44 USC § 3901 - Purpose and establishment of the Office of Inspector General

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t44/s3901"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "44 USC § 3901 - Purpose and establishment of the Office of Inspector General"
title_number: 44
title_name: "PUBLIC PRINTING AND DOCUMENTS"
section_number: "3901"
section_name: "Purpose and establishment of the Office of Inspector General"
chapter_number: 39
chapter_name: "GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE: OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2025-02-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 100–504, title II, § 202, Oct. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 2530; amended Pub. L. 113–235, div. H, title I, § 1301(b), (c)(1), Dec. 16, 2014, 128 Stat. 2537.)"
---


# § 3901. Purpose and establishment of the Office of Inspector General

In order to create an independent and objective office—

**(1)** to conduct and supervise audits and investigations relating to the Government Publishing Office;

**(2)** to provide leadership and coordination and recommend policies to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness; and

**(3)** to provide a means of keeping the Director of the Government Publishing Office and the Congress fully and currently informed about problems and deficiencies relating to the administration and operations of the Government Publishing Office;

there is hereby established an Office of Inspector General in the Government Publishing Office.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 100–504, title II, § 202, Oct. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 2530; amended Pub. L. 113–235, div. H, title I, § 1301(b), (c)(1), Dec. 16, 2014, 128 Stat. 2537.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2014—Par. (3). , substituted “Director of the Government Publishing Office” for “Public Printer”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

“Government Publishing Office” substituted for “Government Printing Office” in pars. (1) and (3) and concluding provisions on authority of , set out as a note preceding .

### Effective Date

> “The provisions of this title and the amendments made by this title [enacting this chapter and provisions set out as notes under sections 101 and 3901 of this title] shall take effect 180 days after the date of the enactment of this title [
> 
> ].”

, , , provided that:

### Short Title

For short title of title II of , which enacted this chapter, as the “Government Printing Office Inspector General Act of 1988”, see , set out as a Short Title of 1988 Amendment note under .

### Transfer of Office

, ,  transferred the office of the Government Printing Office referred to as the “Office of Inspector General”, and the functions, powers, duties, and certain personnel of that office, to the Office of Inspector General in the Government Printing Office.

### Payment Authority Subject to Appropriations

> “Any authority to make payments under this title [enacting this chapter and provisions set out as notes under sections 101 and 3901 of this title] shall be effective only to such extent as provided in appropriations Acts.”

, , , provided that: