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The cost of the Iraq War to taxpayers continues to rise. To view the price tag, click here.
Legislation
In 2002 Rep. Allen opposed the Administration and Congressional leaders by voting against giving the President a blank check to invade Iraq. At the time, he said, "If the U.S. acts unilaterally or with just a few other nations, there is a far higher risk of fueling resentment in Arab and Muslim nations and swelling the ranks of the anti-U.S. terrorists.”
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| Rep. Allen visits with U.S. Soldiers in Iraq. |
Rep. Allen has fought against continuing the War in Iraq by voting against funding bills. Most recently, on May 15th, 2008, Rep. Allen voted against the supplemental appropriations bill to fund the war into Fiscal Year 2009.
Oversight
Rep. Allen has repeatedly called for long-overdue oversight hearings on contracting waste, management of the war, and faulty intelligence. For four years, the previous majority in Congress ignored oversight, avoided investigations, and stifled debate. Today in Iraq, the price of this neglect is the loss of too many American lives caught in the crossfire of a sectarian civil war and the rampant waste, fraud, and abuse in contracts awarded by the Bush Administration.
Private companies, such as Blackwater, have been awarded contracts by the Bush Administration to provide private security services in Iraq. Blackwater is one of the firms that has been investigated for contracting waste and abuse by the Special Inspector General for Iraqi Reconstruction (SIGIR). In one example, Blackwater's contract paid workers who guarded food trucks a salary of $600 a day. The company added overhead costs and a 36 percent markup to its bill, and then forwarded the bill to a Kuwaiti company. The Kuwaiti company then added costs and profit, then sent the bill to the food company. The food company did the same, and finally sent the bill to the prime contractor, KBR, which is a subsidiary of Halliburton. KBR passed its cost to the Defense Department. A U.S. Army witness, however, testified that the Army had never authorized KBR to enter into a subcontracting relationship with Blackwater.
In addition to financial issues, the case of Blackwater highlights the legal gray areas surrounding the estimated 20,000-30,000 private security contractors in Iraq, on whom the U.S. government has relied heavily to provide security for Iraqi and U.S. officials. Blackwater employees are alleged to have opened fire, without provocation, on a group of Iraqis on September 16, killing 14 people. This case is under investigation by the Iraqi government, the U.S. military, and the U.S. Congress.
Both contractors and critics have complained that there is no coordination between contractors and the military personnel with whom they share the battle space and no clear accountability for abuses. Private contractors are armed but are not bound by the same rules of engagement as regular U.S. military personnel. Additionally, the Secretary of Defense has refused to disclose these contracts. Also unclear are the legal rights of Blackwater employees, many of whom are U.S. citizens, if they are captured or held hostage by enemy militias.
Rep. Allen sponsored a provision in the Defense Authorization bill for Fiscal Year 2008 which would establish a commission to investigate waste, fraud, and abuse in wartime contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The commission, which had bipartisan support in Congress, is modeled on the Truman Commission, an investigation of defense industry profiteering during WWII. On January 28, 2008, this measure was signed into law by President Bush. However, at the time, he also issued a signing statement claiming the provision “could inhibit the President's ability to…execute his authority as Commander in Chief.” Rep. Allen immediately called on the President to reverse his position. Under mounting public pressure, the President ultimately cooperated with the creation of the commission. As of June, seven of the eight board members have been named to the commission.
Rep. Allen is also an original cosponsor of H.R. 4102, the Stop Outsourcing Security Act, introduced by Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), which would phase out the use of private security contractors. Within six months of becoming law, the measure would ban the use of private contractors for U.S. diplomatic and consular security in Iraq. The bill would require President
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| Rep. Allen visits with U.S. Soldiers in Iraq. |
Permanent Bases in Iraq
Rep. Allen led the effort to prohibit permanent U.S. bases in Iraq. In the 109th Congress, he introduced the Iraq Sovereignty Promotion Act, H.R. 3142, which stated that “it is the policy of the United States not to maintain a long-term or permanent military presence in Iraq.” By making intentions clear, our government would send an unambiguous signal to the Iraqi people that we fully support their efforts to establish democracy and to exercise sovereignty, including assuming responsibility for their security.
On July 25, 2007, the House approved a bill that Rep. Allen co-authored with Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) to prohibit permanent bases in Iraq. This legislation passed by an overwhelming vote of 399 to 24. The bill makes permanent the provisions included in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 defense bills to prohibit spending on permanent U.S. bases in Iraq.
Supporting Our Troops
Rep. Allen believes that the best way to support our troops is to bring them home to their families and loved ones. Once they return home, we must also provide for them with medical, psychological, financial, and other support they need. Rep. Allen has supported the largest increases in funding for veterans’ programs ever. He strongly supports the members of our Armed Forces and believes they should receive the care they have earned and deserved when they come home.
Click here to learn about Rep. Allen’s work for Veterans
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