Cord Byrd: “A mass liquidation of the Government is underway. U.S. corporations and industry entrepreneurs are salivating at this…”

“A mass liquidation of the Government is underway. U.S. corporations and industry entrepreneurs are salivating at this administration's effort to open at least 850,000 Federal jobs to private contractors. If this administration has its way, the most basic services of the Federal Government--from national security to tax collection to air traffic control to the maintenance of our national parks--will be handed over to private contractors like birthday party favors. And to expedite the process the administration has rewritten the Federal Government's A-76 contracting rules for the entire Federal Government, opening each agency and department to a host of potential abuses. The President's proposal has political disaster written all over it. I voted in favor of the Mikulski amendment to block this egregious scheme from going into effect. Also, the record should reflect the fact that the Thomas amendment would allow executive agencies to use funds appropriated for other purposes to monitor the performance of an activity or function that has been subjected to public-private competition. Such a provision is a preemption of the appropriations powers of Congress. The Congress should not be handing over such broad spending authority to executive agencies. I voted to protect congressional prerogatives and against the Thomas amendment.”