From: Jim Adams 


-- > - require all laws that apply to the rest of the country also apply
> equally to the Congress;

In March I left the Architect of the Capitol -  a Congressional
organization.  In '94 they did adopt many changes.  For instance, when I to
work there they started doing a yearly performance review.  That had never
been done done before.  People I knew there had never had one in their
career.

That being said they still exempt themselves from many of the regulations
they impose on the rest of of the Federal government.  For instance, the
Federal Acquisitions Regulations (FAR).  Congressional agencies are not
bound by the FAR.  Admittedly, the FAR is not a perfect instrument. 
However, it is intended to prevent the worst abuses.

I attended a class re the FAR given by our contracting people.  A quote:
"We're not obligated to follow the FAR but we try to follow the
spirit."

I once worked at at a procurement activity, my bride writes contracting
policy for the DoD.  If she or any other contracting officer in Dod did
what they did at at AoC they not only would be fired they would be facing
jail time.

Even with my favored Democrats in power I don't see that changing.

Jim Adams

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