[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 24, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H737-H738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 436, GOVERNMENT WASTE, FRAUD, AND 
                      ERROR REDUCTION ACT OF 1999

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I 
call up House Resolution 43 and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
       Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this 
     resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule 
     XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the 
     Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of 
     the bill (H.R. 436) to reduce waste, fraud, and error in 
     Government programs by making improvements with respect to 
     Federal management and debt collection practies, Federal 
     payment systems, Federal benefit programs, and for other 
     purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed 
     with. Points of order against consideration of the bill for 
     failure to comply with section 303 of the Congressional 
     Budget Act of 1974 are waived. General debate shall be 
     confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally 
     divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority 
     member of the Committee on Government Reform. After general 
     debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the 
     five-minute rule. The bill shall be considered as read. 
     During consideration of the bill for amendment, the chairman 
     of the Committee of the Whole may accord priority in 
     recognition on the basis of whether the Member offering an 
     amendment has caused it to be printed in the portion of the 
     Congressional Record designated for that purpose in clause 8 
     of rule XVIII. Amendments so printed shall be considered as 
     read. The chairman of the Committee of the Whole may: (1) 
     postpone until a time during further consideration in the 
     Committee of the Whole a request for a recorded vote on any 
     amendment; and (2) reduce to five minutes the minimum time 
     for electronic voting on any postponed question that follows 
     another electronic vote without intervening business, 
     provided that the minimum time for electronic voting on the 
     first in any series of questions shall be 15 minutes. At the 
     conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the 
     Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with 
     such amendments as may have been adopted. The previous 
     question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and 
     amendments thereto to final passage without intervening 
     motion except one motion to recommit with or without 
     instructions.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions) is 
recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield 
the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hall), pending 
which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration 
of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 43 is an open rule providing for 
consideration of H.R. 436, the Government Waste, Fraud and Error 
Reduction Act of 1999, a bill to reduce waste, fraud and error in 
government programs by making improvements to the Federal management 
and debt collection practices, Federal payment systems, and Federal 
benefit programs.
  H. Res. 43 is an open rule, providing 1 hour of general debate 
divided equally between the chairman and ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Government Reform. The rule waives section 303 of the 
Congressional Budget Act, prohibiting consideration of legislation 
providing new budget authority or contract authority for a fiscal year 
until the budget resolution for that fiscal year has been agreed to 
against the consideration of the bill.
  Section 303 of the Budget Act prohibits consideration of legislation 
providing new budget authority or contract authority for a fiscal year 
until the budget resolution for that fiscal year has been agreed to. 
This is simply a technical waiver. The rule also provides that the bill 
will be considered as read.
  Members who have preprinted their amendments in the Record prior to 
their consideration will be given priority in recognition to offer 
their amendments if otherwise consistent with House rules.
  The rule allows for the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to 
postpone votes during consideration of the bill and to reduce votes to 
5 minutes on a postponed question if the vote follows a 15-minute vote.

                              {time}  1200

  Finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit, with or 
without instructions.
  Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government's failure to collect delinquent 
debt is costing American taxpayers billions of dollars each year. 
According to the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Government is 
owed approximately $50 billion in delinquent debt, and that is not 
including taxes. Of that amount, more than $47 billion has been 
delinquent over 180 days. The Federal Government also writes off an 
additional $10 billion each year.
  H.R. 436, the Government Waste, Fraud and Error Reduction Act of 
1999, is identical to H.R. 457 that passed the U.S. House of 
Representatives last year with overwhelming bipartisan support. 
Unfortunately, the Senate did not take up this legislation. We are 
bringing the bill back before the American people because we believe it 
is the right thing to do. This legislation builds on prior Federal debt 
collection initiatives such as the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 
1996 by providing Federal agencies with additional tools to collect 
their debt collection.
  The Congressional Budget Office estimated in the 105th Congress that 
this legislation would actually save the Federal Government $14 million 
over a 4-year period. By forcing agencies to make debt collection a 
priority and giving them the tools to be successful, this legislation 
stops the lax attitudes of Federal agencies over the handling of our 
tax dollars. It is unfortunate that these common sense ideas have to be 
mandated by Congress in order for Federal agencies to pay attention. 
The savings generated by this bill is just one part of the billions of 
dollars that are wasted each and every year by this government.
  I am proud of the strides this Congress, the Republican majority, has 
made to reduce waste, fraud and abuse. We must continue to be vigilant 
in search of a smaller, smarter government.
  In this era of surpluses there have been calls for my colleagues on 
the left to increase government spending. This legislation conveys the 
absurdity of those suggestions. I believe it is wrong for the Federal 
Government to spend more on government programs until it has properly 
accounted for and been efficient in that which the money has been spent 
up to now. Taxpayers work hard for the tax dollars they send to 
Washington, and it is time that we stop throwing their money at 
problems without demanding proper accountability of those dollars and, 
more importantly, results which are measurable.
  This legislation puts us on the right track. It is not a silver 
bullet. It does not eliminate waste, fraud and error in the government. 
Rather, it is a tool to help government deal more carefully with that 
problem.
  I urge my colleagues to pass this fair, open rule and the underlying 
legislation.

[[Page H738]]

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Sessions), for yielding me the time.
  This is an open rule. It will allow full and fair debate. As my 
colleague from Texas has described, this rule provides for 1 hour of 
general debate to be equally divided and controlled by the chairman and 
ranking minority member of the Committee on Government Reform.
  The rule also permits amendments under the 5-minute rule, which is 
the normal amending process in the House of Representatives. All 
Members on both sides of the aisle will have the opportunity to offer 
amendments.
  This bill establishes new procedures for agencies to collect debts 
owed to the Federal Government, and according to the Congressional 
Budget Office the bill would increase collections by millions of 
dollars over the next 5 years.
  The bill is identical to H.R. 4857 which passed the House by voice 
vote last year, and earlier this month the Committee on Government 
Reform passed H.R. 436 by voice vote.
  Mr. Speaker, improving the ability to collect debts owed to the 
government is a goal that we all can support. I urge adoption of the 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Ose).
  Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for the 
Government Waste, Fraud and Error Reduction Act. One of the reasons I 
chose to enter politics 5\1/2\ weeks ago is because I wanted to put an 
end to the wasteful practices of our government, and I am here to work 
with the other 432 Members to get that done. I was stunned to learn 
that the Federal Government is owed over $50 billion, $50 billion, and 
that is not including taxes.
  Mr. Speaker, this act seeks to improve the debt collection abilities 
of the Federal Government. This bill gets tough on government debtors, 
prohibiting delinquent debtors from obtaining any Federal permit or 
license until their debt is repaid. It withholds Social Security 
benefits from those who owe past-due child support. The government will 
no longer be in the business of rewarding such debtors.
  In addition, the bill allows the government to contract out debt 
collection services to private agencies. What a concept. This practice 
has proven to be an effective measure in closing difficult cases in the 
private sector. We ought to use it in the public.
  Mr. Speaker, the ability to collect on any debt, either public or 
private, is a fundamental component of our economy and legal system. 
The taxpayer deserves the same protections as private citizens when a 
loan is extended by the Federal Government. As we eliminate waste and 
fraud, we will have more money to spend on education, on Social 
Security, on national defense or health care.
  Let us pass this bill. Let us begin saving the taxpayers' money. Let 
us make a difference.
  Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 436 
and the rule, the Government Waste, Fraud and Error Reduction Act.
  Since 1995, Congress has worked diligently to send Federal money back 
to the States and communities, but Congress also has the responsibility 
to ensure that our tax dollars are spent wisely. We have trimmed the 
size of the Federal Government, reined in excessive spending and 
eradicated redundant programs. We have a balanced budget for the first 
time in 30 years and a budget surplus of $70 billion in 1998, with the 
prediction that it will be almost $2.5 trillion over the next 10 years.
  The next logical step is to combat fraud, abuse and errors that cost 
taxpayers their hard-earned money. The Federal Government has more than 
$50 billion in delinquent non-tax debts and gives up collecting on 
about $10 billion each year. This is government waste at its worst, and 
for taxpayers this is certainly an outrage.
  H.R. 436 is responsible legislation. It collects delinquent debts 
owed to the government and ensures that benefits do not go to those who 
are ineligible. It places special emphasis on the worst delinquent 
debtors, those who owe taxpayers over $1 million.
  This is common sense legislation, and I urge all of my colleagues to 
support it and support the rule. I would like to thank my friend from 
Long Beach, California, (Mr. Horn) for bringing this legislation to the 
floor. His commitment to helping our taxpayers and improving the 
functions of government is to be commended.
  Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Kentucky (Mr. Lucas).
  Mr. LUCAS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule. I 
rise in support of H.R. 436, the Government Waste, Fraud and Error 
Reduction Act of 1999. The goal of this legislation is to help reduce 
waste in government programs by improving Federal management of debt 
and collection practices, payment systems and benefit programs. Like 
many Kentucky taxpayers, I consider this to be a very worthy goal.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation would give Federal agencies additional 
tools to improve government efficiency and accountability. Agencies 
would be able to bar delinquent debtors from obtaining certain Federal 
benefits until the debt is repaid. Agencies would be able to use 
private debt collection contractors to maximize the collection of 
overdue nontax debts, and agencies would be required to establish 
programs to reduce the nontax debts held by the agency and obtain the 
maximum value for loan and debt assets. In addition, H.R. 436 would 
help the collection of child support by allowing the offset of Social 
Security benefits to a recipient who owes past-due support to the 
State.
  People who work hard and play by the rules should not have to pick up 
the tab for deadbeat dads and others who will not pay their debts. As 
individuals, we are expected to pay our debts. As a Nation, we expect 
efficiency and accountability from the agencies that have been created 
to serve us. It is important to give those agencies the tools to do the 
job that we require of them. Therefore, I urge passage of H.R. 436.
  Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to once again reinforce what 
is occurring here today. We are joining with the minority to talk about 
a very important issue. This is a bipartisan-supported bill. It makes 
sense for taxpayers. It makes sense for all of America.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the 
previous question on the resolution.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________