H.R. 4557 — BEACON Act

This section establishes an Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the Executive Office of the President (EOP) under the Inspector General Act of 1978 by (1) adding the EOP to the definition of "establishment" in 5 U.S.C. §401(1) (previously limited to specified departments, agencies, and offices such as the Departments of Defense and Justice and the National Reconnaissance Office) and (2) adding the President (with respect to the EOP) to the definition of "head of the establishment" in 5 U.S.C. §401(3). It requires the President to appoint an EOP IG in accordance with 5 U.S.C. §403(a) not later than 120 days after enactment. It inserts new 5 U.S.C. §425 with special provisions for the EOP IG, including (1) placing the IG under the President's authority, direction, and control for audits, investigations, or subpoenas involving confidential sources, intelligence or counterintelligence matters, or undercover operations, with the President authorized to prohibit such activities to prevent disclosure (requiring written notice to the IG within 30 days and transmittal by the IG to specified congressional committees within 30 days thereafter); (2) requiring EOP IG semiannual reports under 5 U.S.C. §405(b) to include additional specified information (e.g., corrective actions on recommendations, access certifications, and presidential prohibitions) and to be submitted to the President by April 30 and October 31 annually, with transmittal to congressional committees within 30 days; and (3) directing the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency to audit the EOP OIG within 120 days of appointment and annually thereafter, with reports to Congress by October 31 each year. (As background, the Inspector General Act designates OIGs in designated federal establishments to conduct independent audits and investigations of agency programs and operations.)