Barbara Mikulski: “this is the Mikulski-Sarbanes amendment. It is very straightforward. It eliminates funding for the Army to carry out the…”

“this is the Mikulski-Sarbanes amendment. It is very straightforward. It eliminates funding for the Army to carry out the A-76 effort that eliminates close to 400 jobs at Walter Reed, primarily little people, such as landscapers. Senator Sarbanes and I objected to this contracting out because the process was flawed, unfair, and does not save the taxpayer any money. Number 1, it started in the year 2000. It went on and cost $7 million to run the process. The Federal employees won it in 2004. The Army changed the bar, reissued the solicitation, making up to 1,500 changes. After the Federal employees won the contract in September 2004, the Army changed the solicitation. Having spent $7 million, it will now spend $5 million to implement it. The Army is about to spend $12 million to save $7 million. Even by Army accounting, that is a bad deal. This process is flawed. It is unfair. It did not go by the rules. It does not save the taxpayers money. We urge the agreement of the Mikulski-Sarbanes amendment. I reserve the remainder of my time. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who yields time? The Senator from Wyoming.”