(Washington, D.C.) –Thomas Schatz, President of Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), today appeared at a Capitol Hill news conference with Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) to discuss a General Accounting Office (GAO) report revealing more than $20 billion in improper payments by federal agencies.  Following are excerpts from Schatz's remarks.

"I salute Sen. Thompson for his continued leadership in uncovering the waste and mismanagement of our tax dollars throughout the federal government.  As Congress rushes to finish its spending bills this month, this report should give pause to those that want to spend more of our money rather than fix the fundamental financial failures that flourish in Washington.

"The unauthorized government payments detailed in the GAO report are not differences of political opinion.  They are inexcusable government deficiencies, and they are increasing each year.  For example, last year GAO found $12.6 billion in improper Medicare payments; this year it’s $13.5 billion.  Even more alarming is that several agencies made improper payments but don’t know their magnitude.  Stockholders do not tolerate such mismanagement in the private sector; taxpayers should be equally outraged at such neglect of their investment in Washington.

“The real tragedy of this $20.7 billion in waste is that this money could have been used to help provide government services, such as a responsible prescription drug benefit for people who really need it or education block grants to help local parents improve their kids' schools.  This $20.7 billion would fill nearly the entire gap between the $601 billion in congressional appropriations bills and President Clinton’s request for $624 billion in such spending.  It is an outrage that either end of Pennsylvania Avenue would promote more spending instead of working to eliminate these extensive overpayments.

"As Sen. Thompson has noted, this $20.7 billion is just the tip of the iceberg.  That figure is the product of a few agencies reporting their own mistakes.  Unfortunately, most bureaucratic misspending is harder to find than Jimmy Hoffa's final resting-place.

"Americans send plenty of money to Washington.  It’s time for President Clinton and Vice President Gore to ensure that every federal agency account for every penny before demanding more big-government solutions from Congress.

CAGW is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.