II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1568 

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

and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 21, 2019 

Mr. GRASSLEY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on the Judiciary 

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) or any successor system. 

15 ‘‘(b) ACCESS AUTHORITY.— 

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

17 out this section, the Comptroller General of the 

18 United States shall have access to and the right to 

19 examine and copy all records and other recorded in20 formation, electronic or otherwise, within the posses21 sion or control of the corporation that the Comp22 troller General determines relevant to a review au23 thorized under subsection (a), including such records 

24 and other recorded information relating to the finan25 cial transactions and internal governance of the cor26 poration. 


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

2 shall be provided access to, and be permitted to 

3 interview, any member of the board of governors, 

4 employee, volunteer, or agent of the corporation 

5 whom the Comptroller General believes to have 

6 knowledge relevant to a review authorized under 

7 subsection (a). 

8 ‘‘(c) ENFORCEMENT.— 

9 ‘‘(1) SUBPOENA AUTHORITY.— 

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

11 does not make available a record, other re12 corded information, or a member of the board 

13 of governors, employee, volunteer, or agent of 

14 the corporation upon a request under sub15 section (b), the Comptroller General of the 

16 United States may issue a subpoena for the 

17 record or other recorded information or to ob18 tain the testimony of the member of the board 

19 of governors, employee, volunteer, or agent. 

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

21 this paragraph— 

22 ‘‘(i) shall identify the record, other re23 corded information, or member of the 

24 board of governors, employee, volunteer, or 

25 agent of the corporation sought; and 


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

2 General. 

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

4 shall have an individual serve a subpoena issued 

5 under this paragraph by delivering a copy to 

6 the chief executive officer of the corporation or 

7 by mailing a copy of the subpoena by certified 

8 or registered mail, return receipt requested, to 

9 the principal place of business of the corpora10 tion. Proof of service is shown by a verified re11 turn by the individual serving the subpoena 

12 that states how the subpoena was served or by 

13 the return receipt signed by the person served. 

14 ‘‘(2) ACTION.—If the corporation does not com15 ply with a subpoena issued under paragraph (1), the 

16 Comptroller General of the United States, acting 

17 through an attorney the Comptroller General des18 ignates in writing, may bring a civil action in the 

19 United States District Court for the District of Co20 lumbia to require the corporation to produce the 

21 record, other recorded information, or member of the 

22 board of governors, employee, volunteer, or agent 

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

24 have jurisdiction of such action and may punish a 


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1 failure to obey an order of the court under this sub2 section as a contempt of court.’’. 

Æ 


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