Congressional oversight

(a) Defined term In this section, the term covered person means— (1) a Member of Congress; or (2) an employee of the Senate or the House of Representatives designated by a Member of Congress for the purposes of this section. (b) In general The Secretary of Homeland Security— (1) shall permit a covered person to enter, for the purpose of conducting oversight, any facility operated by or for the Department to detain or otherwise house aliens for any period; and (2) may not make any temporary modification at any such facility that alters what is observed by a visiting covered person, compared to what would be observed in the absence of such modification. (c) No advance notice for covered persons A Member of Congress may not be required to provide advance notice of his or her intent to enter a facility described in subsection (b)(1) for the purpose of conducting oversight. (d) Notice for employees (1) Employees not accompanying a covered person Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary of Homeland Security may require a covered person described in subsection (a)(2) to provide notice to the operator of a facility described in subsection (b)(1) at least 24 hours in advance of the entry of such covered person if he or she is not accompanied by a Member of Congress. (2) Employees accompanying a covered person The notice required under paragraph (1) shall not be required for a covered person described in subsection (a)(2) who is accompanied by a Member of Congress.