,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cfdc  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,january #ad1  
#bjbf,mr4 ,hawley introduced the        
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on ,finance 
,a ,,bill  ,to establish the ,office of 
the ,special ,inspector ,general for    
,program ,fraud1 and for other purposes4
  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be    
cited as the ,special ,inspector        
,general for ,program ,fraud ,act4  #b4 
,special ,inspector ,general for        
,program ,fraud  7a7 ,purposes ,the     
purposes of this section are as follows3
 7#a7 ,to provide for the independent   
and objective conduct and supervision of
 audits and investigations relating to  
programs funded with amounts            
appropriated or otherwise made available
 for child assistance programs in the   
,united ,states4  7#b7 ,to provide for  
the independent and objective leadership
 and coordination of1 and               
recommendations on1 policies designed to

 prevent and detect waste1 fraud1 and   
abuse in such programs described in     
paragraph 7#a74  7#c7 ,to provide for an
 independent and objective means of     
keeping the ,secretary of ,health and   
,human ,services1 the ,secretary of     
,agriculture1 the heads of the other    
covered ,federal agencies1 and ,congress
 fully and currently informed about     
problems and deficiencies relating to   
the administration of such programs and 
the necessity for and progress on       
corrective action4  7b7 ,office of      
,inspector ,general ,there is hereby    
established the ,office of the ,special 
,inspector ,general for ,program ,fraud 
to carry out the purposes set forth in  
subsection 7a74  7c7 ,appointment of    
,inspector ,general2 removal  7#a7      
,appointment ,the head of the ,office of
 the ,special ,inspector ,general for   
,program ,fraud is the ,special         
,inspector ,general for ,program ,fraud 
7in this section referred to as the     
,inspector ,general71 who shall be      

appointed by the ,president with the    
advice and consent of the ,senate4  7#b7
 ,qualifications ,the appointment of the
 ,inspector ,general shall be made      
solely on the basis of integrity and    
demonstrated ability in accounting1     
auditing1 financial analysis1 law1      
management analysis1 public             
administration1 or investigations4  7#c7
 ,deadline for appointment ,the         
appointment of an individual as         
,inspector ,general shall be made not   
later than #cj days after the date of   
enactment of this ,act4  7#d7           
,compensation ,the annual rate of basic 
pay of the ,inspector ,general shall be 
the annual rate of basic pay provided   
for positions at level ,,iv of the      
,executive ,schedule under section #ecae
 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4    
7#e7 ,prohibition on political          
activities ,for purposes of section     
#gcbd of title #e1 ,united ,states      
,code1 the ,inspector ,general shall not
 be considered an employee who          

determines policies to be pursued by the
 ,united ,states in the nationwide      
administration of ,federal law4  7#f7   
,removal ,the ,inspector ,general shall 
be removable from office in accordance  
with the provisions of section #djc7;b7 
of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4  7d7
 ,assistant inspectors general ,the     
,inspector ,general shall1 in accordance
 with applicable laws and regulations   
governing the civil service-- 7#a7      
appoint an ,assistant ,inspector        
,general for ,auditing who shall have   
the responsibility for supervising the  
performance of auditing activities      
relating to programs funded with amounts
 appropriated or otherwise made         
available for child assistance programs 
in the ,united ,states2 and  7#b7       
appoint an ,assistant ,inspector        
,general for ,investigations who shall  
have the responsibility for supervising 
the performance of investigative        
activities relating to such programs4   
7e7 ,supervision  7#a7 ,in general      

,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71  
the ,inspector ,general shall report    
directly to1 and be under the general   
supervision of1 the ,secretary of       
,health and ,human ,services1 the       
,secretary of ,agriculture1 and the     
heads of the other covered ,federal     
agencies4  7#b7 ,independence ,to       
conduct investigations and audits ,no   
officer of the ,department of ,health   
and ,human ,services1 the ,department of
 ,agriculture1 or another covered       
,federal agency shall prevent or        
prohibit the ,inspector ,general from   
initiating1 carrying out1 or completing 
any audit or investigation related to   
amounts appropriated or otherwise made  
available for child assistance programs 
in the ,united ,states or from issuing  
any subpoena during the course of any   
such audit or investigation4  7f7       
,duties  7#a7 ,oversight of child       
assistance programs ,it shall be the    
duty of the ,inspector ,general to      
conduct1 supervise1 and coordinate      

audits and investigations of the        
treatment1 handling1 and expenditure of 
amounts appropriated or otherwise made  
available for child assistance programs 
in the ,united ,states1 including-- 7,a7
 the oversight and accounting of the    
obligation and expenditure of such      
funds2  7,b7 the monitoring and review  
of contracts funded by such funds2  7,c7
 the monitoring and review of the       
transfer of such funds and associated   
information between and among           
departments1 agencies1 and entities of  
the ,united ,states and private and     
nongovernmental entities2  7,d7 the     
maintenance of records on the use of    
such funds to facilitate future audits  
and investigations of the use of such   
funds2 and  7,e7 the investigation of   
overpayments1 such as duplicate payments
 or duplicate billing and any potential 
unethical or illegal actions of ,federal
 employees1 contractors1 or affiliated  
entities and the referral of such       
reports1 as necessary1 to the           

,department of ,justice to ensure       
further investigations1 prosecutions1   
recovery of further funds1 or other     
remedies4  7#b7 ,other duties related to
 oversight ,the ,inspector ,general     
shall establish1 maintain1 and oversee  
such systems1 procedures1 and controls  
as the ,inspector ,general considers    
appropriate to discharge the duties     
under paragraph 7#a74  7#c7 ,duties and 
responsibilities under chapter #d of    
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code ,in     
addition to the duties specified in     
paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b71 the ,inspector
 ,general shall also have the duties and
 responsibilities of inspectors general 
under chapter #d of title #e1 ,united   
,states ,code4  7#d7 ,coordination of   
efforts ,in carrying out the duties1    
responsibilities1 and authorities of the
 ,inspector ,general under this section1
 the ,inspector ,general shall          
coordinate with1 and receive the        
cooperation of1 the ,inspector ,generals
 of the ,department of ,health and      

,human ,services1 the ,department of    
,agriculture1 and the other covered     
,federal agencies4  7g7 ,powers and     
authorities  7#a7 ,authorities under    
chapter #d of title #e1 ,united ,states 
,code ,in carrying out the duties       
specified in subsection 7f71 the        
,inspector ,general shall have the      
authorities provided in section #djf of 
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1        
including the authorities under         
subsection 7e7 of such section4  7#b7   
,audit standards ,the ,inspector        
,general shall carry out the duties     
specified in subsection 7f77#a7 in      
accordance with section #djd7;b77#a7 of 
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4  7h7   
,personnel1 facilities1 and other       
resources  7#a7 ,personnel  7,a7 ,in    
general ,the ,inspector ,general may    
select1 appoint1 and employ such        
officers and employees as may be        
necessary for carrying out the duties of
 the ,inspector ,general1 subject to the
 provisions of title #e1 ,united ,states

 ,code1 governing appointments in the   
competitive service1 and the provisions 
of chapter #ea and subchapter ,,iii of  
chapter #ec of such title1 relating to  
classification and ,general ,schedule   
pay rates4  7,b7 ,additional authorities
  7i7 ,in general ,subject to clause    
7ii71 the ,inspector ,general may       
exercise the authorities of subsections 
7b7 through 7i7 of section #cafa of     
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code 7without
 regard to subsection 7a7 of that       
section74  7ii7 ,periods of appointments
 ,in exercising the employment          
authorities under subsection 7b7 of     
section #cafa of title #e1 ,united      
,states ,code1 as provided under clause 
7i7 of this subparagraph-- 7,i7         
paragraph 7#b7 of that subsection       
7relating to periods of appointments7   
shall not apply2 and  7,,ii7 no period  
of appointment may exceed the date on   
which the ,office of the ,special       
,inspector ,general for ,program ,fraud 
terminates under subsection 7n74  7#b7  

,employment of experts and consultants  
,the ,inspector ,general may obtain     
services as authorized by section #caji 
of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 at  
daily rates not to exceed the equivalent
 rate prescribed for grade ,,gs-#ae of  
the ,general ,schedule by section #eccb 
of such title4  7#c7 ,contracting       
authority ,to the extent and in such    
amounts as may be provided in advance by
 appropriations ,acts1 the ,inspector   
,general may enter into contracts and   
other arrangements for audits1 studies1 
analyses1 and other services with public
 agencies and with private persons1 and 
make such payments as may be necessary  
to carry out the duties of the          
,inspector ,general4  7#d7 ,resources   
,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human   
,services1 the ,secretary of            
,agriculture1 and the heads of the other
 covered ,federal agencies1 as          
appropriate1 shall provide the          
,inspector ,general with-- 7,a7         
appropriate and adequate office space at

 appropriate locations of the           
,department of ,health and ,human       
,services1 the ,department of           
,agriculture1 and the other covered     
,federal agencies1 together with such   
equipment1 office supplies1 and         
communications facilities and services  
as may be necessary for the operation of
 such offices1 and shall provide        
necessary maintenance services for such 
offices and the equipment and facilities
 located therein2 and  7,b7 appropriate 
and adequate support for audits1        
investigations1 and related activities  
by the ,inspector ,general or assigned  
personnel4  7#e7 ,assistance from       
,federal agencies  7,a7 ,in general     
,upon request of the ,inspector ,general
 for information or assistance from any 
department1 agency1 or other entity of  
the ,federal ,government1 the head of   
such entity shall1 insofar as is        
practicable and not in contravention of 
any existing law1 furnish such          
information or assistance to the        

,inspector ,general1 or an authorized   
designee4  7,b7 ,reporting of refused   
assistance ,whenever information or     
assistance requested by the ,inspector  
,general is1 in the judgment of the     
,inspector ,general1 unreasonably       
refused or not provided1 the ,inspector 
,general shall report the circumstances 
to the ,secretary of ,health and ,human 
,services1 the ,secretary of            
,agriculture1 and the heads of the other
 covered ,federal agencies1 as          
appropriate1 and to the appropriate     
congressional committees1 without delay4
  7i7 ,reports  7#a7 ,quarterly reports 
,not later than #cj days after the end  
of each fiscal-year quarter1 the        
,inspector ,general shall submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees a  
report summarizing1 for the period of   
that quarter and1 to the extent         
possible1 the period from the end of    
such quarter to the time of the         
submission of the report1 the activities
 during such period of the ,inspector   

,general and the activities under       
programs funded with amounts            
appropriated or otherwise made available
 for child assistance programs in the   
,united ,states4 ,each report shall     
include1 for the period covered by such 
report1 a detailed statement of all     
obligations1 expenditures1 and revenues 
associated with child assistance        
programs in the ,united ,states1        
including each of the following3 7,a7   
,obligations and expenditures of        
appropriated funds4  7,b7 ,operating    
expenses of agencies or entities        
receiving amounts appropriated or       
otherwise made available for child      
assistance programs in the ,united      
,states4  7,c7 ,in the case of any      
contract1 grant1 agreement1 or other    
funding mechanism described in paragraph
 7#b7-- 7i7 the amount of the contract1 
grant1 agreement1 or other funding      
mechanism2  7ii7 a brief discussion of  
the scope of the contract1 grant1       
agreement1 or other funding mechanism2  

7iii7 a discussion of how the covered   
,federal agency involved in the         
contract1 grant1 agreement1 or other    
funding mechanism identified1 and       
solicited offers from1 potential        
individuals or entities to perform the  
contract1 grant1 agreement1 or other    
funding mechanism1 together with a list 
of the potential individuals or entities
 that were issued solicitations for the 
offers2 and  7iv7 the justification and 
approval documents on which was based   
the determination to use procedures     
other than procedures that provide for  
full and open competition4  7#b7        
,covered contracts1 grants1 agreements1 
and funding mechanisms ,a contract1     
grant1 agreement1 or other funding      
mechanism described in this paragraph is
 any major contract1 grant1 agreement1  
or other funding mechanism that is      
entered into by any covered ,federal    
agency1 with any public or private      
sector entity1 that involves the use of 
amounts appropriated or otherwise made  

available for child assistance programs 
in the ,united ,states4  7#c7 ,public   
availability ,the ,inspector ,general   
shall publish on a publicly available   
internet website each report under      
paragraph 7#a7 of this subsection4  7#d7
 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this 
subsection shall be construed to        
authorize the public disclosure of      
information that is-- 7,a7 specifically 
prohibited from disclosure by any other 
provision of law2 or  7,b7 a part of an 
ongoing criminal investigation4  7j7    
,report coordination  7#a7 ,submission  
to heads of covered ,federal agencies   
,the ,inspector ,general shall also     
submit each report required under       
subsection 7i7 to the ,secretary of     
,health and ,human ,services1 the       
,secretary of ,agriculture1 and the     
heads of the other covered ,federal     
agencies4  7#b7 ,submission to ,congress
  7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #cj  
days after receipt of a report under    
paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary of       

,health and ,human ,services1 the       
,secretary of ,agriculture1 and the     
heads of the other covered ,federal     
agencies1 as appropriate1 shall submit  
to the appropriate congressional        
committees any comments on the matters  
covered by the report4  7,b7 ,access ,on
 request1 any ,member of ,congress may  
view comments submitted under           
subparagraph 7,a74  7k7 ,transparency   
7#a7 ,report ,not later than #fj days   
after submission to the appropriate     
congressional committees of a report    
under subsection 7i71 the ,secretary of 
,health and ,human ,services1 the       
,secretary of ,agriculture1 and the head
 of each covered ,federal agency1 shall 
make copies of the report available to  
the public upon request1 and at a       
reasonable cost4  7#b7 ,comments on     
matters covered by report ,not later    
than #fj days after the last submission 
to the appropriate congressional        
committees under subsection 7j77#b77;,a7
 of comments on a report under          

subsection 7i71 the ,secretary of       
,health and ,human ,services1 the       
,secretary of ,agriculture1 and the head
 of each covered ,federal agency1 shall 
make copies of the comments available to
 the public upon request1 and at a      
reasonable cost4  7l7 ,definitions ,in  
this section3 7#a7 ,appropriate         
congressional committees ,the term      
appropriate congressional committees    
means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on          
,appropriations1 the ,committee on      
,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry1
 the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 
,labor1 and ,pensions1 the ,committee on
 ,finance1 and the ,committee on        
,homeland ,security and ,governmental   
,affairs of the ,senate2 and  7,b7 the  
,committee on ,appropriations1 the      
,committee on ,agriculture1 the         
,committee on ,ways and ,means1 the     
,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 and
 the ,committee on ,oversight and       
,government ,reform of the ,house of    
,representatives4  7#b7 ,child          

assistance ,the term child assistance   
means ,federal financial assistance for 
an activity such as child care or child 
nutrition4  7#c7 ,child assistance      
program ,the term child assistance      
program means a ,federal1 ,state1       
,tribal1 or local program providing     
child assistance4  7#d7 ,covered        
,federal agency ,the term covered       
,federal agency means a department or   
agency of the executive branch of the   
,federal ,government that1 as determined
 by the ,president1 administers amounts 
appropriated or otherwise made available
 for a child assistance program in the  
,united ,states4  7m7 ,authorization of 
appropriations ,there is authorized to  
be appropriated #aj1jjj1jjj for each of 
fiscal years #bjbf and #bjbg to carry   
out this section4  7n7 ,termination     
7#a7 ,in general ,the ,office of the    
,special ,inspector ,general for        
,program ,fraud shall terminate on      
,september #cj1 #bjbg4  7#b7 ,final     
report ,the ,inspector ,general shall1  

prior to the termination of the ,office 
of the ,special ,inspector ,general for 
,program ,fraud under paragraph 7#a71   
prepare and submit to the appropriate   
congressional committees a final report 
on programs funded with amounts         
appropriated or otherwise made available
 for child assistance programs in the   
,united ,states4