Oversight
House Oversight Chief to Biden: It’s Time to Finally Nominate State, USAID and Treasury Watchdogs
Two of the positions have been vacant for more than 1,000 days, and the other has sat empty for over 850 days.
Oversight
Thousands of HUD Contractor Employees Need Better Whistleblower Protections, Watchdog Says
Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis warned of a possible “chilling effect” that could make the contractors hesitant to report wrongdoing.
Oversight
ATF Misclassified Jobs. A Senator Wants the Justice Department to Dig Deeper.
Citing concerns by the whistleblowers who triggered the investigation that found that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had systematically misclassified administrative jobs as law enforcement-related, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, asked the Justice Department to do a more thorough investigation.
Oversight
Senators From Across the Aisle Agree: Biden Needs to Nominate 6 Watchdogs, Quickly
Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., underscored the need for permanent leadership to fully “promote economical, efficient, and effective administration and operation of the government.”
Management
HHS Failed to Screen All Employees Working at Shelters for Migrant Children
The Biden administration ignored its own background check policies as it struggled to handle a 700% increase in unaccompanied children arriving at the border.
Oversight
Health and Human Services Watchdog: We Need More Funding for Oversight
The office touts its return on investment, but tells lawmakers that current funding levels don’t keep pace with investigative needs.
Management
ATF Director Reminds Staff To Follow the Rules When Recruiting Family and Friends
The Justice Department watchdog raised concerns last December about avoiding ethical issues when hiring special agents.
Management
Afghanistan Watchdog to Congress: We Need Help Getting Agencies to Cooperate With Us
White House and agency officials argue that the administration has been responsive to the inspector general.
Oversight
DHS Watchdog Alleges Harassment, Chilling Effect and Constitutional Violations
A lawsuit filed this week alleges the Homeland Security inspector general and his office have been harassed by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency’s investigations, among other things.
Oversight
Following Concerns, Watchdog Advises DOJ on Ending Private Detention Contracts
The department’s inspector general says its recommendations on information sharing and documentation will ensure the proper stewardship of taxpayer dollars and that the department carries out the intent of President Biden’s executive order for the Marshals Service.
Oversight
Another Bipartisan Push for More Financial Transparency and Accountability
“Congress must have a clear understanding of what regulatory and supervisory failures occurred to allow the collapse of both Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank,” said one Republican senator.
Oversight
Watchdogs: Having the Authority to Hire People Faster Would Strengthen Oversight of Ukraine Aid
The State, Defense and U.S. Agency for International Development inspectors general are also looking to place staff at the U.S. embassy in Kyiv.
Oversight
Senators Want a More Independent IG to Oversee the Federal Reserve in the Wake of Bank Failures
The IG office says it already is providing “robust oversight.”
Workforce
Trump Vows to ‘Shatter the Deep State,’ Revive Schedule F and Move More Agencies Out of DC
The former president also said that if reelected in 2024, he will crack down on whistleblowers.
Oversight
Here’s How the Prisons Agency Fared During the Pandemic
The Justice Department inspector general outlined opportunities for reform before the next public health emergency.
Oversight
Afghanistan Watchdog: The Information Flow from Agencies Is Improving, But Could Still Be Better
Three federal agencies maintain they are being responsive to the watchdog.
Oversight
Lawmakers Want Watchdogs to Look Into Their Agencies’ Ethics Policies on Stock Ownership
This follows an investigation by The Wall Street Journal that found thousands of federal officials owned and traded stocks of companies that were affected directly by their agencies’ activity.
Oversight
President Biden Issues a Sweeping Anti-COVID Fraud Proposal
One piece would be to give law enforcement and oversight agencies more time and resources to go after fraudsters.
Management
The Bureau of Prisons Needs to Do More to Address Inmate-on-Staff Sexual Harassment, a Watchdog Says
The report “affirms the years of widespread reports from across the country of this pervasive and demoralizing conduct in our nation's prisons,” a union president said.
Management