Investigate the Investigators Act of 2019
Latest action. Referred to the subcommitteeA smaller panel inside a standing committee with jurisdiction over a slice of its subject matter. Most hearings and the first markup usually happen here.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Investigate the Investigators Act of 2019
This bill requires the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct oversight of investigations of certain political officials.
In the case that the President, the Vice President, a Senator, a Member of Congress, or a candidate for any such office or the campaign of such candidate is a subject of an investigation conducted by DOJ, DOJ shall provide to the DOJ OIG a notice of such investigation by five days after such investigation commences.
The bill directs the DOJ OIG to commence an oversight investigation to ensure that, among other things, the decision to investigate the conduct of the official was not influenced by political pressures or politically motivated objectives and that evidence used in the investigation is obtained by lawful means and not tainted by political sources or motives.
Upon opening such investigation, the DOJ OIG shall notify specified officials that an oversight investigation subject to this bill has commenced and that a report will be issued at the conclusion of the investigation, with exceptions.
Not later than 90 days after the conclusion of the investigation, the DOJ OIG shall submit to DOJ and specified officials a report on its findings. During the investigation, if DOJ fails within 30 days to remedy a serious or flagrant issue raised by the OIG, the OIG shall make an immediate report to such officials.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on May 28, 2019. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on June 28, 2019: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 116th Congress (2019-20), 344 of the 14,345 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.4 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
Bradley Byrne (R-AL) introduced it on May 28, 2019, and 1 member has since signed on as a cosponsor.
They are 1 Republican.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on May 28, 2019, 2662 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 2631 days ago, on June 28, 2019.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 116th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2021 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers