What does an inspector general do?

A federal inspector general leads an office that examines how a government agency uses public money and carries out its work. The Office of Inspector General, usually shortened to OIG, looks for waste, fraud, abuse, and ways to improve agency operations. Its work can give Congress evidence for oversight.

What does an inspector general investigate?

OIGs conduct audits, investigations, inspections, and evaluations. These serve different purposes. An audit may examine spending or program performance; an investigation may examine allegations of misconduct. A critical audit finding does not, by itself, establish that someone committed a crime.

For example, the Justice Department OIG describes its audit and investigative work separately: auditors assess programs and spending, while investigators develop cases that may lead to criminal, civil, or administrative action. Read which kind of report you have before drawing conclusions about its findings.

Who does an inspector general report to?

Federal agency inspectors general have a reporting relationship with both their agency leadership and Congress. Their offices sit within agencies while conducting independent oversight. They send Congress semiannual reports describing their work and report significant problems through other channels as well.

The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, or CIGIE, explains these responsibilities in its overview of the federal inspector general role. The reporting relationship helps explain why an agency report can matter to your representatives in Congress.

How do you read an inspector general report?

Start with the report itself, then separate what it found from what it recommends. Use these checks:

1. Identify the scope. Note the issuing OIG, agency or program examined, report date, and period reviewed. A report published today may examine work from earlier years.
2. Read the actual finding. Check what evidence supports it and any limits the report places on its conclusions.
3. Identify the requested change. Look for the recommendation and the office responsible for responding.
4. Check the response and follow-up. An agency agreeing to a recommendation is different from completing it. Look for a dated status update before describing a problem as fixed.

Oversight.gov explains its report collection and how participating OIGs provide the underlying data. Its open recommendations database can help you check which recommendations remain listed as open. Cite the original report and the date of any follow-up you use.

Does “questioned costs” mean money was stolen?

No. Questioned costs can include spending that lacks adequate supporting documentation, spending considered unnecessary or unreasonable, or spending associated with an alleged violation of a governing requirement. Those are different findings.

For example, in a hypothetical audit, $1 million in questioned costs could reflect missing documentation. That figure alone would not establish that $1 million was stolen or recovered.

Funds for better use describes money that could be used more efficiently if recommended action is taken. It should not be presented as money already saved. Oversight.gov’s data definitions distinguish these measures from investigative recoveries.

Is an inspector general the same as GAO?

No. The Government Accountability Office, or GAO, is a separate agency that works for Congress. It examines federal spending and program performance and provides findings and recommendations to Congress and federal agencies. GAO describes its role here.

Both an OIG report and a GAO report can inform an oversight debate. Check who issued the report rather than treating the names as interchangeable.

What can you ask Congress to do?

A report does not itself enact a law. A legislative change must go through the lawmaking process. If Congress is considering legislation related to a report’s findings, use Modern Action’s bill tracker to find the bill and check its latest dated action.

You can then contact Congress through Modern Action about that bill. Choose your position, then review and edit the draft message. Include the report’s title, date, and link, and explain which finding matters to you. Ask for the decision you want on the bill, or for follow-up on a relevant unresolved recommendation. Keep the report’s findings separate from your own opinion.