Where Are All the Watchdogs?

Offices of Inspectors General (OIG) serve as independent watchdogs within federal agencies and are essential to a well-functioning federal government. They conduct audits and investigations that identify wasteful government practices, fraud by individuals and government contractors, and other sorts of government misconduct, even including torture. Congress and the public rely on OIG reports to hold agencies and individuals accountable for wrongdoing, identify a need for legislation, and evaluate the effectiveness of government programs and policies. Unfortunately, many OIGs across the government do not have permanent leadership. POGO’s “Where Are All the Watchdogs?” page tracks how long Inspector General positions across the government have been vacant.

Read more below: Who appoints the IGs | Why having a permanent IG is important | Methodology

Agency		Days Vacant	Vacancy Date	Nominee	Days Since Nomination	Nomination Date	Who Nominates the IG
	Department of State		01/16/2008	Steve Linick		06/27/2013	President
	Department of the Interior		02/23/2009*	--	--	--	President
	Department of Labor		07/13/2009	Scott S. Dahl		07/18/2013	President
	National Endowment for the Humanities		01/28/2011	--	--	--	Agency
	Department of Homeland Security		02/27/2011	--	--	--	President
	Agency for International Development		10/15/2011	Michael G. Carroll		6/10/2013	President
	Department of Defense		12/24/2011	Jon T. Rymer		6/21/2013	President

Who Appoints the IGs

There are currently 73 statutory federal OIGs. Those OIGs fall into two broad categories: (1) OIGs that require the IG to be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, and (2) OIGs that require the agency to nominate the IG. The former category generally involves larger agencies, while the latter generally involves smaller agencies, known as designated federal entities. Thirty-two IGs require a presidential nomination, while 41 require an appointment by the agency.

** Although SIGAR requires a presidential appointment, it does not require Senate confirmation. 

Why Having a Permanent IG Is Important 

OIGs are best positioned to be effective when led by a highly qualified permanent IG, rather than an acting official or no IG at all. Permanent IGs undergo significant vetting—especially the IGs that require Senate confirmation—before taking their position. That vetting process helps to instill confidence among OIG stakeholders—Congress, agency officials, whistleblowers, and the public—that the OIG is truly independent and that its investigations and audits are accurate and credible.     

In addition, a permanent IG has the ability to set a long-term strategic plan for the office, including setting investigative and audit priorities. An acting official, on the other hand, is known by all OIG staff to be temporary, which one former IG has argued “can have a debilitating effect on [an] OIG, particularly over a lengthy period.” Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) has echoed that sentiment, saying “Even the best acting inspector general lacks the standing to make lasting changes needed to improve his or her office.”

Methodology

The initial list of vacancies was obtained from a directory of IGs maintained by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE). Vacancy dates for IG positions that require a presidential appointment were obtained from a database maintained by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Vacancy dates for IG positions not listed in the GAO database were obtained from a variety of sources, including IG resignation letters and agency press releases. POGO defines the start of a vacancy as the last date in which a permanent IG served in that capacity. Information regarding presidential nominations was obtained from a database maintained by the White House.

* Earl Devaney, the most recent permanent Inspector General at the Department of the Interior, was appointed Chair of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board on February 23, 2009. Devaney took a leave of absence from his position at Interior at that point, leaving Acting IG Mary Kendall responsible for running the office. Devaney has now resigned from federal service. POGO considers the position effectively vacant at the time Devaney was appointed Chair of the RAT Board, although it should be noted that the Obama Administration did not have the power to fill the position until Devany retired from federal service at the end of 2011.  

Please contact ldennett@pogo.org if you notice that the status of an IG position has changed.