#aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,s4   
#bfhg  ,,an ,,act  ,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 #bjba4 
#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  7d7 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 ,the ,inspector  
,general may not require by subpoena the
 attendance and testimony under         
subparagraph 7,a7 of-- 7i7 any current  
,federal employee2 or  7ii7 any witness 
as part of any criminal proceeding4     
7#b7 ,the authority to issue a subpoena 
under paragraph 7#a7 may not be         
delegated4  7#c7 7,a7 ,the ,inspector   
,general shall notify the ,attorney     
,general of the intent to issue a       
subpoena under paragraph 7#a74  7,b7    
,not later than #aj days after the date 
on which the ,attorney ,general is      
notified pursuant to subparagraph 7,a71 
the ,attorney ,general may object in    
writing 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 in   
writing 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  7#g7 7,a7 ,the  

authority provided by paragraph         
7#a77;,a7 shall terminate on ,may #ca1  
#bjbe4  7,b7 ,the termination of        
authority by subparagraph 7,a7 shall not
 affect the enforceability of a subpoena
 issued under paragraph 7#a77;,a7 before
 the date of such termination4  4  7b7  
,effective date  7#a7 ,in general       
,subsection 7d7 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#f7 
of subsection 7d7 of such section1 as so
 added1 shall apply beginning 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  ,passed the    
,senate ,april #g1 #bjbb4,secretary