H.R. 6450: Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2016

114th Congress · introduced 2016-12-07 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Became Public Law No: 114-317.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-12-07 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Chaffetz, Jason [R-UT-3] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 114-317. (final step reached)
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2016

Plain summary

Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2016 This bill amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to exempt inspectors general (when they are conducting an authorized audit, investigation, inspection, evaluation, or review) from: (1) information privacy protections that require agreements between agencies for computerized comparisons of automated federal records systems under the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, and (2) procedural requirements for information collections under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) must mediate disputes that involve the jurisdiction of more than one office of inspector general, except for matters coordinated by intelligence community inspectors general. The membership structure of CIGIE's Integrity Committee is modified to eliminate: (1) the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation as chairperson of the committee, and (2) the Special Counsel of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) as a committee member. The committee must elect one of the inspectors general on the committee as chairperson to serve for a term of two years. The bill revises procedures and establishes time lines for the committee to refer allegations of wrongdoing against an inspector general, or against a staff member of an inspector general's office, to: (1) the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the OSC for investigation, or (2) the committee for review. Concurrent investigations may be conducted by the committee, DOJ, and the OSC. The committee may also receive, review, and refer allegations of wrongdoing against the Special Counsel or Deputy Special Counsel (officials appointed to investigate prohibited personnel practices and government waste and abuse). An inspector general may access federal grand jury materials that are protected from disclosure under the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure by submitting a request to the head of his or her establishment, who must then transmit the request to DOJ. DOJ must grant such a request unless access to the grand jury materials would: (1) interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation, prosecution, or undercover operation; (2) identify a confidential source or protected witness; (3) pose a serious threat to national security; or (4) significantly impair the trade or economic interests of the United States. If DOJ denies such a request, it must submit a statement to Congress explaining the reason for the denial. The Attorney General or the Secretaries of Defense, the Treasury, Homeland Security, or Energy may prohibit inspectors general from accessing certain sensitive or national security information.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2016

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Chaffetz, Jason [R-UT-3] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (6)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
Jurisdiction: The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr6450.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr6450 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114