Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act of 2013 - Expands the awards program for disclosures by federal employees of fraud, waste, or mismanagement that result in cost savings to the employee's agency to include identification of surplus funds or unnecessary budget authority. Directs that any savings resulting from the identification of such funds or budget authority be deposited in the Treasury and used to reduce a budget deficit or the federal debt.
Prohibits the payment of awards to: (1) federal officers who serve in a position at level I of the Executive Schedule; (2) the head of an agency; or (3) a commissioner, board member, or other voting member of an independent establishment.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 643 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 643
To strengthen employee cost savings suggestions programs within the
Federal Government.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 21, 2013
Mr. Paul (for himself, Mr. Begich, and Mr. Chambliss) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To strengthen employee cost savings suggestions programs within 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.
This Act may be cited as the ``Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act of
2013''.
SEC. 2. COST SAVINGS ENHANCEMENTS.
(a) In General.--Section 4512 of title 5, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by
inserting ``or identification of surplus funds or
unnecessary budget authority'' after ``mismanagement'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``or
identification'' after ``disclosure''; and
(C) in the matter following paragraph (2), by
inserting ``or identification'' after ``disclosure'';
and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) The Inspector General of an agency or other agency employee
designated under subsection (b) shall refer to the Chief Financial
Officer of the agency any potential surplus funds or unnecessary budget
authority identified by an employee, along with any recommendations of
the Inspector General or other agency employee.
``(d)(1) If the Chief Financial Officer of an agency determines
that rescission of potential surplus funds or unnecessary budget
authority identified by an employee would not hinder the effectiveness
of the agency, except as provided in subsection (e), the head of the
agency shall transfer the amount of the surplus funds or unnecessary
budget authority from the applicable appropriations account to the
general fund of the Treasury.
``(2) Title X of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control
Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 681 et seq.) shall not apply to transfers under
paragraph (1).
``(3) Any amounts transferred under paragraph (1) shall be
deposited in the Treasury and used for deficit reduction, except that
in the case of a fiscal year for which there is no Federal budget
deficit, such amounts shall be used to reduce the Federal debt (in such
manner as the Secretary of the Treasury considers appropriate).
``(e) The head of an agency may retain not more than 10 percent of
amounts to be transferred to the general fund of the Treasury under
subsection (d) for the purpose of paying a cash award under subsection
(a) to the employee who identified the surplus funds or unnecessary
budget authority.
``(f)(1) The head of each agency shall submit to the Director of
the Office of Personnel Management an annual report regarding--
``(A) each disclosure of possible fraud, waste, or
mismanagement or identification of potentially surplus funds or
unnecessary budget authority by an employee of the agency
determined by the agency to have merit;
``(B) the total savings achieved through disclosures and
identifications described in subparagraph (A); and
``(C) the number and amount of cash awards by the agency
under subsection (a).
``(2)(A) The head of each agency shall include the information
described in paragraph (1) in each budget request of the agency
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget as part of the
preparation of the budget of the President submitted to Congress under
section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code.
``(B) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall
submit to Congress and the Government Accountability Office an annual
report on Federal cost saving and awards based on the reports submitted
under subparagraph (A).
``(g) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall--
``(1) ensure that the cash award program of each agency
complies with this section; and
``(2) submit to Congress an annual certification indicating
whether the cash award program of each agency complies with
this section.
``(h) Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of the
Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act of 2013, and every 3 years thereafter, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a
report on the operation of the cost savings and awards program under
this section, including any recommendations for legislative changes.''.
(b) Officers Eligible for Cash Awards.--
(1) In general.--Section 4509 of title 5, United States
Code, is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 4509. Prohibition of cash award to certain officers
``(a) Definitions.--In this section, the term `agency'--
``(1) has the meaning given that term under section 551(1);
and
``(2) includes an entity described in section 4501(1).
``(b) Prohibition.--An officer may not receive a cash award under
this subchapter if the officer--
``(1) serves in a position at level I of the Executive
Schedule;
``(2) is the head of an agency; or
``(3) is a commissioner, board member, or other voting
member of an independent establishment.''.
(2) Technical and conforming amendment.--The table of
sections for chapter 45 of title 5, United States Code, is
amended by striking the item relating to section 4509 and
inserting the following:
``4509. Prohibition of cash award to certain officers.''.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
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