White House Launches Government Accountability and Transparency Board

Leaders in Cutting Waste, Fraud and Abuse Named to New Board

WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Today, the Obama Administration is announcing the launch of the Government Accountability and Transparency Board. The Board, first announced by the President and Vice President in June as part of the Campaign to Cut Waste, will focus on rooting out misspent tax dollars and making government spending more accessible and transparent for the American people.

The President named several of the nation’s top watchdogs and leaders on government accountability to the board, which will be led by interim chairman Earl Devaney. The Board is holding their first meeting this morning to begin developing plans toenhance transparency in federal spending and root out and stop waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs.

“Cutting Waste, fraud and abuse has been something Washington has talked about for decades, but now more than ever, what the American people need is action,” said Vice President Biden.

“That’s why we are tapping the top leaders across government who have been most aggressive in cracking down on waste to drive change and make the government work for our nation’s families. With our nation’s top watchdogs at the helm, we will deliver the kind of transparency and accountability for Federal spending that the public deserves and expects.”

Today, the President announced the appointment of the following federal officials to the Board: Ashton B. Carter - Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisitionm Technology & Logistics, Department of Defense, W. Scott Gould - Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs, Allison C. Lerner - Inspector General, National Science Foundation, Daniel R. Levinson - Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services, Ellen Murray - Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources and Chief Financial Officer, Department of Health and Human Services, Calvin L. Scovel III - Inspector General, Department of Transportation, Kathleen S. Tighe - Inspector General, Department of Education, Daniel I. Werfel - Controller, Office of Management and Budget, David C. Williams - Inspector General, United States Postal Service, and Neal S. Wolin - Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Department of the Treasury.

The Board will recommend a broad range of strategies to make spending data more reliable and accessible to the American people. They will also make recommendations to broaden the Administration's use of cutting edge technology to crack down on fraud, and focus on integrating data systems and using data for better decision-making.

In doing so, the Board will offer a comprehensive vision for the management of federal spending that will fundamentally change how government works. And it will ensure that this vision is executed in the most cost-effective, efficient and logical manner.

“From the first day of this Administration, the President and the Vice President have outlined a vision of government that is more open and more accountable to the American people,” said Federal Chief Performance Officer Jeffrey Zients.

“We’ve made tremendous progress to date, cutting costs, cracking down on fraud, and opening up the government’s books for all to see and scrutinize. The Government Accountability and Transparency Board is a critical next step in this ongoing effort.”

The Campaign to Cut Waste is an effort to identify and eliminate misspent tax dollars in every agency and department across the federal government. The Campaign builds on the Administration’s ongoing effort to make government more efficient, effective and accountable to the American people. You can read more about that work here.

Image courtesy of http://www.pureclipart.com.