Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, FEDERAL LEGISLATION—Rep. Connolly introduces two bills protecting IGs from termination without cause, notice, (Mar 19, 2025)

By Patricia K. Ruiz, J.D.

The legislation comes in response to attempts by the Trump administration to terminate IGs and shut down the federal government.

Two pieces of legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, along with committee Democrats, aims to prevent attempts to terminate inspectors general (IGs) without cause and to allow IGs to carry out their oversight work during a government shutdown.

Protect Our Watchdogs Act. The Protect Our Watchdogs Act would require that any attempt to terminate an IG must be done “for cause”—including due to a neglect of duty, malfeasance, or gross management. The Inspector General Act of 1978 requires the president to notify Congress 30 days prior to removal of an IG and to provide a “substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons” for the removal. The one-pager for the bill points to an attempt by President Donald J. Trump to fire 17 IGs by sending them an email stating they were “terminated, effective immediately […] due to changing priorities.” This email attempting to terminate the IGs immediately failed to provide the required notice or a legitimate rationale for termination. Since then, 18 IGs have been terminated and another 11 presidentially appointed IG positions are vacant, according to the one-pager. The Protect Our Watchdogs Act would serve as a formal rebuke by Congress against the Trump administration’s contempt for lawful protections of IGs and would guard independent IGs against political interference and intimidation.

Keep the Watchdogs Running Act. The Keep the Watchdogs Running Act would give Offices of the Inspectors General (OIGs) the authority to continue oversight of agency operations during a government shutdown. Without sufficient authority to operate, OIGs must shut down non-essential operations, making them generally unable to carry out their vital oversight work during shutdowns. OIGs have the critical role of promoting accountability in federal government operations by rooting out fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, the one-pager for the legislation states. Though many federal agencies, contractors, grantees, or other program participants can continue certain activities during a lapse of appropriations, government shutdowns can prevent OIGs from performing their oversight work.

News: FederalLegislation AgencyNews PublicEmployees