\nAlthough Congress created the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee to oversee more than $5 trillion in emergency COVID-19 spending, PRAC is entering a new phase of its oversight work.<\/p>\n
PRAC, a coalition of agency inspectors general created in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, was originally scheduled to sunset in September 2025. But the pandemic watchdog still remains and is overseeing another broad tranche of funding.<\/p>\n
The One Big, Beautiful Bill Act signed into law last year will keep the PRAC operational through 2034 and authorizes the watchdog to oversee spending from the budget reconciliation bill.<\/p>\n
Ken Dieffenbach, PRAC\u2019s executive director, said the organization is still deeply involved in pandemic-related investigations, even as it pivots toward a new portfolio. PRAC continues to work with law enforcement agencies and supports over 1,000 cases with about $2.5 billion in potential fraud losses.<\/p>\n
Some of the lessons learned about fraud at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic apply to the PRAC\u2019s ongoing work, Dieffenbach said during Federal News Network\u2019s AI & Data Exchange 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe found that during the pandemic, much of the loss could have been mitigated. We\u2019re trying to make sure the right people are aware of those lessons learned so that we cannot be in this place again when, inevitably, there\u2019s another disaster and there\u2019s lots of money that has to get out quickly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n AI transforms oversight capabilities<\/p>\n PRAC is using artificial intelligence tools to analyze a vast trove of federal spending data and to flag potential fraudulent spending for its team to investigate. Dieffenbach said these emerging tools have been a force multiplier for investigators and auditors.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re collecting, analyzing and communicating information. What AI allows us to do in that space is incredibly helpful because it does things that human beings couldn\u2019t do as efficiently, as effectively and certainly not as quickly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n From \u2018pay and chase\u2019 to prevention<\/p>\n One of PRAC\u2019s biggest priorities now is shifting from a reactive model \u2014 often referred to as \u201cpay and chase\u201d \u2014 to a proactive one that stops fraudulent payments before they are made.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ultimate goal of PRAC now is to leverage these tools and this data to give grant officers, contracting officials, perhaps OIG folks, new information so we can pause, stop, do due diligence before the money goes out the door. Because we know once it goes out the door, it\u2019s very cost-prohibitive. We\u2019re never going to get the money back,\u201d Dieffenbach said. \u201cIt\u2019s a very lengthy process to prosecute, so we want to do everything we can to prevent those things on the front end.\u201d<\/p>\n