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The USITC OIG was created in 1989 by amendments to the Inspector General Act of 1978. The OIG is an independent office led by the Inspector General, who reports to and is under the general supervision of the Commission. The OIG provides objective oversight to promote and preserve the efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of the USITC.
The OIG conducts audits, evaluations, and reviews and investigations relating to the programs and operations of the USITC. Work is generally based on statutory mandates, requests from USITC management officials, Congress, and other stakeholders, allegations received from USITC personnel and other sources, or the Inspector General’s initiative. In addition, the Inspector General must report expeditiously to the Attorney General whenever the Inspector General has reasonable grounds to believe there has been a violation of Federal criminal law.
The Inspector General keeps the Commission and Congress fully and currently informed, by means of semiannual reports and otherwise, concerning fraud and other serious problems, abuses, and deficiencies relating to the administration of programs and operations administered or financed by the USITC, recommend corrective action concerning the problems, abuses, and deficiencies, and report on the progress made in implementing the corrective action.
The Inspector General Act grants several authorities to the Inspector General, including to have timely access to all USITC records, issue subpoenas for the production of documents, administer oaths when conducting interviews, make such investigations and reports relating to the administration of the programs and operations of the USITC as are, in the judgment of the Inspector General, necessary or desirable, and independently hire staff and enter into contracts.