I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2743

To require the Comptroller General to prepare statements for bills and resolutions reported by committees of the House of Representatives and the 

Senate on whether any new entities, programs, or functions authorized 

by the bills or resolutions are redundant with existing Federal entities, 

programs, or functions and could be more efficiently performed by an 

existing Federal entity, program, or function, and to require such statements to accompany reports on legislation. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 15, 2003

Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform, and in addition to the 

Committee on 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 require the Comptroller General to prepare statements 

for bills and resolutions reported by committees of the 

House of Representatives and the Senate on whether 

any new entities, programs, or functions authorized by 

the bills or resolutions are redundant with existing Federal entities, programs, or functions and could be more 

efficiently performed by an existing Federal entity, program, or function, and to require such statements to 

accompany reports on legislation.
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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Government Account5 ability and Streamlining Act of 2003’’. 

6 SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT FOR GAO STATEMENTS ON LEGISLA7 TION PROVIDING NEW ENTITY, PROGRAM, OR 

8 FUNCTION. 

9 (a) GAO STATEMENT REQUIRED.—The Comptroller 

10 General shall, to the extent practicable, prepare for each 

11 bill or joint resolution of a public character reported by 

12 any subcommittee or committee of the House or Rep13 resentatives or the Senate, and submit to such sub14 committee or committee, a statement containing—

15 (1) a determination of whether new Federal en16 tities, programs, or functions are authorized by the 

17 bill or resolution; and 

18 (2) if a new entity, program, or function is so 

19 authorized, a determination of—

20 (A) whether an existing Federal entity or 

21 program carries out functions that are the same 

22 or similar to those authorized by the bill or res23 olution; and 

24 (B) if such an entity or program exists, 

25 whether such entity or program may more ef-
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1 fectively and efficiently perform the functions 

2 and carry out the purposes of the bill or resolu3 tion than the entity or program authorized by 

4 the bill or resolution. 

5 (b) REQUIREMENT TO INCLUDE GAO STATEMENT

6 IN REPORTS ON LEGISLATION.—Whenever a committee of 

7 either House reports to its House a bill or joint resolution 

8 of a public character, the report accompanying that bill 

9 or joint resolution shall contain the statement prepared 

10 by the Comptroller General for that bill or resolution 

11 under subsection (a). If the statement is not available 

12 when the committee report is filed, the committee shall 

13 make such information available to Members as soon as 

14 practicable upon submission of the statement to the com15 mittee by the Comptroller General. 

16 (c) EXERCISE OF CONGRESSIONAL RULEMAKING

17 POWER.—The provisions of this Act are enacted by Con18 gress—

19 (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of 

20 the House of Representatives and the Senate, re21 spectively, and as such they shall be considered a 

22 part of the rules of the House of Representatives 

23 and the Senate and such rules shall supersede other 

24 rules only to the extent that they are inconsistent 

25 therewith; and 
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1 (2) with full recognition of the constitutional 

2 right of either House to change such rules (so far 

3 as relating to such House) at any time, in the same 

4 manner, and to the same extent as in the case of 

5 any other rule of such House.

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