HOUSE ADMINISTRATION CHAIRMAN ROBERT A. BRADY AND RANKING MEMBER VERNON J. EHLERS ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT ON INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT

Washington, DC (May 21, 2008): The House Inspector General conducted a comprehensive analysis of the current controls over House shared employees after the discovery of financial irregularities identified in an audit of procedures used by the Office of Finance to identify duplicate payments made to House employees. The IG audit also led to a criminal investigation that uncovered a number of vulnerabilities within our existing employment and oversight infrastructure. The individual implicated in that criminal investigation has been successfully prosecuted and sentenced.

One of the key areas of concern identified by the IG analysis was the manner in which existing policies and procedures inadequately address the common occurrence of shared employees.

Shared employees are a valuable resource for the House and Member offices. They bring skills and talents to bear on behalf of Member offices and are trusted and valued elements of House staff. The ability to use shared employees is an important cost-saving measure for Member offices – one that will continue to be an integral part of our overall staffing strategy.

The IG analysis has outlined a number of recommendations that will allow the House to better administer shared employees and minimize the potential for abuse of this important resource. Recommendations include expanded reporting mechanisms, distribution and enforcement of guidelines governing the use of shared employees and enhanced disclosure requirements. We will engage in an effort to educate shared employees on existing rules and ensure their compliance.

We will take every reasonable step to ensure the integrity of our staffing system, while creating a context in which Members have the flexibility to manage their offices at their discretion. To that end, we will be implementing many of the recommendations outlined in the IG’s report. We look forward to working with Member offices to ensure that the implementation of these recommendations is seamless and does not disrupt their routine operations.

Our bi-partisan priority is to ensure that Member offices are provided with the tools necessary to properly administer and safeguard the resources which they are entrusted by the American people.

For more information, Contact: Kyle Anderson – Press Director
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