Bush: U.S. Expects Overcharge Money Back (
)
WASHINGTON, Dec
12, 2003 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- President Bush said Friday
the United States will expect Vice President Dick Cheney's
former company to pay back money that it is suspected of
overcharging the government on contract work in Iraq.
"If there's an overcharge, like we think there is, we
expect that money be repaid," the president told reporters.
A Pentagon audit found Cheney's former company may have
overcharged the Army by $1.09 per gallon for nearly 57 million
gallons of gasoline delivered to citizens in Iraq, senior
defense officials say.
"I appreciate the Pentagon looking after the taxpayers'
money," the president said. "They felt like there was an
overcharge issue."
Bush said the Pentagon put the issue "right out there on
the table for everybody to see and they're doing good work.
We're going to make sure that as we spend money in Iraq, that
it's spent well, it's spent wisely.
"Their investigation will lay the facts out for everybody
to see," Bush said.
He spoke with reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White
House as he announced the selection of Alphonso Jackson, a
federal housing official, to be the next secretary of the
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
By MATT KELLEY Associated Press Writer
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