New GAO Report Challenges Congress to Get Serious About Spending Taxpayer Dollars More Wisely

Platts continues efforts to make the federal government more efficient and accountable

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The federal government has more than 80 separate programs devoted to improving teacher quality, 56 different programs to help Americans improve their financial literacy and 80 different programs to spur economic development, according to a report issued this week by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).  In a hearing held yesterday, the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee noted that the programs identified by GAO cost U.S. taxpayers more than $100 billion. Eliminating this fragmentation and duplication could save taxpayers billions of dollars annually and foster a more responsive and efficient delivery of government services.

“One of the reasons why our national debt is over $14 trillion and we borrow more than 40 cents on every dollar we spend is that federal programs never end,” said Congressman Platts, a member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.  “The dozens of examples cited in this GAO report present clear evidence that we are not investing taxpayer funds in an efficient manner.”

The GAO report, which was requested by Congress, identifies 34 instances where unnecessary duplication or overlap exists in federal programs and highlights dozens of other opportunities for potential cost savings.  Additionally, yesterday’s hearing gave Congress the opportunity to examine the larger problem of federal budgeting by providing. lawmakers with the raw data of government inefficiency on a program-by-program, line-by-line basis. The Subcommittee on Government Organization, Efficiency and Financial Management, chaired by Congressman Platts, has begun the process of scrutinizing these government management and accountability issues and will utilize the GAO report to further identify and remedy systemic causes of waste and abuse in federal programs.

Congressman Platts has led efforts in Congress to raise awareness of this issue.  He was the lead Republican sponsor of legislation (H.R. 2142) signed into law on January 5, 2011 to give Congress and the American people the tools to better evaluate the effectiveness of federal programs. He is still fighting to enact whistleblower legislation designed to restore protections for federal employees who report gross mismanagement and waste of taxpayer funds.  Congressman Platts is also engaged in a comprehensive effort to reduce the burden that excessive federal regulations place on small businesses and our economy.  Progress on that issue was made yesterday with the House passage of legislation (H.R. 4), co-sponsored by Platts, which repeals the burdensome 1099 requirement imposed on employers by the health care law.

 “To address the unsustainable level of debt facing future generations, we need to make the difficult spending choices that American families and businesses are confronted with every day,” said Congressman Platts.  “There are no easy answers, but this GAO report clearly illustrates that by better monitoring the effectiveness of federal programs, we can save taxpayer money and make the federal government more efficient and effective.”

To view a copy of the GAO report, follow this link: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11318sp.pdf.