House Passes Rep. Loudermilk's Bill to Increase Accountability in DHS Paid Administrative Leave Policies

Statement

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), has issued the following statement on the passage of his first bill, H.R. 1633 -- the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Paid Administrative Leave Accountability Act of 2015:

"The Department of Homeland Security has roughly 240,000 employees who work around the clock to protect the lives and liberties of Americans, and I am grateful for their dedicated service. However, due to lack of proper management and accountability, there are numbers of DHS employees who are staying home drawing a paycheck, while being investigated for acts of misconduct.

"The Government Accountability Office reported that from 2011 -- 2013 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provided its employees with over 1.5 million days of paid administrative leave, equating to over $380 million in taxpayer dollars.

"DHS must do a better job of tracking employees under investigation for misconduct and, in a timely manner, take appropriate action to hold them accountable. Employees who tarnish the Department's reputation do not deserve paid vacations at taxpayer expense.

"Americans are tired of the government carelessly giving away their future through mismanagement and thoughtless spending habits. My bill, H.R. 1633, requires DHS to implement an agency-wide policy regarding individuals who are on paid administrative leave for more than 6 months, being investigated for misconduct. This common-sense policy will help prevent fraud, alleviate waste, and safeguard taxpayer dollars."

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