Summary: Legislation has been proposed which would establish the Office of Inspector General in the Departments of Justice, Treasury, State, and in the International Development Corporation (IDCA). GAO strongly supported earlier legislation which centralized internal audit and investigative activities under Inspectors General in 15 major departments and agencies, because such legislation : (1) insures that high-level agency attention is given to promoting economy and efficiency and combating fraud, waste, and abuse; (2) provides better assurance that the work of audit and investigative units throughout the Government are coordinated; and (3) insures that both Congress and agency heads receive information on problems involving economy, efficiency, fraud, and abuse. GAO expressed support for the provisions of the bill relating to the establishment of Inspectors General at the Departments of Justice, Treasury, and State. However, it regarded the present establishment of an Office of Inspector General within IDCA as premature, because IDCA was only established in October 1979 and is still experiencing start-up problems. It believed that Congress needed to consider some important issues associated with the IDCA role in development assistance before enacting legislation on this proposal.
