[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 156 (Monday, November 8, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H11649]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            WE CAN CUT WASTE

  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIBBONS. Madam Speaker, last week, the General Accounting Office 
announced the results of its voluntary survey of nine, just nine 
Federal agencies. That survey showed that the U.S. Government lost 
$19.1 billion due to fraud and clerical errors last year. Let me repeat 
that, $19.1 billion of taxpayer money was lost simply due to government 
errors.
  Yet, some of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle still 
maintain that our Federal Government cannot reduce wasteful government 
spending by 1 percent. Really? Well, based on these findings, common 
sense tells us that we can reduce wasteful spending by almost $20 
billion and probably even more.
  We can reduce, even eliminate, the amount wasted on costly 
overpayments by simply addressing the fraud and minimizing clerical 
errors. Wasteful spending in Washington does exist, and it needs to be 
stopped.
  My question is this: Is it too much to expect efficiency and 
accountability in the Federal Government?
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the billions of wasted taxpayer dollars 
from the hard working Americans.

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