[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 185 (Friday, December 18, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8906-S8907]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                GRANTS OVERSIGHT AND NEW EFFICIENCY ACT

  Mr. PERDUE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 303, S. 1115.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1115) to close out expired, empty grant 
     accounts.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs, with an amendment to strike all after the 
enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Grants Oversight and New 
     Efficiency Act'' or the ``GONE Act''.

     SEC. 2. IDENTIFYING AND CLOSING OUT EXPIRED GRANTS.

       (a) Expired Grant Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of 
     Management and Budget shall instruct the head of each agency, 
     in coordination with the Secretary, to submit to Congress and 
     the Secretary a report, not later than December 31 of the 
     first calendar year beginning after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, that--
       (A) lists each covered grant held by the United States 
     Government;
       (B) recommends which of the covered grants described in 
     subparagraph (A) should be closed; and
       (C) for each covered grant, explains why the covered grant 
     has not been closed out.

[[Page S8907]]

       (2) Use of data systems.--An agency may use existing 
     multiagency data systems in order to submit the report 
     required under paragraph (1).
       (3) Explanation of missing information.--If an agency is 
     unable to submit all of the information required to be 
     included in the report under paragraph (1), the report shall 
     include an explanation of why the information was not 
     available, including any shortcomings with existing grant 
     data systems.
       (b) Notice From Agencies.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
     which the head of an agency submits the report required under 
     subsection (a), the head of the agency shall provide notice 
     to the Secretary specifying whether the head of the agency 
     has closed out grant awards associated with all of the 
     covered grants.
       (2) Notice to congress.--Not later than 90 days after the 
     date on which the head of an agency provides notice to the 
     Secretary under paragraph (1), the head of the agency shall 
     provide the same notice to Congress.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section--
       (1) the term ``agency'' has the meaning given that term in 
     section 551 of title 5, United States Code;
       (2) the term ``close out'' means a close out of a grant 
     account conducted in accordance with section 200 of title 2, 
     Code of Federal Regulations, including section 200.343 of 
     such title, or any successor thereto;
       (3) the term ``covered grant'' means a grant in a Federal 
     agency cash payment management system held by the United 
     States Government for which--
       (A) the grant award period of performance, including any 
     extensions, has been expired for not less than 2 years; and
       (B) close out has not yet occurred in accordance with 
     section 200.343 of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations, or 
     any successor thereto; and
       (4) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health 
     and Human Services.

  Mr. PERDUE. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported 
substitute amendment be withdrawn; that the Fischer substitute 
amendment be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be read a third time 
and passed; that the committee-reported title amendment be agreed to; 
and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the 
table.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported substitute amendment was withdrawn.
  The amendment (No. 2940) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to, 
as follows:

                (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Grants Oversight and New 
     Efficiency Act'' or the ``GONE Act''.

     SEC. 2. IDENTIFYING AND CLOSING OUT EXPIRED FEDERAL GRANT 
                   AWARDS.

       (a) Expired Federal Grant Award Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of 
     Management and Budget shall instruct the head of each agency, 
     in coordination with the Secretary, to submit to Congress and 
     the Secretary a report, not later than December 31 of the 
     first calendar year beginning after the date of the enactment 
     of this Act, that--
       (A) lists each Federal grant award held by such agency;
       (B) provides the total number of Federal grant awards, 
     including the number of grants--
       (i) by time period of expiration;
       (ii) with zero dollar balances; and
       (iii) with undisbursed balances;
       (C) for an agency with Federal grant awards, describes the 
     challenges leading to delays in grant closeout; and
       (D) for the 30 oldest Federal grant awards of an agency, 
     explains why each Federal grant award has not been closed 
     out.
       (2) Use of data systems.--An agency may use existing 
     multiagency data systems in order to submit the report 
     required under paragraph (1).
       (3) Explanation of missing information.--If the head of an 
     agency is unable to submit all of the information required to 
     be included in the report under paragraph (1), the report 
     shall include an explanation of why the information was not 
     available, including any shortcomings with and plans to 
     improve existing grant systems, including data systems.
       (b) Notice From Agencies.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
     which the head of an agency submits the report required under 
     subsection (a), the head of such agency shall provide notice 
     to the Secretary specifying whether the head of the agency 
     has closed out grant awards associated with all of the 
     Federal grant awards in the report and which Federal grant 
     awards in the report have not been closed out.
       (2) Notice to congress.--Not later than 90 days after the 
     date on which all of the notices required pursuant to 
     paragraph (1) have been provided or March 31 of the calendar 
     year following the calendar year described in subsection 
     (a)(1), whichever is sooner, the Secretary shall compile the 
     notices submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) and submit to 
     Congress a report on such notices.
       (c) Inspector General Review.--Not later than 1 year after 
     the date on which the head of an agency provides notice to 
     Congress under subsection (b)(2), the Inspector General of an 
     agency with more than $500,000,000 in annual grant funding 
     shall conduct a risk assessment to determine if an audit or 
     review of the agency's grant closeout process is warranted.
       (d) Report on Accountability and Oversight.--Not later than 
     6 months after the date on which the second report is 
     submitted pursuant to subsection (b)(2), the Director of 
     Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with the 
     Secretary, shall submit to Congress a report on 
     recommendations, if any, for legislation to improve 
     accountability and oversight in grants management, including 
     the timely closeout of a Federal grant award.
       (e) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given that 
     term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
       (2) Closeout.--The term ``closeout'' means a closeout of a 
     Federal grant award conducted in accordance with part 200 of 
     title 2, Code of Federal Regulations, including sections 
     200.16 and 200.343 of such title, or any successor thereto.
       (3) Federal grant award.--The term ``Federal grant award'' 
     means a Federal grant award (as defined in section 
     200.38(a)(1) of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations, or any 
     successor thereto), including a cooperative agreement, in an 
     agency cash payment management system held by the United 
     States Government for which--
       (A) the grant award period of performance, including any 
     extensions, has been expired for more than 2 years; and
       (B) closeout has not yet occurred in accordance with 
     section 200.343 of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations, or 
     any successor thereto.
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Health and Human Services.

  The bill (S. 1115), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.
  The committee-reported title amendment was agreed to, as follows:

       Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to close out 
     expired grants.''.

                          ____________________