President will attend his final white house Correspondents Dinner saturday, april 30th, starting at 6 00 p. M. On cspan. American history tv on cspan 3 this weekend. Saturday evening at 6 00 p. M. Weekend, the book the myth of the lost cause. Why the south fought the civil war and why the north won. Among the disputes, myths of the civil war, including why it started, and why it ended. They felt compelled to explain why it was this devastation occurred and why 25 of southern white men between the ages of 25 and 40 were dead. And then, the 1988 campaign of gary hart. Announcing his candidacy in denver, and then facing questions about an alleged extramarital affair, and then his announcement that hes leaving the race. Then, the life of dolores huerta. She was at the forefront of that effort for a reason. And among many of the participants of the farm workers movement, when you hear about them, they always talk about her. And then at 8 00 p. M. , on the presidency. He said, did any of them ever invite me to play golf, to their clubs . It just goes on and on. His lip was quivering. Thats one of the few times in the 3 1 2 years i was so close to him, he was a very wellcontained, disciplined man, but he erupted when he was talking to don. Just saying, not a goddamn time. And he hated them for that. Reflecting on the former president s policies from watergate to vietnam. This sunday night on q and a, ron chernow talks about hamilton. He said, i was reading your book on vacation and as i was reading it, hiphop songs started rising off the age. And he said, hamiltons life is a classic hiphop narrative. And i was thinking, what is this guy talking about . I think lin quickly picked up, he had a worldclass hiphop ig ignoramus on his hands. And he started educating me. He said, hiphop, you can pack more information into the form than any others because its dense. It has rhymed endings, internal rhyme, word play. Started educating me on all these very, very devices that are very important to the success of the show. Sunday night at 8 00 p. M. Pa terrififp pacific. Next, a look at waste in the u. S. Jason chaffetz of utah chairs the House Oversight committee. Committee on oversight of government reform will come to order. Appreciate the group that we have assembled today. This is always of keen interest, the duplication report. Government is so big, wide, expansive. Talking about trillions in expenditures. We are always seeking ways to make governments dollars more effective and efficient. This morning the Government AccountabilityOffice Released the sixth annual report on opportunities to reduce fragmentation t, duplication, in the federal government to achieve financial and other benefits. Over the course of the six years the gao highlighted 250 areas of the federal government and recommended more than 600 corrective actions. We cannot thank enough the men and women who serve on the gao, the good work they do. Doing hard work, looking under the hood. Really coming up with important recommendations that we as members of congress desperately need to do our jobs properly. 41 of the recommended actions have been addressed and closed which will save about 125 million. This report has ways to resolve wasteful spending. With only 41 of actions addressed more obviously needs to be done. Taking action at just three agencies the department of defense, health and Human Services and the Internal Revenue service if we just did those three we would save billions of dollars. Combined they account for more than half of all federal spending in fiscal year 2015. More than half of all corrective actions in reports are directed at these three agencies. Yet all three agencies have more than 60 of the recommended actions still open. For example, the gao estimates the irs could save hundreds of millions in revenue by enhancing online services. In 2013, the gao recommended they develop a methodology for enforcement resources. The irs developed a methodology but has chosen not to implement it, costing taxpayers time and money. The irs needs to explain refusal to take the action. In a new area highlighted in this years report the irs is using a paper based system to recieve and track tips on public Referral Programs in nine different offices. Gao estimates the coordination and information sharing could help the irs identify and collect billions of dollars in tax revenue. It shouldnt take a gao report to point out that coordinating investigations prevent duplicative work and ensures taxpayer resources are used efficiently and effectively. In 2015 gao recommended the centers for medicare and Medicaid Services should ensure states report accurate and complete data on state sources of funds. Seems reasonable. Gao estimates it could save taxpayers hundreds of millions but they have not taken action. In 2013 the gao recommended the department of defense implement a plan to guide joint basing meaning multiple military Services Using a single base to achieve efficiencies. The dod has yeet to complete the action though it could save 2. 3 billion over a 20year period. Why do we need to come back year after year to discuss the same actions . Thats in part what well be discussing today. Obviously the federal government has an obligation not to waste taxpayer dollars. We are pulling money out of somebodys pocket and trying to give it to somebody else and use that. We have to be very, very cognizant of this wasteful taxpayer spending. All federal workers should consider it part of their Job Description and should embrace the role as fiduciaries for the public. Disagreements over policy can lead to disagreements over appropriate spending. But the imperative to prevent waste is something we can all agree on on both sides of the aisle. When we know it is about waste inefficiency we have to act. This gao annual report provides a road map to tackling the known waste and inefficiency out there. So we have a lot of questions. A host of questions here. But we do look forward to maximizing the time for member input. With that i would like to recognize the Ranking Member, mr. Cummings of maryland for his opening statement. Thank you very much. Once again for owning the tradition to the committee and making sure gaos report gets the attention it warrants. This type of oversight is one of the Core Functions of the committee. Today we will focus on the sixth annual report and Duplicative Programs and opportunities for cost savings in the federal government. This report allows the executive branch and congress to Work Together to identify critical areas where we can reduce waste and make federal programs more efficient and effective. This report is interesting because it focuses on both the executive branch and congress. Since 2011 gaos reports have consistently shown that congress has been doing far worse than the executive branch in implementing gao recommendations. Todays report is no different. It shows that congress could be doing much more to foster an efficient, effective and accountable government. According to gao the executive branch has completed 81 of gaos recommendations. 81 . Thats an impressive success rate in light of the budget ts agencies have endured in recent years. Congress, on the other hand, has implemented only about 46 of gaos recommendations. Even with that 46 its generous because gao gives Congress Credit for taking partial action by just moving a bill through Committee Even if it has gotten past the house or senate. Mr. Chairman, during last years hearing you thanked the gao for provides congress and the executive branch for a road map to achieve needed savings. According to gao the administration has done a much better job of following the road map than we here in congress. Specifically gao made 459 recommendations for the executive branch and 372 have now been fully or partially completed. In contrast gao has made 85 recommendations. Only 37 of those have been fully or partially completed. The new report highlights areas where congress could legislate right now to eliminate waste and duplication. For example, gao recommended Congress Pass legislation to protect private citizens who report tax fraud to the irs from retaliation by their employers. Thats why we introduces introduced the warren act. Our bill would increase incentive for including misrepresentation of tax liabilities and public filings. The bill has been endorsed by americans for financial reform, the aflcio and communication workers of america. I Hope Congress will consider the bill this year. Gao also recommended that Congress Lower the threshold requiring employers to be electronically filing w2s to help the irs detect fraudulent claims. Gao 2016 report also recognizes improvements by federal agencies and includes recommendations for those going forward. For example, gao highlighted a number of successful stories at the centers for medicare and Medicaid Services including eliminating duplicative contracts and processes for identifying improper payments. Through improvements to Medicaid Integrity Program there would be the recovery of 657 million of improper medicaid payments in 2015 according to gao. On the flip side the department of defense still has 79 major Weapons Systems programs for a total acquisition cost of over 14 trillion dollars. Dod spends 100 billion each year on the systems but has failed to strategically manage the investments resulting in inefficiency and waste. Taxpayers and the troops deserve better than that. I want to thank our witnesses today. Providing Critical Service to the American People with this annual report. As well as with the work you do every day to help ensure our tax dollars are spent wisely. I hope that you will share with all of your employees how grateful we are for their pursuit of excellence and for them helping to provide us with road maps to make a difference. With that, mr. Chairman, i yield back. Ill hold the record open for five legislative days for those who would like to submit a written statement. Well now recognize our panel of witnesses. We have quite a few people to swear in. We are pleased to welcome the honorable gene dadaro, comptroller general of the United States accountability office. Sir, we are pleased to have you come before the committee. You are one of the more important people that we have come here given your insight and commitment to these issues. I cant thank your staff enough for the great work they do behind the scenes. A number of those key staff people are here. We want to maximize the opportunity for members to dive deeper into some of the issues. Purr surnt pursuant to Committee Rules, well swear them in as well. The experts include Kathleen Barrett managing director for defense capabilities. Mr. Paul francis, managing director, acquisition and sourcing management team. Mr. Chris mimm, managing director, Strategic Issues team. Ms. Nicky clowers, managing director Health Care Team. Ms. Oris williams brown, managing director of Financial Markets and Community Investment team. Mr. Philip herr manging director of physical infrastructure team. Ms. Barbara bober, managing director, education work force and income security team. Mr. Seto bagdojan. I hope i pronounced that correctly. Forensic audits and Investigative Services team. And mr. Dave powner of Information Technology team. I apologize if i dont get all the names proper. We have mr. John dalrymple from the irs at the United States department of treasury, mr. Tillitson from the United States department of defense and dr. Patrick conway. Youve got a title here. Acting Principal Deputy administrator, deputy chief administrator for innovation equality and chief medical officer at the centers for medicare and Medicaid Services at the United States department of health and Human Services. I thank you again for your good work and for being here. Pursuant to Committee Rules all witnesses are to be sworn before they testify. Those on the panels and those that accompany, if you rise and raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm the testimony you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth . Thank you. You may be seated. Let the record reflect all witnesses answered in the affirmative. We would ask the four panelists here at the table to please limit your oral testimony to five minutes and members should have ample time to answer questions. Mr. Dadaro, your discretion if you want to yield time to a particular individual as we get into the questions. We have a seat there if need be. Mr. Dadaro, you are recognized for five minutes. Thank you very much, mr. Chairman. Good morning to you, members of the committee. We are pleased to be here today to discuss the sixth annual report on overlap duplication and also other opportunities to achieve cost savings and revenue enhancements. In ts report we introduced 92 new actions the congress and executive branch can take in 37 different areas. To give examples in the overlap duplication area we highlight 12 areas. For example, we found that the Defense Department is procuring commercial services for satellites and about 30 was spent outside their Central Procurement Agency by the Different Services and other agencies throughout the department. As a result in this Central Agency the costs were about 15 less than purchasing it outside the central office. We think there is better money to be saved there. Tens of billions. We also found nine Referral Programs at irs for whistleblowers and others to report improper activities that would give irs tips to follow up with tax enforcement purposes and potentially produce billions of dollars in additional revenue owed the government. These systems were manually operated, fragmented. They werent coordinated and there were a lot of opportunities to streamline and provide better communication to the people providing tips. Also, we found there was potential for duplicative Health Care Spending between people on medicaid or in the state exchanges. There is some amount of transfer time that could be made if income levels change. Or they become eligible for medicaid or the services. But we find activities outside that normal transition period and we recommended that in order to minimize duplicate federal spending better coordination would need to take place and better oversight over the Medicaid Programs at the state level and with the exchanges. In areas of cost savings, revenue enhancements, we have a number of recommendations that are new. There are billions to be saved. Revamping some of the payment policies that guide medicare spending. Millions could be saved by greater oversight over medicaid spending and the states activities. Theres also millions that could be saved by the federal agencies having better access to excess personal property at dod and ammunition thats discarded but could be used by other federal agencies. So we dont have to buy it twice in that process. There are fees that could be raised that havent been raised in over 20 years to help provide more resources and in particular to deal with deferred maintenance in the national parks. To date, as mr. Chairman mentioned in the opening comments, to date, about 120 million that will be saved over the coming years. We are pleased that the congress has taken action. A lot of the large Dollar Savings have come from congressional action. And also, a number of areas where the agencies have taken action its because of congressional urging as well. There is a lot more that could be done. Im pleased to be here today to talk about the opportunities. In addition to the new areas that we have added to the list. Thank you for holding this annual hearing. It makes a big difference in getting support. I will pass on to our staff your thanks and appreciation for their hard work. Mr. Chairman, congressman cummings. Thank you for your comments. Be happy to answer questions at the appropriate point. Thank you. Mr. Dalrymple, you are recognized for five minutes. Chairman chaffetz, Ranking Member cummings, members of the committee. Im here to discuss findings of the Government AccountabilityOffice Related to the sixth annual review of Duplicative Programs. We appreciate gao studies of the irs and programs. Their findings, insights and recommendations are invaluable to us as they help assure we are successful in accomplishing our mission of collecting over 3 trillion annually. Without independent auditors and evaluators we simply could not be effective. Since fiscal year 2013 the irs has taken action to address more than 82 of all of gao recommendations including those highlighted in this report. Between fiscal year 2011 and 2015, the irs received more than 2,100 recommendations from gao and our Inspector General auditors. With gao recommendations accounting for roughly 3