Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1294, the Reducing DHS Acquisition Cost Growth Act. The Department of Homeland Security, DHS, spends over $7 billion, annually, on major acquisition programs. These programs secure our borders, protect our shores, safeguard our airports, and defend our cyber networks, among other critical missions. Unfortunately, the Government Accountability Office has reported that DHS acquisition management is on its high-risk list, since 2003, of areas most susceptible to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement. Recent watchdog reports have revealed alarming findings regarding DHS' acquisition efforts. For example, in just 2016 alone, 8 out of 25 major acquisition programs experienced cost growth, schedule slips, or both. These program cost estimates increased by $1.7 billion, and their schedules slipped by an average of 11 months. Given the enormous threats that are facing our homeland, it is unacceptable to make our frontline operators wait for the tools that they need to secure the homeland. My bill will require much-needed oversight of DHS' acquisition programs to safeguard tax dollars and hold program managers accountable. When programs incur significant cost, schedule, or requirement problems, my bill requires that DHS leadership be informed.…”