Expenditure Controls Could Bottleneck Stimulus Funds

Highlighting the capacity bottlenecks which could thwart speedy outflow of the economic stimulus funds, OMB deputy Robert Nabors testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Thursday that an additional 150 auditors will be needed to make sure fraud and waste are kept out of these projects. GAO acting director Gene Dodaro says they will not be fully staffed for the job until September. Meanwhile, responding to President Obama's memo making fixed price contracting the new standard for the federal government, the House Armed Services Committee created a bipartisan seven member panel to review defense contracting procedures.