Virginia Headlines
Congress to Hold Hearings on Proposal to Scale Back Government Contracting
U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates’ recent proposal to reduce defense contracting by 10% each year for the next three years has sparked immediate criticism from many members of Virginia’s Congressional delegation. Government contracting, in the defense arena in particular, accounts for a sizable portion of the region’s economy and adds tremendously to the resiliency of the Washington metro area. Such a move would have substantial negative consequences for the local economy and the already delicate commercial real estate market in NoVA.
In response to a request by Northern Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has agreed to hold hearings into the reasoning used by the Defense Secretary to justify this decision and whether or not any analysis was conducted regarding the potential impacts. The hearings will be held by the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement.
