Warren Blasts Justice Department for Balking on Contracting Bans

Sen. Elizabeth Warren blasted the Justice Department’s “inability or unwillingness” to exclude companies from federal contracts for acquisition violations in a letter sent Thursday.

The suspension and debarment issue is part of Warren’s ongoing push for corporate accountability and policies that boost small businesses.

In fiscal 2020, the DOJ issued just three suspensions and eight debarment actions. Since 2014, the number of suspensions and debarments has been trending downward, according to data from the Interagency Suspension and Debarment Committee.

Warren (D-Mass.) said the DOJ’s current reluctance to use its authority has “undermined the goals of debarment regulations and allowed ...