Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency

Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency is a statutorily established independent entity within the Federal government of the United States charged with addressing integrity, economy, and effectiveness issues that transcend individual agencies. It was created by the Inspector General Reform Act of 2008 to foster coordination among the federal Inspectors General community and serve as a principal mechanism for collective action on government-wide oversight challenges. The council operates to enhance professionalism and ensure robust independent oversight across the Executive Branch.

History and establishment

The council's formation was a direct legislative response to perceived gaps in interagency oversight coordination following high-profile challenges like those during the response to Hurricane Katrina and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The enabling legislation, the Inspector General Reform Act of 2008, was signed into law by President George W. Bush in October 2008 as an amendment to the original Inspector General Act of 1978. This reform was championed by legislators such as Senator Claire McCaskill and Representative Henry Waxman, who sought to strengthen the independence and collaborative power of the Inspectors General community. The act formally established the council, building upon the framework of its predecessor, the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency, which had operated under Executive Order since 1981.

Membership and structure

Membership is composed of all Inspectors General whose offices are established under the Inspector General Act of 1978, including those from major departments like the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice, as well as designated federal entities. Key leadership includes a chairperson, who rotates among Inspectors General, and two vice chairs. Permanent seats are held by the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, and representatives from the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management. The council is supported by several permanent committees, such as the Investigations Committee and the Information Technology Committee, and an executive staff located in Washington, D.C..

Functions and responsibilities

The council's primary statutory functions are to identify and address fraud, waste, and abuse that cross agency boundaries and to develop policies and standards for the oversight community. It is mandated to develop and deliver cross-agency training for Inspectors General staff through the Inspector General Criminal Investigator Academy and the Inspector General Academy. A core duty is to issue semiannual reports to Congress on the activities of the council and the challenges facing the Inspectors General community. It also facilitates joint investigations and audits, such as those related to pandemic spending or Department of Homeland Security programs, and maintains a secure integrity committee to review allegations against Inspectors General themselves.

Key initiatives and programs

Notable programs administered include the Grant Fraud Task Force, which coordinates oversight of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds and later Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act expenditures. The council's Information Technology Committee oversees initiatives like the Federal Audit Executive Council to share best practices in data analytics. It also runs the CyberStat initiative with the Department of Homeland Security to review federal cybersecurity. Training initiatives, particularly those offered by the Inspector General Academy, are critical for professionalizing staff across offices like the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General.

Relationship with other oversight bodies

The council maintains formal and informal relationships with numerous external oversight entities to coordinate efforts and avoid duplication. It works closely with the Government Accountability Office on broad oversight plans and with congressional committees like the United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the United States Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Within the Executive Branch, it coordinates with the Office of Management and Budget on issues of government efficiency and with the Department of Justice on joint investigations. It also interfaces with the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board on cross-cutting issues and with the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program on financial sector oversight.

Controversies and criticisms

The council has faced criticism, particularly regarding the effectiveness and transparency of its Integrity Committee process for reviewing allegations against sitting Inspectors General. High-profile cases, such as the investigation into Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General Todd Zinser, raised questions about the timeliness and independence of these reviews. Some members of Congress, including former Representative Elijah Cummings, have expressed concern that the council's structure may not fully insulate it from political pressure from the White House or agency heads. Additionally, external watchdogs like the Project On Government Oversight have argued that the council lacks sufficient authority to mandate action from powerful Inspectors General offices, potentially limiting its impact on government-wide reform.