WASHINGTON, 15 September 2006 — A new website will tell Americans which companies win government contracts and grants under an ethics bill passed by the scandal-rocked House of Representatives on Wednesday ahead of November elections.
The legislation, approved on a voice vote, would create a new Internet site by 2008 giving the public quick access to information on the dispersal of billions of dollars in grants and contracts.
Last week, the Senate approved similar legislation.
Craig Holman of the consumer group Congress Watch called the measure “a great disclosure bill” that particularly will help disseminate information on the huge number of defense contracts that are now difficult and time-consuming to track.
Republicans have been linked with a series of scandals involving contracting abuses and other special-interest favors. Democrats have highlighted their opponents’ ethics’ problems as they try to capture control of the House and Senate in November elections.
The Republican-led Congress has not enacted broad ethics-reform legislation it promised in reaction to the Jack Abramoff and Randy “Duke” Cunningham scandals and instead is pushing narrower reforms.
Cunningham, a California Republican, resigned from the House last year after pleading guilty to accepting $2.4 million in bribes in exchange for help in securing Defense Department contracts.
Abramoff had been a high-powered Washington lobbyist with close ties to Republican leaders. His lobbying operation collapsed during a federal probe that led to his guilty plea in January on fraud charges.
-— With additional input from agencies.
