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McCaskill Slams Waste in Biowatch Program, Demands Answers on Billions in Spending
Senator Claire McCaskill Press Release:
McCaskill Slams Waste in Biowatch Program, Demands Answers on Billions in Spending
Senator recommends reevaluation of bioterrorism programs
July 18, 2013
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill grilled government officials at a hearing of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on questionable spending used to research and develop a tool for combatting bio-terrorism.
The committee heard testimony from two witnesses, Dr. Tara O'Toole, Under Secretary for Science and Technology, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and David C. Maurer, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office.
"I'm trying to make the point that we've spent billions on a tool to tell us if we're having a bio-attack and now there seems to be a consensus that we've wasted it," said McCaskill, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial & Contracting Oversight. "It's imperative that you have more information on questionable expenditures," McCaskill said to O'Toole.
"(These programs) have not gotten sufficient Congressional attention and oversight," O'Toole agreed.
McCaskill also zeroed in on O'Toole's claims that the under secretary had no knowledge of consultant Richard Danzig's efforts to encourage the government to determine that drug-resistant anthrax is a material threat to the United States-all while serving on the board of the manufacturer of the only available antitoxin.
"You're telling me that in your capacity of responsibility and leadership at the Department of Homeland Security that you have no idea that there has been a serious allegation of a conflict of interest," McCaskill asked.
O'Toole eventually admitted to having read similar reports.
McCaskill recently called on the Inspectors General for the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security to investigate contracts awarded to Danzig to provide biodefense-related consulting services. It appears that Danzig, whose recommendations influenced the Department of Homeland Security's approval of a plan to purchase and stockpile an antitoxin for drug-resistant anthrax known as raxibacumab, may have failed to disclose that he served on the Board of the only developer of such a drug, and stood to profit from those contracts.
Read more about McCaskill's fight for stronger accountability in Washington, HERE.
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