In the Senate of the United States, 

August 1, 2008. 

Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R. 5683) entitled ‘‘An Act to make certain reforms 

with respect to the Government Accountability Office, and for 

other purposes.’’, do pass with the following 

AMENDMENT: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 

following: 

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES; TABLE OF CON2 TENTS. 

3 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

4 ‘‘Government Accountability Office Act of 2008’’. 

5 (b) REFERENCES.—Except as otherwise expressly pro6 vided, whenever in this Act an amendment is expressed in 

7 terms of an amendment to a section or other provision, the 

8 reference shall be considered to be made to a section or other 

9 provision of title 31, United States Code. 
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1 (c) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

2 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; references; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. Provisions relating to future annual pay adjustments. 

Sec. 3. Pay adjustment relating to certain previous years. 

Sec. 4. Lump-sum payment for certain performance-based compensation. 

Sec. 5. Inspector General. 

Sec. 6. Reimbursement of audit costs. 

Sec. 7. Financial disclosure requirements. 

Sec. 8. Highest basic pay rate. 

Sec. 9. Additional authorities. 

3 SEC. 2. PROVISIONS RELATING TO FUTURE ANNUAL PAY 

4 ADJUSTMENTS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 732 is amended by adding 

6 at the end the following: 

7 ‘‘(j)(1) For purposes of this subsection— 

8 ‘‘(A) the term ‘pay increase’, as used with re9 spect to an officer or employee in connection with a 

10 year, means the total increase in the rate of basic pay 

11 (expressed as a percentage) of such officer or em12 ployee, taking effect under section 731(b) and sub13 section (c)(3) in such year; 

14 ‘‘(B) the term ‘required minimum percentage’, as 

15 used with respect to an officer or employee in connec16 tion with a year, means the percentage equal to the 

17 total increase in rates of basic pay (expressed as a 

18 percentage) taking effect under sections 5303 and 

19 5304–5304a of title 5 in such year with respect to 

20 General Schedule positions within the pay locality (as 
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1 defined by section 5302(5) of title 5) in which the po2 sition of such officer or employee is located; 

3 ‘‘(C) the term ‘covered officer or employee’, as 

4 used with respect to a pay increase, means any indi5 vidual— 

6 ‘‘(i) who is an officer or employee of the 

7 Government Accountability Office, other than an 

8 officer or employee described in subparagraph 

9 (A), (B), or (C) of section 4(c)(1) of the Govern10 ment Accountability Office Act of 2008, deter11 mined as of the effective date of such pay in12 crease; and 

13 ‘‘(ii) whose performance is at least at a sat14 isfactory level, as determined by the Comptroller 

15 General under the provisions of subsection (c)(3) 

16 for purposes of the adjustment taking effect 

17 under such provisions in such year; and 

18 ‘‘(D) the term ‘nonpermanent merit pay’ means 

19 any amount payable under section 731(b) which does 

20 not constitute basic pay. 

21 ‘‘(2)(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 

22 chapter, if (disregarding this subsection) the pay increase 

23 that would otherwise take effect with respect to a covered 

24 officer or employee in a year would be less than the required 

25 minimum percentage for such officer or employee in such 
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1 year, the Comptroller General shall provide for a further 

2 increase in the rate of basic pay of such officer or employee. 

3 ‘‘(B) The further increase under this subsection— 

4 ‘‘(i) shall be equal to the amount necessary to 

5 make up for the shortfall described in subparagraph 

6 (A); and 

7 ‘‘(ii) shall take effect as of the same date as the 

8 pay increase otherwise taking effect in such year. 

9 ‘‘(C) Nothing in this paragraph shall be considered to 

10 permit or require that a rate of basic pay be increased to 

11 an amount inconsistent with the limitation set forth in sub12 section (c)(2). 

13 ‘‘(D) If (disregarding this subsection) the covered offi14 cer or employee would also have received any nonpermanent 

15 merit pay in such year, such nonpermanent merit pay shall 

16 be decreased by an amount equal to the portion of such offi17 cer’s or employee’s basic pay for such year which is attrib18 utable to the further increase described in subparagraph (A) 

19 (as determined by the Comptroller General), but to not less 

20 than zero. 

21 ‘‘(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chap22 ter, the effective date of any pay increase (within the mean23 ing of paragraph (1)(A)) taking effect with respect to a cov24 ered officer or employee in any year shall be the same as 

25 the effective date of any adjustment taking effect under sec-
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1 tion 5303 of title 5 with respect to statutory pay systems 

2 (as defined by section 5302(1) of title 5) in such year.’’. 

3 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by this 

4 section shall apply with respect to any pay increase (as 

5 defined by such amendment) taking effect on or after the 

6 date of the enactment of this Act. 

7 SEC. 3. PAY ADJUSTMENT RELATING TO CERTAIN PRE8 VIOUS YEARS. 

9 (a) APPLICABILITY.—This section applies in the case 

10 of any individual who, as of the date of the enactment of 

11 this Act, is an officer or employee of the Government Ac12 countability Office, excluding— 

13 (1) an officer or employee described in subpara14 graph (A), (B), or (C) of section 4(c)(1); and 

15 (2) an officer or employee who received both a 

16 2.6 percent pay increase in January 2006 and a 2.4 

17 percent pay increase in February 2007. 

18 (b) PAY INCREASE DEFINED.—For purposes of this 

19 section, the term ‘‘pay increase’’, as used with respect to 

20 an officer or employee in connection with a year, means 

21 the total increase in the rate of basic pay (expressed as a 

22 percentage) of such officer or employee, taking effect under 

23 sections 731(b) and 732(c)(3) of title 31, United States 

24 Code, in such year. 
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1 (c) PROSPECTIVE EFFECT.—Effective with respect to 

2 pay for service performed in any pay period beginning after 

3 the end of the 6-month period beginning on the date of the 

4 enactment of this Act (or such earlier date as the Comp5 troller General may specify), the rate of basic pay for each 

6 individual to whom this section applies shall be determined 

7 as if such individual had received both a 2.6 percent pay 

8 increase for 2006 and a 2.4 percent pay increase for 2007, 

9 subject to subsection (e). 

10 (d) LUMP-SUM PAYMENT.—Not later than 6 months 

11 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 

12 General shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, 

13 pay to each individual to whom this section applies a lump14 sum payment. Subject to subsection (e), such lump-sum 

15 payment shall be equal to— 

16 (1)(A) the total amount of basic pay that would 

17 have been paid to the individual, for service per18 formed during the period beginning on the effective 

19 date of the pay increase for 2006 and ending on the 

20 day before the effective date of the pay adjustment 

21 under subsection (c) (or, if earlier, the date on which 

22 the individual retires or otherwise ceases to be em23 ployed by the Government Accountability Office), if 

24 such individual had received both a 2.6 percent pay 
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1 increase for 2006 and a 2.4 percent pay increase for 

2 2007, minus 

3 (B) the total amount of basic pay that was in 

4 fact paid to the individual for service performed dur5 ing the period described in subparagraph (A); and 

6 (2) increased by 4 percent of the amount cal7 culated under paragraph (1). 

8 Eligibility for a lump-sum payment under this subsection 

9 shall be determined solely on the basis of whether an indi10 vidual satisfies the requirements of subsection (a) (to be con11 sidered an individual to whom this section applies), and 

12 without regard to such individual’s employment status as 

13 of any date following the date of the enactment of this Act 

14 or any other factor. 

15 (e) CONDITIONS.—Nothing in subsection (c) or (d) 

16 shall be considered to permit or require— 

17 (1) the payment of any rate (or portion of the 

18 lump-sum amount as calculated under subsection 

19 (d)(1) based on a rate) for any pay period, to the ex20 tent that such rate would be (or would have been) in21 consistent with the limitation that applies (or that 

22 applied) with respect to such pay period under sec23 tion 732(c)(2) of title 31, United States Code; or 
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1 (2) the payment of any rate or amount based on 

2 the pay increase for 2006 or 2007 (as the case may 

3 be), if— 

4 (A) the performance of the officer or em5 ployee involved was not at a satisfactory level, as 

6 determined by the Comptroller General under 

7 paragraph (3) of section 732(c) of such title 31 

8 for purposes of the adjustment under such para9 graph for that year; or 

10 (B) the individual involved was not an offi11 cer or employee of the Government Account12 ability Office on the date as of which that in13 crease took effect. 

14 As used in paragraph (2)(A), the term ‘‘satisfactory’’ in15 cludes a rating of ‘‘meets expectations’’ (within the meaning 

16 of the performance appraisal system used for purposes of 

17 the adjustment under section 732(c)(3) of such title 31 for 

18 the year involved). 

19 (f) RETIREMENT.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—The portion of the lump-sum 

21 payment paid under subsection (d) to an officer or 

22 employee as calculated under subsection (d)(1) shall, 

23 for purposes of any determination of the average pay 

24 (as defined by section 8331 or 8401 of title 5, United 

25 States Code) which is used to compute an annuity 
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1 under subchapter III of chapter 83 or chapter 84 of 

2 such title— 

3 (A) be treated as basic pay (as defined by 

4 section 8331 or 8401 of such title); and 

5 (B) be allocated to the biweekly pay periods 

6 covered by subsection (d). 

7 (2) CONTRIBUTIONS TO CIVIL SERVICE RETIRE8 MENT AND DISABILITY RETIREMENT FUND.— 

9 (A) EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS.—The Gov10 ernment Accountability Office shall deduct and 

11 withhold from the lump-sum payment paid to 

12 each employee under subsection (d) an amount 

13 equal to the difference between— 

14 (i) employee contributions that would 

15 have been deducted and withheld from pay 

16 under section 8334 or 8422 of title 5, 

17 United States Code, if the portion of the 

18 lump-sum payment as calculated under 

19 subsection (d)(1) had been additionally paid 

20 as basic pay during the period described 

21 under subsection (d)(1) of this section; and 

22 (ii) employee contributions that were 

23 actually deducted and withheld from pay 

24 under section 8334 or 8422 of title 5, 

25 United States Code, during that period. 
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1 (B) AGENCY CONTRIBUTIONS AND PAYMENT

2 TO THE FUND.—Not later than 9 months after 

3 the Government Accountability Office makes the 

4 lump-sum payments under subsection (d), the 

5 Government Accountability Office shall pay into 

6 the Civil Service Retirement and Disability 

7 Fund— 

8 (i) the amount of each deduction and 

9 withholding under subparagraph (A); and 

10 (ii) an amount for applicable agency 

11 contributions under section 8334 or 8423 of 

12 title 5, United states Code, based on pay13 ments made under clause (i). 

14 (g) EXCLUSIVE REMEDY.—This section constitutes the 

15 exclusive remedy that any individuals to whom this section 

16 applies (as described in subsection (a)) have for any claim 

17 that they are owed any monies denied to them in the form 

18 of a pay increase for 2006 or 2007 under section 732(c)(3) 

19 of title 31, United States Code, or any other law. Notwith20 standing any other provision of law, no court or adminis21 trative body, including the Government Accountability Of22 fice Personnel Appeals Board, shall have jurisdiction to en23 tertain any civil action or other civil proceeding based on 

24 the claim of such individuals that they were due money in 
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1 the form of a pay increase for 2006 or 2007 pursuant to 

2 such section 732(c)(3) or any other law. 

3 SEC. 4. LUMP-SUM PAYMENT FOR CERTAIN PERFORMANCE4 BASED COMPENSATION. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the 

6 date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 

7 shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, pay to 

8 each qualified individual a lump-sum payment equal to the 

9 amount of performance-based compensation such individual 

10 was denied for 2006, as determined under subsection (b). 

11 (b) AMOUNT.—The amount payable to a qualified in12 dividual under this section shall be equal to— 

13 (1) the total amount of performance-based com14 pensation such individual would have earned for 

15 2006 (determined by applying the Government Ac16 countability Office’s performance-based compensation 

17 system under GAO Orders 2540.3 and 2540.4, as in 

18 effect in 2006) if such individual had not had a sal19 ary equal to or greater than the maximum for such 

20 individual’s band (as further described in subsection 

21 (c)(2)), less 

22 (2) the total amount of performance-based com23 pensation such individual was in fact granted, in 

24 January 2006, for that year. 
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1 (c) QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL.—For purposes of this sec2 tion, the term ‘‘qualified individual’’ means an individual 

3 who— 

4 (1) as of the date of the enactment of this Act, 

5 is an officer or employee of the Government Account6 ability Office, excluding— 

7 (A) an individual holding a position subject 

8 to section 732a or 733 of title 31, United States 

9 Code (disregarding section 732a(b) and 733(c) of 

10 such title); 

11 (B) a Federal Wage System employee; and 

12 (C) an individual participating in a devel13 opment program under which such individual 

14 receives performance appraisals, and is eligible 

15 to receive permanent merit pay increases, more 

16 than once a year; and 

17 (2) as of January 22, 2006, was a Band I staff 

18 member with a salary above the Band I cap, a Band 

19 IIA staff member with a salary above the Band IIA 

20 cap, or an administrative professional or support 

21 staff member with a salary above the cap for that in22 dividual’s pay band (determined in accordance with 

23 the orders cited in subsection (b)(1)). 

24 (d) EXCLUSIVE REMEDY.—This section constitutes the 

25 exclusive remedy that any officers and employees (as de-
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1 scribed in subsection (c)) have for any claim that they are 

2 owed any monies denied to them in the form of merit pay 

3 for 2006 under section 731(b) of title 31, United States 

4 Code, or any other law. Notwithstanding any other provi5 sion of law, no court or administrative body in the United 

6 States, including the Government Accountability Office 

7 Personnel Appeals Board, shall have jurisdiction to enter8 tain any civil action or other civil proceeding based on the 

9 claim of such officers or employees that they were due 

10 money in the form of merit pay for 2006 pursuant to such 

11 section 731(b) or any other law. 

12 (e) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section— 

13 (1) the term ‘‘performance-based compensation’’ 

14 has the meaning given such term under the Govern15 ment Accountability Office’s performance-based com16 pensation system under GAO Orders 2540.3 and 

17 2540.4, as in effect in 2006; and 

18 (2) the term ‘‘permanent merit pay increase’’ 

19 means an increase under section 731(b) of title 31, 

20 United States Code, in a rate of basic pay. 

21 SEC. 5. INSPECTOR GENERAL. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 7 is 

23 amended by adding at the end the following: 
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1 ‘‘§ 705. Inspector General for the Government Account2 ability Office 

3 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE.—There is estab4 lished an Office of the Inspector General in the Government 

5 Accountability Office, to— 

6 ‘‘(1) conduct and supervise audits consistent 

7 with generally accepted government auditing stand8 ards and investigations relating to the Government 

9 Accountability Office; 

10 ‘‘(2) provide leadership and coordination and 

11 recommend policies, to promote economy, efficiency, 

12 and effectiveness in the Government Accountability 

13 Office; and 

14 ‘‘(3) keep the Comptroller General and Congress 

15 fully and currently informed concerning fraud and 

16 other serious problems, abuses, and deficiencies relat17 ing to the administration of programs and operations 

18 of the Government Accountability Office. 

19 ‘‘(b) APPOINTMENT, SUPERVISION, AND REMOVAL.— 

20 ‘‘(1) The Office of the Inspector General shall be 

21 headed by an Inspector General, who shall be ap22 pointed by the Comptroller General without regard to 

23 political affiliation and solely on the basis of integ24 rity and demonstrated ability in accounting, audit25 ing, financial analysis, law, management analysis, 

26 public administration, or investigations. The Inspec-
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1 tor General shall report to, and be under the general 

2 supervision of, the Comptroller General. 

3 ‘‘(2) The Inspector General may be removed from 

4 office by the Comptroller General. The Comptroller 

5 General shall, promptly upon such removal, commu6 nicate in writing the reasons for any such removal to 

7 each House of Congress. 

8 ‘‘(3) The Inspector General shall be paid at an 

9 annual rate of pay equal to $5,000 less than the an10 nual rate of pay of the Comptroller General, and may 

11 not receive any cash award or bonus, including any 

12 award under chapter 45 of title 5. 

13 ‘‘(c) AUTHORITY OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.—In addi14 tion to the authority otherwise provided by this section, the 

15 Inspector General, in carrying out the provisions of this 

16 section, may— 

17 ‘‘(1) have access to all records, reports, audits, 

18 reviews, documents, papers, recommendations, or 

19 other material that relate to programs and operations 

20 of the Government Accountability Office; 

21 ‘‘(2) make such investigations and reports relat22 ing to the administration of the programs and oper23 ations of the Government Accountability Office as are, 

24 in the judgment of the Inspector General, necessary or 

25 desirable; 
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1 ‘‘(3) request such documents and information as 

2 may be necessary for carrying out the duties and re3 sponsibilities provided by this section from any Fed4 eral agency; 

5 ‘‘(4) in the performance of the functions assigned 

6 by this section, obtain all information, documents, re7 ports, answers, records, accounts, papers, and other 

8 data and documentary evidence from a person not in 

9 the United States Government or from a Federal 

10 agency, to the same extent and in the same manner 

11 as the Comptroller General under the authority and 

12 procedures available to the Comptroller General in 

13 section 716 of this title; 

14 ‘‘(5) administer to or take from any person an 

15 oath, affirmation, or affidavit, whenever necessary in 

16 the performance of the functions assigned by this sec17 tion, which oath, affirmation, or affidavit when ad18 ministered or taken by or before an employee of the 

19 Office of Inspector General designated by the Inspec20 tor General shall have the same force and effect as if 

21 administered or taken by or before an officer having 

22 a seal; 

23 ‘‘(6) have direct and prompt access to the Comp24 troller General when necessary for any purpose per-
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1 taining to the performance of functions and respon2 sibilities under this section; 

3 ‘‘(7) report expeditiously to the Attorney General 

4 whenever the Inspector General has reasonable 

5 grounds to believe there has been a violation of Fed6 eral criminal law; and 

7 ‘‘(8) provide copies of all reports to the Audit 

8 Advisory Committee of the Government Account9 ability Office and provide such additional informa10 tion in connection with such reports as is requested 

11 by the Committee. 

12 ‘‘(d) COMPLAINTS BY EMPLOYEES.— 

13 ‘‘(1) The Inspector General— 

14 ‘‘(A) subject to subparagraph (B), may re15 ceive, review, and investigate, as the Inspector 

16 General considers appropriate, complaints or in17 formation from an employee of the Government 

18 Accountability Office concerning the possible ex19 istence of an activity constituting a violation of 

20 any law, rule, or regulation, mismanagement, or 

21 a gross waste of funds; and 

22 ‘‘(B) shall refer complaints or information 

23 concerning violations of personnel law, rules, or 

24 regulations to established investigative and adju-
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1 dicative entities of the Government Account2 ability Office. 

3 ‘‘(2) The Inspector General shall not, after re4 ceipt of a complaint or information from an em5 ployee, disclose the identity of the employee without 

6 the consent of the employee, unless the Inspector Gen7 eral determines such disclosure is unavoidable during 

8 the course of the investigation. 

9 ‘‘(3) Any employee who has authority to take, di10 rect others to take, recommend, or approve any per11 sonnel action, shall not, with respect to such author12 ity, take or threaten to take any action against any 

13 employee as a reprisal for making a complaint or dis14 closing information to the Inspector General, unless 

15 the complaint was made or the information disclosed 

16 with the knowledge that it was false or with willful 

17 disregard for its truth or falsity. 

18 ‘‘(e) SEMIANNUAL REPORTS.—(1) The Inspector Gen19 eral shall submit semiannual reports summarizing the ac20 tivities of the Office of the Inspector General to the Comp21 troller General. Such reports shall include, but need not be 

22 limited to— 

23 ‘‘(A) a summary of each significant report made 

24 during the reporting period, including a description 
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1 of significant problems, abuses, and deficiencies dis2 closed by such report; 

3 ‘‘(B) a description of the recommendations for 

4 corrective action made with respect to significant 

5 problems, abuses, or deficiencies described pursuant to 

6 subparagraph (A); 

7 ‘‘(C) a summary of the progress made in imple8 menting such corrective action described pursuant to 

9 subparagraph (B); and 

10 ‘‘(D) information concerning any disagreement 

11 the Comptroller General has with a recommendation 

12 of the Inspector General. 

13 ‘‘(2) The Comptroller General shall transmit the semi14 annual reports of the Inspector General, together with any 

15 comments the Comptroller General considers appropriate, 

16 to Congress within 30 days after receipt of such reports. 

17 ‘‘(f) INDEPENDENCE IN CARRYING OUT DUTIES AND

18 RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Comptroller General may not 

19 prevent or prohibit the Inspector General from carrying out 

20 any of the duties or responsibilities of the Inspector General 

21 under this section. 

22 ‘‘(g) AUTHORITY FOR STAFF.— 

23 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Inspector General shall 

24 select, appoint, and employ (including fixing and ad25 justing the rates of pay of) such personnel as may be 
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1 necessary to carry out this section consistent with the 

2 provisions of this title governing selections, appoint3 ments, and employment (including the fixing and ad4 justing the rates of pay) in the Government Account5 ability Office. Such personnel shall be appointed, pro6 moted, and assigned only on the basis of merit and 

7 fitness, but without regard to those provisions of title 

8 5 governing appointments and other personnel actions 

9 in the competitive service, except that no personnel of 

10 the Office may be paid at an annual rate greater 

11 than $1,000 less than the annual rate of pay of the 

12 Inspector General. 

13 ‘‘(2) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Inspec14 tor General may procure temporary and intermittent 

15 services under section 3109 of title 5 at rates not to 

16 exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic 

17 pay for level IV of the Executive Schedule under sec18 tion 5315 of such title. 

19 ‘‘(3) INDEPENDENCE IN APPOINTING STAFF.—No 

20 individual may carry out any of the duties or respon21 sibilities of the Office of the Inspector General unless 

22 the individual is appointed by the Inspector General, 

23 or provides services obtained by the Inspector General, 

24 pursuant to this paragraph. 
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1 ‘‘(4) LIMITATION ON PROGRAM RESPONSIBIL2 ITIES.—The Inspector General and any individual 

3 carrying out any of the duties or responsibilities of 

4 the Office of the Inspector General are prohibited from 

5 performing any program responsibilities. 

6 ‘‘(h) OFFICE SPACE.—The Comptroller General shall 

7 provide the Office of the Inspector General— 

8 ‘‘(1) appropriate and adequate office space; 

9 ‘‘(2) such equipment, office supplies, and com10 munications facilities and services as may be nec11 essary for the operation of the Office of the Inspector 

12 General; 

13 ‘‘(3) necessary maintenance services for such of14 fice space, equipment, office supplies, and commu15 nications facilities; and 

16 ‘‘(4) equipment and facilities located in such of17 fice space. 

18 ‘‘(i) DEFINITION.—As used in this section, the term 

19 ‘Federal agency’ means a department, agency, instrumen20 tality, or unit thereof, of the Federal Government.’’. 

21 (b) INCUMBENT.—The individual who serves in the po22 sition of Inspector General of the Government Account23 ability Office on the date of the enactment of this Act shall 

24 continue to serve in such position subject to removal in ac25 cordance with the amendments made by this section. 
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1 (c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections for 

2 chapter 7 is amended by inserting after the item relating 

3 to section 704 the following: 

‘‘705. Inspector General for the Government Accountability Office.’’. 

4 SEC. 6. REIMBURSEMENT OF AUDIT COSTS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3521 is amended by adding 

6 at the end the following: 

7 ‘‘(i)(1) If the Government Accountability Office audits 

8 any financial statement or related schedule which is pre9 pared under section 3515 by an executive agency (or compo10 nent thereof) for a fiscal year beginning on or after October 

11 1, 2009, such executive agency (or component) shall reim12 burse the Government Accountability Office for the cost of 

13 such audit, if the Government Accountability Office audited 

14 the statement or schedule of such executive agency (or com15 ponent) for fiscal year 2007. 

16 ‘‘(2) Any executive agency (or component thereof) that 

17 prepares a financial statement under section 3515 for a fis18 cal year beginning on or after October 1, 2009, and that 

19 requests, with the concurrence of the Inspector General of 

20 such agency, the Government Accountability Office to con21 duct the audit of such statement or any related schedule 

22 required by section 3521 may reimburse the Government 

23 Accountability Office for the cost of such audit. 

24 ‘‘(3) For the audits conducted under paragraphs (1) 

25 and (2), the Government Accountability Office shall consult 
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1 prior to the initiation of the audit with the relevant execu2 tive agency (or component) and the Inspector General of 

3 such agency on the scope, terms, and cost of such audit. 

4 ‘‘(4) Any reimbursement under paragraph (1) or (2) 

5 shall be deposited to a special account in the Treasury and 

6 shall be available to the Government Accountability Office 

7 for such purposes and in such amounts as are specified in 

8 annual appropriations Acts.’’. 

9 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1401 of title 

10 I of Public Law 108–83 (31 U.S.C. 3523 note) is repealed, 

11 effective October 1, 2010. 

12 SEC. 7. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS. 

13 Section 109(13)(B) of the Ethics in Government Act 

14 of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended— 

15 (1) in clause (i), by inserting ‘‘(except any offi16 cer or employee of the Government Accountability Of17 fice)’’ after ‘‘legislative branch’’, and by striking 

18 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

19 (2) by redesignating clause (ii) as clause (iii); 

20 and 

21 (3) by inserting after clause (i) the following: 

22 ‘‘(ii) each officer or employee of the Govern23 ment Accountability Office who, for at least 60 

24 consecutive days, occupies a position for which 

25 the rate of basic pay, minus the amount of local-
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1 ity pay that would have been authorized under 

2 section 5304 of title 5, United States Code (had 

3 the officer or employee been paid under the Gen4 eral Schedule) for the locality within which the 

5 position of such officer or employee is located (as 

6 determined by the Comptroller General), is equal 

7 to or greater than 120 percent of the minimum 

8 rate of basic pay payable for GS–15 of the Gen9 eral Schedule; and’’. 

10 SEC. 8. HIGHEST BASIC PAY RATE. 

11 Section 732(c)(2) is amended by striking ‘‘highest 

12 basic rate for GS–15;’’ and inserting ‘‘rate for level III of 

13 the Executive Level, except that the total amount of cash 

14 compensation in any year shall be subject to the limitations 

15 provided under section 5307(a)(1) of title 5;’’. 

16 SEC. 9. ADDITIONAL AUTHORITIES. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 731 is amended— 

18 (1) by repealing subsection (d); 

19 (2) in subsection (e)— 

20 (A) in the matter before paragraph (1), by 

21 striking ‘‘maximum daily rate for GS–18 under 

22 section 5332 of such title’’ and inserting ‘‘daily 

23 rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule’’; and 

24 (B) by striking ‘‘more than—’’ and all that 

25 follows and inserting the following: ‘‘more than 
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1 20 experts and consultants may be procured for 

2 terms of not more than 3 years, but which shall 

3 be renewable.’’; and 

4 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

5 ‘‘(j) Funds appropriated to the Government Account6 ability Office for salaries and expenses are available for 

7 meals and other related reasonable expenses incurred in 

8 connection with recruitment.’’. 

9 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(1) Section 732a(b) 

10 is amended by striking ‘‘section 731(d), (e)(1), or (e)(2)’’ 

11 and inserting ‘‘paragraph (1) or (2) of section 731(e)’’. 

12 (2) Section 733(c) is amended by striking ‘‘(d),’’. 

13 (3) Section 735(a) is amended by striking ‘‘731(c)– 

14 (e),’’ and inserting ‘‘731(c) and (e),’’. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 
110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H.R. 5683 

AMENDMENT