On the recordApril 28, 2010
I want to thank Chairman Skelton and Ranking Member McKeon for their efforts in crafting this important, bi-partisan bill to reform the acquisition system of the Department of Defense. I would also like to commend Congressmen Andrews and Conaway for their leadership and for their many vital contributions to the legislation. Reports of waste, fraud and abuse in the DoD acquisition system have been the source of great concern for Members of Congress for many years. As a result, a congressional panel was established to carry out a comprehensive review of the DoD acquisition system. Led by Representatives Andrews and Conaway, this panel held more than a dozen hearings exploring a broad range of issues within the acquisition system. Their findings and recommendations resulted in a report that is the basis of the IMPROVE Acquisition Act of 2010. The IMPROVE Act is designed to overhaul the entire defense acquisition system. It requires DoD to introduce effective accountability measures into its requirements process to create an acquisition system with clear objectives and meaningful consequences for success or failure. Not only will the bill encourage the development and deployment of improved financial management techniques within the DoD, it will also enhance competition and increase access to more innovative technology.
