May 13, 2009

National Security Subcommittee

Chairman Tierney Comments on House Passage of Pentagon Procurement Reform Bill

Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. John F. Tierney (D-MA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, issued a statement following House passage of H.R. 2101, the Weapons Acquisition System Reform Through Enhancing Technical Knowledge and Oversight (WASTE-TKO) Act:

“Passage of this legislation constitutes the beginning of improved accountability over Department of Defense weapon system programs. As this Subcommittee first brought to light last year, and which was recently reconfirmed by the Government Accountability Office, the Pentagon’s stewardship of taxpayer money is getting worse. It is absolutely unacceptable that the cost of major weapon system procurements is $300 billion more than initially estimated.

“At a time of great economic hardship for all Americans and the myriad of foreign challenges facing us, we must enforce independent accountability over the Pentagon’s weapons procurement process. We must focus our defense spending on programs that are essential to national security, expediting corrective action on those programs that are necessary but not properly managed at present, and eliminating funding for those that are inefficient and not essential. The Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs fully expects to rigorously pursue its action in this area and see H.R. 2101 as only the beginning of results from concerted oversight.”

Chairman Tierney’s subcommittee has conducted extensive oversight of defense procurement issues, including conducting five hearings that covered the Department’s portfolio of major weapons acquisitions, the Missile Defense Agency and the Air Force’s GPS system.