[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2182 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2182

To amend the Inspector General Act of 1978 to clarify the authority of 
          the Inspector General of the Department of Justice.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 17, 1997

     Mr. Wexler (for himself, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Coble, Mr. Frank of 
 Massachusetts, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, and Ms. Lofgren) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Government 
                          Reform and Oversight

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Inspector General Act of 1978 to clarify the authority of 
          the Inspector General of the Department of Justice.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Justice Inspector 
General Reform Act''.

SEC. 2. INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

    Section 8E(b) of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) 
is amended to read as follows:
    ``(b)(1) In carrying out the duties and responsibilities specified 
in this Act, the Inspector General of the Department of Justice--
            ``(A) shall have oversight responsibility for the internal 
        investigations performed by any entity of the Department of 
        Justice; and
            ``(B) may initiate, conduct, and supervise such audits, 
        inspections, and investigations in the Department of Justice, 
        including regarding any entity of the Department of Justice, as 
        the Inspector General considers appropriate.
    ``(2) The head of each entity of the Department of Justice shall 
promptly report to the Inspector General of the Department of Justice 
such matters, and under such terms, as the Inspector General determines 
are necessary to carry out the responsibilities of the Inspector 
General specified in this Act.
    ``(3) Upon receiving written notice from the Inspector General of 
the Department of Justice that the Inspector General is conducting an 
audit, inspection, or investigation regarding a matter, the head of an 
entity of the Department--
            ``(A) shall not initiate any audit, inspection, or 
        investigation regarding the matter; and
            ``(B) shall terminate any audit, inspection, or 
        investigation regarding the matter that is being conducted by 
        the entity.
    ``(4) Paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) are not intended to limit--
            ``(A) the authority of the Office and procedures of 
        Professional Responsibility of the Department of Justice to 
        investigate allegations of misconduct by Department attorneys, 
        that relate to the exercise of their authority to investigate, 
        litigate, or provide legal advice; or
            ``(B) the authority of the Attorney General under section 
        9(a)(2).''.
                                 <all>