Recent Management Practices at FEMA

GAO discussed allegations concerning an official of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). GAO was asked to determine whether the FEMA Associate Director for Training and Education converted a building at a FEMA training center for personal use and made personal use of vehicles rented by the government. GAO found that the associate director and his deputy approved renovations to the building and that, within a 5-month period, the renovation contract was modified five times and the cost increased by about 85 percent. GAO noted that the matter was subject to differing explanations by FEMA officials. Regarding the use of the vehicles that were rented at government expense, GAO concluded that the associate director's use of the vehicles to commute to work violated Federal law.