,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cagg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,january #i1   
#bjbj,mr4 ,tester 7for himself and ,mr4 
,lankford7 introduced the following     
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs
  ,a ,,bill  ,to provide the ,inspector 
,general of the ,department of ,veterans
 ,affairs testimonial subpoena          
authority1 and for other purposes4  #a4 
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,strengthening ,oversight for       
,veterans ,act of #bjbj4  #b4           
,testimonial subpoena authority of the  
,inspector ,general of the ,department  
of ,veterans ,affairs  7a7 ,in general  
,section #cab of title #ch1 ,united     
,states ,code1 is amended by adding at  
the end the following new subsection3   
7c7 7#a7 7,a7 ,in addition to the       
authority otherwise provided by the     
,inspector ,general ,act of #aigh 7#e   
,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 and in accordance with 
the requirements of this subsection1 the

 ,inspector ,general1 in carrying out   
the provisions of this section1 may     
require by subpoena the attendance and  
testimony of witnesses as necessary in  
the performance of the functions        
assigned to the ,inspector ,general by  
the ,inspector ,general ,act of #aigh   
7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 and this section1  
which in the case of contumacy or       
refusal to obey1 such subpoena shall be 
enforceable by order of any appropriate 
district court of the ,united ,states4  
7,b7 ,an ,inspector ,general may not    
require by subpoena the attendance and  
testimony of any current ,federal       
employees1 but may use other authorized 
procedures4  7#b7 ,the authority to     
issue a subpoena under paragraph 7#a7   
may not be delegated4  7#c7 7,a7 ,if the
 ,inspector ,general intends to issue a 
subpoena1 the ,inspector ,general shall 
notify the ,attorney ,general of such   
intent4  7,b7 ,not later than #aj days  
after the date on which the ,attorney   
,general is notified pursuant to        

paragraph 7#a71 the ,attorney ,general  
may object to the issuance of the       
subpoena if the subpoena will interfere 
with an ongoing investigation and1 if   
the ,attorney ,general makes such an    
objection1 the ,inspector ,general may  
not issue the subpoena4  7,c7 ,if the   
,attorney ,general does not object to   
the issuance of the subpoena during the 
#aj-;day period described in            
subparagraph 7,b71 the ,inspector       
,general may issue the subpoena4  7#d7  
,before requiring by subpoena under     
paragraph 7#a7 the attendance and       
testimony of a witness1 the ,inspector  
,general shall1 to the degree           
practicable--  7,a7 notify the witness  
of the intent of the ,inspector ,general
 to issue the subpoena2 and  7,b7       
provide the witness an opportunity to   
attend and testify voluntarily4  7#e7   
,whenever requiring by subpoena under   
paragraph 7#a7 the attendance and       
testimony of a witness1 the ,inspector  
,general shall1 to the greatest extent  

practicable1 travel to residence of the 
witness1 the principal place of business
 of the witness1 or other similar       
location that is in proximity to the    
residence of the witness4  7#f7 7,a7    
,along with each semiannual report      
submitted by the ,inspector ,general    
pursuant to section #e7;b7 of the       
,inspector ,general ,act of #aigh 7#e   
,u4,s4,c4 ,app4 #e7;b771 the ,inspector 
,general shall include a report on the  
exercise of the authority provided by   
paragraph 7#a74  7,b7 ,each report      
submitted under subparagraph 7,a7 shall 
include1 for the most recently completed
 six-month period1 the following3  7i7  
,the number of testimonial subpoenas    
issued and the number of individuals    
interviewed pursuant to such subpoenas4 
7ii7 ,the number of proposed testimonial
 subpoenas with respect to which the    
,attorney ,general objected under       
paragraph 7#c77;,b74  7iii7 ,a          
discussion of any challenges or concerns
 that the ,inspector ,general has       

encountered exercising the authority    
provided by paragraph 7#a74  7iv7 ,such 
other matters as the ,inspector ,general
 considers appropriate4  4  7b7         
,effective date  7#a7 ,in general       
,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71  
subsection 7c7 of section #cab of title 
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 as added by 
subsection 7a71 shall take effect on the
 date of the enactment of this ,act4    
7#b7 ,semiannual report ,paragraph 7#d7 
of subsection 7c7 of such section1 as so
 added1 shall take effect on the date   
that is seven months after the first day
 of the first fiscal year beginning     
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act4