The Inspector General Act of 1978 was passed in the wake of
the Watergate scandal, as a means of ensuring integrity and
accountability in the Executive Branch.
The Inspector General Act of 1978 created independent
and objective units to conduct and supervise audits and investigations
relating to Agency programs and operations.
The Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General
has the following responsibilities:
Promotes economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the administration
of SSA programs.
Prevents and detects fraud, waste and abuse in SSA programs and
operations.
Informing the SSA and Congress about problems and deficiencies and
recommending corrective action.
The Inspector General is under the general supervision
of the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, but the
IG may not be prohibited from initiating, carrying out, or completing
any audit or investigation, or from issuing any subpoena.
The Office of the Inspector General at the Social
Security Administration was established on March 31, 1995, pursuant
to the Social Security Independence and Program Improvements Act
of 1994.
The Office of the Inspector General at the Social
Security Administration includes the following offices:
Office of Audit,
Office of Counsel,
Office of External Relations,
Office of Investigations, and
Office of Technology and Resource Management.
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