IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 116

Creating a select committee to investigate the awarding and carrying out 

of contracts to conduct activities in Afghanistan and Iraq and to fight 

the war on terrorism. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 16, 2005

Mr. LEACH (for himself and Mr. TIERNEY) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Rules 

RESOLUTION

Creating a select committee to investigate the awarding and 

carrying out of contracts to conduct activities in Afghanistan and Iraq and to fight the war on terrorism.

Whereas challenges to the national security have forced 

America to commit very large sums of Government funds 

to support operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and improve the security for the homeland; 

Whereas Congress has a responsibility to ensure comprehensive oversight when Government funds are at issue; 

Whereas the great size of the funds involved, together with 

the necessary speed with which these funds are committed, presents a challenge to the traditional oversight 

function of Congress; 
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Whereas conflicts of interest and Government overcharging 

are a danger whenever large sums of money are at stake, 

and are particularly unseemly in times of war; 

Whereas in this age of global economic interdependence, the 

Administration has made a commitment to let contracts 

to foreign as well as domestic companies; 

Whereas oversight should not be considered a partisan activity but viewed solely in the context of preserving public 

resources and bolstering people’s confidence in the Government; 

Whereas the Truman Committee in World War II stands as 

a constructive precedent for bipartisan oversight of wartime contracting; 

Whereas the Truman Committee was established within a 

Congress controlled by the same party as the Executive; 

Whereas in times marked by corporate abuses and cheating, 

the integrity of the procurement process is of paramount 

importance to sustain the public’s support for government programs; and 

Whereas whatever the merits of Government policy, the public has a right to expect that war profiteering does not 

occur and that its resources are carefully disbursed and 

honestly spent: Now therefore be it

1 Resolved, That, until otherwise provided by law, there 

2 is hereby created a select committee to investigate the 

3 awarding and carrying out of contracts to conduct activi4 ties in Afghanistan and Iraq and to fight the war on ter5 rorism (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘select committee’’). 
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1 MEMBERSHIP AND FUNCTIONS

2 SEC. 2. The select committee is to be composed of 

3 15 Members of the House, to be appointed by the Speaker 

4 (of whom 7 shall be appointed upon the recommendation 

5 of the minority leader), one of whom shall be designated 

6 as chairman from the majority party and one of whom 

7 shall be designated ranking member from the minority 

8 party. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the 

9 select committee shall be filled in the same manner in 

10 which the original appointment was made. The select com11 mittee shall conduct an ongoing study and investigation 

12 of the awarding and carrying out of contracts by the Gov13 ernment to conduct activities in Afghanistan and Iraq and 

14 to fight the war on terrorism and make such recommenda15 tions to the House as the select committee deems appro16 priate regarding the following matters—

17 (1) bidding, contracting, and auditing stand18 ards in the issuance of Government contracts; 

19 (2) oversight procedures; 

20 (3) forms of payment and safeguards against 

21 money laundering; 

22 (4) accountability of contractors and Govern23 ment officials involved in procurement; 
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1 (5) penalties for violations of law and abuses in 

2 the awarding and carrying out of Government con3 tracts; 

4 (6) subcontracting under large, comprehensive 

5 contracts; 

6 (7) inclusion and utilization of small businesses, 

7 through subcontracts or otherwise; and 

8 (8) such other matters as the select committee 

9 deems appropriate. 

10 RULES AND PROCEDURE

11 SEC. 3. (a) QUORUM.—One-third of the members of 

12 the select committee shall constitute a quorum for the 

13 transaction of business except for the reporting of the re14 sults of its study and investigation (with its recommenda15 tions) or the authorization of subpoenas, which shall re16 quire a majority of the committee to be actually present, 

17 except that the select committee may designate a lesser 

18 number, but not less than two, as a quorum for the pur19 pose of holding hearings to take testimony and receive evi20 dence. 

21 (b) POWERS.—For the purpose of carrying out this 

22 resolution, the select committee may sit and act during 

23 the present Congress at any time and place within the 

24 United States or elsewhere, whether the House is in ses25 sion, has recessed, or has adjourned and hold such hear26 ings as it considers necessary and to require, by subpoena 
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1 or otherwise, the attendance and testimony of such wit2 nesses, the furnishing of information by interrogatory, and 

3 the production of such books, records, correspondence, 

4 memoranda, papers, documents, and other things and in5 formation of any kind as it deems necessary, including 

6 classified materials. 

7 (c) ISSUANCE OF SUBPOENAS.—A subpoena may be 

8 authorized and issued by the select committee in the con9 duct of any investigation or series of investigations or ac10 tivities, only when authorized by a majority of the mem11 bers voting, a majority being present. Authorized sub12 poenas shall be signed by the chairman or by any member 

13 designated by the select committee, and may be served by 

14 any person designated by the chairman or such member. 

15 Subpoenas shall be issued under the seal of the House 

16 and attested by the Clerk. The select committee may re17 quest investigations, reports, and other assistance from 

18 any agency of the executive, legislative, and judicial 

19 branches of the Government. 

20 (d) MEETINGS.—The chairman, or in his absence a 

21 member designated by the chairman, shall preside at all 

22 meetings and hearings of the select committee. All meet23 ings and hearings of the select committee shall be con24 ducted in open session, unless a majority of members of 

25 the select committee voting, there being in attendance the 
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1 requisite number required for the purpose of hearings to 

2 take testimony, vote to close a meeting or hearing. 

3 (e) APPLICABILITIES OF RULES OF THE HOUSE.—

4 The Rules of the House of Representatives applicable to 

5 standing committees shall govern the select committee 

6 where not inconsistent with this resolution. 

7 (f) WRITTEN COMMITEE RULES.—The select com8 mittee shall adopt additional written rules, which shall be 

9 public, to govern its procedures, which shall not be incon10 sistent with this resolution or the Rules of the House of 

11 Representatives. 

12 ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

13 SEC. 4. (a) APPOINTMENT OF STAFF.—The select 

14 committee staff shall be appointed, and may be removed, 

15 by the chairman and shall work under the general super16 vision and direction of the chairman. 

17 (b) POWERS OF RANKING MINORITY MEMBER.—All 

18 staff provided to the minority party members of the select 

19 committee shall be appointed, and may be removed, by the 

20 ranking minority member of the committee, and shall 

21 work under the general supervision and direction of such 

22 member. 

23 (c) COMPENSATION.—The chairman shall fix the 

24 compensation of all staff of the select committee, after 

25 consultation with the ranking minority member regarding 
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1 any minority party staff, within the budget approved for 

2 such purposes for the select committee. 

3 (d) REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES.—The select 

4 committee may reimburse the members of its staff for 

5 travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred 

6 by them in the performance of the their functions for the 

7 select committee. 

8 (e) PAYMENT OF EXPENSES.—There shall be paid 

9 out of the applicable accounts of the House such sums 

10 as may be necessary for the expenses of the select com11 mittee. Such payments shall be made on vouchers signed 

12 by the chairman of the select committee and approved in 

13 the manner directed by the Committee on House Adminis14 tration. Amounts made available under this subsection 

15 shall be expended in accordance with regulations pre16 scribed by the Committee on House Administration. 

17 REPORTS

18 SEC. 5. The select committee shall from time to time 

19 report to the House the results of its study and investiga20 tion, with its recommendations. Any report made by the 

21 select committee when the House is not in session shall 

22 be filed with the Clerk of the House. Any report made 

23 by the select committee shall be referred to the committee 

24 or committees that have jurisdiction over the subject mat25 ter of the report.

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