One grant for $1.1 billion was supported by one sheet of paper and didn’t include itemized costs for the project.
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It’sbeennearlyfiveyears,andthetotalcostofwastefulCOVID-eraspendingisstillbeingrealized.ArecentDepartmentofHomelandSecurity’sOfficeofInspectorGeneral(OIG)reportilluminatesseveralexamplesofwaste,fraud,andabuseattheFederalEmergencyManagementAgency(FEMA).
TheOIGfoundtheagencyoverobligated“atleast$1.5billioninfundsforonestate’smedicalstaffinggrant.”Additionally,FEMAfailedtoproperlyvetfundingtothestate,leadingto$8.1billionofquestionablespending.
Duringthepandemic,FEMAdevelopedastreamlinedprocesstoawardreimbursementsthroughitsPublicAssistanceProgram.Insteadofawardingfundingtoaprojectbasedonactualcoststhatwerecomparabletocurrentmarketrates,theagencyofferedreimbursementsbasedoncostestimates.Thenewprocess,designedtogetdisasterfundingoutofthedoorfaster,generatedlessoversightandmorefraudulentspending.
Thestate,whichtheOIGdoesnotname,receivedabout$853millionfromFE
