Title: American Red Cross Transparency Act of 2019
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
American Red Cross Transparency Act of 2019
This bill authorizes the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review (1) the internal governance of the American National Red Cross (the corporation), and (2) any program or activity carried out by the corporation that is connected to national preparedness.
The bill grants the GAO (1) access to, and the right to examine and copy, all records of the corporation that the GAO determines are relevant to such review; and (2) access to, and the right to interview, any employee, volunteer, agent, or member of the board of governors of the corporation whom the GAO believes has knowledge relevant to such review. The GAO may issue a subpoena and bring a civil action in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to enforce such access.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2861 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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 Representatives 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 OVERSIGHT.

    Section 300111 of title 36, United States Code, is amended to read 
as follows:
``Sec. 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 national 
        preparedness, including any program or activity carried out by 
        the corporation in connection with events for which the Federal 
        Government provides leadership or support under the national 
        preparedness 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 information, electronic or otherwise, within 
        the possession or control of the corporation that the 
        Comptroller General determines relevant to a review authorized 
        under subsection (a), including such records and other recorded 
        information relating to the financial transactions and internal 
        governance of the corporation.
            ``(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 recorded information, or a 
                member of the board of governors, employee, volunteer, 
                or agent of the corporation upon a request under 
                subsection (b), the Comptroller General of the United 
                States may issue a subpoena for the record or other 
                recorded information or to obtain 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 
                        recorded information, or member of the 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 corporation. Proof of service is shown by a 
                verified return 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 comply with a 
        subpoena issued under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General of 
        the United States, acting through an attorney the Comptroller 
        General designates in writing, may bring a civil action in the 
        United States District Court for the District of Columbia 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 have jurisdiction of such action and may punish a 
        failure to obey an order of the court under this subsection as 
        a contempt of court.''.
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