2015 US Code
Title 38 - Veterans' Benefits (Sections 101 - 8528)
Part I - General Provisions (Sections 101 - 905)
Chapter 3 - Department of Veterans Affairs (Sections 301 - 322)
Sec. 312 - Inspector General

(a) There is in the Department an Inspector General, who is appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, as provided in the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.). The Inspector General performs the functions, has the responsibilities, and exercises the powers specified in that Act.

(b)(1) The Secretary shall provide for not less than 40 full-time positions in the Office of Inspector General in addition to the number of such positions in that office on March 15, 1989.

(2) The President shall include in the budget transmitted to the Congress for each fiscal year pursuant to section 1105 of title 31 an estimate of the amount for the Office of Inspector General that is sufficient to provide for a number of full-time positions in that office that is not less than the number of full-time positions in that office on March 15, 1989, plus 40.

(c)(1) Whenever the Inspector General, in carrying out the duties and responsibilities established under the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), issues a work product that makes a recommendation or otherwise suggests corrective action, the Inspector General shall—

(A) submit the work product to—

(i) the Secretary;

(ii) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;

(iii) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives;

(iv) if the work product was initiated upon request by an individual or entity other than the Inspector General, that individual or entity; and

(v) any Member of Congress upon request; and

(B) the Inspector General shall submit all final work products to—

(i) if the work product was initiated upon request by an individual or entity other than the Inspector General, that individual or entity; and

(ii) any Member of Congress upon request; and

(C) not later than 3 days after the work product is submitted in final form to the Secretary, post the work product on the Internet website of the Inspector General.

(2) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize the public disclosure of information that is specifically prohibited from disclosure by any other provision of law.

(Added Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 383; amended Pub. L. 103–446, title XII, §1201(e)(3), (g)(1), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4685, 4687; Pub. L. 114–113, div. J, title II, §239, Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 2700.)

The Inspector General Act of 1978, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (c)(1), is Pub. L. 95–452, Oct. 12, 1978, 92 Stat. 1101, which is set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Prior section 312 was renumbered section 1112 of this title.

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 9(b) of Pub. L. 100–527, known as the Department of Veterans Affairs Act, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–83, §3(3).

2015—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–113 added subsec. (c).

1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–446, §1201(e)(3), substituted "(5 U.S.C. App.)" for "(5 U.S.C. App. 3)".

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 103–446, §1201(g)(1), struck out par. (3) which read as follows: "The Secretary shall provide the number of additional full-time positions in the Office of Inspector General required by paragraph (1) not later than September 30, 1991."