View source for Office of Inspector General for the Department of Transportation

{{Organization
|OrganizationName=Office of Inspector General for the Department of Transportation
|OrganizationType=Independent Agencies (Sub-organization)
|Mission=The Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Transportation (DOT) promotes efficiency and effectiveness and prevents and detects fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in DOT programs and operations. It conducts independent audits and investigations to ensure that transportation systems are safe, efficient, and effectively managed.
|ParentOrganization=U.S. Department of Transportation
|CreationLegislation=Inspector General Act of 1978
|Employees=400
|Budget=$100M (FY 2024)
|OrganizationExecutive=Inspector General
|Services=Audits; Investigations; Inspections; Evaluations; Fraud hotline; Whistleblower protection
|HeadquartersLocation=38.87582, -77.00215
|HeadquartersAddress=1200 New Jersey Ave SE, Washington, DC 20590, USA
|Website=https://www.oig.dot.gov/
}}
{{Infobox
| title            = U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General
| label1           = Formed
| data1            = 1978
| label2           = Headquarters
| data2            = Washington, D.C.
| label3           = Parent agency
| data3            = [[U.S. Department of Transportation]]
| label4           = Inspector General
| data4            = Eric J. Soskin
| label5           = Website
| data5            = {{URL|https://www.oig.dot.gov/}}
| image            = [[File:Office of Inspector General logo for the USDOT.png|200px]]
}}
The '''U.S.''' '''Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General''' ('''DOT''' '''OIG''') is one of the [[Inspector General]] offices created by the [[Inspector General Act of 1978]]. The Inspector General for the Department of Transportation, like the Inspectors General of other [[United States federal executive departments|federal departments]] and [[List of United States federal agencies|agencies]], is charged with monitoring and auditing department programs to combat [[waste]], [[fraud]], and [[wiktionary:Abuse|abuse]].

The Inspector General is part of the [[U.S. Department of Transportation]] and assists [[United States Congress|Congress]], the [[United States Secretary of Transportation|Secretary of Transportation]], and senior department officials in achieving a safe, efficient, and effective transportation system that meets the [[national interest]]s and enhances the [[quality of life]].

Under the Inspector General Act of 1978, the Office of Inspector General is given autonomy to do its work without political interference. Although chosen by the [[President of the United States|President]], Inspectors General are required to be selected based on integrity and ability, not political affiliation. The Inspector General Act of 1978 prevents officials in the scrutinized agency from interfering with audits or investigations and requires the IG to keep the Secretary of Transportation and Congress informed of findings, although much of OIG's work is accomplished with the cooperation of officials whose programs are being reviewed. Within the Office of Investigations, the OIG employs both criminal investigators and general investigators.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oig.dot.gov/investigations|title=Investigations &#124; Office of Inspector General &#124; U.S. Department of Transportation}}</ref>

The OIG carries out its mission by issuing audit reports, evaluations, and management advisories with findings and recommendations to improve program delivery and performance. In [[fiscal year]] 2006, OIG issued 76 audit reports, which identified more than $893 million in financial recommendations.

== History of Inspectors General ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Inspector General<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=July 25, 2017|title=Inspector General Historical Data|url=https://ignet.gov/sites/default/files/files/IG%20History%20(PAS)%20-%207-25-17.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=August 28, 2020|website=Council of Inspector Generals on Integrity and Efficiency}}</ref>
!Date started<ref name=":0" />
|-
|Eric J. Soskin
|January 11, 2021<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Inspector General {{!}} Office of Inspector General {{!}} U.S. Department of Transportation|url=https://www.oig.dot.gov/about-oig/inspector-general|access-date=2021-02-04|website=www.oig.dot.gov}}</ref>
|-
|[[Howard R. Elliott]] (Acting)
|May 15, 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Inspector General {{!}} Office of Inspector General {{!}} U.S. Department of Transportation|url=https://www.oig.dot.gov/about-oig/inspector-general|access-date=2020-11-03|website=www.oig.dot.gov}}</ref>
|-
|Mitch Behm (Acting)
|February 1, 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Trump's Decision to Fire the State Department's Watchdog Draws Bipartisan Concern on Capitol Hill|url=https://www.govexec.com/oversight/2020/05/trumps-decision-fire-state-departments-watchdog-draws-bipartisan-concern-capitol-hill/165482/|access-date=2020-11-03|website=Government Executive|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|Calvin L. Scovel III
|October 27, 2006
|-
|Todd J. Zinser (Acting)
|February 11, 2006
|-
|Kenneth M. Mead
|May 29, 1997
|-
|Joyce Fleischman (Acting)
|August 12, 1996
|-
|Mario A. Lauro, Jr. (Deputy)
|July 8, 1996
|-
|[[Mary Schiavo]]
|October 31, 1990
|-
|Raymond J. DeCarli (Acting)
|January 1, 1990
|-
|John W. Melchner
|October 12, 1986
|-
|Joseph J. Genovese (Acting)
|January 1, 1986
|-
|Joseph P. Welsch
|July 18, 1981
|-
|Joseph J. Genovese (Acting)
|January 22, 1981
|-
|Frank S. Sato
|May 10, 1979
|}

== Audit ==
The Office of Auditing and Evaluation supervises and conducts independent and objective audits and other reviews of DOT programs and activities to ensure they operate economically, efficiently, and effectively. This office is divided according to specific DOT program areas into four sub-offices: Aviation; Information Technology and Financial Management; Surface Transportation; and Acquisition and Procurement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oig.dot.gov/audits|title=Audits |publisher= Office of Inspector General|website=www.oig.dot.gov|language=en|access-date=2017-02-15}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

== Leadership ==
In 2006, President [[George W. Bush]] appointed U.S. Marine Corps Brigadier General Calvin L. Scovel III, to become the Transportation Department's Inspector General (I.G.)<ref>[https://www.congress.gov/109/chrg/shrg71811/CHRG-109shrg71811.htm Nominations to the Department of Transportation], ''[[United States Senate]]'', September 21, 2006. Retrieved May 16, 2020].</ref> In January 2020, Scovel announced his retirement. In May 2020, President [[Donald Trump]] nominated Eric Soskin, a senior trial attorney in the Department of Justice for the last 14 years. He was from Indiana and was selected to replace Scovel.<ref>[https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/15/state-department-inspector-general-fired-261536 State Department Inspector General fired], ''[[Politico]]'', Meredith McGraw and Nahal Toosi, May 15, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2020.</ref> Soskin was confirmed by the Senate in December 2020.  Soskin was sworn in as the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Transportation on January 11, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-21|title=PN2029 - Nomination of Eric J. Soskin for Department of Transportation, 116th Congress (2019-2020)|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/116th-congress/2029|access-date=2021-03-04|website=www.congress.gov}}</ref>

== Office of Investigations ==
The Office of Investigations is composed of criminal and general investigators who are responsible for conducting criminal, civil, and administrative investigations of fraud and a variety of other allegations affecting DOT, its operating administrations, programs, and grantees (grant funds).  The Office of Investigation's top priorities involve crimes with a public safety impact, procurement and grant fraud schemes that significantly impact DOT funds, consumer and workforce fraud, and employee integrity violations. The Office of Investigations also manages a Hotline Complaint Center and investigates whistleblower complaints, including those referred by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oig.dot.gov/investigations|title=Investigations |publisher= Office of Inspector General|website=www.oig.dot.gov|language=en|access-date=2017-02-15}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official|https://www.oig.dot.gov/}}

{{United States federal Offices of Inspector General}}
{{DOT agencies}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:United States Department of Transportation officials|*]]
[[Category:United States inspectors general|Transportation Office of Inspector General]]
[[Category:United States Department of Transportation agencies]]