Act of Congress Committee Investigations Act

[End]

House Vote: 5-1-1
Senate Vote: 4-0-1

A
BILL
To

Amend the Legislative Standards Act and provide a process for committee investigations

The people of Democracy Craft, through their elected Representatives in the Congress and the force of law ordained to that Congress by the people through the constitution, do hereby enact the following provisions into law:​

1 - Short Title and Enactment
(1) This Act may be cited as the 'Committee Investigations Act.'
(2) This Act shall be enacted immediately upon its signage.
(3) This Act has been authored by: Speaker xEndeavour
(4) This Act has been co-sponsored by: Senate President Derpy_Bird

2 - Reasons
(1) Congressional committee investigations are currently unorganised and a lil chaotic.
(2) To improve the standardisation and to act as a guide for committees undertaking investigations.
(3) To further outcomes for committee investigations

3 - Investigations Process
(1) Referral Stage:
(i) A referral is made to a committee by a member of the committee regarding any given subject within the purview of the committee.
(2) Initial Investigation
(i) The committee establishes the known facts into a dot-pointed list.
(ii) Members vote on whether to investigate the referral further. The vote will include the known facts and a clear mission statement of the investigation.
(iii) If the vote receives a majority (committee members, less individuals who have recused themselves from the committee), the investigation will proceed.
(iv) If the vote fails to receive a majority (committee members, less individuals who have recused themselves from the committee), the investigation will not proceed.
(3) Investigation Stage:
(i) The committee will identify parties involved in the case and will establish any channels required for communication with those individuals. The parties are provided with information such as the classification, purpose, and right to have a lawyer represent them.
(ii) The committee will identify parties involved in the case and will establish any channels required for communication with those individuals. The parties are provided with information such as the classification, purpose, and right to have a lawyer represent them. The committee will question the parties as required and will investigate leads.
(iii) The committee will establish a detailed timeline of events as time goes on to build context and an appreciation for the chronology of events that occurred.
(4) Reporting Stage
(i) The committee will establish a statement of agreed facts. This statement will be provided to the involved parties for comment.
(ii) The committee will write a report to finalise the investigation, including the agreed facts, the timeline of events, the majority recommendations of the committee and the recommendations of the dissenting members of the committee.
(iii) The committee will make the report available to the public as appropriate.

4 - Investigation Rules
(1) Committee work is automatically afforded a SECRET classification and is provided externally on a need-to-know basis, as determined by the committee.
(2) Committee members who have allegations made against them must recuse themselves from the committee investigation and should temporarily step down from leadership duties within their respective chamber (i.e. Speaker, Deputy Speaker, President of the Senate) if the investigation concerns a crime that compromises the integrity of the Office they hold.
(3) After referral, all ex parte communications must cease and all communications must be done in official committee channels in the eyes of the committee.
(4) Committee members should raise concerns with each other in private committee channels, not in front of witnesses or publicly.

 

[huney69]

Presidential Assent

This bill has been granted assent and is hereby signed into law.