{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=e1fbd929-5b20-4ce8-8546-f2c9bb6fa2e4", "Portman, Tester Seek to Empower Government Watchdogs, Save Taxpayer Dollars", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Rob Portman", "P000449", "www.portman.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), leaders of the Senate Subcommittee working to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in government, today sought new ways to strengthen government watchdogs and save taxpayer dollars.\r\n\u201cInspectors General and their oversight offices are key as the watchdogs of the federal government,\u201d said Portman at today\u2019s committee hearing. \u201cWith the current financial status of the federal government and our now $17 trillion debt, we certainly owe it to our constituents that their tax dollars are being spent in the right way.\u00a0\u00a0 The oversight workforce must help ensure that that happens.\u201d\r\n\u201cFolks back in Montana are skeptical about the way things work in Washington \u2013 and I don\u2019t blame them,\u201d Tester said at today\u2019s subcommittee hearing.\u00a0 \u201cWithout independent voices of oversight, we have no hope of maintaining the public\u2019s trust in government.\u00a0 We need to empower folks like you to serve as our eyes and ears within government.\u201d\r\nWatch Portman\u2019s remarks here.\r\nPortman and Tester invited inspectors general from two federal agencies to testify at today\u2019s hearing.\u00a0 The officials told the Senators there are still too many gaps in government oversight, but that government watchdogs saved nearly $50 billion in 2012 \u2013 providing a $17 return on every dollar.\r\nPortman and Tester pushed the officials to say what steps Congress could take to better work with government watchdogs, to make sure oversight officials are getting the resources and access they need to effectively prevent waste, fraud and abuse, and to enhance government transparency and uphold the privacy rights of Americans.\r\n\u201cThe need for strong and effective independent oversight over agency operations has never been more important, and complete access to information is a cornerstone of effective independent oversight,\u201d Michael Horowitz, Inspector General for the Department of Justice, told the panel.\r\nPortman and Tester also called the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s chief privacy officer to testify as the Senators seek to make sure agencies prioritize the privacy and civil liberties of law-abiding Americans.\r\nPortman and Tester became and Ranking Member and Chairman on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Oversight Subcommittee earlier this year.\u00a0 In addition to strengthening government oversight, they currently working to reform and strengthen the security clearance and background check process.\r\nVideo of Tester and Portman\u2019s hearing from today is available online here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=e1fbd929-5b20-4ce8-8546-f2c9bb6fa2e4"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4702421613037586, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}