[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 141 (Monday, October 3, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 3, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
 PROVIDING FOR AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GAO PERSONNEL APPEALS BOARD

  Mr. McCLOSKEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5103) to amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for 
an Executive Director of the General Accounting Office Personnel 
Appeals Board, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 5103

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

     SECTION 1. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

       (a) Position.--Section 752 of title 31, United States Code, 
     is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(c) (1) The Comptroller General shall appoint as 
     Executive Director of the Board an individual the Chairman 
     selects. The Executive Director serves at the pleasure of the 
     Chairman.
       ``(2) The Chairman shall fix the pay of the Executive 
     Director. The rate of basic pay of the Executive Director 
     shall be not less than 120 percent of the minimum rate of 
     basic pay payable for GS-15 of the General Schedule and not 
     greater than the rate of basic pay payable for level IV of 
     the Executive Schedule.
       ``(3) The Executive Director is the chief administrative 
     officer for the Board and performs such tasks as the Chair 
     assigns.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--(1) The heading for section 752 
     of such title is amended to read as follows:

     ``Sec. 752. Chairman, General Counsel, and Executive 
       Director''.

       (2) The table of sections for chapter 7 of such title is 
     amended by amending the item relating to section 752 to read 
     as follows:

``752. Chairman, General Counsel, and Executive Director.''.

     SEC. 2. PAY RATE FOR GENERAL COUNSEL.

       The second sentence of section 752(b)(2) of title 31, 
     United States Code, is amended to read as follows: ``The rate 
     of basic pay of the General Counsel shall be not less than 
     120 percent of the minimum rate of basic pay payable for GS-
     15 of the General Schedule and not greater than the rate of 
     basic pay payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule.''.

     SEC. 3. PARTICIPATION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH CARE 
                   PROGRAM.

       Section 732 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by 
     adding at the end thereof the following new subsection:
       ``(h) The Comptroller General may enter into interagency 
     agreements with the Department of State and other executive 
     agencies to permit the General Accounting Office to 
     participate in programs for the provision of health care to 
     government employees stationed abroad or performing temporary 
     duty abroad.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Indiana [Mr. McCloskey] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. McCloskey].
  Mr. McCLOSKEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, recently, the chairman of the General Accounting Office 
Personnel Appeals Board [PAB] contacted the subcommittee and requested 
that we consider a proposal to provide the Executive Director of the 
PAB a senior executive service position. Due to increased 
responsibilities as required under P.L. 103-283, which allows employees 
of the Architect of the Capitol to appeal adverse actions to the PAB, 
the chairman of the personnel appeals board believes that the executive 
director should be compensated at a higher rate than the individual is 
currently being compensated.
  After reviewing the executive director's job description and 
responsibilities, it certainly seems reasonable. However, subcommittee 
staff felt it was too complicated in the short time period we had to 
draft a bill to give the executive director a senior executive service 
position. Therefore, section one of this bill provides that the 
executive director be compensated at the senior level which is 
equivalent to SES pay.
  My amendment contains a technical correction which was added to 
clarify that the Comptroller General shall appoint as the executive 
director an individual whom the chairman of personnel appeals board 
selects. The executive director serves at the pleasure of the chairman. 
This is consistent with current practice.
  Section 2 of the bill is a conforming amendment to reflect the 
changes made under the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990.
  Section 3 of the bill will permit the Comptroller General to enter 
into agreements with the Department of State which would allow GAO 
employees stationed or on temporary duty abroad to participate in the 
health care programs of the Department of State and other executive 
agencies. Currently GAO employees abroad have been able to obtain 
medical services on an ad hoc basis for emergencies and hospitalization 
through U.S. Government facilities. However, the current scheme does 
not provide the protection or benefits for GAO employees that are 
obtained by all other Federal employees participating in the Department 
of State's medical health program.
  Unlike other Federal employees stationed abroad, GAO employees 
utilizing medical facilities of the U.S. Government are responsible for 
paying the costs of those services. Under State's program, all 
participants are required to maintain their own health insurance. When 
services are rendered, claims are made against the employee's health 
insurance carrier, but the employing agency, not the employee, pays any 
remaining balance.
  When emergencies or unforeseen circumstances occur, U.S. Government 
facilities are not always available and GAO employees must then obtain 
medical services from local sources, which can cause extreme financial 
hardship. GAO is the only agency that does not have authority to 
participate in the State Department's health program. It is a simple 
matter of equity to allow GAO employees access to the State 
Department's medical health program. It is my understanding that the 
State Department has no objections to this provision.
  In regard to the costs of this provision, GAO states that 
approximately 40 employees would be covered and the estimated cost 
would be $30,000 to $40,000 per year.

                              {time}  1930

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleague, the gentleman from 
Indiana, [Mr. McCloskey], in supporting passage of H.R. 5103, a bill 
providing for an Executive Director of the General Accounting Office 
Personnel Appeals Board. This legislation is pending pursuant to a 
request by the General Accounting Office to create a senior level 
position for the Executive Director of the Personnel Appeals Board due 
to increases in its workload. The measure also provides for health 
insurance coverage for certain GAO employees stationed overseas. The 
Minority has no objection to consideration of this measure under 
suspension of the rules. Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, I urge House 
approval of H.R. 5103.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLOSKEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no requests for time, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. DeFazio). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. McCloskey] that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5103, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended, and the bill, as amended, was 
passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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