[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5712 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5712

  To require disclosure by Federal contractors of certain violations 
       relating to the award or performance of Federal contracts.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 3, 2008

     Mr. Welch of Vermont (for himself, Mr. Towns, and Mr. Waxman) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                    Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require disclosure by Federal contractors of certain violations 
       relating to the award or performance of Federal contracts.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Close the Contractor Fraud Loophole 
Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT TO NOTIFY INSPECTORS GENERAL OF CERTAIN VIOLATIONS 
              RELATED TO CERTAIN FEDERAL CONTRACTS.

    (a) Notification of Certain Contract Violations.--
            (1) Requirement.--A covered contractor shall submit written 
        notification to the Office of Inspector General of the 
        Executive agency that awarded the covered contract whenever the 
        contractor has reasonable grounds to believe that the 
        contractor, or a principal, employee, agent, or subcontractor 
        of the contractor, has committed a violation of Federal 
        criminal law, or has received a significant overpayment, in 
        connection with the award or performance of the covered 
        contract or any subcontract under the contract.
            (2) Cause for debarment or suspension.--A knowing violation 
        to notify an Inspector General of a violation or overpayment 
        covered by paragraph (1) shall be a cause for debarment or 
        suspension of the covered contractor.
            (3) Timing of notification.--A notification under paragraph 
        (1) shall be submitted within 14 days after the contractor 
        becomes aware of the violation or overpayment.
            (4) Copy of notification.--A copy of any notification under 
        paragraph (1) shall be submitted by the contractor to the 
        contracting officer for the contract.
    (b) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) The term ``covered contract'' means any contract in an 
        amount greater than $5,000,000 and more than 120 days in 
        duration, whether performed inside or outside the United 
        States. The term includes a contract for commercial items.
            (2) The term ``covered contractor'' means an entity 
        performing a covered contract awarded by an executive agency.
            (3) The term ``Executive agency'' has the meaning provided 
        in section 105 of title 5, United States Code.
    (c) Applicability.--This Act applies to all work performed under 
covered contracts, whether the work is performed inside or outside the 
United States.
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