Show 7 A t tf f This is the old home before destruction work began last week end Congress Is Watchdog King by DAVID S S. S KING One of the most Important important important tant functions of the Congress Congress Congress Con Con- gress Is to act as watchdog over the actions of the ex executive executive executive ex- ex branch of the federal federal fed fed- eral government MEMBERS OF Congress are In the unique position of being able not only to assist constituents In their pleas and complaints against the federal bureaucracy bureaucracy bureaucracy bur bur- but also in being able to make scale full-scale in investigations investigations investigations in- in of practices that are not in the best in interests interests interests in- in of the American taxpayer Perhaps the best place from which to carry carryon on these vital watchdog ac activities activities activities ac- ac is the Committee Com on Government Operations of which I am a member In my assignment to the Subcommittee Subcommittee Subcommittee Sub Sub- committee on and Government Information my responsibilities responsibilities Include s sur surveillance u r v e il- il lance of both the foreign actions of our government and the possible suppression suppression suppression sion of information to keep the the anT taxpayer from knowing about embarrassing embarrassing embar embar- rassing mistakes mistakes' BECAUSE OF the importance importance importance tance I attach to my duties on this subcommittee I recently have spent a great deal of time studying re reports reports reports re- re ports from the General Accounting Accounting Ac- Ac counting Office concerning cert cerl in financial activities of o Ov 0 government in the field of foreign affairs I have been both shocked and grieved by what I have found NO ONE SHOULD expect a business as large as the United States government to be without fault but those faults must not be allowed to pass unnoticed I would be derelict in my my duty if I did not ferret out the waste and try to protect th taxpayers taxpayer's interests There are a large number number number num num- ber of examples that I can point to which demonstrate very serious financial mis mis- management RECENTLY Y a consulate building and residence residence residence res res- was built in Tangier Tangier Tangier Tan Tan- gier Morocco This giant monstrosity which wasn't even needed cost more than originally contracted contracted contracted con con- a fact caused by bythe bythe bythe the incompetence of the local contractor hired to do dothe dothe dothe the job The Depart Department m ent of State never should have accepted the contractor in the first t- t i e especially since he had already bungled one Job for them and was in such bad financial troubles that he lie couldn't even get bonded by a local bank The De Department Department Department De- De of State handled the entire bidding process so badly that most of the responsible contractors a act c t o 0 r s dropped from the competition tion AN UNNEEDED consulate consulate consulate late residence and office building in Rabat Morocco is another example After the building was about 40 per cent complete construction construction construction con con- was stalled for four months while planning was redone so that windows windows windows win win- dows in the building could be lowered to eye level When the building was finally completed at a acost cost of more than 16 million the American ambassador was so disgusted with the poor design that he refused to move in It was only after everything was completed that plans were accepted to redesign the residence as asan asan asan an office building Such a aplan aplan aplan plan had been proposed by bythe bythe bythe the ambassador during the tim time e construction was halted halted halt halt- ed and the conversion would have been relatively easy and inexpensive e at that hat t point THE DEPARTMENT of State and its expert panel of architects which ap approved approved approved ap- ap proved both rejected de designs designs designs de- de signs for the building as aesthetic and usable must assume responsibility for this debacle These are just two ex ex- ex amples There are many more faulty administration tion of funds in Viet Nam aid projects poorly ad advised advised advised ad- ad expenditures for unneeded unneeded unneeded un- un needed and useless construction construction construction con con- in Turkey and Iraq and wasteful administration administration administration admin admin- of personnel nel travel trav trav- el for the State Department Depart Depart- m ment ent AS I SEARCH through these reports I am deeply disturbed at the amount of money that is wasted in badly managed programs As my duty dictates I have brought each incident to the attention of the ap appropriate appropriate appropriate ap- ap department and before the House of Representatives I have asked for fora a complete and satisfactory explanation of each incident incident incident inci inci- dent and proof that such mistakes will be avoided In Inthe inthe inthe the future IF SUCH information Is is' not forthcoming I will ask for full Congressional in in- in of the financial management practices of the Department of State Stale and other agencies I 1 feel feell that as a member l L A 4 of Congress I am the only one able to initiate this kind of investigation and I 1 feel a special responsibility ity to my constituents to todo do so so Most of our federal bureaucrats bur bur- are honest and hard working but any op operation operation operation op- op the size of our na national national national na- na government must be carefully watched if U It is isto to tobe tobe be kept efficient and effective ellec- ellec tive |