WASHINGTON DC (January 23, 2020) — Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles "Chuck" Grassley is seeking an inspector-general investigation into the manufacturing practices of Lockheed Martin’s C-130J aircraft after whistleblower reports stated that an apparent lack of oversight by the Department of Defense has resulted in significant health and safety concerns.
“Any and every contract with the American government needs to live up to the standards set out in law. It appears the deficient oversight of this contract left American workers in the lurch while the tax-payer money kept flowing. Whatever the reason, we ought to know why the department failed to provide oversight and recommend corrective action in a timely manner,” Sen Grassley said.
Defense Department officials responsible for this contract are charged with overseeing its compliance with labor and safety standards provided in statute. Multiple whistleblowers have reported to Sen Grassley’s office that, during the construction of the C-130J, Lockheed ignored OSHA and other safety standards placing employees at risk. The slow or deficient oversight raises concerns about the relationships between department employees and contractors.
In a letter to Department of Defense Principal Deputy Inspector General Glenn Fine, Sen Grassley requested an investigation and report on the complaints related to the C-130J contract, whether the department’s oversight efforts were deficient because of close relationships between department officials and contractors, and whether such close relationships might inhibit the rigorous oversight of other Defense Department contracts.
Full text of Sen Grassley’s letter follows or can be found HERE.