Teach the Pentagon to Think Before It Spends

June 5, 2002

Comment: #450

Discussion Thread

Comment #169

Separately Attached Reference:

[1] Statement By Franklin C. Spinney, Staff Analyst, Department of Defense Before The Subcommittee On National Security, Veterans Affairs And International Relations, Committee On Government Reform United States House Of Representatives, June 4, 2002.

On June 4, I appeared as a witness before the Subcommittee On National Security, Veterans Affairs And International Relations. This subcommittee is part of the Committee On Government Reform in the House Of Representatives. Here is my statement delivered to the subcommittee on June 4.

The purpose of the hearing was to examine the Defense Department's bookkeeping shambles as well as the progress in Secretary Rumsfeld's efforts to implement the recommendations of the Friedman Report (Transforming Department of Defense Financial Management: A Strategy for Change). [For the statements of the other witnesses and the staff memorandum describing the purpose of the hearing please contact the House Committee on Government Reform.]

My aim was to place the Pentagon's bookkeeping shambles in a larger perspective of the defense budget and, more importantly, our plans for the future. My statement was in two parts: Part I describes the problems from the perspective of the defense budget planning process. Part II described a strawman proposal for fixing these problems.

Chuck Spinney

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