USTR Inspector General Act of 2021
Bill: S.1489 | Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert (D-NJ)
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance

Summary:
USTR Inspector General Act of 2021
This bill requires the President to appoint an Inspector General of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).
Among other responsibilities, the Inspector General shall (1) conduct and supervise audits and investigations relating to the programs and operations of the USTR, (2) recommend policies for preventing and detecting fraud and abuse in those programs, and (3) provide a means for keeping the USTR and Congress informed about problems and deficiencies in those programs and operations.

To amend the Inspector General Act of 1978 to establish an Inspector 
 General of the Office of the United States Trade Representative, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``USTR Inspector General Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Section 8 of article I of the Constitution of the 
        United States provides that Congress has the sole power to 
        regulate international trade.
            (2) Congress established the Office of the United States 
        Trade Representative in the Executive Office of the President 
        under section 141 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2171) 
        with the primary responsibility for developing, and 
        coordinating implementation of, the international trade policy 
        of the United States.
            (3) The United States Trade Representative has primary 
        responsibility for administering a variety of trade statutes 
        and for monitoring the implementation and enforcement of trade 
        agreements.
            (4) Section 141(c)(1)(F) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 
        U.S.C. 2171(c)(1)(F)) states that the United States Trade 
        Representative shall ``report directly to the President and the 
        Congress regarding, and be responsible to the President and the 
        Congress for the administration of, trade agreements 
        programs''.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE OFFICE OF THE UNITED 
              STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 12 of the Inspector General Act of 1978 
(5 U.S.C. App.) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``or the Director of the 
        National Reconnaissance Office;'' and inserting ``the Director 
        of the National Reconnaissance Office; or the United States 
        Trade Representative;'' and
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``or the National 
        Reconnaissance Office,'' and inserting ``the National 
        Reconnaissance Office, or the Office of the United States Trade 
        Representative,''.
    (b) Appointment of Inspector General.--Not later than 120 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall 
appoint an individual to serve as the Inspector General of the Office 
for the United States Trade Representative in accordance with section 
3(a) of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.).
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