[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2347 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2347

      To amend the Federal Advisory Committee Act to increase the 
  transparency of Federal advisory committees, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 15, 2015

  Mr. Clay (for himself, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Connolly, and Mr. Cooper) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
 Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on 
   Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To amend the Federal Advisory Committee Act to increase the 
  transparency of Federal advisory committees, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Advisory 
Committee Act Amendments of 2015''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Ensuring independent advice and expertise.
Sec. 3. Preventing efforts to circumvent the Federal Advisory Committee 
                            Act and public disclosure.
Sec. 4. Increasing transparency of advisory committees.
Sec. 5. Managing Federal advisory committees.
Sec. 6. Comptroller General review and reports.
Sec. 7. Application of Federal Advisory Committee Act to Trade Advisory 
                            Committees.
Sec. 8. Definitions.
Sec. 9. Technical and conforming amendments.
Sec. 10. Effective date.

SEC. 2. ENSURING INDEPENDENT ADVICE AND EXPERTISE.

    (a) Bar on Political Litmus Tests.--Section 9 of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by inserting ``membership;'' 
        after ``advisory committees;'';
            (2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections 
        (e) and (f), respectively; and
            (3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
    ``(b) Appointments Made Without Regard to Political Affiliation or 
Activity.--All appointments to advisory committees shall be made 
without regard to political affiliation or political activity, unless 
required by Federal statute.''.
    (b) Minimizing Conflicts of Interest.--Section 9 of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), as amended by subsection (a) of 
this section, is further amended by inserting after subsection (b) (as 
added by such subsection (a)) the following:
    ``(c) Public Nominations of Committee Members.--Prior to appointing 
members to an advisory committee, the head of an agency shall give 
interested persons an opportunity to suggest potential committee 
members. The agency shall include a request for comments in the Federal 
Register notice required under subsection (a) and provide a mechanism 
for interested persons to comment through the official website of the 
agency. The agency shall consider any comments submitted under this 
subsection in selecting the members of an advisory committee.
    ``(d) Designation of Committee Members.--
            ``(1) An individual appointed to an advisory committee who 
        is not a full-time or permanent part-time officer or employee 
        of the Federal Government shall be designated as--
                    ``(A) a special Government employee, if the 
                individual is providing advice based on the 
                individual's expertise or experience; or
                    ``(B) a representative, if the individual is 
                representing the views of an entity or entities outside 
                of the Federal Government.
            ``(2) An agency may not designate committee members as 
        representatives to avoid subjecting them to Federal ethics 
        rules and requirements.
            ``(3) The designated agency ethics official for each agency 
        shall review the members of each advisory committee that 
        reports to the agency to determine whether each member's 
        designation is appropriate, and to redesignate members if 
        appropriate. The designated agency ethics official shall 
        certify to the head of the agency that such review has been 
        made--
                    ``(A) following the initial appointment of members; 
                and
                    ``(B) at the time a committee's charter is renewed, 
                or, in the case of a committee with an indefinite 
                charter, every 2 years.
            ``(4) The head of each agency shall inform each individual 
        appointed to an advisory committee that reports to the agency 
        whether the individual is appointed as a special Government 
        employee or as a representative. The agency head shall provide 
        each committee member with an explanation of the differences 
        between special Government employees and representatives and a 
        summary of applicable ethics requirements. The agency head, 
        acting through the designated agency ethics official, shall 
        obtain signed and dated written confirmation from each 
        committee member that the member received and reviewed the 
        information required by this paragraph.
            ``(5) The Director of the Office of Government Ethics shall 
        provide guidance to agencies on what to include in the summary 
        of ethics requirements required by paragraph (4).
            ``(6) The head of each agency shall, to the extent 
        practicable, develop and implement strategies to minimize the 
        need for written determinations under section 208(b)(3) of 
        title 18, United States Code. Strategies may include such 
        efforts as improving outreach efforts to potential committee 
        members and seeking public input on potential committee 
        members.''.
    (c) Regulations Implementing FACA.--Section 7(c) of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended by inserting 
``promulgate regulations and'' after ``The Administrator shall''.
    (d) Ensuring Independent Advice and Recommendations.--The Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended--
            (1) in section 8--
                    (A) in the section heading, by inserting 
                ``independent advice and recommendations;'' after 
                ``responsibilities of agency heads;'';
                    (B) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection 
                (c); and
                    (C) by inserting after subsection (a) the 
                following:
    ``(b) The head of each agency shall ensure that the agency does not 
interfere with the free and independent participation, expression of 
views, and deliberation by committee members. Each advisory committee 
shall include a statement describing the process used by the advisory 
committee in formulating the advice and recommendations when they are 
transmitted to the agency.''; and
            (2) in section 10--
                    (A) in the section heading, by inserting ``; 
                chair'' after ``attendance''; and
                    (B) by inserting after subsection (f) the following 
                new subsection:
    ``(g) The Chair shall not be an employee of the agency to which the 
advisory committee reports, unless--
            ``(1) a statute specifically authorizes selection of such 
        an employee as the Chair; or
            ``(2) the head of the agency directs an employee to serve 
        as the Chair.''.

SEC. 3. PREVENTING EFFORTS TO CIRCUMVENT THE FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE 
              ACT AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE.

    (a) De Facto Members.--Section 4 of the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
    ``(d) Treatment of Individual as Member.--An individual who is not 
a full-time or permanent part-time officer or employee of the Federal 
Government shall be regarded as a member of a committee if the 
individual regularly attends and participates in committee meetings as 
if the individual were a member, even if the individual does not have 
the right to vote or veto the advice or recommendations of the advisory 
committee.''.
    (b) Subcommittees.--Section 4 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(5 U.S.C. App.), as amended by subsection (a) of this section, is 
further amended by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
    ``(a) Application.--The provisions of this Act or of any rule, 
order, or regulation promulgated under this Act shall apply to each 
advisory committee, including any subcommittee or subgroup thereof, 
except to the extent that any Act of Congress establishing any such 
advisory committee specifically provides otherwise. Any subcommittee or 
subgroup that reports to a parent committee established under section 
9(a) is not required to comply with section 9(f).''.
    (c) Committees Created Under Contract.--Section 3(2) of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended in the matter 
following subparagraph (C) by adding at the end the following: ``An 
advisory committee is considered to be established by an agency, 
agencies, or the President if it is formed, created, or organized under 
contract, other transactional authority, cooperative agreement, grant, 
or otherwise at the request or direction of an agency, agencies, or the 
President.''.
    (d) Advisory Committees Containing Special Government Employees.--
Section 4 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), as 
amended by subsections (a) and (b) of this section, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e) Special Government Employees.--Committee members appointed as 
special Government employees shall not be considered full-time or 
permanent part-time officers or employees of the Federal Government for 
purposes of determining the applicability of this Act under section 
3(2).''.

SEC. 4. INCREASING TRANSPARENCY OF ADVISORY COMMITTEES.

    (a) Information Requirement.--Section 11 of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 11. DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION.

    ``(a) In General.--With respect to each advisory committee, the 
head of the agency to which the advisory committee reports shall make 
publicly available in accordance with subsection (b) the following 
information:
            ``(1) The charter of the advisory committee.
            ``(2) A description of the process used to establish and 
        appoint the members of the advisory committee, including the 
        following:
                    ``(A) The process for identifying prospective 
                members.
                    ``(B) The process of selecting members for balance 
                of viewpoints or expertise.
                    ``(C) The reason each member was appointed to the 
                committee.
                    ``(D) A justification of the need for 
                representative members, if any.
            ``(3) A list of all current members, including, for each 
        member, the following:
                    ``(A) The name of any person or entity that 
                nominated the member.
                    ``(B) Whether the member is designated as a special 
                Government employee or a representative.
                    ``(C) In the case of a representative, the 
                individuals or entity whose viewpoint the member 
                represents.
            ``(4) A list of all members designated as special 
        Government employees for whom written certifications were made 
        under section 208(b) of title 18, United States Code, a copy of 
        each such certification, a summary description of the conflict 
        necessitating the certification, and the reason for granting 
        the certification.
            ``(5) Any recusal agreement made by a member or any recusal 
        known to the agency that occurs during the course of a meeting 
        or other work of the committee.
            ``(6) A summary of the process used by the advisory 
        committee for making decisions.
            ``(7) Detailed minutes of all meetings of the committee and 
        a description of committee efforts to make meetings accessible 
        to the public using online technologies (such as video 
        recordings) or other techniques (such as audio recordings).
            ``(8) Any written determination by the President or the 
        head of the agency to which the advisory committee reports, 
        pursuant to section 10(d), to close a meeting or any portion of 
        a meeting and the reasons for such determination.
            ``(9) Notices of future meetings of the committee.
            ``(10) Any additional information considered relevant by 
        the head of the agency to which the advisory committee reports.
    ``(b)  Manner of Disclosure.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        head of an agency shall make the information required to be 
        disclosed under this section available electronically on the 
        official public website of the agency and to the Administrator 
        at least 15 calendar days before each meeting of an advisory 
        committee. If the head of the agency determines that such 
        timing is not practicable for any required information, such 
        head shall make the information available as soon as 
        practicable but no later than 48 hours before the next meeting 
        of the committee. An agency may withhold from disclosure any 
        information that would be exempt from disclosure under section 
        552 of title 5, United States Code.
            ``(2) Website availability.--The head of an agency shall 
        make available electronically, on the official public website 
        of the agency, detailed minutes and, to the extent available, a 
        transcript or audio or video recording of each advisory 
        committee meeting not later than 30 calendar days after such 
        meeting.
            ``(3) Grant reviews.--In the case of grant reviews, 
        disclosure of information required by subsection (a)(3) may be 
        provided in the aggregate rather than by individual grant.
    ``(c) Provision of Information by Administrator of General 
Services.--The Administrator of General Services shall provide, on the 
official public website of the General Services Administration, 
electronic access to the information made available by each agency 
under this section.
    ``(d) Availability of Meeting Materials.--Except where prohibited 
by contractual agreements entered into prior to the effective date of 
this Act, agencies and advisory committees shall make available to any 
person, at actual cost of duplication, copies of advisory committee 
meeting materials.''.
    (b) Charter Filing.--Subsection (f) of section 9 of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), as redesignated by section 2(a) 
of this Act, is amended to read as follows:
    ``(f) No advisory committee shall meet or take any action until an 
advisory committee charter has been filed with the Administrator, the 
head of the agency to whom any advisory committee reports, and the 
standing committees of the Senate and of the House of Representatives 
having legislative jurisdiction of such agency. Such charter shall 
contain the following information in the following order:
            ``(1) The committee's official designation.
            ``(2) The authority under which the committee is 
        established.
            ``(3) The committee's objectives and the scope of its 
        activity.
            ``(4) A description of the duties for which the committee 
        is responsible, and, if such duties are not solely advisory, a 
        specification of the authority for such functions.
            ``(5) The agency or official to whom the committee reports.
            ``(6) The agency responsible for providing the necessary 
        support for the committee.
            ``(7) The responsibilities of the officer or employee of 
        the Federal Government designated under section 10(e).
            ``(8) The estimated number and frequency of committee 
        meetings.
            ``(9) The period of time necessary for the committee to 
        carry out its purposes.
            ``(10) The committee's termination date, if less than two 
        years from the date of the committee's establishment.
            ``(11) The estimated number of members and a description of 
        the expertise needed to carry out the objectives of the 
        committee.
            ``(12) A description of whether the committee will be 
        composed of special Government employees, representatives, or 
        members from both categories.
            ``(13) Whether the agency intends to create subcommittees 
        and if so, the agency official authorized to exercise such 
        authority.
            ``(14) The estimated annual operating costs in dollars and 
        full-time equivalent positions for such committee.
            ``(15) The recordkeeping requirements of the committee.
            ``(16) The date the charter is filed.
A copy of any such charter shall also be furnished to the Library of 
Congress.''.

SEC. 5. MANAGING FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES.

    (a) Committee Management Officers.--Subsection (c) of section 8 of 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), as redesignated by 
section 2(d) of this Act, is amended to read as follows:
    ``(c) The head of each agency that has an advisory committee shall 
designate an Advisory Committee Management Officer who shall--
            ``(1) be a senior official who is--
                    ``(A) an expert in implementing the requirements of 
                this Act and regulations promulgated pursuant to this 
                Act; and
                    ``(B) the primary point of contact for the General 
                Services Administration;
            ``(2) be responsible for the establishment, management, and 
        supervision of the advisory committees of the agency, including 
        establishing procedures, performance measures, and outcomes for 
        such committees;
            ``(3) assemble and maintain the reports, records, and other 
        papers (including advisory committee meeting materials) of any 
        such committee during its existence;
            ``(4) ensure any such committee and corresponding agency 
        staff adhere to the provisions of this Act and any regulations 
        promulgated pursuant to this Act;
            ``(5) maintain records on each employee of any such 
        committee and completion of training required for any such 
        employee;
            ``(6) be responsible for providing the information required 
        in section 7(b) of this Act to the Administrator; and
            ``(7) carry out, on behalf of that agency, the provisions 
        of section 552 of title 5, United States Code, with respect to 
        the reports, records, and other papers described in paragraph 
        (3).''.

SEC. 6. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW AND REPORTS.

    (a) Review.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
review compliance by agencies with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 
as amended by this Act, including whether agencies are appropriately 
appointing advisory committee members as either special Government 
employees or representatives.
    (b) Report.--The Comptroller General shall submit to the committees 
described in subsection (c) two reports on the results of the review, 
as follows:
            (1) The first report shall be submitted not later than one 
        year after the date of promulgation of regulations under 
        section 7(c) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
        App.), as amended by section 2(c).
            (2) The second report shall be submitted not later than 
        five years after such date of promulgation of regulations.
    (c) Committees.--The committees described in this subsection are 
the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs of the Senate.

SEC. 7. APPLICATION OF FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT TO TRADE ADVISORY 
              COMMITTEES.

    Section 135(f)(2)(A) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
2155(f)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ``subsections (a) and (b) of 
sections 10 and 11 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act'' and 
inserting ``subsections (a) and (b) of section 10 and subsections 
(a)(7), (a)(8), (a)(9), (b)(2), and (d) of section 11 of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act''.

SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 3 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(5) The term `special Government employee' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 202(a) of title 18, United 
        States Code.''.

SEC. 9. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    Section 7(d)(1) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
App.) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``the rate specified 
        for GS-18 of the General Schedule under section 5332'' and 
        inserting ``the rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule 
        under section 5315''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (C)(i), by striking ``handicapped 
        individuals (within the meaning of section 501 of the 
        Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794))'' and inserting 
        ``individuals with disabilities (as defined in section 7(20) of 
        the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 705(20)))''.

SEC. 10. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect 30 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
                                 <all>