I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6668 
To enhance the independence of Inspectors General, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 1, 2020 
Mr. COOPER (for himself and Mr. CORREA) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform 
A BILL 
To enhance the independence of Inspectors General, 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 ‘‘Inspectors General 
Independence Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL ACT 
OF 1978. 
(a) REMOVAL FOR CAUSE.—The Inspector General 
Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended— 
(1) in section 3(b), by inserting after the first 
sentence the following: ‘‘An Inspector General may 
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only be removed by the President before the expira-
tion of the term of the Inspector General for perma-
nent incapacity, inefficiency, neglect of duty, malfea-
sance, or conviction of a felony or conduct involving 
moral turpitude.’’; and 
(2) in section 8(G)(e), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(3) An Inspector General may only be removed by 
the head of a designated Federal entity before the expira-
tion of the term of the Inspector General for permanent 
incapacity, inefficiency, neglect of duty, malfeasance, or 
conviction of a felony or conduct involving moral turpi-
tude.’’. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF TERMS OF OFFICE.—The 
Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in section 3, by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(h)(1) The term of office of each Inspector General 
shall be 7 years. An individual may serve for more than 
1 term in such office. Any individual appointed and con-
firmed to fill a vacancy in such position, occurring before 
the expiration of the term for which his or her predecessor 
was appointed, shall be appointed and confirmed for a full 
7-year term. 
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‘‘(2) An individual may continue to serve as Inspector 
General beyond the expiration of the term for which the 
individual is appointed until a successor is appointed and 
confirmed, except that such individual may not continue 
to serve for more than 1 year after the date on which the 
term would otherwise expire under paragraph (1).’’; and 
(2) in section 8G(c)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘(c)’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) The term of office of each Inspector General 
shall be 7 years. An individual may serve for more than 
1 term in such office. Any individual appointed to fill a 
vacancy in such position, occurring before the expiration 
of the term for which his or her predecessor was ap-
pointed, shall be appointed for a full 7-year term.’’. 
(c) APPLICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to any Inspector General of 
an establishment or a designated Federal entity, as 
defined in sections 12 and 8G(a) of the Inspector 
General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), respectively, 
appointed before, on, or after the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
(2) TERM.—The term of office of an Inspector 
General described in paragraph (1) serving on the 
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date of enactment of this Act is deemed to begin on 
such date of enactment. 
Æ 
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