text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited at the ``Improving Department of State 
  Oversight Act of 2015''.
  
  SEC. 2. COMPETITIVE HIRING STATUS FOR FORMER EMPLOYEES OF THE SPECIAL 
                INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION.
  
      Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any employee of the 
  Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction who completes at 
  least 12 months of service at any time prior to the date of the 
  termination of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, 
  October 5, 2013, and was not terminated for cause shall acquire 
  competitive status for appointment to any position in the competitive 
  service for which the employee possesses the required qualifications.
  
  SEC. 3. ASSURANCE OF INDEPENDENCE OF IT SYSTEMS.
  
      (a) In General.--The Secretary of State, with the concurrence of 
  the Inspector General of the Department of State, shall certify to the 
  appropriate congressional committees that the Department has made 
  reasonable efforts to ensure the integrity and independence of the 
  Office of the Inspector General Information Technology systems.
      (b) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
  the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
              (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
          Appropriations of the Senate; and
              (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 
          Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
  
  SEC. 4. PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS.
  
      Section 209(c)(5) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 
  3929(c)(5)) is amended by inserting at the end the following new 
  subparagraph:
                      ``(C) Required reporting of allegations and 
                  investigations and inspector general authority.--
                              ``(i) In general.--Each bureau, post or 
                          other office (in this subparagraph, an 
                          `entity') of the Department of State shall, 
                          within five business days, report to the 
                          Inspector General any allegations of--
                                      ``(I) waste, fraud, or abuse in a 
                                  Department program or operation;
                                      ``(II) criminal or serious 
                                  misconduct on the part of a Department 
                                  employee at the FS-1, GS-15, GM-15 
                                  level or higher;
                                      ``(III) criminal misconduct on the 
                                  part of any Department employee; and
                                      ``(IV) serious, noncriminal 
                                  misconduct on the part of any 
                                  individual who is authorized to carry a 
                                  weapon, make arrests, or conduct 
                                  searches, such as conduct that, if 
                                  proved, would constitute perjury or 
                                  material dishonesty, warrant suspension 
                                  as discipline for a first offense, or 
                                  result in loss of law enforcement 
                                  authority.
                              ``(ii) Inspector general authority.--The 
                          Inspector General may, pursuant to existing 
                          authority, investigate matters covered by 
                          clause (i).
                              ``(iii) Limitation on investigations 
                          outside of office of inspector general.--No 
                          entity in the Department of State with 
                          concurrent jurisdiction over matters covered by 
                          clause (i), including the Bureau of Diplomatic 
                          Security, may initiate an investigation of such 
                          matter unless it has first reported the 
                          allegations to the Inspector General as 
                          required by clause (i), except as provided in 
                          clauses (v) and (vi).
                              ``(iv) Cooperation.--If an entity in the 
                          Department of State initiates an investigation 
                          of a matter covered in clause (i) the entity 
                          must, except as provided in clause (v), fully 
                          cooperate with the Inspector General, 
                          including--
                                      ``(I) by providing to the Inspector 
                                  General all data and records obtained 
                                  in connection with its investigation 
                                  upon request of the Inspector General;
                                      ``(II) by coordinating, at the 
                                  request of the Inspector General, such 
                                  entity's investigation with the 
                                  Inspector General; and
                                      ``(III) by providing to the 
                                  Inspector General requested support in 
                                  aid of the Inspector General's 
                                  oversight and investigative 
                                  responsibilities.
                              ``(v) Exceptions.--The Inspector General 
                          may prescribe general rules under which any 
                          requirement of clause (iii) or clause (iv) may 
                          be dispensed with.
                              ``(vi) Exigent circumstances.--Compliance 
                          with clauses (i), (iii), and (iv) of this 
                          subparagraph may be dispensed with by an entity 
                          of the Department of State if complying with 
                          them in an exigent circumstance would pose an 
                          imminent threat to human life, health or 
                          safety, or result in the irretrievable loss or 
                          destruction of critical evidence or witness 
                          testimony, in which case a report of the 
                          allegation shall be made not later than 48 
                          hours after an entity begins an investigation 
                          under the authority of this clause and 
                          cooperation required under clause (iv) shall 
                          commence not later than 48 hours after the 
                          relevant exigent circumstance has ended.
                              ``(vii) Rule of construction.--Nothing in 
                          this subparagraph may be interpreted to affect 
                          any duty or authority of the Inspector General 
                          under any provision of law, including the 
                          Inspector General's duties or authorities under 
                          the Inspector General Act.''.
  
  SEC. 5. REPORT ON INSPECTOR GENERAL INSPECTION AND AUDITING OF FOREIGN 
                SERVICE POSTS AND BUREAUS AND OPERATING UNITS DEPARTMENT 
                OF STATE.
  
      (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
  enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to 
  Congress on the requirement under section 209(a)(1) of the Foreign 
  Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3929(a)(1)) that the Inspector General 
  of the Department of State inspect and audit, at least every 5 years, 
  the administration of activities and operations of each Foreign Service 
  post and each bureau and other operating unit of the Department of 
  State.
      (b) Consideration of Multi-Tier System.--The report required under 
  subsection (a) shall assess the advisability and feasibility of 
  implementing a multi-tier system for inspecting Foreign Service posts 
  featuring more (or less) frequent inspections and audits of posts based 
  on risk, including security risk, as may be determined by the Inspector 
  General.
      (c) Composition.--The report required under subsection (a) shall 
  include separate portions prepared by the Inspector General of the 
  Department of State, and the Comptroller General of the United States, 
  respectively.
target: Improving Department of State Oversight Act of 2015 This bill grants competitive status for appointment to a position in the competitive service for which the employee is qualified to any employee of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGRI) who was not terminated for cause, and who completes at least 12 months of service at any time before the termination of the SIGRI on October 5, 2013. The Secretary of State shall certify to Congress that the Department of State has made reasonable efforts to ensure the integrity and independence of the Office of the Inspector General Information Technology systems. Each State Department entity under the Foreign Service Act of 1980 shall report within five business days to the Inspector General (IG) any allegations of:   program waste, fraud, or abuse;  criminal or serious misconduct on the part of a Department employee at the FS-1, GS-15, GM-15 level or higher;  criminal misconduct on the part of any Department employee; and  serious, noncriminal misconduct on the part of any individual who is authorized to carry a weapon, make arrests, or conduct searches (such as conduct that would constitute perjury or material dishonesty, warrant suspension as discipline for a first offense, or result in loss of law enforcement authority).    No State Department entity with concurrent jurisdiction over such matters, including the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, may initiate an investigation without first reporting the allegations to the IG.  A State Department entity that initiates an investigation of such a matter must fully cooperate with the IG, unless the IG authorizes an exception.
feat_title: Improving Department of State Oversight Act of 2015