Janice Schakowsky: “Mr. Chairman, my amendment addresses a serious problem that exists at several U.S. Government agencies, including the…”

“Mr. Chairman, my amendment addresses a serious problem that exists at several U.S. Government agencies, including the Department of Energy. It seeks to put Congress on record in support of strengthened protections against waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer funds at the Department of Energy. The amendment expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Secretary of Energy should develop and implement more stringent procurement and inventory controls, including controls on the purchase card program, to prevent waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer funds by employees and contractors of the Department of Energy; and (2) the Department's Inspector General should continue to closely review purchase card purchases and other procurement and inventory practices at the Department. Since 1998, the Inspector General at the Department of Energy has conducted 20 reviews at 11 different sites. As a result of the reviews, it was found that the Department of Energy employees illegally misused government purchase cards to acquire such unofficial items as home improvement products, hunting equipment, electronics, lawn equipment, and power tools, all for personal, not official, use.”