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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 496
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WHEREAS, Texas Health and Human Services Inspector General |
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Sylvia Hernandez Kauffman has demonstrated a long-standing |
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commitment to her fellow citizens over the course of her notable |
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career in public service; and |
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WHEREAS, Sylvia Kauffman first joined the Office of |
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Inspector General in 2015 after working for the Health and Human |
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Services Commission, and she previously served OIG as principal |
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deputy inspector general and deputy inspector general for data |
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and technology; she was appointed to her current position as |
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inspector general for Texas Health and Human Services by Governor |
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Greg Abbott in January 2018; and |
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WHEREAS, Among her many responsibilities, Inspector |
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General Kauffman oversees the vision, direction, strategy, and |
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day-to-day operations of the 500-person office, which is charged |
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with protecting the integrity of HHS programs and with |
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preventing, detecting, and deterring fraud, waste, and abuse in |
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the delivery of health and human services in the state; |
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throughout her exemplary tenure, she has placed a significant |
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emphasis on the use of data analytics, and as a result, |
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recoveries have steadily increased despite a reduction in |
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overall staff; in the 2022 fiscal year alone, the agency |
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recovered nearly half a billion dollars and demonstrated a return |
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of $6.21 for every dollar invested; in total, the OIG has |
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recovered more than $2 billion for Texas taxpayers under her able |
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leadership; and |
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WHEREAS, Born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, |
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Inspector General Kauffman was the valedictorian of her high |
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school and a first-generation college student; she holds a |
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bachelor's degree in computer science from Stanford University |
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and a master's degree in public policy from Harvard University; |
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earlier in her career, she was employed by the Strategic Planning |
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Unit in the Information Technology Division of the Commonwealth |
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of Massachusetts, where she received the Governor's Special |
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Achievement Award for her work in transforming the delivery of |
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government services; and |
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WHEREAS, Through her skill, professionalism, and |
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commitment to excellence, Sylvia Kauffman has greatly benefited |
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the people of the Lone Star State, and she may indeed reflect with |
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pride on her outstanding record of service; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th |
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Legislature, hereby honor Sylvia Hernandez Kauffman for her |
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professional accomplishments and extend to her sincere best |
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wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
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prepared for Inspector General Kauffman as an expression of high |
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regard from the Texas Senate. |
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LaMantia |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on May 1, 2023. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |