WASHINGTON – Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, will hold a hearing titled, "Assessing Efforts to Eliminate Improper Payments" on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 2:30pm in room 342 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.  

Sen. Carper's hearing will examine initiatives by the Obama Administration to reduce by half the improper payments made by federal agencies, including the plans and procedures outlined in Sen. Carper's Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act, enacted late last year. Federal agencies made an estimated $125 billion in improper payments in fiscal year 2010.  

The hearing will also address the Administration's initiative to establish a government "Do Not Pay" list. In June 2010, President Obama signed the Enhancing Payment Accuracy Through a "Do Not Pay List" memorandum to federal agencies. The initiative attempts to prevent improper payments before they are made by requiring agencies to check centralized lists of disbarred, ineligible or otherwise excluded individuals. Several agencies have begun to establish related pilot programs. Sen. Carper and the witnesses will discuss the implementation of the initiative, as well as explore next steps.  

"At a time when we're facing a massive federal deficit and contemplating deep cuts to federal spending, last year's $125 billion in improper payments underscores the critical need for every federal agency to get serious about curbing waste and fraud," said Sen. Carper. "We still have a long way to go in reducing the amount of improper payments made by federal agencies, but several agencies have already made important strides in preventing and recouping overpayments and that is encouraging. I look forward to learning more on the progress of our improper payments law and further administrative actions to curb improper payments, including the 'Do Not Pay List,' at my hearing."  

WHAT:
U.S. Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security hearing, "Assessing Efforts to Eliminate Improper Payments"  

WHEN:
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
2:30 p.m.  

WHERE:
342 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C.  

WEBCAST
To watch a live webcast of the hearing, please click here.

WITNESSES:
(subject to change)  

The Honorable Daniel I. Werfel
Controller
Office of Management and Budget  

The Honorable Robert F. Hale
Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and Chief Financial Officer
United States Department of Defense  

The Honorable Calvin L. Scovel III
Vice Chairman
The Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board  

Mr. Kelly Croft
Deputy Commissioner for Systems
United States Social Security Administration  

The Honorable Richard L. Gregg
Fiscal Assistant Secretary
United States Department of Treasury    

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