II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3955 

To require the heads of Federal agencies to submit to Congress an annual 

report regarding official time authorized under title 5, United States 

Code, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 14, 2024 

Ms. ERNST introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To require the heads of Federal agencies to submit to Congress an annual report regarding official time authorized 

under title 5, United States Code, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Taxpayer-Funded 

5 Union Time Transparency Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. OFFICIAL TIME. 

7 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 


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•S 3955 IS

1 (1) AGENCY; EMPLOYEE; LABOR ORGANIZA2 TION.—The terms ‘‘agency’’, ‘‘employee’’, and ‘‘labor 

3 organization’’ have the meanings given those terms 

4 in section 7103 of title 5, United States Code. 

5 (2) SECTION 7131.—The term ‘‘section 7131’’ 

6 means section 7131 of title 5, United States Code. 

7 (b) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than June 30 of 

8 each year that begins after the year in which this Act is 

9 enacted, the head of each agency shall submit to Congress, 

10 and post on the public website of the agency, a report that 

11 details the following for the year covered by the report: 

12 (1) The cost to the agency of official time au13 thorized under section 7131. 

14 (2) A detailed explanation of the purpose for 

15 which the agency made each authorization of official 

16 time under section 7131. 

17 (3) With respect to each employee of the agency 

18 for whom official time was authorized under section 

19 7131— 

20 (A) the position and annual rate of basic 

21 pay of the employee; 

22 (B) the total number of hours the em23 ployee spent on activities for which the official 

24 time was authorized; and 


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1 (C) the percentage that the number of 

2 hours described in subparagraph (B) rep3 resented with respect to the total number of 

4 hours worked by the employee for the applicable 

5 year. 

6 (4) The number of hours for which the agency 

7 permitted labor organizations, or employees of the 

8 agency for whom official time was authorized under 

9 section 7311, to use agency property at no cost or 

10 at a discounted rate. 

11 (5) The total monetary value of the uses de12 scribed in paragraph (4). 

13 (6) The amount of any reimbursement collected 

14 by the agency with respect to a use described in 

15 paragraph (4). 

16 (7) Any expenses paid by the agency for activi17 ties conducted by a labor organization or a private 

18 individual with respect to official time authorized by 

19 the agency under section 7131. 

20 (8) An explanation of any increase, as com21 pared to the report submitted in the previous year, 

22 in the amount of official time authorized by the 

23 agency under section 7131. 

Æ 


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