Malliotakis Introduces Legislation to Oversee Spending of Federal Dollars Given to States and Major Cities

(WASHINGTON, DC) - Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) yesterday introduced the Special Inspector General for Major Metropolitan Areas (SIGMMA) Act and the Special Inspector General for State Spending and Waste (SIGSSAW) Act, bills that would create Special Inspectors General to oversee the spending of federal dollars given to state governments and governments of major cities with populations greater than one million people. Both bills are modeled after language that established the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction in 2008.

"My legislation aims to hold city and state governments accountable by establishing Inspectors General to conduct audits and investigations of programs and operations funded with federal dollars," said Congresswoman Malliotakis. "New Yorkers need to look no further than programs like de Blasio's wasteful Thrive NYC, failed renewal schools program, or the state's decision to give unemployment, stimulus, and disaster relief aid to those in the country illegally. My goal is to ensure tax dollars are spent appropriately on their intended purpose and not squandered."

For decades, Congress has formed independent Officers of Inspectors General (OIGs) to oversee and monitor Executive Branch operations. Most recently, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) identified over $40 billion in taxpayer money was wasted, lost, or abused in Afghanistan between 2002 and July 2021, and, in June 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor OIG estimated $87.3 billion in federal unemployment program funds could have been paid improperly. OIG reports have even led to the criminal convictions of those responsible for abusing taxpayer dollars, including three men who were charged in a fraud scheme to obtain over $14 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief loans.

Malliotakis added: "Inspectors General have saved governments and taxpayers billions of dollars through their independent oversight work. Unfortunately, no such entity exists to oversee the spending of federal dollars in states or big cities, which is why taxpayer dollars have historically been wasted, abused, or defrauded. These bills would prevent further abuse by demanding transparency on the part of state and local governments."

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MALLIOTAKIS' LEGISLATION, CLICK HERE AND HERE