S. 2794 — DECLINE Act

This section requires each agency's chief financial officer, in consultation with the chief human capital officer, to establish and implement within 30 days of enactment a policy requiring deactivation of any charge card (i.e., purchase card, travel card, or other government payment card) assigned to a covered individual as part of the individual's separation process from the agency. Covered individuals include any employee who is discharged, separates, retires, or otherwise ceases employment, specifically including those in positions listed under 5 U.S.C. §§5312-5315 (i.e., certain executive schedule levels), noncareer Senior Executive Service positions, or executive branch Schedule C positions. The policy requires (1) the individual to return the card; (2) agency personnel to physically secure it; (3) the individual to remove it from any digital wallet or agency-issued device; (4) agency personnel to immediately deactivate the card and close or suspend its account; and (5) agency personnel to notify the issuing financial institution that the card is invalid for use or reissuance. This section further directs the Comptroller General to submit to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, within one year of enactment and annually thereafter, a report assessing agency compliance that includes (1) the number of charge cards issued and deactivated by each agency; (2) internal controls for monitoring use, misuse, fraud, or redundant issuance; (3) implementation status of the required policy; (4) total charge card late fees paid by each agency in the prior year; and (5) agency submission of management reports via the contracted bank's electronic system, with summaries of data such as account activity, disputes, and unusual spending.