Mica: GSA Takes Small Step to Reform Out of Control Agency

Statement

U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which has jurisdiction over the General Services Administration (GSA), released the following statement after the GSA Acting Administrator today announced a freeze on hiring and bonuses for agency executives:

"This is only one small step to reform an agency that has spun out of control," said Mica, who has led Congressional investigations into GSA's 2010 Las Vegas conference that cost taxpayers more than $800,000, and other scandals. "It's common sense that GSA executives responsible for blowing hundreds of millions of the taxpayers' dollars on lavish conferences, trips to exotic locations, and poorly monitored employee gift programs should not be rewarded with bonuses. This comes after it was discovered that GSA subverted a 2010 presidential directive to not provide pay increases. The Committee will conduct additional hearings on GSA, to review the agency's measures to clean up its act and to consider additional reforms."

In April, Mica and the Committee revealed that Jeff Neely, the former regional commissioner partly responsible for the GSA boondoggles, was awarded a $9,000 dollar cash bonus even after GSA officials received internal IG briefings on the looming scandals. GSA had also handed out cash bonuses to many bureaucrats who helped arrange the Las Vegas junket.

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