The Inspectors General of the United States: On watch for better government. Efficiency. Accountability. Integrity. For more than a quarter of a century, these watchwords have guided the work of the Inspectors General of the United States.

Efficiency in government. That's not an oxymoron statement and back there prior to 1978 we refused to believe that efficiency in government was not possible. I'm very proud to have played a key role in the passage of the Inspector General Act of 1978, and the creation of what today has become a system of independent and professional IG offices at all Federal agencies. You're independent, and there are many ways in which the IG offices, investigators and auditors serve the Federal government and public. You've recovered billions of stolen, wasted or misapplied tax dollars.

MISSION 1 - Conduct independent, objective audits, investigations, and inspections. Because the Inspectors General are fully independent from the agencies they oversee, they can be totally objective in their work.

The traditional fat, fraud, waste and abuse charge that you find too often against government, you're helping to correct that, and we've tried to root out and prosecute those persons who betray the public trust by committing fraud.

MISSION 2 - Prevent and detect waste, fraud and abuse. The Inspectors General and their staffs investigate waste, fraud and abuse of Federal tax dollars and work with Federal and local prosecutors to bring wrongdoers to justice. They also identify weaknesses in Federal programs and recommend remedies.

You're saving millions of dollars, taxpayer dollars by identifying more efficient and cost-effective ways of delivering government services, so it's not all finding the crooks out there, it's making more cost-effective ways of - of doing things for government.

MISSION 3 - Promote economy, effectiveness, and efficiency. The Inspectors General seek to improve and streamline government by working together on the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency and the Executive Council on Integrity and Efficiency. They also promote professionalism by operating the Criminal Investigator Academy and Auditor Training Institute.

Back in those days there were some IG's, but they weren't mandatory. You, you had in some departments, not others, and they reported only to their agency head. Now of course, with the new law it's required reporting to the appropriate oversight committees of Congress as well.

MISSION 4 - Review pending legislation and regulations. The Inspectors General review all new legislation and regulations affecting their agencies and make recommendations to agencies and Congress on implementation and impact.

You're also seeing to it that Federal agencies fully account for every tax dollar they use and you assist Congress in its crucial role of oversight over Federal agencies and programs.

MISSION 5 - Keep agency heads and Congress fully and currently informed. The Inspectors General keep Congress, agency officials and the public informed of their work through their Semiannual Reports, audit and investigative reports, and testimony before oversight committees in the House and Senate.

So, I want to congratulate the whole IG community on more than 25 years of service. You've proven your worth, you've saved many times the expense it costs to have the IG's across the federal government.

You can assist the Inspectors General in the battle to stem and prevent fraud, waste and abuse by calling the toll-free fraud hotlines maintained by every office.

So, I urge the federal worker community and the public to join with and work with IG offices in the effort to stem waste, fraud and abuse of tax dollars. You're doin' a good job; keep it up.

To learn more about the work of the Inspectors General and for hotline information, visit the Internet home of the IG community - www.ignet.gov. The Inspectors General of the United States. Making your Federal Government more accountable today....and more efficient tomorrow.

Credits:

Created for the Inspectors General of the United States by:
The Office of Inspector General,
Corporation for National and Community Service
The Hon. J. Russell George, Inspector General
William Hillburg, Executive Producer and Writer

Featuring:
Senator John Glenn

Produced and Designed by:
U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Administration
Office of Multi-Media Services
Gregory B. Liverpool, Director of Multi-Media Services
Roberta Mather Brown, Producer and Designer

Narrator:
Robyn Monblatt
U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Public Affairs

Video and Audio Footage Taped by: U.S. Department of State
Video Production Unit
Joseph Burke, Camera Operator
Patrick Duffy, Secondary Sound Editor

Still Photographs Taken by:
U.S. Department of State
Special Services
Mark Stewart, Photographer

Multimedia Packaged by:
U.S. Department of State
Multi-Media Services
Henry Joseph Buell III, Technician

Additional Footage Provided by: Department of the Treasury
Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Additional Photographs Provided by:
U.S. House Budget Committee
e-Copernicus

Special thanks to:
Senator John Glenn
The John Glenn Institute for Public Service & Public Policy
The President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency
The Executive Council on Integrity and Efficiency
Inspector General Criminal Investigator Academy
Staff of the Office of Inspector General,
Corporation for National and Community Service
The Inspectors General of the United States and their staffs.

Copyright 2004, The President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency,
The Executive Council on Integrity and Efficiency, The Office of Inspector
General, Corporation for National and Community Service.