Readers' Comments
Total Comments: 55
Page 2 of 7
Page 2 of 7
Where is the Outrage?
Total Comments: 55
Page 2 of 7
Page 2 of 7
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March 11, 2010
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Did anyone check IG auditors?
VA
Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:52 AM
Post Reply
I too am outraged at the misuse of the Governement travel card. The introduction of the card made travel less complicated and if you could get your voucher in on time, you recieved your check in time to pay the credit card provider.
At our facility, our fiscal office reviewed the use and travelers knew that action was taken in cases of misuse. It was fairly easy and kept uses to legitmate transactions.
The reason for "no outrage" is that there are no massive direct "losses" to the agency since the card holders are responsible for the payment, not the agency. The credit card providers are the winners since they make their profit with greater use. The vendors are happy with goverment travelers buying their wares.
So what's the big deal? An employee uses his or her government credit card and the employees pays it off or gets dunned by the credit card provider. The Agriculture Department did not lose "$7.7 million"; it was just the employees who got a benefit by using their government position for personal gain in the form cash or purchases with no interest time to pay them off.
Anyone check the usage by the IG auditors?
USDA travel card employee speaks out
USDA
Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:52 AM
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I work for USDA. My office handles travel card abuse.
The policy at our agency is that all employees who travel even one time have to use a credit card, and then they get to keep it. By the time that the abuse is caught, the spending is done. Discipline is taken when is it found, but getting the money back is near impossible. When I came on board at our agency, by the second day, I had an application for a travel card even though I've never travelled. But, I have the card. I hide it at home, so it won't be used, but it's active. But, what about those who have debt addictions, or debt problems. What a temptation!
Re: USDA travel card employee speaks out
USCG
Thu May 6, 2004 3:29 PM
Re: USDA travel card employee speaks out
cabinet department
Wed Nov 10, 2004 3:37 PM
Dollars cited were not a real loss
DVA
Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:55 AM
Post Reply
While I agree that the misuse of the cards is a serious issue and the individuals responsible for the inappropriate charges should be disciplined as severely as possible. However, it seems to me that to charaterize the charges as "losses" is not correct. Because the individuals involved used their cards for unauthorized purposes doesn't mean that they didn't make the payments due. What would be more enlightening would be information on how much of the charges were in default and how much of that amount Uncle Sam was required to pay. That amount would be a loss.
view from purchasing agent
DOD
Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:59 AM
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It just amazes me that nothing is ever done with the misuse of credit cards, be they travel or purchase. All they say is don't do it again and promote you. And the credit cards are not the entire problem. Because of reprisals people won't speak up and small business suffers.
outraged over abuse
DCMA
Thu Jul 17, 2003 10:01 AM
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I am a Gov't travel card user for official travel. I try very hard to not do any action that would be considered abusive. I am totally OUTRAGED over the abuse that has occurred. I wonder if this same abuse is occurring in other agencies. It is my opinion that those individuals that abused the travel card use should be terminated immediately, and if after investigation fraud has occurred the individual prosecuted to the FULL extent of the law. I could probably make a strong case for thievery and mis appropriation by the individuals involved.
Employee is accountable, not the government
Dept. of Education
Thu Jul 17, 2003 10:05 AM
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I finished reading your article published today on "government charge card abuse" at the Department of Agriculture. I get tired of reading these articles that surface time and time again about federal employees who abuse the use of government travel cards. The cards are in the employees' names. The employees have financial responsibility for payment of outstanding charges. The employees are accountable for the use and payment of charges. But, we call it a "government credit card." I have never understood this concept, because the employee is the one held accountable, not the government. There is a simple resolution to the problem. Get rid of government travel cards for federal employees to use and let the employee choose how he/she pays for their travel using whatever charge card they so desire. For two decades I traveled for the government and never used a government travel card because employees did not have them. We didn't need them before and we do not need them now, particularly with all the adverse publicity surrounding their use by employees. By the way, I have never abuse the use of my card. Also, I have never liked having the card because of the obligation of protecting the card from theft, loss, and inadvertent misuse because it is in my wallet with all my other cards. I really do not care to have the card and I believe many employees feel the way that I do.
Where's the justice?
Army
Thu Jul 17, 2003 10:08 AM
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I knew credit card abuses existed but I never realized how widespread the problem. Unfortunately, there's a penalty to be paid when abuses are pointed out, and it's not always paid by the one doing the abuse. There seems to be a network of cover ups going on. A former active duty Army co-worker's husband pointed out some irregularities on credit card abuses and was rewarded by being removed from his leadership position of an elite group of soldiers in Germany, labelled as a trouble maker and quickly transferred to the states. Where's the justice in this scenario?