Senator Coburn Holds Hearing Exposing Vast Waste.

Coburn himself ^ | Various

[ConservativeMan55]

Dr. Coburn Holds Hearing Exposing Vast Waste from Improper Payments

Says GAO has found only “the tip of the iceberg”

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK), Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, today held a hearing on improper payments in the federal government. A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) study estimated that improper federal payments, which mostly consist of overpayments, consume at least four cents of every federal tax dollar.

“At a time when our nation is fighting a war, facing mounting deficits and struggling to shore up Medicare and Social Security it is unconscionable for the federal government to waste countless billions of dollars,” Dr. Coburn said. “Improper payments can be eliminated almost entirely by practicing well-established accounting practices that are relatively easy to implement.”

“It is ironic that many politicians and bureaucrats in Washington believe they are entitled to police ‘corporate America’ but are themselves guilty of Enron-style mismanagement on a massive scale,” Dr. Coburn added. “Any private company that had a rate of improper payments close to the federal governments’ rate would be run out of business and face possible criminal prosecution.”

According to a report by the GAO, 17 federal agencies reported $45 billion in improper payments. Twelve other agencies did not even file a report. Future estimates of improper payments are likely to trend higher, according to the GAO, because many federal programs have not been examined.

“The improper payments we know about are only the tip of the iceberg. The federal government may squander five cents per dollar or $125 billion per year because agencies and members of Congress lack the political will and discipline to spend wisely,” Dr. Coburn said.

“We are also setting a terrible example for the emerging democracies we want to encourage,” Dr. Coburn added. “We waste more money every year through improper payments than many developing nations produce throughout their entire economies. That is a national and international embarrassment.”

[RockinRight]

Coburn never ceases to amaze me. The man is among the best conservatives we have in Washington.

[mikrofon]

On the other side....
Senator Kennedy Holds Hearings, Exposing Vast Waist

[Delphinium]

Senator Kennedy Holds Hearings, Exposing Vast Waist

Now I understand, he has nothing to lose. Thats why he is going all out with this hatred toward decent people.

[fatima]

I didn't forget you:)Here's a bump.

[SDGOP]

Go Dr Tom!

[WhiteGuy]

Simple -

Just pass this law -


All members of congress, + the president & vp...........

will be personally liable for the wastefull spending they cause.


If waste, fraud, mismanagement or oversight (that's my favorite) is found to have taken place, all those who voted "aye" will be obligated to pay back the treasury (with interest)

We'd see the federal budget cut by 70%.............

[ConservativeMan55]

Thanks for the bump!

[MississippiMan]

As I've said countless times, our government no longer resembles--not remotely--what was intended by the founders. It is a bloated, self-feeding, self-growing, self-protecting, self-perpetuating MONSTER. I'm sure there are exceptions to my next statement, so government employees here should not take personal offense, but as a rule, government employees I've encountered are the most unmotivated and uncaring workers I've seen; the notion of innovation or better service for the "customer" is an utter joke. And they're basically untouchable.

MM

[goldstategop]

Amen! If we wasted our money like that, we'd starve to death. Our government can't keep track of its own budget - literally.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[MarkL]

A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking about some serious money.

Mark

[amigatec]

As I've said countless times, our government no longer resembles--not remotely--what was intended by the founders. It is a bloated, self-feeding, self-growing, self-protecting, self-perpetuating MONSTER. I'm sure there are exceptions to my next statement, so government employees here should not take personal offense, but as a rule, government employees I've encountered are the most unmotivated and uncaring workers I've seen; the notion of innovation or better service for the "customer" is an utter joke. And they're basically untouchable.

I work for the Government and I have Senator Tom working on a case for me.

We have an employee that hasn't done a thing in 4 years, she claims to be disabled.

All she wants to do is sit on her butt and retire in 5 more years.

Senator Tom is all over this one. hehehehehe

[ConservativeMan55]

The new Sheriff in town.

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt