#aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  ,h4   
,r4 #aafb  ,,an ,,act  ,to amend title  
#ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 to make     
improvements in the ,government         
,accountability ,office4  #a4 ,short    
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,government ,accountability ,office     
,improvement ,act4  #b4 ,government     
,accountability ,office ,improvement    
7a7 ,authority ,to obtain information   
7#a7 ,authority to obtain records       
,section #gaf of title #ca1 ,united     
,states ,code1 is amended in subsection 
7a7--  7,a7 by striking 7a7 and         
inserting 7#b72 and  7,b7 by inserting  
after the section heading the following3
  7a7  7#a7 ,the ,comptroller ,general  
is authorized to obtain such agency     
records as the ,comptroller ,general    
requires to discharge his duties        
7including audit1 evaluation1 and       
investigative duties71 including through
 the bringing of civil actions under    
this section4 ,in reviewing a civil     
action under this section1 the court    

shall recognize the continuing force and
 effect of the authorization in the     
preceding sentence until such time as   
the authorization is repealed pursuant  
to law4  4  7#b7 ,copies ,section       
#gaf7;a7 of title #ca1 ,united ,states  
,code1 as amended by subsection 7a71 is 
further amended in the second sentence  
of paragraph 7#b7 by striking inspect an
 agency record and inserting inspect1   
and make and retain copies of1 an agency
 record4  7b7 ,administering oaths      
,section #gaa of title #ca1 ,united     
,states ,code1 is amended by striking   
paragraph 7#d7 and inserting the        
following3  7#d7 administer oaths to    
witnesses when auditing and settling    
accounts and1 with the prior express    
approval of the ,comptroller ,general1  
when investigating fraud or attempts to 
defraud the ,united ,states1 or         
irregularity or misconduct of an        
employee or agent of the ,united        
,states4  4  7c7 ,access to certain     
information  7#a7 ,access to certain    

information ,subchapter ,,ii of chapter 
#g of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 
is amended by adding at the end the     
following3  #gba4 ,access to certain    
information  7a7 ,no provision of the   
,social ,security ,act1 including       
section #dec7l7 of that ,act 7#db       
,u4,s4,c4 #fec7l771 shall be construed  
to limit1 amend1 or supersede the       
authority of the ,comptroller ,general  
to obtain any information or to inspect 
or copy any record under section #gaf of
 this title4  7b7 ,no provision of the  
,federal ,food1 ,drug1 and ,cosmetic    
,act1 including section #cja7;j7 of that
 ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #cca7;j771 shall be
 construed to limit1 amend1 or supersede
 the authority of the ,comptroller      
,general to obtain any information or to
 inspect or copy any record under       
section #gaf of this title4  7c7  7#a7  
,the ,comptroller ,general shall        
prescribe such policies and procedures  
as are necessary to protect from public 
disclosure proprietary or trade secret  

information obtained consistent with    
this section4  7#b7 ,nothing in this    
section shall be construed to--  7,a7   
alter or amend the prohibitions against 
the disclosure of trade secret or other 
sensitive information prohibited by     
section #aije of title #ah and other    
applicable laws2 or  7,b7 affect the    
applicability of section #gaf7;e7 of    
this title1 including the protections   
against unauthorized disclosure         
contained in that section1 to           
information obtained consistent with    
this section4  7d7 ,specific references 
to statutes in this section shall not be
 construed to affect access by the      
,government ,accountability ,office to  
information under statutes that are not 
so referenced4  4  7#b7 ,technical and  
conforming amendment ,the table of      
sections for chapter #g of title #ca1   
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
inserting after the item relating to    
section #gbj the following3  #gba4      
,access to certain information4  4  7d7 

,agency reports ,section #gbj7;b7 of    
title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended--  7#a7 in the matter preceding 
paragraph 7#a71 by inserting or planned 
after action taken2 and  7#b7 by        
striking paragraph 7#a7 and inserting   
the following3  7#a7 the ,committee on  
,homeland ,security and ,governmental   
,affairs of the ,senate1 the ,committee 
on ,oversight and ,government ,reform of
 the ,house of ,representatives1 the    
congressional committees with           
jurisdiction over the agency program or 
activity that is the subject of the     
recommendation1 and the ,government     
,accountability ,office before the #fast
 day after the date of the report2 and  
4  ,passed the ,house of                
,representatives ,april #ae1            
#bjac4;,clerk4