Rodney Frelinghuysen: “This amendment would create a new office that would require the Department of Defense to make subjective determinations…”

“This amendment would create a new office that would require the Department of Defense to make subjective determinations concerning a contractor's or a grant provider's workplace policies. The amendment would delay and disrupt an already complicated Federal procurement system and would harm a potentially large civilian contracting workforce that is essential to the missions and the operations of the Department of Defense. Furthermore, this amendment is unnecessary and duplicative of the many efforts that are already underway by the Department. The best way to ensure that government contracts or provides grants to the best employers is to enforce the existing suspension and debarment system. Finally, the amendment reprograms funds away from the Department's operations and maintenance accounts--accounts which are critical to supporting our warfighters--and restores readiness to the services and to, may I say, our committee's top priority. I urge a ``no'' vote on the amendment. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.”