[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.''.
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