Oversight: Accountability in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Abstract

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was enacted to stimulate the economy during a significat economic downturn. ARRA contained new accountability mechanisms were enacted to reduce fraud and wasteful spending. These new mechanisms were touted as a creating an unprecedented level of oversight and transparency. While the Government has taken a step in the right direction, some of these new oversight mechanisms such as Recovery.gov and the Recovery Act Accountability Board have not lived up to expectations. While the ARRA posed significant challenges, the accountability mechanisms that Congress put in place seemed, on balance, to workwell. In fact, the House of Representatives has legislation before it that would employ the ARRA accountability mechanisms permanently, across the Government.