House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
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Categories: US House Committees | Congressional Committees Project
House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform | |
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Members, 110th Congress | |
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The United States Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. The Committee is the main investigative committee in the United States House of Representatives.
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Jurisdiction
The Committee has jurisdiction to investigate any federal program and any matter with federal policy implications.
Subcommittees
110th Congress
House Subcommittee on Domestic Policy
House Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia
House Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement
House Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives
House Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs
109th Congress
House Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources
House Subcommittee on Energy and Resources
House Subcommittee on Federalism and the Census
House Subcommittee on Federal Workforce and Agency Organization
House Subcommittee on Government Management, Finance, and Accountability
House Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations
House Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs
Investigations
Pursuant to House Rule X, clause 4, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform may, at any time, conduct investigations into any matter (whether another standing committee has jurisdiction or not).
In 1998, Rep. Waxman formed to Special Investigations Division to conduct investigations into issues that are important to members of this Committee and other members of Congress
See here for a complete list of current and past investigations.
Current investigations include
Legislation
See here for Commemorative Legislation and here for Postal Naming Legislation.
Major Committee Legislation
110th Congress
March 6, 2007, Rep. Waxman introduced: H.R. 1362: Accountability in Contracting Act.
- part of the Administration Oversight Investigation
- limits the length of noncompetitive contracts
- minimizes no-bid contracts
- minimizes cost-plus contracts
- requires public disclosures of justifications (within 14 days) for no-bid contracts
- requires disclosure of contractor overcharges over $1 million to Congress
- funds contract oversight (agencies must devote an additional 1% of their procurement budgets to contract oversight, planning, and administration)
- closes the "revolving door" (increases from 1 to 2 years the amount of time contracting officials are barred from taking jobs with firms they have supervised as a government employee).
March 5, 2007, Reps. Clay, Platts, and Waxman introduced H.R. 1309, Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 2007
- part of the Open Government Investigation
March 1, 2007, Reps. Waxman, Duncan, Clay, Platts, and Emmanuel introduced H.R. 1254, Presidential Library Donation Reform Act of 2007
- part of the Open Government Investigation
- requires disclosure of donors to presidential libraries
March 1, 2007, Reps. Waxman, Platts, Clay, and Burton introduced 'H.R. 1255, Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2007
- part of the Open Government Investigation
- nullifies a 2001 presidential executive order and restores public access to presidential records
- Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives reported this bill favorably to the full committee on March 6.
February 14, 207, Committee marked up and reported: The Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act and The Executive Branch Reform Act
- part of the Open Government Investigation
Hearings
The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform holds hearings to guide legislative and oversight efforts.
110th Congress, Session I
- Reforming the Presidential Library Donation Disclosure Process, February 28, 2007
- This committee examined the need for public disclosure of donations made to private foundations established to fund presidential libraries and related facilities. The committee will consider possible legislative proposals to require such disclosure.
- Witnesses: Sharon Fawcett (pdf file); Sheila Krumholz (pdf file); Celia Viggo Wexler (pdf file)
- Video available here
- H.R. 154, Presidential Donation Reform Act of 2007, introduced March 1, 2007
- Iraq Reconstruction Overview, February 15, 2007
- The three top auditors overseeing work in Iraq provided new information about the status of Iraq reconstruction projects and troop support contracts. The hearing examined whether the findings of these auditors should affect Congress' assessment of the President's new request for additional taxpayer dollars.
- Witnesses: Stuart Bowen, Jr., Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction; David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the United States; WIlliam Reed, Director, Defense Contract Audit Agency; Kiki Skagen Munshi, Former Leader, Diyala Provincial Reconstruction Team
- Video available here
- Reform Acts will Increase Transparency and Encourage Discovery of Waste, February 13, 2007
- Chairman Waxman introduces two bills to increase government transparency and encourage the discovery of waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer money. Tuesday's hearing provides an opportunity for the Committee to focus on the issues of lobbying and ethics reform in the executive branch. The Committee will hear from noted experts and academics on these issues.
- Financial Impacts of Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Pharmaceutical Pricing, February 9, 2007
- The goal of the hearing is to examine whether there are fraudulent, abusive, or wasteful pharmaceutical pricing practices that affect federal health programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and the Public Health Service “340B” program that should be the subject of additional congressional oversight.
- Management of Homeland Security Contracts, February 8, 2007
- The goal of the hearing is to examine whether there are fraudulent, abusive, or wasteful pharmaceutical pricing practices that affect federal health programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and the Public Health Service “340B” program that should be the subject of additional congressional oversight.
- Iraqi Reconstruction: Reliance on Private Military Contractors, February 7, 2007
- Family members of four Blackwater employees killed in Fallujah testified about what they view as profiteering by Blackwater USA, including the company’s alleged failure to provide armored vehicles and other critical safety equipment. The Committee examined the costs of Blackwater’s security operations to the taxpayer and the adequacy of federal oversight of Blackwater and other security contractors.
- Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Iraq Reconstruction, February 6, 2007
- Ambassador L. Paul Bremer and Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, testified on management of U.S. funds in Iraq. Questions were raised about an audit report issued in 2005 by Mr. Bowen that concluded that more than $8.8 billion in cash was disbursed without adequate financial controls.
- Political Influence on Government Climate Change Scientists, January 30, 2007
External Links
Majority Website (Democrats)
Minority Website (Republicans)
House Rules, Rule X defining committees and jurisdictions.
The Committee's Website is a model for what committee websites can be, with a schedule, recent investigations, and links to current and historical legislation.
The Congresspedia page on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittees: |
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Criminal Justice, Drug Policy & Human Resources • Energy & Resources • Federalism & the Census • Federal Workforce & Agency Organization • Government Management, Finance, & Accountability • National Security, Emerging Threats & International Relations • Regulatory Affairs |