Inspectors General
IRS is behind on Biden policy to not increase audits for households under $400K
TIGTA reports that the IRS has not developed a methodology to comply with a 2022 directive that bars IRA funding from being used to increase audits on households earning $400,000 or less annually.
GSA has a backlog of 36,000 open fire, safety and health risk conditions in federal buildings
After a complaint to GSA’s inspector general that the agency was violating employee health and safety regulations, auditors found a database of unresolved risk issues at federal buildings across the nation that dated back a decade.
GOP lawmakers raise concerns over DHS report redactions, OIG cooperation
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., pressed the Homeland Security secretary in a letter to explain why the department has redacted information in some of its reports to Congress and has allegedly restricted its inspector general’s access.
National Park Service’s IRA hiring surge could fail ahead of funding deadline
While the legislation gave hundreds of millions to NPS for hiring, it didn’t grant new hiring flexibilities, which the Interior Department inspector general reports is hampering progress.
Lack of timeframes and follow-ups led Social Security to delay some priority disability applications
An inspector general’s audit found that while the agency identified and processed 96% of the priority cases reviewed, a slice of applications slipped past monitoring, leading to longer wait times.
Nonprofit urges the White House to fill vacant watchdog roles
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington penned a letter to President Biden Wednesday calling for the appointment of 14 inspectors general to fill roles at agencies such as the General Services Administration and Social Security Administration.
IRS program to assist poor taxpayers rarely picks up the phone
TIGTA investigators were unable to leave a message at 16 local Taxpayer Advocate Service offices because their voicemail boxes were full.
FDIC leaders let anti-harassment initiatives falter
A recent inspector general report is the latest investigation into shortcomings with the banking regulator’s sexual harassment prevention programs and policies.
Federal employees exposed to lead and bacteria in water due to delayed GSA response, IG says
A new report found that water quality at a federal building in Detroit included potentially harmful levels of lead, copper and Legionella bacteria, and the Public Buildings Service did not respond to the threat promptly.
FBI lacks strategy for sharing information with social media platforms about foreign influence threats to U.S. elections
The Justice Department inspector general warned about the risk of sharing information with foreign-owned social media platforms, the FBI not maintaining relationships with companies outside of Silicon Valley and disinformation created using artificial intelligence.
House sends the Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act to president's desk
The chamber also approved two other bills to improve oversight of federal agencies.
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FBI program to catch serial criminals is underfunded and understaffed, inspector general says
Despite a nearly 3,000% increase in cases submitted to the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program’s database, staffing and funding levels have remained “relatively flat.”
Bill to strengthen oversight of beleaguered Bureau of Prisons is cleared for president’s signature
The Senate approved the measure by unanimous consent, following several misconduct investigations into the federal prison system.
TSA hasn’t assessed whether deploying air marshals to the border negatively impacts air security, IG says
The agency has been providing air marshals to assist at the border since 2019.
IRS services for underserved taxpayers are good but can be better, report says
While the IRS has focused on improving customer service for underserved taxpayers, TIGTA noted that the tax agency doesn’t currently have a definition for such taxpayers.
Colorado VA medical facility leaders created a ‘psychologically unsafe’ environment for employees
A pair of inspector general investigations substantiated claims that VA officials in Aurora, Colo., presided over a toxic work environment that also featured a year-long pause in certain surgeries due to staff departures.
Tax audits for some millionaires may be more effective than targeting a wider range, report finds
The TIGTA report compared a 2020 IRS directive that required annual audits on some individuals making more than $10 million to a wider income range, finding that the former yielded more assessments.
IRS is reducing its physical footprint but needs a better long-term plan, its IG says
The IRS has reduced its office space by 2 million square feet since fiscal 2018, but the watchdog said it could save millions in real estate costs with additional steps.
OPM’s unfulfilled recommendations include health insurance benefits changes, IG says
The agency is making progress on implementing IG recommendations, but three of its top yet-to-be-completed recommendations included changes that would prevent improper and inaccurate payments within the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.
An inspector general warned the Justice Department of gaps in its security clearance appeals process
The department and its component agencies have failed to implement a provision of the 2014 Intelligence Authorization Act guaranteeing federal employees of the right to appeal lengthy security clearance suspensions.
