Senate and House Members Introduce Bill to Phase-Out Private Security Contractors

SENATE AND HOUSE MEMBERS INTRODUCE BILL TO PHASE-OUT PRIVATE SECURITY CONTRACTORS

Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Bob Filner (D-CA), Tom Allen (D-ME), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Larry Korb (former Assistant Security of Defense), Donna Zovko (mother of deceased Blackwater employee), Jon Soltz (Iraq War veteran and Chairman of VoteVets.org), and Andy Michels (former DynCorp employee) joined together today to introduce the Stop Outsourcing Security (S.O.S.) Act. The bill would phase-out the use of private military contractors wherever Congress has authorized the use of force, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Our bill would essentially put private security contractors out of business in Iraq, Afghanistan and in war zones around the world,... said U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL). "Private contracting companies have forfeited their right to represent the United States because their reckless actions have jeopardized our mission in Iraq, put our troops in harms way, and resulted in the unnecessary deaths of many innocent Iraqi civilians. We are beyond the point of trying to hold these contractors accountable under the law; it is time to return vital military functions back to the government....

"The Bush administration has made radical and dangerous changes in the structure of our military, and Congress needs to take a very hard look at that,... said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). "To my mind, it is wrong and unacceptable for companies like Blackwater to operate outside of the chain of command of the United States military and United States government in Iraq. I also find it troubling when personnel employed by a company like Blackwater who are paid far more than soldiers in the U.S. military who are putting their lives on the line every day....

"The use of civilian-defense contractors in Iraq is irresponsible, and should be stopped immediately,... said Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA). "Not only are they unaccountable to the Military, the State Department and Congress; they are civilians serving in combat. Many have been wounded or have wounded others, and yet, they are not veterans; there is no safety net when they come home. As Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, I am concerned about these contractors. It is criminal to ask civilian men and women to perform the role of the military when they lack the support necessary to return to their civilian lives....

"The S.O.S. ends the practice of awarding huge contracts, often without competition or rigorous supervision, to private companies like Blackwater to perform security and intelligence duties best reserved to our highly skilled and fully accountable Armed Forces,... Representative Allen said. "It restores Congressional oversight of how these firms have operated and how they have spent billions of American taxpayers' funds. It opens a window into the process that will enable Congress to root out waste, fraud and abuse and hold those responsible for mismanagement and corruption accountable for their actions....

"The days of cowboy contractors and unaccountability are rapidly coming to a close for companies like Blackwater. American service people have rules to live by and are subject to a uniform code of military justice, even as they defend and fight for their country. We need to end immunity deals that allow for security contractors to literally get away with murder or the reckless use of unnecessary force. Let us begin the restoration of our national reputation and honor by ending the outsourcing of security to contractors in war zones.... Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN).

"It is crucial that military roles in Iraq be handled by the military. Employees of contractors are largely not bad people, but the lack of accountability, the blurred lines, and operating outside the chain of command and rules has led to an untenable situation. Iraqis don't distinguish between American troops and contractors. When contractors act wrongly, it affects how our troops are viewed. Bottom line is that, for the well-being of our troops, if you are going to carry a gun in Iraq, you need to be within the chain of command. That means we should focus on transitioning contractors out of these roles, and transitioning the National Guard and Reserves in,... said Jon Soltz, Iraq War Veteran, and Chairman of VoteVets.org

"Operating in a legal, moral, and operational twilight zone, armed contractors in conflict zones invariably render the fog of warfare more dense and the foreign policy of the United States more difficult to implement,... said Andy Michels. "This landmark legislation will restore direct government authority over the prosecution of wars and the restoration of order in conflict zones....

The Stop Outsourcing Security Act would take vital military functions out of the hands of contractors, reducing our reliance on unaccountable private security contractors in the theater of battle. The S.O.S. Act would not phase-out the hundreds of thousands of contractors providing non-military support services for the Armed Forces.

The S.O.S. Act would phase-out diplomatic security in Iraq within 6 months of enactment. These functions will instead be undertaken by U.S. government personnel, allowing Americans to do their jobs without having to rely on unaccountable security contractors or worrying about them getting in their way.

The S.O.S. Act would next phase-out all security contractors by January 1, 2009 everywhere that Congress has authorized the use of force. For Congress to approve a postponement of the phase-out, the President must also certify that: all contract employees have undergone background checks and do not have criminal records; they have not been charged with a crime in past employment; and that all contracts include provisions to protect whistleblowers. Additionally, all contracts in place after January 1, 2009 would be subject to Congressional oversight.

Finally, the S.O.S. Act would allow Congress to view any current security contract greater than $5 million and require agencies with military contractors to report the number of contractors employed in Iraq and Afghanistan, the total cost of the contracts, the numbers of contractors wounded or killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and any disciplinary actions taken against them.