In response to the economic catastrophe brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic, Congress recently passed one of the largest recovery and relief packages in the history of our country, totaling over $2.3 trillion dollars to aid individuals, small businesses and local governments – and there is more aid to come over the next few weeks and months.
It is incumbent on the White House and Congress to ensure that this aid is allocated where it is needed immediately and not allow it to be bogged down by bureaucratic red tape or be siphoned off by wasteful and unnecessary projects. To assure maximum efficiency with minimal waste, we should take the following three steps. The American taxpayers deserve to know where their money is going.
First, through the House Oversight Committee, Congress must hold the Administration accountable for every dollar spent. The House Oversight Committee has been in existence since 1927. As its name implies, this committee has the responsibility of ensuring that the funds appropriated by Congress are not mismanaged, that they are spent in accordance with the language of the appropriation legislation, and that we obtain the best outcomes possible from the expenditure of your tax dollars.
As the immediacy of the health portion of this pandemic subsides and the economic recovery portion takes center stage, there will (and should) be hearings held on how to best implement that recovery and to critique what was done right or wrong, what more timely actions could have been taken, and what can be done better in the future. This is a key component of the system of checks and balances that our Founders intended and is a proper role for Congress.
Second, it is critical that the Administration fill all Inspector General (IG) vacancies; both those within the agencies responsible for moving the aid to the people and businesses that need it and throughout the remainder of the government. IGs must have great independence and be able to do their jobs without threat of political repercussions. The statutes establishing them require this.
These Inspectors General will – and should – find inefficiencies in the system and errors committed. The White House should encourage this, not punish it. Any and all information the IGs may find must be public record, unless it is classified. Lives and livelihoods are at stake and the American people deserve to know that their money is getting to the right people in a timely manner, without fraud, favoritism or waste.
The Administration should want to root out poor performance and inefficiency within its agencies so that we are better prepared for future national emergencies. This is critical to assuring that our citizens have trust in their government. In an organization as large and complex as the U.S. government, it is not a sign of failure to discover errors or problems from time to time. The key is that with strong IG and oversight processes, these issues are resolved expeditiously and with transparency. Firing or reassigning Inspector Generals who are capably doing their job is unacceptable and politicizes a process which must be free of political bias.
Finally, Congress should ensure that it is appropriating funds where they are needed most, and not simply throwing money at this pandemic or adding measures that are unrelated to getting the most relief possible directly to the people and businesses that are suffering. The loss of life caused by this virus is a tragedy that we must do everything possible to stop, and the damage it has done to our economy can only be fixed through a bipartisan effort of the House, Senate, and Administration working together. Oversight will be a significant part of the process going forward, and it should be welcomed.
Congressman Francis Rooney (@RepRooney) represents Florida’s 19th Congressional District in the House of Representatives. He served as U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See under President George W. Bush from 2005-2008.