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SBA Inspector General William W. Kirk Appointed Chairman of CIGIE’s Pandemic Response Accountability Committee

Summary

In this release dated February 17, 2026, the SBA Office of Inspector General announces that Inspector General William W. Kirk has been appointed Chairman of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency’s Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC), effective March 1, 2026. It says the CARES Act established the PRAC to provide oversight of more than $2 trillion in federal pandemic relief spending. The release lists SBA OIG's work on the Paycheck Protection Program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, including audits, support for criminal investigations and contributions to recoveries, seizures and restitution. Kirk is quoted saying the office has seen firsthand the scale, complexity and consequences of pandemic relief fraud.

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                      Office of Inspector General
                      U.S. Small Business Administration



For Immediate Release                                              Contact: Andre Harris
February 17, 2026                                                  Congressional and Public
Washington, DC                                                     Affairs Officer (PAO)
                                                                   (202) 893-5308



   SBA Inspector General William W. Kirk Appointed Chairman of CIGIE’s Pandemic
                         Response Accountability Committee
The U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG) today announced
that Inspector General William W. Kirk has been appointed Chairman of the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency’s Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
(PRAC), effective March 1, 2026.

The PRAC was established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act
to provide independent, data driven oversight of more than $2 trillion in federal pandemic relief
spending and to prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse across federal programs.
SBA OIG has played a central role in pandemic oversight, particularly of the Paycheck Protection
Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, and
Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

Since the onset of pandemic relief programs, SBA OIG has:

   •   Conducted and issued audits and evaluations identifying systemic vulnerabilities in SBA
       pandemic programs
   •   Supported criminal investigations related to pandemic fraud
   •   Contributed to significant recoveries, seizures, and restitution through investigative and
       prosecutorial partnerships
   •   Provided Congress and the public with timely, independent reporting on SBA program risks
       and corrective actions

Through close collaboration with the PRAC, federal law enforcement partners, and the broader
Inspector General community, SBA OIG has advanced data analytics, risk modeling, and
interagency coordination to safeguard taxpayer funds and strengthen program integrity.

“Serving as Chairman of the PRAC is both an honor and a responsibility,” said Inspector General
William Kirk. “The SBA Office of Inspector General has seen firsthand the scale, complexity, and
consequences of pandemic relief fraud. As PRAC Chairman, I am committed to ensuring rigorous
oversight, transparency, and accountability across the federal government so that relief funds are
protected and the public’s trust is upheld.”

Inspector General Kirk succeeds outgoing PRAC Chairman Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector
General of the Federal Reserve Board and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Inspector General Kirk will serve as PRAC Chairman in addition to his role as Inspector General
of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

                                               ###

Media Contact:
Andre N. Harris
Congressional & Public Affairs Officer
U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General

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