{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20141027225018/http://www.vitter.senate.gov/newsroom/press/vitter-free-government-cell-phone-program-needs-criminal-investigators", "Vitter: Free Government Cell Phone Program Needs Criminal Investigators", "2014-10-24", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "LA", "David Vitter", "V000127", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Vitter: Free Government Cell Phone Program Needs Criminal Investigators\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, October 24, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t(Washington, D.C.) \u2013 U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) today urged for more oversight of the controversial free government cell phone program known as Lifeline. In a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman, Tom Wheeler, who administers the program, Vitter questioned why they won\u2019t allow the hiring of criminal investigators.\n\u201cThe free government cell phone program is one of the most abused and fraud-ridden federal programs ever,\u201d said Vitter. \u201cIt\u2019s alarming that the federal agency in charge won\u2019t allow criminal investigators to be hired. That needs to change, and the FCC needs to be much more aggressive in tackling the fraud and abuse.\u201d\nRecent testimony by the FCC\u2019s Inspector General David Hunt before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology indicated that the FCC Chairman has denied their request to hire criminal investigators.\nThe Lifeline Program was created in 1984 to expand landline services for low-income households through the Universal Service Fund (USF). The program supporting mobile phones was expanded in 2008 to include wireless service provider and has grown from $143 million in 2008 to nearly $2 billion. Vitter has introduced legislation to eliminate the welfare subsidy for mobile phone service in the Lifeline Program and restore the program to its original intent of providing landline service.\nBelow is the text of Vitter\u2019s letter.\nOctober 24, 2014\nThe Honorable Tom Wheeler  Chairman  Federal Communications Commission  445 12th Street SW  Washington, DC 20554\nChairman Wheeler:\nThe recent testimony by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Inspector General David Hunt before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology regarding your decision to hamper investigations is alarming. According to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), you have denied them authority to hire criminal investigators. That needs an immediate explanation. Considering the highly publicized fraud that permeates the FCC, especially within the highly controversial Universal Service Fund (USF) Lifeline program, it makes absolutely no sense to me why you would deny Mr. Hunt\u2019s request to hire criminal investigators.\nThe Lifeline program is one of the most abused and fraud-ridden federal programs ever, and it is our responsibility to work together to eliminate the fraud and abuse. Mr. Hunt\u2019s testimony revealed major cause for concern regarding your efforts to eradicate the fraud within Lifeline and USF programs. In July 2014, you created a \u201cstrike force,\u201d and I commend that effort. However, given the massive amount of documented fraud within the Lifeline program, the \u201cstrike force\u201d should coordinate with law enforcement and the OIG. It is obvious that you are not using all of the tools at your disposal or even making basic decisions that would allow the \u201cstrike force\u201d to eradicate any findings of fraud and prevent cases of future fraud from happening.\nWhile you might claim that the FCC is taking action to address escalating fraud within Lifeline through implementing the \u201cstrike force,\u201d it is clear that your efforts are neither effective nor comprehensive. It has been two years since the initial push to curb fraud and abuse within Lifeline, but reports keep coming about new, massive cases of fraud. Far more needs to be done. For instance, a recent Washington Examiner report determined that nearly double the number of eligible subscribers have received taxpayer subsidized cell phones from Lifeline in Maryland. The enforcement of the program rules and regulations has not been a priority of the FCC, and that must change immediately. Without enforcement of Lifeline\u2019s eligibility rules, fraud will continue to haunt this taxpayer subsidized welfare program for years to come.\nAt a minimum, you should absolutely allow the OIG to hire criminal investigators. I hope you will reconsider your denial, and start working aggressively to identify waste, fraud and abuse so we can end it.\nSincerely,\nDavid Vitter   U.S. Senator\n  -30-\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tPress Contact\n\t\t\t\t\t(Washington, D.C.) \u2013 U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) today urged for more oversight of the controversial free government cell phone program known as Lifeline. In a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman, Tom Wheeler, who administers the program, Vitter questioned why they won\u2019t allow the hiring of criminal investigators.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141027225018/http://www.vitter.senate.gov/newsroom/press/vitter-free-government-cell-phone-program-needs-criminal-investigators"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7259487174451351, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}