Newsroom Archive

U.S. Census Bureau federal employee Roger Rhoads was present at yesterday's signing of President Obama's new Executive Order to Cut Waste and Promote Efficient Spending. Rhoads was invited to participate for playing a pivotal role in a U.S. Department of Commerce initiative to make cell phone usage more efficient.

The efforts of the team Rhoads led saved the department $1.8 million to date and will save a total of $3 million this year by disconnecting 2,648 wireless lines showing no usage for three months or longer as well as by optimizing rate plans. This amount includes $1.2 million saved by the Census Bureau.

"Roger and his team have done some outstanding work to save the taxpayers a lot of money," Census Bureau Director Robert Groves said. "The Census Bureau is serious about identifying efficiencies in all our work. We are holding ourselves to a higher standard and giving our employees the power to suggest improvements in everything we do."

This Department of Commerce initiative was part of President Obama and Vice President Biden's Campaign to Cut Waste, launched in June to eliminate misspent tax dollars in every agency and department across the federal government.