Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2016

Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2016

This bill amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to exempt inspectors general (when they are conducting an authorized audit, investigation, inspection, evaluation, or review) from: (1) information privacy protections that require agreements between agencies for computerized comparisons of automated federal records systems under the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, and (2) procedural requirements for information collections under the Paperwork Reduction Act.

The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) must mediate disputes that involve the jurisdiction of more than one office of inspector general, except for matters coordinated by intelligence community inspectors general.

The membership structure of CIGIE's Integrity Committee is modified to eliminate: (1) the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation as chairperson of the committee, and (2) the Special Counsel of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) as a committee member. The committee must elect one of the inspectors general on the committee as chairperson to serve for a term of two years.

The bill revises procedures and establishes time lines for the committee to refer allegations of wrongdoing against an inspector general, or against a staff member of an inspector general's office, to: (1) the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the OSC for investigation, or (2) the committee for review. Concurrent investigations may be conducted by the committee, DOJ, and the OSC. The committee may also receive, review, and refer allegations of wrongdoing against the Special Counsel or Deputy Special Counsel (officials appointed to investigate prohibited personnel practices and government waste and abuse).

An inspector general may access federal grand jury materials that are protected from disclosure under the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure by submitting a request to the head of his or her establishment, who must then transmit the request to DOJ. DOJ must grant such a request unless access to the grand jury materials would: (1) interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation, prosecution, or undercover operation; (2) identify a confidential source or protected witness; (3) pose a serious threat to national security; or (4) significantly impair the trade or economic interests of the United States. If DOJ denies such a request, it must submit a statement to Congress explaining the reason for the denial.

The Attorney General or the Secretaries of Defense, the Treasury, Homeland Security, or Energy may prohibit inspectors general from accessing certain sensitive or national security information.