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119-hr-4465119th Congress

To amend chapters 4, 10, and 131 of title 5, United States Code, as necessary to keep those chapters current and to correct related technical errors.

Sponsored By: Representative Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]

Passed House

Summary

This package would modernize and consolidate federal rules for Inspectors General, with a strong focus on stronger oversight, clearer vacancy and removal rules, and new prison inspections and a DOJ Ombudsman. It recasts Title 5 cross references, updates definitions, and harmonizes reporting and transparency across agencies.

Show full summary
  • Families and incarcerated people: Creates a new Bureau of Prisons inspections regime covering conditions, medical care, use of force, staffing, and programming. The Inspector General must issue inspection reports within 6 months and the Bureau must reply in 60 days.
  • Inspectors General and agency leaders: Tightens removal, transfer, non‑duty, and acting‑service rules. Agencies generally must notify Congress at least 30 days before removal or transfer and alternates must meet a 90‑day prior service eligibility rule.
  • Congress, the public, and the judiciary: Expands semiannual IG reporting and public posting rules and requires a searchable online database of judicial financial disclosures within 180 days, with filed reports posted within 90 days.

*No specific federal cost estimate is provided in the sources.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

New prison inspections and DOJ Ombudsman

This bill would require regular federal prison inspections and set up a Justice Department Ombudsman. The IG would inspect Bureau of Prisons facilities, announced or unannounced, and the Attorney General would ensure access to people, staff, and records. The IG would create a risk score within 18 months after July 25, 2024, post inspection reports within 6 months, and the Bureau would answer within 60 days. Prisons would provide requested records in 30 business days, or 10 business days for deaths, serious harm, or delayed necessary medical care. DOJ would create the Ombudsman within 1 year of July 25, 2024. Messages with IGs and the Ombudsman would be treated as confidential like legal mail. The bill would also treat some former employees and contractors as employees for complaints about their prior service, and it would define the intelligence community by existing law.

Stronger limits on firing Inspectors General

This bill would set stricter steps to remove or sideline Inspectors General. Only the President would be able to put an IG on non‑duty status, with written reasons to Congress 15 days before, or on the day only for an imminent threat. The President would have to give Congress 30 days’ written notice before removing or transferring an IG, and boards would need a two‑thirds vote to remove IGs they oversee. Acting IGs would be limited to people who served in an IG office for at least 90 days in the past year, and no one could act in more than one IG job at a time. The first assistant would serve by default during a vacancy, under time limits.

More IG reports and faster notices

This bill would standardize what Inspectors General report and when. IGs would issue reports each April 30 and October 31, with dollar totals for questioned costs and other required tables. Agency heads would have 30 days to send those reports to Congress, and IGs would alert Congress if requested information is still missing after 30 days. When the Attorney General uses certain powers, the AG would explain that in writing to the IG, and the IG would send it to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees within 30 days; AG reports required under section 405(e) would go to those committees within 7 days. If the Secretary of Defense uses certain powers, the DoD IG would send a 30‑day statement to the Armed Services Committees, and the Secretary would transmit each DoD IG semiannual report to them. The IG Council would support training, file an annual spending report by November 30, and send Integrity Committee reports every six months.

Public website for judges’ finances

This bill would require a public, searchable website for judges’ financial disclosure reports. The courts’ Administrative Office would build it within 180 days after May 13, 2022. Each report would be posted within 90 days after filing, in searchable and downloadable form, with redacted details removed. The office could ask Congress for more time but would still have to keep reports available during the build.

USPS watchdog oversight would expand

This bill would expand the Postal Service watchdog’s reach. The USPS Inspector General would oversee all Postal Inspection Service work, and the Chief Postal Inspector would have to promptly report major actions to the IG. The same IG would also oversee the Postal Regulatory Commission, which would have to follow IG reviews like other agencies. Postal Governors would not direct IG work for the Commission.

Technical repeals with December 2024 dates

This bill would repeal three specific subsections in recent laws, effective December 23, 2024. It would repeal section 5203(e) of the Law Enforcement and Victim Support Act of 2024 and sections 6701(c)(1) and 6702(c)(1) of the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY2025. One amendment would take effect as if enacted on December 23, 2024. The real‑world changes would depend on what those subsections currently do.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]

KS • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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