; and (ii) carry out fair and impartial investigations of civil rights complaints; (B) report directly to the Assistant Secretary; and (C) not represent or defend the Department or any of its agencies with respect to any claims of program or employment discrimination. . (b) Conforming amendments (1) Assistant Secretaries of Agriculture Section 218 of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 ( 7 U.S.C. 6918 ) is amended— (A) in subsection (a)— (i) in paragraph (1), by adding and at the end; (ii) in paragraph (2), by striking ; and at the end and inserting a period; and (iii) by striking paragraph (3); (B) in subsection (b), by striking any position of Assistant Secretary authorized under paragraph (1) or (3) of subsection (a) and inserting the position of Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Congressional Relations and Intergovernmental Affairs under subsection (a)(1) ; and (C) by striking subsection (c). (2) Termination of authority Section 296(b)(5) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 ( 7 U.S.C. 7014(b)(5) ) is amended to read as follows: (5) The authority of the Secretary to carry out section 218A. . 4. Equitable relief (a) Equitable relief from ineligibility for loans, payments, or other benefits Section 1613 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 ( 7 U.S.C. 7996 ) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (f) through (j) as subsections (g) through (k), respectively