The House version of an appropriations bill covering DHS (HR-5855) for fiscal 2013 raises numerous issues with the department’s management, including a concern that “travel by some department officials fails to meet the test of being both necessary and efficient.”
A report accompanying the bill raised a concern that “expenditures on travel are far beyond what is provided in law” and that many of the costs are being absorbed by the Coast Guard, which is paying for them by diverting money from other accounts. The bill requires twice-yearly briefings on departmental travel, with a particular emphasis on foreign travel.
Similarly, citing the recent GSA scandal, the bill includes a new requirement for each DHS component to submit quarterly reports to Congress on conferences and other events costing more than $20,000. It also requires an IG report on such spending at the end of the fiscal year.
Also reflecting an issue that arose in the GSA situation, the report criticizes the department for excessive use of performance awards, which it said “gives the appearance that such awards are being used simply as another form of compensation in lieu of pay increases.” It said that in many DHS components such awards are given to more than half of employees, in some cases 90 percent or more.
The report also raises concerns about the department’s management of its injury compensation program, its headquarters consolidation project, and the in-sourcing of jobs from contractors, among others.
