Say Anything Blog

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. House today voted to close a multibillion-dollar loophole in a crackdown on contract fraud, approving plans to force the Bush administration to act within six months.

It’s not clear if the Senate will follow with similar legislation.

At issue is a Bush administration rule requiring government contractors to report misuse of taxpayer dollars to the Justice Department. The rule included a loophole to exempt contracts performed overseas.

More than $102 billion has been spent on government contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan alone in the last five years.

The House bill, sponsored by Vermont Congressman Peter Welch, requires the Bush administration to eliminate the exemption within 180 days.