of the Secretary of Labor, the provisions of sections 8477 and 8478 of title 5, United States Code, shall apply in connection with the American Opportunity Fund and the accounts maintained in such Fund in the same manner and to the same extent as such provisions apply in connection with the Thrift Savings Fund and the accounts maintained in the Thrift Savings Fund. (b) Investigative authority Any authority available to the Secretary of Labor under section 504 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ( 29 U.S.C. 1134 ) is hereby made available to the Secretary of Labor, and any officer designated by the Secretary of Labor, to determine whether any person has violated, or is about to violate, any provision applicable under subsection (a). (c) Exculpatory provisions