In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed into law the landmark legislation known as the Inspector General Act (IG Act). The IG Act created independent inspectors general, who would: protect the integrity of government; improve program efficiency and effectiveness; prevent and detect fraud, waste and abuse in federal agencies; and keep agency heads, Congress, and the American people fully and currently informed of the findings of the IGs' work. Almost 30 years later, that bold concept is a proven success. The IGs continue to deliver significant benefits to our nation. Thanks to IG audits and inspections, billions of dollars have been returned to the federal government or have been better spent based on recommendations identified through those audits and inspections. IG investigations have also contributed to the prosecution of thousands of wrongdoers. In addition, the IG concept of good governance and accountability encourages foreign governments to seek our advice, with the goal of replicating the basic IG principles in their own governments.