FEMA eventually tracked down only 93 of the 200 computers. GAO classified it as a case of "potentially fraudulent activity."

DHS has armed about 9,000 bureaucrats with charge cards like those used to buy the computers. In fiscal 2005, these bureaucrats charged $420 million to the taxpayers. So, how widespread was the fraud and abuse?

GAO doesn't know. "Our forensic audit and investigative work identified numerous transactions where DHS failed to prevent or detect potential fraudulent, improper, abusive or questionable purchases," said GAO's testimony. "However, our work was not designed to identify all instances of, or estimate the full extent of fraud, waste and abuse."

"A weak control environment and breakdown in key controls exposed DHS to fraud and abuse in its use of the purchase card," GAO concluded.

This is not a new conclusion by GAO, nor unique to DHS. I first wrote about the government's charge-cards-for-bureaucrats program in 2004, after GAO submitted testimony to Congress that said: "We and Inspectors General across the government found ineffective management oversight and internal control over purchase card use. A weak overall control environment and substantial breakdowns in internal control left agencies vulnerable to fraudulent, improper and abusive charges."

President Clinton started the charge-cards-for-bureaucrats program in 1994, when he signed the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act and issued an accompanying order expanding the number of federal employees eligible for cards. Prior to that only specific procurement officials had them. In 1994, federal employees spent $1 billion on government charge cards. By 2003, 325,000 federal employees carried the cards and used them to spend $16.4 billion.

Clinton made it easier for bureaucrats to spend. So now they spend more of our money.

Congress and President Bush should make it harder for bureaucrats to spend by canceling the charge-card program. Perhaps the cards can be piled up in front of the Treasury and burned.

Admiral Brewski could be invited to torch the pile, and toast the taxpayers with any brew he pays for himself.