A coalition of 156 organizations sent a letter to Congress on Monday urging the passage of the “Keeping Politics Out of Federal Contracting Act of 2011.” Bills sponsored by Senator Collins and Representative Issa are in response to a draft Executive Order under consideration by the Obama administration that would force companies vying for federal contracts to reveal employee donations and membership payments to advocacy groups and trade associations that engage in a small amount of political speech.
The letter reminds Congress that the federal acquisition process has worked well free of political influence:
The legislation would help ensure that political spending-or the lack thereof-continues to play no role in federal contracting decisions. The legislation reaffirms the principle, currently embodied in federal procurement laws, that the Executive Branch has an obligation to procure goods and services based on the best value for the American taxpayer, and not on political considerations. It also reaffirms the principle that the Administration cannot enact through executive fiat legislation that Congress has considered and explicitly rejected.
Contributions to political candidates, parties, and PACs are already disclosed of course. The draft order is meant to target organizations that, by law, are not political organizations but may engage in some limited amounts of political speech as part of their broader mission. The proposed executive order has kicked up bipartisan opposition, including many Democrats like Steny Hoyer who previously supported the DISCLOSE Act. Apparently even ‘reform’-minded politicians can see the danger that this executive order poses to the federal contracting process.
