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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2181 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2181

 To amend chapter 4 of title 5, United States Code, to establish a for-
 cause removal standard for Inspectors General, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 18, 2025

 Mr. Connolly (for himself, Ms. Norton, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, 
    Mr. Khanna, Mr. Mfume, Ms. Brown, Ms. Stansbury, Mr. Garcia of 
    California, Mr. Frost, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Mr. Casar, Ms. 
   Crockett, Ms. Randall, Mr. Subramanyam, Ms. Ansari, Mr. Bell, Ms. 
 Simon, Mr. Min, Ms. Pressley, and Ms. Tlaib) introduced the following 
 bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government 
                                 Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend chapter 4 of title 5, United States Code, to establish a for-
 cause removal standard for Inspectors General, 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 ``Protect Our Watchdogs Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FOR CAUSE REMOVAL STANDARD FOR INSPECTORS GENERAL.

    Chapter 4 of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in section 403(b)--
                    (A) by striking ``(b) Removal or Transfer.--'' and 
                inserting:
    ``(b) Removal or Transfer.--
            ``(1)(A) An'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (A), as so designated, by 
                inserting after ``by the President'' the following: 
                ``in accordance with paragraph (3)''; and
                    (C) by inserting at the end the following:
            ``(3) The President may remove an Inspector General only 
        for any of the following grounds (and the documentation of any 
        such ground shall be included in the communication required 
        pursuant to paragraph (1)):
                    ``(A) Documented permanent incapacity.
                    ``(B) Documented neglect of duty.
                    ``(C) Documented malfeasance.
                    ``(D) Documented conviction of a felony or conduct 
                involving moral turpitude.
                    ``(E) Documented knowing violation of a law or 
                regulation.
                    ``(F) Documented gross mismanagement.
                    ``(G) Documented gross waste of funds.
                    ``(H) Documented abuse of authority.
                    ``(I) Documented inefficiency.''; and
            (2) in section 415(e)(2)--
                    (A) by striking ``Transferred.--If'' and inserting 
                the following: ``Transferred.--
                    ``(A) If''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (A), as so designated, by 
                adding at the end the following: ``An Inspector General 
                may be removed only for any of the following grounds 
                (and the documentation of any such ground shall be 
                included in the communication required pursuant to this 
                paragraph):
                            ``(i) Documented permanent incapacity.
                            ``(ii) Documented neglect of duty.
                            ``(iii) Documented malfeasance.
                            ``(iv) Documented conviction of a felony or 
                        conduct involving moral turpitude.
                            ``(v) Documented knowing violation of a law 
                        or regulation.
                            ``(vi) Documented gross mismanagement.
                            ``(vii) Documented gross waste of funds.
                            ``(viii) Documented abuse of authority.
                            ``(ix) Documented inefficiency.''.
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