Impact of Administrative Budget Procedures on Independence of Offices of Inspector General

Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the budget and funding processes for 17 offices of inspector general (OIG) and the potential of these processes to affect OIG independence.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter	Status	Comments
Congressional appropriations and authorizing committees should specify a funding floor for OIG activities in appropriations where funds of OIG are commingled with funds for other activities and request that each IG testify before Congress in support of his or her OIG budget request.	Closed – Implemented	The House Committee on Government Operations requested the Appropriations Committee's support in implementing this recommendation. Committee staff stated that no further action will be taken.

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Heads of Federal Agencies	To enhance OIG independence, secretaries/administrators or their deputies in agencies with statutory IG's should have the unmodified budget requests of IG's, as well as any advice and counsel provided by other agency officials, to clearly reflect that ultimate decisionmaking on the OIG budget is restricted to themselves.	Closed – Implemented Modified budget procedures were reported to the Subcommittee and GAO by agencies. IG's have verified the revised approach. An accomplishment report will be prepared.

Full Report

Full Report (10 pages)

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Topics

Auditing and Financial Management

Appropriated fundsBudgetingInspectors generalBudget requestsBudget processBudgetsLegislationAppropriationsAuthorizing committeesHearings