Press Releases
Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami
202-226-7616
01/14/2009
Pelosi: Tanner Resolution Requires Systematic Oversight to Prevent Waste, Fraud and Abuse
Washington, D.C. — Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today after the House voted unanimously to amend House rules for a resolution sponsored by Congressman John Tanner of Tennessee to require House committees to hold periodic hearings on waste, fraud, and abuse in government programs:
“With the election of the New Direction Congress two years ago, the American people spoke clearly for change. They demanded change in the way we do business in Washington, and they demanded that Congress restore accountability and oversight to government. The America people saw clearly the consequences of lack of oversight: massive waste, fraud, and abuse. They saw this in the tragic mismanagement of Hurricane Katrina-related contracts, and in the woefully mismanaged Iraq reconstruction effort.
“Democrats have answered that call. Since we were elected to the majority, we have held more than 1,400 oversight hearings. We have uncovered serious abuses of power. And today, we have created a system of oversight with the Tanner Resolution, and made it an essential part of the rules that govern the House of Representatives.
“I commend my colleagues for their strong vote to continue to strengthen the oversight activities we began in the last Congress.”