Democrat Mark R. Warner of Virginia yesterday gave his maiden speech as a U.S. senator, calling for greater transparency in how Congress spends billions in taxpayer dollars trying to jump-start the economy.
"The American people are not expecting miracles, but at the very least they can -- and they should -- expect competence," Warner said in excerpts of his remarks released by his press office.
"We must put in place the people with the right skills, insist on the appropriate measurements and then demand transparency and accountability."
Warner referred to his experience as governor, closing a shortfall that ballooned to $6 billion. He relied on spending cuts and later -- in a lengthy battle with General Assembly Republicans -- won $1.4 billion in new taxes for education, police and social services.
Warner says the federal government should make it as easy as possible for taxpayers to follow stimulus spending via the Internet. That, he says, can help restore confidence in Washington.
As Warner put it, "In the short term, creating this expectation of accountability will maximize our 'bang-for-the-buck' as we continue to implement the [stimulus package]. Over the longer term, the same kind of fiscal focus will demonstrate that Washington can, in fact, act with both competence and restraint when it comes to spending the taxpayers' money."
Contact Jeff E. Schapiro at (804) 649-6814 or jschapiro@timesdispatch.com.
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