[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 173 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 173

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that, in order to 
make commonsense reforms under sequestration, Federal employees should 
 be encouraged to suggest ways to make more sensible or more efficient 
budget reductions within their employing department or agency, knowing 
    that they are protected under the whistleblower protection laws.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 23, 2013

   Mr. Gardner (for himself and Mr. Cramer) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 
                           Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that, in order to 
make commonsense reforms under sequestration, Federal employees should 
 be encouraged to suggest ways to make more sensible or more efficient 
budget reductions within their employing department or agency, knowing 
    that they are protected under the whistleblower protection laws.

Whereas on March 1, 2013, sequestration took effect, thereby reducing the money 
        available to Federal agencies;
Whereas the House of Representatives passed 2 bills that would have made 
        commonsense reforms to reductions in Department of Defense programs and 
        certain domestic programs;
Whereas the Government spent $3.538 trillion in the fiscal year that ended in 
        September 2012, and the $85 billion sequester is 2.4 percent of the 
        Federal budget;
Whereas the President is implementing several tactics in his discussion of the 
        potential effects of sequestration that needlessly alarm the American 
        people, but there is some flexibility and discretion on how to implement 
        the cuts, and the President must focus on more sensible reductions that 
        can be made within departments and agencies;
Whereas given the rising national debt and deficit, the Federal Government must 
        reduce funding to programs, projects, and activities that are wasteful;
Whereas the April 2013 Government Accountability Office report to Congress 
        entitled, ``Actions Needed to Reduce Fragmentation, Overlap, and 
        Duplication and Achieve Other Financial Benefits'' (and designated as 
        GAO-13-279SP), presents 31 areas in which Government programs would be 
        able to achieve greater efficiencies or become more effective in 
        providing Government services; and
Whereas it is the responsibility of the President and the Director of the Office 
        of Management and Budget to coordinate with the heads of the relevant 
        departments and agencies to eliminate, consolidate, or streamline 
        Government programs and agencies with duplicative and overlapping 
        missions to save taxpayer dollars, rein in Washington spending, and curb 
        the unnecessary consequences of sequestration: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This resolution may be cited as ``Waste Whistleblower Protection 
Resolution''.

SEC. 2. PROVIDING SUGGESTIONS FOR BUDGET REDUCTIONS AND REMINDERS FOR 
              WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION.

    That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that, in order 
to avoid the unnecessary consequences of sequestration and given their 
knowledge of and experience with the operations of their respective 
employing departments or agencies, Federal employees--
            (1) should be encouraged to submit suggestions for ways to 
        make more sensible or more efficient budget reductions within 
        their employing department or agency; and
            (2) should be reminded of their protections under the 
        whistleblower protection laws.
                                 <all>