# Integrity Committee Transparency Act of 2021

This bill is about making government oversight more transparent and accountable. Specifically, it changes how the Integrity Committee—a group that investigates misconduct by federal inspectors general—reports its findings and operates.

To understand why this matters, you need to know that inspectors general are the internal watchdogs of federal agencies. They investigate fraud, waste, and misconduct within their organizations. The Integrity Committee is essentially the watchdog for the watchdogs, investigating when inspectors general themselves are accused of wrongdoing. The problem this bill addresses is that the Integrity Committee has operated with very little public transparency, making it hard for Congress and the public to know what's happening with these investigations.

The bill makes several key changes. First, it requires the Integrity Committee to submit detailed reports to Congress every six months instead of occasionally, explaining what allegations they've received, how they've handled them, and what they've found. These reports must include information about the types of misconduct alleged, how long investigations took, and whether cases were referred to the Department of Justice or closed without action. Second, when a member of Congress makes an allegation against an inspector general that gets closed without investigation, the Integrity Committee must now notify certain congressional leaders within 60 days, explaining why they decided not to investigate. Third, the bill adds a former inspector general to the Integrity Committee itself, bringing in outside perspective from someone with experience in the role. Finally, the bill requires inspectors general to report any allegations of wrongdoing against themselves to the Integrity Committee, closing a potential loophole where they might have handled such matters privately.

The practical effect is that Congress and the public will have much better visibility into how the Integrity Committee operates and what happens with complaints about federal inspectors general. This could help catch problems earlier and ensure that investigations are being handled fairly and thoroughly rather than quietly swept aside.

Integrity Committee Transparency Act of 2021

Connolly, Gerald E.

Integrity Committee Transparency Act of 2021 This bill addresses issues regarding inspectors general (IGs) and the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) Integrity Committee. The committee is charged with investigating allegations of wrongdoing against office of IG officials. The committee must notify Congress when an allegation of wrongdoing made by a Member of Congress is closed without referral for investigation. The bill requires CIGIE to report semiannually to Congress and the President on the activities of the committee. The bill requires the appointment of a former IG to the committee. An IG must refer to the committee any allegation of wrongdoing against that IG.