FederalDaily - April 26, 2007

GAO: Federal Workers Selling Transit Cards on Internet

Federal employees are illegally selling their government-provided mass transit benefit vouchers—also called Metrocheks—over the Internet, creating a black market that is wasting millions of dollars each year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said. Auditors testified April 24 before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s investigations subcommittee. Employees are prohibited from transferring or selling their transit benefits and are supposed to return unused funds. Employees must certify they are using the subsidies for commuting purposes and say they understand selling or transferring the subsidies is prohibited. According to the Department of Transportation—which administers the program for roughly 75 percent of the federal government—as of July 2006, the National Capital Region had 120,000 participants claiming roughly $140 million in benefits. GAO auditors found also that some federal employees exaggerated their commuting costs and others continued to receive transportation subsidies after leaving the government. “The program is marked by weak internal controls over the distribution of the transit benefits,” said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich. “In some cases, agencies are apparently confused as to their responsibilities to prevent misuse of the benefits.” To see more, go to:
http://hsgac.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Detail&HearingID=437

:: Back to Top ::

Senators Call for Doan’s Ouster

A group of 25 senators called for the resignation of General Services Administration (GSA) head Lurita Doan after troubling questions have been raised about Doan’s job performance—including the hosting of a videoconference that allegedly discussed what GSA could do to promote Republican candidates in 2008. In a sharply worded letter released April 23, the senators noted that although Doan has held the top GSA job only since May 31, 2006, she has come under repeated fire from bipartisan congressional critics. In addition to the questionable videoconference, the senators questioned Doan’s efforts to undermine the Office of the Inspector General of the GSA and her disregard for staff guidance in awarding a questionable contract. “What these incidents come down to is a complete disregard for the principals of responsible government and government accountability,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. “When someone spends their time holding political workshops on how to elect Republicans to office, that is so far over the line, I want them replaced.” To see more, go to http://wyden.senate.gov/media/2007/04232007_Doan.html.

:: Back to Top ::

Pentagon Takes Part in ‘Take our Daughters and Sons to Work’ Day

More than 500 children of Pentagon employees are scheduled to participate in events related to the 15th annual Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day on April 26. At the Pentagon, DoD is hosting arts and crafts activities. The nationwide event, started in 1993 by the Ms. Foundation for Women, encourages adults to share a day of their work lives with their children. The group projects more than 3 million Americans will participate in the program this year at government agencies, companies and small employers across the country. To see more, go to: www.defenselink.mil/advisories/advisory.aspx?advisoryid=2823; and www.daughtersandsonstowork.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=485.

:: Back to Top ::