releases: https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/citing-nearly-400-million-in-duplicative-defense-contracts-mccaskill-urges-department-of-defense-cut-down-on-waste
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| url | title | date | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/citing-nearly-400-million-in-duplicative-defense-contracts-mccaskill-urges-department-of-defense-cut-down-on-waste | Citing Nearly $400 Million in Duplicative Defense Contracts, McCaskill Urges Department of Defense Cut Down on Waste | 2017-12-08 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Democrat | House | MO | Claire McCaskill | M001170 | www.mccaskill.senate.gov | legacy | Citing Nearly $400 Million in Duplicative Defense Contracts, McCaskill Urges Department of Defense Cut Down on Waste After a top watchdog report found millions spent on 2,000 contracts for hundreds of contractors in a year on same helicopter part, Senator questions Pentagon leadership; ‘This is the kind of stuff that just makes you want to tear your hair out as somebody who’s a former auditor’ Friday, December 8, 2017 WASHINGTON – Continuing her efforts to cut down on waste and inefficiency in government contracting, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, today raised concerns to top Pentagon leadership about nearly $400 million in duplicative defense contracts. “They identify in [the Pentagon Inspector General’s report on contracting challenges], that for the H-60 helicopter used by the services and [Southern Command], that [the Department of Defense] have purchased 2.9 million spare parts for the H-60,” McCaskill said. “Using 2,000 separate contracts, awarded to 590 different contractors over a 12 month period, for almost $400 million dollars. And often these parts were purchased for different prices—the same part. This is the kind of stuff that just makes you want to tear your hair out as somebody who’s a former auditor. What roadblocks can you identify, Secretary Lord, that would keep you from fixing something ridiculous like that?” McCaskill continued: “I just think when something comes on line you should begin the process of identifying a handful of contractors because you want the consistency and if somebody falls off you’ve got others, and to get the best deal and leverage the best deal for that helicopter. I mean I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said in this committee and pointed out inefficiencies between the services for things they’re all using.” McCaskill also discussed Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson’s visit to Whiteman Air Force Base at her invitation, and the personnel issues involved in hiring trainers for the joint strike fighter, and other slowdowns in hiring civilian personnel. Since her time as Missouri State Auditor, McCaskill, the top-ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has been a leading voice in Missouri and Washington for cutting wasteful government spending. The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has unanimously approved two of her bills with Republican Senator Steve Daines of Montana to eliminate wasteful spending at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. McCaskill has also expanded whistleblower protections to federal contractors, grantees, subgrantees, and others who the federal government directly or indirectly hires through bipartisan bills that have been signed into law. During her first term in the Senate, McCaskill waged a successful six-year effort to crack down on waste, fraud, and abuse in wartime contracting. Visit mccaskill.senate.gov/defense to learn more about McCaskill’s fight to protect our national security. ### Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |