Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Obama to Contractors: No Work for Contractors who Don't Pay Taxes

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU
 
berni_mccoy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jan-25-10 02:44 PM
Original message
Obama to Contractors: No Work for Contractors who Don't Pay Taxes
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/memorandum-heads-executive-departments-and-agencies-1

This one quietly slipped by any coverage by the MSM...

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

The Federal Government pays more than half a trillion dollars a year to contractors and has an important obligation to protect American taxpayer money and the integrity of the Federal acquisition process. Yet reports by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) state that Federal contracts are awarded to tens of thousands of companies with serious tax delinquencies. The total amount in unpaid taxes owed by these contracting companies is estimated to be more than $5 billion.

Too often, Federal contracting officials do not have the most basic information they need to make informed judgments about whether a company trying to win a Federal contract is delinquent in paying its taxes. We need to give our contracting officials the tools they need to protect taxpayer dollars.

Accordingly, I hereby direct the Commissioner of Internal Revenue (Commissioner) to conduct a review of certifications of non-delinquency in taxes that companies bidding for Federal contracts are required to submit pursuant to a 2008 amendment to the Federal Acquisition Regulation. I further direct that the Commissioner report to me within 90 days on the overall accuracy of contractors' certifications.

I also direct the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, working with the Secretary of the Treasury and other agency heads, to evaluate practices of contracting officers and debarring officials in response to contractors' certifications of serious tax delinquencies and to provide me, within 90 days, recommendations on process improvements to ensure these contractors are not awarded new contracts, including a plan to make contractor certifications available in a Government-wide database, as is already being done with other information on contractors.

Executive departments and agencies shall carry out the provisions of this memorandum to the extent permitted by law. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

The Director of the Office of Management and Budget is hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
elehhhhna Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jan-25-10 02:53 PM
Response to Original message
1. this should extend to those registered offshore for tax-dodging purposes, also...
which excludes all the big contractors.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Richardo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jan-25-10 02:55 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. GMTA, elhhhhna
But you type faster! :D
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Richardo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jan-25-10 02:54 PM
Response to Original message
2. That should also apply to US companies who move their HQ offshore to avoid taxes.
Pay the equivalent amount of your tax liability as a fee to bid on government contracts, or move back to the US and just pay your goddamn taxes.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Tansy_Gold Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jan-25-10 03:01 PM
Response to Reply #2
5. I'll drink to that! n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Lindsay Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jan-25-10 02:59 PM
Response to Original message
4. A baby step.
But at least it's in the correct direction.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
notesdev Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jan-25-10 03:06 PM
Response to Original message
6. Howabout Treasury Secretaries?
and other Presidential nominees? Didn't Obama nominate something like a half-dozen people with tax problems?

And does this apply to legislators too? We still have Rangel chairing the committee that writes our tax laws while he's got a HUGE tax problem (and apparent intentional evasion to boot).

I don't mind the initiative at all but he shouldn't be a hypocrite about it.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
berni_mccoy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jan-25-10 06:02 PM
Response to Reply #6
9. You might just get your wish (see here: link)
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Frustratedlady Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jan-25-10 03:06 PM
Response to Original message
7. Have they collected those taxes due from hidden accounts in Swiss banks?
As I recall, they were in the process of fining them and collecting back taxes.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Hekate Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jan-25-10 04:07 PM
Response to Original message
8. Somewhere, I hope Bunnatine Greenhouse is smiling. Change we can believe in...
:fistbump:

Hekate

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Thu Apr 25th 2024, 05:42 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC