[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9725 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9725
To amend title 5, United States Code, to abolish the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 16, 2026
Mr. Higgins of Louisiana introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 5, United States Code, to abolish the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, and for other purposes.
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 ``Restoring Integrity and Efficiency
to Inspector General Oversight Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. ABOLISHMENT OF THE COUNCIL OF THE INSPECTORS GENERAL ON
INTEGRITY AND EFFICIENCY.
(a) In General.--
(1) Abolishment of council.--The Council of the Inspectors
General on Integrity and Efficiency, as established by section
424 of title 5, United States Code, is abolished effective on
the abolishment date specified in paragraph (3).
(2) Abolition of functions.--Except for functions otherwise
vested or transferred by this Act, or an amendment made by this
Act, all functions that, immediately before the abolishment
date specified in paragraph (3), were functions of the Council
of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency are
abolished effective on such date.
(3) Abolishment date.--The abolishment date specified in
this paragraph is the date that is 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(b) Vesting of Council Functions and Duties.--Effective on the
abolishment date specified in subsection (a)(3), section 424 of title
5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows (and by conforming
the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 4 of such title
accordingly):
``Sec. 424. Additional provisions with respect to the offices of the
Inspectors General
``(a) Development of Standards.--The Director of the Office of
Management and Budget shall develop policies, standards, and approaches
to aid in the establishment of a well-trained and highly skilled
workforce in the offices of the Inspectors General.
``(b) Inspections.--The Comptroller General of the United States
shall develop standards for the offices of the Inspectors General to
conduct inspections.
``(c) Areas of Weakness and Vulnerability.--The offices of the
Inspectors General shall coordinate to continually identify, review,
and discuss areas of weakness and vulnerability in Federal programs and
operations with respect to fraud, waste, and abuse.
``(d) Governmentwide Activities.--The Director of the Office of
Management and Budget shall develop plans for coordinated,
governmentwide activities that address these problems and promote
economy and efficiency in Federal programs and operations, including
interagency and inter-entity audit, investigation, inspection, and
evaluation programs and projects to deal efficiently and effectively
with those problems concerning fraud and waste that exceed the
capability or jurisdiction of an individual agency or entity.
``(e) Policies for Personnel.--The Director of the Office of
Management and Budget, in coordination with the Director of the Office
of Personnel Management, the offices of the Inspectors General, and the
Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, shall develop
policies that will aid in the maintenance of a corps of well-trained
and highly skilled Office of Inspector General personnel.
``(f) Professional Training.--The Director of the Federal Law
Enforcement Training Centers, in coordination with the offices of the
Inspectors General, shall maintain 1 or more academies for the
professional training of auditors, investigators, inspectors,
evaluators, and other personnel of the various offices of Inspector
General.
``(g) Multi-Jurisdiction Review.--The Director of the Office of
Management and Budget shall, except for matters coordinated among
Inspectors General under section 103H of the National Security Act of
1947 (50 U.S.C. 3033), receive, review, and mediate any disputes
submitted in writing by an Office of Inspector General regarding an
audit, investigation, inspection, evaluation, or project that involves
the jurisdiction of more than one Office of Inspector General.
``(h) Responsibilities Relating to Whistleblower Protection.--The
Inspectors General shall--
``(1) facilitate the work of the Whistleblower Protection
Coordinators designated under section 403(d)(1)(C) of this
title; and
``(2) in consultation with the Office of Special Counsel
and Whistleblower Protection Coordinators from the member
offices of the Inspector General, develop best practices for
coordination and communication in promoting the timely and
appropriate handling and consideration of protected
disclosures, allegations of reprisal, and general matters
regarding the implementation and administration of
whistleblower protection laws, in accordance with Federal
law.''.
(c) Transfer of Revolving Fund.--Any amounts that are available in
the Inspectors General Council Fund immediately before the abolishment
date specified in paragraph (3) or that were transferred to the Council
of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency are hereby
transferred to the Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training
Centers.
(d) Transfer of Assets.--Except as otherwise provided in this Act,
so much of the personnel, property, records, and unexpended balances of
appropriations, allocations, and other funds employed, used, held,
available, or to be made available in connection with a function
transferred to an official or agency by this Act shall be available to
the official or the head of that agency, respectively, at such time or
times as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, or the
Administrator of General Services, as appropriate, directs for use in
connection with the functions transferred.
(e) Termination of Personnel.--Except as provided by subsection
(d), effective on the abolishment date specified in subsection (a), any
individual who is an officer or employee of the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency shall be separated from
the civil service.
(f) Delegation and Assignment.--Except as otherwise expressly
prohibited by law or otherwise provided in this Act, or an amendment
made by this Act, an official to whom functions are transferred under
this Act (including the head of any office to which functions are
transferred under this Act) may delegate any of the functions so
transferred to such officers and employees of the office of the
official as the official may designate, and may authorize successive
redelegations of such functions as may be necessary or appropriate. No
delegation of functions under this section or under any other provision
of this Act shall relieve the official to whom a function is
transferred under this Act of responsibility for the administration of
the function.
(g) Savings Provisions.--
(1) Legal documents.--All orders, determinations,
regulations, permits, grants, loans, contracts, agreements,
certificates, licenses, and privileges--
(A) that have been issued, made, granted, or
allowed to become effective by the President, the Chair
of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity
and Efficiency, the Council of the Inspectors General
on Integrity and Efficiency, any officer or employee of
any office transferred by this Act, or any other
Government official, or by a court of competent
jurisdiction, in the performance of any function that
is transferred by this Act; and
(B) that are in effect on the effective date of
such transfer (or become effective after such date
pursuant to their terms as in effect on such effective
date),
shall continue in effect according to their terms until
modified, terminated, superseded, set aside, or revoked in
accordance with law by the President, and other authorized
official, a court of competent jurisdiction, or operation of
law.
(2) Proceedings.--This Act shall not affect any proceedings
or any application for any benefits, service, license, permit,
certificate, or financial assistance pending on the date of the
enactment of this Act before an office transferred by this Act,
but such proceedings and applications shall be continued.
Orders shall be issued in such proceedings, appeals shall be
taken therefrom, and payments shall be made pursuant to such
orders, as if this Act had not been enacted, and orders issued
in any such proceeding shall continue in effect until modified,
terminated, superseded, or revoked by a duly authorized
official, by a court of competent jurisdiction, or by operation
of law. Nothing in this paragraph shall be considered to
prohibit the discontinuance or modification of any such
proceeding under the same terms and conditions and to the same
extent that such proceeding could have been discontinued or
modified if this Act had not been enacted.
(3) Suits.--This Act shall not affect suits commenced
against the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency or the Chair of the Council of the Inspectors
General on Integrity and Efficiency, or against any individual
in the official capacity of such individual as an officer or
employee of an office transferred by this Act, before the date
of the enactment of this Act, and in all such suits, proceeding
shall be had, appeal taken, and judgments rendered in the same
manner and with the same effect as if this Act had not been
enacted.
(4) Nonabatement of actions.--No suit, action, or other
proceeding commenced against the Council of the Inspectors
General on Integrity and Efficiency or the Chair of the Council
of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, or
against any individual in the official capacity of such
individual as an officer or employee of an office transferred
by this Act, shall abate by reason of the enactment of this
Act.
(5) Continuance of suits.--If any Government officer in the
official capacity of such officer is party to a suit with
respect to a function of the officer, and under this Act such
function is transferred to any other officer or office, then
such suit shall be continued with the other officer or the head
of such other office, as applicable, substituted or added as a
party.
(6) Administrative procedure and judicial review.--Except
as otherwise provided by this Act, any statutory requirements
relating to notice, hearings, action upon the record, or
administrative or judicial review that apply to any function
transferred by this Act shall apply to the exercise of such
function by the head of the Federal agency, and other officers
of the agency, to which such function is transferred by this
Act.
(h) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Inspector general of the library of congress.--Section
1307(d)(3) of the Library of Congress Inspector General Act of
2005 (2 U.S.C. 185(d)(3)) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking ``the
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency use of force policies, which incorporate''
and inserting ``the'';
(B) in subparagraph (C)(i), by striking ``standards
established by the Council of the Inspectors General on
Integrity and Efficiency, which incorporate'' and
inserting ``the'';
(C) in subparagraph (D)--
(i) by striking ``established by the
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity
and Efficiency'' and inserting ``established by
the Comptroller General of the United States'';
and
(ii) by striking ``, the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency,'';
(D) by striking subparagraph (E); and
(E) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as
subparagraph (E).
(2) Inspector general of the architect of the capitol.--
Section 1301(d)(3) of the Architect of the Capitol Inspector
General Act of 2007 (2 U.S.C. 1808(d)(3)) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking ``the
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency use of force policies, which incorporate''
and inserting ``the'';
(B) in subparagraph (C)(i), by striking ``standards
established by the Council of the Inspectors General on
Integrity and Efficiency, which incorporate'' and
inserting ``the'';
(C) in subparagraph (D)--
(i) by striking ``established by the
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity
and Efficiency'' and inserting ``established by
the Comptroller General of the United States'';
and
(ii) by striking ``, the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency,'';
(D) by striking subparagraph (E); and
(E) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as
subparagraph (E).
(3) Inspectors general appointments.--Section
403(d)(1)(C)(iii) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity
and Efficiency,''.
(4) Authority of inspector general.--Section 406 of title
5, United States Code, is amended--
(A) in subsection (g)(1), by striking ``, and any
resources necessary to support the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency.
Resources necessary to support the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency shall be
specifically identified and justified in the budget
request'';
(B) in subsection (g)(2)--
(i) in subparagraph (B), by striking the
semicolon and inserting ``; and''; and
(ii) by striking subparagraph (C);
(C) in subsection (g)(3)--
(i) in subparagraph (C), by striking the
semicolon and inserting ``; and''; and
(ii) by striking subparagraph (D); and
(D) in subsection (k), by striking ``the Council of
the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency
or''.
(5) Special application.--Section 415(g) of title 5, United
States Code, is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``Sections 404, 405, 406,
and 407'' and inserting ``Sections 404, 405,
406, 407, and 424''; and
(ii) by striking ``and 407'' and inserting
``407, and 424'';
(B) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking the semicolon
and inserting ``; or'';
(C) in paragraph (4)(B) by striking ``; or'' and
inserting a period; and
(D) by striking paragraph (4)(C).
(6) Inspector general oversight of fund.--Section
1521(e)(1)(B) of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115-91) is amended by striking
``by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency (commonly referred to as the `CIGIE Blue Book')''
and inserting `` by the Comptroller General of the United
States''.
(7) Special provisions concerning overseas contingency
operations.--Section 419 of title 5, United States Code, is
amended--
(A) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the
following:
``(a) Responsibilities of Inspectors General.--The Inspectors
General specified in subsection (c) shall have the specific
responsibilities specified in subsection (b) upon the earlier of--
``(1) the commencement or designation of a military
operation as an overseas contingency operation that exceeds 60
days; or
``(2) receipt of a notification under section 113(n) of
title 10 with respect to an overseas contingency operation.'';
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking ``In
consultation with the Inspectors General
specified in subsection (c), to designate'' and
inserting ``To designate''; and
(ii) in paragraph (2), by striking ``To
resolve'' and inserting ``In accordance with
section 424(g) of this title, to resolve''; and
(C) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ``the Chair
of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency under subsection (b)(1)'' and inserting
``the Inspectors General specified in subsection (c)''.
(8) Investigative leave and notice leave.--Section 6329b(e)
of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking ``the
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency,
in consultation with''.
(9) Secretary of defense.--Section 113(o) of title 10,
United States Code, is amended by striking ``the Chair of the
Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency'' and
inserting ``Director of the Office of Management and Budget''.
(10) Special inspector general for the troubled asset
relief program.--Section 121 of the Emergency Economic
Stabilization Act of 2008 (12 U.S.C. 5231) is amended--
(A) by striking subsection (h); and
(B) by redesignating subsections (i) through (k) as
subsections (h) through (j), respectively.
(11) Reducing vulnerability of sbir and sttr programs to
fraud, waste, and abuse.--Section 5143 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (15 U.S.C. 638b) is
amended by striking ``, in consultation with the Council of
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency,''.
(12) Budget contents and submission to congress.--Section
1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, is amended--
(A) by striking paragraph (33); and
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (34) through (38)
as paragraphs (33) through (37), respectively.
(13) Compliance.--Section 3353(a) of title 31, United
States Code, is amended--
(A) by striking paragraph (2);
(B) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph
(2);
(C) in paragraph (2), as so redesignated, by
striking ``in consultation with the Council''; and
(D) in paragraph (4)--
(i) by striking ``CIGIE'' and inserting
``Additional omb''; and
(ii) by striking ``Not later than 180 days
after the date of enactment of this section,
the Council'' and inserting ``The Director of
the Office of Management and Budget''.
(14) Annual independent evaluation.--Section 3555(j) of
title 44, United States Code, is amended by striking ``, the
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency''.
(15) Duties, responsibilities, authority, and reports.--
Section 3903(c) of title 44, United States Code, is amended--
(A) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``the Council
of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency
use of force policies, which incorporate'' and
inserting ``the'';
(B) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ``standards
established by the Council of the Inspectors General on
Integrity and Efficiency, which incorporate'' and
inserting ``the'';
(C) in paragraph (4)--
(i) by striking ``by the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency'' and inserting ``by the Comptroller
General of the United States''; and
(ii) by striking ``, the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency,'';
(D) by striking paragraph (5); and
(E) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph
(5).
(16) Inspector general of the intelligence community.--
Section 103H of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C.
3033) is amended--
(A) in subsection (i)(1)(B), by striking ``or the
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency''; and
(B) in subsection (n)--
(i) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking the
semicolon and inserting ``; and'';
(ii) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ``;
and'' and inserting a period at the end;
(iii) by striking paragraph (1)(C);
(iv) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking the
semicolon and inserting ``; and'';
(v) by striking paragraph (2)(C);
(vi) in paragraph (3)(C), by striking the
semicolon and inserting ``; and''; and
(vii) by striking paragraph (3)(D).
(17) Inspector general for central intelligence agency.--
Section 17 of the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 (50
U.S.C. 3517) is amended--
(A) in subsection (e)(8)(A)(ii), by striking ``or
the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency''; and
(B) in subsection (f)--
(i) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking the
semicolon and inserting ``; and'';
(ii) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``;
and'' and inserting a period at the end;
(iii) by striking paragraph (2)(C);
(iv) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking the
semicolon and inserting ``; and'';
(v) by striking in paragraph (3)(C);
(vi) in paragraph (4)(C), by striking the
semicolon and inserting ``; and''; and
(vii) by striking paragraph (4)(D).
(i) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Function.--The term ``function'' includes any duty,
obligation, power, authority, responsibility, right, privilege,
activity, or program.
(2) Office.--The term ``office'' includes any office,
administration, agency, bureau, institute, council, unit,
organizational entity, or component thereof.
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