I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2861 

To improve transparency regarding the activities of the American Red Cross, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 21, 2019 

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To improve transparency regarding the activities of the 

American Red Cross, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Red Cross 

5 Transparency Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE OVER7 SIGHT. 

8 Section 300111 of title 36, United States Code, is 

9 amended to read as follows: 


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1 ‘‘§ 300111. Authority of the Comptroller General of 

2 the United States 

3 ‘‘(a) AUDIT AUTHORITY.—The Comptroller General 

4 of the United States is authorized to review— 

5 ‘‘(1) the internal governance of the corporation; 

6 and 

7 ‘‘(2) any program or activity connected to na8 tional preparedness, including any program or activ9 ity carried out by the corporation in connection with 

10 events for which the Federal Government provides 

11 leadership or support under the national prepared12 ness system established under section 644 of the 

13 Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act 

14 of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 744; enacted as title VI of the 

15 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations 

16 Act, 2007), or any successor system. 

17 ‘‘(b) ACCESS AUTHORITY.— 

18 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of carrying 

19 out this section, the Comptroller General of the 

20 United States shall have access to and the right to 

21 examine and copy all records and other recorded in22 formation, electronic or otherwise, within the posses23 sion or control of the corporation that the Comp24 troller General determines relevant to a review au25 thorized under subsection (a), including such records 

26 and other recorded information relating to the finanVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:03 Jun 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2861.IH H2861

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1 cial transactions and internal governance of the cor2 poration. 

3 ‘‘(2) INDIVIDUALS.—The Comptroller General 

4 shall be provided access to, and be permitted to 

5 interview, any member of the board of governors, 

6 employee, volunteer, or agent of the corporation 

7 whom the Comptroller General believes to have 

8 knowledge relevant to a review authorized under 

9 subsection (a). 

10 ‘‘(c) ENFORCEMENT.— 

11 ‘‘(1) SUBPOENA AUTHORITY.— 

12 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—If the corporation 

13 does not make available a record, other re14 corded information, or a member of the board 

15 of governors, employee, volunteer, or agent of 

16 the corporation upon a request under sub17 section (b), the Comptroller General of the 

18 United States may issue a subpoena for the 

19 record or other recorded information or to ob20 tain the testimony of the member of the board 

21 of governors, employee, volunteer, or agent. 

22 ‘‘(B) ISSUANCE.—A subpoena issued under 

23 this paragraph— 

24 ‘‘(i) shall identify the record, other re25 corded information, or member of the 


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1 board of governors, employee, volunteer, or 

2 agent of the corporation sought; and 

3 ‘‘(ii) may be issued by the Comptroller 

4 General. 

5 ‘‘(C) SERVICE.—The Comptroller General 

6 shall have an individual serve a subpoena issued 

7 under this paragraph by delivering a copy to 

8 the chief executive officer of the corporation or 

9 by mailing a copy of the subpoena by certified 

10 or registered mail, return receipt requested, to 

11 the principal place of business of the corpora12 tion. Proof of service is shown by a verified re13 turn by the individual serving the subpoena 

14 that states how the subpoena was served or by 

15 the return receipt signed by the person served. 

16 ‘‘(2) ACTION.—If the corporation does not com17 ply with a subpoena issued under paragraph (1), the 

18 Comptroller General of the United States, acting 

19 through an attorney the Comptroller General des20 ignates in writing, may bring a civil action in the 

21 United States District Court for the District of Co22 lumbia to require the corporation to produce the 

23 record, other recorded information, or member of the 

24 board of governors, employee, volunteer, or agent 

25 that is the subject of the subpoena. The court shall 


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1 have jurisdiction of such action and may punish a 

2 failure to obey an order of the court under this sub3 section as a contempt of court.’’. 

Æ 


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