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Press Release Published: Dec 2, 2009

Bureau of Engraving and Printing Cancels Plan to give $75 Gift Cards to Employees who Return Office Property

WASHINGTON D.C. – An Official at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing today informed staff of Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Darrell Issa that the Bureau is cancelling its plan to spend taxpayer money on $75 gift cards for senior employees who agree to turn in government issued printers and use network printers instead.  The plan could have cost taxpayers over $40,000.

“The plan for taxpayers to pay for gift cards to reward employees for simply returning office property defied common sense.  I’m thankful there are some grown-ups at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing who stepped up to cancel this outrageous expenditure after it was exposed and officials were put on notice that they would be held accountable.”

On Monday, following a report by the Washington Post, Rep. Issa sent a letter to the Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing saying that the plan to spend over $40,000 to recover its own property, “may go down in history as one of the all time senseless uses of taxpayer dollars.”  He also demanded that the agency provide a full and complete response including an answer to the question, “why didn’t you ask your employees to return the printers for free.”

Click here to read Issa’s letter to the Bureau sent on Monday.  Despite the notification that the program has been cancelled, Rep. Issa continues to expect a full response from the Bureau of Printing and Engraving by December 15 in order to shed light on the flawed decision making process that led to the gift card proposal.