Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

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Oversight Committee Requests Documents on Troubled Census Program

In response to notification that Secretary of Commerce Gutierrez will be unable to testify at the April 9 Committee hearing on the Field Data Collection Automation program, Chairman Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Clay requested documents related to the program.

Committee Questions Fraud Reporting Exemptions for Overseas Contractors

Chairman Waxman requests documents related to an exemption for overseas contractors that was inserted into a proposed rule requiring government contractors to detect, prevent, and report fraud.

Chairman Waxman Requests DOJ Grant Documents

Responding to concerns raised by Rep. Timothy Walz about questionable practices by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in awarding grants, Chairman Waxman wrote to Attorney General Mukasey to request documents detailing the grantmaking process at OJJDP.

GAO Report Finds EPA Library Closures Flawed

A new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) finds that the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) effort to close regional and research libraries around the country has been plagued by managerial problems.

Chairman Waxman and Ranking Member Davis Respond to CIA Inspector General on Committee Jurisdiction

In a letter to CIA Inspector General Helgerson, Chairman Waxman and Ranking Member Davis respond to the CIA’s IG’s refusal to provide information concerning unimplemented recommendations, and reiterate the Committee request for the information.

New Inspection Reports Reveal Deficiencies in the Construction of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq

New documents released by Chairman Waxman identify “critical” and “major” deficiencies in the construction of the new U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, raising questions about the decision of the State Department to certify in December that the Embassy compound was “substantially complete.”

Committee Submits Views and Estimates for FY 2009 Budget

Chairman Waxman wrote to the House Budget Committee to submit the views and estimates of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform for the fiscal year 2009 budget. The submittal highlighted many of the Committee’s concerns about President Bush’s proposed budget, especially attempts to overturn good government legislation supported by the Committee and a failure to sufficiently address waste, fraud, and abuse in government spending.

Chairman Waxman Requests GAO Examination of Regional Fishery Management Council Expenditures

Chairman Waxman wrote to Comptroller General David Walker to request that GAO examine the expenditures of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WESPAC) in response to concerns about WESPAC’s questionable usage of federal funds.

Charity Alert

The Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a hearing to examine whether all the charitable groups raising money for the purpose of helping our nation’s veterans are genuinely serving that need. Although a large number of charities are fulfilling their mission, serious questions have been raised about some groups.

Chairman Waxman Requests Inspectors General Provide Information on Unimplemented Recommendations

As part of the Committee’s ongoing investigations into waste, fraud, and abuse in federal spending, Chairman Waxman requested information regarding unimplemented recommendations from Inspectors General at 63 federal agencies.

Waxman Requests that GAO Continue K-Town Investigation

Chairman Waxman writes to Comptroller General David Walker to request that GAO continue it’s investigation into the management of the construction of the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center, known as K-Town Mall, at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. Earlier this year, GAO presented the committee with preliminary findings on why the project was experiencing scheduling delays, cost overruns, and performance problems.

Evidence of Tax Evasion by Blackwater

New documents suggest that Blackwater may have engaged in significant tax evasion, failing to withhold and pay millions of dollars in Social Security, Medicare, unemployment, and related taxes, and sought to conceal its conduct from Congress and law enforcement officials.

Allegations of Waste, Fraud, and Abuse at the New U.S. Embassy in Iraq

On Thursday, the Committee held a hearing to examine the performance of the State Department and its contractors in the construction of the new $600 million U.S. embassy in Baghdad. The Committee asked questions regarding the embassy compound construction as well as allegations of labor abuse through improper contracting practices.

Waste, Fraud, and Abuse at K-Town: How Mismanagement Has Derailed DOD’s Largest Single Facility Construction Project

On Thursday, June 28, the Committee held a hearing entitled “Waste, Fraud, and Abuse at K-Town: How Mismanagement Has Derailed DOD’s Largest Single Facility Construction Project.” The hearing reviewed the preliminary findings of a Government Accountability Office investigation into the construction of the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center, a hotel and retail facility being built on the grounds of the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

Committee Requests GAO Investigation of Federal Crop Insurance Programs

Following the Committee’s May 3 hearing on waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal crop insurance program, Chairman Waxman, Ranking Member Davis, and Committee Member Jim Cooper ask the Government Accountability Office to investigate the program. Specifically, the Committee asks GAO to examine financial arrangements between the insurance companies, sales agents, and farmers and ranchers who participate in the program.

Chairman Waxman Delivers a Speech on Federal Contracting

In a speech delivered to the Center for American Progress Forum on “A Return to Competitive Contracting,” Chairman Waxman highlighted the government’s increasing reliance on private contractors and the need for more oversight and accountability to protect against waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer money.

Hearing Examines Federal Crop Insurance Program

This hearing examines allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse in two key areas of the federal crop insurance program. The first is that the program has failed at its primary purpose: preventing the need for annual disaster payments to farmers. The second are the large underwriting gains and commissions garnered by the private crop insurers, and the resulting inefficiency of the program.

Chairman Waxman Requests Documents Related to the Development of the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle

Chairman Waxman wrote to the Department of Defense and General Dynamics asking for documents related to the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV), an amphibious assault vehicle currently being developed by the Marine Corps. Both governmental assessments and press reports have reported serious problems in the development of the EFV, including cost overruns, schedule delays, design and technology hurdles, and poor reliability.

Corruption Mars Iraqi Oil Production and Transport

Chairman Waxman asks Secretary Rice to investigate persistent allegations of corruption that have slowed the recovery of the Iraqi oil industry.

Chairman Waxman Requests Information on White House Contract with MZM

As part of the Committee’s ongoing investigation into waste, fraud, and abuse in federal contracting, the Committee has requested information on a $140,000 contract awarded by the Executive Office of the President to MZM, Inc. in July 2002.

Domestic Policy Subcommittee Hearing on Taxpayer Financed Stadiums, Convention Centers, and Hotels

The public justification for public financing, including construction financing with tax exempt bonds, is that this is an investment that brings jobs and consumers to a city’s downtown. Academic research on the value to economic development, however, has universally concluded that sports stadiums, convention centers and hotels do not increase economic activity in downtown areas.

House Passes the Accountability in Contracting Act

On March 15, 2007, the House passed H.R. 1362, the “Accountability in Contracting Act," by a vote of 347-73. The legislation, reported by the Oversight and Armed Services Committees, would change federal acquisition law to require agencies to limit the use of abuse-prone contracts, to increase transparency and accountability in federal contracting, and to protect the integrity of the acquisition workforce.

Reform Acts Will Increase Transparency and Encourage Discovery of Waste

Chairman Waxman introduced two bills to increase government transparency and encourage the discovery of waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer money. The hearing provided an opportunity for the Committee to focus on the issues of lobbying and ethics reform in the executive branch. The Committee heard from noted experts and academics on these issues.

Financial Impacts of Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Pharmaceutical Pricing

The goal of the hearing is to examine whether there are fraudulent, abusive, or wasteful pharmaceutical pricing practices that affect federal health programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and the Public Health Service “340B” program that should be the subject of additional congressional oversight.

Hearing Questions Management of Homeland Security Contracts

The hearing focused on the Department of Homeland Security’s management of large contracts that rely on private contractors as “system integrators.” The Committee focused on two examples of multi-billion dollar contracts: the Deepwater program to develop new ships for the Coast Guard and the Secure Border Initiative to integrate technology and personnel to defend the nation’s borders.

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