CARD DIVISION WASTE IN DEFENSE DEPARTMENT PROCUREMENT HEARINGS BEFORE THE SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES EIGHTY-SECOND CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON CATALOGING, STANDARDIZATION, AND WASTE IN MILITARY H. R. 1033 AND H. R. 7405 FEBRUARY 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29, AND Printed for the use of the Committee on Armed Services WASTE IN DEFENSE DEPARTMENT PROCUREMENT Heave HEARINGS BEFORE THE SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-SECOND CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON CATALOGING, STANDARDIZATION, AND WASTE IN MILITARY H. R. 1033 AND H. R. 7405 94066 FEBRUARY 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29, AND Printed for the use of the Committee on Armed Services UNITED STATES WASHINGTON: 1952 UA23 1952 COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES O. C. FISHER, Texas CHARLES H. ELSTON, Ohio W. STERLING COLE, New York JOHN J. COURTNEY, Special Counsel II HBP 28 INVESTIGATION OF PROCUREMENT POLICIES AND MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1952 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT, Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met at 10 a. m., Hon. F. Edward Hébert (chairman of the special subcommittee) presiding. Mr. HÉBERT. The committee will come to order. Members of the committee, I believe it fitting and proper at this time to clearly enunciate the policy of this committee and to clearly define its objective. In view of the Nation-wide interest in this committee's activities and cognizant of the heat which has apparently been generated in individuals and certain segments of the armed services, this committee wants to make it crystal clear that its only concern and its only obective is to eliminate waste as far as humanly possible in the procurement practices of the armed services. This committee wants to guarantee to the American taxpayer, an efficient and competent use of the dollar which the taxpayer gives to the Government to distribute for him in the best interests of himself and the national security. Outside of that concern and that objective, this committee has no interest. By direction of the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, this committee is charged with the responsibility and cognizance of every dollar, every penny expended by the several branches of the armed services with the exception of real estate. That responsibility and that cognizance is as staggering as the billions of dollars which have been placed in the hands of the armed services for procurement. It is this committee's business to see that those billions are judiciously and wisely spent. In an atmosphere charged with political partisanship and with lightning rods placed on election dates, I want it definitely understood that the business at hand has no relationship whatsoever, remote, coincidental, or otherwise to party politics. I do not recognize my colleagues to the right of me as Democrats, nor do I recognize my colleagues to the left of me as Republicans. I recognize those to the right of me and those to the left of me only as responsible publicly chosen individuals interested in the common cause of getting the best and most efficient government at the lowest possible cost. This committee is not on a fishing expedition. Its course has been definitely chartered and with the help and cooperation of the members 101 |