Civil rights accountability for USDA employees

(a) In general The Secretary of Agriculture shall ensure that officials and employees of the Department of Agriculture are held accountable in accordance with subsection (b) if, while in the course of their employment or in administering a Department of Agriculture program, such officials and employees are found to have engaged in any discriminatory actions, retaliatory actions, harassment, civil rights violations, or related misconduct, including any such actions or misconduct involving any of the following: (1) Failure to provide a receipt for service in accordance with section 2501A(e) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation or Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279–1(e)) to any current or prospective applicants of or participants in Department of Agriculture programs. (2) Providing an inaccurate receipt for service under such section 2501A(e) to any current or prospective applicants of or participants in Department of Agriculture programs. (3) Failure to provide appropriate information regarding relevant programs and services at the Department of Agriculture, when requested by any current or prospective applicants of or participants in Department of Agriculture programs. (4) Failure to timely process applications or otherwise delaying program services to any current or prospective applicants of or participants in, Department of Agriculture programs. (b) Taking corrective action The Secretary shall ensure that appropriate corrective action is taken with respect to any official or employee of the Department of Agriculture who has been found to have engaged in any of the actions, violations, or misconduct referred to in subsection (a) while in the course of such official’s or employee’s employment or in administering a Department of Agriculture program— (1) in any administrative finding by the Department of Agriculture, including any final agency decision issued by the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights and any civil rights compliance review or misconduct investigation conducted by the Department of Agriculture; (2) in any administrative or judicial proceeding; (3) in any civil rights settlement; (4) in any audit or investigation conducted by the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture; or (5) in any investigation conducted by the Office of the Special Counsel. (c) Corrective action defined In this section, the term corrective action means any action taken to respond to any of the actions, violations, or misconduct referred to in subsection (a) that— (1) would enhance civil rights at the Department of Agriculture, including any policy or programmatic changes to prevent similar misconduct from occurring in the future; and (2) may include disciplinary actions, including— (A) removal from Federal service; (B) suspension without pay; (C) any reduction in grade or pay; and (D) letter of reprimand.