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Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Senate Restricting Public Access to Contractor Data
The U.S. Senate is moving to restrict public access to a new contractor misconduct database, part of a new proposal being spearheaded by the Project on Government Oversight and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO). Apparently there is bipartisan objection to the proposal within the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Scott Amey at POGO has the rundown:
Now, I can see, at worst, allowing certain information to be stored in a "government only" section of the database. But throwing a blanket of secrecy over the entire database is absurd. A large percentage of the cases included in the proposed responsibility databases are already publicly available in SEC filings and DOJ or agency press releases.
This doesn't sit well with POGO and an eclectic list of 32 other groups that support an open and transparent government. Hopefully, Congress will decide that the public deserves to see scofflaws' rap sheets. The public should have access to a government sponsored comprehensive list of contractors (similar to POGO's Federal Contractor Misconduct Database) that defrauded the government, violated laws and regulations, had poor work performance, or had their contracts terminated for default.
Also see this good article from this morning on the issue from Robert Brodsky at GovExec.com.
Posted by Adam Hughes
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