Reversal of fortune for SIGIR's Stuart W. Bowen Jr.

Congress has given final approval to a bill that would extend the office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction past next year. The House passed the bill Dec. 8, two days after the Senate approved it. The measure next goes to President Bush for his signature. The new legislation would reverse a provision in a defense authorization measure enacted in October that terminates the IG's office as of Oct. 1, 2007. The new bill keeps the office, headed by Stuart Bowen, open until 10 months after 80% of funds in the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund have been spent.