Charles E. Grassley: “I would like to speak about gross, continuing financial mismanagement at the Department of Defense [DOD]. I have spoken…”

“I would like to speak about gross, continuing financial mismanagement at the Department of Defense [DOD]. I have spoken on the issue a number of times over the past year. Last week, I spoke about the financial horror stories laid out before Senator Glenn's Governmental Affairs Committee on April 12, and the need for accountability. Today, I would like to follow up on the need for accountability. All the available evidence suggests the situation is getting worse. A slew of recent DOD inspector general [IG] and GAO audit reports clearly suggest DOD is faced with a deepening and a dangerous financial crisis, and the outlook for reform is dim. Now, the new DOD Comptroller, Mr. John Hamre, deserves a lot of credit for what he is trying to do. He is leading the Department out of the dark ages of denial. He is creating the kind of atmosphere where real reform could happen. He is developing a plan to fix the problem. He is on the right track. But I fear his plan is lacking in one vital area--accountability. Without accountability, Mr. Hamre's plan just will not work.”