# 119-hr-2181: Protect Our Watchdogs Act of 2025

119-hr-2181, Protect Our Watchdogs Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11] (D-VA); status introduced (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2181
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-2181
- Congress: 119
- Title: Protect Our Watchdogs Act of 2025
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-03-18
- Sponsor: Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11] (D-VA)
- Cosponsors: 32
- Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**For-cause removal standard for Inspectors General.** This bill would limit when an Inspector General can be removed by listing specific grounds and requiring written documentation be included with any removal notice. - Inspectors General: Would protect IGs by allowing removal only for one of 9 enumerated reasons and by requiring supporting documentation be part of the removal communication. - The President and executive branch: Would narrow removal authority by tying it to the listed grounds and by aligning removal procedures across the cited statutes. - Federal agencies and oversight processes: Would require a clearer written record when invoking removal, by adding parallel documentation requirements and transitional references to existing removal rules.

## Cosponsors (32)

- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8] (D-MA), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8] (D-IL), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17] (D-CA), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7] (D-MD), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11] (D-OH), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1] (D-NM), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42] (D-CA), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10] (D-FL), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12] (D-PA), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35] (D-TX), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30] (D-TX), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6] (D-WA), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10] (D-VA), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3] (D-AZ), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1] (D-MO), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47] (D-CA), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7] (D-MA), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2025-03-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20] (D-TX), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] (D-IL), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25] (D-FL), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10] (D-NY), 2025-03-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] (D-CO), 2025-03-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] (D-MA), 2025-03-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2025-03-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4] (D-IL), 2025-04-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49] (D-CA), 2025-04-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35] (D-CA), 2025-05-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7] (D-WA), 2025-05-01T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Stricter rules for firing Inspectors General: benefit, medium. This bill would limit when the President can remove an Inspector General. Removal would be allowed only for nine documented reasons: permanent incapacity, neglect of duty, malfeasance, felony or moral turpitude, knowing law or rule violation, gross mismanagement, gross waste of funds, abuse of auth…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-hr-15: Equality Act
- 119-hr-2743: Raise the Wage Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025
- 119-hr-2763: American Family Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-2181 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2181)

## Related
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [119-hr-15: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-15)
- [119-hr-2743: Raise the Wage Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2743)
- [119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1589)
- [119-hr-2763: American Family Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2763)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2181 (as of 2026-04-21).