National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005

NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I thank my distinguished chairman.

I rise to join the senior Senator from Virginia in opposing the Dodd amendment. I agree with the concern raised by the Dodd amendment, but let me point out that, as far as I am aware, no committee has held a hearing on how to lessen our reliance on contractors. Our armed services and our other agencies do rely very heavily on contractors.

The distinguished chairman has held three open hearings in regard to all of the incarceration problems and the problems that have been so heavily publicized. We have had three hearings in the Intelligence Committee that have been closed. We are going to follow up with a report by General Fay and others. In the Intelligence Committee, we have asked for the legal memoranda from the Justice Department on this whole issue.

I think this amendment attempts to prejudge the important work we would like to do on issues that are related to contractors and also detainees; yes, the military police; yes, the military intelligence.

Now, let's not forget that while some contractors-or for that matter, MPs, or military personnel-have been highly publicized in actions that nobody wants to see, contractors are saving lives right now in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they are giving their lives in the war on terrorism. So the problems that have come to our attention, it seems to me, my colleagues, are not necessarily inherent simply to contracting, but they are resulting from very poor management and also supervision.

We can address the problems as raised by the distinguished Senator from Connecticut, but we ought to do it in the right way. I do not think the Senate should act hastily on an important area. We are on top of it. We are conducting oversight.

So I must oppose this amendment and urge other Members to do the same.