Ernst Launches Inspector General Caucus

WASHINGTON – To continue her work as a champion for taxpayers, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is leading a bipartisan group of senators in launching the Inspector General Caucus that will work to ensure the executive branch watchdogs are empowered to properly identify and mitigate waste, fraud, and abuse.

Inspectors general (IGs) supplied key details in Senator Ernst’s $2 trillion roadmap for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to eliminate waste and in her telework report that exposed an absent federal workforce that has abused locality pay to fleece taxpayers out of billions of dollars.

“Inspectors general serve a vital role in uncovering waste in Washington and must be empowered to continue looking out for taxpayers,” said Ernst. “From identifying billion-dollar boondoggles to exposing a federal workforce that is permanently out of office, their work has been invaluable in my decade-long mission to uncover waste and make Washington squeal. I look forward to this caucus continuing to allow IGs to do tremendous work and find more ways to downsize government and eliminate inefficiencies.”

Joining Senator Ernst in launching the caucus are Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).

“Inspectors General play an essential role in protecting taxpayer dollars and rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in the executive branch,” said Grassley. “I rely heavily on these independent watchdogs when carrying out my constitutional responsibility of oversight, and I’m glad to join Senator Ernst’s effort to support their invaluable work.”

“Inspectors General are an essential bulwark against corruption, making sure that no one – no matter how powerful – is above the law,” said Blumenthal. “The Inspector General Caucus solidifies our commitment to investigating wrongdoing and increasing public trust in our government. I look forward to continuing my work promoting accountability and transparency and protecting the American people from waste and grift.”

“Cutting waste at every level of government requires supporting those who can identify it,” said Lankford.“Inspectors General (IG) have long helped to root out wasteful projects and abuse of government programs. This caucus will work to further the mission of DOGE by empowering the IG community to continue their work to call out waste when they see it.”

“Inspectors General play a critical role in rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government and the bipartisan Congressional Inspector General Caucus will help build support for the important work that Inspectors General do,” said Hassan. “As co-chair of the Inspector General Caucus, I will continue to work with my colleagues to strengthen the oversight of federal spending and protect taxpayer dollars.”

“I’m proud to be a Vice Chair of the new Senate Inspectors General Caucus. The federal government relies on Inspectors General to conduct independent oversight and combat waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars," said Peters. "The creation of this Caucus demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that Inspectors General have the resources and tools to continue their vital work of safeguarding taxpayer dollars."

“IGs remain committed to providing independent, objective, and effective oversight of Federal programs and operations. Last year alone, the IG community identified savings to Federal programs totaling over $93 billion,” said the Honorable Hannibal “Mike” Ware, Chairperson of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), IG for the Small Business Administration, and Acting IG for the Social Security Administration. “The Federal IG community looks forward to working with the bipartisan IG Caucus and Congressional leaders to enhance efforts to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, improve government efficiency, and deliver for the American public.”

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