,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #cdf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #i1 #bjbc,mr4 ,tester 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,grassley1 ,mr4 ,rounds1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,mr4 ,daines1 ,mr4 ,heinrich1 ,mr4 ,hoeven1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,ms4 ,stabenow1 and ,mr4 ,wyden7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,office of the ,special ,investigator for ,competition ,matters within the ,department of ,agriculture4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,meat and ,poultry ,special ,investigator ,act of #bjbc4 #b4 ,office of the ,special ,investigator for ,competition ,matters 7a7 ,in general ,the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid is amended by inserting after section #baf 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #fiaf7 the following3 #bag4 ,office of the ,special ,investigator for ,competition ,matters 7a7 ,establishment ,there is established in the ,department an office1 to be known as the ,office of the ,special ,investigator for ,competition ,matters 7referred to in this section as the ,office74 7b7 ,special investigator for competition matters ,the ,office shall be headed by the ,special ,investigator for ,competition ,matters 7referred to in this section as the ,special ,investigator71 who shall be a senior career employee appointed by the ,secretary4 7c7 ,duties ,the ,special ,investigator shall-- 7#a7 use all available tools1 including subpoenas1 to investigate and prosecute violations of the ,packers and ,stockyards ,act1 #aiba 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #aha et seq471 by packers and live poultry dealers with respect to competition and trade practices in the food and agriculture sector2 7#b7 serve as a ,department liaison to1 and act in consultation with1 the ,department of ,justice and the ,federal ,trade ,commission with respect to competition and trade practices in the food and agricultural sector2 7#c7 act in consultation with the ,department of ,homeland ,security with respect to national security and critical infrastructure security in the food and agricultural sector2 7#d7 maintain a staff of attorneys and other professionals with appropriate expertise2 and 7#e7 in carrying out paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#d71 coordinate with the ,office of the ,general ,counsel and the ,packers and ,stockyards ,division of the ,agricultural ,marketing ,service4 7d7 ,prosecutorial authority 7#a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 the ,special ,investigator shall have the authority to bring any civil or administrative action authorized under the ,packers and ,stockyards ,act1 #aiba 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #aha et seq471 against a packer or a live poultry dealer4 7#b7 ,notification ,with respect to any action brought under this section in ,federal district court1 the ,special ,investigator shall notify the ,attorney ,general4 7#c7 ,effect ,nothing in this section alters the authority of the ,secretary to issue a subpoena pursuant to the ,packers and ,stockyards ,act1 #aiba 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #aha et seq474 7e7 ,limitation on scope ,the ,special ,investigator may not bring an action under this section with respect to an entity that is not regulated under the ,packers and ,stockyards ,act1 #aiba 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #aha et seq474 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,section #bif7;b7 of the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gjad7;b77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#aa7 ,the authority of the ,secretary to carry out section #bag4 4 7c7 ,technical amendment ,subtitle ,a of the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid is amended by redesignating the first section #bbe 7relating to ,food ,access ,liaison7 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #fibe7 as section #bbd;,a4