Halliburton is performing under a cost-plus contract, in other words, the company is reimbursed all costs and paid a percentage of those costs, the "plus," as a fee. Amey argues that "such a contract, provides Halliburton with a disincentive to keep cost in check." "Halliburton officials have stated that the company has not profited from overcharging on its contracts, but that has yet to be seen, and I challenge the company to publically disclose all contract costs and its profits that are based on those costs."

Additionally, the lack of transparency in the contracting process provide by this Administration is appalling. "Each and every contract and subsequent task or delivery order should be made public, so that American taxpayers, the Iraqi people, and the world are assured that American companies are not placing their profits above their efforts." Amey adds, "the Congress should have known what it was doing when it threw money at Iraq reconstruction efforts and eliminated the taxpayer-protection provisions."

For more information about "Federal Contracting and Iraq Reconstruction," go to http://www.pogo.org/p/contracts/co-031001-iraq.html.

POGO investigates, exposes, and seeks to remedy systemic abuses of power, mismanagement, and subservience by the federal government to powerful special interests. Founded in 1981, POGO is a politically-independent, nonprofit watchdog that strives to promote a government that is accountable to the citizenry.