article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``White House Inspector General Act of 1996''. SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT. (a) Establishment of Office.--Section 11 of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (1) by inserting ``the President (with respect only to the Executive Office of the President),'' after ``means''; and (2) in paragraph (2) by inserting ``the Executive Office of the President,'' after ``means''. (b) Appointment of Inspector General.--Not later than 120 days after the effective date of this Act, the President shall nominate an individual as the Inspector General of the Executive Office of the President pursuant to the amendments made by subsection (a). SEC. 3. SPECIAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT. The Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended-- (1) by redesignating the second section 8G (regarding a rule of construction) as section 8I; and (2) by inserting after the first section 8G (regarding requirements for Federal entities and designated Federal entities) the following: ``SEC. 8H. SPECIAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT. ``(a) Authority, Direction, and Control of President.-- Notwithstanding the last 2 sentences of section 3(a), the Inspector General of the Executive Office of the President shall be under the authority, direction, and control of the President with respect to audits or investigations, or the issuance of subpoenas, which require access to information concerning-- ``(1) ongoing criminal investigations or proceedings; ``(2) undercover operations; ``(3) the identity of confidential sources, including protected witnesses; ``(4) deliberations and decisions on policy matters, including documented information used as a basis for making policy decisions; ``(5) intelligence or counterintelligence matters; or ``(6) other matters the disclosure of which would constitute a serious threat to the national security, or would cause significant impairment to the national interests (including interests in foreign trade negotiations), of the United States. ``(b) Prohibiting Activities of Inspector General.--With respect to information described in subsection (a), the President may prohibit the Inspector General of the Executive Office of the President from carrying out or completing any audit or investigation, or issuing any subpoena, after the Inspector General has decided to initiate, carry out, or complete such audit or investigation or to issue such subpoena, if the President determines that-- ``(1) the disclosure of that information would interfere with the core functions of the constitutional responsibilities of the President; and ``(2) the prohibition is necessary to prevent the disclosure of that information. ``(c) Notice.-- ``(1) Notice to inspector general.--If the President makes a determination referred to in subsection (b)(1) or (2), the President shall within 30 days notify the Inspector General in writing stating the reasons for that determination. ``(2) Notice to congress.--Within 30 days after receiving a notice under paragraph (1), the Inspector General shall transmit a copy of the notice to each of the Chairman and the ranking minority party member of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and other appropriate committees or subcommittees of the Congress. ``(d) Semiannual Reports.-- ``(1) Information to be included.--The Inspector General of the Executive Office of the President shall include in each semiannual report to the President under section 5, at a minimum-- ``(A) a list of the title or subject of each inspection, investigation, or audit conducted during the reporting period; ``(B) a statement of whether corrective action has been completed on each significant recommendation described in previous semiannual reports, and, in a case where corrective action has been completed, a description of such corrective action; ``(C) a certification that the Inspector General has had full and direct access to all information relevant to the performance of functions of the Inspector General; ``(D) a description of all cases occurring during the reporting period in which the Inspector General could not obtain documentary evidence relevant to any inspection, audit, or investigation due to a determination of the President under subsection (b); and ``(E) such recommendations as the Inspector General considers appropriate concerning legislation to promote economy and efficiency in the administration of programs and operations undertaken by the Executive Office of the President, and to detect and eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse in such programs and operations. ``(2) Transmission to congress.--Within 30 days after receiving a semiannual report under section 5 from the Inspector General of the Executive Office of the President, the President shall transmit the report to each of the Chairman and the ranking minority party member of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate with any comments the President considers appropriate.''. SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act shall take effect on January 21, 1997.
summary: White House Inspector General Act of 1996 - Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to: (1) establish an Office of Inspector General (IG) in the Executive Office of the President; (2) require the IG to serve under the President's authority, direction, and control with respect to matters concerning ongoing criminal investigations, policy making, and national security (unless the President notifies the IG that disclosure of pertinent information would interfere with the core functions of the President's constitutional responsibilities); and (3) require the IG to comply with the same semiannual reporting requirements that all other IGs are subject to and, at a minimum, supply additional specified information as well.