[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 200 (Wednesday, December 19, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S7888]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 4887

  Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, the Federal Government awards more than 
$600 billion in grant awards--$600 billion. We actually do more in 
grant awards than we do in contracting. Our current system is riddled 
with outdated reporting mechanisms that burden grant recipients and 
inhibit oversight from Agencies in Congress.
  The bill, H.R. 4887, which is called the GREAT Act--Grant Reporting 
Efficiency and Agreements Transparency Act--tries to put some sense 
into this process. This is a process that has worked with all of the 
grant requesting Agencies. Whether they be universities, whether they 
be entities for research, they have all gone through this for the past 
couple of years, actually. They have given a tremendous amount of input 
because they struggle in actually requesting the grants and in getting 
through all of the chaos of those grants.
  The OMB and other entities are not getting the data information to 
the American people, so there is no transparency in that process. For 
the past couple of years, we have worked very hard to establish a good 
process of getting transparency and also of helping the grant-
requesting entities get a more efficient process.
  The GREAT Act would require, within 1 year, OMB and the leading grant 
Agency to establish a governmentwide data standard for information 
related to Federal awards. Within 2 years, guidance must be issued for 
grant-making Agencies on how to apply those standards and implement 
them into the existing reporting practices. Within 3 years, Agencies 
must ensure that all grants and cooperative agreements use the new data 
standard for future information requests. This is exceptionally 
important to get through the process so that we are not squandering 
$600 billion in grants.
  Let me tell you what this process has gone through.
  In February, H.R. 4887 passed unanimously out of the House Oversight 
and Government Reform Committee. Then it went to the House Calendar, 
and it passed unanimously on September 26. Every Democrat and every 
Republican in the House voted for this. Subsequently, Senator Enzi and 
I passed our amended Senate companion to H.R. 4887. It passed 
unanimously out of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 
Committee in September.
  The bill being considered today is reflective of bipartisan support 
from both the House and the Senate. This bill, H.R. 4887, cleared the 
Republican hotline weeks ago. Every single Republican has already 
cleared this. They want the transparency in the grant process and want 
a better grant process for all of the grant requesters. It is not yet 
clear on the Democratic side.
  My simple request doesn't just come from me. This request comes from 
the Grant Professionals Association, the National Grants Management 
Association, the Association of Government Accountants, the American 
Library Association, the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources 
Coalition. Leading universities around the country have just asked to 
improve this grant-making process. Every single Democrat in the House 
has affirmed this, and every Republican in the House and every 
Republican in the Senate has already cleared it. We are just asking for 
this bill to move forward and to be passed.
  I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 
4887 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration. I further 
ask that the Johnson substitute amendment at the desk be considered and 
agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time 
and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and 
laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  The Senator from Ohio.
  Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, in reserving the right to object, these are 
not Mick Mulvaney's decisions to make--or whatever job Mick Mulvaney 
happens to be in this week. These are not Alex Azar's decisions to 
make. Congress needs to do its job. On behalf of the minority leader, I 
object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The Senator from Oklahoma.
  Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, I am a little confused when every grant-
making and requesting organizations--all of the universities around the 
country--are requesting this. Every single Democrat in the House has 
already affirmed this. There does not seem to be a great fear of Mick 
Mulvaney at the OMB since, by the time this will be implemented, it 
will be 2022. So it is a little bit confusing to me why getting more 
transparency in grants and helping grant requesting organizations would 
be controversial.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Minnesota.

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