provisions written by Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA). Her proposals, which were originally added as amendments during House debate on the bill in June, will expand reporting of military medical malpractice claims, hold the Pentagon accountable for missing spare parts for fighter jets, and require open source interface standards to make it easier for small, innovative contractors to compete for defense contracts.“Americans count on our leaders to use our taxpayer dollars efficiently and appropriately,” said Rep. Porter. “Two of my proposals included in this year’s defense policy bill will help boost competition for defense contracts and hold Pentagon officials accountable for waste, fraud, and abuse on the taxpayer’s dime. I’m also proud to have secured better reporting on military medical malpractice claims, so that Congress can help deliver justice for troops injured during their service to our country. I’m glad these proposals are now law, and I’m grateful to my colleagues for helping get these important measures across the finish line.”
Improving Medical Malpractice Reporting
Until recently, active-duty servicemembers were unable to get justice for medical malpractice at the hands of military doctors. Rep. Porter’s medical malpractice proposal would boost reporting on military medical malpractice claims, which are not handled the same as civilian victims of medical malpractice. After meeting with servicemembers and veterans injured by military medical procedures, Rep. Porter took to the House floor to share their stories and call attention to the double standard between military and civilian doctors. The House passed her bipartisan amendment in June and Rep. Porter, with the help of Reps. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Josh Harder (D-CA), successfully pushed for its inclusion in the final NDAA signed by President Biden.
Accounting for F-35 Spare Parts
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is expected to cost the government over $2 trillion during its lifespan, and a lack of transparency and reporting mechanisms have raised concerns about how taxpayer dollars are being spent on the program. A recent GAO study found that a contractor couldn’t account for over one million spare parts and failed to report over 900,000 of the losses to the Defense Department. Rep. Porter introduced the Spare Parts Competition Act and secured the inclusion of one of its key provisions in this year’s NDAA. The provision will help Congress verify that the Pentagon is implementing the GAO’s recommendations to reduce waste and boost accountability.
Implementing Open Interface Standards
Our military, and the American taxpayers who fund it, suffer when defense contracts can only be fulfilled by a small number of major defense contractors. Too often, the equipment and software our servicemembers rely on is decades old and can’t be updated at a fair price. To strengthen competition, Rep. Porter introduced the Open-Source Standards Reporting Act and pushed for its inclusion in the NDAA. Rep. Porter’s measure will require the disclosure of interface standards to give multiple contractors access to the information they need to update defense systems. Now, newer, smaller, more innovative contractors will be able to offer their solutions to the government at a competitive price, helping put them on the same playing field as original defense system developers. Rep. Porter has long advocated for more accountability at the Pentagon. Last year, she pressedmilitary leaders on wasteful programs in the Department of Defense, and she has specifically highlighted the Pentagon’s problems repairing F-35 fighter jets. In her efforts to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in government, she’s called out defense contractors for price gouging taxpayers and refusing to refund the government for defective parts. Rep. Porter has also worked tirelessly to support servicemembers and their families. This year, she introduced a bill that would make it easier for troops to afford housing and conducted oversight for veterans exposed to toxic substances at Fort Ord.
Source: Congresswoman Katie Porter
