[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Page 24526]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   COMMENDING THE INSPECTORS GENERAL

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Governmental Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration 
of S.J. Res. 18 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the joint resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A joint resolution (S.J. Res. 18) commending the Inspectors 
     General for their efforts to prevent and detect waste, fraud 
     and abuse, and mismanagement, and to promote economy, 
     efficiency, and effectiveness in the Federal Government 
     during the past 25 years.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the joint 
resolution.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the joint 
resolution be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to 
the joint resolution be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The joint resolution (S.J. Res. 18) was read the third time and 
passed.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The joint resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S.J. Res. 18

       Whereas the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) 
     was signed into law on October 12, 1978, with overwhelming 
     bipartisan support;
       Whereas Inspectors General now exist in the 29 largest 
     executive branch agencies and in 28 other designated Federal 
     entities;
       Whereas Inspectors General work to serve the American 
     taxpayer by promoting economy, efficiency, effectiveness, and 
     integrity in the administration of the programs and 
     operations of the Federal Government;
       Whereas Inspectors General conduct audits and 
     investigations to both prevent and detect waste, fraud, 
     abuse, and mismanagement in the programs and operations of 
     the Federal Government;
       Whereas Inspectors General make Congress and agency heads 
     aware, through semiannual reports and other communications, 
     of problems and deficiencies in the administration of 
     programs and operations of the Federal Government;
       Whereas Congress and agency heads utilize the 
     recommendations of Inspectors General in the development and 
     implementation of policies that promote economy and 
     efficiency in the administration of, or prevent and detect 
     waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in, the programs and 
     operations of the Federal Government;
       Whereas Federal employees and other dedicated citizens 
     report information to Inspectors General regarding the 
     possible existence of an activity constituting a violation of 
     law, rules, or regulations, or mismanagement, gross waste of 
     funds, abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific 
     danger to public health and safety;
       Whereas Inspector General audits and investigations result 
     in annual recommendations for more effective spending of 
     billions of taxpayer dollars, thousands of successful 
     criminal prosecutions, hundreds of millions of dollars 
     returned to the United States Treasury through investigative 
     recoveries, and the suspension and debarment of thousands of 
     individuals or entities from doing business with the 
     Government; and
       Whereas for 25 years the Inspectors General have worked 
     with Congress to facilitate effective oversight to improve 
     the programs and operations of the Federal Government: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That 
     Congress--
       (1) recognizes the many accomplishments of the Inspectors 
     General in preventing and detecting waste, fraud, abuse, and 
     mismanagement in the Federal Government;
       (2) commends the Inspectors General and their employees for 
     the dedication and professionalism displayed in the 
     performance of their duties; and
       (3) reaffirms the role of Inspectors General in promoting 
     economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the administration 
     of the programs and operations of the Federal Government.

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