Agriculture Department Inspector General Phyllis Fong, with her assistants, testified at a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing. Representative Sam Farr (D-CA) criticized the Obama administration for not providing a budget framework for fiscal year 2014 prior to the hearings, noting that the lack of a proposal made the appropriations process more difficult. The hearing concentrated on the efficiency of USDA programs and the fraud and challenges the department faces due to resources or fiscal constraints.