A Federal Gravy Train May End

[chanel]

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has filed a request with the Government Accountability Office [GAO], the Congressional watch dog agency, to audit once more the nearly century old federal workers’ disability program, where federal workers get lucrative disability payments. The government lists beneficiaries in their 100s receiving these taxpayer-funded payments.

The program, the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act [FECA], which the government launched in 1916, is supposed to cover lost wages for federal employees who suffer on-the-job injuries.

But many federal workers stay on the program for decades, well into their retirement. Those federal workers on disability can get nearly 75% of their salary tax-free for the rest of their life if they have one dependent, with annual cost of living adjustments.

“FECA has no limits on the amount of time spent in the program or the amount of money given to recipients,” the Senator notes in her statement, and adds: “FECA has no caps or cut-off periods, which is why there are reported cases of recipients in their 90s and 100s still receiving workers' compensation benefits.“

Stunningly, the program does not require regular third-party certifications of continued need for payments, which “expose the FECA program to possible fraud,” the Senator, ranking member on the Senate Homeland Security panel, said in her letter to the GAO.

The Labor Department says there are roughly 49,000 purportedly injured federal workers who have not returned to work and who are receiving FECA disability payments to cover lost wages.

Out of those 49,000 recipients, about 7,200 workers are listed as being over age 65 and potentially will not return to work.

Senator Collins says in a statement that the Labor Department unit which oversees the program paid out about $2.8 billion in disability payments over a recent 12-month span, without ensuring whether federal workers employees are exploiting the program.

"At the U.S. Postal Service, for example, 1,000 employees currently receiving federal workers' compensation benefits are 80 years or older,” the Senator adds

Senator Collins also asked the GAO to compare FECA’s records against the government’s “Death Master File and the civilian payroll database,” to ascertain whether deceased federal workers continue to receive benefits or whether recipients are "double dipping."

Read more: A Federal Gravy Train May End - FoxBusiness.com

Wow. Congratulations Sen. Collins. This is what you guys are paid for.

 

[Douger]

That's right. Send my money to IsNtReal and AfricanT and vote for wars to the tunes of trillions but don;t you dare give MY fucking tax dollars to a US citizen.
You;re a fucking idiot. I hope they nuke all you assholes off the map or invent a bio agent for people with an IQ under 80---- that'll cover 99% of the republick_cunt party.

 

[Mini 14]

I smell a rat.....

Susan Collins pushing for fiscal conservancy, and (seemingly) agreeing with a conservative principle?

What's in it for her personally?

 

[kyzr]

I'm for anything that saves Federal money. If she found a program with fraud and stops it, great!!

 

[Granny]

I'm for anything that saves Federal money. If she found a program with fraud and stops it, great!!

That would mean that every single federally run program needs to be audited. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea - any guess as to how many tax dollars could be saved?

 

[Mini 14]

I'm for anything that saves Federal money. If she found a program with fraud and stops it, great!!

I'm with you on saving money, wherever, however.

Its just that when its proposed by Susan Collins, I have to question what the real motivation is. There has to be something in it for her, and that may be fine (maybe its something for Maine, and not her personally), but I'd like to know what it is first.

She's taught me to pay very close attention whenever her lips are moving.

 

[Granny]

Yeah - you've got a point. I'm not real crazy about Olympia Snowe either.

 

[Sarah G]

Chris Matthews had a decent interview with a couple of teaparty leaders last night. One from Texas, Phillip Dennis, was harsh but honest.

They talked about means testing for SS benefits and GOP out of control spending like during the Bush years. Chris was asking how they expected to control some of the GOP leaders who are unbeatable in their districts like Boehner and others.

Dennis said they'd better find Jesus or watch their butts..

I don't know how to copy it here but scroll down to find it.

Hardball with Chris Matthews

 

[editec]

Collins and Snowe both seem to vote based on their principles rather than taking the party line every time.

In this case, her principles and the GOP party line seem to be aligned.

Good for her!

 

[Harry Dresden]

That's right. Send my money to IsNtReal and AfricanT and vote for wars to the tunes of trillions but don;t you dare give MY fucking tax dollars to a US citizen.
You;re a fucking idiot. I hope they nuke all you assholes off the map or invent a bio agent for people with an IQ under 80---- that'll cover 99% of the republick_cunt party.

go find some shit to shovel asshole.....a pussy like you isnt qualified to talk about these matters...the reason you went to Costa Rica is to live off their Tit.....useless piece of shit...

 

[WillowTree]

Wouldn't it be neat if we used the IRS and the FBI to actually audit some of these federal government offices, programs, and workers?

 

[chanel]

Isn't that called the "fox watching the hen house"? All fed workers qualify for programs like this.

 

[Mad Scientist]

Wouldn't it be neat if we used the IRS and the FBI to actually audit some of these federal government offices, programs, and workers?

That might end up like the Warren Commission, with the people involved dying suddenly and mysteriously.

What would be better are hundreds of government worker whistle blowers willing to testify, and a media willing to report it all. I'm not gonna' hold my breath for that though.

 

[Wry Catcher]

It fascinates me how 'conservatives' support an investigation of government largess when it goes to individual citizens and ignore no bid contracts and fraud by private contractors.
Real conservatives would demand the enforcement of contracts and penalties written into grants and awarded bids when the conditions of the contracts were not fulfilled; criminial penalties for those who engage in fraud, perjure themselves or purposly misuse funds.
Of course, to do so the Federal Govt. would need to have employees to investigate such fraud and abuse and prosecute white collar criminals.
Say, maybe the Republcan push for less federal employees has an agenda other than the one expressed. Cutting the Justice Dept., the FBI and IRS, etc. will provide a great opportunity for increasing profits and not needing to pay pesky and demanding workers when work contracted for isn't completed in time or to expected standards.
Damn, and hiring U.S. Attorney's who are only Republicans and graduates of Regent University ... oops, my conspircy theory just got blown out of the water - the last has already been tried.

 

[chanel]

Nice derailing of the topic.

Do you believe federal workers should get 75% of their salary for life with no accountability?

 

[Ringel05]

I'm for anything that saves Federal money. If she found a program with fraud and stops it, great!!

That's simple if ya know where to look.

 

[rightwinger]

Sen Collins is a true Conservative...I applaud her efforts

 

[Harry Dresden]

Nice derailing of the topic.

Do you believe federal workers should get 75% of their salary for life with no accountability?

Chanel im asking this seriously because i dont know.....as you may or may not know i am a Federal Worker (The P.O.).....what do Private sector workers get if they are hurt on the Job and are unable to work anymore?...and i do believe the amount of money a fed. worker gets is dependent on the amount of time worked......

 

[chanel]

I am a state worker Harry and I have state disabilty insurance which would pay me about two days wages per week - the same as any private sector employee. It must be certified by a doctor every so often. When people are eligible for pension or SS, I believe they are cut off. It would surprise me if a plan like FECA were even available for a private citizen to purchase. If so, I imagine it would be unaffordable to. 99 percent of the public. Every worker is protected by workers comp as well. That's a huge change since the early 1900s.

 

[skookerasbil]

That's right. Send my money to IsNtReal and AfricanT and vote for wars to the tunes of trillions but don;t you dare give MY fucking tax dollars to a US citizen.
You;re a fucking idiot. I hope they nuke all you assholes off the map or invent a bio agent for people with an IQ under 80---- that'll cover 99% of the republick_cunt party.

pretty much sucks dog balls to be a far lefty these days, huh s0n???