Government Transformation Act

Summary: Government Transformation Act - Establishes the Commission on Government Transformation. Directs the Commission to: (1) review work done by governmental and non-governmental entities and conduct research on the organizational practices, operations, and reform efforts of federal agencies; (2) analyze organizational practices and management challenges of federal agencies; (3) assess federal programs for economy, efficiency, and effectiveness and identify best practices; (4) upon request, provide information on Commission activities to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), other federal agency heads, and the Office of Inspector General of each federal agency; and (5) serve as a repository for best practices for federal agencies. Requires the Commission to make interim and annual reports on its activities to the President and Congress and make such reports available to the public. Provides for expedited congressional consideration of legislation to implement recommendations of the Commission.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Government Transformation Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a commission to be known as the ``Commission 
on Government Transformation'' (in this Act referred to as the 
``Commission'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall--
            (1) review work done by governmental and nongovernmental 
        entities, and conduct original research, on the organizational 
        practices, operations, and reform efforts of Federal agencies;
            (2) analyze organizational practices and management 
        challenges of Federal agencies and make recommendations as 
        described in subsection (b)(2);
            (3) assess Federal programs for economy, efficiency, and 
        effectiveness, and identify best practices of Federal agencies;
            (4) establish a process for prioritizing the activities 
        described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), including 
        establishing criteria and a schedule for carrying out the 
        activities;
            (5) coordinate with appropriate Federal agencies and 
        provide opportunities for individuals to make recommendations 
        that support the work of the Commission;
            (6) upon request, provide information on Commission 
        activities to the Government Accountability Office, the 
        Congressional Budget Office, the Office of Management and 
        Budget, other Federal agency heads, and the Office of the 
        Inspector General of each Federal agency; and
            (7) serve as a repository for best practices to support 
        Federal agencies in efforts to improve effectiveness.
    (b) Reports.--
            (1) Interim activity reports.--The Commission shall submit 
        to the President and Congress interim activity reports that 
        describe the activities of the Commission not later than 6 
        months after the date on which all members of the Commission 
        have been appointed, and every 6 months thereafter, except that 
        an interim report is not required on the date on which an 
        annual report is submitted as described in paragraph (2).
            (2) Annual reports.--Not later than 12 months after the 
        date on which all members of the Commission have been 
        appointed, and every 12 months thereafter, the Commission shall 
        submit a report to the President and Congress. The report shall 
        include--
                    (A) the findings and conclusions of the Commission;
                    (B) suggestions for implementing the best practices 
                of Federal agencies identified in subsection (a)(3) in 
                other Federal agencies;
                    (C) proposals for legislation, administrative 
                action, or executive action that include 
                recommendations for improvement or investment in 
                Federal programs, or elimination, reduction, or 
                consolidation of Federal programs; and
                    (D) justification for the recommendations described 
                in subparagraph (C).
            (3) Reports on historical data.--Not later than 48 months 
        after the date on which all members of the Commission have been 
        appointed, and every 24 months thereafter, the Commission shall 
        submit a report to the President and Congress on historical 
        data and trends in the information studied by the Commission, 
        including any available evidence of cost savings.
            (4) Reports made public.--Each report submitted under this 
        subsection shall be made available to the public not later than 
        90 days after the date on which the report is submitted.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 7 
members to be appointed as follows:
            (1) The majority leader of the Senate shall appoint 1 
        member.
            (2) The minority leader of the Senate shall appoint 1 
        member.
            (3) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall 
        appoint 1 member.
            (4) The minority leader of the House of Representatives 
        shall appoint 1 member.
            (5) The President shall appoint 3 members.
    (b) Restriction on Government Employees.--No individual may serve 
as a member of the Commission while employed as an officer or employee 
of the Federal Government or any State or local government.
    (c) Membership Criteria.--The members of the Commission shall 
include individuals with recognition for their expertise in agencies, 
efficiency, waste reduction, finance and economics, or actuarial 
sciences, and who provide a mix of different professional backgrounds 
and broad geographic representation.
    (d) Political Affiliation.--Not more than 3 of the 7 members 
appointed shall be registered as members of the same political party.
    (e) Deadline To Appoint Members.--All members of the Commission 
shall be appointed not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
    (f) Terms.--
            (1) In general.--Each member shall be appointed for a term 
        of 3 years.
            (2) Reappointment.--Each member may be reappointed for 1 
        additional term of 3 years.
            (3) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled 
        in the manner in which the original appointment was made not 
        later than 90 days after the date on which the member leaves 
        the Commission.
    (g) Co-Chairs.--
            (1) Selection.--Of the members selected by the President 
        under subsection (a)(4), 2 members shall serve as Co-Chairs of 
        the Commission.
            (2) Political affiliation of co-chairs.--The Co-Chairs of 
        the Commission shall not be from the same political party.
    (h) Basic Pay.--
            (1) Rates of pay of members.--Each member, other than the 
        Co-Chairs, shall be paid at a rate equal to the daily 
        equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for level V of the 
        Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States 
        Code.
            (2) Rate of pay of co-chairs.--The Co-Chairs shall be paid 
        at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of 
        basic pay for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 
        5315 of title 5, United States Code.
    (i) Travel Expenses.--Each member shall receive travel expenses, 
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with 
applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, 
United States Code.
    (j) Quorum.--Four members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (k) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the Co-
Chairs or a majority of its members. Members may attend meetings via 
teleconference.

SEC. 5. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.

    (a) Executive Director and Staff.--
            (1) In general.--The Co-Chairs, in consultation with the 
        President and Congress, shall appoint and terminate an 
        Executive Director. The Executive Director shall be paid at a 
        rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic 
        pay for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of 
        title 5, United States Code.
            (2) Staff.--The Executive Director, with the approval of a 
        majority of the members of the Commission, may appoint, set the 
        pay of, and terminate additional personnel.
    (b) Application of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The Executive 
Director and staff of the Commission may be appointed without regard to 
the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments 
in the competitive service.
    (c) Conflicts of Interest.--A member or employee of the Commission 
shall not have a conflict of interest that is relevant to any activity 
of the Commission.
    (d) Experts and Consultants.--With the consensus of the Co-Chairs, 
the Commission may procure temporary and intermittent services under 
section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at a rate to be 
determined by the Co-Chairs.
    (e) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Co-Chairs, the 
head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable 
basis, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the 
Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings and Sessions.--The Commission may, for the purpose of 
carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, 
take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers 
appropriate.
    (b) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of the 
Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action which 
the Commission is authorized to take by this section.
    (c) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly 
from any department or agency information necessary to enable it to 
carry out this section. Upon request of the Co-Chairs, the head of that 
department or agency shall furnish that information to the Commission 
on an agreed upon schedule.
    (d) Postal Services.--The Commission may use the United States 
mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal 
agencies.

SEC. 7. EXPEDITED CONGRESSIONAL CONSIDERATION OF COMMISSION BILL.

    (a) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section:
            (1) Commission bill.--The term ``Commission bill'' means a 
        bill--
                    (A) the substance of which implements a 
                recommendation of the Commission submitted under 
                section 3(b)(2)(C); and
                    (B) introduced by request on the date that is 90 
                days after the annual report of the Commission is 
                submitted to Congress under section 3(b)(2), or if 
                either House is not in session on such date, on the 
                first day thereafter on which that House is in session.
            (2) Calendar day.--The term ``calendar day'' means a 
        calendar day other than one on which either House is not in 
        session because of an adjournment of more than 3 days to a date 
        certain.
    (b) Referral.--A Commission bill described in subsection (a)(1) 
that is introduced in the House of Representatives shall be referred to 
the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of 
Representatives. A Commission bill that is introduced in the Senate 
shall be referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
    (c) Discharge.--If the committee to which a Commission bill 
described in subsection (a)(1) is referred has not reported the 
Commission bill by the end of the 20-day period beginning on the date 
on which the report is introduced under subsection (a)(1)(B), such 
committee shall be, at the end of such period, discharged from further 
consideration of such bill, and such bill shall be placed on the 
appropriate calendar of the House involved.
    (d) Expedited Consideration.--
            (1) Consideration.--On or after the third day after the 
        date on which the committee to which a Commission bill 
        described in subsection (a)(1) is referred has reported, or has 
        been discharged (under subsection (c)) from further 
        consideration of, it is in order (even though a previous motion 
        to the same effect has been disagreed to) for any Member of the 
        respective House to move to proceed to the consideration of the 
        bill. A Member may make the motion only on the day after the 
        calendar day on which the Member announces to the House 
        concerned the Member's intention to make the motion, except 
        that, in the case of the House of Representatives, the motion 
        may be made without such prior announcement if the motion is 
        made by direction of the committee to which the bill was 
        referred. The motion is highly privileged in the House of 
        Representatives and is privileged in the Senate and is not 
        debatable. The motion is not subject to amendment, or to a 
        motion to postpone, or to a motion to proceed to the 
        consideration of other business. A motion to reconsider the 
        vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not 
        be in order. If a motion to proceed to the consideration of the 
        bill is agreed to, the respective House shall immediately 
        proceed to consideration of the bill without intervening 
        motion, order, or other business, and the bill shall remain the 
        unfinished business of the respective House until disposed of.
            (2) Debate.--Debate on the bill, and on all debatable 
        motions and appeals in connection therewith, shall be limited 
        to not more than 2 hours, which shall be divided equally 
        between those favoring and those opposing the bill. An 
        amendment to the bill is not in order. A motion further to 
        limit debate is in order and not debatable. A motion to 
        postpone, a motion to proceed to the consideration of other 
        business, or a motion to recommit the bill is not in order. A 
        motion to reconsider the vote by which the bill is agreed to or 
        disagreed to is not in order.
            (3) Vote on final passage.--Immediately following the 
        conclusion of the debate on the bill and a single quorum call 
        at the conclusion of the debate, if requested in accordance 
        with the rules of the appropriate House, the vote on final 
        passage of the bill shall occur.
            (4) Appeals.--Appeals from the decisions of the Chair 
        relating to the application of the rules of the Senate or the 
        House of Representatives, as the case may be, to the procedure 
        relating to the bill shall be decided without debate.
    (e) Consideration by Other House.--
            (1) Before passage.--If, before the passage by one House of 
        a Commission bill of that House described in subsection (a)(1), 
        that House receives from the other House a Commission bill, 
        then the following procedures shall apply--
                    (A) the Commission bill of the other House shall 
                not be referred to a committee and may not be 
                considered in the House receiving it except in the case 
                of vote on final passage as provided in subparagraph 
                (B); and
                    (B) with respect to a Commission bill of the House 
                receiving the bill, the procedure in that House shall 
                be the same as if no bill had been received from the 
                other House, but the vote on final passage shall be on 
                the bill of the other House.
            (2) After passage.--Upon disposition of a Commission bill 
        received from the other House, it shall no longer be in order 
        to consider the bill that originated in the receiving House.
    (f) Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives.--This section 
is enacted by Congress--
            (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate 
        and House of Representatives, respectively, and is deemed to be 
        a part of the rules of each House, respectively, but applicable 
        only with respect to the procedure to be followed in that House 
        in the case of a Commission bill described in subsection 
        (a)(1), and it supersedes other rules only to the extent that 
        it is inconsistent with such rules; and
            (2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of 
        either House to change the rules of 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.

SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Federal agency.--The term ``Federal agency'' has the 
        meaning given the term ``Executive agency'' in section 105 of 
        title 5, United States Code.
            (2) Federal program.--The term ``Federal program'' means 
        any function or activity of a Federal agency.

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Commission for fiscal 
years 2014 through 2019 such sums as may be necessary to carry out this 
Act.