Politics

Oversight Committee: Federal agencies could have saved taxpayers over $25 billion

By Karina

Chairman Waxman, Sen. Claire McCaskill, and Rep. Ed Towns released a report today finding that the Bush Administration failed to implement over 13,000 Inspectors General recommendations since 2001. If these recommendations had been implemented, Federal agencies could have saved taxpayers over $25 billion:

Examples from the report:

In April 2006, the Social Security Administration IG estimated that the agency could save more than $2 billion annually by ceasing payments to people who no longer meet the eligibility criteria for disability benefits due to medical improvement or employment status.

In July 2007, the Defense Department IG estimated that the Pentagon could recoup $837 million in overpayments by establishing effective recovery audits for military telecommunications contracts.

In February 2007, the Department of Homeland Security IG concluded that FEMA could recover $16 million in excessive billings and questionable costs resulting from poor management of a contract for base camp services associated with Hurricane Katrina.

Chairman Waxman:

Under the Bush Administration, thousands of proposals to make government more efficient languished. The result has been billions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse. Congress will work with the new Administration to restore accountability and increase the effectiveness of our government.

Sen. McCaskill:

If someone told me that I was losing change from a hole in my pocket and instead of mending it I kept losing money, shame on me. But that?s what has happened over the past seven years to the tune of $25 billion, as thousands of inspectors general recommendations were ignored by our government. It?s time to finally get out some needle and thread.

Rep. Towns:

The Inspectors General have done the hard work of identifying waste and fraud, but agencies have not been fixing the problems. Congress and the Obama Administration should keep the spotlight on wasteful programs until they are running efficiently.

Read the report>>

Full post as published by The Gavel on January 06, 2009 (boomark / email).