Definitions

In this Act: (1) Covered official The term covered official means— (A) the Governor of a State; (B) the head of a State agency that administers, oversees, distributes, or certifies expenditures of covered Federal funds; and (C) any State Inspector General, or equivalent State official established by law, with statutory responsibility for investigating, auditing, or overseeing covered Federal funds. (2) Fraud warning The term fraud warning means a written allegation of a specific instance of fraud involving covered Federal funds, supported by documentary evidence, which may include a written finding, a referral, an audit, an investigative report, or a whistleblower complaint, alleging the misuse, theft, diversion, or improper expenditure of not less than $250,000 in covered Federal funds. (3) Covered Federal funds The term covered Federal funds means any Federal funds provided to a State or State agency through a grant, cooperative agreement, reimbursement program, direct appropriation, or other Federal funding mechanism.