Hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee - Accountability Lapses in Multiple Funds for Iraq

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REP. KUCINICH: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you and ranking member Davis for their ongoing interest in providing accountability for the funds that are used in Iraq.

One of the things that disturbs me about the approach that the administration has taken, Mr. Chairman, is that is has treated the money of the people of Iraq as free money -- as though we don't have responsibility for the money that we take custody of, that belongs to the people in Iraq.

And I think that those in the administration who have had custody of that money, who have, through their (instance ?) created systems for distributing the money, need to be held accountable as though they were handling the money of the taxpayers of the United States of America.

And this hearing, I hope, is -- proceeds in that spirit. Because it's Iraqi money, in a sense we have a higher responsibility. We can't act as though, well, that's just Iraqi money and somehow we can -- you know, anything goes.

And actually, when you look at it in terms of the work -- particularly the Coalition Provisional Authority, anything has gone. Billions have gone out the door and you can't trace it. A lot of questions there.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this hearing. I'll be rejoining the hearing shortly. I've got people in my office I've got to meet with, but thank you.

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