Dear Inspector General Gustafson:
As the Chairmen of the undersigned committees, we share the concerns raised in Senator Grassley’s Aug. 20, 2019, letter to you. [1] At this point, staff from our committees have had the opportunity to review your response dated Sept. 27, 2019, and the supporting documentation that you provided.
Based on this review, it appears that your September 27 response fails to fully address all of the questions posed in Senator Grassley’s letter. The information provided does not include enough context for us to determine the root causes of the leadership, staffing, and morale problems that are prevalent at Commerce OIG, nor does it include enough detail for us to determine the timing and extent of your efforts to address these problems.
The U.S. Department of Commerce oversees the expenditure of billions of taxpayer dollars every year and performs a variety of critical functions related to our nation’s economic growth and development. This includes oversight of the 2020 Census, the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariff exclusion process, and federal agencies’ use of electromagnetic spectrum. We believe that a strong and effective Commerce OIG is necessary to ensuring proper oversight of the Department and its functions.
At this time, we request that you provide full answers to the questions posed in Senator Grassley’s August 20 letter to you and contact us no later than Dec. 13, 2019, to schedule a time when you can come to brief our Committee staffs.
If you have any questions, please contact Daniel Boatright or Daniel Parker of the Senate Committee on Finance at (202) 224-4515.
Sincerely,
-30-
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[1] Letter from Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Chairman, S. Comm. on Fin., to Peggy E. Gustafson, Inspector Gen., U.S. Dep’t of Commerce (Aug. 20, 2019), https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2019-08-20%20CEG%20to%20Commerce%20OIG%20(morale).pdf. See also Letter from Peggy E. Gustafson, Inspector Gen., U.S. Dep’t of Commerce, to Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Chairman, S. Comm. on Fin. (Sept. 3, 2019) (on file with Committee) (responding to Senator Grassley’s August 20 letter).
Source: Ranking Member’s News
