by Tom Coburn As this year’s congressional session comes to a close, the American people should pay special attention to not just what was added at the last minute, but what was taken out. While Congress was siphoning billions of dollars from accounts that train and equip our troops to fund billions of dollars of their own pet projects, members were simultaneously, and behind closed doors, gutting an amendment that I offered to the Defense Authorization Bill (which the Senate accepted) that would force competition for earmarked no-bid contracts and grants. In a time of war, our troops deserve the best equipment, which isn’t necessarily the equipment a politician in Washington thinks will create jobs in his or her state. My amendment would have helped ensure that defense dollars were allocated on the basis of merit, not political connections. Read More