Lowey Announces Hearings on State Department Oversight

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Nita Lowey, Chairwoman of the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, today released the following statement in response to reports critical of the State Department’s communication, coordination, oversight, and accountability procedures with regard to private contractors hired to provide security for diplomatic personnel in Iraq and to equip and train Iraqi security forces:

“It is an insult to all American taxpayers that the State Department is not keeping tabs on the billions of dollars that the federal government has provided to private contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan. This report confirms what many of us have long suspected – that the Administration is simply not keeping a close enough watch on the billions it continues to spend on a flawed strategy in Iraq.

“It is especially remarkable that this internal report and today’s SIGIR audit, which states that the State Department is incapable of documenting services rendered for $1.2 billion in contracts to DynCorp, come directly on the heels of President Bush’s $46 billion request for Iraq war funding, including $3.6 billion for the Department of State.

“The Administration should not expect Congress to provide one additional dime of yesterday’s request until we can be assured that the taxpayer funds will change the course of action in Iraq and be spent in a way that advances American interests through policies and procedures that fully and accurately account for the purposes and totals of funds expended.

“To address these and other issues, the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee will hold hearings examining the changes necessary to ensure an effective diplomatic and development program in Iraq. On Tuesday, October 30th, the Subcommittee will hold a hearing in which the SIGIR, Stuart Bowen, will release his quarterly report, and the Government Accountability Office will present its findings on effective strategies and remaining challenges for the ‘diplomatic surge’ in Iraq.”