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Latest Policy Publications
POGO’s experts push policymakers to enact commonsense reforms that tackle waste, corruption, and abuse of power; hold those who’ve violated the public trust accountable; protect our constitutional rights; and make the government work for all people.
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Testimony
POGO’s Angela Canterbury testifies on “Limitless Surveillance at the FDA: Protecting the Rights of Federal Whistleblowers”
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) spied on whistleblowers—resulting in this hearing after significant media attention, statements and letters from concerned members of Congress, reports by my organization, lawsuits, and investigations by the Office of Special Counsel, the...
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Testimony
Canterbury’s Senate Testimony on National Security Positions
Indeed, national security claims threaten to engulf our government, and with cruel irony, make us less safe. In August of this year, a devastating court decision stripped federal employees in national security sensitive positions of their right to appeal an adverse personnel a...
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Testimony
Testimony of POGO’s Scott Amey on Using the Suspension and Debarment System Effectively to Avoid Risky Contractors
Since the 1990s, there have been several major shifts in federal procurement, including increased contract spending, a stretched acquisition workforce, spending on services outpacing spending on goods, and a host of acquisition reforms implemented to make spending easier. ...
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Testimony
Testimony of POGO’s Angela Canterbury on Transparency and Accountability
It is particularly a pleasure to be here again during “Sunshine Week” when we promote open government and celebrate “sunshine laws” such as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Unfortunately, I cannot say that there has been tremendous progress on government openness since I...
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Testimony
Environmental and Workplace Safety are Crucial Elements of Contractor Responsibility
The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has presented its findings on the April 2011 explosion and fire at the Waikele storage bunker in Hawaii that killed five people handling illegal fireworks seized by federal authorities. The five men were performing this ...
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Testimony
Testimony of POGO’s Jake Wiens on “Where Are All the Watchdogs? Addressing Inspector General Vacancies”
Inspectors general are an essential component of a well-functioning federal government, but there are a concerning number of agencies without permanent IGs.
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Testimony
POGO’s Scott Amey testimony on “Contractors: How Much Are They Costing the Government?”
I want to thank Chairman McCaskill, Ranking Member Portman, and the Subcommittee for asking the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) to submit written testimony about the important, but often ignored, issue of service contracting costs. Although there are many initiatives in...
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Testimony
POGO’s Angela Canterbury Testifies on Whistleblower Protections for Government Contractors Before Senate Subcommittee on Government Contracting
POGO has a keen interest in contractor accountability and protecting whistleblowers who assist in uncovering and deterring government waste, fraud, abuse, mismanagement, and threats to public health and safety. Whistleblowing works for the public, but without strong public pol...
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Testimony
POGO’s Angela Canterbury offering comments on the plan to restore scientific integrity to federal policy making.
Members of PCAST, it is my pleasure to offer comments today on the long overdue need for a plan to restore scientific integrity to federal policy making.
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Testimony
POGO’s Nick Schwellenbach testifying on “Are government contractors exploiting workers overseas?” before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
The U.S. has been a global leader in combating trafficking in persons, yet our tax dollars are inadvertently fueling this human rights tragedy through our labor supply chain in war zones and other contingency operations. Not only is trafficking and exploitation of laborers a m...
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Testimony
Testimony of POGO’s Scott Amey on the Intelligence Community Contractors: Are We Striking the Right Balance?
POGO recommends that intelligence community agencies, Congress, and the Committees with jurisdiction conduct assessments of intelligence community service contracts in order to gain a better understanding of the types of services procured, the total dollars awarded, the contra...
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Testimony
POGO’s Ben Freeman’s Testimony Before the Senate Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Personnel on “General and Flag Officer Requirements”
The increasing proportion of officers relative to enlisted personnel, as well as the tendency for higher ranking officers to do work that could be done by lower ranking officers, is known as brass creep or as officer or rank inflation. The pace of brass creep has accelerated i...