Washington,
Oct 14, 2005 -
Rep. Christopher Shays (CT-4), Chairman of the Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations, today announced the Subcommittee will convene an oversight hearing to examine the status of U.S. efforts to support reconstruction, governance and development of security forces in Iraq.
The hearing, entitled, “Iraq: Perceptions, Realities and Cost to Complete,” will take place on Tuesday, October 18, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. in room 2154 Rayburn House Office Building.
Oversight organizations – the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and several Inspectors General (IG) – have published more than eighty reports on Iraq reconstruction and other aspects of U.S. support for post-Saddam Iraq. Many of those reports conclude U.S. goals are not being achieved due to poor planning, lack of accurate costs estimates and operational constraints and costs imposed by the lack of security.
“Electric and water projects are being scaled back,” Shays said, “while estimates of the costs to complete the same projects continue to escalate. We need a realistic assessment of our reconstruction, governance and security goals in Iraq. The Iraqi people need to know when basic services will improve and American taxpayers need to know what it will cost.”
Witnesses from GAO, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction and IGs from other agencies will discuss their oversight findings and recommendations. Other testimony will address the development of democratic institutions and civil society in Iraq, including the implications of the October 15 referendum on the proposed Iraqi constitution.
Witness List
Panel I
The Honorable Stuart W. Bowen, Jr.
Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction
The Honorable Howard J. Krongard
Inspector General,
Department of State
Mr. Joseph Christoff
Director, International Trade,
U.S. Government Accountability Office
Mr. Thomas Gimble
Acting Inspector General, Department of Defense
Mr. Bruce N. Crandlemire
Acting Inspector General
U.S. Agency for International Development
Ms. Joyce Morrow
The U.S. Army Auditor General
Panel II
Professor Mary Habeck
The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced Internatioanl Studies,
The John Hopkins University
Judy Van Rest
Executive Vice President
International Republican Institute
Les Campbell
Senior Associate and Regional Director
Middle East and North Africa
National Democratic Institute
