§3 . Appointment of Inspector General; supervision; removal; political activities; appointment of Assistant Inspector General for Auditing and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations

(a) There shall be at the head of each Office an Inspector General who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of integrity and demonstrated ability in accounting, auditing, financial analysis, law, management analysis, public administration, or investigations. Each Inspector General shall report to and be under the general supervision of the head of the establishment involved or, to the extent such authority is delegated, the officer next in rank below such head, but shall not report to, or be subject to supervision by, any other officer of such establishment. Neither the head of the establishment nor the officer next in rank below such head shall prevent or prohibit the Inspector General from initiating, carrying out, or completing any audit or investigation, or from issuing any subpena during the course of any audit or investigation.

(b) An Inspector General may be removed from office by the President. The President shall communicate the reasons for any such removal to both Houses of Congress.

(c) For the purposes of section 7324 of title 5, United States Code, no Inspector General shall be considered to be an employee who determines policies to be pursued by the United States in the nationwide administration of Federal laws.

(d) Each Inspector General shall, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations governing the civil service-

(1) appoint an Assistant Inspector General for Auditing who shall have the responsibility for supervising the performance of auditing activities relating to programs and operations of the establishment, and

(2) appoint an Assistant Inspector General for Investigations who shall have the responsibility for supervising the performance of investigative activities relating to such programs and operations.

( Pub. L. 95–452, §3, Oct. 12, 1978, 92 Stat. 1101 .)

Transitional Provisions Relating to Appointment of Inspector General of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Pub. L. 103–204, §23(c), Dec. 17, 1993, 107 Stat. 2408 , provided that:

"(1) Current service.-Except as otherwise provided by law, the individual serving as the Inspector General of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation before the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 17, 1993] may continue to serve in such position until the earlier of-

"(A) the date on which the President appoints a successor under section 3(a) of the Inspector General Act of 1978 [subsec. (a) of this section]; or

"(B) the date which is 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act.

"(2) Definition.-For purposes of paragraph (1), the term 'successor' may include the individual holding the position of Inspector General of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on or after the date of enactment of this Act."

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in title 10 section 141; title 12 section 1441a; title 41 section 254d; title 42 section 902.