GAO Inspector General Parity Act

HR 5300, the GAO Inspector General Parity Act, requires the Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to provide written justification to Congress for removing, transferring, or placing the GAO Inspector General (IG) on leave. Specifically, it mandates detailed written explanations within 15-30 days before such actions, including reasons for any related investigations. The bill also adjusts the IG’s pay to match the average rate for other GAO employees in similar roles (replacing a prior fixed $5,000 deduction) and ensures the IG’s budget is included in GAO’s budget without changes. This directly affects the GAO IG and Comptroller General by increasing transparency around personnel decisions and aligning compensation with GAO’s internal pay structure.