Two senators take on KBR

[Judi Lynn]

Oct. 30, 2006, 11:24PM
Two senators take on KBR
Its labeling of 'proprietary' details questioned

By DAVID IVANOVICH
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Two key senators Monday called on the Bush administration to examine giant military contractor Halliburton Co.'s "unacceptable" practice of routinely labeling information about its work in Iraq as proprietary.

Last week, Stuart Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, said Halliburton subsidiary KBR had abused rules designed to protect sensitive contractor data, thereby hampering the government's efforts to oversee the company's activities.

Examining KBR's performance providing logistical support for operations in the Green Zone, Bowen said KBR claimed the daily head-count at dining facilities or the amount of fuel issued to foreign embassies was proprietary to the company and should not be disclosed.

On Monday, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, and Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, the ranking Democrat on that panel, asked Army Secretary Francis Harvey to become personally involved to end what they consider the "inappropriate" claims of proprietary.
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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4298721.html

[Hekate]

1. Good move, but why did it take them 6 godawful years to say something?

Privatizing military support functions has to be one of the worst ideas of all time. It's simply tailor-made for war-profiteering, greed, waste, and abuse of our military personnel.

Hekate

[Demit]

2. Why , they're showing their tough independence from the Bush admin!

Not sure about Collins, although she generally always caves, but LIEberman's move is extremely cynical. It's a ploy.

[saigon68]

4. Its just draft Dodger Joementum Limpmann's Liberal side coming out

His daddy will get him "BACK IN LINE" soon.

[FormerOstrich]

3. Why are they calling on the Bush administration..

to examine the practices. Are they not empowered to do so? I think we can pretty well guess what the "decider" will do about it....NOTHING....doesn't Congress have the committees and teeth to do something? I guess I just don't understand the way things work but it seems to me that the oversight group (i.e. Congress) should have the teeth to put a stop to "unacceptable" practices. Why do they need permission?