Report Highlights Hundreds of Billions in Potential Taxpayer Savings

Press Release

Mismanagement of federally owned assets are costing taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars according to a report released today by the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Minority members.

The report, "Sitting on Our Assets: The Federal Government's Misuse of Taxpayer-Owned Assets," highlights opportunities to save money and eliminate wasteful spending on agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction, including the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Coast Guard, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Army Corps of Engineers, the General Services Administration, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Read the report: http://republicans.transportation.house.gov/.

"Arkansans and hardworking Americans are forced to cut their spending and make sacrifices and it's time for federal agencies to start looking for ways to utilize the assets at their disposal and streamline their planning and permitting processes more efficiently," Congressman John Boozman, ranking member on the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee said. "Even if Congress and the agencies considered only some of the opportunities in this report, significant savings would begin to add up and this could create a ripple effect in efficiencies gained by federal water resource agencies."

"Sitting on Our Assets" identified streamlining reviews of Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects and reducing costs of project permitting as one way to reduce government waste.

The Corps of Engineers has lead responsibility as assigned under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for issuing "wetlands" permits for discharges of dredged or fill material into navigable waters, but the permitting process is inefficient, burdensome, and a waste of resources for both the Corps and applicants.

"For example, we've been told it costs more than $270,000 to prepare an individual permit application and almost $30,000 to prepare a typical nationwide general permit," Boozman said. "Almost $2 billion is spent each year by the private and public sectors obtaining wetlands permits. These types of costs and delays cripple small businesses, waste taxpayer money, and prevent the Corps from engaging in more productive activities."

This is only one of many recommendations made by the report. Also included are recommendations for future Water Resources Development Acts, streamlining Army Corps of Engineers project planning, and more effective management of Tennessee Valley Authority assets.

"Congress must become a better steward of the people's money and resources. It's time we stop sitting on our assets, stop wasting taxpayers' money, and start getting the best return on the hard-earned funds Americans send to Washington," U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), Ranking Member on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said.

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