^®: CRE Regulatory Action of the Week

GAO Criticizes OMB FOR Not Enforcing Information Quality Act
The Government Accounting Office reports that OMB needs to improve its oversight of federal agencies’ compliance with the Information Quality Act. The GAO report concludes that OMB has failed to ensure that the Department of Homelands Security and other covered agencies publish IQA guidelines. The report also concludes that OMB has failed to ensure that covered agencies provide adequate online dissemination of IQA information. GAO reports that OMB said it would continue working with agencies to solve these problems.

The GAO report also provides some interesting statistics about the IQA. For example, federal agencies received only 80 substantive IQA petitions during fiscal years 2003 and 2004. Less than half of the agencies’ initial decisions were appealed. Eight appeals resulted in changes. Over 40 percent of IQA petitions were filed from non-industry groups or individuals.