Senator Wyden Discusses Senate Contracts on CNN Newsnight

AARON BROWN: Senator, take 30 seconds or so and talk about what it is you hope to accomplish with the bill that you and other introduced?

SEN. RON WYDEN (D), OREGON: Well, at a time when taxpayer money is very scarce for schools and healthcare and basic services, what we want to do is make sure that every dollar that is used to reconstruct Iraq is spent efficiently. And so, our legislation calls for public disclosure of any contract that goes to rebuild Iraq that's non- competitive.

AARON BROWN: Is it your belief that in the contracts that have been awarded so far that there hasn't been enough disclosure? What is it you want to know that you don't yet know?

WYDEN: Well, information is very skimpy to date. I think it's fair to say the public is really in the dark about the contracts that have been let thus far. What we do know is that it seems that some very powerful firms, influential firms, have gotten contracts and that just reaffirms in my mind how important it is that these contracts be let in the sunshine and not behind a smokescreen.

AARON BROWN: The administration has made the argument that there is simply no time to go through the formal bidding process. Do you agree at least in principle that these contracts need to be let quickly?

WYDEN: There's no question that they need to be let quickly but that's not inconsistent with a full and open process if it's handled properly. So, what we say is that if they're not going to do it in the open at least the public's got a right to know as to why that's the case.

What I heard at home in my community meetings this past week is people want to know how these companies are being picked. They want to know how the process works and they want to know whether this is the best use of scarce taxpayer money. By the way, with so many people out of work in this country we've met a lot of companies and a lot of workers who would like to have a chance to get this work.

AARON BROWN: Again, I think the administration argument is that there are very few companies that are really qualified to handle projects of this magnitude. Is that overstating the situation?

WYDEN: If that's the case then they ought to tell the public why it is the case. I can tell you I heard from a lot of companies at home that, in particular, they'd be interested in being subcontractors. Our hope is that maybe at some point some Oregon companies, some other companies around the country will get a chance to compete.

But at this point, the public really doesn't have that kind of information and I've always felt that sunlight is the best disinfectant and that's what we really need here.

AARON BROWN: Do you think there will be opposition to the bill?

WYDEN: Well, I think it's pretty hard for somebody to stand up and defend secrecy and a non-competitive bidding process but what usually happens is that when there's opposition to something like this very often that opposition is expressed in secret.

So, what we're trying to do with our bipartisan bill, the chair of the relevant committee is Susan Collins of Maine, we're going to try to build a bipartisan juggernaut for this legislation and make it a priority for Congress when we come back.

And it seems to me when you're talking about spending at least $25 billion and possible $100 billion at a time when seniors can't afford medicine and a lot of people are out of work, we ought to spend this money wisely.

AARON BROWN: How much of that $100 billion, we hear that figure a lot, how much of that $100 billion do you expect to be taxpayers dollars?

WYDEN: At this point, again with information so skimpy nobody can really answer that precisely. Of course, the hope is that much of the reconstruction will be paid for with funds generated by Iraqi oil.

But I think it's fair to say that the conservative estimates are with respect to taxpayer money for reconstructing Iraq we're talking $25 billion and some of the estimates go upward of $100 billion.

AARON BROWN: And that money, no matter how these contracts are let, that money has to be appropriated by the Congress doesn't it?

WYDEN: The money certainly would have to be appropriated by the Congress but, again, if the Congress is kept in the dark about these contracts and certainly a troubling pattern has emerged right now, then the Congress has a responsibility to change that.

I can tell you what I heard again and again over this past week is that the American people are generous and kind but they are hurting. You've got folks out of work, local communities having difficulty paying for basic services, and they want to be very sure that this money is spent efficiently at a time when there's so much agony here in country.

AARON BROWN: Well, Senator, we will follow the path of the bill. It will be interesting to see if it gets all the hearings and all the votes and we appreciate your time tonight.

WYDEN: Thanks for having me.