The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has passed legislation to enhance the authority of agency inspectors general and requiring agencies to take corrective action to recover potential cost savings identified in the course of IG audits and investigations.
HR-5815, the Inspector General Authority Improvement Act of 2010, also could give IGs the authority to subpoena non-federal witnesses under certain circumstances, something the committee argues would help IGs investigate procurement fraud and other abuses.
Committee chair Edolphus Towns, D-NY, also sent letters to IGs throughout the federal government recently essentially polling them to find out whether agencies are making progress with cost savings and deficit reduction recommendations IGs made in fiscal 2008.
The letters ask whether administrative or legislative action is needed to bring about the savings or efficiencies the IGs had identified and compiled into a list, representing some $18.6 billion in potential savings.
