House Oversight Blames DoD for FITARA Score Failure

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee took DoD to task for their failing FITARA scores and lack of transparency in spending.

The DoD moved $15 billion in IT spending to the classified National Security System, which has an exemption to FITARA reporting, reported Defense News, and lawmakers were unhappy with the appearance that DoD was skirting accountability requirements.

“The Committee reduced DoD’s grade due to a lack of transparency on IT spending,” said Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, chairman of the Subcommittee on Information Technology. “DoD appears to have reclassified a significant percentage of its IT spending as National Security Systems, which are not covered by FITARA. This lack of transparency is unacceptable.”

“To have $15 billion magically appear under that umbrella doesn’t seem right,” said Hurd.

“We are being asked to fund DoD above the $603 billion that the president has requested,” said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-NC. “Take the message back to them that unless they get their heart right on this, there will be no support for increasing that.”

Lawmakers are being asked to evaluate increased defense spending, and some pointed out that the DoD’s failing scorecard would make approving that spending more difficult.

“All of us agree, on a bipartisan basis, to insist that they improve their performance, that they come into compliance like every other federal agency,” said Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-Va.) “And the burden on them is even greater because they have the dollars.”

USAID improved its FITARA score while other agencies, like Health and Human Services, held steady.