[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 142 (Tuesday, September 20, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H5668-H5670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           PROGRAM MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (S. 1550), to amend title 31, United States Code, to 
establish entities tasked with improving program and project management 
in certain Federal agencies, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 1550

       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 ``Program Management 
     Improvement Accountability Act''.

     SEC. 2. PROJECT MANAGEMENT.

       (a) Deputy Director for Management.--
       (1) Additional functions.--Section 503 of title 31, United 
     States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(c) Program and Project Management.--
       ``(1) Requirement.--Subject to the direction and approval 
     of the Director, the Deputy Director for Management or a 
     designee shall--
       ``(A) adopt governmentwide standards, policies, and 
     guidelines for program and project management for executive 
     agencies;
       ``(B) oversee implementation of program and project 
     management for the standards, policies, and guidelines 
     established under subparagraph (A);
       ``(C) chair the Program Management Policy Council 
     established under section 1126(b);
       ``(D) establish standards and policies for executive 
     agencies, consistent with widely accepted standards for 
     program and project management planning and delivery;
       ``(E) engage with the private sector to identify best 
     practices in program and project management that would 
     improve Federal program and project management;
       ``(F) conduct portfolio reviews to address programs 
     identified as high risk by the Government Accountability 
     Office;
       ``(G) not less than annually, conduct portfolio reviews of 
     agency programs in coordination with Project Management 
     Improvement Officers designated under section 1126(a)(1) to 
     assess the quality and effectiveness of program management; 
     and
       ``(H) establish a 5-year strategic plan for program and 
     project management.
       ``(2) Application to department of defense.--Paragraph (1) 
     shall not apply to the Department of Defense to the extent 
     that the provisions of that paragraph are substantially 
     similar to or duplicative of--
       ``(A) the provisions of chapter 87 of title 10; or
       ``(B) policy, guidance, or instruction of the Department 
     related to program management.''.
       (2) Deadline for standards, policies, and guidelines.--Not 
     later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, 
     the Deputy Director for Management of the Office of 
     Management and Budget shall issue the standards, policies, 
     and guidelines required under section 503(c) of title 31, 
     United States Code, as added by paragraph (1).
       (3) Regulations.--Not later than 90 days after the date on 
     which the standards, policies, and guidelines are issued 
     under paragraph (2), the Deputy Director for Management of 
     the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with the 
     Program Management Policy Council established under section 
     1126(b) of title 31, United States Code, as added by 
     subsection (b)(1), and the Director of the Office of 
     Management and Budget, shall issue any regulations as are 
     necessary to implement the requirements of section 503(c) of 
     title 31, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1).
       (b) Program Management Improvement Officers and Program 
     Management Policy Council.--
       (1) Amendment.--Chapter 11 of title 31, United States Code, 
     is amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``Sec. 1126. Program management improvement officers and 
       program management policy council

       ``(a) Program Management Improvement Officers.--
       ``(1) Designation.--The head of each agency described in 
     section 901(b) shall designate a senior executive of the 
     agency as the Program Management Improvement Officer of the 
     agency.
       ``(2) Functions.--The Program Management Improvement 
     Officer of an agency designated under paragraph (1) shall--
       ``(A) implement program management policies established by 
     the agency under section 503(c); and
       ``(B) develop a strategy for enhancing the role of program 
     managers within the agency that includes the following:
       ``(i) Enhanced training and educational opportunities for 
     program managers that shall include--

       ``(I) training in the relevant competencies encompassed 
     with program and project manager within the private sector 
     for program managers; and
       ``(II) training that emphasizes cost containment for large 
     projects and programs.

       ``(ii) Mentoring of current and future program managers by 
     experienced senior executives and program managers within the 
     agency.
       ``(iii) Improved career paths and career opportunities for 
     program managers.
       ``(iv) A plan to encourage the recruitment and retention of 
     highly qualified individuals to serve as program managers.
       ``(v) Improved means of collecting and disseminating best 
     practices and lessons learned to enhance program management 
     across the agency.
       ``(vi) Common templates and tools to support improved data 
     gathering and analysis for program management and oversight 
     purposes.
       ``(3) Application to department of defense.--This 
     subsection shall not apply to the Department of Defense to 
     the extent that the provisions of this subsection are 
     substantially similar to or duplicative of the provisions of 
     chapter 87 of title 10. For purposes of paragraph (1), the 
     Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and 
     Logistics (or a designee of the Under Secretary) shall be 
     considered the Program Management Improvement Officer.
       ``(b) Program Management Policy Council.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--There is established in the Office of 
     Management and Budget a council to be known as the `Program 
     Management Policy Council' (in this subsection referred to as 
     the `Council').
       ``(2) Purpose and functions.--The Council shall act as the 
     principal interagency forum for improving agency practices 
     related to program and project management. The Council 
     shall--

[[Page H5669]]

       ``(A) advise and assist the Deputy Director for Management 
     of the Office of Management and Budget;
       ``(B) review programs identified as high risk by the 
     General Accountability Office and make recommendations for 
     actions to be taken by the Deputy Director for Management of 
     the Office of Management and Budget or a designee;
       ``(C) discuss topics of importance to the workforce, 
     including--
       ``(i) career development and workforce development needs;
       ``(ii) policy to support continuous improvement in program 
     and project management; and
       ``(iii) major challenges across agencies in managing 
     programs;
       ``(D) advise on the development and applicability of 
     standards governmentwide for program management transparency; 
     and
       ``(E) review the information published on the website of 
     the Office of Management and Budget pursuant to section 1122.
       ``(3) Membership.--
       ``(A) Composition.--The Council shall be composed of the 
     following members:
       ``(i) Five members from the Office of Management and Budget 
     as follows:

       ``(I) The Deputy Director for Management.
       ``(II) The Administrator of the Office of Electronic 
     Government.
       ``(III) The Administrator of Federal Procurement Policy.
       ``(IV) The Controller of the Office of Federal Financial 
     Management.
       ``(V) The Director of the Office of Performance and 
     Personnel Management.

       ``(ii) The Program Management Improvement Officer from each 
     agency described in section 901(b).
       ``(iii) Any other full-time or permanent part-time officer 
     or employee of the Federal Government or member of the Armed 
     Forces designated by the Chairperson.
       ``(B) Chairperson and vice chairperson.--
       ``(i) In general.--The Deputy Director for Management of 
     the Office of Management and Budget shall be the Chairperson 
     of the Council. A Vice Chairperson shall be elected by the 
     members and shall serve a term of not more than 1 year.
       ``(ii) Duties.--The Chairperson shall preside at the 
     meetings of the Council, determine the agenda of the Council, 
     direct the work of the Council, and establish and direct 
     subgroups of the Council as appropriate.
       ``(4) Meetings.--The Council shall meet not less than twice 
     per fiscal year and may meet at the call of the Chairperson 
     or a majority of the members of the Council.
       ``(5) Support.--The head of each agency with a Project 
     Management Improvement Officer serving on the Council shall 
     provide administrative support to the Council, as 
     appropriate, at the request of the Chairperson.''.
       (2) Report required.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of 
     Management and Budget, in consultation with each Program 
     Management Improvement Officer designated under section 
     1126(a)(1) of title 31, United States Code, shall submit to 
     Congress a report containing the strategy developed under 
     section 1126(a)(2)(B) of such title, as added by paragraph 
     (1).
       (c) Program and Project Management Personnel Standards.--
       (1) Definition.--In this subsection, the term ``agency'' 
     means each agency described in section 901(b) of title 31, 
     United States Code, other than the Department of Defense.
       (2) Regulations required.--Not later than 180 days after 
     the date on which the standards, policies, and guidelines are 
     issued under section 503(c) of title 31, United States Code, 
     as added by subsection (a)(1), the Director of the Office of 
     Personnel Management, in consultation with the Director of 
     the Office of Management and Budget, shall issue regulations 
     that--
       (A) identify key skills and competencies needed for a 
     program and project manager in an agency;
       (B) establish a new job series, or update and improve an 
     existing job series, for program and project management 
     within an agency; and
       (C) establish a new career path for program and project 
     managers within an agency.
       (d) Gao Report on Effectiveness of Policies on Program and 
     Project Management.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Government Accountability Office 
     shall issue, in conjunction with the High Risk list of the 
     Government Accountability Office, a report examining the 
     effectiveness of the following on improving Federal program 
     and project management:
       (1) The standards, policies, and guidelines for program and 
     project management issued under section 503(c) of title 31, 
     United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1).
       (2) The 5-year strategic plan established under section 
     503(c)(1)(H) of title 31, United States Code, as added by 
     subsection (a)(1).
       (3) Program Management Improvement Officers designated 
     under section 1126(a)(1) of title 31, United States Code, as 
     added by subsection (b)(1).
       (4) The Program Management Policy Council established under 
     section 1126(b)(1) of title 31, United States Code, as added 
     by subsection (b)(1).

  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 may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include 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.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1550, the Program 
Management Improvement Accountability Act, introduced by Senator Joni 
Ernst of Iowa. Program and project management are the guide rails that 
are necessary to ensure the Federal Government actually works.
  Effective program and project managers are both the first line of 
defense against waste and fraud throughout the Federal Government and 
the best positioned employees to increase government efficiency.
  With Federal spending out of control, we need the best program and 
project managers we can get to combat waste, fraud, and inefficiency. 
According to CBO, the Federal Government will spend more than $4 
trillion in fiscal year 2017, but better management alone could prove a 
significant effect on our long-term spending.
  A 2013 Accenture study found that a 1 percent increase in efficiency 
could save the Federal Government nearly $1 trillion by 2025.
  S. 1550 gives our Federal professionals the support and leadership 
they need to build a strong foundation of efficiency for Federal 
programs and projects. The bill addresses challenges these 
professionals face to ensure that management professionals in our 
Federal workforce have the guidance, support, and professional 
standards necessary to improve efficiency.
  According to a report by the National Academy of Public 
Administration, there are five significant challenges to improving 
program management capabilities in the Federal Government: laws do not 
holistically address challenges of program management; program 
management is not recognized as an important discipline for improving 
performance and results; agency executives and stakeholders do not 
understand their roles and responsibilities; training and development 
of program managers lack consistency across the Federal Government; and 
program managers lack a professional community to provide support and 
voice concerns about program management development.
  S. 1550 addresses these challenges by: requiring OMB's Deputy 
Director of Management to adopt and oversee government-wide standards 
that are consistent with private sector best practices; requiring 
agencies to designate a senior executive to serve as a program 
management improvement officer, an individual who will then be 
responsible for implementing standards and policies set by OMB at their 
agency; and establishing a Program Management Policy Council to discuss 
topics of importance to program and project managers and make 
recommendations to resolve inefficiencies in programs identified as 
high risk by the Government Accountability Office.
  Providing guidance and leadership to our Federal employees 
responsible for trillions of dollars in spending will go a long way 
toward meeting a simple goal like increasing efficiency by just 1 
percent. I urge my colleagues to support this cost-saving, bipartisan 
bill.
  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 support this bipartisan legislation to improve program 
management practices in Federal agencies, and I want to thank the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), my good friend, and of course 
the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Young) for their bipartisan hard work 
on this bill.
  The bill would require the development of standard policies and 
guidelines across the Federal Government for program management. It 
would also establish an interagency Program Management Policy Council 
to develop best practices and focus on improving the management of 
Federal programs.

[[Page H5670]]

  The bill would, in addition, require the Office of Personnel 
Management to establish a new career path for program and project 
management and to identify key skills and competencies for such jobs. 
The Federal Government is often called upon to manage large, complex 
new programs and initiatives and needs a cadre of managers capable of 
guiding this work.
  S. 1550, as amended, is a good, bipartisan measure that would improve 
the management of the Federal Government, and I urge its adoption.
  Mr. Speaker, 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 
Virginia (Mr. Connolly), my good friend and a sponsor of this bill.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the District 
of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), 
my good friends, for their leadership in managing today.
  I rise today, Mr. Speaker, in strong support of this bill, which will 
make fundamental changes to project and program management practices 
and standards for the Federal Government.
  The bill's cosponsor, Representative Todd Young, and I currently 
serve as co-chairs of the Government Efficiency Caucus, which to some 
may seem like an oxymoron. In our capacity as co-chairs, Representative 
Young and I worked together on a bipartisan basis to develop the 
Program Management Improvement and Accountability Act.
  After taking input from many stakeholders, including from agency 
management and private sector partners, regarding the root causes of 
poor project performance, we identified serious deficiencies in program 
and project management competencies across the entire Federal 
Government.
  As ranking member of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, it is 
deeply troubling to me that so many Federal projects and programs find 
themselves substantially over budget or significantly behind schedule. 
These are all symptoms of a lack of institutional focus and attention 
to the mechanics of project management.
  This bill strengthens project management policy throughout the 
Federal Government by requiring consistent project standards and 
guidelines for program management, demanding accountability at OMB and 
in Federal agencies to capture and implement lessons learned, and 
requiring a clear identification of skills and competencies necessary 
for effective program management professionals.
  I have the honor of representing more than 13,000 project managers, 
Federal project managers, and the lack of requirements for the position 
is not acceptable. The job description for an important position where 
billions of dollars are being spent should be clearly defined, and this 
legislation instructs OPM, the Office of Personnel Management, to 
develop a job classification and career path for these professionals.
  I am proud to have worked with Congressman Young and the Government 
Efficiency Caucus on a bipartisan basis. We have the support of 
nonpartisan good government groups, including the Project Management 
Institute and the National Academy of Public Administration behind this 
bill.
  As a result, the PMIAA passed through our committee, the Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform, without objection, and passed the 
Senate unanimously. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this 
important piece of legislation that I think will lead to significant 
efficiencies in the Federal Government and ultimately benefit the 
American taxpayer.
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this bill. I thank my 
colleague for his work on this bill, my good friend from Virginia.
  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.
  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, S. 1550, 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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