WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today issued the following statement regarding the Inspector General’s completed review of the Department of Defense’s Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) program:
 
“Rigorous oversight is critical to the success of our government, including the Department of Defense. Given the allegations of improper interference in the acquisition process, I welcomed the Inspector General’s review of the JEDI contract process. The delivery of cloud computing capabilities is essential to the Department and our warfighters, so it is critical that the JEDI contract be awarded fairly.
 
“It is reassuring that the Inspector General found that the single-award contract was both appropriate and that the gate requirements for the contract were proper. The Inspector General’s report found two individuals involved in the acquisition process acted unethically, but those ethical transgressions did not materially impact the contract. While the White House’s refusal to participate in the investigation makes it impossible to know if the administration attempted to interfere at a high level, the report’s findings show that DOD personnel involved in the contract proposals and award selections were not pressured by any DOD leader nor the White House. That is good news.
 
“Unfortunately, the report’s findings are stained by the White House’s refusal to cooperate in this investigation by once again invoking broad claims of executive privilege. This administration’s complete disregard for independent oversight is further highlighted by the President’s recent firing of the Department’s acting Inspector General. I commend the Inspector General for completing a thorough inquiry under challenging circumstances and I look forward to the Department moving forward in development of critical cloud computing infrastructure.”

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