Susan Collins: “I rise to introduce the Accountability in Government Contracting Act of 2007. This bill, which I am delighted is…”

“I rise to introduce the Accountability in Government Contracting Act of 2007. This bill, which I am delighted is cosponsored by Senators Lieberman, Coleman, Carper, and McCaskill, will improve our stewardship of taxpayers' money by reforming contracting practices, strengthening the procurement workforce, reforming our IG community, and including other provisions to combat waste, fraud, and abuse. It will also provide increased oversight and transparency in the Federal Government's dealings with its contractors. The Office of Federal Procurement Policy estimates that the Federal Government purchased approximately $410 billion in goods and services last year--more than a 50 percent increase in Federal purchases since 2001. As the administration's proposed budget suggests, the costs of war, natural disaster, homeland-security precautions, and other vital programs will drive those expenditures to even higher levels in the years ahead. Each of us in this Chamber knows that the Federal Government's prodigious purchasing can create abundant opportunities for fraud, waste, and abuse.”