May 14, 2009

McIntyre Votes To Improve Military Purchasing and Save Taxpayers Money

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Mike McIntyre has voted in favor of major military procurement reform that will save taxpayers billions of dollars each year, while keeping Americans safe with the most advanced weapons systems available.

Congressman McIntyre stated, “This legislation will help root out the fraud, waste and abuse that have plagued our military procurement processes.  The American people deserve to know that their government is getting the most for each tax dollar we spend.  In these times of economic distress, American families are tightening their belts and saving money where they can.  We must do the same here in Washington.”

McIntyre continued, ““With these reforms we are taking bold steps to save taxpayers billions of dollars and restore integrity to our procurement process.  We are protecting the American people and keeping our military strong while reining in out- of-control costs and abusive practices.”

The Weapons Acquisition System Reform Bill will revolutionize the way we select and oversee major purchases, and it will give the American people confidence that their tax dollars are being well-spent.  The Government Accountability Office found that as of 2009 the Department of Defense has $296 billion of cost overruns on 96 major weapons systems.  That is more than the amount the government spends on salaries and health care for the entire American military for two full years.

Specifically, this bill will:

• Require the Secretary of Defense to designate an official as the Department’s principal expert on performance assessment in acquisition. That official will report to the Department and Congress on the success of procurement programs;
• Mandate that weapons systems that fail to meet the standards and schedules set out for them face annual reviews from oversight officials and increased scrutiny by Congress;
• Require the Department to set up a new system to track the cost overruns and schedule changes that happen early on in the procurement process – when most of the waste and the least of the oversight currently occur;
• Promote greater use of competition in weapons acquisition and
• Require DOD to take steps to prevent conflicts of interest in the acquisition process.