Nebraskans are all too familiar with stories of wasteful government spending. At a time when our country faces serious fiscal problems and a tsunami of national debt, these fiscal gaffes are more than foolish – they are downright irresponsible. In order to stop this waste from continuing, Congress has a duty to conduct proper oversight and root out all forms of reckless government spending.

One of the most effective ways to rein in federal spending habits is to increase government transparency and accountability. On this note, last week the nation observed “Sunshine Week,” which is a nationwide effort to promote open government and highlight useful tools like the Freedom of Information Act. This law allows the public to access federal documents, and with a few exceptions, see how the government is conducting itself. In the spirit of this initiative, I’d like to tell you about some of my work in the Senate that is keeping Washington honest and fiscally responsible. 

Like many Nebraskans, I was deeply troubled to learn that, despite being cited for misconduct in 2010, 2011, and 2012, many IRS employees still received bonuses. These findings were released in a report from Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The investigation revealed that between 2010 and 2012, $2.8 million was paid in bonuses to IRS employees with conduct violations. It’s shocking that any agency, let alone the IRS, would consider rewarding people for bad behavior.

After learning of this, I sent a letter to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen expressing my concerns about this mismanagement. I asked for specific answers to a number of questions, including exactly how many employees received bonuses and what steps the IRS planned to take to recover taxpayer dollars. While the commissioner’s response to my inquiry highlighted the agency’s ongoing personnel issues and some of the disciplinary actions the IRS has taken to address them, his response proved to be a canary in the coal mine.

For this reason, I joined my colleagues Senator Kelly Ayotte from New Hampshire and Senator Claire McCaskill from Missouri last week to reintroduce the Stop Wasteful Federal Bonuses Act. This bill would prohibit bonus pay from being awarded to federal employees who are not in good standing with their agency or the law. It’s basic common sense – federal employees who have broken the law should not be rewarded at the expense of hardworking American taxpayers. Our bill takes meaningful steps to stop this outrageous practice and will ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used for the right reasons.

Another example of excessive government spending is so obnoxious, it’s almost comical. For decades, there has been a longstanding tradition for the president’s secretaries and department heads to have their oil portraits commissioned. These paintings can cost as much as $50,000 – all of it paid by the American taxpayer. After learning about this practice, I signed on as an original cosponsor of the aptly named “EGO Act” which would ban the use of any federal funds for portraits of members of Congress and agency heads. It’s pretty simple: if you want a portrait, pay for it yourself.

Sadly, these are only a few of the problems in Washington. While there are so many honorable public servants working every day for you, there are many who take advantage of their positions. It’s long past time to change that. I will continue to work to ensure that Congress will keep government employees honest and conduct its oversight role to the fullest. I hope you will join me in this mission to find and support measures that eliminate government waste and demand accountability for the American people. You deserve nothing less.    

Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.