Reply #6: Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson's calling for investigation

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Tue, Sep. 30, 2003

Nelson wants investigation into inflated MacDill budget numbers
Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. - U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson has asked for two investigations into how the U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base inflated budget numbers at the Pentagon's request to conceal $20 million from Congress.
Nelson said he asked the Senate Armed Services Committee and the General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress, to look at the way Special Operations adjusted its budget proposal last year.

The Florida senator was meeting Monday night to discuss his request with Virginia Sen. John Warner, the Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and Michigan Sen. Carl Levin, the committee's ranking Democrat.

"It raises serious questions of the proper use of taxpayers' money," Nelson said in an interview with the St. Petersburg Times. "This is of considerable interest to me and to the Congress."

The newspaper reported Sunday that Special Operations officials at MacDill inflated budget proposals at the request of the Pentagon for fiscal year 2003, which ends Tuesday. Documents showed the money was divided among six projects to avoid attracting attention. (snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/6895013.htm