The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) launched a new tool Jan. 14 to track the number of vacant inspector general position across the federal government.
There are currently 11 open inspector general positions across the federal government, seven of which have been open for longer than a year and five open longer than two years. The tracker also includes how long the positions have been vacant.
“Filling vacant inspector general positions has long been a priority for the oversight community,” said CIGIE Chair and Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz. “No matter how able or experienced an acting inspector general may be, permanent leadership at any organization is important for stability and long-term success."
Agencies lacking a permanent inspector general include several at the cabinet level: the Departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services and Treasury. The Office of Personnel Management and CIA are also on the list.
Nine of the vacancies require President Donald Trump’s nomination and Senate confirmation.
“Permanent IGs inevitably are seen as having greater independence. As such, a timely process for addressing vacant IG positions is crucial to an OIG’s success in overseeing federal programs and personnel,” Horowitz said in a statement.
CIGIE was able to build the page as part of a $3 million budget allocation it received in the last two years to improve oversight.gov.
Andrew Eversden covers all things defense technology for C4ISRNET. He previously reported on federal IT and cybersecurity for Federal Times and Fifth Domain, and worked as a congressional reporting fellow for the Texas Tribune. He was also a Washington intern for the Durango Herald. Andrew is a graduate of American University.
