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Financial Management: Audit of the Senate Stationery Room Revolving Fund for Fiscal Year 2010

GAO-11-204R Published: Apr 06, 2011. Publicly Released: Apr 06, 2011.
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Highlights

In a letter dated July 22, 2010, Congress requested that we conduct an audit of the Senate Stationery Room's cash receipts and cash disbursements recorded in the Senate Stationery Room Revolving Fund for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010. In the letter, Congress also requested that we review the inventory accounting procedures of the Stationery Room. The Senate Stationery Room provides for the sale of stationery to members of the Senate, Senate offices, and other Senate committees and authorized organizations. This includes the sale of office and administrative supplies, personalized stationery, flags, and special order items such as business cards. All sales receipts are taken to the Senate Disbursing Office for deposit into the Senate Stationery Room Revolving Fund in the U.S. Treasury. The Stationery Room then uses the cash receipts to purchase inventory items and emergency supplies for resale, and to pay for other services expenses. The Senate Disbursing Office maintains the money and makes payments on behalf of the Senate Stationery Room Revolving Fund. Salaries and benefits of Senate employees who work in the Stationery Room are not paid from the revolving fund; rather, they are paid from the "Salaries, Officers, and Employees" appropriation account of the Senate. Additional costs of the Stationery Room such as rent and utilities cannot be readily determined and are covered by other appropriated Senate funds.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter Status Comments
The Secretary of the Senate should direct Senate Stationery Room management to update existing written policies and procedures for cash receipts and cash disbursements, to include: (1) requiring and documenting reviews of weekly cash sheets, weekly deposit envelopes, and monthly cash reconciliations; (2) retaining electronic documentation of signed purchase orders before shredding; and (3) incorporating multiple procedural documents into a comprehensive manual.
Closed – Implemented
As part of GAO's audit of the cash receipts and cash disbursements recorded in the Senate Stationery Room Revolving Fund for FY 2014, GAO found that the recommendation was implemented and considered closed.
The Secretary of the Senate should direct Senate Stationery Room management to disseminate updated policies and procedures, train personnel as necessary, and establish a mechanism to provide for subsequent review of activities for compliance.
Closed – Implemented
As part of GAO's audit of the cash receipts and cash disbursements recorded in the Senate Stationery Room Revolving Fund for FY 2014, GAO found that the recommendation was implemented and considered closed.

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Topics

Accounting proceduresAppropriated fundsCash managementFinancial managementFund auditsInventoriesInventory controlOffice managementOffice suppliesRevolving fundsTraining utilizationPolicies and procedures