[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 586 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 586

 To establish the Independent Government Waste Reduction Board to make 
 recommendations to improve the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness 
              of Federal programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 28, 2015

Mrs. Bustos (for herself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Frankel of Florida, Mr. 
Delaney, Mr. Loebsack, Mr. Carney, Mr. Ashford, Mr. Cooper, Ms. Kuster, 
Mr. Costa, Mr. Schrader, Mr. Murphy of Florida, Mr. Carson of Indiana, 
   Ms. Brownley of California, and Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New 
   Mexico) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the 
 Committee on Rules, 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 establish the Independent Government Waste Reduction Board to make 
 recommendations to improve the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness 
              of Federal programs, 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 ``Government Waste 
Reduction Act 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. Establishment of Board.
Sec. 3. Duties of the Board.
Sec. 4. Powers of the Board.
Sec. 5. Board personnel matters.
Sec. 6. Congressional consideration of Board recommendations.
Sec. 7. Agency defined.
Sec. 8. Termination of the Board.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF BOARD.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established the Independent Government 
Waste Reduction Board (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 
``Board'').
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--
                    (A) Appointment.--The Board shall be composed of 15 
                members appointed by the President, by and with the 
                advice and consent of Congress.
                    (B) Qualifications.--The members of the Board shall 
                include individuals with national recognition for their 
                expertise in agencies, efficiency, waste reduction, 
                finance and economics, actuarial sciences, who provide 
                a mix of different professionals, broad geographic 
                representation, and a balance between urban and rural 
                representatives.
                    (C) Ethical disclosure.--The President shall 
                establish a system for public disclosure by members of 
                the Board of financial and other potential conflicts of 
                interest relating to such members. Members of the Board 
                shall be treated as officers in the executive branch 
                for purposes of applying title I of the Ethics in 
                Government Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-521).
                    (D) Conflicts of interest.--No individual may serve 
                as a member of the Board if that individual engages in 
                any other business, vocation, or employment.
                    (E) Consultation with congress.--In selecting 
                individuals for nominations for appointments to the 
                Board, the President shall consult with--
                            (i) the majority leader of the Senate 
                        concerning the appointment of 3 members;
                            (ii) the Speaker of the House of 
                        Representatives concerning the appointment of 3 
                        members;
                            (iii) the minority leader of the Senate 
                        concerning the appointment of 3 members; and
                            (iv) the minority leader of the House of 
                        Representatives concerning the appointment of 3 
                        members.
            (2) Term of office.--Each member shall hold office for the 
        duration of the Board.
            (3) Chairperson.--
                    (A) In general.--The Chairperson shall be appointed 
                by the President, by and with the advice and consent of 
                the Senate, from among the members of the Board.
                    (B) Duties.--The Chairperson shall be the principal 
                executive officer of the Board, and shall exercise all 
                of the executive and administrative functions of the 
                Board, including functions of the Board with respect 
                to--
                            (i) the appointment and supervision of 
                        personnel employed by the Board;
                            (ii) the distribution of business among 
                        personnel appointed and supervised by the 
                        Chairperson and among administrative units of 
                        the Board; and
                            (iii) the use and expenditure of funds.
                    (C) Governance.--In carrying out any of the 
                functions under subparagraph (B), the Chairperson shall 
                be governed by the general policies established by the 
                Board and by the decisions, findings, and 
                determinations the Board shall by law be authorized to 
                make.
                    (D) Requests for appropriations.--Requests or 
                estimates for regular, supplemental, or deficiency 
                appropriations on behalf of the Board may not be 
                submitted by the Chairperson without the prior approval 
                of a majority vote of the Board.
            (4) Removal.--Any member may be removed by the President 
        for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, but for no other 
        cause.
    (c) Vacancies; Quorum; Seal; Vice Chairperson; Voting on Reports.--
            (1) Vacancies.--No vacancy on the Board shall impair the 
        right of the remaining members to exercise all the powers of 
        the Board.
            (2) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Board shall 
        constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a 
        lesser number of members may hold hearings.
            (3) Seal.--The Board shall have an official seal, of which 
        judicial notice shall be taken.
            (4) Vice chairperson.--The Board shall elect a Vice 
        Chairperson to act in the absence or disability of the 
        Chairperson or in case of a vacancy in the office of the 
        Chairperson.
            (5) Voting on proposals.--Any proposal of the Board must be 
        approved by the majority of members present.

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE BOARD.

    (a) In General.--The Board shall--
            (1) review the reports described in subsection (b)(1);
            (2) analyze organizational practices and management 
        challenges of agencies and make recommendations;
            (3) assess Federal programs for economy, efficiency, and 
        effectiveness, and identify best practices of agencies;
            (4) establish a process for prioritizing the activities 
        described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), including 
        establishing criteria and a schedule for carrying out the 
        activities;
            (5) consult with appropriate agencies and provide 
        opportunities for individuals to make recommendations that 
        support the work of the Board; and
            (6) serve as a repository for best practices to support 
        agencies in efforts to improve effectiveness.
    (b) Submission of Report.--Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Board shall submit to Congress and 
the President a report that includes the following:
            (1) Recommendations for specific implementation of the 
        recommendations from each of the following:
                    (A) The March 2011 Government Accountability Office 
                report to Congress, entitled ``Opportunities to Reduce 
                Potential Duplication in Government Programs, Save Tax 
                Dollars, and Enhance Revenue'' (GAO-11-318SP).
                    (B) The February 2012 Government Accountability 
                Office report to Congress, entitled ``Opportunities to 
                Reduce Duplication, Overlap and Fragmentation, Achieve 
                Savings, and Enhance Revenue'' (GAO-12-342SP).
                    (C) The April 2013 Government Accountability Office 
                report to Congress, entitled ``Actions Needed to Reduce 
                Fragmentation, Overlap, and Duplication and Achieve 
                Other Financial Benefits'' (GAO-13-279SP).
                    (D) The April 2014 Government Accountability Office 
                report to Congress, entitled ``Additional Opportunities 
                to Reduce Fragmentation, Overlap, and Duplication and 
                Achieve Other Financial Benefits'' (GAO-14-343SP).
            (2) A summary of the recommendations.
            (3) An explanation of each recommendation contained in the 
        report and the reasons for including such recommendation.
            (4) An opinion by the Government Accountability Office on 
        whether each recommendation is consistent with the intent of 
        such Government Accountability Office reports.
            (5) A legislative proposal that implements the 
        recommendations.
            (6) Recommendations for organizational practices and 
        management challenges of agencies analyzed in subsection 
        (a)(2).
            (7) Recommendations for implementing the best practices of 
        agencies identified in subsection (a)(3) in other agencies.
            (8) Proposals for administrative action or executive action 
        that include recommendations--
                    (A) for improvement or investment in Federal 
                programs; or
                    (B) achieving efficiency and effectiveness in 
                Federal programs.
            (9) Other information determined appropriate by the Board.
    (c) Recommendations Requirements.--
            (1) Requirements.--Each recommendation in the report 
        submitted under subsection (b)--
                    (A) shall result in a decrease of overall 
                Government spending or an increase of Government 
                revenue; and
                    (B) shall not result in--
                            (i) any cut in benefits for veterans, 
                        members of the Armed Forces, or their families; 
                        or
                            (ii) any cut in benefits for seniors, 
                        including--
                                    (I) the elimination of guaranteed 
                                health insurance benefits for seniors 
                                or people with disabilities;
                                    (II) the conversion of Medicare 
                                into a voucher plan that provides 
                                limited payments to seniors or people 
                                with disabilities to purchase health 
                                care in the private health insurance 
                                market;
                                    (III) cuts in Medicaid health 
                                insurance benefits;
                                    (IV) cuts in nursing home care; or
                                    (V) privatization of Social 
                                Security benefits.
            (2) Consultation with other agencies.--The Board shall 
        consult regularly with the Government Accountability Office and 
        other agencies in making the recommendations required under 
        this section.
    (d) Public Availability of Reports.--Not later than 90 days after 
the date on which a report is submitted under subsection (b), the 
report shall be made available to the public.

SEC. 4. POWERS OF THE BOARD.

    (a) Hearings.--The Board may hold such hearings, sit and act at 
such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence 
as the Board considers advisable to carry out this Act.
    (b) Obtaining Official Data.--The Board may secure directly from 
any agency information necessary to enable it to carry out this 
section. Upon request of the Chairperson, the head of that agency shall 
furnish that information to the Board on an agreed upon schedule.
    (c) Postal Services.--The Board may use the United States mails in 
the same manner and under the same conditions as other agencies.
    (d) Gifts.--The Board may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or 
donations of services or property.
    (e) Offices.--The Board shall maintain a principal office and such 
field offices as it determines necessary, and may meet and exercise any 
of its powers at any other place.

SEC. 5. BOARD PERSONNEL MATTERS.

    (a) Compensation of Members and Chairperson.--Each member of the 
Board, other than the Chairperson, shall be compensated at a rate equal 
to the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level III of the 
Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code. 
The Chairperson shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily 
equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level II of 
the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States 
Code.
    (b) Travel Expenses.--The members of the Board shall be allowed 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates 
authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 
of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular 
places of business in the performance of services for the Board.
    (c) Staff.--
            (1) In general.--The Chairperson may, without regard to the 
        civil service laws and regulations, appoint and terminate an 
        executive director and such other additional personnel as may 
        be necessary to enable the Board to perform its duties. The 
        employment of an executive director shall be subject to 
        confirmation by the Board.
            (2) Compensation.--The Chairperson may fix the compensation 
        of the executive director and other personnel without regard to 
        chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United 
        States Code, relating to classification of positions and 
        General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the 
        executive director and other personnel may not exceed the rate 
        payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 
        5316 of such title.
    (d) Detail of Government Employees.--Any Federal Government 
employee may be detailed to the Board without reimbursement, and such 
detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or 
privilege.
    (e) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The 
Chairperson may procure temporary and intermittent services under 
section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for 
individuals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate 
of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule under 
section 5316 of such title.

SEC. 6. CONGRESSIONAL CONSIDERATION OF BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS.

    (a) Introduction.--
            (1) In general.--On the day on which the report is 
        submitted by the Board to the Congress under section 3(b), the 
        legislative proposal (described in section 3(a)(5)) contained 
        in the report shall be introduced (by request) in the Senate by 
        the majority leader of the Senate or by Members of the Senate 
        designated by the majority leader of the Senate and shall be 
        introduced (by request) in the House by the majority leader of 
        the House or by Members of the House designated by the majority 
        leader of the House.
            (2) Not in session.--If either House is not in session on 
        the day on which such legislative proposal is submitted, the 
        legislative proposal shall be introduced in that House, as 
        provided in subparagraph (A), on the first day thereafter on 
        which that House is in session.
            (3) Any member.--If the legislative proposal is not 
        introduced in either House within 5 days on which that House is 
        in session after the day on which the legislative proposal is 
        submitted, then any Member of that House may introduce the 
        legislative proposal.
            (4) Referral.--The legislation introduced under this 
        subsection in the House of Representatives shall be referred to 
        the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House 
        of Representatives. The legislation introduced under this 
        subsection in the Senate shall be referred to the Committee on 
        Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
    (b) Discharge.--If the committee to which a legislative proposal 
described in subsection (a) is referred has not reported the bill 
containing such proposal by the end of the 20-day period beginning on 
the date on which the Board submits the report to Congress under 
section 3(b), such committee shall be, at the end of such period, 
discharged from further consideration of such bill, and such bill shall 
be placed on the appropriate calendar of the House involved.
    (c) Expedited Consideration.--
            (1) Consideration.--On or after the third day after the 
        date on which the committee to which such a bill is referred 
        has reported, or has been discharged (under subsection (b)) 
        from further consideration of, such a bill, it is in order 
        (even though a previous motion to the same effect has been 
        disagreed to) for any Member of the respective House to move to 
        proceed to the consideration of the bill. A member may make the 
        motion only on the day after the calendar day on which the 
        Member announces to the House concerned the Member's intention 
        to make the motion, except that, in the case of the House of 
        Representatives, the motion may be made without such prior 
        announcement if the motion is made by direction of the 
        committee to which the bill was referred. The motion is highly 
        privileged in the House of Representatives and is privileged in 
        the Senate and is not debatable. The motion is not subject to 
        amendment, or to a motion to postpone, or to a motion to 
        proceed to the consideration of other business. A motion to 
        reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to or 
        disagreed to shall not be in order. If a motion to proceed to 
        the consideration of the bill is agreed to, the respective 
        House shall immediately proceed to consideration of the bill 
        without intervening motion, order, or other business, and the 
        bill shall remain the unfinished business of the respective 
        House until disposed of.
            (2) Debate.--Debate on the bill, and on all debatable 
        motions and appeals in connection therewith, shall be limited 
        to not more than 2 hours, which shall be divided equally 
        between those favoring and those opposing the bill. An 
        amendment to the bill is not in order. A motion further to 
        limit debate is in order and not debatable. A motion to 
        postpone, or a motion to proceed to the consideration of other 
        business, or a motion to recommit the bill is not in order. A 
        motion to reconsider the vote by which the bill is agreed to or 
        disagreed to is not in order.
            (3) Vote on final passage.--Immediately following the 
        conclusion of the debate on the bill and a single quorum call 
        at the conclusion of the debate if requested in accordance with 
        the rules of the appropriate House, the vote on final passage 
        of the bill shall occur.
            (4) Appeals.--Appeals from the decisions of the Chair 
        relating to the application of the rules of the Senate or the 
        House of Representatives, as the case may be, to the procedure 
        relating to the bill shall be decided without debate.
    (d) Consideration by Other House.--
            (1) Before passage.--If, before the passage by one House of 
        a bill of that House described in subsection (b), that House 
        receives from the other House a bill described in subsection 
        (b), then the following procedures shall apply--
                    (A) the bill of the other House shall not be 
                referred to a committee and may not be considered in 
                the House receiving it except in the case of final 
                passage as provided in subparagraph (B)(ii); and
                    (B) with respect to a bill described in subsection 
                (b) of the House receiving the bill (i) the procedure 
                in that House shall be the same as if no bill had been 
                received from the other House; but (ii) the vote on 
                final passage shall be on the bill of the other House.
            (2) After passage.--Upon disposition of the bill received 
        from the other House, it shall no longer be in order to 
        consider the bill that originated in the receiving House.
    (e) Rules of the Senate and House.--This section is enacted by 
Congress--
            (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate 
        and House of Representatives, respectively, and as such it is 
        deemed a part of the rules of each House, respectively, but 
        applicable only with respect to the procedure to be followed in 
        that House in the case of a bill described in subsection (b), 
        and it supersedes other rules only to the extent that it is 
        inconsistent with such rules; and
            (2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of 
        either House to change the rules (so far as relating to the 
        procedure of that House) at any time, in the same manner, and 
        to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of that 
        House.
    (f) Calendar Day Defined.--In this section, the term ``calendar 
day'' means a calendar day other than one on which either House is not 
in session because of an adjournment of more than three days to a date 
certain.

SEC. 7. AGENCY DEFINED.

    In this Act, the term ``agency'' has the meaning given that term 
under section 551 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 8. TERMINATION OF THE BOARD.

    The Board shall terminate 120 days after the date on which the 
Board submits the report under section 3(b).
                                 <all>