Inspector General reports

(a) Report on inherently governmental functions (1) In general Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Engineer Inspector General of the Corps of Engineers shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report on the policies of the Corps of Engineers related to identifying the inherently governmental function status of Corps of Engineers park rangers. (2) Contents In the report submitted under paragraph (1), the Engineer Inspector General shall include— (A) an assessment of— (i) the policies, guidance, and practices of the Corps of Engineers for identifying and classifying functions and duties related to environmental management, public safety, and enforcement duties for projects; and (ii) the extent to which such policies, guidance, and practices comply with the requirements of the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act of 1998 (31 U.S.C. 501 note) and other applicable laws, regulations, and guidance governing inherently governmental functions; (B) an assessment of any risks to environmental management, public safety, enforcement duties, or governmental decisionmaking resulting from the potential misclassification of park ranger functions; (C) an assessment of Corps of Engineers policies and procedures for distinguishing functions that must be performed by Federal employees from functions that may appropriately be performed by contractors; (D) an assessment of any potential deficiencies in Corps of Engineers policies, procedures, internal controls, staffing practices, or organizational structures that may impair compliance with applicable requirements governing inherently governmental functions and the effective performance of environmental management, public safety, and enforcement duties; and (E) any recommendations for administrative or legislative actions necessary to improve compliance with requirements governing inherently governmental functions and the performance of park ranger responsibilities. (b) Report on Tribal policies and programs (1) In general Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Engineer Inspector General of the Corps of Engineers shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report on the implementation of policies and programs of the Corps of Engineers relating to Tribal communities, including the uniformity of application of such policies and programs across all districts of the Corps of Engineers. (2) Contents In the report submitted under paragraph (1), the Engineer Inspector General shall include— (A) an assessment of the Tribal Liaison position (as established by section 8112 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (33 U.S.C. 2281a)), including a description of how each applicable district office has implemented the position and the responsibilities of such position; (B) the implementation status of— (i) section 203 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 (33 U.S.C. 2269); (ii) section 1141 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (33 U.S.C. 2269 note); and (iii) section 8115 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (33 U.S.C. 2281b note); (C) an assessment of the Secretary’s alignment with requirements of subsections (c) and (d) of section 112 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (33 U.S.C. 2356) with respect to Tribal communities; (D) an assessment of the alignment of the Secretary’s guidance, guidelines, and policies with clearly stated congressional intent with respect to Tribal communities; and (E) an evaluation of barriers within the Corps of Engineers that hinder or prohibit successful Tribal engagement, consultation, or partnership. (c) Report on Lower Pearl River Restoration project (1) In general The Engineer Inspector General of the Corps of Engineers shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on the failure and degradation of the weir constructed at Wilson’s Slough, near Walkiah Bluff, Mississippi, as part of the project for flood damage reduction, Pearl River Basin, including Shoccoe, Mississippi, authorized by section 401(e)(3) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (100 Stat. 4132; 121 Stat. 1134). (2) Contents The report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include— (A) an assessment of the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the weir; (B) a determination, to the extent practicable, of whether the failure or degradation of the weir was primarily attributable to structural deficiencies, inadequate operations or maintenance, natural events, or a combination thereof; and (C) any recommendations for administrative or legislative actions necessary to restore functionality of the Lower Pearl River Restoration project or prevent similar failures in future environmental restoration projects.