View source for United States Pandemic Response Accountability Committee

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Short description|U.S. committee overseeing COVID-19 spending}}
{{Infobox government agency
| name            = Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
| type            = Committee
| jurisdiction    = United States
| chief1_name     = [[Michael E. Horowitz]]
| chief1_position = Chair
| chief2_name     = [[Paul K. Martin]]
| chief2_position = Vice Chair
| parent_agency   = [[Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency]]
| parent_agency_type = body
| website         = {{URL|www.pandemicoversight.gov}}
}}
The '''Pandemic Response Accountability Committee''' ('''PRAC''') is an independent oversight committee within the [[Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency]], created by the [[Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act|Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security]] (CARES) Act of 2020 to ensure that the $2.2 trillion of the CARES act, plus 5 other pandemic-related pieces of legislation totaling over $5 trillion in government funds,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pandemicoversight.gov/our-mission/about-the-prac|title=About the PRAC &#124; Pandemic Oversight|access-date=July 23, 2021|archive-date=July 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713173639/https://www.pandemicoversight.gov/our-mission/about-the-prac|url-status=dead}}</ref> were not misspent.

== Creation ==
The provision creating the PRAC, Section 15010,<ref>{{cite web |title=Pub.L. 116–136 - Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-116hr748enr/pdf/BILLS-116hr748enr.pdf |website=govinfo.gov |access-date=April 8, 2020}}</ref> was offered by Rep. [[Carolyn Maloney]] (D-NY), Chair of the [[United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform]], and Sen. [[Gary Peters]] (D-MI), Ranking Member of the [[United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs]]. The CARES Act also specified a new position of [[Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery]] within the [[United States Department of the Treasury]].<ref name=HouseOversight_300320>{{cite web |title=New Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Chair Appointed |url=https://oversight.house.gov/news/press-releases/new-pandemic-response-accountability-committee-chair-appointed |website=House Committee on Oversight and Reform |access-date=April 8, 2020 |language=en |date=March 30, 2020}}</ref> President [[Donald Trump]] signed the legislation into law on March 27, 2020, but objected to stipulations that involved congressional oversight citing constitutional concerns regarding separation of powers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statement by the President |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/statement-by-the-president-38/ |access-date=April 8, 2020 |via=[[NARA|National Archives]] |work=[[whitehouse.gov]] |date=March 27, 2020}}</ref>

The PRAC was created within the [[Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency]] (CIGIE). On April 1, 2020, the CIGIE released a statement that, "The PRAC will promote transparency and support independent oversight of the funds provided by the CARES Act and two prior emergency spending bills, the [[Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act]] and the [[Families First Coronavirus Response Act]]" and, more generally, "prevent and detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement [and] mitigate major risks that cut across program and  agency boundaries."<ref name=CIGIE_040120>{{cite web |title=Additional Inspectors General Designated As Members of CIGIE's Pandemic Response Accountability Committee |url=https://www.ignet.gov/sites/default/files/files/PRAC-press-release-additional-members.pdf |website=Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency |access-date=April 8, 2020 |date=April 1, 2020}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Glenn A. Fine official photo.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Glenn A. Fine]] was the first chair of the PRAC. President Trump's dismissal of Fine as Acting IG for the Defense Department made him ineligible to serve on the PRAC eight days after his appointment.]]
On March 30, 2020, [[Michael E. Horowitz]], chair of the CIGIE and [[United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General|Inspector General]] of the [[United States Department of Justice]], as authorized by the CARE Act, appointed [[Glenn A. Fine]], acting [[Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Defense|Inspector General]] of the [[U.S. Department of Defense]], to be the chair of the PRAC.<ref name=HouseOversight_300320/> Senate Minority Leader [[Chuck Schumer]] (D-N.Y.) praised Fine's appointment.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rowland |first1=Geoffrey |title=Schumer praises choice of Defense inspector general to oversee corporate lending fund |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/490202-schumer-praises-choice-of-defense-inspector-general-to-oversee-corporate |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |access-date=April 8, 2020 |language=en |date=March 30, 2020}}</ref> On April 1, Horowitz and Fine announced that [[Paul K. Martin]], [[NASA Office of Inspector General|Inspector General]] of [[NASA]], was appointed Vice Chair of PRAC. They further announced that the nine statutory members of the PRAC would be joined by twelve non-statutory members, for a total of 21 members.<ref name=CIGIE_040120/> In response to President Trump's removal on April 3 of [[Inspector General of the Intelligence Community]] [[Michael Atkinson (Inspector General)|Michael Atkinson]], CIGIE Chair Horowitz stated, "The Inspector General Community will continue to conduct aggressive, independent oversight of the agencies that we oversee. This includes CIGIE’s Pandemic Response Accountability Committee and its efforts on behalf of American taxpayers, families, businesses, patients, and health care providers to ensure that over $2 trillion in emergency federal spending is being used consistently with the law’s mandate."<ref>{{cite web |title=CIGIE press release on the removal of Michael Atkinson |url=https://www.ignet.gov/sites/default/files/files/Statement%20--%20CIGIE%20Chair%20Horowitz.pdf |website=Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency |access-date=15 April 2020 |date=4 April 2020}}</ref>

On April 7, 2020, President Trump removed Fine from his position as acting IG for the Defense Department. Although Fine retained his position as principal deputy IG for the Defense Department,<ref name="WaPo_070420">{{cite news|last1=Nakashima|first1=Ellen|date=April 7, 2020|title=Trump removes inspector general who was to oversee $2 trillion stimulus spending|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/trump-removes-inspector-general-who-was-to-oversee-2-trillion-stimulus-spending/2020/04/07/2f0c6cb8-78ea-11ea-9bee-c5bf9d2e3288_story.html|access-date=April 8, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|language=en}}</ref> his removal as acting IG made him ineligible to chair the PRAC. Fine, who had filled various [[Inspector general#United States|inspector general]] positions for 15 years under both Democratic and Republican administrations, was not given a reason for his dismissal. Former Secretary of Defense [[Jim Mattis]] immediately released a rare public rebuke of the firing.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McLaughlin |first1=Jenna |last2=Knowles |first2=David |last3=Isikoff |first3=Michael |title=Mattis rebukes Trump over removal of Pentagon inspector general |url=https://news.yahoo.com/trump-declares-war-on-inspectors-general-201355376.html |website=[[Yahoo! News]] |access-date=April 8, 2020 |date=April 7, 2020}}</ref> The next day, legislation was introduced to allow Fine to continue as chair the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee,<ref name="FactCheck20200408">{{cite web |last=Rieder |first=Rem |last2=Kiely |first2=Eugene |date=April 8, 2020 |title=Trump's Claims on IG, Wisconsin Election |url=https://www.factcheck.org/2020/04/trumps-claims-on-ig-wisconsin-election |access-date=9 April 2020 |website=[[FactCheck.org]]}}</ref> while Sens. [[Elizabeth Warren]] (D-Mass) and [[Richard Blumenthal]] (D-Conn) released a letter urging Horowitz to take the PRAC chair himself, stating, "with the exception of firing a score of Inspectors General and replacing them with handpicked toadies, there is little that President Trump can do to prevent the PRAC from doing its job of overseeing the federal government's coronavirus response."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lesniewski |first1=Niels |title=Senate Democrats back oversight efforts after Trump removal of IG |url=https://www.rollcall.com/2020/04/08/senate-democrats-back-oversight-efforts-after-trump-removal-of-ig |website=Roll Call |access-date=April 9, 2020 |language=en |date=April 8, 2020}}</ref> Horowitz became acting chair of the PRAC.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Rotenberg|first1=Jeffrey D.|last2=Hans|first2=Richard F.|date=1 May 2020|title=Pandemic Response Accountability Committee|url=https://www.dlapiper.com/en/uk/insights/publications/2020/05/pandemic-response-accountability-committee-update/|access-date=16 June 2020|website=DLA Piper|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=PRAC Members {{!}} Pandemic Response Accountability Committee|url=https://pandemic.oversight.gov/about/prac/members|access-date=2020-06-16|website=pandemic.oversight.gov|archive-date=June 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616152717/https://pandemic.oversight.gov/about/prac/members|url-status=dead}}</ref> Fine resigned from government service on May 25.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schmitt |first1=Eric |last2=Savage |first2=Charlie |last3=Weiland |first3=Noah |title=Longtime Pentagon Watchdog Stepping Down From Post |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/us/politics/pentagon-inspector-general-glenn-fine.html/ |website=The New York Times |access-date=26 May 2020 |date=26 May 2020}}</ref>

On April 27, 2020, CIGIE Chair Horowitz named [[Bob Westbrooks]], who had been Inspector General of the [[Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation]] from May 2015, to be the executive director responsible for day-to-day functions. Horowitz also announced a website to collect oversight data and reports conducted by the PRAC, individual IGs, and the [[Government Accountability Office]], as stipulated in the CARES Act, as well as a Twitter account.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Farivar |first1=Masood |title=COVID Watchdogs Struggle to Get Up and Running |url=https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-politics/covid-watchdogs-struggle-get-and-running |website=Voice of America |access-date=29 April 2020 |language=en |date=28 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Names Director; Launches Website |url=https://www.ignet.gov/sites/default/files/files/PRAC-press-release(2).pdf |website=Pandemic Response Accountability Committee |access-date=29 April 2020 |date=27 April 2020}}</ref>

Former inspector general [[David C. Williams (inspector general)|David C. Williams]] expressed concern that [[2020 dismissal of inspectors general|the dismissals of several inspectors general]] with seats on the PRAC may negatively affect the functioning of the committee. Some replacements are political appointees that will retain their current positions reporting to officials within the Trump administration. Williams expressed doubt that "the career investigators on the committee will feel comfortable discussing sensitive matters with political appointees still working in other roles within the administration" and that the PRAC may thus be of limited value.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=David C. |title=Trump's purge of inspectors general is alarming. His replacements may be worse. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/05/21/trumps-widespread-removal-inspectors-general-is-alarming-so-are-his-appointments/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=23 May 2020 |language=en |date=21 May 2020}}</ref>

On June 11, Horowitz and Westbrook revealed that attorneys in the Treasury Department had concluded that the Trump administration is not required to provide information about who is receiving funds under the CARES Act's Division A. The PRAC heads stated, "If this interpretation of the CARES Act were correct, it would raise questions about PRAC's authority to conduct oversight of Division A funds. This would present potentially significant transparency and oversight issues because Division A of the CARES Act includes over $1 trillion in funding." This followed the earlier refusal by Treasury Secretary [[Steven Mnuchin]] to provide the names of recipients of the [[Paycheck Protection Program]]. In response, House Oversight Committee chair Carolyn Maloney said, "If the Trump administration is committed to full cooperation and transparency with taxpayer dollars, it is unclear why it is manufacturing legal loopholes to avoid responding to legitimate oversight requests."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hamburger |first1=Tom |last2=Stein |first2=Jeff |last3=O'Connell |first3=Jonathan |last4=Gregg |first4=Aaron |title=Inspectors general warn that Trump administration is blocking scrutiny of coronavirus rescue programs |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/06/15/inspector-general-oversight-mnuchin-cares-act/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=15 June 2020 |language=en |date=15 June 2020}}</ref>

== Membership of the PRAC ==
[[File:Michael E. Horowitz official photo.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Michael E. Horowitz]], [[United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General|Justice Department Inspector General]] and Chair of the PRAC]]
There are nine statutory inspectors general specified as PRAC members in the CARES Act.<ref name=CIGIE_040120/><ref name=WaPo_070420/>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="vertical-align:bottom;"
!Jurisdiction
!Officeholder
|-
|[[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]]
|[[Robert Storch]]
|-
|[[United States Department of Education|Department of Education]]
|{{sortname|Sandra|Bruce}}
|-
|[[United States Department of Health and Human Services|Department of Health and Human Services]]
|{{sortname|Christi|Grimm}}
|-
|[[United States Department of Homeland Security|Department of Homeland Security]]
|{{sortname|Joseph V.|Cuffari}}
|-
|[[Internal Revenue Service]]
|{{sortname|J. Russell|George}}
|-
|[[United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]]
|{{sortname|Michael E.|Horowitz}}, ''Chair''
|-
|[[United States Department of Labor|Department of Labor]]
|{{sortname|Larry|Turner|Larry Turner (inspector general)}}
|-
|[[Small Business Administration]]
|{{sortname|Mike|Ware|Hannibal Ware}}
|-
|[[United States Department of the Treasury|Department of the Treasury]]
|{{sortname|Richard|Delmar}} (Acting)
|}

On April 1, 2020, CIGIE Chair Michael Horowitz and inaugural PRAC Chair Glenn Fine announced the below additional inspectors general would serve as members of the PRAC.<ref name=CIGIE_040120/> According to Pandamic Oversight website, Department of Interior's inspectors general is also included in PRAC.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Committee Members {{!}} Pandemic Oversight |url=https://www.pandemicoversight.gov/about-us/our-committee-members |access-date=2024-01-13 |website=www.pandemicoversight.gov}}</ref>

[[File:Paul K. Martin official photo.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Paul K. Martin]], [[NASA Office of Inspector General|NASA Inspector General]] and the Vice Chair of the PRAC]]

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="vertical-align:bottom;"
!Jurisdiction
!Officeholder
|-
|[[United States Department of Agriculture|Department of Agriculture]]
|{{sortname|Phyllis|Fong}}
|-
|[[Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation]]
|{{sortname|Jennifer L.|Fain}}
|-
|[[Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System|Federal Reserve System]]
|{{sortname|Mark|Bialek}}
|-
|[[United States Department of Housing and Urban Development|Department of Housing and Urban Development]]
|{{sortname|Rae|Oliver Davis}}
|-
|[[NASA|National Aeronautics and Space Administration]]
|{{sortname|Paul|Martin|Paul K. Martin}}, ''Vice Chair''
|-
|[[National Reconnaissance Office]]
|{{sortname|Susan|Gibson|Susan Gibson (lawyer)}}
|-
|[[National Science Foundation]]
|{{sortname|Allison|Lerner}}
|-
|[[Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery|Pandemic Recovery]] (Special)
|{{sortname|Brian|Miller|Brian D. Miller (attorney)}}
|-
|[[Peace Corps]]
|{{sortname|Kathy|Buller}}
|-
|[[United States Postal Service|Postal Service]]
|{{sortname|Tammy|Whitcomb}}
|-
|[[United States Department of Transportation|Department of Transportation]]
|{{sortname|Eric J.|Soskin}}
|-
|[[United States Department of Veterans Affairs|Department of Veterans Affairs]]
|{{sortname|Michael|Missal}}
|-
|[[United States Department of Interior|Department of Interior]]
|{{sortname|Mark Lee|Greenblatt|Mark Greenblatt}}
|}

== See also ==
* [[COVID-19 Congressional Oversight Commission]]
* [[Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery]]
* [[United States House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://pandemic.oversight.gov/ Official website]

{{COVID-19 pandemic in the United States}}
{{United States federal Offices of Inspector General}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pandemic Response Accountability Committee}}
[[Category:U.S. federal government response to the COVID-19 pandemic]]
[[Category:Law associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States]]
[[Category:United States inspectors general]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 2020]]
[[Category:Executive branch of the government of the United States]]