The panel of federal investigators charged with overseeing the $2.4 trillion coronavirus relief package on Monday named a longtime federal inspector to coordinate its efforts.
Robert Westbrooks, the former inspector general for the Pension Benefit and Guaranty Corporation, will serve as the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee’s executive director.
Mr. Westbrooks has spent more than 15 years conducting independent federal oversight.
A certified public accountant and internal auditor, attorney and former criminal investigator, Mr. Westbrooks has held top watchdog positions at the Small Business Administration, Department of Transportation, Postal Service and National Archives.
“I look forward to working with the entire oversight community – federal, state, and local – to coordinate and conduct independent oversight over these critically important emergency relief programs, and help ensure that funds are used effectively and efficiently and major program risks are addressed,” said Mr. Westbrooks in a statement.
The oversight panel still needs to appoint a chairman.
Former acting Defense Department Inspector General Glenn Fine was tapped to lead the committee, but President Trump removed him earlier this month without explanation.
The president replaced Mr. Fine with Sean W. O’Donnell, the inspector general at the Environmental Protection Agency. The move voided Mr. Fine’s eligibility to lead the coronavirus oversight efforts.
Since the shake-up, Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz is serving as the committee’s chairman.
In addition to tapping Mr. Westbrooks, the inspectors general also launched a website detailing their ongoing reviews of the federal coronavirus response.
The website catalogs reports from inspectors general overseeing their agencies’ pandemic responses, a hotline for the public to submit allegations of waste, fraud and abuse, and a form for individuals to offer feedback on the government’s pandemic response.
“Today’s launch of the PRAC’s website is the first of many steps that the PRAC will take to ensure transparency and accountability regarding the federal government’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic. As soon as the PRAC obtains spending information and other reporting data, we will be adding it to the website and the public can follow our efforts through our new Twitter feed, @COVID_Oversight,” Mr. Horowitz said in a statement.
Lawmakers created the committee last month through the passage of the CARES Act to reduce the economic havoc caused by the pandemic.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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