WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., requested that the chair of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) appoint an inspector general to oversee the U.S.-Israel airstrikes against Iran that began on February 28, 2026. Duckworth argued the military action qualifies as an overseas contingency operation under federal law, triggering a statutory requirement for independent oversight.

Federal statute mandates that the CIGIE chair designate an inspector general for any overseas contingency operation lasting more than 60 days. The senator cited two grounds for classifying the Iran campaign as such: the Department of Defense’s labeling of the mission as “Operation Epic Fury” in its casualty database and the deployment of National Guard members to the region. Under federal law, activating National Guard personnel constitutes a contingency operation. Duckworth wrote that “IG quarterly reporting, audits, inspections and investigations related to OCOs have promoted valuable transparency and accountability across presidential administrations and enable federal agencies to be better stewards of taxpayer dollars.” She added, “The need for you to appoint a lead IG to advance these aims and conduct joint, comprehensive and independent oversight of contingency operations against Iran has never been greater, as the Trump administration’s explanations of the president’s purported mission, lines of effort and desired end states with respect to Iran are constantly shifting, and often contradict themselves.”

The Defense Department has estimated the war in Iran has cost $29 billion. If appointed, the inspector general would develop an oversight strategy, verify the accuracy of agency spending data, resolve jurisdictional overlaps, and issue regular public reports. By statute, CIGIE Chair Cheryl Mason must select the inspector general from the Defense Department, State Department, or U.S. Agency for International Development. Although the Trump administration folded USAID into the State Department in 2025, the USAID inspector general office remains active.

Duckworth requested that Mason provide her selection by June 5, 2026. Andrew Cannarsa, CIGIE’s executive director, said the council has “received the letter from Senator Duckworth and is working to address the senator’s inquiry.” Duckworth and good government groups have previously questioned Mason’s ability to deliver independent oversight, citing her prior role as a senior adviser to Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins. Mason, the VA inspector general, was elected CIGIE chair in 2025.