WASHINGTON — The Office of Management and Budget has released nearly $4.3 million for the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency following pressure from Sens. Susan Collins (R) of Maine and Chuck Grassley (R) of Iowa.
The senators, who chair the Senate Appropriations and Judiciary committees, welcomed OMB’s decision to apportion $4,287,000 for CIGIE, allowing the oversight body to operate through Jan. 30 under the current continuing resolution. OMB will also conduct a programmatic review of CIGIE’s activities.
The move comes after Collins and Grassley sent a letter to OMB Director Russell Vought urging the release of funding for both CIGIE and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee. It also follows Grassley’s earlier push for CIGIE to clarify its reporting of spending records.
“We are pleased that following our continued outreach, OMB is releasing the funding that Congress provided for CIGIE to continue its vital work,” the senators said in a joint statement. “This action, building on OMB’s earlier decision to release funding for PRAC, ensures that these important oversight entities can remain focused on delivering the accountability American taxpayers deserve. Our oversight of the Administration’s actions, and CIGIE’s work, will continue.”
Collins and Grassley were key backers of the 2008 Inspector General Reform Act, which created CIGIE to strengthen oversight across federal agencies and improve the training and professionalism of inspectors general and their staff.
