Letter to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens Remove Section 640 of the Fiscal Year 2003 Treasury Postal Appropriations Bill

The Honorable Ted Stevens
Chairman
Senate Appropriations Committee
S-128 Capitol
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Mr. Chairman:

On behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region, I urge you to remove Section 640 of the Fiscal Year 2003 Treasury Postal Appropriations bill. This provision would prohibit the expenditure of funds by executive agencies to establish, apply or enforce any numerical goals, targets or quotas for public-private competitions of commercial functions within federal agencies.

The provision attempts to legislatively weaken the President's authority — any President — to manage the Federal government and effect real saving and fundamental improvements. It is directly counter to efforts by the Bush Administration to increase government efficiency through competition between the public and private sectors. It would limit the President's ability to establish goals for outsourcing, and other procurement and acquisition workforce initiatives. Such a prohibition could significantly limit private sector involvement and discourage competition, which has proven to reap significant cost savings and performance enhancements regardless of who wins.

The time is now to create more efficient and effective partnerships between the public and private sector, not to enact restrictive policies that limit funding or flexibility in the sourcing decision-making process. Again, I urge you to remove Section 640 of the Fiscal Year 2003 Treasury Appropriations bill.

Sincerely,

R. Bruce Josten
Executive Vice President, Government Affairs
U.S. Chamber of Commerce