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GAO-05-306R 1 (2005-03-04)

handle is hein.gao/gaocrptarhy0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 



  SGAO

       Accountability * Integrity  Reliability
United States Government Accountability Office
Washington, DC 20548


         March 4, 2005

         The Honorable John F. Tierney
         House of Representatives

         Subject: Activities of the Amtrak Inspector General

         Dear Mr. Tierney:

         In a prior report' we suggested that the consolidation of certain offices of inspectors
         general (IG) could strengthen the independence, efficiency, and effectiveness of the
         IGs in the federal government. Based on the potential for benefits and the similarities
         in their basic missions, we identified the Amtrak Office of Inspector General and the
         Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of Inspector General as among those
         Congress might consider for consolidation. We reported that by consolidating the
         office of the Amtrak IG with the larger DOT IG office, the resulting office would have
         a larger budget and more staff with which to achieve its mission. Potential benefits
         include an increased ability to improve the allocation of human and financial
         resources and to attract and retain an adequate and skilled workforce. We concluded
         that consolidation of smaller IG offices, if implemented properly with specific plans
         to mitigate potential weaknesses, is a means of achieving economies of scale and
         greater independence and of providing critical mass and range of skills, particularly
         given the ever increasing need for technical staff with specialized skills.

         This report responds to your request that, building on our prior report, we review the
         nature of the audit and investigative activities of the Amtrak IG and further consider
         the potential for consolidating the Amtrak IG office with the DOT IG office. As
         agreed with your staff, we are providing information on the types of investigations
         pursued by the IG, the subjects that are the focus of IG investigations, the sources of
         allegations and information that led to investigations, and the results of the IG's
         investigations. We also agreed to report any trends or changes indicated by our
         analysis of Amtrak IG activity. In addition to investigations, we agreed to provide
         information on the types of audits conducted and audit reports issued by the IG and
         on the overall results of these audit efforts. We also identified any trends indicated
         by the audit results. We also agreed to discuss specific information in the context of
         our previous report regarding the potential for consolidating the Amtrak and DOT IG
         offices.




         'GAO, Inspectors General: Office Consolidation and Related Issues, GAO-02-575 (Washington, D.C.:
         Aug. 15, 2002).


GAO-05-306R Activities of the Amtrak IG

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