Hearing Examines Systemic Oversight Failures at CNCSFoxx: To excuse this kind of abuse and fraud is unconscionable
WASHINGTON, D.C.,
March 28, 2017
The Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, chaired by Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), held an oversight hearing today to discuss failures and inefficiencies that have led to the mishandling of taxpayer dollars by grantees funded by the Center for National and Community Service (CNCS).
The Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, chaired by Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), held an oversight hearing today to discuss failures and inefficiencies that have led to the mishandling of taxpayer dollars by grantees funded by the Center for National and Community Service (CNCS). “One of the most important responsibilities given to Congress by the Constitution is oversight of the federal bureaucracy,” Chairman Guthrie said. “It is our duty to hold the executive branch accountable both for the way it administers the law and how it spends taxpayer dollars. That’s why we are here today — to hold the Corporation for National and Community Service accountable.” Members raised a number of concerns throughout the hearing, including substantial and illegal misuses of taxpayer dollars by CNCS grantees and failures to conduct required criminal background checks on program participants and staff. In response to remarks by the Democrat minority questioning the legitimacy and purpose of the hearing, Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) said: This kind of fraud and abuse is not a good use of hardworking taxpayer dollars … We shouldn’t waste a dime of hardworking taxpayer dollars, and to excuse this kind of abuse and fraud is unconscionable. It’s just unconscionable. Allison Bawden — acting director of Education, Workforce, and Income Security at the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) — explained the findings of a recent GAO report examining grant monitoring at CNCS. # # # |