WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the release of the General Services Administration (GSA) Inspector General’s (IG) report which documented serious failures on the part of GSA employees responsible for ensuring the safety of workers and tenants at the Bannister Federal Complex in Kansas City, U.S. Senators Kit Bond, Claire McCaskill, and U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver in a letter today urged GSA Administrator Martha Johnson to immediately implement the recommendations contained in the IG report and to take the appropriate steps necessary to hold accountable those employees responsible for the lax safety environment. The full text of the letter is below:

  

Martha Johnson, Administrator

U.S. General Services Administration

1800 F Street, NW, Suite 6340

Washington, DC 20405

 

Dear Administrator Johnson:

 

            The recent release of the General Services Administration (GSA) Inspector General’s (IG) audit report regarding the handling of the health and safety concerns at the Bannister Federal Complex revealed a culture of lax oversight and inadequate environmental management on the part of GSA and Public Building Service (PBS) employees. The report makes clear that GSA employees failed to ensure and maintain a safe working environment for employees and tenants.

 

Going forward, our constituents expect GSA to identify those responsible for the lax safety culture at the Bannister complex, take the appropriate steps to hold those accountable and immediately implement both the IG’s recommendations and additional reforms to regain the trust of GSA tenants and employees.

 

      We expect these concerns to be addressed in full within a reasonable timetable and to receive regular progress updates.  Thank you for giving this matter your full attention and we look forward to your response updating your progress.

 

Sincerely,

 

CHRISTOPHER “KIT” BOND                                         

United States Senator

 

CLAIRE MCCASKILL

United States Senator

 

EMANUEL CLEAVER

United States Representative

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