Democrats in the US Congress will introduce legislation this week to maintain the post of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstructon , according to the New York Times Sunday. The post is currently set to expire on October 1, 2007 under the terms of Republican-initiated HR 5122.

Originally intended to independently supervise and investigate operations of the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority, SIGIR has succesfully uncovered several instances of fraud, bribery, as well as other legal violations by US government officials and government contractors in Iraq.

In November of 2003 under the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act fo Defense and for the Reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, the Office of SIGIR was established as the Inspector General of the Coalition Provisional Authority. An October 2004 amendment caused it to be redesignated "Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction." The 2004 amendment included a termination clause for the office, to occur ten months after 80% of the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund had been contractually obligated. The termination date was reset as October 2007. Democrats criticized the SIGIR's inclusion in the National Defense Authorization Act as an attempt by Republicans to quietly dismantle the post.

It is expected that the legislation to be introduced by congressional Democrats will be the first of many inquiries into US dealings in Iraq.

Breaking Legal News.com
Robin Sheen
Staff Writer