Congressman Harris Joins First Appropriations Hearing of 113th Congress
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. attended his first Appropriations Committee hearing of the 113th Congress after his recent appointment to the prestigious committee. The subcommittee on the Legislative Branch met this morning to review the accounting and business practices of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Government Printing Office (GPO). The subcommittee heard from The Honorable Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General of the GAO and Ms. Davita Vance-Cooks, Acting Public Printer of the GPO.
Hearings for the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies & Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies subcommittees on which Congressman Harris also serves begin next week.
“I’m excited to get to work with Chairman Rogers and the rest of the Appropriations Committee,” said Congressman Harris. “We have a lot of work to do making sure taxpayer dollars are being spent properly, and I look forward to doing my part to get our country’s fiscal house in order by controlling spending.”
It was revealed at the hearing that executive branch agencies that contract with the GPO have not done their due diligence to inform them of the effect of President Obama’s sequester. The GPO does $48 million in business with Maryland vendors, so informing those vendors of the impact of possible cuts would have allowed them to plan ahead. This lack of planning by executive branch agencies is troubling since the sequester has been law for a year and a half. To protect Maryland businesses and jobs, Congressman Harris will be following up with the GPO regarding this concern.
“It is troubling that executive branch agencies have not informed the Government Printing Office about how the sequester would be impacting them,” said Congressman Harris. “Taxpayer dollars and Maryland jobs are at stake. It is inexcusable that these agencies have not planned ahead.”
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