113 S2113 IS: Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act U.S. Senate 2014-03-12 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2113 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 12, 2014 Mr. Coburn (for himself, Ms. Ayotte, Mr. Begich, Mr. Burr, Mr. Chambliss, Ms. Collins, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Flake, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Johnson of Wisconsin, Mr. McCain, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. Paul, Mr. Portman, Mr. Risch, Mr. Scott, Mr. Vitter, and Mr. Warner) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs A BILL To provide taxpayers with an annual report disclosing the cost and performance of Government programs and areas of duplication among them, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act.

2.

Cost and performance of Government programs

(a)

Amendment

Section 1122(a) of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (3)

Additional information

(A)

In general

Information for each program described under paragraph (1) shall include the following (which shall be updated not less frequently than annually): (i) The total administrative expenses for the program for the previous fiscal year. (ii) The expenditures for services for the program for the previous fiscal year. (iii) An estimate of the number of clients served by the program and beneficiaries who received assistance under the program (if applicable) for the previous fiscal year. (iv) An estimate of, for the previous fiscal year— (I) the number of full-time Federal employees who administer the program; and (II) the number of full-time employees whose salary is paid in part or full by the Federal Government through a grant or contract, a subaward of a grant or contract, a cooperative agreement, or another form of financial award or assistance who administer or assist in administering the program. (v) An identification of the specific statute that authorizes the program, including whether such authorization is expired. (vi) Any finding of duplication or overlap identified by internal review, an Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office, or other report to the agency about the program. (vii) Any program performance reviews (including program performance reports required under section 1116). (B)

Definitions

In this paragraph: (i)

Administrative expenses

The term administrative expenses—(I)has the meaning given that term by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget under section 504(b)(2) of the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 (31 U.S.C. 1105 note); and(II)includes, with respect to an agency— (aa) costs incurred by the agency and costs incurred by grantees, subgrantees, and other recipients of funds from a grant program or other program administered by the agency; and (bb)expenses related to personnel salaries and benefits, property management, travel, program management, promotion, reviews and audits, case management, and communication about, promotion of, and outreach for programs and program activities administered by the agency. (ii)

Services

The term services—(I)has the meaning given that term by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; and(II)shall be limited to only activities, assistance, and aid that provide a direct benefit to a recipient, such as the provision of medical care, assistance for housing or tuition, or financial support (including grants and loans). . (b)

Expired grant funding

Not later than February 1 of each fiscal year, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall publish on the public website of the Office of Management and Budget the total amount of undisbursed grant funding remaining in grant accounts for which the period of availability to the grantee has expired.

3.

Government Accountability Office requirements relating to identification, consolidation, and elimination of duplicative Government programs

Section 21 of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (31 U.S.C. 712 note) is amended—(1)by striking The Comptroller General and inserting the following:(a)

In general

The Comptroller General; and(2)by adding at the end the following: (b)

Updates

The Comptroller General shall maintain on a publicly available website (which shall include regular updates, not less frequently than annually) the status of responses by Departments and Congress to suggested actions that the Comptroller General has previously identified in annual reports under subsection (a). The status of the suggested actions shall be tracked for an appropriate period to be determined by the Comptroller General. .

4.

Classified information

Nothing in this Act shall, or the amendments made by this Act, be construed to require the disclosure of classified information.

5.

Regulations and implementation

(a)

Regulations

Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall prescribe regulations to implement this Act, and the amendments made by this Act. (b)

Implementation

This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall be implemented not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act. (c)

No additional funds authorized

No additional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements of this Act, or the amendments made by this Act.