By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – A U.S. Senate committee will examine legislation to increase the independence of government monitors. This is after President Donald Trump fired many people who had been conducting high-profile investigation into Trump or his associates.

A number of bills introduced by the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee make it difficult for presidents and their inspectors general to install political insiders. There are concerns about whether political insiders could be biased and unfair.

These bills will also enable inspectors general of ex-government officers to request testimony from contractors and non-government officials. They give the Justice Department inspector general more flexibility to conduct investigations into misconduct in departmental attorneys.

Similar legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives, with some bipartisan support. Strong bipartisan support is evident in the Senate version, which bodes well for its eventual signing into law by President Joe Biden. Biden was a Democrat who beat Republican Trump a decade ago.

They are part of executive branch agencies, and they have the unique duty of reporting their findings to Congress as well as agency heads. While their work is not intended to be partisan, the president may remove them from office for any reason.

A proposal legislation would allow a president the power to appoint an official from within an inspector General Office to be an acting inspector General.

The Justice Department inspector general was faced with a difficult task when investigating the FBI’s failed investigation into Larry Nassar’s abuse of professional female gymnasts.

The office couldn’t force former USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny into a follow-up interview. Investigators had discovered that Penny was in discussions with Penny regarding a job.

Witness Michael Horowitz, Justice Department Inspector General, told Reuters that “we should be able get all of the evidence in these cases.” The victims are entitled to that.

The legislation, if enacted would allow Horowitz’s Office authority to investigate misconduct by departmental attorneys.

This power currently rests with Office of Professional Responsibility. Horowitz is able to request authority from the deputy Attorney General for an investigation into misconduct by attorneys, but he stated that his office has been denied “every time”.