Number: 111- 22
Date: October 14, 2009

On October 7, 2009 by unanimous consent, the Senate passed S. 942, the Government Charge Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2009, without amendment. The legislation contains the following provisions of interest:

Required Safeguards - SSA and other Executive Agencies

•  Would require Federal agencies, including SSA , to establish and maintain specified safeguards and internal controls for official purchase cards and convenience checks.

•  Would require the head of Federal agencies, including SSA, to provide for appropriate adverse personnel actions or other punishment, including dismissal, in cases where employees violate agency policies implementing the guidance.

•  Would require that each Federal agency, including SSA, with employees who use a travel charge card billed directly to the U.S. government, to establish and maintain similar internal control activities to ensure the proper use of such travel cards.

Oversight Provisions

•  Would require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to review existing guidance and prescribe additional guidance governing the implementation of the safeguards and internal controls within 180 days of enactment.

•  Would require each agency head with more than $10 million in purchase card spending annually, and each Inspector General of such agency, to jointly report to OMB on employee violations of agency policies semiannually.

•  Would require each agency's Inspector General to conduct periodic assessments of agency purchase card or convenience check programs to identify and analyze risks of illegal, improper, or erroneous purchases and payments, and to report to the head of the agency and to OMB on such results.

Effective Date

•  Would be effective upon enactment.