Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2016

3.0.0 579 2023-01-11T13:27:20Z 2023-01-11T13:27:20Z Senate S 2015-02-26 114 ssga00 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Senate Standing Reported by 2015-05-05T19:53:22Z Markup by 2015-03-04T17:40:05Z Referred to 2015-02-26T17:14:25Z S. Rept. 114-36 Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2016 114 2395 HR 2016-06-22 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Related bill CRS Related bill House Bolster Accountability to Drive Government Efficiency and Reform Washington Act of 2016 114 3011 S 2016-06-06 Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 505. Related bill CRS Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2016 114 6450 HR 2016-12-16 Became Public Law No: 114-317. Related bill House Related bill CRS 2015-05-05 Senate Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 68. Calendars 2015-05-05 ssga00 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-36. Committee 2015-05-05 Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-36. Committee 14000 9 Library of Congress ssga00 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee 2015-03-04 ssga00 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. Committee 2015-02-26 ssga00 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Senate Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. IntroReferral 2015-02-26 Introduced in Senate IntroReferral 10000 9 Library of Congress G000386 Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] Charles Grassley R IA E. N M001170 Sen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO] Claire McCaskill D MO 2015-02-26 True J000293 Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI] Ron Johnson R WI 2015-02-26 True B001230 Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] Tammy Baldwin D WI 2015-03-04 False E000295 Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] Joni Ernst R IA 2015-03-23 False C001056 Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] John Cornyn R TX 2015-09-10 False M000702 Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD] BARBARA MIKULSKI D MD ANN 2015-09-21 False C001035 Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] Susan Collins R ME M. 2015-09-21 False A000368 Sen. Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH] Kelly Ayotte R NH 2015-10-19 False C000174 Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE] Thomas Carper D DE R. 2015-10-19 False L000575 Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK] James Lankford R OK 2015-10-22 False K000360 Sen. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL] MARK KIRK R IL STEVEN 2015-10-22 False F000463 Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE] Deb Fischer R NE 2015-12-02 False W000779 Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] Ron Wyden D OR 2015-12-07 False E000285 Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY] MICHAEL ENZI R WY B. 2016-01-27 False M001183 Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV] Joseph Manchin D WV 2016-02-12 False P000595 Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] Gary Peters D MI 2016-03-01 False P000449 Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH] Rob Portman R OH 2016-04-04 False I000055 Sen. Isakson, Johnny [R-GA] Johnny Isakson R GA 2016-04-27 False B000575 Sen. Blunt, Roy [R-MO] Roy Blunt R MO 2016-05-10 False A000360 Sen. Alexander, Lamar [R-TN] Lamar Alexander R TN 2016-06-06 False 2015-03-17T17:55:00Z S. 579, Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2015 https://www.cbo.gov/publication/50041 As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on March 4, 2015 Government Operations and Politics Congressional oversight Evidence and witnesses Federal officials Government ethics and transparency, public corruption Government studies and investigations Public contracts and procurement Government Operations and Politics

00 2015-02-26 Introduced in Senate 2015-05-11T15:08:19Z Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2015

Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to: (1) provide for the placing of an Inspector General in a paid or unpaid, nonduty status; (2) grant Inspectors General additional subpoena authority to compel the attendance and testimony of certain witnesses, including federal government contractors and former federal employees, necessary in the performance of functions assigned by such Act; (3) require the Chairperson of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency to report on its activities to specified congressional committees; (4) assign the Council additional responsibilities for reviewing and mediating disputes involving the jurisdiction of more than one federal agency or entity; and (5) set forth procedures for considering allegations of wrongdoing against the Special Counsel or Deputy Special Counsel (officials appointed to investigate prohibited personnel practices and government waste and abuse).

Requires: (1) the Government Accountability Office to study and report on prolonged vacancies in the Offices of the Inspector General, (2) the Council to conduct and report on an analysis of critical issues that involve the jurisdiction of more than one Office of Inspector General; and (3) the Office of Inspector General of each federal agency and department to submit to specified congressional committees a report on nvestigations of misconduct by federal employees paid at level 15 of the General Schedule or above who were not prosecuted.

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01 2015-05-05 Reported to Senate with amendment(s) 2015-07-30T19:13:12Z Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2015

This bill makes changes to the Inspector General Act of 1978 to expand the responsibilities and independence of the Offices of Inspectors General.

(Sec. 2) This section amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to eliminate the role of federal agencies as supervisors of their Inspectors General.

The President or the head of a designated federal entity may not place an Inspector General in a paid or unpaid, nonduty status unless, within 48 hours, the President or the agency head communicates in writing to Congress the reasons for such action, which shall be limited to evidence that the continued presence of the Inspector General in the workplace may: (1) pose a threat to an employee or others, (2) result in the loss of or damage to federal property, or (3) otherwise jeopardize the legitimate interests of the federal government.

An Inspector General may not be placed on such status for more than 10 days, unless the Integrity Committee of the Council of the Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency (Council) submits to the President or the agency head a written recommendation for additional time that is acted upon by the President or the agency head and communicated immediately to Congress.

(Sec. 3) This section grants Inspectors General additional subpoena authority to compel the attendance and testimony of certain witnesses, including current and former federal government contractors, subcontractors, or grantees, and former federal employees, necessary in the performance of functions assigned by such Act. An Inspector General must: (1) submit a request for approval to issue such an subpoena to a Subpoena Panel, (2) notify the Department of Justice (DOJ) of the intent to issue the subpoena, and (3) report to the Council on the number of times the Inspector General has issued a subpoena.

(Sec. 4) ) The Inspector General of the Intelligence Community, rather than the Inspector General of the Office of the Director of National Security, shall be a member of the Council.

The Council must report on its activities to specified congressional committees and review and mediate disputes regarding an audit, investigation, inspection, evaluation, or project that involves the jurisdiction of more than one Office of Inspector General.

The membership structure of the Integrity Committee of the Council is modified to eliminate the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation as Chairperson of the Committee and the Special Counsel of the Office of Special Counsel as a Committee member. The Committee must elect one of the Inspectors General on the Committee as Chairperson to serve for a term of two years.

The Committee, not later than seven days after receiving an allegation of wrongdoing against an Inspector General or Inspector General staff member, must refer such allegation to a representative of DOJ, the Office of Special Counsel, and the Committee for review. If an allegation of wrongdoing is referred to the Committee, the Committee must decide within 15 days to refer the allegation to the Chairperson to initiate an investigation.

This section sets forth further requirements for investigations of allegations of wrongdoing, including: (1) requiring an agency to provide necessary resources to the Committee during its investigation; (2) requiring the Chairperson of the Committee to complete the investigation of the allegations within 120 days; (3) allowing concurrent investigations by the Committee, DOJ, and the Office of Special Counsel; and (4) requiring reports to Members of Congress of the results of any investigation.

The Committee may also receive, review, and refer allegations of wrongdoing against the Special Counsel or Deputy Special Counsel (officials appointed to investigate prohibited personnel practices and government waste and abuse).

This section also authorizes appropriations for the Council for FY2016-FY2021.

(Sec. 5) This section sets forth reporting and other requirements under the Act, including by requiring: (1) the Government Accountability Office to study and report on prolonged vacancies in the Offices of Inspector General; (2) the Council to conduct and report on an analysis of critical issues that involve the jurisdiction of more than one Office of Inspector General; (3) the Office of Inspector General of each federal agency and department to submit to specified congressional committees reports on investigations of misconduct by federal employees paid at level 15 of the General Schedule or above who were not prosecuted, on instances of whistleblower retaliation, on attempts to interfere with the independence of of the Office of Inspector General, and on undisclosed investigations, evaluations, and audits; and (4) an Inspector General to disclose any work product that makes a recommendation or otherwise suggests corrective action.

(Sec. 6) This section makes: (1) technical and clerical corrections to the Act, and (2) a distinction between a federal agency and a designated federal entity for purposes of the Act.

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Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2015 Display Title Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2015 Official Title as Introduced A bill to amend the Inspector General Act of 1978 to strengthen the independence of the Inspectors General, and for other purposes. Introduced in Senate IS Short Titles as Introduced Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2015 Short Titles as Reported to Senate Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2015 S Senate Reported to Senate 2015-05-05T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-114s579rs/xml/BILLS-114s579rs.xml Introduced in Senate 2015-02-26T05:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-114s579is/xml/BILLS-114s579is.xml 2015-05-05 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 68. text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.