119-hr1811

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1811 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1811

To amend title 28, United States Code, to provide an Inspector General 
 for the judicial branch, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 3, 2025

 Ms. Stansbury (for herself, Ms. Tokuda, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Cleaver, 
 Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Norton, Mr. Magaziner, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mrs. 
 Ramirez, and Ms. McCollum) introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To amend title 28, United States Code, to provide an Inspector General 
 for the judicial branch, 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 ``Judicial Ethics Enforcement Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR THE JUDICIAL BRANCH.

    (a) Establishment and Duties.--Part III of title 28, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

 ``CHAPTER 60--INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR THE JUDICIAL BRANCH

``Sec.
``1021. Establishment.
``1022. Appointment, term, and removal of Inspector General.
``1023. Duties.
``1024. Powers.
``1025. Reports.
``1026. Whistleblower protection.
``

Sec. 1021. Establishment
 ``There is established for the judicial branch of the Government 
the Office of Inspector General for the Judicial Branch (in this 
chapter referred to as the `Office').
``

Sec. 1022. Appointment, term, and removal of Inspector General
 ``

    (a) Appointment.--The head of the Office shall be the Inspector 
General, who shall be appointed by the Chief Justice of the United 
States after consultation with the majority and minority leaders of the 
Senate and the Speaker and minority leader of the House of 
Representatives.
 ``

    (b) Term.--The Inspector General shall serve for a term of 4 
years and may be reappointed by the Chief Justice of the United States 
for any number of additional terms.
 ``
            (c) Removal.--The Inspector General may be removed from office by 
the Chief Justice of the United States. The Chief Justice shall 
communicate the reasons for any such removal to both Houses of 
Congress.
``

Sec. 1023. Duties
 ``With respect to the judicial branch, the Office shall--
 ``

    (1) conduct investigations of alleged misconduct in the 
 judicial branch (other than the United States Supreme Court) 
 under chapter 16 that may require oversight or other action 
 within the judicial branch or by Congress;
 ``

    (2) conduct investigations of alleged violations of the 
 Code of Conduct for Justices of the Supreme Court of the United 
 States or any other alleged misconduct in the United States 
 Supreme Court that may require oversight or other action within 
 the judicial branch or by Congress;
 ``

    (3) conduct and supervise audits and investigations;
 ``

    (4) prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse; and
 ``

    (5) recommend changes in laws or regulations governing 
 the judicial branch.
``

Sec. 1024. Powers
 ``

    (a) Powers.--In carrying out the duties of the Office, the 
Inspector General shall have the power to--
 ``

    (1) make investigations and reports;
 ``

    (2) obtain information or assistance from any Federal, 
 State, or local governmental agency, or other entity, or unit 
 thereof, including all information kept in the course of 
 business by the Judicial Conference of the United States, the 
 judicial councils of circuits, the Administrative Office of the 
 United States Courts, and the United States Sentencing 
 Commission;
 ``

    (3) require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and 
 testimony of such witnesses, and the production of such books, 
 records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents, 
 which subpoena, in the case of contumacy or refusal to obey, 
 shall be enforceable by civil action;
 ``

    (4) administer to or take from any person an oath, 
 affirmation, or affidavit;
 ``

    (5) employ such officers and employees, subject to the 
 provisions of title 5, governing appointments in the 
 competitive service, and the provisions of chapter 51 and 
 subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to 
 classification and General Schedule pay rates;
 ``

    (6) obtain services as authorized by 

section 3109 of 
 title 5 at daily rates not to exceed the equivalent rate for a 
 position at level IV of the Executive Schedule under 

section 5315 of such title; and
 ``

    (7) the extent and in such amounts as may be provided in 
 advance by appropriations Acts, to enter into contracts and 
 other arrangements for audits, studies, analyses, and other 
 services with public agencies and with private persons, and to 
 make such payments as may be necessary to carry out the duties 
 of the Office.
 ``

    (b) Chapter 16 Matters.--The Inspector General shall not commence 
an investigation under 

section 1023

    (1) until the denial of a petition 
for review by the judicial council of the circuit under 

section 352
            (c) of this title or upon referral or certification to the Judicial 
Conference of the United States of any matter under 

section 354

    (b) of 
this title.
 ``
            (c) Limitation.--The Inspector General shall not have the 
authority to--
 ``

    (1) investigate or review any matter that is directly 
 related to the merits of a decision or procedural ruling by any 
 judge, justice, or court; or
 ``

    (2) punish or discipline any judge, justice, or court.
``

Sec. 1025. Reports
 ``

    (a) When To Be Made.--The Inspector General shall--
 ``

    (1) make an annual report to the Chief Justice and to 
 Congress relating to the activities of the Office; and
 ``

    (2) make prompt reports to the Chief Justice and to 
 Congress on matters that may require action by the Chief 
 Justice or Congress.
 ``

    (b) Sensitive Matter.--If a report contains sensitive matter, the 
Inspector General may so indicate and Congress may receive that report 
in closed session.
 ``
            (c) Duty To Inform Attorney General.--In carrying out the duties 
of the Office, the Inspector General shall report expeditiously to the 
Attorney General whenever the Inspector General has reasonable grounds 
to believe there has been a violation of Federal criminal law.
``

Sec. 1026. Whistleblower protection
 ``

    (a) In General.--No officer, employee, agent, contractor, or 
subcontractor in the judicial branch may discharge, demote, threaten, 
suspend, harass, or in any other manner discriminate against an 
employee in the terms and conditions of employment because of any 
lawful act done by the employee to provide information, cause 
information to be provided, or otherwise assist in an investigation 
regarding any possible violation of Federal law or regulation, or 
misconduct, by a judge, justice, or any other employee in the judicial 
branch, which may assist the Inspector General in the performance of 
duties under this chapter.
 ``

    (b) Civil Action.--An employee injured by a violation of 
subsection

    (a) may, in a civil action, obtain appropriate relief.''.

    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of chapters for 
part III of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following:

``60. Inspector General for the judicial branch............ 1021''.
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