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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 155, Pt. 12 June 18, 2009 Problem June 18, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 155, Pt. 12 15595 the United States to further improve cent of all substance abuse treatment To support its business functions, water-use efficiency in agricultural, facilities are able to accommodate DoD has thousands of separate business residential, and commercial activities. children. The goal of this legislation is systems that it has layered upon one S. RES. 182 to offer support and flexibility to such another for decades. They are archaic, At the request of Mr. KERRY, the promising programs by allowing chil- overly complex, and error-prone. They name of the Senator from Delaware dren who are in foster care be placed are sometimes redundant and often (Mr. KAUFMAN) was added as a cospon- with their parent in the comprehensive lack standardization. It is no wonder sor of S. Res. 182, a resolution recog- residential family treatment center, that since 1995, GAO has classified the nizing the democratic accomplish- and bring their foster care payment Pentagon’s financial management as ments of the people of Albania and ex- with them as their placement is trans- high-risk, which makes it vulnerable to pressing the hope that the parliamen- ferred. By allowing these funds to fol- fraud and waste. Indeed, according to tary elections on June 28, 2009, main- low the child to the residential facil- GAO, DoD’s accounting problems cost tain and improve the transparency and ity, the chances for that family’s suc- the American taxpayer $13 billion in fairness of democracy in Albania. cess are much greater. 2005—that’s $35 million a day. Family based substance abuse treat- This has been a problem for decades. AMENDMENT NO. 1330 ment centers have proven to be an ef- In 1975, the Army disclosed that it had At the request of Mr. NELSON of Flor- fective means of treating substance spent $225 million over its budget be- ida, his name was added as a cosponsor abuse and reuniting families, but most cause of a serious breakdown in its ac- of amendment No. 1330 intended to be facilities are struggling to make ends counting and financial management re- proposed to S. 1023, a bill to establish a meet. Many of the parents in treat- porting system. For fiscal year 1986, non-profit corporation to communicate ment are motivated by the hope of the Navy failed to disclose $58 million United States entry policies and other- overcoming their addiction and reunit- in real property, $1.7 billion in guaran- wise promote leisure, business, and ing with their children. This bill is de- teed loans, and data on operating scholarly travel to the United States. signed to give them that chance, and it leases on ships. According to the Gov- At the request of Mr. SANDERS, the will hopefully inspire them by allowing ernment Accountability Office, be- name of the Senator from Alaska (Mr. their children to be part of the recov- tween 1970 and 1980, the Air Force in- BEGICH) was added as a cosponsor of ery, in a completely safe environment. curred numerous over obligations in amendment No. 1330 intended to be pro- I urge my colleagues to support this amounts up to $210 million of its indus- posed to S. 1023, supra. important legislation to help keep fam- trial funds. This would never be toler- AMENDMENT NO. 1337 ilies together and provide another ated in the private sector. At the request of Ms. SNOWE, the funding source for these promising pro- This is not only about numbers and name of the Senator from Maryland grams for children and parents. audits—this is also about the security (Mr. CARDIN) was added as a cosponsor of our troops and our nation. These of amendment No. 1337 intended to be By Mr. MCCAIN (for himself, Mr. broken systems affect operations and proposed to S. 1023, a bill to establish a COBURN, and Mr. GRASSLEY): endanger our troops. Over the years, non-profit corporation to communicate S. 1287. A bill to provide for the audit the GAO has reported that the Penta- United States entry policies and other- of financial statements of the Depart- gon’s poor financial management has wise promote leisure, business, and ment of Defense for fiscal year 2017 and caused pay problems for National scholarly travel to the United States. fiscal years thereafter, and for other Guard and reservists; impeded delivery f purposes; to the Committee on Armed of food and other essential supplies to Services. U.S. troops; and had the Pentagon STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED Mr. MCCAIN. Mr. President, today scrambling to identify and locate BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS Senators COBURN, GRASSLEY, and I are 250,000 defective chem-bio suits, some By Mr. ROCKEFELLER: introducing the Department of Defense of which were being sold over the Inter- S. 1286. A bill to amend part E of title Financial Accountability Act of 2009, net. IV of the Social Security Act to allow which imposes hard legislative dead- Let me read into the record one ac- children in foster care to be placed lines on the Department of Defense to count of how this impacted ongoing op- with their parents in residential family finally fix its broken bookkeeping sys- erations in Iraq. According to a Feb- treatment centers that provide safe en- tem. This legislation is not only nec- ruary 5, 2006 Star Tribune news article: vironments for treating addiction and essary, it is long overdue. ‘‘When Perry Jeffries was serving in promoting healthy parenting; to the The bill establishes a series of dead- Iraq, the computers showed that his Committee on Finance. lines, beginning next year and running 4th Infantry Division troops had access Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I through 2017, for DoD and the Services to drinking water, a place to shower rise today to introduce the Keeping to become audit ready. In particular, it and working wheels on their vehicles. Families Safe Act of 2009 which seeks compels the Services to account for As the first sergeant came to under- to keep families together when a par- military equipment, real property, in- stand when scrounging for water, tow- ent is in a comprehensive residential ventory, operating materials and sup- ing immobilized tanks and driving to family treatment program. Com- plies, environmental liabilities, and other posts or to Kuwait to pick up prehensive residential family treat- fund balances with Treasury. There- needed parts, the Pentagon’s book- ment is a unique program that serves after, DOD must undergo a full, inde- keeping doesn’t always match reality. parents and children together in a safe pendent audit of its financial state- Jefferies saw the real-life results of residential environment as the parent ments. If DoD fails to meet any dead- what has been a visible ‘accounting’ undergoes treatment for substance line set forth in the bill, it must timely problem in Washington—the Penta- abuse. document and explain its failure to gon’s inability to keep accurate track Such programs tend to be small, but Congress. of transactions and assets.’’ their results are impressive. One study The Department of Defense is the Congress has already enacted several found that 60 percent of mothers who most massive and complex of any orga- laws mandating financial management participated in the Pregnant and nization, public or private. It is en- reform and the Office of Management Postpartum Women and Their Infants trusted with more taxpayer dollars and Budget has issued circulars on in- program were completely clean and than any other federal department or ternal controls over financial reporting sober six months after their discharge. agency. For fiscal year 2009 alone, Con- and financial management systems. This same study found that 88 percent gress appropriated over $513 billion for Notably, none contain hard deadlines of these children were still with their DoD’s base budget. It added an addi- for an audit. mothers six months after the mother tional $7.4 billion for DoD in this year’s Meanwhile, DoD has repeatedly was discharged. However, only 5 per- so-called stimulus bill. promised Congress that it would fix the VerDate Mar 15 2010 11:15 Oct 24, 2011 Jkt 079102 PO 00000 Frm 00061 Fmt 0685 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR09\S18JN9.002 S18JN9 wreier-aviles on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BOUND RECORD 15596 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 155, Pt. 12 June 18, 2009 problem. In 1999 and 2000, then-DoD be audited, and an opinion shall be rendered dated as ready for audit by not later than Comptroller William Lynn testified be- pursuant to such audit, for the first fiscal September 30, 2016. fore Congress that financial manage- year for which the financial statements are (B) AUDIT.—The financial statements of ment reform was his highest priority. ready for audit, but not later than fiscal the Department of the Air Force for a fiscal year 2017, and for each fiscal year thereafter. year shall be audited, and an opinion shall be In fact, Mr. Lynn’s successor, Dov (3) DEADLINE FOR AUDIT.—The audit of the rendered pursuant to such audit, for the first Zakheim, set a deadline to have the financial statements of the Department of fiscal year for which the financial state- Department of Defense audit ready by Defense shall be completed as follows: ments are ready for audit, but not later than 2007. Under DoD’s latest Financial Im- (A) In the event the financial statements fiscal year 2016, and for each fiscal year provement and Audit Readiness Plan, for a fiscal year before fiscal year 2017 are thereafter. that deadline is now 2017. ready for audit, by not later than two years (C) DEADLINE FOR AUDIT.—The audit of the I want to recognize that the Depart- after the last day of such fiscal year.
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