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The U.S. Home Oversight Committee is investigating the federal authorities’s use of bank card and cost accounts after a assessment from the newly based Division of Authorities Effectivity discovered that federal bureaucrats have at the very least 4.6 million cost accounts, spending $40 billion within the final fiscal yr.
The lawmakers are pressing for answers about bank card spending on “grownup leisure” in addition to playing, on-line relationship websites, babysitting, massages and extra.
DOGE mentioned earlier this month that it had deactivated over 500,000 unused or pointless cost accounts for federal staff.
Now, lawmakers are calling for an audit from a high federal watchdog.
“With tens of billions in taxpayer funds at stake annually, a complete evaluation is urgently wanted to determine systemic dangers, remove inefficiencies, and restore accountability to federal cost card applications,” Home Oversight Republicans mentioned in a letter to the Authorities Accountability Workplace.
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In some instances, the accounts go unused and are pointless. In different instances, the spending is questionable.
“This lack of oversight is additional underscored by a latest DoD Workplace of Inspector Common (DoD OIG) report, which discovered 7,805 transactions at ‘identified high-risk retailers,’ together with on line casino ATMs and cell utility shops,” the letter mentioned. “The report additionally discovered 3,246 purchases made at ‘Bars Lounges, Discos, Nightclubs, and Taverns Alcoholic Drinks retailers’ throughout holidays or main sporting occasions. We’re skeptical these expenses had been for professional functions or in service of the DoD’s mission for which the playing cards had been issued.”
The letter goes on to name for a “complete assessment” from GAO, the newest Republican effort to extend effectivity and accountability within the federal authorities.
“To raised perceive the scope of this problem and to tell potential reforms, we request the GAO conduct a complete assessment of the issuance and administration of presidency buy, journey, fleet, and built-in cost playing cards and accounts throughout federal companies topic to the Chief Monetary Officers (CFO) Act of 1990,” the letter mentioned.
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The Senate has proven curiosity as effectively, with Sen. Joni Ernst saying “it’s time to chop up authorities bank cards.”
“At $36 trillion in debt, bureaucrats can’t be allowed to swipe away and stick taxpayers with the invoice,” Ernst mentioned.
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
