# 117-hr-5961: To make revisions in title 5, United States Code, as necessary to keep the title current, and to make technical amendments to improve the United States Code. 117-hr-5961, To make revisions in title 5, United States Code, as necessary to keep the title current, and to make technical amendments to improve the United States Code., is a 117th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] (D-CO); status became_law; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-01-05). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-5961 - As of: 2026-01-05 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: 117-hr-5961 - Congress: 117 - Title: To make revisions in title 5, United States Code, as necessary to keep the title current, and to make technical amendments to improve the United States Code. - Status: became_law - Introduced: 2021-11-12 - Sponsor: Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] (D-CO) - Cosponsors: 0 - Policy area: Government Operations and Politics - Touches household money: yes - Last recorded action: 2026-01-05 ## Summary **Consolidates federal oversight, ethics, and advisory committee rules into Title 5.** This law recodifies advisory committee governance, expands Inspector General authorities, and creates a stronger ethics and financial‑disclosure framework. ## Votes | Date | Chamber | Question | Result | Yea | Nay | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2021-12-08T00:00:00.000Z | house | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass | Passed | 413 | 3 | ## Provisions PRIA read - Stronger whistleblower help and safe channels: benefit, medium. If you are a federal employee, you can report law violations, waste, abuse, or dangers to an Inspector General. Your identity is protected unless disclosure is unavoidable in an investigation, and retaliation is banned for protected disclosures. Each IG must name a Whistleblower Protection Coordina… - Faster public access to Inspector General reports: benefit, medium. Each Office of Inspector General must post any final audit, inspection, or evaluation within 3 days, with a summary, and make it searchable and downloadable. Every IG must issue semiannual reports by April 30 and October 31. Agency heads send them to Congress within 30 days and make them public wit… - Inspector General Council and overseas oversight: benefit, medium. The law sets up the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. The Council can run a revolving fund and support training and shared oversight work. When a military operation lasts more than 60 days or after a statutory notice, a lead Inspector General is named within 30 days. The le… - New rules for federal advisory committees: benefit, medium. The law creates a clear rule set for federal advisory committees. A committee must file a charter with goals, duties, expected yearly costs in dollars and person‑years, and meeting plans before it meets. GSA runs a Committee Management Secretariat and reviews each committee every year to continue,… - Open meetings and time limits for advisory committees: benefit, medium. Agencies may create advisory committees only when allowed by law, the President, or with a public‑interest finding and Federal Register notice. Meetings are open to the public unless a security exception applies, and records are available while the committee exists. Member and staff pay is capped a… - Special rules for tax, postal, aid, and regulators: benefit, medium. The Treasury IG for Tax Administration may access tax data only as tax law allows, and the IRS must track those requests. TIGTA enforces certain criminal tax laws, can carry firearms, and protects IRS staff from outside threats. The Postal Service IG oversees the Postal Inspection Service, and the… - Stronger independence rules for Inspectors General: benefit, medium. Inspectors General are chosen for integrity and skill and cannot be blocked from audits or subpoenas by other officers. The President must tell Congress at least 30 days before removing or transferring an IG, and boards need a two‑thirds vote to remove an IG at designated entities. A member of the… - Stronger Inspector General system and budgets: benefit, medium. The law establishes an Inspector General office for each listed federal establishment and for designated entities. Agency heads must give IGs requested information and help unless law or rules bar it. IGs audit programs, review laws, and quickly report suspected federal crimes to the Attorney Gener… - Stronger subpoena and records access for Inspectors General: benefit, medium. Inspectors General can subpoena witnesses and documents they need. A court can enforce a subpoena. IGs must use other procedures to get information from federal employees. IGs get timely access to agency records despite other laws, unless Congress expressly limits access. Many large IG offices no l… - Which agencies get watchdog oversight and funding: benefit, medium. The law defines which agencies count as designated federal entities, such as Amtrak, the Federal Reserve Board, and the Postal Service. Core IG rules apply to these entities using adjusted terms for their structure. If Amtrak has a year with no federal subsidy, it drops from the list at the start o… - Ethics office support and funding rules: benefit, low. The Office of Government Ethics can accept gifts, money, services, or use of facilities to aid its work, under strict rules to protect integrity. Congress authorizes whatever funds are needed for OGE for fiscal year 2007. The ethics subchapter stays in force unless Congress later repeals a separate… - Outside pay and honoraria limits for officials: cost, high. Members of Congress and certain senior noncareer officials face strict caps on outside earned income. Each year, outside earned income cannot exceed 15% of the Level II Executive Schedule pay as of January 1, prorated if you served part of the year. Honoraria are banned. Paid work with fiduciary fi… - Who must file and what to disclose: cost, medium. Top federal officials, Members of Congress, judges, nominees, and candidates must file public financial reports. File within 30 days of starting, by May 15 each year, and within 30 days after leaving; nominees file within 5 days of nomination. Reports must list income over $200, gifts and reimburse… - Inspector General pay, staffing, and consolidation: mixed, high. Inspectors General are paid at the Level III Executive Schedule rate plus 3%, and at least the average total pay of an agency’s senior executives. IGs cannot receive cash awards or bonuses. Each IG office must have its own legal counsel or share counsel on a reimbursable basis. IGs may hire tempora… - Limits on Inspector General work in sensitive cases: mixed, high. The Defense, Treasury, and Energy Secretaries, the Attorney General, and USPS Governors can block IG audits, subpoenas, or access to protect national security, undercover work, or confidential sources. For DIA, NGA, NRO, and NSA, the Defense Secretary can restrict IG activity after consulting the i… - Stronger ethics and financial disclosure rules: mixed, medium. The law creates the Office of Government Ethics, gives it rulemaking and enforcement powers, and sets who runs disclosures in each branch. It sets where to file, when reports become public, how long reports are kept (six years; for Members, six years after leaving), and timelines to provide copies.… - Stronger Inspector General powers and access: mixed, medium. With the Attorney General’s approval, Inspectors General and certain investigators can carry firearms, make arrests, and execute federal warrants. Before granting those powers, the Attorney General must find the IG is hampered without them, other help is not enough, and safeguards exist, and can su… ## Related bills - 117-hr-4693: Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act of 2021 - 117-hr-1667: Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act - 117-hr-1448: PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act - 117-hr-3537: Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act - 117-hr-3076: Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 - 117-hr-3525: Commission To Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture Act ## Sources - [117-hr-5961 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5961) ## Related - [117-hr-4693: Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act of 2021](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-4693) - [117-hr-1667: Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-1667) - [117-hr-1448: PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-1448) - [117-hr-3537: Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-3537) - [117-hr-3076: Postal Service Reform Act of 2022](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-3076) - [117-hr-3525: Commission To Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacifi…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-3525) - [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-5961 (as of 2026-01-05).