Timeline
- Ensuring U.S. Taxpayer Dollars are Spent Efficiently and
Effectively in Iraq
October
23, 2006 – Feingold calls the final version
of the Defense Authorization Act, which includes a set termination
date for the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction
(SIGIR), troubling. The SIGIR has now issued 73 audit reports
with 243 recommendations for program improvement, produced
65 project assessments, seized over $17 million in assets,
and shed light on tens of millions of dollars in waste.
June
15, 2006 – Feingold introduces an amendment
to S. 2766, the FY2007 Defense authorization bill, to strengthen
the oversight and monitoring capabilities of the SIGIR. The
amendment is accepted into the bill.
May 4, 2006 – Feingold files an amendment
to S. 1268, the 2007 emergency supplemental spending bill,
to strengthen the oversight and monitoring capabilities of
the SIGIR. Unfortunately, the amendment is denied a vote.
July
20, 2005 – Feingold and Collins’
effort to extend the mandate of the SIGIR is successful when
their bill is accepted as an amendment to H.R. 3057, a foreign
operations spending bill.
July
1, 2005 - Feingold and Senator Susan Collins
(R-ME) introduce S. 1371, a bill extending the mandate of
the SIGIR. Despite the effectiveness of the SIGIR, the office
was set to begin closing down before the majority of reconstruction
funds for Iraq had even been expended.
April 15, 2005 – Feingold introduces
an amendment to H.R. 1268, an emergency supplemental spending
bill, to strengthen and extend the life of the SIGIR office.
Unfortunately, the amendment is not brought up for a vote.
October
11, 2004 – Feingold’s amendment to
keep an Inspector General (IG) in Iraq as a watchdog over
the billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars allocated for Iraq reconstruction
is included in the final version (conference report) of S.
2400, the FY05 Defense Authorization bill. Without Feingold’s
amendment, the IG would have expired.
June
24, 2004 - Feingold’s amendment permitting
the Office of the Inspector General (IG) for the Coalition
Provisional Authority (CPA) to continue overseeing reconstruction
efforts financed by American tax dollars after the transfer
of sovereignty in Iraq is included in S. 2400, the FY2005
Department of Defense Authorization bill. Without Feingold’s
effort, the office would have dissolved six months after the
June 30, 2004 transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqis. Feingold's
amendment ensures the IG’s continued watch over the
billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars that had yet to be spent
in Iraq and requires reports to Congress.
October
30, 2003 – Feingold’s amendment to
S. 1689, the Iraq supplemental spending bill is included in
the final version of the conference report between the House
of Representatives and Senate. Feingold's provision establishes
an Inspector General, as part of the Coalition Provisional
Authority (CPA), to oversee the use of U.S. taxpayer dollars
sent to Iraq.
October
16, 2003 - U.S. Senator Russ Feingold successfully
offers an amendment to S. 1689, an $87 billion Iraq supplemental
spending bill, establishing an Inspector General as part of
the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) to oversee the use
of U.S. taxpayer dollars sent to Iraq. Feingold's amendment
requires the Inspector General to report to Congress every
75 days on the use of funds and the effectiveness of reconstruction
programs and initiatives in Iraq.
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