US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

49 U.S.C. § 354

Investigative authority of Inspector General

(a)

In General .—

The statutory authority of the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation includes authority to conduct, pursuant to Federal criminal statutes, investigations of allegations that a person or entity has engaged in fraudulent or other criminal activity relating to the programs and operations of the Department or its operating administrations.
(b)

Regulated Entities .—

The authority to conduct investigations referred to in subsection (a) extends to any person or entity subject to the laws and regulations of the Department or its operating administrations, whether or not they are recipients of funds from the Department or its operating administrations.

Pub. L. 108–168, § 8(a)117 Stat. 2034(Added and amended , (b)(1), , .)

Editorial Notes

Codification

section 228 of Pub. L. 106–159Pub. L. 95–452Pub. L. 108–168, § 8(a)Pub. L. 106–159, title II, § 228113 Stat. 1773The text of , formerly set out as a note under section 4 of the Inspector General Act of 1978, , formerly set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, which was transferred to this section, redesignated as text of section, and amended by , (b)(1), was based on , , .

Amendments

Pub. L. 108–168section 228 of Pub. L. 106–1592003— renumbered as this section and substituted “Investigative authority of Inspector General” for “DOT Authority” in section catchline. See Codification note above.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Deposit of Forfeited Funds

Pub. L. 113–235, div. K, title I128 Stat. 2724

5 U.S.C. 401“That hereafter funds transferred to the Office of the Inspector General through forfeiture proceedings or from the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund or the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund, as a participating agency, as an equitable share from the forfeiture of property in investigations in which the Office of Inspector General participates, or through the granting of a Petition for Remission or Mitigation, shall be deposited to the credit of this account [Office of Inspector General, Salaries and Expenses] for law enforcement activities authorized under the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended [see et seq.], to remain available until expended.”
, , , provided in part:

Similar provisions were contained in the following prior appropriation act:

Pub. L. 113–76, div. L, title I128 Stat. 600, , .