On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) into law in response to the economic crisis facing the nation. The Act provides for unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability so that taxpayers know where their tax dollars are being spent. Spearheaded by the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, the Act contains built-in measures to detect and prevent waste, fraud, or mismanagement of recovery spending. As Vice Chairman of the Recovery Board, and consistent with the OIG’s ongoing mission, Inspector General Scovel is committed to providing active oversight of recovery spending throughout Department of Transportation programs, contracts and grants.