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. 
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 ‘‘American Red Cross 
Transparency Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE OVER-
SIGHT. 
Section 300111 of title 36, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘§ 300111. Authority of the Comptroller General of 
the United States 
‘‘(a) AUDIT AUTHORITY.—The Comptroller General 
of the United States is authorized to review— 
‘‘(1) the internal governance of the corporation; 
and 
‘‘(2) any program or activity connected to na-
tional preparedness, including any program or activ-
ity carried out by the corporation in connection with 
events for which the Federal Government provides 
leadership or support under the national prepared-
ness system established under section 644 of the 
Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act 
of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 744; enacted as title VI of the 
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations 
Act, 2007), or any successor system. 
‘‘(b) ACCESS AUTHORITY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of carrying 
out this section, the Comptroller General of the 
United States shall have access to and the right to 
examine and copy all records and other recorded in-
formation, electronic or otherwise, within the posses-
sion or control of the corporation that the Comp-
troller General determines relevant to a review au-
thorized under subsection (a), including such records 
and other recorded information relating to the finan-
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cial transactions and internal governance of the cor-
poration. 
‘‘(2) INDIVIDUALS.—The Comptroller General 
shall be provided access to, and be permitted to 
interview, any member of the board of governors, 
employee, volunteer, or agent of the corporation 
whom the Comptroller General believes to have 
knowledge relevant to a review authorized under 
subsection (a). 
‘‘(c) ENFORCEMENT.— 
‘‘(1) SUBPOENA AUTHORITY.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—If the corporation 
does not make available a record, other re-
corded information, or a member of the board 
of governors, employee, volunteer, or agent of 
the corporation upon a request under sub-
section (b), the Comptroller General of the 
United States may issue a subpoena for the 
record or other recorded information or to ob-
tain the testimony of the member of the board 
of governors, employee, volunteer, or agent. 
‘‘(B) ISSUANCE.—A subpoena issued under 
this paragraph— 
‘‘(i) shall identify the record, other re-
corded information, or member of the 
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board of governors, employee, volunteer, or 
agent of the corporation sought; and 
‘‘(ii) may be issued by the Comptroller 
General. 
‘‘(C) SERVICE.—The Comptroller General 
shall have an individual serve a subpoena issued 
under this paragraph by delivering a copy to 
the chief executive officer of the corporation or 
by mailing a copy of the subpoena by certified 
or registered mail, return receipt requested, to 
the principal place of business of the corpora-
tion. Proof of service is shown by a verified re-
turn by the individual serving the subpoena 
that states how the subpoena was served or by 
the return receipt signed by the person served. 
‘‘(2) ACTION.—If the corporation does not com-
ply with a subpoena issued under paragraph (1), the 
Comptroller General of the United States, acting 
through an attorney the Comptroller General des-
ignates in writing, may bring a civil action in the 
United States District Court for the District of Co-
lumbia to require the corporation to produce the 
record, other recorded information, or member of the 
board of governors, employee, volunteer, or agent 
that is the subject of the subpoena. The court shall 
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have jurisdiction of such action and may punish a 
failure to obey an order of the court under this sub-
section as a contempt of court.’’. 
Æ 
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