[Senate Report 118-186]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                  Calendar No. 431

118th Congress}                                           { Report
                                 SENATE
  2d Session  }                                           { 118-186

======================================================================
                     GOVERNMENT SPENDING OVERSIGHT 
                              ACT OF 2024

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 OF THE

                   COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND

                          GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

                          UNITED STATES SENATE

                              TO ACCOMPANY

                                S. 4036

              TO ESTABLISH A GOVERNMENT SPENDING OVERSIGHT
             COMMITTEE WITHIN THE COUNCIL OF THE INSPECTORS
      GENERAL ON INTEGRITY AND EFFICIENCY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


                  July 8, 2024.--Ordered to be printed
                  

                                __________

                   U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE                    
                         WASHINGTON : 2024                    
          
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------                      
                  
        COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

                   GARY C. PETERS, Michigan, Chairman
THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware           RAND PAUL, Kentucky
MAGGIE HASSAN, New Hampshire         RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona              JAMES LANKFORD, Oklahoma
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada                  MITT ROMNEY, Utah
JON OSSOFF, Georgia                  RICK SCOTT, Florida
RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut      JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri
LAPHONZA R. BUTLER, California       ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas

                   David M. Weinberg, Staff Director
                      Alan S. Kahn, Chief Counsel
            Lena C. Chang, Director of Governmental Affairs
               Emily I. Manna, Professional Staff Member
           William E. Henderson III, Minority Staff Director
              Christina N. Salazar, Minority Chief Counsel
                  Andrew J. Hopkins, Minority Counsel
                     Laura W. Kilbride, Chief Clerk
                     
                     
                                                   Calendar No. 431

118th Congress}                                           { Report
                                 SENATE
  2d Session  }                                           { 118-186

======================================================================
 
               GOVERNMENT SPENDING OVERSIGHT ACT OF 2024

                                _______
                                

                  July 8, 2024.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Peters, from the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
                    Affairs, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 4036]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs, to which was referred the bill (S. 4036) to establish 
a Government Spending Oversight Committee within the Council of 
the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, and for 
other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably 
thereon with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and 
recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
  I. Purpose and Summary..............................................1
 II. Background and Need for the Legislation..........................2
III. Legislative History..............................................3
 IV. Section-by-Section Analysis of the Bill, as Reported.............4
  V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................7
 VI. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................7
VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............8

                         I. Purpose and Summary

    S. 4036, the Government Spending Oversight Act of 2024, 
would create a new entity: the Government Spending Oversight 
Committee (GSOC), which builds on the work of the Pandemic 
Response Accountability Committee (PRAC). This bill would 
authorize the GSOC to support Inspectors General (IGs) in their 
oversight of government spending vulnerable to fraud, expanding 
the scope beyond funds expended in response to the COVID-19 
pandemic, to include additional spending programs, unemployment 
insurance, Small Business Administration loans, grants not less 
than $50,000, and intramural research payments. This bill would 
direct the GSOC to continue the oversight functions of the PRAC 
by developing and enhancing data analytic capabilities; 
improving data-sharing practices; identifying possible waste, 
fraud, and abuse of funds; making recommendations to the 
President and agencies on ways to improve program integrity and 
establish fraud controls; and regularly reporting on its 
activities to Congress.

              II. Background and Need for the Legislation

    In 2009, amidst the Great Recession, Congress passed the 
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), 
which provided $862 billion in federal funds to combat the 
severe economic downturn and save jobs.\1\ To oversee the large 
amount of funds disbursed, Congress created the Recovery 
Accountability and Transparency Board (Recovery Board) to work 
with agency IGs to prevent fraud, waste and mismanagement of 
Recovery Act funds. The Recovery Board operated the Recovery 
Operations Center (ROC) which leveraged enhanced data analytics 
capabilities, such as data matching and text mining, to help 
the IG community conduct robust oversight and prevent fraud 
under Recovery Act programs. Subsequently, Section 6 of the 
Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA) Act of 2014 
permitted the U.S. Department of the Treasury to establish a 
similar data analysis center to reduce improper payments and 
improve federal spending transparency, and allowed for the 
transfer of the Recovery Board's assets to the Treasury 
Department.\2\ However, the ROC shuttered when the Recovery 
Board's authorities expired in 2015, and despite the transfer 
authority provision in the DATA Act of 2014, its data, 
resources, and capabilities were never transferred to the 
Treasury Department.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Pub. L. 111-5.
    \2\Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, Pub. L. 
113-101.
    \3\Government Accountability Office, Federal Spending 
Accountability: Preserving Capabilities of Recovery Operations Center 
Could Help Sustain Oversight of Federal Expenditures (GAO-15-814) 
(September 2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Congress 
passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act 
(CARES) Act.\4\ In the CARES Act, Congress once again 
established an entity to conduct oversight of stimulus funds 
and leverage data analytics capabilities for IGs: the PRAC. 
With the addition of subsequent relief packages, Congress has 
now provided a cumulative $5.2 trillion to pandemic recovery 
programs, over which the PRAC has continued to conduct robust 
oversight.\5\ The PRAC developed a cutting-edge data analytics 
hub, the Pandemic Analytics Center for Excellence (PACE), to 
carry out its mission. As of September 2023, the PACE has 
assisted more than 40 federal law enforcement and Office of 
Inspector General (OIG) partners on over 600 pandemic-related 
investigations, uncovering an estimated $1.77 billion in fraud 
loss.\6\ However, under current law the PRAC will sunset and 
cease operations on September 30th, 2025.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \4\Pub. L. 116-136.
    \5\Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, Funding Overview 
(accessed June 4, 2024) (https://www.pandemicoversight.gov/data-
interactive-tools/funding-overview).
    \6\Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, 
Testimony Submitted for the Record of PRAC Chair Michael Horowitz, 
Hearing on Examining Federal Covid-Era Spending and Preventing Future 
Fraud, 118th Cong. (Nov. 14, 2023) (S. Hrg. 118-XX).
    \7\Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 
2020, Pub. L. 116-136, Sec. 15010(k).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    This bill would create the GSOC to build upon the 
capabilities and oversight tools developed by the PRAC and 
permanently codify the GSOC under the Inspector General Act. 
The bill tasks the GSOC with conducting oversight of a variety 
of covered funds, including all COVID-19 spending bills, the 
American Rescue Plan, Small Business Administration loans, 
unemployment compensation, the Infrastructure Investment and 
Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, the Honoring our PACT 
Act of 2022, the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, federal grants 
of not less than $50,000, and any intramural payments for 
government-wide research. Specifically, the bill requires the 
GSOC to (i) provide support to and collaborate with OIGs in 
investigations, audits, and reviews of covered funds, including 
by deploying data analytics; (ii) review agencies' abilities to 
assess covered funds for waste, fraud, and abuse; (iii) 
regularly report to Congress on its oversight activities; (iv) 
make recommendations to agencies to prevent or address current 
or future fraud; and (v) report to the Attorney General 
instances it believes to be violations of criminal law and 
provide support to law enforcement to protect program integrity 
and prevent fraud.
    The bill also permits the GSOC to issue recommendations to 
the President and agencies to address and prevent fraud. These 
recommendations should also be shared with relevant IGs to 
prevent duplicating efforts and ensure deconfliction. When 
carrying out its duties and functions related to covered funds, 
the bill grants the GSOC certain authorities to ensure adequate 
data access and permit the GSOC to work in conjunction with law 
enforcement entities who are investigating and prosecuting 
fraud. The bill authorizes a dedicated appropriation of $17 
million for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

                        III. Legislative History

    Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced the Government 
Spending Oversight Act of 2024 on April 10, 2024, with original 
cosponsor Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT). The bill was referred to 
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. 
Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Senator James Lankford (R-OK) 
joined as additional cosponsors on April 30, 2024.
    The Committee considered S. 4036 at a business meeting on 
April 10, 2024. At the business meeting, Senators Peters and 
Romney offered a substitute amendment, as well as a 
modification to that amendment. The Peters-Romney substitute 
amendment, as modified, added all federal grants not less than 
$50,000 and intramural research payments made government-wide 
to the list of covered funds. The substitute amendment, as 
modified, also changed the authorization of appropriations from 
``such sums as may be necessary'' to $17 million for fiscal 
years 2026 and 2027 and required the GSOC to submit a report on 
subsequent future budgetary needs. The substitute amendment, as 
modified, also added additional reporting requirements to 
Congress for when members of the GSOC or its Executive Director 
are appointed or removed by the Chairperson.
    The Committee adopted the modification to the Peters-Romney 
substitute amendment, and the Peters-Romney substitute 
amendment, as modified, by unanimous consent, with Senators 
Peters, Hassan, Sinema, Rosen, Ossoff, Blumenthal, Paul, 
Lankford, Romney, Scott, and Marshall present. The bill, as 
amended by the Peters-Romney substitute amendment, as modified, 
was ordered reported favorably by roll call vote of 11 yeas to 
0 nays, with Senators Peters, Hassan, Sinema, Rosen, Ossoff, 
Blumenthal, Paul, Lankford, Romney, Scott, and Marshall voting 
in the affirmative. Senators Carper, Butler, Johnson, and 
Hawley voted yea by proxy, for the record only.
    Consistent with Committee Rule 3(G), the Committee reports 
the bill with a technical amendment by mutual agreement of the 
Chairman and Ranking Member.

        IV. Section-by-Section Analysis of the Bill, as Reported


Section 1. Short title

    This section establishes the short title of the bill as the 
Government Spending Oversight Act of 2024.

Section 2. Government Spending Oversight Committee

    Subsection (a) amends Section 424 of Title 5 to create the 
Government Spending Oversight Committee (GSOC) under a new 5 
U.S.C. 424 (f). The new subsection (f) contains the following 
paragraphs:
            (1) Definitions
    This paragraph defines the terms ``agency,'' ``appropriate 
congressional committees,'' ``chairperson,'' ``committee,'' and 
``covered funds.'' Covered funds include any funds, including 
loans, that are made available in any form to any non-federal 
entity or individual through any of the COVID-19 spending 
bills, the American Rescue Plan, Small Business Administration 
loans, unemployment compensation, the Infrastructure Investment 
and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, the Honoring our 
PACT Act of 2022, the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, any 
federal grants of not less than $50,000, and any intramural 
payments for government-wide research.
            (2) Establishment
    This paragraph establishes the GSOC within the CIGIE to 
support fraud prevention efforts and oversight of covered 
funds.
            (3) Chairperson
    This paragraph establishes the selection criteria for the 
Chairperson and requires that they be a Senate-confirmed 
Inspector General (IG).
            (4) Membership
    This paragraph establishes the membership of the GSOC. The 
members must include all IGs currently required to serve on the 
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC): IGs from the 
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Justice, 
Treasury, Transportation, Defense, Education, and Homeland 
Security, and the Small Business Administration. The members 
also include IGs of the Departments of Commerce, 
Transportation, and Veterans Affairs. Additional IGs may be 
added to the GSOC by the Chairperson.
            (5) Executive Director
    This paragraph outlines the appointment, qualifications, 
and duties of the Executive Director, who must be appointed in 
consultation with congressional leadership. This subsection 
also requires notification to the Senate Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on 
Oversight and Accountability when appointing or removing the 
Executive Director.
            (6) Prohibition on Additional Compensation
    This paragraph provides that GSOC members may not receive 
additional compensation for services performed.
            (7) Duties of the Committee
    This paragraph outlines the duties, functions, and 
reporting requirements of the GSOC. Among its functions, the 
GSOC will: (i) provide support to, and collaborate with OIGs, 
in investigations, audits, and reviews of covered funds, 
including through data analytics; (ii) review agencies' 
abilities to assess covered funds for waste, fraud, and abuse; 
(iii) regularly report to Congress on its oversight activities; 
(iv) make recommendations to agencies to prevent or address 
current or future fraud; and (v) report to the Attorney General 
instances it believes to be violations of criminal law and 
provide support to law enforcement to protect program integrity 
and prevent fraud. The subsection also allows the GSOC to 
suggest expansions to the scope of covered funds and requires 
that within 30 days after the GSOC issues recommendations, 
relevant agencies report any planned actions they will take in 
response.
            (8) Authorities
    This paragraph grants the GSOC, when carrying out its 
duties and functions related to oversight of covered funds, 
certain authorities outlined in parts of Title 5, sections 406 
and 552. This paragraph places several limitations on the 
GSOC's subpoena power (conferred under Title 5 section 
406(a)(4)): Any subpoena issued by the GSOC must be signed by 
the Chairperson (this power is non-delegable); the GSOC must 
report quarterly to congressional committees of jurisdiction on 
the issuance of any subpoena during the preceding quarter; and 
the GSOC's subpoena authority sunsets five years after the 
bill's enactment.
            (9) Refusal of Information or Assistance
    This paragraph directs that whenever information or 
assistance requested by the GSOC or an IG is unreasonably 
refused, the GSOC must report the circumstances to the 
appropriate congressional committees.
            (10) Use of Existing Resources
    This paragraph requires the GSOC to use existing resources 
within CIGIE, such as Oversight.gov and resources developed by 
the PRAC, to carry out its functions.
            (11) Contracts
    This paragraph authorizes the GSOC to enter into contracts 
to enable the GSOC to discharge its duties.
            (12) Subcommittees
    This paragraph authorizes the GSOC to establish 
subcommittees.
            (13) Transfer of Funds, Assets, and Obligations
    This paragraph authorizes the GSOC to transfer funds to 
relevant OIGs for activities related to oversight of covered 
funds or to reimburse for services provided by CIGIE. This 
subsection also transfers the assets and obligations held or 
available to the PRAC to the new GSOC.
            (14) Additional Staff
    This paragraph grants the GSOC temporary hiring authority 
during exigent circumstances, as certified to Congress, allows 
for GSOC employees to detail to IGs, and provides other 
personnel related authorities, limitations, and technical 
corrections.
            (15) Provision of Information
    This paragraph requires federal agencies to provide 
information and assistance upon request of the GSOC as long 
such requests are practicable and consistent with existing law. 
Authorizes IGs to share information with the GSOC related to 
oversight of covered funds.
            (16) Website
    Within 30 days after the Act goes into effect, the GSOC 
must establish and maintain a website, which will include 
information to foster greater accountability and transparency 
related to the oversight of covered funds.
            (17) Coordination
    The GSOC must coordinate oversight activities with the 
Comptroller General of the United States and state auditors.
            (18) Notice
    This paragraph requires the Chairperson to notify the 
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 
and the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability when 
designating or removing an IG from the membership of the GSOC.
            (19) Rules of Construction
    This paragraph states that nothing in the subsection shall 
be construed to: (1) affect the independent authority of IGs 
regarding oversight of covered funds; or (2) require CIGIE or 
IGs to provide funding to support the GSOC's activities.
            (20) Authorization of Appropriations
    This paragraph authorizes $17 million to be appropriated 
for FY 26 and FY 27 to carry out the duties and functions of 
the GSOC and requires the GSOC to submit a report on 
anticipated future budgetary needs within one year of this 
Act's effective date.
    Subsection (b) provides that this Act will take effect on 
September 30, 2025.

                   V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact

    Pursuant to the requirements of paragraph 11(b) of rule 
XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee has 
considered the regulatory impact of this bill and determined 
that the bill will have no regulatory impact within the meaning 
of the rules. The Committee agrees with the Congressional 
Budget Office's statement that the bill contains no 
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs 
on state, local, or tribal governments.

             VI. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate




    S. 4036 would establish the Government Oversight Spending 
Committee and would authorize the appropriation of $17 million 
in 2026 and 2027 for the work of that committee.
    The committee would be housed within the Council of the 
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency and would 
replace the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee that was 
created by the CARES Act (Public Law 116-136) in March 2020. 
The pandemic response committee is currently composed of 21 
federal inspectors general that work to collaboratively oversee 
federal pandemic relief spending; the committee's authorization 
expires at the end of fiscal year 2025. The new committee would 
cover all government spending and would need to coordinate with 
all relevant inspectors general beginning in fiscal year 2026.
    Based on historical spending patterns for similar 
activities and assuming appropriation of the authorized 
amounts, CBO estimates that implementing S. 4036 would cost $34 
million over the 2024-2029 period.
    The bill also would allow the new committee to spend the 
unobligated balances of the pandemic response committee. Under 
current law, any balances that remain unobligated at the end of 
fiscal year 2025 will expire and cannot be spent for new 
purposes thereafter. Thus, any additional spending of those 
balances by the new committee would be considered direct 
spending. CBO estimates that any increase in direct spending 
under the bill would not be significant in any year or over the 
2024-2034 period because we expect most of the existing 
balances will be spent before 2026.
    The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall 
within budget function 800 (general government).

                                 TABLE 1.--ESTIMATED BUDGETARY EFFECTS OF S. 4036
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 By fiscal year, millions of dollars--
                                                      ----------------------------------------------------------
                                                        2024    2025    2026    2027    2028    2029   2024-2029
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authorization Level..................................       0       0      17      17       0       0        34
Estimated Outlays....................................       0       0      15      17       2       0        34
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CBO estimates that enacting S. 4036 would increase direct spending by less than $500,000 because the bill would
  extend the period of availability for some previously appropriated funds that would otherwise expire at the
  end of fiscal year 2025.

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew 
Pickford. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, 
Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

                                         Phillip L. Swagel,
                             Director, Congressional Budget Office.

       VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in brackets, new matter is 
printed in italic, and existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

UNITED STATES CODE

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


TITLE 5--GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


PART I--THE AGENCIES GENERALLY

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


CHAPTER 4--INSPECTORS GENERAL

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



SEC. 424. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COUNCIL OF THE INSPECTORS GENERAL ON 
                    INTEGRITY AND EFFICIENCY

    (a) * * *
    (b) * * *
    (c) * * *
    (d) * * *
    (e) * * *
    (f) Government Spending Oversight Committee.--
          (1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                  (A) Agency.--The term `agency' has the 
                meaning given the term in section 551 of this 
                title.
                  (B) Appropriate congressional committees.--
                The term `appropriate congressional committees' 
                means--
                          (i) the Committees on Appropriations 
                        of the Senate and the House of 
                        Representatives;
                          (ii) the Committee on Homeland 
                        Security and Governmental Affairs of 
                        the Senate;
                          (iii) the Committee on Oversight and 
                        Accountability of the House of 
                        Representatives; and
                          (iv) any other relevant congressional 
                        committee of jurisdiction.
                  (C) Chairperson.--The term `Chairperson' 
                means the Chairperson of the Committee.
                  (D) Committee.--The term `Committee' means 
                the Government Spending Oversight Committee 
                established under paragraph (2).
                  (E) Covered funds.--The term `covered funds' 
                means--
                          (i) any funds, including loans, that 
                        are made available in any form to any 
                        non-Federal entity or individual, 
                        under--
                                  (I) division A or B of the 
                                CARES Act (Public Law 116-136);
                                  (II) the Coronavirus 
                                Preparedness and Response 
                                Supplemental Appropriations 
                                Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-123);
                                  (III) the Families First 
                                Coronavirus Response Act 
                                (Public Law 116-127);
                                  (IV) the Paycheck Protection 
                                Program and Health Care 
                                Enhancement Act (Public Law 
                                116-139);
                                  (V) division M or N of the 
                                Consolidated Appropriations 
                                Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260);
                                  (VI) the American Rescue Plan 
                                Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2);
                                  (VII) any loan guaranteed or 
                                made by the Small Business 
                                Administration, including any 
                                direct loan or guarantee of a 
                                trust certificate, under the 
                                Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
                                631 et seq.), the Small 
                                Business Investment Act of 1958 
                                (15 U.S.C. 661 et seq.), or any 
                                other provision of law;
                                  (VIII) unemployment 
                                compensation, as defined in 
                                section 85 of the Internal 
                                Revenue Code of 1986;
                                  (IX) the Infrastructure 
                                Investment and Jobs Act (Public 
                                Law 117-58);
                                  (X) Public Law 117-169 
                                (commonly known as the 
                                `Inflation Reduction Act');
                                  (XI) the Honoring our PACT 
                                Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-
                                168); or
                                  (XII) the CHIPS Act of 2022 
                                (division A of Public Law 117-
                                167 (commonly known as the 
                                `CHIPS and Science Act of 
                                2022'));
                          (ii) any Federal grant of not less 
                        than $50,000; and
                          (iii) any intramural payment made 
                        Government wide for research activity.
          (2) Establishment.--There is established within the 
        Council the Government Spending Oversight Committee to 
        promote transparency and conduct and support oversight 
        of covered funds to--
                  (A) prevent and detect fraud, waste, abuse, 
                and mismanagement; and
                  (B) mitigate major risks that cut across 
                programs and agency boundaries.
          (3) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Committee--
                  (A) shall be selected by the Chairperson of 
                the Council from among Inspectors General 
                appointed by the President and confirmed by the 
                Senate; and
                  (B) should have experience managing oversight 
                of large organizations and expenditures.
          (4) Membership.--The members of the Committee shall 
        include--
                  (A) the Chairperson;
                  (B) the Inspector General of the Department 
                of Labor;
                  (C) the Inspector General of the Department 
                of Health and Human Services;
                  (D) the Inspector General of the Small 
                Business Administration;
                  (E) the Inspector General of the Department 
                of the Treasury;
                  (F) the Inspector General of the Department 
                of Transportation;
                  (G) the Treasury Inspector General for Tax 
                Administration;
                  (H) the Inspector General of the Department 
                of Veterans Affairs;
                  (I) the Inspector General of the Department 
                of Commerce;
                  (J) the Inspector General of the Department 
                of Justice;
                  (K) the Inspector General of the Department 
                of Defense;
                  (L) the Inspector General of the Department 
                of Education;
                  (M) the Inspector General of the Department 
                of Homeland Security; and
                  (N) any other Inspector General, as 
                designated by the Chairperson, from any agency 
                that expends or obligates covered funds.
          (5) Executive director.--
                  (A) In general.--There shall be an Executive 
                Director of the Committee.
                  (B) Appointment; qualifications.--The 
                Executive Director of the Committee shall--
                          (i) be appointed by the Chairperson, 
                        in consultation with the majority 
                        leader of the Senate, the Speaker of 
                        the House of Representatives, the 
                        minority leader of the Senate, and the 
                        minority leader of the House of 
                        Representatives;
                          (ii) have demonstrated ability in 
                        accounting, auditing, financial 
                        analysis, law, management analysis, 
                        public administration, or 
                        investigations;
                          (iii) have experience managing 
                        oversight of large organizations and 
                        expenditures; and
                          (iv) be a full-time employee of the 
                        Committee.
                  (C) Duties.--The Executive Director of the 
                Committee shall--
                          (i) report directly to the 
                        Chairperson;
                          (ii) appoint staff of the Committee, 
                        subject to the approval of the 
                        Chairperson, consistent with this 
                        subsection;
                          (iii) supervise and coordinate 
                        Committee functions and staff; and
                          (iv) perform any other duties 
                        assigned to the Executive Director by 
                        the Committee.
                  (D) Notice.--The Chairperson shall provide 
                notice to the Committee on Homeland Security 
                and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the 
                Committee on Oversight and Accountability of 
                the House of Representatives when appointing or 
                removing the Executive Director of the 
                Committee.
          (6) Prohibition on additional compensation.--Members 
        of the Committee may not receive additional 
        compensation for services performed.
          (7) Duties of the committee.--
                  (A) In general.--The Committee shall conduct 
                oversight of covered funds and support 
                Inspectors General in the oversight of covered 
                funds in order to--
                          (i) detect and prevent fraud, waste, 
                        abuse, and mismanagement; and
                          (ii) identify major risks that cut 
                        across programs and agency boundaries.
                  (B) General functions.--The Committee, in 
                coordination with relevant Inspectors General, 
                may--
                          (i) provide support to, and 
                        collaborate with, relevant Inspectors 
                        General in conducting investigations, 
                        audits, and reviews relating to covered 
                        funds, including through--
                                  (I) data analytics;
                                  (II) the sharing of data, 
                                tools, and services;
                                  (III) the development and 
                                enhancement of data practices, 
                                analysis, and visualization; 
                                and
                                  (IV) any other appropriate 
                                means as determined by the 
                                Committee;
                          (ii) provide analytical products to 
                        agencies, in coordination with 
                        Inspectors General, to promote program 
                        integrity, prevent improper payments, 
                        and facilitate verification efforts to 
                        ensure proper expenditure and 
                        utilization of covered funds;
                          (iii) review the economy, efficiency, 
                        and effectiveness in the administration 
                        of, and the detection of fraud, waste, 
                        abuse, and mismanagement in, programs 
                        and operations using covered funds;
                          (iv) review whether there are 
                        appropriate mechanisms for interagency 
                        collaboration relating to the oversight 
                        of covered funds, including 
                        coordinating and collaborating to the 
                        extent practicable with State and local 
                        government entities; and
                          (v) expeditiously report to the 
                        Attorney General any instance in which 
                        the Committee has reasonable grounds to 
                        believe there has been a violation of 
                        Federal criminal law.
                  (C) Additional functions.--The Committee may 
                provide investigative support to prosecutive 
                and enforcement authorities to protect program 
                integrity and prevent, detect, and prosecute 
                fraud of covered funds.
                  (D) Reporting.--
                          (i) Alerts.--The Committee shall 
                        submit to the President and Congress, 
                        including the appropriate congressional 
                        committees, management alerts on 
                        potential management, risk, and funding 
                        problems that require immediate 
                        attention.
                          (ii) Reports and updates.--The 
                        Committee shall submit to Congress such 
                        other reports or provide such periodic 
                        updates on the work of the Committee as 
                        the Committee considers appropriate on 
                        the use of covered funds.
                          (iii) Biannual reports.--The 
                        Committee shall submit biannual reports 
                        to the President and Congress, 
                        including the appropriate congressional 
                        committees, and may submit additional 
                        reports as appropriate summarizing the 
                        findings of the Committee and any 
                        recommended changes to the scope of 
                        covered funds.
                          (iv) Public availability.--All 
                        reports submitted under this 
                        subparagraph shall be made publicly 
                        available and posted on the website 
                        established under paragraph (16).
                          (v) Redactions.--Any portion of a 
                        report submitted under this paragraph 
                        may be redacted when made publicly 
                        available, if that portion would 
                        disclose information that is not 
                        subject to disclosure under sections 
                        552 and 552a of this title, or is 
                        otherwise prohibited from disclosure by 
                        law.
                  (E) Recommendations.--
                          (i) In general.--The Committee shall 
                        make recommendations to agencies on 
                        measures to prevent or address fraud, 
                        waste, abuse, and mismanagement, and to 
                        mitigate major risks that cut across 
                        programs and agency boundaries, 
                        relating to covered funds.
                          (ii) Report.--Not later than 30 days 
                        after receipt of a recommendation under 
                        clause (i), an agency shall submit a 
                        report to the President and the 
                        appropriate congressional committees 
                        on--
                                  (I) whether the agency agrees 
                                or disagrees with the 
                                recommendations; and
                                  (II) any actions the agency 
                                will take to implement the 
                                recommendations, which shall 
                                also be included in the report 
                                required under section 2(b)(3) 
                                of the GAO-IG Act (31 U.S.C. 
                                1105 note; Public Law 115-414).
          (8) Authorities.--
                  (A) In general.--In carrying out the duties 
                and functions under this subsection with 
                respect to the oversight of covered funds, the 
                Committee shall--
                          (i) carry out those duties and 
                        functions in accordance with section 
                        404(b)(1) of this title;
                          (ii) in coordination with relevant 
                        Inspectors General, have the 
                        authorities provided under and be 
                        subject to paragraphs (1) through (4) 
                        of subsection (a) and subsections (h), 
                        (j), and (k) of section 406;
                          (iii) be considered to be conducting 
                        civil or criminal law enforcement 
                        activity for the purposes of section 
                        552a(b)(7) of this title; and
                          (iv) for the purposes of sections 552 
                        and 552a of this title, be considered 
                        to be a component which performs as its 
                        principal function an activity 
                        pertaining to the enforcement of 
                        criminal laws, and its records may 
                        constitute investigatory material 
                        compiled for law enforcement purposes.
                  (B) Limitation on subpoena authority.--When 
                carrying out subpoena authority under section 
                406(a)(4) of this title, the following 
                limitations shall apply to the Committee:
                          (i) Any subpoena issued under this 
                        subsection shall be signed by the 
                        Chairperson, and this power is non-
                        delegable.
                          (ii) On a quarterly basis, the 
                        Committee shall notify the Committee on 
                        Homeland Security and Governmental 
                        Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 
                        on Oversight and Accountability of the 
                        House of Representatives of any 
                        subpoenas issued during the preceding 
                        quarter.
                          (iii) The authority to issue a 
                        subpoena under this subsection shall 
                        terminate on the date that is 5 years 
                        after the effective date of this 
                        subsection.
          (9) Refusal of information or assistance.--Whenever 
        information or assistance requested by the Committee or 
        an Inspector General on the Committee is unreasonably 
        refused or not provided, the Committee shall 
        immediately report the circumstances to the appropriate 
        congressional committees.
          (10) Use of existing resources.--The Committee shall 
        leverage existing information technology resources 
        within the Council, such as oversight.gov and those 
        developed by the Pandemic Response Accountability 
        Committee established under section 15010 of the CARES 
        Act (Public Law 116-136; 134 Stat. 533), to carry out 
        the duties of the Committee.
          (11) Contracts.--The Committee may enter into 
        contracts to enable the Committee to discharge its 
        duties, including contracts and other arrangements for 
        audits, studies, analyses, and other services with 
        public agencies and with private persons, and make such 
        payments as may be necessary to carry out the duties of 
        the Committee.
          (12) Subcommittees.--The Committee may establish 
        subcommittees to facilitate the ability of the 
        Committee to discharge its duties.
          (13) Transfer of funds, assets, and obligations.--
                  (A) Funds.--The Committee may transfer funds 
                appropriated to the Committee--
                          (i) for expenses to support 
                        administrative support services and 
                        audits, reviews, or other activities 
                        related to oversight by the Committee 
                        of covered funds to any Office of the 
                        Inspector General or the General 
                        Services Administration; and
                          (ii) to reimburse for services 
                        provided by the Council.
                  (B) Assets and obligations.--
                          (i) Assets defined.--In this 
                        subparagraph, the term `assets' 
                        includes contracts, agreements, 
                        facilities, property, data, records, 
                        unobligated or unexpended balances of 
                        appropriations, and other funds or 
                        resources (other than personnel).
                          (ii) Transfer.--Upon the effective 
                        date of this subsection, the assets and 
                        obligations held by or available in 
                        connection with the Pandemic Response 
                        Accountability Committee established 
                        under 15010 of the CARES Act (Public 
                        Law 116-136; 134 Stat. 533) shall be 
                        transferred to the Committee.
          (14) Additional staff.--
                  (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), 
                the Committee may exercise the authorities of 
                subsections (b) through (i) of section 3161 of 
                this title (without regard to subsection (a) of 
                that section) to meet temporary or urgent needs 
                of the Committee under this subsection, as 
                certified by the Chairperson to the appropriate 
                congressional committees that such temporary or 
                urgent needs exist, as if the Committee were a 
                temporary organization.
                  (B) Head of organization.--For purposes of 
                exercising the authorities described in 
                subparagraph (A), the term `Chairperson' shall 
                be substituted for the term `head of a 
                temporary organization'.
                  (C) Consultation.--In exercising the 
                authorities described in subparagraph (A), the 
                Chairperson shall consult with members of the 
                Committee.
                  (D) Additional detailees.--In addition to the 
                authority provided by section 3161(c) of this 
                title, upon the request of an Inspector 
                General, the Committee may detail, on a 
                nonreimbursable basis, any personnel of the 
                Committee to that Inspector General to assist 
                in carrying out any audit, review, or 
                investigation pertaining to the oversight of 
                covered funds.
                  (E) Limitations.--In exercising the 
                employment authorities under section 3161(b) of 
                this title, as provided under subparagraph (A) 
                of this paragraph--
                          (i) section 3161(b)(2) of this title 
                        (relating to periods of appointments) 
                        shall not apply; and
                          (ii) no period of appointment may 
                        exceed the date on which the Committee 
                        terminates.
                  (F) Competitive service.--A person employed 
                by the Committee shall acquire competitive 
                status and conditional tenure for appointment 
                to any position in the competitive service for 
                which the employee possesses the required 
                qualifications upon the completion of 2 years 
                of continuous service as an employee under this 
                subsection.
                  (G) Annuitants.--
                          (i) In general.--The Committee may 
                        employ annuitants covered by section 
                        9902(g) of this title for purposes of 
                        the oversight of covered funds.
                          (ii) Treatment of annuitants.--The 
                        employment of annuitants under this 
                        paragraph shall be subject to the 
                        provisions of section 9902(g) of this 
                        title, as if the Committee were the 
                        Department of Defense.
          (15) Provision of information.--
                  (A) Requests.--Upon request of the Committee 
                for information or assistance from any agency 
                or other entity of the Federal Government, the 
                head of such entity shall, insofar as is 
                practicable and not in contravention of any 
                existing law, and consistent with section 406 
                of this title, furnish such information or 
                assistance to the Committee, or an authorized 
                designee, including an Inspector General 
                designated by the Chairperson.
                  (B) Inspectors general.--Any Inspector 
                General responsible for conducting oversight 
                related to covered funds may, consistent with 
                the duties, responsibilities, policies, and 
                procedures of the Inspector General, provide 
                information requested by the Committee or an 
                Inspector General on the Committee relating to 
                the responsibilities of the Committee.
          (16) Website.--
                  (A) In general.--Not later than 30 days after 
                the effective date of this subsection, the 
                Committee shall establish and maintain a user-
                friendly, public-facing website--
                          (i) to foster greater accountability 
                        and transparency in the use of covered 
                        funds, which shall have a uniform 
                        resource locator that is descriptive 
                        and memorable; and
                          (ii) that shall be a portal or 
                        gateway to key information relating to 
                        the oversight of covered funds and 
                        provide connections to other Government 
                        websites with related information.
          (17) Coordination.--The Committee shall coordinate 
        its oversight activities with the Comptroller General 
        of the United States and State auditors.
          (18) Notice.--The Chairperson shall provide notice to 
        the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
        Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Oversight 
        and Accountability of the House of Representatives when 
        designating or removing an Inspector General from the 
        membership of the Committee under paragraph (4).
          (19) Rules of construction.--Nothing in this 
        subsection shall be construed to--
                  (A) affect the independent authority of an 
                Inspector General to determine whether to 
                conduct an audit or investigation of covered 
                funds; or
                  (B) require the Council or any Inspector 
                General to provide funding to support the 
                activities of the Committee.
          (20) Authorization of appropriations.--
                  (A) In general.--For the purposes of carrying 
                out the mission of the Committee under this 
                subsection, there are authorized to be 
                appropriated $17,000,000 for each of fiscal 
                years 2026 and 2027 to carry out the duties and 
                functions of the Committee.
                          (B) Report to congress.--Not later 
                        than 1 year after the effective date of 
                        this subsection, the Chairperson shall 
                        submit to the appropriate congressional 
                        committees a report that details the 
                        anticipated future budgetary needs of 
                        the Committee.''

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