Ms Sparky » Senate & House Committee Hearings

Colombia Secret Service Prostitution Scandal Spreads to the DEA

Ms Sparky — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:16:22 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Interview with Cartagena “Escort” involved in Secret Service scandal (May 2012) Pierre Thomas and Jason Ryan – (ABC News) – May 22, 2012 – A month after the Secret Service was rocked by allegations that agents brought prostitutes to a Colombia hotel where they were preparing [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Scandals abound but where are the solutions?

Forseti — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:06:22 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Of course, these pale in comparison to the $31 to $60 billion dollars in waste in Iraq and Afghanistan, but are certainly problematic in these tough economic times. ~Scott Amey, POGO General Counsel Capital Hill is appalled and outraged over the $822,000 spent at a conference in [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

David Isenberg: Some Things Are Just Unacceptable

Ms Sparky — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:10:09 +0000

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Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" David Isenberg – (Huffington Post) – On March 27 the Technology, Informational Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a hearing, “Labor Abuses, Human Trafficking, and Government Contracts: Is the Government Doing Enough to Protect Vulnerable Workers?” [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

How does your garden grow and other news

Forseti — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 16:19:09 +0000

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Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" The Department of Defense plans to exempt records of internal law enforcement investigations from Privacy Act disclosure requirements. The act, which governs record systems maintained by federal agencies, normally requires that individuals be allowed to view records that pertain to them unless the records were gathered [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

New Legislation Includes POGO’s Recommendations for Ending Human Trafficking in U.S. War Zones

Forseti — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:52:46 +0000

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Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Dana Liebelson – (POGO) – March 28, 2012 – U.S. taxpayers unknowingly fund human trafficking in Iraq and Afghanistan because of poor contractor oversight–but bipartisan Members of Congress are cracking down on this deplorable crime. A new bill introduced on Monday in the House and the [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Lawmakers Secure Provision in NDAA to Bring Transparency to War Contracting Process

Ms Sparky — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:03:43 +0000

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Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Blumenauer, Wyden, Schrader, Merkley Secure Provision in NDAA to Bring Transparency to War Contracting Process Thursday, 15 December 2011 17:57 Amendment A Legislative Response To Classified Immunity Deal For Contractor KBR That Exposed Oregon National Guardsmen To Toxic Chemicals In Iraq WASHINGTON – Today, Congress sent [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Hearing: Oversight in Iraq and Afghanistan: Challenges and Solutions

Forseti — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:58:34 +0000

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Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Gov’t Investigators Testify on Iraq & Afghanistan Rebuilding Witnesses: The Honorable Gordon S. Heddell Inspector General U.S. Department of Defense (Click HERE for testimony PDF) The Honorable Harold W. Geisel Deputy Inspector General U.S. Department of State (Click HERE for testimony PDF) Mr. Michael G. Carroll [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

IGs push for greater whistleblower protections for contractors

Forseti — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:07:20 +0000

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Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Whistleblowers have saved taxpayers more than $27 billion since 1987 through the False Claims Act (FCA) award program. However, this program offers no protections to whistleblowers who witness waste, mismanagement and other illegalities, POGO Director of Public Policy Angela Canterbury will tell a Senate subcommittee today [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

McCaskill calls for greater accountability for contractors

Ms Sparky — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:46:21 +0000

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Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Following new report from federal watchdog, Senator calls again for suspending federal work with bad contractors PoliticalNews.me – WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 17,2011 – Citing the case of a private contractor that was never held accountable for negligence in the death of a U.S. servicemember, U.S. [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Senate Investigates Counterfeit Parts in Military Equipment

Forseti — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:56:32 +0000

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Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Washington, DC - November 8, 2011 – A Senate Armed Services Committee investigation found over a million suspect parts in the Pentagon’s supply chain, mostly from China. Committee leaders say the counterfeit parts are a danger to U.S. troops and cost taxpayers. Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Poor Contracting Oversight Supports Human Trafficking; Erodes U.S. “Moral Standing”

Ms Sparky — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:31:19 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Dana Liebelson – (POGO) – November 2, 2011 – U.S. taxpayers are inadvertently funding human trafficking and worker abuse because of the federal government’s poor oversight of contractors in war zones, POGO Director of Investigations Nick Schwellenbach told a Congressional panel today. Schwellenbach wasn’t the only [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Hearing: Are Government Contractors Exploiting Workers Overseas? or Does the end justify the means? (updated 11-2-2011)

Ms Sparky — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:33:35 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Witnesses Panel I Ms. Liana Wyler, Senior Analyst Congressional Research Service Mr. David Isenberg, Independent Analyst and Writer Mr. Nick Schwellenbach, Director of Investigations, Project on Government Oversight Mr. Sam W. McCahon, Founder McCahon Law Panel II The Honorable Kenneth P. Moorefield, Deputy Inspector General for [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Sending troops home could pave way for more non-competitive defense contracting

Forseti — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:46:30 +0000

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Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" R. Jeffrey Smith – (iWatch News) – October 22, 2011 – Out go all the U.S. troops by year’s end, President Obama said Friday about Iraq. And in go the contractors, along with some familiar contracting problems, say other government officials and independent experts. As the [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Senators, experts to watch for DOD contract reforms

Forseti — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:10:47 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Matthew Weigelt – (Federal Computer) – October 19, 2011 – A member of the Wartime Contracting Commission asked senators to question the depth of support that defense officials have for major reforms in contracting operations during wartime or emergency situations — what are technically called “contingency operations.” “Policies [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Complacency for non-compliance and other news

Forseti — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 14:30:05 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Several US diplomatic cables published by antisecrecy group WikiLeaks have discussed the flourishing sex tourism and flesh trade industry in the Philippines. This, even before the ruckus caused by US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr., who claimed that 40% of all male foreign tourists [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

“Where is the Peace Dividend? Examining the Final Report to Congress of the Commission on Wartime Contracting”

Forseti — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:40:54 +0000

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Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Committee On Oversight & Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa – Preview Statement – October 4, 2011 – Today we welcome Congressman Christopher Shays – a former member of this committee, Mr. Michael Thibault, who co-chaired the commission’s work with Congressman Shays, and other members of the [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

“Are contractors overcharging the government?” You have to ask, REALLY?

Forseti — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:17:50 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" FOOD SERVICE MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS: ARE CONTRACTORS OVERCHARGING THE GOVERNMENT? Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight The federal government spends billions of dollars every year on contracts for food service management at military installations and bases, hospitals, and government buildings and through the federal school lunch program. [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Senators vow to continue work of expiring wartime contracting panel

Forseti — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 11:30:20 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" (To watch the entire hearing click HERE) Charles S. Clark – (GovExec) – September 22, 2011 – Harry Truman “would be shocked,” Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., told a Senate panel Wednesday during the final hearing on the expiring Wartime Contracting Commission that was modeled on [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Ignorance is waste and other news

Forseti — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 15:27:22 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" A culture that has allowed massive waste of taxpayers’ dollars has become business-as-usual at the Department of Defense. Particularly in today’s fiscal environment, this cannot be tolerated. If this is not corrected, the Department’s ability to continue defending the Nation and to provide for its national [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky:

Rep. Tierney says penalty for Afghan contractors too small

Forseti — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:34:16 +0000

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky"

Ms Sparky - is a post from: "Ms Sparky" Richard Lardner – (Associated Press) – WASHINGTON – September 15, 2011 – An Afghan-owned security company accused of operating an illicit protection racket received “a slap on the wrist’’ from the Defense Department despite ample evidence of wrongdoing, according to a senior House Democrat critical of [...] Other related posts from Ms Sparky: