Federal Reports

For our final report on the audit of 2020 Census background check preparedness, we reviewed the Census Bureau’s revised background checkpolicies and procedures, as well as its plan for accommodating the background check and hiring needs of the 2020 Census. Our objectives were to (1) assess the Bureau’s internal policies and procedures for conducting background checks on temporary employees, as well as any other Census Bureau employees and (2) determine whether the Bureau has a plan in place to conduct background checks for temporary employees who will be hired during the 2020 Census testsand decennial field operations that will occur as part of the actual decennial enumeration.

The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) assessed all identified 2015 initial Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Compensation and Pension (C&P) Examinations to determine if the examiners met certain VA stipulations. The OIG conducted the review in response to a legislative mandate and it was expanded at the request of Representatives Tim Walz (MN) and Mike Coffman (CO) to inform the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs about whether qualified care providers are conducting TBI C&P examinations. Also, as directed by Congress, the OIG reviewed a veteran’s case and related complaint to the Montana Board of Psychologists to help inform the review. The OIG found that among the 13,301 contractor examinations and 17,778 examinations performed by Veterans Health Administration staff, VA practice was generally consistent with stipulations related to the specialty and training of providers. The OIG determined, however, that the training curriculum requirements for conducting examinations lacked rigor. In addition, the documentation of TBI C&P examination findings was insufficient to identify what the basis was for assessment of findings of cognitive impairment or residuals (the symptoms and affected bodily functions) of TBI. The OIG recommended that the VA’s Executive in Charge, performing the duties of the Under Secretary for Health and the Acting Under Secretary for Benefits convene experts to develop a plan that: 1) Ensures personnel performing TBI C&P examinations have comprehensive training on the evaluation of TBI, including the assessment and evaluation of cognitive disorders; 2) Develops requirements for documenting the TBI C&P examination process, including the basis for determinations; and 3) Considers whether disability ratings should be provided to veterans with claims arising from cognitive issues based on their clinical signs and symptoms, rather than primarily on the diagnoses or causes of their cognitive deficits.

In light of the heightened public and congressional interest in the misuse of government-owned, government-leased, and chartered aircraft, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a special review of the use of government aircraft by the heads of the Department and several of DHS’s operational components. DHS OIG’s review also included a review of other-than-coach-class travel by this same group of senior officials. We determined that each instance of the use of government aircraft by DHS’s senior leaders during the time period of our review generally complied with relevant laws, rules, regulations, policies, and guidance.With respect to DHS senior leaders’ other-than-coach-class (OTCC) commercial air travel over the same time period, we determined that such travel generally qualified as allowable premium travel. We could not definitively determine, however, whether one trip taken by a former Deputy Secretary met all of the Department’s criteria for allowable OTCC travel. We also identified two specific instances of non-compliance with the Department’s internal request and approval processes for such travel; however, the related travel was properly justified, and the process deviations were quickly identified and corrected by the Department.

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill asked us to review ICE’s modification of its intergovernmental service agreement (IGSA) with the City of Eloy in Arizona to procure family detention space in Dilley, Texas. We also reviewed other selected IGSAs to determine whether they complied with applicable laws and regulations. ICE is responsible for the detention of removable aliens. ICE commonly uses a type of agreement called an IGSA to reserve space at detention facilities owned or operated by state or local governments.In September 2014, ICE improperly modified an existing IGSA with the City of Eloy (Eloy) in Arizona to establish the 2,400-bed South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, more than 900 miles away. Although ICE could have contracted directly with the private company that operates the South Texas Family Residential Center, CCA, it instead created an unnecessary “middleman” by modifying its existing IGSA with Eloy. Eloy’s sole function under the modification is to act as the middleman between ICE and CCA; Eloy collects about $438,000 in annual fees for this service.