The key House panel overseeing federal agency operations has touted its work in the last Congress of bringing to light misspending, mismanagement and what it calls the politicization of the federal workforce, promising more to come in the 2015-2016 Congress.
The report was something of a valedictory from outgoing chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who could not continue in that role because of committee term limits, and a roadmap for his successor, Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah.
“While all standing committees maintain oversight responsibilities related to their legislative jurisdiction, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is unique because it possesses a special mandate to conduct comprehensive oversight at all levels of government, notwithstanding the jurisdiction of other committees,” the report says.
It cites bills that gained enactment in recent years including phased retirement authority; enhanced whistleblower protections; a bill to eliminate requirements that agencies file certain reports; the DATA Act, which transforms government data reporting requirements; the Federal Information Security Amendments Act creating a framework for the protection of federal information systems; and the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act aimed at improving agency IT investments. It also touts bipartisan efforts that made progress in the prior Congress but fell short and that will be pushed anew. These include bills to strengthen independence and investigative powers of agency IGs and updating and strengthening disclosure requirements under the Freedom of Information Act.
However, the report also focuses on issues that were highly partisan in nature—and are likely to remain so—including oversight of the IRS treatment of applications for non-profit status and subsequent loss of records pertaining to those decisions; use of official time by federal employees for union-related duties; implementation of the Affordable Care Act; and others.
The report is here: http://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/12.31.14-Report-Oversight-Legislative-and-Oversight-Accomplishments1.pdf
