44 U.S.C. § 3903 — Duties, responsibilities, authority, and reports

(a) The title 5 provisions on Inspector General authorities, with the stated exception for section 406(a)(7) and (8), apply to the GPO Inspector General and Office. They apply to GPO and its Director by replacing “establishment” with “Government Publishing Office” and “head of the establishment” with “Director of the Government Publishing Office.” (b) The Inspector General may independently select, appoint, and employ necessary officers and employees, subject to GPO employment law, personnel-security and suitability rules, and the consultant requirements in the cited Inspector General Act. (c)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a supervisory special agent and an agent supervised by one may, during authorized official duties under this chapter or another statute, arrest without a warrant for an offense against the United States committed in the agent’s presence, or for a Federal felony the agent reasonably believes the person committed or is committing. The agent may also seek and execute arrest, premises-search, and evidence-seizure warrants issued under United States authority when there is probable cause to believe a violation was committed, and may carry a firearm during authorized official duties under this chapter or another statute. (2)(A) To use those powers, the agent must certify United States citizenship, completion of basic law-enforcement, military, or equivalent training, and no Federal firearm prohibition, including one based on a misdemeanor domestic-violence conviction. After notifying the listed congressional committees, the Inspector General may add certification requirements. (B) The Inspector General must maintain firearm requirements, including quarterly qualifications, and use-of-force training generally consistent with Council of Inspectors General policies incorporating Justice Department guidelines, except as the Inspector General finds necessary for GPO duties. (C) The Inspector General decides whether requirements are met and must revoke authority for noncompliance; may restore it after compliance. A revocation is not reviewable unless it causes an adverse action, which the person may elect to have reviewed under otherwise applicable procedures. (3) Before first granting authority and every six months afterward in the required report, the Inspector General must certify to the listed House and Senate committees that adequate safeguards and management procedures exist and generally comply with Council standards and Justice guidelines. The Inspector General may suspend all authority if reporting or review requirements are not met and must report a suspension. (4) The Office must join the Council’s external review process. Another Inspector General or committee must periodically review the powers, and the results must be written to the Inspector General, Council, and committees. (5) The Council Integrity Committee may review misconduct allegations. (6) The appropriate committees are the Senate Rules and Administration and Appropriations Committees and the House Administration and Appropriations Committees. (d) The GPO Director must include the Inspector General’s annual budget request unchanged in GPO’s budget.