On the recordMay 25, 2011
I couldn't disagree more strongly with my friend from Maryland. Quite frankly, the information that this proposed executive order would extract and require from companies is not necessary to evaluate any bid that they've made. It's a political quest, not a quest for more information, for a better product or a better bid, and it legitimately raises political fear of retaliation. We've seen time and time and time again in history where politics have been linked to contracts. This is yet another effort to do it. I also dispute my friend about whether or not it is appropriate for the executive branch to even consider this in the first place. It is not the job of the executive branch to legislate. That's actually our job in this body. If we want to add additional requirements, we can do so. We looked at requirements very much like this last year in a Congress which was controlled at both ends of the building by my friends on the other side, and it did not enact such legislation. I think to do so now actually through executive fiat raises even more concerning fears. All I am asking is that we leave the law as it is, the disclosure requirements as they are, and, frankly, keep the executive branch from engaging in fishing expeditions and from potentially imputative political activity against companies and individuals who are simply exercising their First Amendment rights. I reserve the balance of my time.
