I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 486 
To amend title 28, United States Code, to provide an Inspector General 
for the judicial branch, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 13, 2009 
Mr. SENSENBRENNER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend title 28, United States Code, to provide an Inspec-
tor General for the judicial branch, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Judicial Transparency 
and Ethics Enhancement Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR THE JUDICIAL BRANCH. 
(a) CREATION AND DUTIES.—Part III of title 28, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
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‘‘CHAPTER 60—INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR 
THE JUDICIAL BRANCH 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘1021. Establishment. 
‘‘1022. Appointment, term, and removal of Inspector General. 
‘‘1023. Duties. 
‘‘1024. Powers. 
‘‘1025. Reports. 
‘‘1026. Whistleblower protection. 
‘‘§ 1021. Establishment 
‘‘There is established for the judicial branch of the 
Government the Office of Inspector General for the Judi-
cial Branch (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the 
‘Office’). 
‘‘§ 1022. Appointment, term, and removal of Inspector 
General 
‘‘(a) APPOINTMENT.—The head of the Office shall be 
the Inspector General, who shall be appointed by the Chief 
Justice of the United States after consultation with the 
majority and minority leaders of the Senate and the 
Speaker and minority leader of the House of Representa-
tives. 
‘‘(b) TERM.—The Inspector General shall serve for 
a term of four years and may be reappointed by the Chief 
Justice of the United States for any number of additional 
terms. 
‘‘(c) REMOVAL.—The Inspector General may be re-
moved from office by the Chief Justice of the United 
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States. The Chief Justice shall communicate the reasons 
for any such removal to both Houses of Congress. 
‘‘§ 1023. Duties 
‘‘With respect to the Judicial Branch, other than the 
United States Supreme Court, the Office shall— 
‘‘(1) conduct investigations of alleged mis-
conduct in the Judicial Branch under chapter 16, 
that may require oversight or other action within the 
Judicial Branch or by Congress; 
‘‘(2) conduct and supervise audits and inves-
tigations; 
‘‘(3) prevent and detect waste, fraud, and 
abuse; and 
‘‘(4) recommend changes in laws or regulations 
governing the Judicial Branch. 
‘‘§ 1024. Powers 
‘‘(a) POWERS.—In carrying out the duties of the Of-
fice, the Inspector General shall have the power— 
‘‘(1) to make investigations and reports; 
‘‘(2) to obtain information or assistance from 
any Federal, State, or local governmental agency, or 
other entity, or unit thereof, including all informa-
tion kept in the course of business by the Judicial 
Conference of the United States, the judicial coun-
cils of circuits, the Administrative Office of the 
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United States Courts, and the United States Sen-
tencing Commission; 
‘‘(3) to require, by subpoena or otherwise, the 
attendance and testimony of such witnesses, and the 
production of such books, records, correspondence 
memoranda, papers, and documents, which sub-
poena, in the case of contumacy or refusal to obey, 
shall be enforceable by civil action; 
‘‘(4) to administer to or take from any person 
an oath, affirmation, or affidavit; 
‘‘(5) to employ such officers and employees, 
subject to the provisions of title 5, governing ap-
pointments in the competitive service, and the provi-
sions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 
of such title relating to classification and General 
Schedule pay rates; 
‘‘(6) to obtain services as authorized by section 
3109 of title 5 at daily rates not to exceed the equiv-
alent rate prescribed for grade GS–18 of the Gen-
eral Schedule by section 5332 of title 5, United 
States Code; and 
‘‘(7) to the extent and in such amounts as may 
be provided in advance by appropriations Acts, to 
enter into contracts and other arrangements for au-
dits, studies, analyses, and other services with public 
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agencies and with private persons, and to make such 
payments as may be necessary to carry out the du-
ties of the Office. 
‘‘(b) CHAPTER 16 MATTERS.—The Inspector General 
shall not commence an investigation under section 
1023(1) until the denial of a petition for review by the 
judicial council of the circuit under section 352(c) of this 
title or upon referral or certification to the Judicial Con-
ference of the United States of any matter under section 
354(b) of this title. 
‘‘(c) LIMITATION.—The Inspector General shall not 
have the authority— 
‘‘(1) to investigate or review any matter that is 
directly related to the merits of a decision or proce-
dural ruling by any judge or court; or 
‘‘(2) to punish or discipline any judge or court. 
‘‘§ 1025. Reports 
‘‘(a) WHEN TO BE MADE.—The Inspector General 
shall— 
‘‘(1) make an annual report to the Chief Jus-
tice and to Congress relating to the activities of the 
Office; and 
‘‘(2) make prompt reports to the Chief Justice 
and to Congress on matters that may require action 
by them. 
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‘‘(b) SENSITIVE MATTER.—If a report contains sen-
sitive matter, the Inspector General may so indicate and 
Congress may receive that report in closed session. 
‘‘(c) DUTY TO INFORM ATTORNEY GENERAL.—In 
carrying out the duties of the Office, the Inspector General 
shall report expeditiously to the Attorney General when-
ever the Inspector General has reasonable grounds to be-
lieve there has been a violation of Federal criminal law. 
‘‘§ 1026. Whistleblower protection 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—No officer, employee, agent, con-
tractor or subcontractor in the Judicial Branch may dis-
charge, demote, threaten, suspend, harass or in any other 
manner discriminate against an employee in the terms and 
conditions of employment because of any lawful act done 
by the employee to provide information, cause information 
to be provided, or otherwise assist in an investigation re-
garding any possible violation of Federal law or regulation, 
or misconduct, by a judge or any other employee in the 
Judicial Branch, which may assist the Inspector General 
in the performance of duties under this chapter. 
‘‘(b) CIVIL ACTION.—An employee injured by a viola-
tion of subsection (a) may, in a civil action, obtain appro-
priate relief.’’. 
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(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of chapters 
for part III of title 28, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘60. Inspector General for the Judicial Branch.’’. 
Æ 
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