Rep. Ike Skelton Holds a Hearing On Department of Defense Acquisition Reform and Related High-Risk Areas

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Rep. Ike Skelton Holds a Hearing On Department of Defense Acquisition Reform and Related High-Risk Areas

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES HOLDS A HEARING ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ACQUISITION REFORM AND RELATED HIGH-RISK AREAS

MAY 6, 2009

SPEAKERS: REP. IKE SKELTON, D-MO. CHAIRMAN REP. JOHN M. SPRATT JR., D-S.C. REP. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ, D-TEXAS REP. GENE TAYLOR, D-MISS. REP. NEIL ABERCROMBIE, D-HAWAII REP. SILVESTRE REYES, D-TEXAS REP. VIC SNYDER, D-ARK. REP. ADAM SMITH, D-WASH. REP. LORETTA SANCHEZ, D-CALIF. REP. MIKE MCINTYRE, D-N.C. REP. ELLEN O. TAUSCHER, D-CALIF. REP. ROBERT A. BRADY, D-PA. REP. ROBERT E. ANDREWS, D-N.J. REP. SUSAN A. DAVIS, D-CALIF. REP. JIM LANGEVIN, D-R.I. REP. RICK LARSEN, D-WASH. REP. JIM COOPER, D-TENN. REP. JIM MARSHALL, D-GA. DEL. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO, D-GUAM REP. BRAD ELLSWORTH, D-IND. REP. PATRICK J. MURPHY, D-PA. REP. HANK JOHNSON, D-GA. REP. CAROL SHEA-PORTER, D-N.H. REP. JOE COURTNEY, D-CONN. REP. DAVE LOEBSACK, D-IOWA REP. JOE SESTAK, D-PA. REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS, D-ARIZ. REP. NIKI TSONGAS, D-MASS. REP. GLENN G. NYE III, D-VA. REP. CHELLIE PINGREE, D-MAINE REP. LARRY KISSELL, D-N.C. REP. MARTIN HEINRICH, D-N.M. REP. FRANK M. KRATOVIL JR., D-MD. REP. ERIC MASSA, D-N.Y. REP. BOBBY BRIGHT, D-ALA. REP. SCOTT MURPHY, D-N.Y.

REP. JOHN M. MCHUGH, R-N.Y. RANKING MEMBER REP. ROSCOE G. BARTLETT, R-MD. REP. HOWARD P. "BUCK" MCKEON, R-CALIF. REP. WILLIAM M. "MAC" THORNBERRY, R-TEXAS REP. WALTER B. JONES, R-N.C. REP. TODD AKIN, R-MO. REP. J. RANDY FORBES, R-VA. REP. JEFF MILLER, R-FLA. REP. JOE WILSON, R-S.C. REP. FRANK A. LOBIONDO, R-N.J. REP. ROB BISHOP, R-UTAH REP. MICHAEL R. TURNER, R-OHIO REP. JOHN KLINE, R-MINN. REP. MIKE D. ROGERS, R-ALA. REP. TRENT FRANKS, R-ARIZ. REP. BILL SHUSTER, R-PA. REP. CATHY MCMORRIS RODGERS, R-WASH. REP. K. MICHAEL CONAWAY, R-TEXAS REP. DOUG LAMBORN, R-COLO REP. ROB WITTMAN, R-VA. REP. TOM ROONEY, R-FLA. REP. MARY FALLIN, R-OKLA. REP. MIKE COFFMAN, R-COLO. REP. DUNCAN D. HUNTER, R-CALIF. REP. JOHN FLEMING, R-LA.

WITNESSES: DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WILLIAM J. LYNN III

SHAY ASSAD, ACTING DEPUTY UNDERSECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR ACQUISITION AND TECHNOLOGY

BETH MCGRATH, ASSISTANT DEPUTY CHIEF MANAGEMENT OFFICER, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

[*] SKELTON: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We welcome you to today's hearing on the Department of Defense and high risk, the recommendations of the chief management office on acquisition reform and related high-risk areas.

I should note up front that this hearing is a follow-up to our hearing on March the 12th with GAO about their 2009 high-risk update and helps satisfy the committee's oversight obligations under the Tanner resolution.

Our witness is Deputy Secretary of Defense Bill Lynn, who also has the distinction of being the department's chief management officer, a responsibility given to him largely as a result of GAO's recommendations. He has with him Mr. Shay Assad, acting deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition and technology, and Beth McGrath, assistant deputy chief management officer. They will assist Secretary Lynn in answering questions.

The focus of today's hearing is (inaudible) than the earlier hearing with GAO. We'll focus today on acquisition reform.

However, Secretary Lynn, the committee expects that you'll provide us with a full response to the findings and recommendations of the GAO in its 2009 high-risk update for the record.

The committee is committed to addressing all of the department's high-risk areas and will remain focused on all of these issues, not just this year, but, of course, beyond, until we're able to reduce the risk in these areas to manageable levels.

I should note that as the budget is not yet released, Secretary Lynn will not be addressing budget issues in his testimony today, and we have told the secretary that, and so that will be out of bounds.

The focus on acquisition informing today's hearing is more than timely. Tomorrow, the committee will mark up H.R. 2101, the Weapons Acquisition System Reform through Enhancing Technical Knowledge ...

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