POGO Supports House Bill Stressing Inspector General and GAO Recommendations

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Dear Representatives Walker, Bishop, Duncan, Fitzpatrick, and Palmer:

I am writing in support of your “Good Accounting Obligation in Government Act” or “GAO-IG Act” (H.R. 5415) reported out of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on May 23.

The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is a nonpartisan independent watchdog that investigates and exposes waste, corruption, abuse of power, and when the government fails to serve the public or silences those who report wrongdoing.

We champion reforms to achieve a more effective, ethical, and accountable federal government that safeguards constitutional principles.

Recognizing the crucial work of the Inspectors General and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to root out agency waste, corruption, and mismanagement, POGO has worked for decades to draw attention to these investigators’ vital reports in order to maximize the impact of their findings and prescriptive recommendations.

As you know, inspectors general and the GAO are key players in ensuring that taxpayer dollars are well-spent within agencies. Yet, too often, their recommendations go overlooked and unimplemented with little recourse for agency inaction, all to the detriment of the taxpayer. For example, a study by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee revealed that more than 13,000 Inspector General recommendations made between 2001 and 2009 had not been implemented, resulting in a $25 billion loss to taxpayers.¹ Those numbers speak for themselves.

If enacted into law, your bill’s requirement that agency budget requests report on, and justify, unimplemented recommendations from the GAO and the inspectors general would be a strong step forward in encouraging Members of Congress to consider unimplemented recommendations and could inspire agency leadership to incorporate important recommendations that have languished on the sidelines.

I strongly urge your colleagues in the House to swiftly pass the bill and send it to the Senate for consideration.

Thank you for your leadership on this issue and your commitment to the work of these important watchdogs.