The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee meanwhile passed the Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2014, to amend the Inspector General Act of 1978 to authorize IG’s to require by subpoena the attendance of and testimony of certain witnesses, including federal contractors and any former federal employee.
The bill is co-sponsored by committee chair Darrell Issa, R-Calif., ranking member Elijah Cummings, D-Md., and Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C.
Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Jon Tester, D-Mont., introduced a bill in March by the same name but with different aims. The Senate bill would overturn a law requiring allegations of attorney misconduct at the Department of Justice to be investigated by an agency that reports directly to the Attorney General rather than the OIG, and has yet to receive a vote.
