FEINGOLD, COLLINS INTRODUCE BILL TO OVERSEE IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION SPENDING

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) today introduced a bill extending the mandate of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR). The SIGIR office, which serves as a watchdog over the billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars allocated for Iraq reconstruction, has been effective in its role, uncovering a wide range of problems with the use of taxpayer funds in Iraq. Despite its effectiveness, the SIGIR office is set to begin closing down before the majority of reconstruction funds for Iraq have even been expended.

"The Special Inspector General has been critical a critical watchdog for U.S. taxpayer dollars and has helped in exposing the often disorganized and sloppy management of the reconstruction effort," Feingold said. "We need to extend the mandate of this office to help make sure that American tax dollars are being used effectively and efficiently, and to help our reconstruction effort succeed."

The SIGIR''s tenure is currently 10 months after 80-percent of Iraqi relief and reconstruction funds are obligated, rather than expended. As a result, the SIGIR could expire well before all of the work that has been contracted has been performed and payments have been made. Current estimates are that Iraq reconstruction fund obligations could meet the 80-percent threshold by the end of July. The Feingold-Collins legislation would extend the SIGIR''s tenure by changing the termination date to 10 months after 80-percent of the funds are expended.

As Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee and Governmental Affairs Committee, which oversees government contracting, Senator Collins meets and receives regular briefings from the SIGIR on the office''s ongoing work and findings. "The SIGIR conducts needed, on-the-ground oversight of contracts in Iraq. The SIGIR''s audit and investigative work has fostered significant improvements in the efficiency, economy, and accountability of ongoing Iraq reconstruction programs. It provides transparency of these operations and demonstrates to the new Iraqi government the importance of openness and oversight to a democratic society," said Senator Collins.

In its last report, the SIGIR found indications of potential criminal activity in the case of the South-Central Iraq audit, where managers could not account for what happened to $96.6 million of $119.9 million that was disbursed in South-Central Iraq.

Feingold created the position of Inspector General (now known as SIGIR) through an amendment that he offered to a 2003 supplemental bill. Earlier this year, Feingold offered an amendment to the Iraq and Afghanistan supplemental bill to extend the mandate of the SIGIR. Unfortunately, Feingold''s amendment was defeated on a point of order.

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