Better Financial Management for Travel and Conferences Needed at DHS
August 17, 2010 (WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report entitled "Audit of the Department of Homeland Security's Handling of Conference Fees for the Process Control Systems Forum".
The Office of Inspector General report reveals that during FY2005 through 2007 the Department of Homeland Security inappropriately collected conference fees to defray the official costs of conferences it sponsored, which violated the law in effect at the time. In addition to illegally collecting fees, the Department failed to turn over those fees to the U.S. Treasury. The Department must now turn over that money to the Treasury and explain to Congress how its financial management system allowed these practices.
The Committee on Homeland Security has held several hearings on the lack of controls in the Department’s financial management system including its travel practices. In December 19, 2009, a hearing held by the Subcommittee on Management, Investigations and Oversight revealed that during FY2005-2007, the Department spent over $100 million on conference-related activities without the necessary internal controls, policies, or systems in place to assure adequate transparency and accountability.
Chairman Thompson released the following statement with the report:
“Taken together, this report and our hearings reveal an overarching need for the Department to improve its financial management practices and develop a centralized system to ensure that travel and conferences—which are often necessary parts of employee development and stakeholder outreach—are properly used by employees and properly budgeted by management. In December, the Inspector General recommended a centralized system and the Department must takes steps to create such a system. We look forward to the creation—in the near term—of a centralized and accountable travel and conference office”.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact Dena Graziano or Adam Comis at (202) 225-9978
