BPC’s Grumet to Pandemic Oversight Committee: Make Your Work Visible to the Public

Washington, DC—Following the congressional passage of the CARES Act, the largest stimulus package in American history in response to the COVID-19 crisis, BPC President Jason Grumet testified today to the body tasked with rigorously assessing its implementation, the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC).

“Prior to the economic devastation wrought by this public health crisis, tens of millions of American families were already living on the edge between financial solvency and ruin,” Grumet said.

“Moving forward, the country must address these frailties by enacting measures which set working families—and the economy as a whole—on a more resilient path,” he continued. “This goal is best achieved by following the principles of evidence-based policymaking. The PRAC’s work to assess the CARES Act can and should inform lawmakers about what works, and what does not, to shore up the financial strength and resiliency of American households and enable a more dynamic, resilient, and equitable economy.”

In his testimony, Grumet offered four specific recommendations from BPC. He said the committee should:

1. Provide Americans with as much information as possible about its work, reports, and findings regarding the pandemic response and stimulus.
2. Help improve implementation of the CARES Act, not just catch bad actors.
3. Function as a clearinghouse for the Inspectors General community for assistance and best practices, given that most IG offices do not have adequate resources for the new workload.
4. Provide a comprehensive narrative and analysis of the government’s stimulus efforts and their implementation.

In April, BPC’s Task Force on Oversight and Inspectors General wrote to congressional leaders with recommendations for strengthening oversight of the pandemic response.

Read Grumet’s full testimony

SEE ALSO: In the latest Under the Dome podcast, BPC Action, the 501(c)(4) affiliate of the Bipartisan Policy Center, hosted a bipartisan discussion on the crucial role inspectors general play in government with Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Rep. French Hill (R-AR), and former George W. Bush administration Office of Management and Budget official Robert Shea, a member of BPC’s Task Force on Oversight and Inspectors General.