Special Inspector General for Program Fraud Act
Sponsored By: Senator Hawley, Josh [R-MO]
Introduced
Summary
Creates an independent Special Inspector General for child assistance programs to audit and investigate federal child care and child nutrition funds. The office would lead efforts to prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse and keep agencies and Congress fully informed through audits, investigations, and public reporting.
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- Families and children: Audits and investigations would focus on federal financial assistance for child care and child nutrition to review how obligations and expenditures are handled.
- Federal agencies and contractors: The office would monitor and review contracts and fund transfers, investigate overpayments or potential illegal actions, and refer matters to the Department of Justice when necessary.
- Congress and the public: The Inspector General would send quarterly reports with contract-level details and publish them online, with covered agencies required to submit comments within 30 days and public access to reports and comments within 60 days.
*Would authorize $10.0 million for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to fund the office, increasing federal spending over that period.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Quarterly spending reports for child aid
This bill would require the Inspector General to send a report within 30 days after each fiscal quarter ends. Each report would show obligations, expenditures, and operating costs for child assistance programs. For each major contract or grant, reports would list the amount, a short scope, who was solicited, and any justification for noncompetitive procurements. The Inspector General would publish the reports online. Covered agencies would have 30 days to submit comments and must make reports and comments available to the public within 60 days of sending them to Congress.
Temporary child assistance fraud watchdog
This bill would create an independent Office of the Special Inspector General for Program Fraud to oversee federal child care and child nutrition funds. The President would appoint the Inspector General with Senate approval, and the appointment must occur within 30 days after enactment. The office would have audit and investigative authorities, including subpoenas, hiring and contracting powers, and pay for experts up to the GS-15 equivalent. It would be funded by authorizations of $10 million for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 and would end on September 30, 2027. The Inspector General would have to send a final report to Congress before the office terminates. Federal agencies would have to provide requested information when practical, and the Inspector General would report any unreasonable refusals to agency heads and Congress.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Hawley, Josh [R-MO]
MO • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov