305/NEWS02/903050311/1003/NEWS02
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=PluckPersona&U=899485bfb00e48eea120c5dc4509418e&plckController=PersonaBlog&plckScript=personaScript&plckElementId=personaDest&plckPersonaPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a899485bfb00e48eea120c5dc4509418ePost%3a20d91c8a-3c9d-41c6-8f56-35f2fe4149ad&sid=sitelife.burlingtonfreepress.com
http://washingtonindependent.com/32582/defense-contractors-gird-for-fight
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