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The talking dead?

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  • Description

    Lawmaker wants to rein in 'Obamaphone' program for the poor after free cell phones were sent to dead people

  • Duration 4:49
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This transcript is automatically generated

Thank goodness truth campaign for mobile phones for dead people -- like that.

How are not very much.

Trying to Arkansas congressman Tim Griffin the government is sending a free phones to dead relatives in his constituents.

11984 program the federal programs -- phones to low income Americans.

It is true the -- didn't specifically say they have to be alive.

But wouldn't think someone in the government -- this one out constant Griffin joins us thank you -- -- OK so we're really sending phones to dead people.

Well -- this is truly a constituent driven this year I got a lot of calls letters complaints.

People say and paid my deceased father.

I just got a free cell phone.

Like this one -- -- -- it.

And I had people writing me telling me they were getting phones unsolicited.

And every time that someone gets one of these cell -- from registered federal government pays about ten bucks.

For the serve us.

And in recent years this this program just gotten out of control over a billion dollars -- -- I would reckon it's his US government spent about 2.2 billion last year to provide phone slowing to Americans.

That's right well -- continued -- it continues to go up and waste fraud and abuses throughout this program some people getting 102030.

Even forty cell phones.

In my district -- television.

A station interviewed one of my constituents who said don't camera while I pay for one phone and I keep a free one as a back up.

Just in case.

And so there's been a lot -- there have been a lot of problems with this program but beyond that.

I think the issue is where do we draw the line it would be great if everybody had -- -- We -- up.

Bardem -- an iPad.

Gonna be so -- -- -- looked a little bit deeper and the federal communication commission.

That's a government said that 4441%.

Of the nearly six million people who get these phones.

Don't meet the requirements to try and greatest switches it to announce that my sister -- not an -- two million dollars a year.

We spend to people who don't qualify -- two million dollars.

And we're paying for this if you wonder what all this different lines are on your cellphone of fees and what have you one of those lines is universal service fund.

That's where the money comes from to fund this program.

-- -- A look at I mean to a diving into whether it's a good car bad programmer or whether we should pattern that.

And -- that it's clear that the 41% who don't qualify should be giving -- getting a phone.

-- if you get a phone.

And and you're not supposed to have it and you use it demeaning and essentially -- I mean these mean there are you apply for one and Eli and the application -- -- the federal poverty level that's also a crime Sherman is is anyone like we live all this waste and fraud -- nine iron two million dollars a year.

And -- there's no mission no effort to try to.

-- this wanna.

None what -- -- my legislation.

Does is it takes it back to the programs programs roots when it was landline only.

So if -- shot and in your home.

He need to land line.

How the program originally was intended.

To provide that for folks it was only expanded to cell phones about six years ago.

And it's just gotten out of control.

You would think we can save -- in in that area.

To fund White House George don't you thing.

And that's a whole other issue.

I'm anonymity I sit here night after night it's yeah although the -- incredible waste and fraud and I -- it was scrambling on the sequester kind of I eighty to 85 billion dollars.

In every night we can find a billion just sitting here sure on -- cleanup we just looked around innocents are hard to be -- you know.

Mean there's doesn't seem to be -- when I'm -- I'm glad you're doing this but.

There isn't much aggressive search to clean up the waste what government.

What's been frustrating for me to be frank with you this I thought this would be a no brainer I fault but he did returning this program to the land line.

I would be a no brainer but it's been a struggle.

To get co sponsor and got about 28 now.

And you know I asked folks at home if your member of congress is not on my bill.

Please ask him to get on it because I think that -- this issue.

I was -- senator -- a little bit during the presidential -- bank.

And it started to get some attention but what I said the folks if we can't get things like this under control.

How are we ever.

Going to deal.

With a sixteen trillion dollar debt.

I have exactly -- -- I think probably disheartened I think most people would agree that we should be sending.

Phones to dead people sure I think that Diaw bell and I think we probably hologram but when output to find a way to fight over that went and I -- -- nice -- is there appreciate it very much.

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