Bush Threatens To Veto Bill Protecting Independence Of Inspectors General

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/01/AR2007100101602.html?nav=rss_business

Administration Opposes Bill on Inspectors General

By Stephen Barr
Tuesday, October 2, 2007; Page D04

The Bush administration yesterday lodged a veto threat against a House bill that would strengthen the independence of the government's inspectors general.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.), would provide inspectors general with seven-year terms, let them submit budget requests directly to Congress and permit the White House to fire them only for cause.

In a policy statement, the Bush administration said it strongly opposes provisions in the bill that would allow inspectors general "to circumvent the president's longstanding, and constitutionally based, control over executive branch budget requests."

The White House also strongly objected to the bill's provision that specifies reasons for dismissing an inspector general, calling it an "intrusion on the president's removal authority."

Cooper's bill has been scheduled for a vote on the House floor this week and had seemed likely to move forward with little controversy. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) is sponsoring a similar bill in the Senate, which includes recommendations by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.).

Inspectors generals are unusual creatures in the federal bureaucracy. At large agencies, they are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate and generally are asked to serve both masters. They are supposed to crack down on waste, fraud and abuse, preferably without causing too much embarrassment for their agency heads, usually political appointees.

[BridgeTheGap]

1. What do you expect from this asshole? He isn't going to budge

on ANYTHING.

[Lasher]

2. Ho hum, Junior threatened to veto another bill.

So veto already. Republicans will answer for it in the polls next year. Like he cares.

[DeSwiss]

3. I have to say....

...that the only thing that was surprising to me about this article, is the sponsor, Jim Cooper (D-MineWhetherIWantHimOrNot) and who is a dyed-in-the-wool Blue Dog. So Jimmy gets no support from his master even after supporting his damned war! The nerve!!!



K&R