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Return to Article: DHS scolded on financial accountability

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  Chertoff says they can't get a good candidate. "Sometimes, the people you want for them don't necessarily want to give up their lucrative careers to take them." Let's look at this realistically. What's in the offing for the DHS Chief Financial Officer?

  1. There's no departmentwide accounting system. Who knows when Emerge2 will "emerge". Most legacy accounting systems have never passed a CFO Audit.
  2. The financial systems don't include the personnel systems - and pay is the largest single budget item in the Department.
  3. The current CFO Financial Reports and concurrent annual audits do not encourage anyone. Last year the department got a "qualified opinion" on just the Balance Sheet. This year it may be lucky to get a "disclaimer of opinion".
  4. The Congress still is sorting out who in DHS will report to which committees. It will be classic Washington - two years from now a committee will be raising hell with the CFO over an issue that today is considered "no problem" by the current congressional leadership.
  5. There already are major conflicts brewing over future spending plans. US VISIT program is in trouble; the Coast Guard has Deepwater; the "minutemen" are raising all kinds of heat on the Border Patrol; homeland security first responder grants are still in limbo; and ICE can't pay to lock up illegal immigrants they do catch. Add in the rumors that TSA may be privatized and you have lots of "financial" uncertainty.
  6. The talent pool keeps shrinking. Smart people are either burning out or leaving before they do. Turnover in the "Management" area has got to be running close to 33% per year, judging by the personnel vacancy announcements. The uncertainties about the future personnel system can't be helping.

  So, do you really blame anyone for not wanting to take this job, no matter how much you might get paid? Who wants to risk their professional reputation on this? It will have to get much, much worse, so that whoever comes in will be assured that no matter what they do, some improvement will be noted, and they will be able to leave with their good name intact.

  GovExec.com reader Posted June 13, 2005 3:44 PM
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  Along with ICE Special Agent's comments, the new job announcements for ICE Criminal Investigators that came out as a result of and were specifically addressed in the supplmental legislation begin with the phrase:

  "The agency is currently operating under hiring restrictions. All positions will be filled subject to the availability of funding."

  I thought the funding for these jobs and to lift the freeze was specifically enumerated and allocated in the bill...

  So where's the money?

  Another unaccountable day in the INS......

  GovExec.com reader Posted June 13, 2005 2:30 PM
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  You need to understand, the Bush administration does what THEY want, laws, rules, regulations mean nothing to these people. They are having a hard time finding another crook to take the job. But never fear they will find one.

  Quit finding fault with King George, he likes it like this.

  GovExec.com reader Posted June 13, 2005 7:06 AM
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  What fiscal accountability ???

  A $425 million supplemental for ICE was just signed less than a month ago, and field agents are already being told that "there's no money" or that money is "tight". Where is all this money going, anyway; to pay off old debts inherited from certain legacy agencies? Mismanagement? God knows what else ???!!!

  Again, is the OIG or the GAO getting a handle on ANY of this?

  Pathetic and disgraceful.

  GovExec.com reader Posted June 11, 2005 12:23 PM