Federal Reports

The PRAC along with 10 of our member Offices of Inspectors General conducted this second phase of our review in order to provide insights on the experiences of the two cities, two rural counties, and two Tribal reservations that, during the first part of our review, received a combined $2.65 billion in pandemic relief funding across 89 pandemic programs and subprograms. We found that the six communities shared similar experiences even though their populations, demographics, locations, and contexts were unique. Specifically, we identified four themes which provide valuable insights to policymakers, program officials, and the American public regarding the federal government’s COVID-19 response and how to prepare for the next major emergency. These themes focus on Program Administration and Guidance, Knowing Your Community, Pre-Existing Challenges, and Sustaining Lives and Recovering from the Pandemic.

The Postal Service relies almost entirely on the revenue generated from postage to fulfill its public mission and cover the costs of delivering mail. As mail volumes decline and operational costs increase, USPS has sought to cover its costs by generating more revenue through increases in the price of postage. Record levels of inflation and additional pricing authorities have recently led to notable increases in the price of Market Dominant mail, including the highest revenue generating class of mail, First-Class Mail. Specifically, First-Class Mail has seen more frequent price increases and a higher percentage of price increases since August 2021.

The U.S. Postal Service is redesigning its processing network with the goal of creating a best-in-class mail and package processing network as part of its 10-year strategic Delivering for America plan. The Postal Service plans to create a modernized network based around Regional Processing and Distribution Centers (RP&DC), local processing centers, and sorting and delivery centers. The Richmond Processing and Distribution Center became the first RP&DC, in July 2023, consolidating operations from nearby facilities. According to the Postal Service, the effectiveness of these new facilities is critical to the success of its strategic initiatives.

This audit was performed in accordance with the Accountability of Tax Dollars Act of 2002, which requires the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board to prepare, and the Office of Inspector General to audit, the agency’s financial statements each year. The EPA OIG, which also serves as the OIG for the CSB, contracted with an independent auditor, Allmond & Company LLC, to perform the audit of the CSB’s FYs 2023 and 2022 financial statements.

The AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General (AmeriCorps OIG) investigated allegations that AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) members were paid as employees of the Mississippi Center for Re-Entry (MSCRE) while simultaneously receiving an AmeriCorps living allowance for service at the organization, and that MSCRE’s founder instructed VISTA members to not disclose their employment relationship to AmeriCorps. AmeriCorps OIG’s investigation confirmed that one VISTA member was required to perform duties both within and outside their VISTA Assignment Description (VAD), while simultaneously receiving living allowance payments from AmeriCorps and paychecks from MSCRE. AmeriCorps OIG also confirmed that MSCRE’s founder directed VISTA members to not disclose their employment relationships with the organization to AmeriCorps.

The Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Service and Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) programs support veterans seeking education or training for employment. VR&E focuses on disabilities that directly impact employment, and participants must attend GI Bill approved programs (or obtain a waiver). VET TEC was created for veterans pursuing high technology training. VET TEC programs must meet less stringent approval requirements, are not approved for use under the GI Bill, and require a waiver from the executive director for VR&E participants to use them.The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this review to assess the allegation that a VET TEC training provider was knowingly enrolling VR&E participants with improper authorizations. The allegation also stated that some VR&E counselors have worked with the training provider while others have not.Upon review, the OIG substantiated the allegation that VR&E staff improperly authorized 31 participants to attend courses offered by the VET TEC training provider mentioned by the complainant. The team also identified 11 additional VR&E participants attending courses at eight other VET TEC training providers that VR&E staff improperly authorized. Because 33 of 42 VR&E participants were improperly enrolled to attend VET TEC courses, the OIG considers the $387,000 spent on those courses between April 1, 2019, and December 31, 2022, as improper payments.The improper authorizations occurred because VR&E staff were not adequately informed about VET TEC and were generally unaware the program could not be used by VR&E participants. VR&E controls also did not prevent participants from being authorized for and enrolled in unapproved courses.The OIG made the following two recommendations to the undersecretary for benefits: develop and implement polices and system controls to verify programs approved meet requirements; and provide training for all appropriate VR&E regional office staff.

The AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General (AmeriCorps OIG) investigated an allegation that the President of the Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps (GLCCC) misused personal identifiable information provided by prospective AmeriCorps members at recruitment sessions to enroll them in AmeriCorps' Education Award Program, even though the members did not provide service. It was also alleged that these prospective members were enrolled in the MyAmeriCorps portal with the GLCCC President’s email address. AmeriCorps OIG’s investigation found that the GLCCC President used his email address to enroll 55 individuals as AmeriCorps members, and that at least one of the individuals was unaware that they were enrolled into an AmeriCorps program. AmeriCorps OIG further determined that the GLCCC President attended enrollment sessions of a partner organization that did not receive AmeriCorps funding in order to enroll members into GLCCC’s AmeriCorps program, and that hours members served for the partnership organization were counted as AmeriCorps service hours.