Recovery Board Chairman on Jobs Figures: “I am not able to make this certification…”

WASHINGTON. D.C. – Responding to a letter sent last week by House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Darrell Issa (R-CA) questioning the accuracy of information appearing on www.recovery.gov, Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Chairman Earl Devaney wrote that, “Your letter specifically asks if I am able to certify that the number of jobs reported as created/saved on Recovery.gov is accurate and auditable. No, I am not able to make this certification…”

“This just confirms what we already know, that the Administration cannot certify info on recovery.gov as accurate and auditable,” Issa said.  “The man charged with providing accountability for stimulus spending cannot verify the accuracy of the job reports that the Administration – filtered through OMB – have provided him.”

Issa also asked Devaney if he had access to a master list of all federal stimulus funding recipients who are required to submit quarterly data reports and, if not, how they know whether all recipients of stimulus funds actually reported on their use of funds.

Devaney responded by saying he could not provide such a list and that he expected to have access to that data shortly, “I have asked OMB to work with the federal agencies responsible for making Recovery Act awards to develop a list of awards that were subject to the Section 1512 reporting requirements of the Recovery Act…”

“It’s a startling admission that he hasn’t even been provided with a list of who should have reported, which means he can’t know who didn’t report, which just adds fuel to the argument that the whole effort at transparency has failed,” Issa said.  “The Administration has provided inaccurate data, missing data, data that might be missing but they don’t even know for sure and they should be a part of Thursday’s hearing to answer for these discrepancies.”

Click Here to View Issa’s Letter to Devaney

Click Here to View Devaney’s Response