Office of the House of Representatives Inspector General

Office of the House of Representatives Inspector General

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Updated November 15, 2018
Office of the House of Representatives Inspector General
Since 1992, the House of Representatives has included an
Table 1. House of Representatives Inspectors General
Inspector General (IG) among its officers. Today, the
Office of the House of Representatives Inspector General
Name
Term of Service
conducts audits of the financial and administrative
John W. Lainhart IV
11/14/1993 to 3/31/1999
functions of House officers and joint entities. The first
House IG was appointed in the first session of the 103rd
Steven A. McNamara
3/13/2000 to 5/26/2005
Congress (1993-1994).
James J. Cornell
3/2/2006 to 1/2/2010
Background and History
Theresa M. Grafenstine
7/30/2010 to 9/2017
Following the House banking scandal of 1991, the House of
Michael Ptasienski
2/15/2018 to Present
Representatives instituted numerous administrative reforms,
including shutting down the House bank and hiring a
Source: U.S. Congress, House, Office of the Inspector General,
nonpartisan administrator. As part of the reform efforts, the
“Background and History,” at https://oig.house.gov/about-the-oig/
House created an Inspector General (IG) to provide periodic
background-and-history.
reports to the House leadership on audits of House officers.
Notes: The Office of the House IG is managed by an acting IG until a
new IG is appointed by the House leadership. For example, the
Initially proposed in the 100th Congress (1987-1988), the
current IG, Michael Ptasienski, served as acting IG from October
Office of the Inspector General was first created in the
2017 until his appointment in February 2018 (Speaker of the House
102nd Congress (1991-1992) with the adoption of H.Res.
of Representatives, “Speaker Ryan Announces Appointment of Mike
423, the House Administration Reform Resolution of 1992.
Ptasienski as House Inspector General,” press release, February 15,
2018, at https://www.speaker.gov/press-release/speaker-ryan-
announces-appointment-mike-ptasienski-house-inspector-general).
The resolution creates the position of House
inspector general, charged with conducting audits of
Current Status
… financial operations [of the House].
Since its initial authorization, the House IG has been

reauthorized by the House for each succeeding Congress.
… [T]he inspector general is to be jointly appointed
Currently reauthorized by H.Res. 5 in the 115th Congress
by the Speaker the majority leader, and the minority
(2017-2018), the House IG’s authority is found in House
leader.
Rule II, clause 6. The House IG is also subject to the policy

direction and oversight of the Committee on House
Any audits performed by the House inspector general
Administration.
will be shared with the leaders of both parties, and
reported to a newly created bipartisan House
House IG Duties
Administration Subcommittee on Oversight, which
Pursuant to House Rule II, clause 6, the House IG has five
would be responsible for the inspectors general’s
main duties:
overall policy direction and oversight.
(1) provide audit, investigative, and advisory services to

the House and joint entities in a manner consistent with
—Rep. Richard Gephardt, Congressional Record,
government-wide standards;
April 9, 1992 [p. 9041]
(2) inform the officers or other officials who are the

subject of an audit of the results of that audit and
The office is led by the Inspector General, who is jointly
suggesting appropriate curative actions;
appointed by the Speaker, the Majority Leader, and the
(3) simultaneously notify the Speaker, the Majority
Minority Leader each Congress.
Leader, the Minority Leader, and the chair and ranking
Past House Inspectors General
minority member of the Committee on House
Administration in the case of any financial irregularity
The first House IG—John W. Lainhart IV—was selected in
discovered in the course of carrying out responsibilities
the first session of the 103rd Congress (1993-1994). On
under this clause;
February 15, 2018, Michael Ptasienski was appointed as the
fifth House IG. In total, there have been five IGs appointed
(4) simultaneously submit to the Speaker, the Majority
Leader, the Minority Leader, and the chair and ranking
by congressional leadership. Table 1 provides the name and
minority member of the Committee on Appropriations
term of service for the past and current House IGs.
and the Committee on House Administration a report of
each audit conducted under this clause; and
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Office of the House of Representatives Inspector General
(5) report to the Committee on Ethics information
noncongressional entities (e.g., the Department of Veterans
involving possible violations by a Member, Delegate,
Affairs), as appropriate.
Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the
House of any rule of the House or of any law applicable
Publications
to the performance of official duties or the discharge of
The Office of the House IG produces numerous audits,
official responsibilities that may require referral to the
management advisory opinions, and investigative reports
appropriate Federal or State authorities under clause
for the Committee on House Administration and the House
3(a)(3) of rule XI.
leadership. Among the House IG’s reports is an annual
Further, in accordance with government-wide standards for
financial audit of the House of Representatives. Figure 1
Inspectors General, the results of the audits are
shows the cover of the most recent audit of the House’s
simultaneously provided to the subject of the audit and to
financial statements. Copies of the most recent audits are
the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Majority
available on the House IG’s website.
Leader of the House, the Minority Leader of the House, and
the chair and ranking minority members of the Committee
Figure 1. United States House of Representatives
on Appropriations and the Committee on House
Financial Audit Report, 2017
Administration. In the event that financial irregularities or
ethics violations are identified, the report is forwarded to
the chair and ranking member of the Committee on House
Administration and the Committee on Appropriations, or
the Committee on Ethics, as necessary.
Amendments to IG Authorities
Since the House Inspector General was created in the 102nd
Congress, its authority has been amended several times.
On January 4, 2001, the rules package for the 107th
Congress (2001-2002) provided the Committee on House
Administration with policy direction and oversight over the
Inspector General [H.Res. 5, §2(g)].
On January 6, 2009, the rules package [H.Res. 5, §2(a)] for
the 111th Congress (2009-2010) amended Rule II, clause
6(c)(1), to require that the Inspector General “provide audit,
investigative, and advisory services to the House and joint

entities in a manner consistent with government-wide
Source: U.S. Congress, House, Office of the Inspector General,
standards.”
“Financial Audit Reports,” at https://www.house.gov/the-house-
explained/officers-and-organizations/inspector-general.
On January 3, 2013, the rules package [H.Res. 5, §2(f)] for
the 113th Congress (2013-2014) amended Rule II, clause
Contact Information
6(c)(4) to require that Inspector General reports be sent to
The Office of the House Inspector General is located in
the chair and ranking member of the House Committee on
room 386, Ford House Office Building. The office may be
Appropriations in addition to the chair and ranking member
contacted by telephone (6-1250), by fax (5-4240), through
of the House Administration Committee, the Speaker, the
its hotline (202-593-0068), or by email
Majority Leader, and the Minority Leader.
(HouseIG@mail.house.gov). Additional information on the
office of the Inspector General, including publicly available
Reporting Fraud, Waste, or Abuse
reports, is available from the office’s public website at
The House IG is authorized to accept alleged violations of
https://www.house.gov/the-house-explained/officers-and-
law or misconduct by House employees and to investigate
organizations/inspector-general. The Inspector General also
contract fraud, bribery and acceptance of gratuities,
maintains an internal website available through Housenet at
mismanagement and waste of funds, conflicts of interest,
https://oig.house.gov/. Housenet is available only within the
abuse of authority, theft or abuse of government property,
internal House of Representatives network.
computer crimes, purchase card fraud, improper use of
House resources, and violations related to administration of
Jacob R. Straus, Specialist on the Congress
the House. Should the IG receive information outside of its
authority, it is to refer the information to other House
IF11024
entities (e.g., the House Ethics Committee), or

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Office of the House of Representatives Inspector General

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