War Profiteering

Members of Congress were outraged when it was revealed that sole-source contractor Halliburton overcharged the U.S. government by millions of dollars to import and sell gasoline in Iraq. [DOD Audits, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 4/11/2005]

Senator Stevens, however, has voted against establishing a commission to investigate waste, fraud and abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan four times. The special committee would consist of seven members and would hold hearings and have subpoena authority. [Vote 228, 9/14/05; Vote 259, 10/19/05; Vote 316, 11/10/05, Vote 176, 6/20/06, U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes]

In 2004, Stevens voted against an amendment that would have made it a crime for a company to illegally profit on contracts in connection with military or rebuilding activities in Iraq and Afghanistan. [Vote 120, U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes, 6/16/04]

Additionally, in 2006, Stevens voted against an amendment that would have cracked down on war profiteers by banning monopoly contracts, strengthening penalties against war profiteers, making public the audits of unjustified spending and providing protection for whistleblowers. [Vote 169, U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes, 6/14/06]

Both amendments included penalties for war profiteering on contracts with the military including up to 20 years in federal prison and $1 million in fines. [S.AMDT.3292, Library of Congress, Retrieved 9/12/2008; S.AMDT.4230, Library of Congress, Retrieved 9/12/2008]

Since 2001 Senator Stevens Stevens received at least $6,500 in campaign contributions from Halliburton’s political action committee and their employees. [Ted Stevens Donors, Center for Responsive Politics, Retrieved 9/12/2008]