Claire McCaskill
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The Energy Department's Office of Environmental Management (EM) faced scrutiny in a hearing Thursday that questioned EM's contract management. DOE has been on the GAO's High Risk List for contract management since 1990.
July 01, 2013 -
Patrick McFarland, the inspector general of the Office of Personnel Management, confirmed to a Senate subcommittee Thursday that his office has been investigating USIS, the government's largest contractor for background-investigation services, since late 2011. He said at least 18 security clearance investigators have been convicted of falsifying investigations since 2007. McFarland said there may be "considerably more" fraud that hasn't been uncovered due to "alarmingly insufficient oversight" of the security-clearance process.
June 20, 2013 -
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee members support Dan Tangherlini to be the permanent administrator of the General Services Administration. Lawmakers, however, wanted more answers about the troubled SAM program and the recent IG report on management interference of contract negotiations.
June 19, 2013 -
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and the GSA inspector general released separate, but related, reports that show GSA abused its authority to give Senior Executive Service (SES) members bonuses between 2009 and 2011. GSA official said they have since fixed these problems. McCaskill also found that on average the Labor Department, the Navy and the National Science Foundation handed out more than one bonus per SES employee.
May 17, 2013 -
Real reform for the U.S. Postal Service may be gaining some steam in Congress. Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas), the new chairman of the House subcommittee that oversees the Postal Service, tells Federal News Radio, House leadership sees room for compromise with Democrats when it comes to figuring out ways to get USPS back in the black. Farenthold supports the Postal Service's plan to eliminate Saturday mail delivery.
March 19, 2013 -
A bipartisan group of senators has written to top Army officials to express concern about delays in the suspension and debarment process that leave the service open to contracting waste and fraud. In a letter to Army Secretary John McHugh and Chief of Staff Raymond Odierno, the senators questioned "significant time lapses" between referrals for suspension and actual debarment of contractors in Afghanistan.
December 10, 2012 -
The Senate approved a $631 billion annual defense policy Tuesday that would require the Defense Department to reduce its civilian workforce by 5 percent over the next five years and impose a strict cap on government-funded contractor salaries. With the White House threatening to veto the Senate version its current form, the bill now heads to a House-Senate conference committee where differences between the two chambers' bill will be hammered out.
December 05, 2012 -
Following Tuesday's election, Democrats maintain control of the Senate and Republicans continue to hold sway in the House. Retirements, term limits and a few new lawmakers alter the leadership of some committees.
November 07, 2012 -
The election Tuesday could bring with it a number of changes to the makeup and leadership of key congressional committees with oversight of the federal workforce and management. The changes to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and others are expected from retirements, committee term limits and a few close races.
November 05, 2012 -
New legislation from several senators would let DoD reprogram funds without congressional approval.
August 03, 2012 -
Senators Claire McCaskill and Jim Webb gain bipartisan support on legislation designed to decrease wasteful spending. Some provisions in the bill regarding accountability have been strengthened.
June 18, 2012 -
A congressional investigation has revealed that $1.1 million in bonuses were awarded to 84 employees of the General Services Administration — while the inspector general was probing these individuals for wrongdoing or misconduct.
June 04, 2012 -
The Air Force's comptroller poured $1 billion into a new enterprise resource planning system with virtually nothing to show for it after seven years. The service is restricting the ERP with details to come in the next few weeks.
April 20, 2012 -
The Accountability in Government Act would require agency leaders to sign off on any conference costing more than $200,000.
April 18, 2012 -
Acting General Services Administration chief Dan Tangherlini said the 'Hats Off' incentive program has been suspended. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who has promised an investigation into agency spending, said she's not sure GSA's actions are enough to change the culture.
April 10, 2012