FOR MORE INFORMATION, Contact
Salley Collins, Press Secretary
(202) 225-8281
E-mail: salley.collins@mail.house.gov

WASHINGTON – An annual audit of the U.S. House of Representatives' Financial Statement issued by the independent Office of Inspector General (OIG) conveyed an eighth consecutive "unqualified opinion" for the 2005 calendar year. In laymen's terms, this is a clean opinion. Financial operations for the House of Representatives are conducted by the Chief Administrative Officer, over whom the Committee on House Administration has oversight.

The auditor's clean opinion as reflected in the 2005 Financial Statement Audit is the continuation of more than a decade of ongoing reforms and oversight to ensure that the House of Representatives operates in a truthful, transparent and professional manner. The Committee on House Administration, led by Chairman Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich., approved formal release by the OIG of the Annual Financial Statement Audit Report on Friday, December 8, 2006. The Audit is conducted by an independent accounting firm under the oversight of the OIG in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

"The House's success in providing accurate financial information for eight consecutive years speaks volumes about the substantial progress that has been made," Ehlers stated, upon receiving news of the Inspector General's findings. "I believe that I speak on behalf of all of my colleagues in expressing the need for this transparency and the continuation of accurate financial disclosure in the operations of the House of Representatives."

The first Financial Statement Audit overseen by the independent office of the House Inspector General, covered the 1994 calendar year, and concluded that it was impossible to audit the House books due to inadequate recordkeeping. The House continued to make progress to address the material weaknesses outlined in the 1994 report, and in 1998 received its first clean opinion. Ehlers stated that he is delighted all the hard work of the Committee and the Chief Administrative Officer has resulted in yet another clean audit.

For more information, contact the Committee press office at (202) 225-8281.