U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Legislation on Strengthening Inspectors General Clears Senate Hurdle
Baldwin amendment to Inspector General Empowerment Act would dramatically improve transparency and accountability by requiring disclosure of all OIG reports that contain recommendations to the leadership of relevant agencies or departments, Congressional oversight committees, and individuals who may have requested the investigation.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, during a business meeting of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, a bipartisan amendment authored by U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) was unanimously approved. The provision would amend the Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2015, which Senator Baldwin has cosponsored, to require all Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports that make recommendations as a result of investigations, audits or other activities to be sent directly to the head of the agency or department. In addition, under Baldwin’s provision, these reports will be available to the public and submitted directly to relevant Congressional oversight committees. Lastly, if the OIG initiated an investigation based on information provided by a private citizen, the report containing recommendations would also be shared with that individual.
Last week at a Senate Veterans Committee hearing, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Robert McDonald and Interim Under VA Secretary for Health Dr. Carolyn Clancy, acknowledged that the VA never received, and never requested, a Veteran’s Affairs Office of Inspector General (OIG) inspection report of the Tomah VAMC that offered a series of recommendations. The VA OIG inspection report was launched in 2011 and closed in March 2014 and was not provided to those who initiated the investigation.
Baldwin’s amendment was cosponsored by Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-WI). In addition, Baldwin cosponsored and supported an amendment offered by Chairman Johnson to ensure that all OIG reports are made public. Both amendments are now included in the Inspector General Empowerment Act which heads to the full Senate for consideration.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin
As Elon Musk’s DOGE Targets Social Security, Baldwin Calls on Trump Admin to Reverse Decision That Makes Accessing Benefits More Difficult
Mar 27th, 2025 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinBaldwin: “There is no way around it: this latest action by the Trump Administration is a direct attack on Social Security”
Senator Baldwin Raises Alarms on Trump Gutting Health Department and Making Americans Less Safe, Healthy
Mar 27th, 2025 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinTrump and Musk forcing out 20,000 workers that protect families from unsafe foods, support Medicare and Medicaid recipients, and find breakthroughs for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease
Baldwin Calls Out Trump Undermining Small Business Owners, Demands Admin Release Report on Proposed Cuts to the Bipartisan MBDA
Mar 26th, 2025 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinBaldwin and Republican colleagues helped make Minority Business Development Center permanent to help entrepreneurs, create jobs, and grow economy
