USAID OIG Continues to Assert its Independence in Letter to Congress

As Congress negotiates the 2026 budget and the future of foreign assistance, the Acting Inspector General for USAID, Toayoa Aldridge, provides a compelling justification to ranking Senate Appropropriation subcommittee members for maintaining and funding the unique expertise and experience of USAID investigators and auditors as well as USAID staff who manage and monitor development and humanitarian activities. In response to questions raised by these members, the letter asserts the need for continued oversight, audit and investigation of foreign assistance dollars spent overseas. Aldridge stresses the unique expertise and experience of USAID and OIG staff in managing and overseeing the challenges of foreign aid programs. 

The letter also highlights priority risks of concern to the OIG, including:

• State’s ability to adequately staff and fund the audit, investigation and management of foreign assistance programs
• Continued access to State records, information and personnel to further investigate and audit programs
• Adequate personnel, financial and procurement systems, procedures and regulations
• Secure information technology and cybersecurity systems
• Effective management of contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements given loss of expertise

Read the letter and attached memo here.