NW Kentucky News

House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer and Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs Chairman Pat Fallon have expressed concerns over the Department of Energy's oversight controls. Their joint statement follows an interim report from the Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), which highlights non-compliance with conflict-of-interest regulations under the Biden Administration.

"Despite repeated calls to reform its deficient oversight infrastructure, the Department of Energy’s Loans Programs Office continues to leave the door wide open for waste, fraud, and abuse," they stated. The report indicates that the DOE is managing substantial funds without adequate systems to track conflicts of interest or safeguard taxpayer money. "Bad actors now have heightened opportunities to take advantage of rushed funding, and no one is the wiser," they added.

The statement urges immediate implementation of corrective actions recommended by OIG to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure accountability within DOE.

This issue was previously addressed in a hearing held by the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs on April 18, 2023. The hearing titled “Spending on Empty: How the Biden Administration’s Unprecedented Spending Increased Risk of Waste, Fraud, and Abuse at the Department of Energy” focused on inadequate oversight infrastructure within DOE following a significant budget increase under Congressional Democrats. Concerns were also raised about policies associated with the Green New Deal impacting American consumers while allowing higher pollution rates from foreign adversaries like China.