Unified Savings and Accountability Act or the USA Act - Title I: Provisions Relating to Federal Property, Federal Contracts and Information Technology - Requires: (1) the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy to issue guidance to federal agencies for reinvigorating the role of the competition advocate, and (2) agency chief information officers to use transparency mechanisms to report to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), annually, on efforts to identify and eliminate potentially duplicative information technology investment.
Requires the Director of OMB to:
Requires: (1) the Federal Acquisition Regulation to be revised to address reverse auctions by federal agencies, and (2) the OMB Director to issue government-wide guidance advising agencies to collect and analyze data on the level of interactive bidding and fees paid to determine the cost effectiveness of using reverse auctions in procurement and on best practices to maximize competition and savings in the use of reverse auctions.
Requires the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to develop and use criteria to prioritize potential long-term ownership solutions to current high-value leases among other capital investments and to use this ranking to create long-term cross agency strategy that facilitates consideration of targeted investments in ownership
Requires the Federal CIO to develop, implement, and report annually on agency progress in carrying out a Federal Data Center Optimization Initiative. Requires each agency included in the Initiative to: (1) use specified methods to achieve maximum server utilization and maximum energy efficiency for federal data centers, (2) use the most cost-effective measures to implement the Initiative, and (3) report to the Federal CIO annually on resulting costs and savings. Requires agency savings to be used to enhance information technology capabilities and services.
Requires OMB to issue, and executive agencies to implement, recommendations for reducing or consolidating the number of federal data centers by at least 40% by the end of FY2018 and by at least 80% by the end of FY2023.
Title II: Other Matters - Amends the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to report on: (1) efforts to finalize plans and schedules for fully implementing and expanding the use of the Integrated Data Repository and actions taken to define expected financial benefits; and (2) actions taken to plan, schedule, and conduct training on the One Program Integrity System used to analyze and extract data from such Repository and actions taken to define expected financial benefits.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury, upon receiving certification by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue (IRS) that any individual has a seriously delinquent tax debt in excess of $50,000, with specified exceptions, to transmit such certification and disclose certain tax return information to the Secretary of State for action with respect to denial, revocation, or limitation of a passport for such individual pursuant to the Passport Act of 1926. Prohibits the Secretary of State, upon receiving such certification, from issuing a passport to such individual, except in emergency circumstances or for humanitarian reasons. Requires the Secretary to revoke a passport previously issued to such individual, but authorizes limiting such a passport to return travel to the United States.
Prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury from minting or issuing any circulating coin, or engraving or printing any U.S. currency, that costs more to produce than its denomination.
Directs the Public Printer to make any House or Senate document available only in an electronic format that is accessible through the Internet, with specified exceptions.
Directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to: (1) sequester all $1 coins bearing the design common to those $1 coins minted and issued from 1979 through 1981 and in 1999; (2) undertake and report on efforts to improve the circulation of the $1 coin, other than those sequestered; (3) continuously conduct education programs to help businesses using or accepting cash to choose the best mix of $1 coins and bank notes to facilitate and reduce transaction costs; and (4) work with the Departments of State and Treasury to ensure that countries that have adopted the dollar as a base unit of exchange and that place orders for supplies of $1 monetary units are fully briefed on the durability and longevity of $1 coins in high-circulation economies.
Declares it to be U.S. policy that after $1 coins achieve sufficient market penetration, $1 coins should replace $1 Federal Reserve notes. Allows Federal Reserve banks to continue to place $1 Federal Reserve notes into circulation until the number of $1 coins placed into circulation exceeds 600 million annually, or until four years after enactment of this Act, whichever is earlier.
Directs the IRS Commissioner to develop a long-term strategy to improve web services provided to taxpayers.
Directs the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Agriculture (USDA), and Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) analyze, annually, the effectiveness and long-term costs and benefits of their programs, actions, and strategies for avoidance or mitigation of foreclosure losses regarding loans for and mortgages on one- to four-family homes made, insured, or guaranteed by such Department; and (2) provide additional guidance on loss mitigation efforts to servicers of such loans and mortgages.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5196 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5196
To reduce waste and implement cost savings and revenue enhancement for
the Federal Government.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 24, 2014
Mr. Coffman (for himself and Ms. Sinema) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform,
and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and
Means, Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, House Administration, and
Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reduce waste and implement cost savings and revenue enhancement for
the Federal Government.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Unified Savings
and Accountability Act'' or the ``USA Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--PROVISIONS RELATING TO FEDERAL PROPERTY, FEDERAL CONTRACTS AND
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Subtitle A--Amendments and Other Provisions Relating to Federal
Property, Federal Contracts, and Information Technology
Sec. 101. Promotion of competition in Federal contracting.
Sec. 102. Promotion of strategic sourcing in Federal contracting.
Sec. 103. Avoiding duplicative information technology investments.
Sec. 104. Strengthening oversight of information technology
investments.
Sec. 105. Strengthening oversight of information technology operations.
Sec. 106. Promotion of reverse auctions in Federal contracting.
Sec. 107. Creation of long-term strategy for targeted ownership
investments to replace some high-value
leases.
Subtitle B--Data Center Consolidation
Sec. 111. Purpose.
Sec. 112. Definitions.
Sec. 113. Federal Data Center Optimization Initiative.
Sec. 114. Performance requirements related to data center
consolidation.
Sec. 115. Cost savings related to data center optimization.
Sec. 116. Reporting requirements to Congress and the Federal Chief
Information Officer.
Sec. 117. Reduction and consolidation of data centers.
TITLE II--OTHER MATTERS
Sec. 201. Report on implementation of certain Medicare and Medicaid
fraud detection and program integrity
provisions.
Sec. 202. Revocation or denial of passport and passport card in case of
certain tax delinquencies.
Sec. 203. Prohibition on non-cost-effective minting and printing of
coins and currency.
Sec. 204. Restrictions on printing and distribution of paper copies of
Congressional documents.
Sec. 205. Replacing the $1 note with the $1 coin.
Sec. 206. Enhancing the Internal Revenue Service's online services.
Sec. 207. Improving foreclosure loss mitigation efforts for mortgages
made, insured, or guaranteed by Federal
agencies.
TITLE I--PROVISIONS RELATING TO FEDERAL PROPERTY, FEDERAL CONTRACTS AND
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Subtitle A--Amendments and Other Provisions Relating to Federal
Property, Federal Contracts, and Information Technology
SEC. 101. PROMOTION OF COMPETITION IN FEDERAL CONTRACTING.
(a) Office of Federal Procurement Policy.--Not later than six
months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator for
Federal Procurement Policy shall issue guidance to Federal agencies to
reinvigorate the role of the competition advocate, consistent with the
recommendations of the Government Accountability Office in its report
GAO-10-833 (July 26, 2010).
(b) Elements of Guidance.--The guidance issued pursuant to
subsection (a) shall include key factors agencies should consider in
appointing and utilizing competition advocates, such as placement
within the organization, skill set, and potential methods to
effectively carry out their duties, and shall direct agencies to
require their competition advocates to actively involve program offices
in highlighting opportunities to increase competition.
SEC. 102. PROMOTION OF STRATEGIC SOURCING IN FEDERAL CONTRACTING.
(a) Savings Goals.--Not later than six months after the date of
enactment of this Act, and for 4 years annually thereafter, the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall issue Government-
wide savings goals for the strategic sourcing of goods and services by
executive agencies required to designate or appoint a Chief Financial
Officer as set forth in section 901 of title 31, United States Code.
The Director may issue goals required by this section that are
customized to individual agencies or sourcing efforts.
(b) Matters Covered.--In complying with subsection (a), the
Director shall provide at a minimum--
(1) guidance to executive agencies on calculating savings
generated from strategic sourcing efforts; and
(2) standards to measure progress towards meeting savings
goals established by subsection (a).
(c) Report.--Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Director shall submit to Congress a report on the extent
of savings realized through the strategic sourcing of goods and
services by executive agencies during the period Government-wide
savings goals are required to be issued pursuant to subsection (a).
SEC. 103. AVOIDING DUPLICATIVE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS.
(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to improve
transparency in order to ensure that agencies avoid making duplicative
information technology investments.
(b) Reporting Potential Duplication.--
(1) Responsibility of agency chief information officers.--
Each agency chief information officer shall utilize existing or
newly developed transparency mechanisms to report to the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget, not later than
six months after the date of enactment of this Act and at least
annually thereafter, on the results of the agency's efforts to
identify and eliminate, where appropriate, each potentially
duplicative information technology investment.
(2) Functions of the director.--Not later than 90 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget shall issue a policy requiring
consistency among all agencies in identifying information
technology investments in any required reporting, and such
investments shall include applicable research and development
projects and mission-essential systems.
SEC. 104. STRENGTHENING OVERSIGHT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
INVESTMENTS.
Section 11303(b) of title 40, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new
paragraph (5):
``(5) Analyses of investments in operations and
maintenance.--The Director shall require each executive agency
to develop a policy consistent with OMB guidance for performing
analysis on each operational/steady state information
technology investment to measure how well the investment is
achieving expected cost, schedule, performance, and other
goals, and to determine whether the investment provides the
most cost effective way of delivering business value. The
agencies shall conduct these operational analyses on a yearly
basis and shall report the results to the Director and through
existing or newly developed transparency mechanisms.''.
SEC. 105. STRENGTHENING OVERSIGHT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS.
(a) Improvement of PortfolioStat Implementation.--Not later than
six months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget shall carry out the following,
consistent with the recommendations of the Government Accountability
Office in its report GAO-14-343SP (April 2014):
(1) Issue guidance for the Secretaries of Agriculture,
Commerce, Defense, Housing and Urban Development, the Interior,
and Labor, and the agency heads of the Environmental Protection
Agency, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Personnel
Management, Small Business Administration, Social Security
Administration, and U.S. Agency for International Development,
to complete their commodity IT baselines (as part of
PortfolioStat).
(2) Require the Secretaries of Defense, Housing and Urban
Development, the Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, and
Veterans Affairs, and the agency heads of the Environmental
Protection Agency, General Services Administration, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of Personnel
Management, Social Security Administration, and U.S. Agency for
International Development, to report quarterly to the Director
on each department's or agency's progress in the migration of
two commodity IT areas (enterprise IT systems and IT
infrastructure) to a shared service.
(b) Required Actions by Federal Chief Information Officer.--
(1) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget
shall direct the Federal Chief Information Officer to take the
following actions, consistent with the recommendations of the
Government Accountability Office in its report GAO-14-343SP
(April 2014) and as part of integrated data collection
quarterly reporting:
(A) Require that agencies--
(i) describe the actions that have been
taken to ensure the completeness of their
commodity IT baseline information; and
(ii) identify any limitation in such
information.
(B) Require agencies to report on the progress of
their efforts to migrate two commodity IT areas
(enterprise IT systems and IT infrastructure) to a
shared service.
(C) Require agencies to fully disclose any
limitations their chief information officers might have
in exercising the authorities and responsibilities
provided by law and the 2013 PortfolioStat guidance of
the Office of Management and Budget.
(D) Require agencies to disclose the limitations of
any data reported (or disclose the parameters and
assumptions of these data) on the agencies' data
consolidation efforts and associated cost savings and
cost avoidance.
(E) Require agencies to improve transparency of and
accountability for PortfolioStat by publicly disclosing
planned and actual data consolidation efforts and
related cost savings.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Portfoliostat.--The term ``PortfolioStat'' refers to
the initiative launched by the Office of Management and budget
in March 2012 to maximize the return on information technology
investments across the Federal Government.
(2) IT.--The term ``IT'' means information technology.
SEC. 106. PROMOTION OF REVERSE AUCTIONS IN FEDERAL CONTRACTING.
(a) Revision of FAR.--Not later than six months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Federal Acquisition Regulation shall be
revised to address reverse auctions by Federal agencies, including how
and when they should be used, the roles and responsibilities of
contracting officers, and what agencies should do if there is no
interactive bidding during an auction.
(b) Guidance on Reverse Auctions.--Not later than six months after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of Office of Management
and Budget shall, consistent with the recommendations of the Government
Accountability Office on reverse auctions in its report GAO-14-343SP
(April 2014), issue Government-wide guidance--
(1) advising agencies to collect and analyze data on the
level of interactive bidding and, where applicable, fees paid,
to determine the cost effectiveness of using reverse auctions
in the procurement of goods or services; and
(2) on best practices to maximize competition and savings
in the use of reverse auctions.
SEC. 107. CREATION OF LONG-TERM STRATEGY FOR TARGETED OWNERSHIP
INVESTMENTS TO REPLACE SOME HIGH-VALUE LEASES.
Not later than six months after the date of the enactment of the
Act, the Administrator of General Services shall take the following
actions pursuant to the recommendations of the Government
Accountability Office in its report GAO-14-343SP:
(1) Develop and use criteria to rank and prioritize
potential long-term ownership solutions to current high-value
leases among other capital investments and use this ranking to
create long-term cross agency strategy that facilitates
consideration of targeted investments in ownership.
(2) Report to the appropriate congressional committees any
leases above the prospectus threshold that did not follow the
congressional prospectus process and include in the lease
prospectus a description of the length of time that an agency
estimates it will need the space, an historical account of how
long the agency will need to make the leased space meet its
mission. For the spaces for which an agency has a long-term
projected need, also include an appropriate form of cost-to-
lease versus cost-to-own alternatives analysis to facilitate
the evaluation.
Subtitle B--Data Center Consolidation
SEC. 111. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this subtitle is to optimize Federal data center
usage and efficiency.
SEC. 112. DEFINITIONS.
In this subtitle:
(1) Federal data center optimization initiative.--The term
``Federal Data Center Optimization Initiative'' or the
``Initiative'' means the initiative developed and implemented
by the Director, through the Federal Chief Information Officer,
as required under section 113.
(2) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means any
agency included in the Federal Data Center Optimization
Initiative.
(3) Federal chief information officer.--The term ``Federal
Chief Information Officer'' means the Administrator of the
Office of Electronic Government established under section 3602
of title 44, United States Code.
(4) Data center.--The term ``data center'' means a closet,
room, floor, or building for the storage, management, and
dissemination of data and information, as defined by the
Federal Chief Information Officer under guidance issued
pursuant to this section.
(5) Federal data center.--The term ``Federal data center''
means any data center of a covered agency used or operated by a
covered agency, by a contractor of a covered agency, or by
another organization on behalf of a covered agency.
(6) Server utilization.--The term ``server utilization''
refers to the activity level of a server relative to its
maximum activity level, expressed as a percentage.
(7) Power usage effectiveness.--The term ``power usage
effectiveness'' means the ratio obtained by dividing the total
amount of electricity and other power consumed in running a
data center by the power consumed by the information and
communications technology in the data center.
SEC. 113. FEDERAL DATA CENTER OPTIMIZATION INITIATIVE.
(a) Requirement for Initiative.--The Federal Chief Information
Officer, in consultation with the chief information officers of covered
agencies, shall develop and implement an initiative, to be known as the
Federal Data Center Optimization Initiative, to optimize the usage and
efficiency of Federal data centers by meeting the requirements of this
Act and taking additional measures, as appropriate.
(b) Requirement for Plan.--Within 6 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Federal Chief Information Officer, in
consultation with the chief information officers of covered agencies,
shall develop and submit to Congress a plan for implementation of the
Initiative required by subsection (a) by each covered agency. In
developing the plan, the Federal Chief Information Officer shall take
into account the findings and recommendations of the Comptroller
General review required by section 115(e).
(c) Matters Covered.--The plan shall include--
(1) descriptions of how covered agencies will use
reductions in floor space, energy use, infrastructure,
equipment, applications, personnel, increases in
multiorganizational use, and other appropriate methods to meet
the requirements of the initiative; and
(2) appropriate consideration of shifting federally owned
data centers to commercially owned data centers.
SEC. 114. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO DATA CENTER
CONSOLIDATION.
(a) Server Utilization.--Each covered agency may use the following
methods to achieve the maximum server utilization possible as
determined by the Federal Chief Information Officer:
(1) The closing of existing data centers that lack adequate
server utilization, as determined by the Federal Chief
Information Officer. If the agency fails to close such data
centers, the agency shall provide a detailed explanation as to
why this data center should remain in use as part of the
submitted plan. The Federal Chief Information Officer shall
include an assessment of the agency explanation in the annual
report to Congress.
(2) The consolidation of services within existing data
centers to increase server utilization rates.
(3) Any other method that the Federal Chief Information
Officer, in consultation with the chief information officers of
covered agencies, determines necessary to optimize server
utilization.
(b) Power Usage Effectiveness.--Each covered agency may use the
following methods to achieve the maximum energy efficiency possible as
determined by the Federal Chief Information Officer:
(1) The use of the measurement of power usage effectiveness
to calculate data center energy efficiency.
(2) The use of power meters in data centers to frequently
measure power consumption over time.
(3) The establishment of power usage effectiveness goals
for each data center.
(4) The adoption of best practices for managing--
(A) temperature and airflow in data centers; and
(B) power supply efficiency.
(5) The implementation of any other method that the Federal
Chief Information Officer, in consultation with the Chief
Information Officers of covered agencies, determines necessary
to optimize data center energy efficiency.
SEC. 115. COST SAVINGS RELATED TO DATA CENTER OPTIMIZATION.
(a) Requirement To Track Costs.--
(1) In general.--Each covered agency shall track costs
resulting from implementation of the Federal Data Center
Optimization Initiative within the agency and submit a report
on those costs annually to the Federal Chief Information
Officer. Covered agencies shall determine the net costs from
data consolidation on an annual basis.
(2) Factors.--In calculating net costs each year under
paragraph (1), a covered agency shall use the following
factors:
(A) Energy costs.
(B) Personnel costs.
(C) Real estate costs.
(D) Capital expense costs.
(E) Operating system, database, and other software
license expense costs.
(F) Other appropriate costs, as determined by the
agency in consultation with the Federal Chief
Information Officer.
(b) Requirement To Track Savings.--
(1) In general.--Each covered agency shall track savings
resulting from implementation of the Federal Data Center
Optimization Initiative within the agency and submit a report
on those savings annually to the Federal Chief Information
Officer. Covered agencies shall determine the net savings from
data consolidation on an annual basis.
(2) Factors.--In calculating net savings each year under
paragraph (1), a covered agency shall use the following
factors:
(A) Energy savings.
(B) Personnel savings.
(C) Real estate savings.
(D) Capital expense savings.
(E) Operating system, database, and other software
license expense savings.
(F) Other appropriate savings, as determined by the
agency in consultation with the Federal Chief
Information Officer.
(c) Requirement To Use Cost-Effective Measures.--Covered agencies
shall use the most cost-effective measures to implement the Federal
Data Center Optimization Initiative.
(d) Use of Savings.--Any savings resulting from implementation of
the Federal Data Center Optimization Initiative within a covered agency
shall be used for the following purposes:
(1) To offset the costs of implementing the Initiative
within the agency.
(2) To further enhance information technology capabilities
and services within the agency.
(e) Government Accountability Office Review.--Not later than 3
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller
General of the United States shall examine methods for calculating
savings from the Initiative and using them for the purposes identified
in subsection (d), including establishment and use of a special
revolving fund that supports data centers and server optimization, and
shall submit to the Federal Chief Information Officer and Congress a
report on the Comptroller General's findings and recommendations.
SEC. 116. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS TO CONGRESS AND THE FEDERAL CHIEF
INFORMATION OFFICER.
(a) Agency Requirement To Report to CIO.--Each year, each covered
agency shall submit to the Federal Chief Information Officer a report
on the implementation of the Federal Data Center Optimization
Initiative, including savings resulting from such implementation. The
report shall include an update of the agency's plan for implementing
the Initiative.
(b) Federal Chief Information Officer Requirement To Report to
Congress.--Each year, the Federal Chief Information Officer shall
submit to the relevant congressional committees a report that assesses
agency progress in carrying out the Federal Data Center Optimization
Initiative and updates the plan under section 113. The report may be
included as part of the annual report required under section 3606 of
title 44, United States Code.
SEC. 117. REDUCTION AND CONSOLIDATION OF DATA CENTERS.
(a) OMB Recommendation.--Not later than 6 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget, in consultation with the Administrator of General Services and
the heads of other executive agencies, shall issue recommendations for
reducing or consolidating the number of Federal data centers in
existence as of the date of the enactment of this Act--
(1) by at least 40 percent not later than September 30,
2018; and
(2) by at least 80 percent not later than September 30,
2023.
(b) Reduction of Data Centers.--Not later than 6 months after the
issuance of recommendations by the Director of the Office of Management
and Budget under subsection (a), the head of each executive agency
shall implement the recommendations by reducing the number of Federal
data centers in accordance with such recommendations.
TITLE II--OTHER MATTERS
SEC. 201. REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF CERTAIN MEDICARE AND MEDICAID
FRAUD DETECTION AND PROGRAM INTEGRITY PROVISIONS.
Section 1128J(a)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-
7k(a)(1)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the following new clause:
``(iii) Report on integrated data
repository and one program integrity system.--
Not later than six months after the date of
enactment of this clause, the Secretary shall
submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on the following:
``(I) Integrated data repository.--
Efforts to finalize plans and schedules
for fully implementing and expanding
the use of the Integrated Data
Repository, including actions taken to
finalize, implement, and manage plans
for incorporating data into the
Integrated Data Repository and actions
taken to define measurable financial
benefits expected from the
implementation of the Integrated Data
Repository.
``(II) One program integrity
system.--Actions taken to plan,
schedule, and conduct training on the
One Program Integrity System, a Web-
based portal and suite of software
tools used to analyze and extract data
from the Integrated Data Repository,
and actions taken to define measurable
financial benefits expected from the
use of the One Program Integrity
System.''.
SEC. 202. REVOCATION OR DENIAL OF PASSPORT AND PASSPORT CARD IN CASE OF
CERTAIN TAX DELINQUENCIES.
(a) In General.--Subchapter D of chapter 75 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 7345. REVOCATION OR DENIAL OF PASSPORT AND PASSPORT CARD IN CASE
OF CERTAIN TAX DELINQUENCIES.
``(a) In General.--If the Secretary receives certification by the
Commissioner of Internal Revenue that any individual has a seriously
delinquent tax debt in an amount in excess of $50,000, the Secretary
shall transmit such certification to the Secretary of State for action
with respect to denial, revocation, or limitation of a passport or
passport card pursuant to section 4 of the Act entitled `An Act to
regulate the issue and validity of passports, and for other purposes',
approved July 3, 1926 (22 U.S.C. 211a et seq.), commonly known as the
`Passport Act of 1926'.
``(b) Seriously Delinquent Tax Debt.--For purposes of this section,
the term `seriously delinquent tax debt' means an outstanding debt
under this title for which a notice of lien has been filed in public
records pursuant to section 6323 or a notice of levy has been filed
pursuant to section 6331, except that such term does not include--
``(1) a debt that is being paid in a timely manner pursuant
to an agreement under section 6159 or 7122, and
``(2) a debt with respect to which collection is suspended
because a collection due process hearing under section 6330, or
relief under subsection (b), (c), or (f) of section 6015, is
requested or pending.
``(c) Adjustment for Inflation.--In the case of a calendar year
beginning after 2015, the dollar amount in subsection (a) shall be
increased by an amount equal to--
``(1) such dollar amount, multiplied by--
``(2) the cost-of-living adjustment determined under
section 1(f)(3) for the calendar year, determined by
substituting `calendar year 2014' for `calendar year 1992' in
subparagraph (B) thereof. If any amount as adjusted under the
preceding sentence is not a multiple of $1,000, such amount
shall be rounded to the next highest multiple of $1,000.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subchapter D of
chapter 75 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at
the end the following new item:
``Sec. 7345. Revocation or denial of passport and passport card in case
of certain tax delinquencies.''.
(c) Authority for Information Sharing.--
(1) In general.--Subsection (l) of section 6103 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end
the following new paragraph:
``(23) Disclosure of return information to department of
state for purposes of passport and passport card revocation
under section 7345.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall, upon
receiving a certification described in section 7345,
disclose to the Secretary of State return information
with respect to a taxpayer who has a seriously
delinquent tax debt described in such section. Such
return information shall be limited to--
``(i) the taxpayer identity information
with respect to such taxpayer, and
``(ii) the amount of such seriously
delinquent tax debt.
``(B) Restriction on disclosure.--Return
information disclosed under subparagraph (A) may be
used by officers and employees of the Department of
State for the purposes of, and to the extent necessary
in, carrying out the requirements of section 4 of the
Act entitled `An Act to regulate the issue and validity
of passports, and for other purposes', approved July 3,
1926 (22 U.S.C. 211a et seq.), commonly known as the
`Passport Act of 1926'.''.
(2) Conforming amendment.--Paragraph (4) of section 6103(p)
of such Code is amended by striking ``or (22)'' each place it
appears in subparagraph (F)(ii) and in the matter preceding
subparagraph (A) and inserting ``(22), or (23)''.
(d) Revocation Authorization.--The Act entitled ``An Act to
regulate the issue and validity of passports, and for other
purposes.'', approved July 3, 1926 (22 U.S.C. 211a et seq.), commonly
known as the ``Passport Act of 1926'', is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``SEC. 4. AUTHORITY TO DENY OR REVOKE PASSPORT AND PASSPORT CARD.
``(a) Ineligibility.--
``(1) Issuance.--Except as provided under subsection (b),
upon receiving a certification described in section 7345 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 from the Secretary of the
Treasury, the Secretary of State may not issue a passport or
passport card to any individual who has a seriously delinquent
tax debt described in such section.
``(2) Revocation.--The Secretary of State shall revoke a
passport or passport card previously issued to any individual
described in paragraph (1).
``(b) Exceptions.--
``(1) Emergency and humanitarian situations.--
Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary of State may
issue a passport or passport card, in emergency circumstances
or for humanitarian reasons, to an individual described in
paragraph (1) of such subsection.
``(2) Limitation for return to united states.--
Notwithstanding subsection (a)(2), the Secretary of State,
before revocation, may--
``(A) limit a previously issued passport or
passport card only for return travel to the United
States; or
``(B) issue a limited passport or passport card
that only permits return travel to the United
States.''.
(e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take
effect on January 1, 2015.
SEC. 203. PROHIBITION ON NON-COST-EFFECTIVE MINTING AND PRINTING OF
COINS AND CURRENCY.
(a) Prohibition With Respect to Coins.--Section 5111 of title 31,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(e) Prohibition on Certain Minting.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of this subchapter, after the end of the 4-year period
following the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary
may not mint or issue any circulating coin that costs more to produce
than the denomination of the coin (including labor, materials, dies,
use of machinery, overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping).''.
(b) Prohibition With Respect to Currency.--Section 5114(a) of title
31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Prohibition on certain printing.--Notwithstanding any
other provision of this subchapter, after the end of the 4-year
period following the date of the enactment of this paragraph,
the Secretary may not engrave or print any United States
currency that costs more to produce than the denomination of
the currency (including labor, materials, dies, use of
machinery, overhead expenses, marketing, and shipping).''.
SEC. 204. RESTRICTIONS ON PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION OF PAPER COPIES OF
CONGRESSIONAL DOCUMENTS.
(a) Printing and Distribution of Documents by Public Printer.--
(1) Restrictions.--Chapter 7 of title 44, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
``Sec. 742. Restrictions on printing and distribution of paper copies
``(a) Mandatory Use of Electronic Format for Distribution of
Congressional Documents.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this
chapter, the Public Printer shall make any document of the House of
Representatives or Senate which is subject to any of the provisions of
this chapter available only in an electronic format which is accessible
through the Internet, and may not print or distribute a printed copy of
the document except as provided in subsection (b).
``(b) Permitting Printing and Distribution of Printed Copies Upon
Request.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), at the request of any person
to whom the Public Printer would have been required to provide a
printed copy of a document under this chapter had subsection (a) not
been in effect, the Public Printer may print and distribute a copy of a
document or report for the use of that person, except that--
``(1) the number of printed copies the Public Printer may
provide to the person may not exceed the number of printed
copies the Public Printer would have provided to the person had
subsection (a) not been in effect; and
``(2) the Public Printer may print and distribute copies to
the person only upon payment by the person of the costs of
printing and distributing the copies, except that this
paragraph shall not apply to an office of the House of
Representatives or Senate (including the office of a Member of
Congress).''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections of chapter 7
of such title is amended by adding at the end following new
item:
``742. Restrictions on printing and distribution of paper copies.''.
(b) Provision of Documents in Electronic Format Deemed To Meet
Requirements of House and Senate Rules Regarding Distribution of
Printed Copies.--
(1) In general.--If any rule or regulation of the House of
Representatives or Senate requires a Member or committee to
provide printed copies of any document (including any bill or
resolution) for the use of the House or Senate or for the use
of any office of the House or Senate, the Member or committee
shall be considered to have met the requirement of the rule or
regulation if the Member or committee makes the document
available to the recipient in an electronic format.
(2) Exercise of rulemaking authority of senate and house.--
This subsection is enacted by Congress--
(A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the
Senate and House of Representatives, respectively, and
as such it is deemed a part of the rules of each House,
respectively, and it supersedes other rules only to the
extent that it is inconsistent with such rules; and
(B) with full recognition of the constitutional
right of either House to change the rules (so far as
relating to the procedure of that House) at any time,
in the same manner, and to the same extent as in the
case of any other rule of that House.
(c) Effective Date.--This section and the amendments made by this
section shall apply with respect to documents produced on or after
January 1, 2015.
SEC. 205. REPLACING THE $1 NOTE WITH THE $1 COIN.
(a) Duties of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System.--
(1) Coin sequestration.--
(A) In general.--Within six months of the date of
enactment of this Act, the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System shall sequester all $1 coins
bearing the design common to those $1 coins minted and
issued from 1979-1981 and again in 1999.
(B) Treatment of coins.--Coins sequestered pursuant
to subparagraph (A) shall not be returned to ordinary
circulation or otherwise released from storage
controlled by the Federal Reserve System or an agent of
the Federal Reserve System.
(C) Exception for certain uses.--Notwithstanding
subparagraph (B), coins sequestered pursuant to
subparagraph (A) may be released, at face value and in
bulk quantities--
(i) to dealers in collectible coins; and
(ii) to countries that have adopted the
United States dollar as their base unit of
exchange.
(D) Obsolete coins.--At the end of the 1-year
period beginning on the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of the Treasury shall declare all
coins described under subparagraph (A) to be obsolete,
and such coins--
(i) shall be treated in the same manner as
all other obsolete United States coins; and
(ii) to the extent such coins remain in
general circulation, shall remain legal tender.
(2) Quarterly report on $1 coins.--The Board of Governors
of the Federal Reserve System shall issue quarterly reports to
the Committee on Financial Services of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and
Urban Affairs of the Senate on--
(A) the number of coins sequestered pursuant to
paragraph (1)(A);
(B) the number of coins described in paragraph
(1)(A) that remain in general circulation; and
(C) efforts that have been made to reduce the
number of coins described in subparagraphs (A) and (B)
to zero.
(3) Improvement of circulation.--The Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System shall--
(A) undertake efforts to improve the circulation
and remove barriers to the circulation of the $1 coin,
other than those coins described under paragraph
(1)(A);
(B) issue a quarterly report to the Committee on
Financial Services of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of
the Senate on--
(i) what efforts have been made to improve
the circulation of $1 coins and what efforts
are being planned to improve the circulation of
$1 coins;
(ii) the success of such efforts, including
an analysis of such coins held in storage owned
or controlled by the Federal Reserve System and
the number of such coins in circulation;
(iii) barriers to the circulation of such
coins, including the availability of such coins
in quantities unmixed with the $1 coins
described in paragraph (1)(A); and
(iv) the extent to which the Federal
Reserve System and any agents of the Federal
Reserve System are unable to meet end-user
requests for delivery of unmixed quantities of
such coins in whatever form such end user
requires, including rolls, disposable tubes, or
volume bags of such coins.
(4) Outreach and education.--The Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System shall continuously conduct outreach and
education programs aimed at helping each business using or
accepting cash to choose the best mix of $1 coins and banknotes
to facilitate transactions and reduce costs of transactions and
of ``cashing out'' at the end of a transaction period.
(5) Use of $1 coins by foreign countries.--The Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System shall work with the
Departments of State and the Treasury to ensure that countries
that have adopted the dollar as a base unit of exchange and
which place orders with the Federal Reserve System, or through
any United States financial institution, for supplies of $1
monetary units, are fully briefed before placing each such
order on the durability and longevity of $1 coins in high-
circulation economies when used for transactions of a low
dollar value.
(b) Publicity Requirement.--Section 5112(p)(2) of title 31, United
States Code, is amended by inserting after ``Mint'' the following:
``and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System''.
(c) Report on Implementation.--Not later than the end of the 1-year
period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually
thereafter, the Comptroller General of the United States and the
Inspector General of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of
Consumer Financial Protection shall each issue a report to the
Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate on steps
being taken by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to
carry out this Act.
(d) Clarification With Respect to Seigniorage.--The ninth proviso
of section 5136 of title 31, United States Code, is amended, by
inserting after ``miscellaneous receipts'' the following: ``and such
amount shall be included as an estimated receipt of the Government and
a receipt of the Government under paragraphs (6) and (7), respectively,
of section 1105(a) in any budget submitted under such section''.
(e) Policy Statement.--It is the policy of the United States that
after $1 coins achieve sufficient market penetration such that
consumers and retailers are comfortable using $1 coins and are able to
obtain adequate supplies of $1 coins, $1 coins should replace $1
Federal Reserve notes as the only $1 monetary unit issued and
circulated by the Federal Reserve System.
(f) Deadline for Placing $1 Federal Reserve Notes Into
Circulation.--Federal Reserve banks may continue to place into
circulation $1 Federal Reserve notes until the earlier of--
(1) the date on which the number of $1 coins placed into
circulation after the date of the enactment of this Act exceeds
600,000,000 annually; or
(2) the date that is 4 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(g) Transition Period.--After the date referred to in subsection
(f), a Federal Reserve bank may not order additional $1 Federal Reserve
notes but may, for a period of one year, continue to place into
circulation $1 Federal Reserve notes on hand or those deposited with
it, except for notes described in subsection (h).
(h) Removal of Unfit Currency.--After the date referred to in
subparagraph (f), a Federal Reserve bank shall continue to remove unfit
currency from circulation, and shall continue to destroy such currency.
(i) Exception.--Notwithstanding subsections (f) and (g), the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System shall produce such Federal
Reserve notes of $1 denomination as the Board determines from time to
time are appropriate solely to meet the needs of collectors of that
denomination. Such notes shall be issued by one or more Federal Reserve
banks in accordance with section 16 of the Federal Reserve Act and sold
by the Board, in whole or in part, under procedures prescribed by the
Board.
(j) No Effect on Legal Tender.--Notwithstanding any other
subsection of this section, $1 Federal Reserve notes are legal tender
in the United States for all debts, public and private, public charges,
taxes, and duties, regardless of the date of printing or issue.
SEC. 206. ENHANCING THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE'S ONLINE SERVICES.
No later than six months after the date of the enactment of the
Act, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue shall, pursuant to the
recommendations of the Government Accountability Office in its report
GAO-14-343SP (April, 2014):
(1) Develop a long-term strategy to improve web services
provided to taxpayers, in accordance with www.Howto.gov and
other Federal guidance outlined in the April 2013 report of the
Government Accountability Office GAO-13-279SP.
(2) Study leading practices of other organizations to
understand how web improvement strategies were developed and
new services prioritized.
(3) Develop business cases for all new online services,
describing the potential benefits and costs of the project, and
use them to prioritize future projects.
(4) Review risk mitigation plans for interactive tools to
ensure all risks are addressed and link investments in security
to the long-term plan.
SEC. 207. IMPROVING FORECLOSURE LOSS MITIGATION EFFORTS FOR MORTGAGES
MADE, INSURED, OR GUARANTEED BY FEDERAL AGENCIES.
(a) Periodic Analysis of Loss Mitigation Actions.--Not later than
the expiration of the 6-month period beginning on the date of the
enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Housing
and Urban Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs shall each analyze the effectiveness and long-term
costs and benefits of the programs, actions, and strategies of the
applicable agency for avoidance or mitigation of foreclosure losses
with respect to covered loans and mortgages of the applicable agency,
which shall include analyses of--
(1) the re-default rates associated with various types of
loss mitigation actions; and
(2) the impacts that loan and borrower characteristics have
on the performance of different loss mitigation actions.
(b) Re-Evaluation.--Upon completion of each periodic analysis
conducted pursuant to subsection (a) with respect to covered loans and
mortgages of an applicable agency, the head of the applicable agency
shall use the results of the analysis to--
(1) re-evaluate the programs, actions, and strategies of
the agency for avoidance or mitigation of foreclosure losses
with respect to covered loans and mortgages; and
(2) provide additional guidance to servicers of covered
loans and mortgages to more effectively target and implement
loss mitigation efforts.
(c) Collection of Information.--Each of the agency heads referred
to in subsection (a) shall--
(1) collect such information regarding covered loans and
mortgages of the applicable agency as may be necessary to
conduct the analysis required under such subsection, including
loan level data and information regarding loan performance; or
(2) require servicers of such loans and mortgages to
provide any such information not maintained or collected by the
applicable agency.
(d) Consultation and Coordination.--Each of the agency heads
referred to in subsection (a) shall consult and coordinate with each
other in conducting the analyses and re-evaluations required under
subsection (a) and (b) to ensure the sharing of information and promote
effective loss mitigation efforts.
(e) Definitions.--For purposes of this section, the following
definitions shall apply:
(1) Applicable agency.--The term ``applicable agency''
means--
(A) with respect to the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development, the Department of Housing and Urban
Development;
(B) with respect to the Secretary of Agriculture,
the Department of Agriculture; and
(C) with respect to the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2) Covered loans and mortgages.--The term ``covered loans
and mortgages'' means, with respect to an applicable agency,
loans for and mortgages on 1- to 4-family homes made, insured,
or guaranteed by such applicable agency.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, House Administration, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, House Administration, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, House Administration, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, House Administration, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, House Administration, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, House Administration, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, House Administration, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.