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WASHINGTON: Sen. Carl Levin, the Michigan Democrat poised to become chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, vowed on Monday to ramp up oversight of the Pentagon, its top weapons programs and contractors.
Levin said he would continue to work closely with Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, a tough-minded reformer who will be ranking Republican on the committee once the Democrats take control of the Senate in January.
“I think there's a lot of merit in having a very structured, very thorough review of some of the allegations and findings about the misdoings of some contractors,” Levin told reporters at a news conference in Washington.
He said contracting abuses and the treatment of detainees were “two huge areas” the committee would tackle under his watch, with an eye to holding Pentagon officials accountable for their mistakes.
“We need to put much more emphasis on the oversight process, to make sure that the American people are getting a proper return on their tax dollars and that Pentagon activities are proper, lawful and transparent,” Levin said.
He said the Republican-led Congress had too often failed to conduct proper oversight and acted as a “rubber stamp for administration policies.”
Levin did work closely with McCain and outgoing committee chairman Sen. John Warner, a Virginia Republican, to investigate a failed $23.5 billion Air Force plan to lease and buy 100 Boeing Co. 767s as aerial refueling tankers.
The Senate efforts sparked a federal investigation that found Boeing improperly hired a former top Air Force weapons buyer. It eventually led to the conviction of the weapons buyer, a top Boeing official, the resignation of the company's chairman, and the resignation of the Air Force's civilian leader and his acquisition chief.
Levin said the committee would also examine equipment shortfalls, as well as “contracting abuses, failures … probably corruption and kickbacks,” but gave no specifics.
The committee had already begun some investigations, but had not been able to complete them because the Department of Defense was not providing needed information, Levin said.
He also planned to work closely with Rep. Ike Skelton, the Missouri Democrat expected to head the House Armed Services Committee. Skelton has said he plans to revive a subcommittee on oversight and investigations that was disbanded after Republicans won control of the House in 1994.
Levin criticized the Bush administration's moves to accelerate missile defense without adequate operational testing, and said he hoped to pass a measure requiring such testing before more money was spent on missiles.
“I think it's a mistake to purchase all of the missiles before we know that they're going to work. And I'll continue to take that position,” Levin said.
He said he was heartened by outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's recent remarks about the need for thorough operational tests before a system is further deployed.
Levin said he would discuss the issue with former CIA Director Robert Gates, President George W. Bush's nominee to succeed Rumsfeld. “I would hope … that if Gates is confirmed, that he would feel the same way,” he said.
