The chairs and ranking members of the Senate and House oversight committees have sent OMB a letter voicing concerns that IGs have encountered problems obtaining documents from their respective agencies. In their letter, they ask OMB to step in and take “affirmative steps to ensure that all agencies and their staffs are properly informed and trained on the requirements of the Inspectors General Act so that IGs receive the information they need to do their jobs.”
Under the act, IGs may undertake whatever reports or investigations they deem necessary or desirable, and they “have access to all records, reports, audits, reviews, documents, papers, recommendations, or other material available to the applicable establishment which relate to programs and operations with respect to which that Inspector General has responsibilities under this Act.”
The letter is a response to one sent to Congress signed by 47 IGs claiming they”re not consistently getting the access they request, citing in particular the Peace Corps, the EPA and the Justice Department.
