Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, October 25, 1994                   TAG: 9410250057
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THE FEDS

A few months ago, a General Accounting Office report showed that a handful of defense contractors had billed the federal government some $5 million for what they euphemistically called ``overhead expenses.'' These included junkets to Hawaii and Grand Cayman, schooner rentals, company buffets featuring caviar and smoked duck, even designer running shoes.

Now comes more evidence of a federally financed high life for a privileged few. Investigators for the House Energy and Commerce Committee say defense and environmental contractors have charged taxpayers $3.3 million for ``employee morale'' expenses, such as tickets to a Smokey Robinson concert, professional-quality golf balls, tennis lessons and crystal decanters. The charges, apparently, were perfectly legal.

To be sure, some, but not all, of these expenses predate the election of President Clinton and some members of Congress, who are now the targets of so much voters' wrath. But despite Clinton's efforts to reinvent government, and vows from Congress to clean up its act, there have been too few assurances that wasteful spending won't continue.

The House committee's report, for instance, came less than a week after Clinton signed a law that rewrites government-contracting rules. The law will prohibit future contractor charges for entertainment. But it leaves for regulators to determine whether to permit contractors to continue to bill taxpayers for workers' gifts and recreation. Someone likely will come up with one reason or another why tennis lessons are needed for national security.