7:49Sen. Tammy Duckworth speaks during a news conference following a weekly Democratic policy luncheon at the Capitol, Jan. 6, 2026.Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
On Friday, Sen. Tammy Duckworth is set to propose legislation that would impose restrictions on current and former political appointees from being nominated as inspectors general.
The Inspector General’s Independence Act would prohibit President Donald Trump and future presidents from nominating political appointees who have served or are serving in their administration to the role of inspector general.
"Inspectors general should be impartial in their roles, whether dealing with acquisitions, the VA, DoD, Commerce, or HHS, and they must be able to assert, ‘You cannot do that,’" Duckworth stated to ABC News. "However, placing a political appointee in that role will likely lead them to favor the administration that appointed them."
This action follows approximately one year after the administration attempted to unilaterally terminate 17 inspectors general across several agencies at the start of Trump's second term.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth speaks during a news conference following a weekly Democratic policy luncheon at the Capitol, Jan. 6, 2026.Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
At that time, lawmakers across both parties opposed the administration’s actions, expressing worries that dismissing inspectors general would inject partisanship into a role designed to function as an independent watchdog. Legal challenges regarding the legitimacy of those firings are currently being processed in the courts.
"There are currently lawsuits underway asserting that those firings were unlawful," Duckworth remarked. "Thus, this specific legislation will clarify that his actions were illegal, rather than leaving it to the courts to interpret the existing laws."
Duckworth highlights the nomination and subsequent Senate confirmation of Cheryl Mason as the Veterans Affairs inspector general as a critical illustration of why this legislation is essential.
Mason was appointed to occupy a position left vacant by the administration’s dismissal of the former inspector general. At the time of her nomination by the president, she was serving as a senior adviser to Trump's Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins.
During her confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee in June, several Democratic lawmakers, including Duckworth, voiced apprehensions regarding Mason's capability to act as an independent watchdog for the agency where she had previously served as a political adviser.
Republican Sen. Jerry Moran, the committee chairman, also questioned how Mason would guarantee her independence, yet ultimately voted alongside all Republicans to confirm her.
Mason pledged to operate as an independent entity, referencing her extensive experience at the VA working with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals before returning as an adviser. She emphasized that her role as an adviser was to collect information and present it impartially.
"I regard myself as an unbiased, independent resource for the department because that is my function," Mason conveyed to the senators during inquiries about her allegiance to the VA secretary. "I am loyal to the veterans. That is my primary allegiance."
"I am employed by the president and the secretary," Mason stated during the hearing when pressed by Democrats about her independence. "However, if confirmed, I will also report to this committee."
Mason received Senate confirmation in July with a vote of 53-45, with no Democrats supporting her confirmation.
Duckworth’s proposed legislation would have prohibited Mason from being nominated. If enacted, her bill would prevent similar politically affiliated nominees from taking roles as inspectors general.
The bill is co-sponsored by Democratic Senators Dick Durbin, Richard Blumenthal, Adam Schiff, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Peter Welch. Currently, it lacks any Republican co-sponsors.
It remains uncertain whether it would garner the necessary backing to progress through either chamber of Congress and it is improbable that President Trump would endorse it.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com