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Office of Inspector General: About the OIG

Overview

The Ex-Im Bank Office of Inspector General (OIG) was authorized by Congress in a 2002 amendment to the Inspector General Act of 1978 . The OIG is headed by an Inspector General who is appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. The Inspector General reports to the Chairman of Ex-Im Bank and provides independent and objective reviews of the Bank's operations. The Inspector General is required to keep both the Chairman and the Congress fully and currently informed about the problems and deficiencies relating to the administration of department programs and operations and the necessity for corrective action.

The Inspector General provides objective information to promote government management, decision-making and accountability. The OIG seeks to serve as an agent of positive change, focusing on eliminating fraud, waste and abuse and identifying problems and making recommendations for corrective actions to the Bank's management.

OIG Act Overview

In brief, The IG Act of 1978 grants the OIG the administrative authority to:

Receive full access to all records and materials available to Ex-Im Bank
Determine which audits, investigations, inspections and reviews are necessary and issue appropriate reports
Issue subpoenas for non-Federal records and take oaths
Receive complaints and reports of fraud, waste and abuse from employees and the public, protect sources and, when necessary, refer matters to the United States Attorney General
Hire employees, experts and consultants and procure necessary equipment and services
Obtain assistance from other agencies, including Federal, State and local governments
Communicate directly with the Congress
Deliver semiannual reports to Congress reporting on the activities of the OIG, including the response of management to recommendations made by the OIG

Other Authority

The Government Corporations Control Act of 1990 provides that the financial statements of Ex-Im Bank, as a government corporation, shall be audited by the Inspector General or by an independent external auditor, as determined by the Inspector General.

Independence

The Inspector General is appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of integrity and demonstrated ability. The Inspector General may only be removed by the President, who is required to report the reasons for such removal to both Houses of Congress. The Inspector General is under the general supervision of the Chairman, but that authority applies only to general matters of administration and does not include authority for the Chairman or any other officer, director or employee of the Bank to supervise or interfere in any audit, investigation or oversight matter undertaken by the OIG. The OIG budget is submitted by the OIG independently from that of Ex-Im Bank and is subject to separate appropriation by Congress.

The complexity of the management and policy issues facing the Bank will sometimes result in disagreement between the OIG and management regarding the extent of a problem and the nature of recommended corrective actions. In these instances the OIG will seek to maintain a productive and professional relationship with the Bank’s management and to continue to work effectively to address the challenges facing the Bank.

To work together most effectively, the OIG and the Bank should strive to:

Foster open communications at all levels. The Bank should promptly respond to OIG requests for information to facilitate OIG activities and should be open to acknowledging the existence of challenges that the OIG can help to address. The OIG will seek to avoid undertaking its work or presenting its findings without reasonable notice to management. With limited exceptions primarily related to investigations, the OIG will seek to keep the Chairman advised of its work and its findings on a timely basis, and will seek to provide information helpful to the Bank at the earliest possible stage.

Interact with professionalism and mutual respect. Representatives of the Bank and the OIG should always act in good faith and expect the same from the other. We share as a common goal the successful accomplishment of the Bank’s mission of serving both U.S. exporters and the U.S. taxpayer.

Mutual respect for each mission. The Bank’s officers, directors and employees should recognize the OIG’s independent role in carrying out its mission within the Bank, and the OIG’s responsibility to report to Congress and the Chairman. The OIG will seek to carry out its work with a minimum of disruption to the primary work of the Bank.

Thorough, objective and fair. The OIG will seek to perform its work thoroughly, objectively and with due consideration to the point of view of the Bank’s management and board. When working with the OIG, the Bank’s staff should objectively consider differing opinions and means of improving operations. Both the OIG and the Bank’s staff should recognize successes in addressing management challenges and advancing the Bank’s mission.

Engagement. The OIG and the Bank’s management and Board will work cooperatively in identifying the most important areas for OIG work, as well as the best means to address the results of that work, while maintaining the OIG’s required independence. In addition, the Bank’s leadership will need to recognize that the OIG’s limited resources must also be applied to address work that is initiated within the OIG, requested by members of Congress or mandated by law or regulation.

Exchanging information. The OIG will seek to keep abreast of the Bank’s programs and operations, and to keep the Bank’s management and Board informed of OIG activities and concerns that are raised in the course of the OIG’s work. The Bank’s management, Board and staff should ensure that the OIG is kept up to date on current matters and events affecting the Bank or that may affect it in the future. The Bank and the OIG will implement mechanisms, both formal and informal, to ensure prompt and regular feedback.

* Portions of this statement were taken from "Working Relationship Principles for Agencies and Offices of Inspector General" prepared by the President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency and the Executive Council on Integrity and Efficiency.