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Lawmakers press OMB on improper payments and plans for pre‑award precertification
Summary
Members and OMB discussed improper payments, the administration's executive order on preventing waste (referenced as EO 14249), and plans to implement precertification and pre‑award checks; OMB said government‑wide guidance is being developed.
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers pressed Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vogt about improper payments and what the administration plans to do to reduce fraud and waste, citing Government Accountability Office estimates and a recent executive order directing new pre‑award procedures.
Representative Hinson said GAO estimates improper payments between roughly $230 billion and $500 billion and called for rapid implementation of pre‑award precertification and cross‑checks between agency datasets. "When we look at the taxpayer money being disrespected in that way ... I appreciate your candor, and the effort, by this administration to do that through the executive order," Hinson said, referencing the president’s executive order to "protect America's bank account" (identified in testimony by members as EO 14249).
Vogt told the subcommittee OMB was "working on government‑wide guidance to agencies" and that the office was in a policy process defining what precertification should include. He said the administration sees this as a priority and that the IT and analyst resources at OMB are necessary to push agencies to adopt cross‑checks and prevent improper payments.
On accountability, Vogt said OMB seeks cultural change so that agencies are rewarded for implementing both deregulatory and anti‑fraud actions, and described ongoing discussion about providing credit to agency teams that improve data cross‑checks and reduce improper payments. He did not give a timeline beyond saying guidance would be returned to the committee "soon."
