Waxman Names Subcommittee Chairs

[CorpGovActivist]

http://oversight.house.gov/subcommittees.asp

FYI...

- Dave

[IndyOp]

1. Woo-hoo! Kucinich! Kucinich! Kucinich!

Domestic Policy
Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, Chairman

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:


What about the rest of these guys, Dave? Good?

Federal Workforce, Post Office, and the District of Columbia
Rep. Danny K. Davis, Chairman

Government Management, Organization, and Procurement
Rep. Edolphus Towns, Chairman

Information Policy, Census, and National Archives
Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay, Chairman

National Security and Foreign Affairs
Rep. John Tierney, Chairman

[G_Leo_Criley]

6. John Tierney is from Massachusetts

6th congressional district.

http://www.house.gov/tierney/

A good dem from Salem, MA, just North of Boston.

glc

[CorpGovActivist]

8. Assuming That Speaker Pelosi Gave Chairman Waxman...

... significant input into selecting the subcommittee chairs, I'd say it's safe to say that he has in place the team he wants in place.

That said: I take particular interest in the Halliburton-specific interest of one newly-named subcommittee chair's press release today: http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ny10_towns/subchair.html

For Immediate Release Contact: Denise Mixon
January 17, 2007 [phone]

Congressman Edolphus Towns to Chair
Government Reform Sub-Committee

Washington, DC - Congressman Edolphus Towns, New York 10th Congressional District, has been selected as the Chairman of the Government Management, Organization, and Procurement Sub-committee. This Sub-committee has particular oversight of government agencies and agency contracts.

"In my role as Chairman of this sub-committee, I am looking to launch a series of hearings into the no-bid contracts that have been issued by the Defense Department, particularly, in the case of the war in Iraq. There have been several billion dollar contracts given to Halliburton and its subsidiaries and many questions have been raised about the Iraq contracting process. Primarily questions on the seemingly inflated prices charged by Halliburton to import gasoline from Kuwait into Iraq; and Halliburton's admission of kickbacks to company officials," stated Congressman Towns.

So far, the war in Iraq has cost American taxpayers nearly $360 billion. Taxpayers residing in New York's 10th Congressional District have spent more than $780 million on this war. Had it not been for the U.S.'s involvement in Iraq that money could have provided:

· More than 140 thousand people with health care;
· Nearly 10 thousand more elementary school teachers;
· Almost 90 thousand Head Start slots for children;
· Approximately 270 thousand children with health care;
· Nearly 130 thousand scholarships for university students;
· About 12,000 port container inspectors.

More than 150 U.S. companies were awarded contracts for post-war work totaling more than $50 billion. Halliburton received the largest contract, worth more than $12 billion, while 13 other U.S. companies received contracts worth more than $1.5 billion each. The seven largest reconstruction contracts went to:

· Parsons Corporation, Pasadena, CA, $5.3 billion
· Fluor Corporation, Aliso Veijo, CA, $3.75 billion
· Washington Group International, Boise, Idaho, $3.1 billion
· Shaw Group, Baton Rouge, LA, $3 billion
· Bechtel Corporation, San Francisco, CA, $2.8 billion
· Perini Corporation, Framingham, MA, $2.5 billion
· Contrack International, Inc., Arlington, VA $2.3 billion

These companies are responsible for virtually all of the reconstruction in Iraq, including water, bridges, roads, hospitals, sewers and electricity.

Management, waste, abuse and criminality have characterized U.S. corporations in Iraq, leading to a series of U.S. contract cancellations. For example, a $243 million contract held by the Parsons Corporation for the construction of 150 health care centers was cancelled after more than two years of work and $186 million created just six centers, only two of which are serving patients. The Bechtel Corporation was dropped from a $50 million contract for the construction of a children's hospital in Basra after it went $90 million over budget and a year-and-a-half behind schedule. These contracts have since been turned over to Iraqi companies.

Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown and Root is currently being investigated by government agencies and faces dozens of charges for waste, fraud and abuse. Last year, the U.S. Army cancelled Halliburton's largest government contract, the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program, which was for worldwide logistical support to U.S. troops.

"This squandering of American tax dollars must stop. There must be an end to these
no-bid contracts." added Congressman Towns.

###


- Dave

[DemReadingDU]

19. That's a lot of billions

squandered away.


We're so looking forward to these investigations!

[bobbolink]

26. I"ve never been this happied by investigations before! ~~chortle~~

I was glued to the TV during the Watergate hearings, and the memory of John Dean's testimony with his wife always sitting behind him will forever be etched in my mind, but it didn't give me the same sense of celebration that this does.

Why is that?

:toast:

Let The Investigations Begin!!

[kitkat65]

31. I know exactly what you mean

I was going to post on a separate thread that CGA's posts get me all giddy thinking about the shit hitting the fan but I was afraid it might be taken the wrong way.

To truth and justice!

:toast:

[bobbolink]

32. This is DU--*everything* gets taken "the wrong way"! ~~chortle~~

What you have to say is important...I'm glad you spoke up!

And, don't forget--H2OMan's great threads about Fitzgerald's doings, too-- it all adds up to some good drama. I wish like everything we could be watching it all on TV.

'Course, then I'd never get *anything* done... :hi:

I wanna see the WHOLE house of cards come tumbling down, and making a big ruckus when it does!

[calimary]

34. Indeed, indeed, indeed!

I'll see your toast and raise you a couple of champagne cork poppings!

Gotta love that Henry Waxman!!!

[G_Leo_Criley]

2. kickety kick kick!

Gotta love it!

:kick:

glc

[midnight]

3. Hi Dave. Tomorrow is the big day. Can you tell me what

domestic policy would in tale. There are so many crimes going on at once, it is hard for me to keep boundaries between Haliburton crimes and the crimes via Patriot Act etc.....I don't know if you can answer this but I thought I would ask this question any ways. Will Dennis be looking into how the Patriot Act was used here in the United States?

[CorpGovActivist]

13. Domestic Versus Foreign Distinctions...

... may be difficult to make, in some cases. My guess is that subcommittee chairs will do some horsetrading on which will take the lead on some of the gray areas.

In other cases, two or more subcommittees may have clear subsets of a given issue fall under their jurisdiction, meaning multiple (and probably well-coordinated) sets of hearings.

For example: one subcommittee may tackle no-bid contracting in the Katrina aftermath (domestic), while another may tackle the same topic (involving some of the same prominent BushCo. contractors) with respect to Iraqi operations.

Halliburton executives are gonna ring up some frequent flier miles between Houston and DC, I bet.

- Dave

[midnight]

33. I was trying to figure out how this would work out. You did a

great job estimating the crossover work that will be necessary to bring these investigations together. It just boggles my mind with the amount of work that needs to go toward fixing what has gone so terrible off track. Thanks for the info. I hope to find a cable t.v. tomorrow. I'm trying to be economical, but as things progress, I might have to break down and get cable.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

4. Has He Named The Tables Too?

Just kidding... But I couldn't resist.

Thanks for the link.

[CorpGovActivist]

14. Yup, He's Named His Gavel, Too!

; )

- Dave

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

17. Actually,

That could be a fun contest, no? "Name Waxman's Gavel" LOL

[CorpGovActivist]

18. As a Tolkien Fan...

... I am wondering if it will glow whenever evildoers are testifying at the witness table.

; )

- Dave

[druidity33]

20. mythology fan here...

In my D&D days my Cleric character (Gwydion) used a war hammer that i called Mjolnir (after Thor's hammer). It was a +3 weapon! And guess what? It glowed when Trolls and Goblins were about!

But maybe we can keep it simple and just call it the hammer of justice...

;) right back atcha...

[DemReadingDU]

23. Hammer of Justice!

most definitely!

[fooj]

5. Can Kucinich investigate Katrina?

[stevedeshazer]

7. You bet

:)

[rudy23]

10. Whooo-hooo! nt

[CorpGovActivist]

15. Yup, and Most Likely Will...

http://oversight.house.gov/investigations.asp?Issue=Hurricane+Katrina+Response

- Dave

[fooj]

24. If you were here right now I'd kiss ya! Great news!

Kucinich isn't going to put up with any shit. Right on!

[CorpGovActivist]

27. Katrina Insurers Who Denied Legit Claims: Also Beware

I have a feeling Kucinich will receive a lot of information about that, which will likely be passed on to other committees.

http://financialservices.house.gov/

http://financialservices.house.gov/pr01172007.html

- Dave

[blm]

16. I believe so, fooj.

.

[bobbolink]

9. Kucinich? Domestic Policy??????

When he gave up on poverty issues????

This is disappointing.

[Bjorn Against]

11. When did he give up on poverty issues?

I have heard him deliver several speeches in which he confronts the issue of poverty, most politicians don't even mention poverty Kucinich says "poverty is a weapon of mass destruction."

I predict that Kucinich will do more for people living in poverty than any domestic policy chair has in decades.

[Bjorn Against]

12. dupe

[Rex]

21. That is what I like seeing, DK up top and in control of something

that has been lacking in America for 6 years! Waxman on the warpath!

:yourock:

Thanks for the good news!

[Lusted4]

22. Whats that smell?

Soiled Hanes. The Waxman cometh. Visions of a Rottweiler shaking a rag-doll dance in their heads.

[KoKo]

25. THANKS!!!! n/t

[Tatiana]

28. Remember, folks: the Oversight Committee can essentially investigate ANY and EVERYTHING related

to the government:

<snip>

Due to the high volume and complexity of its work, Congress divides its legislative, oversight, and internal administrative tasks among committees and subcommittees. Within assigned subject areas, committees and subcommittees gather information; compare and evaluate legislative alternatives; identify policy problems and propose solutions to them; select, determine the text of, and report out measures for the full chambers to consider; monitor executive branch performance of duties (oversight); and look into allegations of wrongdoing (investigation). Source: CRS Report: The Committee System in the U.S. Congress

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the main investigative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. It has jurisdiction to investigate any federal program and any matter with federal policy implications.

http://oversight.house.gov/com.asp

These hearings will be must-see-tv.

[CorpGovActivist]

29. Extremely Well Said...

... I think I need a third TiVo.

- Dave

[lonestarnot]

30. eeeeeeeeeeewwww baby it's a beautiful thing! Dennis! Yeya baby!

And Davis on P.O. and Fed workforce! Now if we could just take care of plugging the holes on Iran so we avoid the nuclear holocaust.

[calimary]

35. Hey! You're back!

Whereya been?

Glad you're present and accounted for again.

:hi: