§2537 Accountability and Transparency Relating to Allegations of Misconduct Against Senior Leaders

Summary

The Secretary must, within 90 days after the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 becomes law, write and publish a public policy to make investigations, oversight, and transparency better for allegations of wrongdoing by senior Coast Guard leaders. The policy must say that any such allegation must be sent to the department’s Office of the Inspector General within 72 hours of it being reported. The Inspector General must tell the head of the Coast Guard office involved (or the next in command) unless telling them would harm an investigation, reveal the complainant, or be otherwise inappropriate. The policy should follow Department of Defense rules when practical, including DoD Directive 5505.06. The Inspector General has the first right to investigate and may take over exclusively if needed to protect the probe. The policy must be public and taught across the Coast Guard. Alleged misconduct: a credible claim that, if true, would break criminal law (including the UCMJ) or important federal ethics or other rules, or would be significant to leaders. Senior leader of the Coast Guard: officers in grade O–7 or higher (active, reserve, retired, or selected for O–7), Senior Executive Service (career reserved) civilians, or civilians the OIG says are equivalent.