Opinion ID: 185455
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Inspector General Act

Text: 4 The Inspector General Act established the Office of Inspector General (OIG) in order to facilitate objective inquiries into bureaucratic waste ... and mismanagement. NASA v. Fed. Labor Relations Auth., 527 U.S. 229, 240 (1999). The IG's mandate focuses on systemic agency-wide issues. Congress created the OIG to provide leadership and coordination and recommend policies for activities designed ... to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the administration of, and ... to prevent and detect fraud and abuse in, such programs and operations. 5 U.S.C. App. 3 2(2). There are limits to the IG's powers, however. Most prominently, the Act specifically prohibits the OIG from assuming program operating responsibilities. 5 U.S.C. App. 3 9(a)(2). 5 The general parameters of the Inspector General Act are fairly clear cut. First, Congress consolidated pre-existing agency offices into the OIG, thereby transferring the various offices' investigative duties to the OIG. In the case of the DOT, Congress mandated that the responsibilities of offices such as the Office of Investigations and Security and the Office of Audit be consolidated into the OIG. 5 U.S.C. App. 3 9(a)(1)(k). Second, the Act defines the IG's core role as preventing fraud and abuse, by conducting audits and investigations relating to agency programs and operations. 5 U.S.C. App. 3 2(1), 4(a)(1), 6(a)(2). Finally, Congress authorized agencies to make discretionary transfers of duties to the OIG. However, discretionary transfers of authority only can be made if the duties are properly related to the functions of the IG, further the purpose of the Act, and do not constitute program operating responsibilities. 5 U.S.C. App. 3 9(a)(2). 6 Congress structured the OIG to promote independence and objectivity. The Inspector General Act indicates that Inspectors General will be appointed directly by the President and confirmed by the Senate. 5 U.S.C. App. 3 3(a). An IG is under the general supervision of the head of the agency, but the head of the agency may not interfere with any IG investigation. Id. In a similar vein, Inspectors General report directly to Congress regarding their agencies. Id. Furthermore, the OIG has investigatory means at its disposal, such as subpoena power and access to regulated motor carriers' records to aid it in fulfilling its mission. 5 U.S.C. App. 3 3(a), 6(a). The OIG also may, in appropriate circumstances, conduct searches and seizures. See 28 C.F.R. 60.3. 7 In 1999 Congress passed the MCSIA which further addresses the power of the DOT IG. In particular, 228 of the MCSIA states: 8 (a) IN GENERAL.--The statutory authority of the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation includes authority to conduct, pursuant to Federal criminal statutes, investigations of allegations that a person or entity has engaged in fraudulent or other criminal activity relating to the programs and operations of the Department or its operating administrations. 9 (b) REGULATED ENTITIES.--The authority to conduct investigations referred to in subsection (a) extends to any person or entity subject to the laws and regulations of the Department or its operating administrations, whether or not they are recipients of funds from the Department or its operating administrations. 10 228, 113 Stat. at 1773. This statutory provision was not in effect when the IG investigated appellants. 11