Michael Horowitz

In today’s Federal Newscast, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it avoided handing out more than $4.5 billion in improper payments under one of its signature programs in fiscal 2018.

House Democrats anticipate a full slate of investigations and oversight actions once they gain the majority in January, but on at least one longstanding issue, the Justice Department’s inspector general has given no indication of whether his office look into the matter. 

When President Jimmy Carter signed the Inspector General Act on Oct. 12, 1978,  he saw the legislation as an olive branch to an American public that was still reeling from the resignation of President Richard Nixon. 

One year following the launch of Oversight.gov, a one-stop shop where users can reference more than 10,000 agency inspector general reports, the watchdog community sees an opportunity to grow the website.

Faced with several long-term inspector general vacancies at key agencies, the number-two official of the IG community says the Trump administration has begun vetting candidates to fill those watchdog jobs.

Michael Horowitz, inspector general at the Justice Department, said 22 percent of all women and 43 percent of female criminal investigators reported experiencing gender-based discrimination in the department.

As the government oversight community celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Inspector General Act this year, IGs and lawmakers have signaled their support for beefing up a governmentwide watchdog organization.

Thirteen agencies currently lack a confirmed, permanent IG, and more than 10 of those have been without a permanent IG for more than a year, according to the Project on Government Oversight. 

The Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency looked at 61 public reports to figure out what issues cut across federal agencies.

Members of the federal oversight community told House lawmakers Wednesday that would-be whistleblowers need to feel comfortable about reporting wrongdoing at their agencies without fear of retaliation.