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 ‘‘Meat and Poultry Spe-
cial Investigator Act of 2022’’. 
SEC. 2. OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR FOR COM-
PETITION MATTERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Department of Agriculture Re-
organization Act of 1994 is amended by inserting after sec-
tion 216 (7 U.S.C. 6916) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 217. OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR FOR 
COMPETITION MATTERS. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the De-
partment an office, to be known as the ‘Office of the Special 
Investigator for Competition Matters’ (referred to in this 
section as the ‘Office’). 
‘‘(b) SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR FOR COMPETITION MAT-
TERS.—The Office shall be headed by the Special Investi-
gator for Competition Matters (referred to in this section 
as the ‘Special Investigator’), who shall be a senior career 
employee appointed by the Secretary. 
‘‘(c) DUTIES.—The Special Investigator shall— 
‘‘(1) use all available tools, including subpoenas, 
to investigate and prosecute violations of the Packers 
and Stockyards Act, 1921 (7 U.S.C. 181 et seq.), by 
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packers and live poultry dealers with respect to com-
petition and trade practices in the food and agri-
culture sector; 
‘‘(2) serve as a Department liaison to, and act 
in consultation with, the Department of Justice and 
the Federal Trade Commission with respect to com-
petition and trade practices in the food and agricul-
tural sector; 
‘‘(3) act in consultation with the Department of 
Homeland Security with respect to national security 
and critical infrastructure security in the food and 
agricultural sector; 
‘‘(4) maintain a staff of attorneys and other pro-
fessionals with appropriate expertise; and 
‘‘(5) in carrying out the requirements of this 
subsection, coordinate with the Office of the General 
Counsel and the Packers and Stockyards Division of 
the Agricultural Marketing Service. 
‘‘(d) PROSECUTORIAL AUTHORITY.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding title 28, 
United States Code, the Special Investigator shall 
have the authority to bring any civil or administra-
tive action authorized under the Packers and Stock-
yards Act, 1921 (7 U.S.C. 181 et seq.), against a 
packer. 
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‘‘(2) EFFECT.—Nothing in this section alters the 
authority of the Secretary to issue a subpoena pursu-
ant to the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 (7 
U.S.C. 181 et seq.). 
‘‘(3) NOTIFICATION.—With respect to any of the 
actions brought under this subsection in Federal dis-
trict court, the Special Investigator shall notify the 
Attorney General.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 296(b) of the 
Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 
U.S.C. 7014(b)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(11) The authority of the Secretary to carry out 
section 217.’’. 
(c) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Subtitle A of the De-
partment of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 is 
amended by redesignating the first section 225 (relating to 
Food Access Liaison) (7 U.S.C. 6925) as section 224A. 
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Union Calendar No. 270 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7606 
[Report No. 117–357] 
A BILL 
To establish the Office of the Special Investigator 
for Competition Matters within the Department 
of Agriculture. 
JUNE 7, 2022 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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