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H.R.5271 / 114th Congress

Independent Counsel Reauthorization Act of 2016

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · May 17, 2016

Independent Counsel Reauthorization Act of 2016

This bill amends the federal judicial code to reauthorize the independent counsel law (currently expired) for a five-year period.

It extends to eight years after leaving office the period during which individuals who have held the following positions are still subject to preliminary investigations by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to determine whether to apply to a division of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia for the appointment of an independent counsel for further investigation and possible prosecution:

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the President or the Vice President;

the Attorney General or the Secretaries of State, the Treasury, Defense, the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, or Homeland Security;

the U.S. Trade Representative, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Commissioner of Social Security, the Director of National Drug Control Policy, the Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, or the Director of National Intelligence;

individuals working in the Executive Office of the President compensated at or above level II of the Executive Schedule;

Assistant Attorneys General and DOJ employees compensated at or above level III of the Executive Schedule; or

the Director of Central Intelligence, the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence, or the Commissioner of Internal Revenue.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
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Who introduced it

Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10] · R–OH

Committees

  • Judiciary Committee
8 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

  2. Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

  3. Introduced in House

  4. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.5271 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.5271 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

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Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

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