WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chairs of the Senate Judiciary and Appropriations Committees, respectively, sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought calling on OMB to reverse its decision to withhold apportionments for the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC).
“Absent immediate action, CIGIE and PRAC will need to furlough staff and terminate important functions that help prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse throughout the government,” the senators wrote. “Congress has already appropriated FY 2026 funds for CIGIE and PRAC, and both entities enjoy strong bipartisan support. Thus, any adverse consequences will be solely due to OMB’s decision not to apportion available funds, rather than any lapse in appropriations.”
“Of course, we recognize the need to ensure that all government entities are good stewards of taxpayer dollars and operate efficiently and effectively,” the senators continued. “We understand from your staff that OMB’s apportionment decision may be part of a review of CIGIE and PRAC activities. However, we see no reason why such a review could not occur while those entities remain operational so that they can continue the numerous functions that are mandated by law.”
Grassley and Collins were leading proponents of the Inspector General Reform Act of 2008, which established CIGIE to address integrity, economy and effectiveness issues that transcend government agencies. CIGIE increases the professionalism and effectiveness of federal Inspectors General (IGs) by helping to establish well-trained and highly skilled IG office workforces.
Grassley is a founding member of the bipartisan Senate IG Caucus. Last year, he wrote CIGIE to conduct oversight of its spending data and secure a better understanding of CIGIE’s use of taxpayer funds.
In the 2020 CARES Act, Congress established PRAC as part of CIGIE to conduct and support government-wide oversight efforts associated with the emergency response to the Coronavirus pandemic. Congress this year extended PRAC’s authorization and expanded its jurisdiction as part of the 2025 tax law.
Read the full letter HERE and below.
September 29, 2025
The Honorable Russell T. Vought
Director
The Office of Management and Budget
725 17th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20503
Dear Director Vought:
As leading proponents of the Inspector General Reform Act of 2008, which established the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), we write regarding the recent “policy decision” of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to withhold an apportionment for CIGIE’s FY 2026 operations. We were also notified by the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC), which operates within CIGIE, that OMB has not apportioned funds for its FY 2026 operations. We urgently request an explanation for these actions and ask that you to promptly reverse course so that CIGIE and PRAC can continue their important oversight work uninterrupted.
Absent immediate action, CIGIE and PRAC will need to furlough staff and terminate important functions that help prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse throughout the government. Congress has already appropriated FY 2026 funds for CIGIE and PRAC, and both entities enjoy strong bipartisan support. Thus, any adverse consequences will be solely due to OMB’s decision not to apportion available funds, rather than any lapse in appropriations.
As you know, CIGIE was created to “address integrity, economy, and effectiveness issues that transcend individual Government agencies” and “increase the professionalism and effectiveness of personnel by developing policies, standards, and approaches to aid in the establishment of a well-trained and highly skilled workforce in the offices of the Inspectors General.” 5 U.S.C. § 424(a). Effectively defunding CIGIE—contrary to congressional intent—will disrupt numerous important oversight functions, including the Oversight.gov website, whistleblower reporting portals, and activities designed to ensure the inspectors general community is held accountable.
Congress established PRAC as part of the CARES Act to conduct and support government-wide oversight efforts associated with the emergency response to the Coronavirus pandemic, including through the use of a sophisticated analytics platform. Just this year, as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Congress extended PRAC’s authorization, expanded its jurisdiction, and appropriated $88 million in additional funding to support its efforts. Shuttering PRAC would be disruptive to ongoing oversight and inhibit future efforts.
Of course, we recognize the need to ensure that all government entities are good stewards of taxpayer dollars and operate efficiently and effectively. We understand from your staff that OMB’s apportionment decision may be part of a review of CIGIE and PRAC activities. However, we see no reason why such a review could not occur while those entities remain operational so that they can continue the numerous functions that are mandated by law. Moreover, to the extent OMB believes that CIGIE or PRAC should be reformed to better achieve their missions, we stand ready to work collaboratively with you to consider potential reforms. Our ongoing oversight of CIGIE can provide useful ways to ensure that it operates optimally for the American people—fixes that can be implemented while the entity is funded.
As Congress conducts oversight and considers a potential legislative response, please respond to the following questions by no later than Friday, October 3, 2025:
We look forward to your timely response to these questions, and we again urge you to promptly apportion funds to CIGIE and PRAC, consistent with congressional intent.
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