Sponsors (7)
Makes changes to Inspector General (IG) rules for the Executive Office of the President and several independent agencies. It requires the President to appoint an IG for the Executive Office of the President within 90 days of enactment, adds limits on when IGs may be removed, and explicitly removes one of those removal protections for IGs of specified independent agencies. It also enacts a technical change making a prior provision effective as law.
Amend Section 401 of title 5, United States Code, by inserting text after paragraph (1) and by inserting text after paragraph (3).
Require the President to appoint, within 90 days after enactment, an individual to serve as the Inspector General of the Executive Office of the President, in accordance with section 403(a) of title 5, U.S.C. (appointment must follow the process in 5 U.S.C. 403(a)).
Prohibit removal of each Inspector General appointed by the President (either solely by the President or by the President with Senate advice and consent), including IGs of Offices created under 5 U.S.C. 403, except for inefficiency, malfeasance of office, or neglect of duty.
Prohibit removal of each Inspector General of an Office of Inspector General established under 5 U.S.C. 415 by the head of the designated Federal entity except for inefficiency, malfeasance of office, or neglect of duty.
Specify that the removal-protection rule for Presidential-appointed IGs (the rule described above) does not apply to Inspectors General of Offices of Inspector General for independent agencies.
Who is affected and how:
Inspectors General and OIG staff: Directly affected by new rules on removal and by the creation/filling of an IG position for the Executive Office of the President. The changes provide stronger procedural protections for many IGs, which can increase their job security and ability to conduct oversight independently. For IGs of the listed independent agencies, one of those protections will not apply, reducing that specific safeguard.
Executive Office of the President: Must have an IG appointed within 90 days, which will add a watchdog presence and likely change internal oversight and reporting practices.
President and White House leadership: Must make an appointment quickly and will face limits on removing IGs in covered circumstances. This constrains executive flexibility but strengthens continuity of oversight.
Federal agencies more broadly: May experience steadier oversight because IG protections reduce abrupt leadership turnover; agencies with IGs excluded from the protection may see different removal dynamics.
Legal and oversight communities (Congress, watchdog groups, the judiciary): Could see questions or challenges about the scope of removal protections and the carve-outs for certain independent agencies; the changes could lead to legal interpretations about separation of powers and inspector general independence.
Overall effect: The bill strengthens inspector-general independence in most cases and ensures the Executive Office has an IG quickly, while reducing one protection for IGs at certain independent agencies — a targeted change that affects oversight structure and executive staffing rather than budgets or program operations.
Last progress June 4, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on June 4, 2025 by Hillary Scholten
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.