Members of Congress Urge President to Fill IG Vacancies

Members of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs wrote the president last week urging him to fill vacant inspector general (IG) positions in the federal government. The letter outlines current vacancies and expresses the importance of stable, permanent leadership.

As the letter notes, there are currently nine vacancies of presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed IG positions with no nominations pending and two vacancies for agency appointed IGs. The departments with currently vacant presidentially appointed IG positions include:

• Central Intelligence Agency

• Department of Defense

• Office of Personnel Management

• Tennessee Valley Authority

• Environmental Protection Agency

• Department of Education

• Nuclear Regulatory Commission

• Department of Health and Human Services

• Department of Treasury

Currently vacant agency appointed IG positions are in the Federal Election Commission and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The letter explained, “While many acting lGs have served admirably in the absence of permanent leadership, the lack of a permanent leader threatens to impede the ability of these offices to conduct the oversight and investigations necessary to ensure that taxpayer dollars are protected, public safety risks are identified, and that whistleblowers who expose waste, fraud, and abuse are protected. In addition, the lack of a permanent IG can create the potential for conflicts of interest and diminish the essential independence of lGs.”

The letter also notes that many of these positions have been vacant for over a year, with the CIA IG position being vacant for over four years.

The letter, signed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers making up the committee, urges the president to “expeditiously” nominate permanent IGs and requests agency leadership do the same.