James Oberstar: “I share the chairman's great concern, and I appreciate that the Committee on Appropriations wants to give this authority…”

“I share the chairman's great concern, and I appreciate that the Committee on Appropriations wants to give this authority in the emergency circumstances, but it is authority that is not necessary. The chief administrative officer now has authority to sign agreements with executive branch agencies, like GSA, that can supply office space in time of emergency. And I have great concerns about the language used in this provision. Section 801 has terms that are not defined, "facilities," "such other arrangements," and "other entities." Seems to me that broadly worded language of that nature leaves the House open to risk, leaves us open to speculative real estate transactions without the ordinary scrutiny that would be undertaken by the subcommittee which the gentleman from Ohio chairs. I just wonder whether the Committee on Appropriations had given thought to this: whether in providing such broad language they really intended to remove from the committee's appropriate oversight responsibility these actions by the chief administrative officer. Is the chairman prepared to respond to that concern?”