H. R. 5683 

One Hundred Tenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and eight 

An Act 

To make certain reforms with respect to the Government Accountability Office, 

and for other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

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

Accountability Office Act of 2008’’. 

(b) REFERENCES.—Except as otherwise expressly provided, 

whenever in this Act an amendment is expressed in terms of an 

amendment to a section or other provision, the reference shall 

be considered to be made to a section or other provision of title 

31, United States Code. 

(c) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 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. 

SEC. 2. PROVISIONS RELATING TO FUTURE ANNUAL PAY ADJUSTMENTS. 

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

end the following: 

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

‘‘(A) the term ‘pay increase’, as used with respect to an 

officer or employee in connection with a year, means the total 

increase in the rate of basic pay (expressed as a percentage) 

of such officer or employee, taking effect under section 731(b) 

and subsection (c)(3) in such year; 

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

respect to an officer or employee in connection with a year, 

means the percentage equal to the total increase in rates of 

basic pay (expressed as a percentage) taking effect under sections 5303 and 5304–5304a of title 5 in such year with respect 

to General Schedule positions within the pay locality (as defined 

by section 5302(5) of title 5) in which the position of such 

officer or employee is located; 

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

respect to a pay increase, means any individual— 
H. R. 5683—2 

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

Accountability Office, other than an officer or employee 

described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of section 4(c)(1) 

of the Government Accountability Office Act of 2008, determined as of the effective date of such pay increase; and 

‘‘(ii) whose performance is at least at a satisfactory 

level, as determined by the Comptroller General under 

the provisions of subsection (c)(3) for purposes of the adjustment taking effect under such provisions in such year; 

and 

‘‘(D) the term ‘nonpermanent merit pay’ means any amount 

payable under section 731(b) which does not constitute basic 

pay. 

‘‘(2)(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, 

if (disregarding this subsection) the pay increase that would otherwise take effect with respect to a covered officer or employee in 

a year would be less than the required minimum percentage for 

such officer or employee in such year, the Comptroller General 

shall provide for a further increase in the rate of basic pay of 

such officer or employee. 

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

‘‘(i) shall be equal to the amount necessary to make up 

for the shortfall described in subparagraph (A); and 

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

otherwise taking effect in such year. 

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

or require that a rate of basic pay be increased to an amount 

inconsistent with the limitation set forth in subsection (c)(2). 

‘‘(D) If (disregarding this subsection) the covered officer or 

employee would also have received any nonpermanent merit pay 

in such year, such nonpermanent merit pay shall be decreased 

by an amount equal to the portion of such officer’s or employee’s 

basic pay for such year which is attributable to the further increase 

described in subparagraph (A) (as determined by the Comptroller 

General), but to not less than zero. 

‘‘(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the 

effective date of any pay increase (within the meaning of paragraph 

(1)(A)) taking effect with respect to a covered officer or employee 

in any year shall be the same as the effective date of any adjustment 

taking effect under section 5303 of title 5 with respect to statutory 

pay systems (as defined by section 5302(1) of title 5) in such 

year.’’. 

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

shall apply with respect to any pay increase (as defined by such 

amendment) taking effect on or after the date of the enactment 

of this Act. 

SEC. 3. PAY ADJUSTMENT RELATING TO CERTAIN PREVIOUS YEARS. 

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

individual who, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, is 

an officer or employee of the Government Accountability Office, 

excluding— 

(1) an officer or employee described in subparagraph (A), 

(B), or (C) of section 4(c)(1); and 

(2) an officer or employee who received both a 2.6 percent 

pay increase in January 2006 and a 2.4 percent pay increase 

in February 2007. 
H. R. 5683—3 

(b) PAY INCREASE DEFINED.—For purposes of this section, the 

term ‘‘pay increase’’, as used with respect to an officer or employee 

in connection with a year, means the total increase in the rate 

of basic pay (expressed as a percentage) of such officer or employee, 

taking effect under sections 731(b) and 732(c)(3) of title 31, United 

States Code, in such year. 

(c) PROSPECTIVE EFFECT.—Effective with respect to pay for 

service performed in any pay period beginning after the end of 

the 6-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of 

this Act (or such earlier date as the Comptroller General may 

specify), the rate of basic pay for each individual to whom this 

section applies shall be determined as if such individual had 

received both a 2.6 percent pay increase for 2006 and a 2.4 percent 

pay increase for 2007, subject to subsection (e). 

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

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

subject to the availability of appropriations, pay to each individual 

to whom this section applies a lump-sum payment. Subject to subsection (e), such lump-sum payment shall be equal to— 

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

paid to the individual, for service performed during the period 

beginning on the effective date of the pay increase for 2006 

and ending on the day before the effective date of the pay 

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

which the individual retires or otherwise ceases to be employed 

by the Government Accountability Office), if such individual 

had received both a 2.6 percent pay increase for 2006 and 

a 2.4 percent pay increase for 2007, minus 

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

to the individual for service performed during the period 

described in subparagraph (A); and 

(2) increased by 4 percent of the amount calculated under 

paragraph (1). 

Eligibility for a lump-sum payment under this subsection shall 

be determined solely on the basis of whether an individual satisfies 

the requirements of subsection (a) (to be considered an individual 

to whom this section applies), and without regard to such individual’s employment status as of any date following the date of the 

enactment of this Act or any other factor. 

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

considered to permit or require— 

(1) the payment of any rate (or portion of the lump-sum 

amount as calculated under subsection (d)(1) based on a rate) 

for any pay period, to the extent that such rate would be 

(or would have been) inconsistent with the limitation that 

applies (or that applied) with respect to such pay period under 

section 732(c)(2) of title 31, United States Code; or 

(2) the payment of any rate or amount based on the pay 

increase for 2006 or 2007 (as the case may be), if— 

(A) the performance of the officer or employee involved 

was not at a satisfactory level, as determined by the Comptroller General under paragraph (3) of section 732(c) of 

such title 31 for purposes of the adjustment under such 

paragraph for that year; or 

(B) the individual involved was not an officer or 

employee of the Government Accountability Office on the 

date as of which that increase took effect. 
H. R. 5683—4 

As used in paragraph (2)(A), the term ‘‘satisfactory’’ includes a 

rating of ‘‘meets expectations’’ (within the meaning of the performance appraisal system used for purposes of the adjustment under 

section 732(c)(3) of such title 31 for the year involved). 

(f) RETIREMENT.— 

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

paid under subsection (d) to an officer or employee as calculated 

under subsection (d)(1) shall, for purposes of any determination 

of the average pay (as defined by section 8331 or 8401 of 

title 5, United States Code) which is used to compute an annuity 

under subchapter III of chapter 83 or chapter 84 of such title— 

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

8331 or 8401 of such title); and 

(B) be allocated to the biweekly pay periods covered 

by subsection (d). 

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

(A) EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS.—The Government 

Accountability Office shall deduct and withhold from the 

lump-sum payment paid to each employee under subsection 

(d) an amount equal to the difference between— 

(i) employee contributions that would have been 

deducted and withheld from pay under section 8334 

or 8422 of title 5, United States Code, if the portion 

of the lump-sum payment as calculated under subsection (d)(1) had been additionally paid as basic pay 

during the period described under subsection (d)(1) 

of this section; and 

(ii) employee contributions that were actually 

deducted and withheld from pay under section 8334 

or 8422 of title 5, United States Code, during that 

period. 

(B) AGENCY CONTRIBUTIONS AND PAYMENT TO THE

FUND.—Not later than 9 months after the Government 

Accountability Office makes the lump-sum payments under 

subsection (d), the Government Accountability Office shall 

pay into the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund— 

(i) the amount of each deduction and withholding 

under subparagraph (A); and 

(ii) an amount for applicable agency contributions 

under section 8334 or 8423 of title 5, United states 

Code, based on payments made under clause (i). 

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

remedy that any individuals to whom this section applies (as 

described in subsection (a)) have for any claim that they are owed 

any monies denied to them in the form of a pay increase for 

2006 or 2007 under section 732(c)(3) of title 31, United States 

Code, or any other law. Notwithstanding any other provision of 

law, no court or administrative body, including the Government 

Accountability Office Personnel Appeals Board, shall have jurisdiction to entertain any civil action or other civil proceeding based 

on the claim of such individuals that they were due money in 

the form of a pay increase for 2006 or 2007 pursuant to such 

section 732(c)(3) or any other law. 
H. R. 5683—5 

SEC. 4. LUMP-SUM PAYMENT FOR CERTAIN PERFORMANCE-BASED 

COMPENSATION. 

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

the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall, subject 

to the availability of appropriations, pay to each qualified individual 

a lump-sum payment equal to the amount of performance-based 

compensation such individual was denied for 2006, as determined 

under subsection (b). 

(b) AMOUNT.—The amount payable to a qualified individual 

under this section shall be equal to— 

(1) the total amount of performance-based compensation 

such individual would have earned for 2006 (determined by 

applying the Government Accountability Office’s performancebased compensation system under GAO Orders 2540.3 and 

2540.4, as in effect in 2006) if such individual had not had 

a salary equal to or greater than the maximum for such individual’s band (as further described in subsection (c)(2)), less 

(2) the total amount of performance-based compensation 

such individual was in fact granted, in January 2006, for that 

year. 

(c) QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL.—For purposes of this section, the 

term ‘‘qualified individual’’ means an individual who— 

(1) as of the date of the enactment of this Act, is an 

officer or employee of the Government Accountability Office, 

excluding— 

(A) an individual holding a position subject to section 

732a or 733 of title 31, United States Code (disregarding 

section 732a(b) and 733(c) of such title); 

(B) a Federal Wage System employee; and 

(C) an individual participating in a development program under which such individual receives performance 

appraisals, and is eligible to receive permanent merit pay 

increases, more than once a year; and 

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

with a salary above the Band I cap, a Band IIA staff member 

with a salary above the Band IIA cap, or an administrative 

professional or support staff member with a salary above the 

cap for that individual’s pay band (determined in accordance 

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

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

remedy that any officers and employees (as described in subsection 

(c)) have for any claim that they are owed any monies denied 

to them in the form of merit pay for 2006 under section 731(b) 

of title 31, United States Code, or any other law. Notwithstanding 

any other provision of law, no court or administrative body in 

the United States, including the Government Accountability Office 

Personnel Appeals Board, shall have jurisdiction to entertain any 

civil action or other civil proceeding based on the claim of such 

officers or employees that they were due money in the form of 

merit pay for 2006 pursuant to such section 731(b) or any other 

law. 

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

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

meaning given such term under the Government Accountability 

Office’s performance-based compensation system under GAO 

Orders 2540.3 and 2540.4, as in effect in 2006; and 
H. R. 5683—6 

(2) the term ‘‘permanent merit pay increase’’ means an 

increase under section 731(b) of title 31, United States Code, 

in a rate of basic pay. 

SEC. 5. INSPECTOR GENERAL. 

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

adding at the end the following: 

‘‘§ 705. Inspector General for the Government Accountability 

Office 

‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE.—There is established an Office 

of the Inspector General in the Government Accountability Office, 

to— 

‘‘(1) conduct and supervise audits consistent with generally 

accepted government auditing standards and investigations 

relating to the Government Accountability Office; 

‘‘(2) provide leadership and coordination and recommend 

policies, to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in 

the Government Accountability Office; and 

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

currently informed concerning fraud and other serious problems, abuses, and deficiencies relating to the administration 

of programs and operations of the Government Accountability 

Office. 

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

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

by an Inspector General, who shall be appointed by the Comptroller General without regard to political affiliation and solely 

on the basis of integrity and demonstrated ability in accounting, 

auditing, financial analysis, law, management analysis, public 

administration, or investigations. The Inspector General shall 

report to, and be under the general supervision of, the Comptroller General. 

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

by the Comptroller General. The Comptroller General shall, 

promptly upon such removal, communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal to each House of Congress. 

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

rate of pay equal to $5,000 less than the annual rate of pay 

of the Comptroller General, and may not receive any cash 

award or bonus, including any award under chapter 45 of 

title 5. 

‘‘(c) AUTHORITY OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.—In addition to the 

authority otherwise provided by this section, the Inspector General, 

in carrying out the provisions of this section, may— 

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

documents, papers, recommendations, or other material that 

relate to programs and operations of the Government Accountability Office; 

‘‘(2) make such investigations and reports relating to the 

administration of the programs and operations of the Government Accountability Office as are, in the judgment of the 

Inspector General, necessary or desirable; 

‘‘(3) request such documents and information as may be 

necessary for carrying out the duties and responsibilities provided by this section from any Federal agency; 
H. R. 5683—7 

‘‘(4) in the performance of the functions assigned by this 

section, obtain all information, documents, reports, answers, 

records, accounts, papers, and other data and documentary 

evidence from a person not in the United States Government 

or from a Federal agency, to the same extent and in the 

same manner as the Comptroller General under the authority 

and procedures available to the Comptroller General in section 

716 of this title; 

‘‘(5) administer to or take from any person an oath, affirmation, or affidavit, whenever necessary in the performance of 

the functions assigned by this section, which oath, affirmation, 

or affidavit when administered or taken by or before an 

employee of the Office of Inspector General designated by the 

Inspector General shall have the same force and effect as 

if administered or taken by or before an officer having a seal; 

‘‘(6) have direct and prompt access to the Comptroller General when necessary for any purpose pertaining to the performance of functions and responsibilities under this section; 

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

the Inspector General has reasonable grounds to believe there 

has been a violation of Federal criminal law; and 

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

Committee of the Government Accountability Office and provide 

such additional information in connection with such reports 

as is requested by the Committee. 

‘‘(d) COMPLAINTS BY EMPLOYEES.— 

‘‘(1) The Inspector General— 

‘‘(A) subject to subparagraph (B), may receive, review, 

and investigate, as the Inspector General considers appropriate, complaints or information from an employee of the 

Government Accountability Office concerning the possible 

existence of an activity constituting a violation of any law, 

rule, or regulation, mismanagement, or a gross waste of 

funds; and 

‘‘(B) shall refer complaints or information concerning 

violations of personnel law, rules, or regulations to established investigative and adjudicative entities of the Government Accountability Office. 

‘‘(2) The Inspector General shall not, after receipt of a 

complaint or information from an employee, disclose the 

identity of the employee without the consent of the employee, 

unless the Inspector General determines such disclosure is 

unavoidable during the course of the investigation. 

‘‘(3) Any employee who has authority to take, direct others 

to take, recommend, or approve any personnel action, shall 

not, with respect to such authority, take or threaten to take 

any action against any employee as a reprisal for making 

a complaint or disclosing information to the Inspector General, 

unless the complaint was made or the information disclosed 

with the knowledge that it was false or with willful disregard 

for its truth or falsity. 

‘‘(e) SEMIANNUAL REPORTS.—(1) The Inspector General shall 

submit semiannual reports summarizing the activities of the Office 

of the Inspector General to the Comptroller General. Such reports 

shall include, but need not be limited to— 
H. R. 5683—8 

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

the reporting period, including a description of significant problems, abuses, and deficiencies disclosed by such report; 

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

action made with respect to significant problems, abuses, or 

deficiencies described pursuant to subparagraph (A); 

‘‘(C) a summary of the progress made in implementing 

such corrective action described pursuant to subparagraph (B); 

and 

‘‘(D) information concerning any disagreement the Comptroller General has with a recommendation of the Inspector 

General. 

‘‘(2) The Comptroller General shall transmit the semiannual 

reports of the Inspector General, together with any comments the 

Comptroller General considers appropriate, to Congress within 30 

days after receipt of such reports. 

‘‘(f) INDEPENDENCE IN CARRYING OUT DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Comptroller General may not prevent or prohibit the 

Inspector General from carrying out any of the duties or responsibilities of the Inspector General under this section. 

‘‘(g) AUTHORITY FOR STAFF.— 

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

appoint, and employ (including fixing and adjusting the rates 

of pay of) such personnel as may be necessary to carry out 

this section consistent with the provisions of this title governing 

selections, appointments, and employment (including the fixing 

and adjusting the rates of pay) in the Government Accountability Office. Such personnel shall be appointed, promoted, 

and assigned only on the basis of merit and fitness, but without 

regard to those provisions of title 5 governing appointments 

and other personnel actions in the competitive service, except 

that no personnel of the Office may be paid at an annual 

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

of the Inspector General. 

‘‘(2) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Inspector General 

may procure temporary and intermittent services under section 

3109 of title 5 at rates not to exceed the daily equivalent 

of the annual rate of basic pay for level IV of the Executive 

Schedule under section 5315 of such title. 

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

may carry out any of the duties or responsibilities of the Office 

of the Inspector General unless the individual is appointed 

by the Inspector General, or provides services obtained by the 

Inspector General, pursuant to this paragraph. 

‘‘(4) LIMITATION ON PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES.—The 

Inspector General and any individual carrying out any of the 

duties or responsibilities of the Office of the Inspector General 

are prohibited from performing any program responsibilities. 

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

the Office of the Inspector General— 

‘‘(1) appropriate and adequate office space; 

‘‘(2) such equipment, office supplies, and communications 

facilities and services as may be necessary for the operation 

of the Office of the Inspector General; 

‘‘(3) necessary maintenance services for such office space, 

equipment, office supplies, and communications facilities; and 

‘‘(4) equipment and facilities located in such office space. 
H. R. 5683—9 

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

agency’ means a department, agency, instrumentality, or unit 

thereof, of the Federal Government.’’. 

(b) INCUMBENT.—The individual who serves in the position 

of Inspector General of the Government Accountability Office on 

the date of the enactment of this Act shall continue to serve in 

such position subject to removal in accordance with the amendments 

made by this section. 

(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections for chapter 

7 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 704 

the following: 

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

SEC. 6. REIMBURSEMENT OF AUDIT COSTS. 

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

end the following: 

‘‘(i)(1) If the Government Accountability Office audits any financial statement or related schedule which is prepared under section 

3515 by an executive agency (or component thereof) for a fiscal 

year beginning on or after October 1, 2009, such executive agency 

(or component) shall reimburse the Government Accountability 

Office for the cost of such audit, if the Government Accountability 

Office audited the statement or schedule of such executive agency 

(or component) for fiscal year 2007. 

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

a financial statement under section 3515 for a fiscal year beginning 

on or after October 1, 2009, and that requests, with the concurrence 

of the Inspector General of such agency, the Government Accountability Office to conduct the audit of such statement or any related 

schedule required by section 3521 may reimburse the Government 

Accountability Office for the cost of such audit. 

‘‘(3) For the audits conducted under paragraphs (1) and (2), 

the Government Accountability Office shall consult prior to the 

initiation of the audit with the relevant executive agency (or component) and the Inspector General of such agency on the scope, 

terms, and cost of such audit. 

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

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

to the Government Accountability Office for such purposes and 

in such amounts as are specified in annual appropriations Acts.’’. 

(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1401 of title I of Public 

Law 108–83 (31 U.S.C. 3523 note) is repealed, effective October 

1, 2010. 

SEC. 7. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS. 

Section 109(13)(B) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 

(5 U.S.C. App.) is amended— 

(1) in clause (i), by inserting ‘‘(except any officer or 

employee of the Government Accountability Office)’’ after ‘‘legislative branch’’, and by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

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

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

‘‘(ii) each officer or employee of the Government 

Accountability Office who, for at least 60 consecutive days, 

occupies a position for which the rate of basic pay, minus 

the amount of locality pay that would have been authorized 

under section 5304 of title 5, United States Code (had 
H. R. 5683—10 

the officer or employee been paid under the General 

Schedule) for the locality within which the position of such 

officer or employee is located (as determined by the Comptroller General), is equal to or greater than 120 percent 

of the minimum rate of basic pay payable for GS–15 of 

the General Schedule; and’’. 

SEC. 8. HIGHEST BASIC PAY RATE. 

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

for GS–15;’’ and inserting ‘‘rate for level III of the Executive Level, 

except that the total amount of cash compensation in any year 

shall be subject to the limitations provided under section 5307(a)(1) 

of title 5;’’. 

SEC. 9. ADDITIONAL AUTHORITIES. 

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

(1) by repealing subsection (d); 

(2) in subsection (e)— 

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

‘‘maximum daily rate for GS–18 under section 5332 of 

such title’’ and inserting ‘‘daily rate for level IV of the 

Executive Schedule’’; and 

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

and inserting the following: ‘‘more than 20 experts and 

consultants may be procured for terms of not more than 

3 years, but which shall be renewable.’’; and 

(3) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(j) Funds appropriated to the Government Accountability Office 

for salaries and expenses are available for meals and other related 

reasonable expenses incurred in connection with recruitment.’’. 

(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(1) Section 732a(b) is amended 

by striking ‘‘section 731(d), (e)(1), or (e)(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph 

(1) or (2) of section 731(e)’’. 

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

(3) Section 735(a) is amended by striking ‘‘731(c)–(e),’’ and 

inserting ‘‘731(c) and (e),’’. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.