[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 142 (Tuesday, September 20, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H5666-H5668]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   MODERNIZING GOVERNMENT TRAVEL ACT

  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 5625) to provide for reimbursement for the use of 
modern travel services by Federal employees traveling on official 
Government business, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5625

       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 ``Modernizing Government 
     Travel Act''.

     SEC. 2. FEDERAL EMPLOYEE REIMBURSEMENT FOR USE OF MODERN 
                   TRAVEL SERVICES.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator of General Services 
     shall prescribe regulations under section 5707 of title 5, 
     United States Code, to provide for the reimbursement for the 
     use of a transportation network company or innovative 
     mobility technology company by any Federal employee traveling 
     on official business

[[Page H5667]]

     under subchapter I of chapter 57 of such title, except that 
     the Director of the Administrative Office of the United 
     States Courts shall prescribe such regulations with respect 
     to employees of the judicial branch of the Government.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Innovative mobility technology company.--The term 
     ``innovative mobility technology company'' means an 
     organization, including a corporation, limited liability 
     company, partnership, sole proprietorship, or any other 
     entity, that applies technology to expand and enhance 
     available transportation choices, better manage demand for 
     transportation services, and provide alternatives to driving 
     alone.
       (2) Transportation network company.--The term 
     ``transportation network company'' means a corporation, 
     partnership, sole proprietorship, or other entity, that uses 
     a digital network to connect riders to drivers affiliated 
     with the entity in order for a driver to provide 
     transportation services to a rider.

     SEC. 3. REPORT ON TRANSPORTATION COSTS.

       Section 5707(c) of title 5, United States Code, is amended 
     to read as follows:
       ``(c)(1) Not later than November 31 of each year, the head 
     of each agency shall submit to the Administrator of the 
     General Services, in a format prescribed by the Administrator 
     and approved by the Director the Office of Management and 
     Budget--
       ``(A) data on total agency payments for such items as 
     travel and transportation of people, average costs and 
     durations of trips, and purposes of official travel;
       ``(B) data on estimated total agency payments for employee 
     relocation; and
       ``(C) an analysis of the total costs of transportation 
     service by type, and the total number of trips utilizing each 
     transportation type for purposes of official travel.
       ``(2) The Administrator of the General Services shall make 
     the data submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) publically 
     available upon receipt.
       ``(3) Not later than January 31 of each year, the 
     Administrator of the General Services shall submit to the 
     Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the 
     Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of 
     Representatives, and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Government Affairs of the Senate--
       ``(A) an analysis of the data submitted pursuant to 
     paragraph (1) for the agencies listed in section 901(b) of 
     title 31 and a survey of such data for each other agency; and
       ``(B) a description of any new regulations promulgated or 
     changes to existing regulations authorized under this 
     section.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Carter) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia 
(Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
to include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 5625, the Modernizing Government 
Travel Act, introduced by Congressman Seth Moulton of Massachusetts.
  Federal employees' options for transportation on official travel are 
limited. In the modern shared economy, there are many new methods of 
transportation that can help the Federal Government reduce the costs 
associated with travel by Federal employees.
  In order for the government to be good stewards of taxpayer funds, it 
is important that it embrace innovation and the efficiencies that come 
with it. The Modernizing Government Travel Act will help to ensure that 
as new transportation services emerge, Federal employees can take 
advantage of the efficiencies that these services bring.
  This bill would provide a statutory framework for authority for 
employees on official business to travel using transportation network 
company services. By opening up a new market for transportation 
services, H.R. 5625 will also help to spur new innovations, which will 
bring potentially greater cost savings.
  Embracing innovation is only one piece of ensuring taxpayer dollars 
are well spent. We must also ensure that there is accountability for 
travel expenses. H.R. 5625 will mandate that agencies report their 
travel costs to the General Services Administration. H.R. 5625 will 
also require that GSA publish that data for the American people to 
review. GSA will be required to provide a report on agency official 
travel costs to Congress in order to better inform future 
transportation policy decisions.
  I urge my colleagues to support this good government bill and help 
promote innovation in the transportation sector by supporting H.R. 
5625.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5625, the Modernizing 
Government Travel Act, as amended. I thank Representative Moulton and 
Representative Hurd for their work on this measure in particular.
  H.R. 5625 would expand the transportation options for Federal 
employees on official government travel. Specifically, the legislation 
would require the General Services Administration to issue regulations 
to allow Federal employees to be reimbursed for the use of ridesharing 
services, such as Uber and Lyft. The bill also would allow for the use 
of future technologies not yet known or available to be covered as 
reimbursable travel expenses.
  In addition, Federal agencies would be required to submit annually to 
GSA detailed information on their travel costs, including breakdowns of 
costs by transportation type. GSA would be required to submit annual 
reports to Congress containing an analysis or survey of agencies' 
travel costs, as well as implementation of the regulations.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5625.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Moulton), who is the sponsor of the bill.
  Mr. MOULTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 
5625, the Modernizing Government Travel Act. While we may not agree on 
all things, I think there is consensus on both sides of the aisle that 
the Federal Government has failed to keep pace with the technological 
advances and innovation that have come to define the 21st century 
economy. Despite the emergence of new technologies designed to improve 
the way we travel, today some Federal employees are unable to be 
reimbursed for using more cost-effective, innovative modes of 
transportation when traveling on official business.
  Innovative ridesharing services supported by mobile apps have 
dramatically changed how we get from one place to another. Now, with 
just a few taps on a smartphone, we can access a variety of new 
transportation options like rideshare and bikeshare that complement 
public transit, take more cars off our congested roads, and reduce fuel 
emissions.
  While the Government Services Administration allows agencies to 
authorize the use of these transportation options by Federal employees, 
it has not, nor is it required by law, to issue comprehensive guidance 
across the Federal Government. Consequently, agencies and their 
employees may be unaware that they have the transportation options 
available to them for reimbursement.
  H.R. 5625 would require the General Services Administration to 
implement regulations to allow Federal employees to use transportation 
options like rideshare and bikeshare for official travel. The GSA 
administrator would be required to submit annual reports to Congress on 
the implementation of these regulations and the resulting amount of 
government savings.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hurd) for working with 
me on this legislation, as well as Representatives Swalwell, Issa, 
Meadows, and Bustos for their support. This is truly a bipartisan 
effort that will increase the Federal Government's engagement in the 
sharing economy while saving taxpayer dollars.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I just thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moulton) again for 
this bill. I note that this is a truly bipartisan bill. I wish we had 
more like them coming on this floor. It does show that bipartisanship 
still lives. It is not dead in the House of Representatives. It 
certainly was revived with this bill.

[[Page H5668]]

  


                              {time}  1515

  This is a very good bill for reviving it. Look what it does. It keeps 
up with rapidly changing technology, and what is particularly 
gratifying about the bill is it says you don't have to come back to the 
floor every time when technology changes, you can reimburse as 
technology changes.
  This will encourage Federal employees to look for the fastest, 
cheapest way to get around the District of Columbia and the region. 
Remember, these employees are all over the United States, but they are 
particularly to be found in crowded regions like the national capital 
area region. And I note that in this region Metro is being fixed. It 
goes to show that we need all the diversity and means of travel we can 
find, and I applaud this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, having no further speakers, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of 
H.R. 5625, the Modernizing Government Travel Act.
  This bill is an important step forward in bringing government 
employees and federal regulations into the 21st century. Currently, 
each agency has different policies on what transportation options are 
available to federal employees for reimbursement. Thus, depending on 
the agency, some federal employees are unable to be reimbursed for 
official travel if they use ride-sharing or non-traditional forms of 
transportation, such as bikeshare. Yet many of these platforms provide 
cost-effective ways for our government employees to travel quickly and 
efficiently.
  H.R. 5625 would address this problem by requiring the General 
Services Administration (GSA) to implement regulations to allow all 
federal employees to be reimbursed for these modes of travel. I was 
privileged to help in the drafting of H.R. 5625, and I want to thank 
the sponsor, Congressman Seth Moulton, for introducing the bill and 
working diligently to help move it to the Floor.
  Last year, Congressman Darrell Issa and I co-founded the bipartisan 
Congressional Sharing Economy Caucus. We started this caucus in order 
to bring government attention to the benefits of the sharing economy 
and to find ways for the federal government to support it, a growing 
sector of our economy. The bill in front of us helps to encourage the 
use of sharing economy technology, therefore saving taxpayers money, 
and fits perfectly within the goals of the Sharing Economy Caucus.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5625 today.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 5625, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. HUELSKAMP. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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