(Title 5 Appendix)
§ 8M. Information on websites of Offices of Inspectors General
(a) Direct Links to Inspectors General Offices.—
(1) In general.—
Each Federal agency and designated Federal entity shall establish and maintain on the homepage of the website of that Federal agency or designated Federal entity, a direct link to the website of the Office of the Inspector General of that Federal agency or designated Federal entity.
(2) Accessibility.—
The direct link under paragraph (1) shall be obvious and facilitate accessibility to the website of the Office of the Inspector General.
(b) Requirements for Inspectors General Websites.—
(1) Posting of reports and audits.—
The Inspector General of each Federal agency and designated Federal entity shall—
(A) not later than 3 days after any audit report, inspection report, or evaluation report (or portion of any such report) is submitted in final form to the head of the Federal agency or the head of the designated Federal entity, as applicable, post that report (or portion of that report) on the website of the Office of Inspector General; and
(B) ensure that any posted report (or portion of that report) described under subparagraph (A)—
(i) is easily accessible from a direct link on the homepage of the website of the Office of the Inspector General;
(ii) includes a summary of the findings of the Inspector General; and
(iii) is in a format that—
(I) is searchable and downloadable; and
(II) facilitates printing by individuals of the public accessing the website.
(2) Reporting of fraud, waste, and abuse.—
(A) In general.—
The Inspector General of each Federal agency and designated Federal entity shall establish and maintain a direct link on the homepage of the website of the Office of the Inspector General for individuals to report fraud, waste, and abuse. Individuals reporting fraud, waste, or abuse using the direct link established under this paragraph shall not be required to provide personally identifying information relating to that individual.
(B) Anonymity.—
The Inspector General of each Federal agency and designated Federal entity shall not disclose the identity of any individual making a report under this paragraph without the consent of the individual unless the Inspector General determines that such a disclosure is unavoidable during the course of the investigation.
(3) Rule of construction.—
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as authorizing an Inspector General to publicly disclose information otherwise prohibited from disclosure by law.
(c) Definitions.—
In this section, the terms “designated Federal entity” and “head of the designated Federal entity” have the meanings given those terms in section 8G(a).
(Pub. L. 95–452, § 8M, formerly § 8L, as added Pub. L. 110–409, § 13(a), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4315; renumbered § 8M, Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title VIII, § 848(1), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1851; amended Pub. L. 114–317, §§ 4(e), 7(b)(1)(A), (c), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1602, 1605, 1606.)
heading: Amendments
text: 2016—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 114–317, § 7(b)(1)(A)(i), substituted “Each Federal agency and designated Federal entity” for “Each agency” and substituted “that Federal agency or designated Federal entity” for “that agency” in two places.
Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 114–317, § 7(c), substituted “audit report, inspection report, or evaluation report (or portion of any such report)” for “report or audit (or portion of any report or audit)” in subpar. (A) and “report (or portion of that report)” for “report or audit (or portion of that report or audit)” in subpars. (A) and (B).
Pub. L. 114–317, § 7(b)(1)(A)(ii)(I), substituted “agency” for “Federal agency and designated Federal entity” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 114–317, § 4(e)(1), substituted “is submitted in final form to the head of the Federal agency or the head of the designated Federal entity, as applicable” for “is made publicly available”.
Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 114–317, § 7(b)(1)(A)(ii)(II), substituted “Federal agency and designated Federal entity” for “agency” in subpars. (A) and (B).
Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 114–317, § 4(e)(2), added par. (3).
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–317, § 7(b)(1)(A)(iii), added subsec. (c).
heading: Effective Date of 2016 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 114–317, § 7(b)(2), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1605, provided that: “The amendments made by paragraph (1) [amending this section and section 11 of Pub. L. 95–452, set out in this Appendix] shall take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 16, 2016].”
heading: Implementation
text: Pub. L. 110–409, § 13(c), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4316, provided that: “Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 14, 2008], the head of each agency and the Inspector General of each agency shall implement the amendment made by this section [enacting this section and amending provisions set out as a note under section 6 of Pub. L. 95–452, set out in this Appendix].”
heading: Links to Websites of Offices of Inspectors General
text: Pub. L. 111–8, div. D, title VII, § 744, Mar. 11, 2009, 123 Stat. 693, which required links on agency websites to the websites of offices of their inspectors general and set forth various requirements on those inspector general websites for public access and anonymous reporting, was repealed by Pub. L. 114–317, § 7(a)(2), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1605.
Similar provisions requiring certain departments, agencies, and commissions to establish and maintain on the homepages of their websites links to the offices of their inspectors general and/or mechanisms for anonymous reporting of waste, fraud, and abuse were contained in the following appropriation acts:
Pub. L. 113–6, div. B, title V, § 524, Mar. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 275.
Pub. L. 112–55, div. B, title V, § 526, Nov. 18, 2011, 125 Stat. 636.
Pub. L. 111–117, div. B, title V, § 526, Dec. 16, 2009, 123 Stat. 3154.
Pub. L. 111–8, div. B, title V, § 526, Mar. 11, 2009, 123 Stat. 599.
Pub. L. 110–161, div. B, title V, § 534, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 1932.
Pub. L. 110–161, div. D, title VII, § 746, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2034, as amended by Pub. L. 110–409, § 13(b), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4316.
Pub. L. 110–161, div. E, title V, § 555, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2082.
Pub. L. 110–161, div. G, title V, § 522, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2211.
Pub. L. 110–161, div. I, title II, § 226, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2272.
Pub. L. 110–161, div. J, title I, § 115, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2288.
Pub. L. 110–161, div. K, title I, § 195, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2408.
Pub. L. 110–161, div. K, title II, § 234, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2439.
Pub. L. 110–116, div. A, title VIII, § 8121, Nov. 13, 2007, 121 Stat. 1341.