New Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Chair Appointed

Statement

Today, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, issued the following statement after the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) announced the appointment of Acting U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General Glenn Fine to serve as the Chair of CIGIE's Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC):

"Inspector General Michael Horowitz has taken a strong first step toward implementing the oversight requirements included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act by quickly appointing a Chair for the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee. Inspector General Glenn Fine has the experience needed to serve as a strong, independent leader for this important committee that will be responsible for investigating and coordinating oversight efforts to combat waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government's spending under the new law."

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act included a provision offered by Chairwoman Maloney and Senator Gary Peters that creates the PRAC.

PRAC will be made up of independent Inspectors General who will conduct and coordinate audits and investigations to provide accountability and identify waste, fraud, and abuse in spending under the CARES Act and the response to the coronavirus crisis.

This provision will help ensure that Inspectors General have the authorities and funding necessary to conduct oversight, including access to documents and testimony from government officials and private sector entities.

The bill requires extensive public reporting through Oversight.gov on what the Inspectors General find during their oversight, and it requires agencies to report information about spending under the bill.

Source