Federal Reports

The OIG investigated allegations that a former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) assistant hatchery manager directed an FWS biologist to validate an inaccurate cause of death for an endangered fish species in a mortality report to cover up alleged neglect at an FWS fishery. It was also alleged that a culture of censorship existed within that FWS region’s management. We investigated this matter jointly with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI’s) scientific integrity coordinators, Office of Quality and Science Integrity, U.S. Geological Survey.We found no evidence to corroborate the allegation that the biologist was directed to falsify scientific records, nor did we find evidence to corroborate that she was censored. We determined that the biologist was disciplined for a pattern of discourteous behavior toward management and not, as was claimed, in retaliation for scientific findings that reflected poorly on the FWS.We provided this report to the FWS Director for any action deemed appropriate.

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The Chemical Safety Board (CSB) purchase card program, through which the agency spent $326,859 in FY 2018, is at low risk for unauthorized purchases.

The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) methods for classifying its Office of Inspection (OOI) criminal investigators as law enforcement officers were adequate and valid, but the data TSA used were not adequate or valid. TSA’s criminal investigators spend at least 50 percent of their time performing criminal investigative duties to be classified as law enforcement officers. The FY 2017 timesheet data TSA used to validate that its criminal investigators met the 50 percent requirement were not adequate and valid as the data were not always timely submitted and approved. This occurred because OOI officials lacked oversight and accountability for the timesheet submission, review, and approval processes. Further, criminal investigators and their supervisors did not always complete and approve certification forms as required to verify eligibility for premium pay. In some instances, incorrect timesheet calculations inflated the annual average of unscheduled duty hours criminal investigators worked to be eligible for premium pay. OOI management did not develop and implement guidance to review these key calculations annually. Without better oversight and valid timesheet data, TSA cannot ensure it is accurately classifying criminal investigators as law enforcement officers. TSA also may be wasting agency funds on criminal investigators ineligible to receive premium pay. We made four recommendations that, when implemented, should help TSA improve data used to classify its OOI criminal investigators as law enforcement officers. TSA concurred with all of our recommendations.

The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) audited the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers to determine whether the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) took timely and consistent action to discharge veterans and their caregivers from the Family Caregiver Program, and subsequently cancel caregiver stipends following a veteran or caregiver death, or veteran incarceration or hospitalization. The audit team reviewed about 680 cases and found that VHA nearly always acted in a timely manner to discharge veterans and caregivers from the program and cancel caregiver stipends. Still, in about 6 percent of the cases, veterans and caregivers were not discharged in a timely manner, causing VHA to pay at least $356,000 in improper and questionable caregiver stipends. If program controls are not improved, VHA could pay an estimated $583,000 in improper stipends over five years. The OIG also substantiated an OIG Hotline complaint that VHA improperly paid about $71,000 to the caregiver of a deceased veteran because a caregiver support coordinator did not initiate prompt action to discharge the veteran and cancel the stipend. This lapse went undetected for almost three years because the medical facility lacked procedures to ensure caregiver support coordinators took timely action to address changes in participant’s status and initiate actions to stop caregiver payments. The OIG recommended the Under Secretary for Health establish processes to match records of enrolled veterans and their caregivers against the VA’s death, incarceration, and hospitalization data on a regular basis; outline veteran and caregiver responsibilities for promptly notifying their caregiver support coordinator of deaths; and institute a working group to clarify inconsistencies and gaps in program guidance.