WASHINGTON – A bipartisan group of senators led by Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, have introduced legislation to boost oversight of trillions in taxpayer funded pandemic relief by helping the special watchdog quickly onboard critical oversight staff. The Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery Expedited Hiring Authority Act allows the office to bypass the lengthy government hiring process so it can quickly ramp up oversight operations. The bill is cosponsored by Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Sens. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Cory Booker, D-N.J.

“Congress created the Office of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery because independent, comprehensive oversight is essential as the administration distributes trillions of dollars of desperately needed funding for public health and economic recovery,” Hassan said.