“A bill to strengthen employee cost savings suggestions programs within the Federal Government.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section revises the federal employee cost savings awards program (i.e., agency authority to pay cash awards for disclosures of waste, fraud, or mismanagement that generate savings) by (1) amending the definition section (5 U.S.C. §4511) to add a definition of "surplus salaries and expenses funds" as unnecessary amounts in an agency's salaries and expenses account verified by the Inspector General (or designee), Chief Financial Officer, and as nondetrimental to agency purposes if rescinded; (2) expanding award authority under §4512 to cover employee identifications of such surplus funds; (3) requiring agency heads to transfer verified surplus funds to the Treasury for deficit reduction (or debt reduction if no deficit), while permitting retention of up to 10% for employee awards or agency reprogramming; and (4) directing annual agency reports to Treasury (due October 1 and September 30) on savings and awards, inclusion of such data in presidential budget requests, Treasury reports to congressional appropriations committees and GAO, annual OPM compliance certifications to Congress, and GAO reviews every three years beginning three years after enactment. (Thus, the changes incentivize employee identification of unneeded funds for rescission while formalizing verification, transfer, and accountability processes.)