Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-03-07 00:00:00

Government Credit Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2008 - (Sec. 2) Requires the head of each executive agency (sets forth separate Department of Defense requirements) to establish and maintain safeguards and internal controls to ensure that: (1) records are kept of each holder of a purchase card issued for official use and of each card transaction; (2) each cardholder is assigned an approving official; (3) charges are reconciled with supporting documentation; (4) purchases are paid promptly; (5) rebates and refunds on card accounts are monitored for accuracy and recorded as agency receipts; (6) periodic reviews are performed to determine whether each cardholder has a need for a card; (7) training is provided to cardholders and officials responsible for oversight; (8) agencies have specific policies regarding the number of cards issued by various organizations, credit limits, and categories of eligible employees that are designed to minimize the financial risk to the government and to ensure the integrity of the cardholders; (9) agencies utilize technologies to prevent or identify fraudulent purchases; (10) cards of terminated or transferred employees are invalidated; and (11) steps are taken to recover the cost of improper or fraudulent purchases through salary offsets. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to prescribe guidance governing the implementation of the safeguards and internal controls for purchase cards and travel charge cards that provides for adverse personnel actions against employees for card violations, negligence, misuse, abuse, or fraud. Requires each agency head and Inspector General (including the DOD Inspector General) to report to the Director on such violations semiannually.Requires each agency Inspector General to: (1) periodically conduct risk assessments of agency purchase and travel card programs and associated internal controls, analyze weaknesses and the frequency of improper activity, and develop a plan to determine the scope, frequency, and number of periodic audits of cardholders; (2) perform periodic audits of card transactions and report results to the agency head; and (3) report to the Director and the Comptroller General on the implementation of recommendations made to address audit findings.Requires the Secretary of Defense to prescribe regulations that include safeguards and internal controls to ensure that: (1) each cardholder is assigned an approving official; (2) DOD utilizes technologies to prevent or identify fraudulent purchases; (3) cards of terminated or transferred employees are invalidated; (4) steps are taken to recover the cost of improper or fraudulent purchases through salary offsets; and (5) DOD's Inspector General conducts periodic risk assessment of purchase card programs and associated internal controls, analyzes weaknesses and the frequency of improper activity, and develops appropriate corrective actions. (Sec. 3) Amends the Travel and Transportation Reform Act of 1998 to require each agency head to establish safeguards and internal controls over travel charge cards to ensure that: (1) records are kept of each holder of a card issued for official use; (2) rebates and refunds on travel card accounts are monitored for accuracy and recorded as agency receipts; (3) periodic reviews are performed to determine whether each cardholder has a need for a card; (4) training is provided to cardholders and officials responsible for oversight; (5) agencies have specific policies regarding the number of cards issued by various organizations, credit limits, and categories of eligible employees that are designed to minimize the financial risk to the government and to ensure the integrity of the cardholders; (6) an individual's creditworthiness is evaluated before a card is issued; (7) agencies utilize technologies to prevent or identify fraudulent purchases; (8) cards of terminated employees are invalidated; and (9) agencies utilize direct payment to the card holder. (Sec. 4) Requires the heads of agencies that have employees who use centrally billed accounts to establish and maintain safeguards and internal controls to ensure that agencies: (1) compare items submitted on an employee's travel voucher with items paid for using such an account; (2) dispute unauthorized charges and track disputed transactions to ensure appropriate resolution; and (3) submit requests for refunds for fully or partially unused tickets to the airlines and track unused tickets to ensure appropriate resolution. Requires the Director to prescribe guidance on implementing such safeguards and internal controls.