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FEDERALhearing transcript
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USDA Inspector General Oversight Hearing: 2023 Budget and Program Integrity

Original title: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations For 2023

January 1, 2021

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Finance Connection

Notable money activity
$47,126across 20 reported contributions
Trace money trail →
CandidateDonorAmountIndustryDate
Sally Harris WilliamsonSally Harris Harris$7,200Retired Business OwnerMar 2026
Michael L HarrisonMichael Leroy Harrison$5,000Farrier/pastorJun 2026
Cindy HarrisCindy Harris$4,100CandidateMay 2025
Austin Bishop for Palmdale City Council 2020Printing Boss$4,000-Jul 2024
Austin Bishop for Palmdale City Council 2020Zargarian & Khatchaturian Dental Corp$3,000-Oct 2020
Austin Bishop for Palmdale City Council 2024Austin Bishop for Palmdale City Council 2020$2,500-Jul 2024
Austin Bishop for Palmdale City Council 2020Zaragarian & Khatchaturian Dental Corp$2,500-Dec 2020
Wayne Bishop for Yuba Water Agency Director 2022Wayne Bishop$2,500OwnerMar 2022
Austin Bishop for Palmdale City Council 2024California Assocation of Realtors$2,000-Sep 2024
Sean Harrison for City Council 2022John Talieh$1,500PhysicianFeb 2022
Austin Bishop for Palmdale City Council 2020Southern California Pipe Trades District Council No. 16 Political Action Committee$1,500-Nov 2020
Austin Bishop for Palmdale City Council 2024California Teamsters Public Affairs Council, Public Affairs$1,500-Nov 2024
Austin Bishop for Palmdale City Council 2020U.A. Journeymen & Apprentices Local 250 PAC SCC$1,500-Oct 2020
Wayne Bishop for Yuba Water Agency Director 2022Frank Webb Construction$1,425-Mar 2022
Michael L HarrisonMichael Leroy Harrison$1,320Self<br>employedJun 2026
Wayne Bishop for Yuba Water Agency Director 2022Laurie Norene$1,320RetiredMar 2022
Michael L HarrisonMichael Leroy Harrison$1,261Self<br>employed<br>farrierJun 2026
Rita HarrisANDERSON JENNIFER$1,000NOT EMPLOYEDJul 2025
Rita HarrisHCA WEST FLORIDA DIVISION AND GOOD GOVERNMENT PAC$1,000POLITICAL COMMITTEEFeb 2025
Rita HarrisMCCUGH MICHAEL$1,000AMUSEMENT PARKJul 2025

Reported financial relationships and timing signals. This does not prove motive or influence. Readers draw their own conclusions.

The Frame

What this does

The hearing establishes the priorities for the USDA's multi-billion dollar budget, including the monitoring of $172 billion in pandemic-related nutrition funding and $3 billion in new infrastructure and broadband grants.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

USDA Office of Inspector General

The agency is tasked with implementing oversight for new infrastructure and pandemic-related funding.

Taxpayers

Taxpayer funds are subject to OIG audits and investigations to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2021.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This hearing transcript covers the House Appropriations Subcommittee's session with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG). The discussion focused on the OIG's role in auditing and investigating USDA programs, specifically addressing pandemic-related funding, infrastructure investments, and fraud prevention.

Key Facts

  • The USDA received approximately $172 billion in pandemic-related funding, with 78% allocated to nutrition programs.
  • The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides nearly $3 billion for USDA broadband loans, grants, and watershed/flood prevention operations.
  • The fiscal year 2022 budget fully funded the President's request for the Office of Inspector General.
  • The OIG is responsible for auditing and investigating USDA programs to combat waste, fraud, and abuse.
  • The hearing was held virtually with specific rules for muting and time-keeping (five-minute limit per member).
  • The subcommittee acknowledged the passing of Representative Don Young, the longest-serving member of the House.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at the USDA?
The OIG conducts audits, investigations, and reviews to protect taxpayer interests and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of USDA programs.
How much money has the USDA received for pandemic-related activities?
According to the OIG's COVID Funding Dashboard, nearly $172 billion has been provided to the USDA for pandemic activities.

Why It Matters

The hearing establishes the priorities for the USDA's multi-billion dollar budget, including the monitoring of $172 billion in pandemic-related nutrition funding and $3 billion in new infrastructure and broadband grants.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Lobbying Activity

1-800 Contacts, Inc.

$250,000

2026

CONSUMER ISSUES/SAFETY/PRODUCTSHEALTH ISSUES

Issues and legislative proposals related to contact lenses Issues related to the Federal Trade Commission Contact Lens Rule H.R.8773: Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2025 H.R. 9027: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 HR 4282 S. 3354, Curtis QUIET Act.

ADOBE INC

$450,000

2026

COMPUTER INDUSTRYDEFENSEGOVERNMENT ISSUESCOPYRIGHT/PATENT/TRADEMARK

IT Modernization and Digital Service delivery issues; Digital Service Delivery IT Acquisition, and Content Authenticity and digital provenance issues; Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI); artificial intelligence; content provenance; privacy; technology in and competition issues; AI innovation and the economy; Content provenance and AI Labelling; IT modernization; Support for H.R. 9112 - CREATOR Act

AARP

$4,110,000

2026

HEALTH ISSUESMEDICARE/MEDICAIDLAW ENFORCEMENT/CRIME/CRIMINAL JUSTICEPHARMACY

P.L. 119-21, One Big Beautiful Bill Act H.R. 8867, Planning for Long-term Aging Needs (PLAN) Act H.R. 5861, Legacy Act of 2025 H.R. 9393, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. H.R. 9396, the Prior Authorization Accountability Act. S. 4916, the Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act. H.R. 8100, Safe Staffing Saves Lives Act. S. 3886, Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act. H.R. 6766/S. 3492, the Essential Caregivers Act of 2025. H.R. 7966/S. 4118, Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act. S. 2120, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 H.R. 5575, the Firefighters Assisting Seniors to Emergency Response (FASTER) Act of 2025. H.R. 3954/S. 4641, Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. H.R.5554/S.2831, Stand Strong for Medicare Act. S. 3439/H.R. 6735, Connecting Caregivers to Medicare Act and efforts related to the bill S. 1227/H.R. 2491, Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act S. 668/H.R. 3183, Supporting Access to Falls Education and Prevention and Strengthening Training Efforts and Promoting Safety Initiatives (SAFE STEPS) for Veterans Act of 2025 CMS-1851-P, Hospice Proposed rule. CMS-1843-P, Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed rule. CMS-1844-P, Home Health Proposed rule. No bill number. Health care transparency. No bill number. Discussed use of artificial intelligence and health data technology. No bill number. Discussed health-related policies and activities around the fall respiratory virus season. No bill number. Discussed health insurance affordability proposals. No bill number. Discussed Nursing Home staffing standards, safety, and quality. No bill number. Discussed Nursing home transparency and ownership requirements. No bill number. Discussed home health, hospice, and long-term care. No bill number. Discussed falls prevention. No bill number. Discussed social isolation. No bill number. Discussed HUD Assisted Living Requirements No bill number. Discussed family caregiving. No bill number. Discussed AARP paper on Medicare Caregiver Training Services. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid community engagement interim final rule, including the family caregiver exemption. No bill number. Discussed the paid direct care workforce in long-term care. No bill number. Discussed the unaffordability of long-term care. No bill number. Discussed Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program and Medicaid HCBS spousal impoverishment protections. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid fraud and family caregivers, Medicaid self-direction programs. No bill number. Discussed sandwich generation family caregiver hearing and submitted a statement for the record discussing family caregivers and sandwich generation caregivers, programs that support them, AARP caregiving resources, and federal policies to support sandwich generation caregivers and caregivers more broadly. No bill number. Discussed long-term care. No bill number. CMS-2453-NC; Medicaid Program; 2028 Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Quality Measure Set Submitted comments No bill number. Discussed expanding access to home care. No bill number. Discussed the increasing cost of home care No bill number. Discussed HSA use for telehealth chronic care management services/subscriptions. No bill number. Discussed artificial intelligence and technology

1-800 Contacts, Inc.

$280,000

2026

CONSUMER ISSUES/SAFETY/PRODUCTSHEALTH ISSUES

Issues and legislative proposals related to contact lenses Issues related to the Federal Trade Commission Contact Lens Rule H.R.8773: Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2025 H.R. 9027: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 HR 4282 S. 3354, Curtis QUIET Act.

1-800 Contacts, Inc.

$280,000

2026

CONSUMER ISSUES/SAFETY/PRODUCTSHEALTH ISSUES

Issues and legislative proposals related to contact lenses Issues related to the Federal Trade Commission Contact Lens Rule H.R.8773: Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2025 H.R. 9027: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 HR 4282 S. 3354, Curtis QUIET Act.

ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS

$30,000

HILLNORTH LLC

on behalf of POB VENTURES

HILLNORTH LLC

on behalf of POB VENTURES

HILLNORTH LLC

on behalf of POB VENTURES

1-800 Contacts, Inc.

$250,000

2025

CONSUMER ISSUES/SAFETY/PRODUCTSHEALTH ISSUES

Issues and legislative proposals related to contact lenses Issues related to the Federal Trade Commission Contact Lens Rule H.R.8773: Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2025 H.R. 9027: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 HR 4282 S. 3354, Curtis QUIET Act.

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Increased Focus on Pandemic Fraud

The OIG is shifting significant resources toward monitoring pandemic-related nutrition funding following reports of massive fraud.

Connected Entities

personBishopChairman of the SubcommitteeMap →
personDon YoungLate Representative, honored during the hearingMap →
personHarrisActing Ranking Member of the SubcommitteeMap →
organizationU.S. Department of AgricultureThe federal department under oversightMap →
personPhyllis K. FongInspector General, U.S. Department of AgricultureMap →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

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