[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8009 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8009

    To amend title 5, United States Code, to establish a Government 
   Spending Oversight Committee within the Council of the Inspectors 
      General on Integrity and Efficiency, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 15, 2024

  Mr. Raskin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
               Committee on Oversight and Accountability

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend title 5, United States Code, to establish a Government 
   Spending Oversight Committee within the Council of the Inspectors 
      General on Integrity and Efficiency, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Government Spending Oversight Act of 
2024''.

SEC. 2. GOVERNMENT SPENDING OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

    (a) In General.--Section 424 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Government Spending Oversight Committee.--
            ``(1) Definitions.-- In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Agency.--The term `agency' has the meaning 
                given the term in section 551.
                    ``(B) Appropriate congressional committees.--The 
                term `appropriate congressional committees' means--
                            ``(i) the Committees on Appropriations of 
                        the Senate and the House of Representatives;
                            ``(ii) the Committee on Homeland Security 
                        and Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
                            ``(iii) the Committee on Oversight and 
                        Accountability of the House of Representatives; 
                        and
                            ``(iv) any other relevant congressional 
                        committee of jurisdiction.
                    ``(C) Chairperson.--The term `Chairperson' means 
                the Chairperson of the Committee.
                    ``(D) Committee.--The term `Committee' means the 
                Government Spending Oversight Committee established 
                under paragraph (2).
                    ``(E) Covered funds.--The term `covered funds' 
                means any funds, including loans, that are made 
                available in any form to any non-Federal entity or 
                individual, under--
                            ``(i) the CARES Act (Public Law 116-136);
                            ``(ii) the Coronavirus Preparedness and 
                        Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 
                        (Public Law 116-123);
                            ``(iii) the Families First Coronavirus 
                        Response Act (Public Law 116-127);
                            ``(iv) the Paycheck Protection Program and 
                        Health Care Enhancement Act (Public Law 116-
                        139);
                            ``(v) division M or N of the Consolidated 
                        Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260);
                            ``(vi) the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 
                        (Public Law 117-2);
                            ``(vii) any loan guaranteed or made by the 
                        Small Business Administration, including any 
                        direct loan or guarantee of a trust 
                        certificate, under the Small Business Act (15 
                        U.S.C. 631 et seq.), the Small Business 
                        Investment Act of 1958 (15 U.S.C. 661 et seq.), 
                        or any other provision of law;
                            ``(viii) unemployment compensation (as 
                        defined in section 85 of the Internal Revenue 
                        Code of 1986);
                            ``(ix) the Infrastructure Investment and 
                        Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58);
                            ``(x) the Inflation Reduction Act (Public 
                        Law 117-169);
                            ``(xi) the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 
                        (Public Law 117-168); or
                            ``(xii) the Act entitled `Making 
                        appropriations for Legislative Branch for the 
                        fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for 
                        other purposes', enacted December 22, 2023 
                        (commonly referred to as the CHIPS and Science 
                        Act of 2022; Public Law 117-167).
            ``(2) Establishment.--There is established within the 
        Council the Government Spending Oversight Committee to promote 
        transparency and conduct and support oversight of covered funds 
        to--
                    ``(A) prevent and detect fraud, waste, abuse, and 
                mismanagement; and
                    ``(B) mitigate major risks that cut across program 
                and agency boundaries.
            ``(3) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Committee--
                    ``(A) shall be selected by the Chairperson of the 
                Council from among Inspectors General appointed by the 
                President and confirmed by the Senate; and
                    ``(B) should have with experience managing 
                oversight of large organizations and expenditures.
            ``(4) Members of committee.--
                    ``(A) Membership.--The members of the Committee 
                shall include--
                            ``(i) the Chairperson;
                            ``(ii) the Inspector General of the 
                        Department of Labor;
                            ``(iii) the Inspector General of the 
                        Department of Health and Human Services;
                            ``(iv) the Inspector General of the Small 
                        Business Administration;
                            ``(v) the Inspector General of the 
                        Department of the Treasury;
                            ``(vi) the Inspector General of the 
                        Department of Transportation;
                            ``(vii) the Treasury Inspector General for 
                        Tax Administration;
                            ``(viii) the Inspector General of the 
                        Department of Veterans Affairs;
                            ``(ix) the Inspector General of the 
                        Department of Commerce;
                            ``(x) the Inspector General of the 
                        Department of Justice;
                            ``(xi) the Inspector General of the 
                        Department of Defense;
                            ``(xii) the Inspector General of the 
                        Department of Education;
                            ``(xiii) the Inspector General of the 
                        Department of Homeland Security; and
                            ``(xiv) any Inspector General, as the 
                        Chairperson determines appropriate, of a 
                        designated Federal entity that expends or 
                        obligates covered funds.
                    ``(B) Prohibition on additional compensation.--
                Members of the Committee may not receive additional 
                compensation for services performed as members of the 
                Committee.
            ``(5) Executive director.--
                    ``(A) In general.--There shall be an Executive 
                Director of the Committee.
                    ``(B) Appointment; qualifications.--The Executive 
                Director of the Committee shall--
                            ``(i) be appointed by the Chairperson, in 
                        consultation with the majority leader of the 
                        Senate, the Speaker of the House of 
                        Representatives, the minority leader of the 
                        Senate, and the minority leader of the House of 
                        Representatives;
                            ``(ii) have demonstrated ability in 
                        accounting, auditing, financial analysis, law, 
                        management analysis, public administration, or 
                        investigations;
                            ``(iii) have experience managing oversight 
                        of large organizations and expenditures; and
                            ``(iv) be a full-time employee of the 
                        Committee.
                    ``(C) Duties.--The Executive Director of the 
                Committee shall--
                            ``(i) report directly to the Chairperson;
                            ``(ii) appoint staff of the Committee, 
                        subject to the approval of the Chairperson;
                            ``(iii) supervise and coordinate the 
                        functions and staff of the Committee; and
                            ``(iv) perform any other duties assigned to 
                        the Executive Director by the Committee.
            ``(6) Duties of the committee.--
                    ``(A) General functions.--In addition to the duties 
                of the Committee described under paragraph (2), the 
                Committee, in coordination with the Inspector General 
                involved, may--
                            ``(i) provide support to, and collaborate 
                        with, such Inspector General in conducting 
                        investigations, audits, and reviews relating to 
                        covered funds, including through--
                                    ``(I) data analytics;
                                    ``(II) the sharing of data, tools, 
                                and services;
                                    ``(III) the development and 
                                enhancement of data practices, 
                                analysis, and visualization; and
                                    ``(IV) any other appropriate means 
                                as determined by the Committee;
                            ``(ii) provide analytical products to 
                        agencies, in coordination with the Inspector 
                        General involved, to promote program integrity, 
                        prevent improper payments, and facilitate 
                        verification efforts to ensure proper 
                        expenditure and utilization of covered funds;
                            ``(iii) review the economy, efficiency, and 
                        effectiveness in the administration of, and the 
                        detection of fraud, waste, abuse, and 
                        mismanagement in, programs and operations using 
                        covered funds;
                            ``(iv) review whether there are appropriate 
                        mechanisms for interagency collaboration 
                        relating to the oversight of covered funds, 
                        including coordinating and collaborating to the 
                        extent practicable with State and local 
                        government entities; and
                            ``(v) expeditiously report to the Attorney 
                        General any instance in which the Committee has 
                        reasonable grounds to believe there has been a 
                        violation of Federal criminal law.
                    ``(B) Additional functions.--The Committee may 
                provide investigative support to any prosecutorial and 
                enforcement authority to protect program integrity and 
                prevent, detect, and prosecute fraud of covered funds.
                    ``(C) Reporting.--
                            ``(i) Alerts.--The Committee shall submit 
                        to the President and Congress, including the 
                        appropriate congressional committees, 
                        management alerts on potential management, 
                        risk, and funding problems that require 
                        immediate attention.
                            ``(ii) Reports and updates.--The Committee 
                        shall submit to Congress such reports or 
                        provide such periodic updates on the work of 
                        the Committee as the Committee considers 
                        appropriate on the use of covered funds.
                            ``(iii) Biannual reports.--The Committee 
                        shall submit biannual reports to the President 
                        and Congress, including the appropriate 
                        congressional committees, and may submit 
                        additional reports as appropriate to Congress, 
                        that summarize the findings of the Committee 
                        and include recommendations for additional 
                        funds that should be included under the 
                        definition of covered funds for the purposes of 
                        this subsection.
                            ``(iv) Public availability.--All reports 
                        submitted under this subparagraph shall be made 
                        publicly available and posted on the website 
                        established under paragraph (16).
                            ``(v) Redactions.--Any portion of a report 
                        submitted under this paragraph may be redacted 
                        when made publicly available, if that portion 
                        would disclose information that is not subject 
                        to disclosure under sections 552 and 552a, or 
                        is otherwise prohibited from disclosure by law.
                    ``(D) Recommendations.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Committee shall make 
                        recommendations to the heads of agencies on 
                        measures to prevent or address fraud, waste, 
                        abuse and mismanagement of covered funds, and 
                        to mitigate risks that cut across programs and 
                        agency boundaries, relating to covered funds.
                            ``(ii) Report.--Not later than 30 days 
                        after receipt of a recommendation under clause 
                        (i), the head of an agency shall submit a 
                        report to the President and the appropriate 
                        congressional committees on--
                                    ``(I) whether the head of the 
                                agency agrees or disagrees with the 
                                recommendations; and
                                    ``(II) any actions the head of the 
                                agency will take to implement the 
                                recommendations.
                    ``(E) Matters to be included in gao-ig act 
                report.--The head of each agency shall include in each 
                annual budget justification required under section 2(b) 
                of the GAO-IG Act (31 U.S.C. 1105 note; Public Law 115-
                414) a report listing each action the head of an agency 
                took to implement a recommendation under subparagraph 
                (D)(ii)(II) in 1-year period preceding the date on 
                which the annual budget justification is submitted.
            ``(7) Authorities.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In carrying out the duties and 
                functions under this subsection with respect to 
                conducting or supporting the oversight of covered 
                funds, the Committee shall--
                            ``(i) comply with standards established by 
                        the Comptroller General of the United States 
                        for audits of Federal establishments, 
                        organizations, programs, activities, and 
                        functions;
                            ``(ii) establish guidelines for determining 
                        when it shall be appropriate to use non-Federal 
                        auditors;
                            ``(iii) take appropriate steps to ensure 
                        that any work performed by non-Federal auditors 
                        complies with the standards established by the 
                        Comptroller General as described in clause (i); 
                        and
                            ``(iv) in coordination with the Inspector 
                        General involved, have the authorities provided 
                        under and be subject to paragraphs (1) through 
                        (4) of subsection (a) and subsections (h), (j), 
                        and (k) of section 406, subject to the 
                        limitations under subparagraph (B).
                    ``(B) Limitation on subpoena authority.--
                            ``(i) In general.--With respect to 
                        exercising subpoena authority under section 
                        406(a)(4), the following limitations shall 
                        apply to the Committee:
                                    ``(I) Any subpoena issued under 
                                this subsection shall be signed by the 
                                Chairperson, and this power is non-
                                delegable.
                                    ``(II) On a quarterly basis, the 
                                Committee shall notify the Committee on 
                                Homeland Security and Governmental 
                                Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 
                                on Oversight and Accountability of the 
                                House of Representatives of any 
                                subpoenas issued during the preceding 
                                quarter.
                                    ``(III) The authority to issue a 
                                subpoena under this subsection shall 
                                terminate on the date that is 5 years 
                                after the date of enactment of this 
                                subsection.
                            ``(ii) Transitional rule.--Any subpoena 
                        issued under this subsection prior to the date 
                        in clause (i)(III) shall remain valid and 
                        enforceable after such date.
                    ``(C) Application of sections 552 and 552a.--
                            ``(i) Activities considered civil or 
                        criminal law enforcement activities under 
                        section 552a.--An activity carried out by the 
                        Committee shall be considered a civil or 
                        criminal law enforcement activity for the 
                        purposes of section 552a(b)(7).
                            ``(ii) Principle function of committee.--
                        The Committee shall be considered to be a 
                        component which performs as its principal 
                        function an activity pertaining to the 
                        enforcement of criminal laws for the purposes 
                        of sections 552 and 552a.
                            ``(iii) Records of the committee.--Thee 
                        records of the Committee may be considered as 
                        constituting investigatory material compiled 
                        for law enforcement purposes for the purposes 
                        of sections 552 and 552a.
            ``(8) Refusal of information or assistance.--Whenever 
        information or assistance requested by the Committee or an 
        Inspector General is unreasonably refused or not provided by an 
        individual or entity, the Committee shall immediately report 
        the circumstances to the appropriate congressional committees.
            ``(9) Use of information technology resources.--The 
        Committee shall leverage the information technology resources 
        of the Council, such as oversight.gov and those developed by 
        the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee established 
        under section 15010 of the CARES Act (Public Law 116-136; 135 
        Stat. 533), to carry out the duties of the Committee.
            ``(10) Contracts.--The Committee may enter into contracts 
        to enable the Committee to discharge its duties, including 
        contracts and other arrangements for audits, studies, analyses, 
        and other services with public agencies and with private 
        persons, and make such payments as may be necessary to carry 
        out the duties of the Committee.
            ``(11) Subcommittees.--The Committee may establish 
        subcommittees to facilitate the ability of the Committee to 
        discharge its duties.
            ``(12) Transfer of funds, assets, and obligations.--The 
        Committee may transfer funds appropriated to the Committee--
                    ``(A) for expenses to support administrative 
                support services and audits, reviews, or other 
                activities related to oversight by the Committee of 
                covered funds to any Office of the Inspector General or 
                the General Services Administration; and
                    ``(B) to reimburse the Council for the use of the 
                resources described under paragraph (10).
            ``(13) Additional staff.--
                    ``(A) General hiring authority.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Subject to subparagraph 
                        (B), the Committee may exercise the authorities 
                        of subsections (b) through (i) of section 3161 
                        (without regard to subsection (a) of that 
                        section) to meet temporary or urgent needs of 
                        the Committee under this subsection, as 
                        certified by the Chairperson to the appropriate 
                        congressional committees that such temporary or 
                        urgent needs exist, as if the Committee were a 
                        temporary organization.
                            ``(ii) Head of organization.--For purposes 
                        of exercising the authorities described in 
                        subparagraph (A), the term `Chairperson' shall 
                        be substituted for the term `head of a 
                        temporary organization'.
                            ``(iii) Consultation.--In exercising the 
                        authorities described in subparagraph (A), the 
                        Chairperson shall consult with members of the 
                        Committee.
                            ``(iv) Additional detailees.--In addition 
                        to the authority provided by section 3161(c), 
                        upon the request of an Inspector General, the 
                        Committee may detail, on a nonreimbursable 
                        basis, any personnel of the Committee to that 
                        Inspector General to assist in carrying out any 
                        audit, review, or investigation pertaining to 
                        the oversight of covered funds.
                            ``(v) Limitations.--In exercising the 
                        employment authorities under section 3161(b), 
                        as provided under subparagraph (A) of this 
                        paragraph section 3161(b)(2) (relating to 
                        periods of appointments) shall not apply.
                    ``(B) Competitive service.--A person employed by 
                the Committee shall acquire competitive status and may 
                be appointed to any position in the competitive service 
                for which the employee possesses the required 
                qualifications upon the completion of 2 years of 
                continuous service as an employee pursuant to this 
                subsection.
                    ``(C) Annuitants.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Committee may employ 
                        annuitants covered by section 9902(g) for 
                        purposes of the oversight of covered funds.
                            ``(ii) Treatment of annuitants.--The 
                        employment of annuitants under this paragraph 
                        shall be subject to the provisions of section 
                        9902(g), as if the Committee was the Department 
                        of Defense.
            ``(14) Provision of information.--
                    ``(A) Requests.--Upon request of the Committee for 
                information or assistance from the head of any agency 
                or other entity of the Federal Government pursuant to 
                the authorities provided under section 406(a)(1), the 
                head of such agency or entity shall, insofar as is 
                practicable and not in contravention of any other 
                Federal law, furnish such information or assistance to 
                the Committee, or an authorized designee thereof, 
                including an Inspector General designated by the 
                Chairperson.
                    ``(B) Inspectors general.--Any Inspector General 
                responsible for conducting oversight related to any 
                covered funds shall, consistent with the duties, 
                responsibilities, policies, and procedures of the 
                Inspector General, provide information requested by the 
                Committee or an Inspector General on the Committee 
                relating to the responsibilities of the Committee.
            ``(15) Website.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
        enactment of this subsection, the Committee shall, to foster 
        greater accountability and transparency in the use of covered 
        funds, establish and maintain a user-friendly, public-facing 
        website that--
                    ``(A) has a uniform resource locator that is 
                descriptive and memorable; and
                    ``(B) shall serve as a portal or gateway to key 
                information relating to the oversight of covered funds 
                and provide connections to other Government websites 
                with related information.
            ``(16) Coordination.--The Committee shall coordinate its 
        oversight activities with respect to covered funds with the 
        Comptroller General of the United States and State auditors as 
        applicable.
            ``(17) Rules of construction.--Nothing in this subsection 
        may be construed to--
                    ``(A) affect any independent authority of an 
                Inspector General to determine whether to conduct an 
                audit or investigation of covered funds separate from 
                the authority provided to the Committee under this 
                subsection; or
                    ``(B) authorize the Council or any Inspector 
                General to transfer funds to the Committee for the 
                purpose of supporting the activities of the 
                Committee.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--This section, and the amendments made by this 
section, shall take effect on September 30, 2025.

SEC. 3. TRANSFER OF ASSETS FROM THE PANDEMIC RESPONSE ACCOUNTABILITY 
              COMMITTEE TO THE GOVERNMENT SPENDING OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

    (a) Transfer.--Not later than 30 days before the effective date 
described under section 2(b), the assets held by or available in 
connection with the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee 
established under 15010 of the CARES Act (Public Law 116-136; 135 Stat. 
540) shall be transferred to the Government Spending Oversight 
Committee.
    (b) Additional Matters Related to Transfer of Contracts or 
Agreements.--
            (1) Savings provision.--Any contract or agreement of the 
        Pandemic Response Accountability Committee that is in effect on 
        the date on which the contract or agreement is transferred 
        pursuant to paragraph (1) (or that becomes effective after such 
        date pursuant to their terms as in effect on such date) shall 
        continue in effect according to their terms until modified, 
        terminated, superseded, set aside, or revoked in accordance 
        with the law by the Government Spending Oversight Committee, 
        any authorized official, a court of competent jurisdiction, or 
        operation of law.
            (2) References.--After the date on which a contract or 
        agreement is transferred pursuant to paragraph (1), any 
        reference in a contract or agreement pertaining to the Pandemic 
        Response Accountability Committee is deemed to refer to the 
        Government Spending Oversight Committee, and any reference to 
        the head of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee is 
        deemed to refer to the head of the Government Spending 
        Oversight Committee.
    (c) Assets Defined.--In this section, the term ``assets'' includes 
contracts, agreements, facilities, property, data, records, obligated 
appropriations, unobligated or unexpended balances of appropriations, 
any information technology resources developed by the Pandemic Response 
Accountability Committee established under section 15010 of the CARES 
Act (Public Law 116-136; 135 Stat. 533), and other funds or resources 
(other than personnel).
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