Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has proposed a bill that would preclude the Department of Defense from awarding national security contracts to consulting firms that also offer services to foreign adversaries and sanctioned entities.
The proposed Combating Obstructive National Security Underreporting of Legitimate Threats Act would set disclosure requirements on vendors bidding on consulting services contracts and establish an enforcement mechanism for DOD to end contracts that are not disclosed, Ernst’s office said Tuesday.
“While our adversaries are aggressively working against our national security interests, government contractors closely tied to China and Russia are allowed to advise our military and Pentagon officials. This is a clear conflict of interest,” said Ernst, a Senate Armed Services Committee member.
“It’s past time we put safeguards in place to ensure no firms hired by the federal government are working simultaneously to support the agenda of our adversaries,” the lawmaker added.
