Issa Tells Inspectors General to Keep Congress in the Loop

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., wants the government’s73 inspectors general to keep him in the loop when conducting major investigations. The chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee made his feelings known in a letter to the IGs, The Washington Post’s blog the Federal Eye reported.

In the letter he wrote that the inspector general of the General Services Administration failed to inform Congress of its investigation into the now notorious 2010 employee conference in Las Vegas. The IG had informed GSA leaders and the White House but not Congress.

“Section 5(d) of the Inspector General Act requires the inspectors general to report particularly flagrant problems to Congress through the agency head within seven days via what has become known as a ‘seven-day letter,’” Issa wrote according to the Post.

However, such notices are rare. Between 2008 and 2010, one inspector general issued a seven-day letter, according to the Government Accountability Office and between January 1990 and April 1998, none were issued, the Post reported.

“Going forward, it is my expectation that you will inform Congress about serious or flagrant problems at your agency — like those at GSA — much earlier,” Issa wrote.