Comer, Sessions, Higgins, Biggs Continue Oversight of CIGIE Following GAO Report Uncovering Integrity Committee Failures

WASHINGTON-House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), Subcommittee on Government Operations Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Texas), Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement Chairman Clay Higgins (R-La.), and Congressman Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) are continuing their oversight of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) after a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report identified significant failures in the Integrity Committee's handling of complaints against inspectors general and their staff. In a letter to CIGIE Chair Cheryl Mason, the Republican lawmakers raise concerns over CIGIE's ability to effectively investigate misconduct within offices of inspectors general and are demanding all documents and information to inform potential legislative reforms to the Integrity Committee.

"The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is continuing its oversight of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. The Committee is concerned about recent findings made by the Government Accountability Office showing significant failures in how CIGIE's Integrity Committee reviews and investigates complaints against inspectors general and their staff. The issues identified raise serious questions about CIGIE's ability to effectively conduct investigations into misconduct and wrongdoing within offices of inspectors general. The Committee demands that CIGIE take immediate action to rectify these failures and is seeking documents and information to help determine the best legislative solutions to remedy concerns with CIGIE's Integrity Committee," wrote the Republican lawmakers.

For five years, the Committee has raised concerns about the lack of transparency and effectiveness of the Integrity Committee. In September 2024, the Committee requested that the GAO review the Integrity Committee's processes. GAO's findings validated the Committee's concerns, identifying repeated failures to provide Congress with statutorily required status updates; investigations that routinely exceeded the 150-day statutory deadline; improper complaint-screening practices; processing delays that unnecessarily prolonged investigations; inadequate documentation and oversight of investigative costs; and final investigative reports that, in some cases, did not accurately reflect the conclusions of the investigating Office of Inspector General.

"These systemic failures force the Committee to consider all options at its disposal, including removing or modifying the duty to investigate wrongdoing within offices of inspectors general from CIGIE. While the Committee reviews potential changes to remedy these failures, it is imperative that CIGIE immediately improve its investigation processes to address the issues found by GAO. CIGIE must provide Congress with timely, accurate and detailed updates on the status and outcomes of investigations," concluded the Republican lawmakers.

Read the letter to CIGIE here.