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1 1 (April 5, 2024)

handle is hein.crs/goveoxr0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional ____ ~ Research Service The Government Spending Oversight Act and the Future of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee April 5, 2024 On March 21, 2024, Chairman Gary Peters and Senator Mitt Romney of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs introduced S. 4036, the Government Spending Oversight Act of 2024. The legislation, if enacted, would adapt and extend certain authorities of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC), which is scheduled to sunset on September 30, 2025. The PRAC has been a hub for oversight of pandemic programs. The data analysis capacity of its Pandemic Accountability Center for Excellence (PACE) has been particularly useful for identifying fraud and other improper payments. This Insight provides a summary analysis of S. 4036 and how it connects to the current activities of the PRAC. The PRAC and the PACE The PRAC was established under section 15010 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136). The PRAC is composed of inspectors general that oversee pandemic relief funds and is organized within the Council of the Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE). The primary purpose of the PRAC is to promote transparency and conduct and support oversight of the pandemic response, especially with regard to issues and risks that cut across program and agency boundaries. Additionally, the PRAC has a transparency mission that includes the maintenance of a public website that provides information on the distribution of pandemic program funds. The PRAC is empowered to conduct audits and investigations consistent with authorities provided to inspectors general under the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. ch. 4). However, it has largely focused on supporting the audits and investigations of agency inspectors general and reporting on lessons learned from pandemic relief programs that might inform future policy. PACE has been a major component of the PRAC's activities, providing the inspector general community with expertise and capacity to analyze agency data and identify potential fraud. According to CIGIE, the Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN12346 CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress