Congress

Sen. McCaskill to lead new subcommittee on contracting

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has a new subcommittee to focus on federal contracting. Chairman Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) anno...

Federal News Network Staff

January 29, 2009 7:36 pm

< a min read

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has a new subcommittee to focus on federal contracting.

Chairman Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) announced that Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) will be the chairwoman of the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight.

“Management of federal contracts is one of the greatest operational challenges facing the federal government,” says Lieberman in a release. “Spending on federal contracts rose to an astounding $532 billion last year. And for years the Government Accountability Office has listed government contracting on its list of programs at high risk of waste, fraud, abuse, mismanagement, or in need of comprehensive reform. This is a problem area that needs as much oversight as we can possibly muster.”

Lieberman points to McCaskill’s experience as Missouri’s state auditor as one main reason why she is leading the new subcommittee.

Lieberman, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and McCaskill were among the lead sponsors of contracting reform provisions passed as part of the 2009 Defense Authorization bill.

McCaskill also has led the move to give agency inspector generals more authorities.

For information: Committee press release