I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 530 

To establish the Independent Government Waste Reduction Board. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 6, 2013 

Mrs. BUSTOS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 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 establish the Independent Government Waste Reduction 

Board. 

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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

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

5 ‘‘Government Waste Reduction Act of 2013’’. 

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

7 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. Establishment of Board. 

Sec. 3. Duties of the Board. 

Sec. 4. Powers of the Board. 

Sec. 5. Board personnel matters. 


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Sec. 6. Congressional consideration of Board recommendations. 

Sec. 7. Termination of the Board. 

1 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF BOARD. 

2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established the Inde3 pendent Government Waste Reduction Board (hereafter in 

4 this Act referred to as the ‘‘Board’’). 

5 (b) MEMBERSHIP.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.— 

7 (A) APPOINTMENT.—The Board shall be 

8 composed of 15 members appointed by the 

9 President, by and with the advice and consent 

10 of Congress. 

11 (B) QUALIFICATIONS.—The members of 

12 the Board shall include individuals with na13 tional recognition for their expertise in agen14 cies, efficiency, waste reduction, finance and ec15 onomics, actuarial sciences, who provide a mix 

16 of different professionals, broad geographic rep17 resentation, and a balance between urban and 

18 rural representatives. 

19 (C) ETHICAL DISCLOSURE.—The President 

20 shall establish a system for public disclosure by 

21 members of the Board of financial and other 

22 potential conflicts of interest relating to such 

23 members. Members of the Board shall be treat24 ed as officers in the executive branch for purVerDate Mar 15 2010 03:23 Feb 15, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H530.IH H530

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1 poses of applying title I of the Ethics in Gov2 ernment Act of 1978 (Public Law 95–521). 

3 (D) CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.—No indi4 vidual may serve as a member of the Board if 

5 that individual engages in any other business, 

6 vocation, or employment. 

7 (E) CONSULTATION WITH CONGRESS.—In 

8 selecting individuals for nominations for ap9 pointments to the Board, the President shall 

10 consult with— 

11 (i) the majority leader of the Senate 

12 concerning the appointment of 3 members; 

13 (ii) the Speaker of the House of Rep14 resentatives concerning the appointment of 

15 3 members; 

16 (iii) the minority leader of the Senate 

17 concerning the appointment of 3 members; 

18 and 

19 (iv) the minority leader of the House 

20 of Representatives concerning the appoint21 ment of 3 members. 

22 (2) TERM OF OFFICE.—Each member shall 

23 hold office for the duration of the Board. 

24 (3) CHAIRPERSON.— 


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1 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Chairperson shall 

2 be appointed by the President, by and with the 

3 advice and consent of the Senate, from among 

4 the members of the Board. 

5 (B) DUTIES.—The Chairperson shall be 

6 the principal executive officer of the Board, and 

7 shall exercise all of the executive and adminis8 trative functions of the Board, including func9 tions of the Board with respect to— 

10 (i) the appointment and supervision of 

11 personnel employed by the Board; 

12 (ii) the distribution of business among 

13 personnel appointed and supervised by the 

14 Chairperson and among administrative 

15 units of the Board; and 

16 (iii) the use and expenditure of funds. 

17 (C) GOVERNANCE.—In carrying out any of 

18 the functions under subparagraph (B), the 

19 Chairperson shall be governed by the general 

20 policies established by the Board and by the de21 cisions, findings, and determinations the Board 

22 shall by law be authorized to make. 

23 (D) REQUESTS FOR APPROPRIATIONS.— 

24 Requests or estimates for regular, supple25 mental, or deficiency appropriations on behalf 


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1 of the Board may not be submitted by the 

2 Chairperson without the prior approval of a ma3 jority vote of the Board. 

4 (4) REMOVAL.—Any member may be removed 

5 by the President for neglect of duty or malfeasance 

6 in office, but for no other cause. 

7 (c) VACANCIES; QUORUM; SEAL; VICE CHAIRPERSON; 

8 VOTING ON REPORTS.— 

9 (1) VACANCIES.—No vacancy on the Board 

10 shall impair the right of the remaining members to 

11 exercise all the powers of the Board. 

12 (2) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of 

13 the Board shall constitute a quorum for the trans14 action of business, but a lesser number of members 

15 may hold hearings. 

16 (3) SEAL.—The Board shall have an official 

17 seal, of which judicial notice shall be taken. 

18 (4) VICE CHAIRPERSON.—The Board shall elect 

19 a Vice Chairperson to act in the absence or disability 

20 of the Chairperson or in case of a vacancy in the of21 fice of the Chairperson. 

22 (5) VOTING ON PROPOSALS.—Any proposal of 

23 the Board must be approved by the majority of 

24 members present. 


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1 SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE BOARD. 

2 (a) SUBMISSION OF REPORT.—Not later than one 

3 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Board 

4 shall submit to Congress and the President a report that 

5 advises specific implementation of the recommendations 

6 from the March 2011 Government Accountability Office 

7 report to Congress, entitled ‘‘Opportunities to Reduce Po8 tential Duplication in Government Programs, Save Tax 

9 Dollars, and Enhance Revenue’’ (GAO–11–318SP) and 

10 the February 2012 Government Accountability Office re11 port to Congress, entitled ‘‘Opportunities to Reduce Dupli12 cation, Overlap and Fragmentation, Achieve Savings, and 

13 Enhance Revenue’’ (GAO–12–342SP) and shall include— 

14 (1) a summary of the recommendations; 

15 (2) an explanation of each recommendation con16 tained in the report and the reasons for including 

17 such recommendation; 

18 (3) an opinion by the Government Account19 ability Office on whether each recommendation is 

20 consistent with the intent of such Government Ac21 countability Office reports; 

22 (4) a legislative proposal that implements the 

23 recommendations; and 

24 (5) other information determined appropriate 

25 by the Board. 

26 (b) RECOMMENDATIONS REQUIREMENTS.— 


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1 (1) REQUIREMENTS.—Each recommendation in 

2 the report submitted under subsection (a)— 

3 (A) shall result in a decrease of overall 

4 Government spending or an increase of Govern5 ment revenue; and 

6 (B) shall not result in— 

7 (i) any cut in benefits for veterans, 

8 members of the Armed Forces, or their 

9 families; or 

10 (ii) any cut in benefits for seniors, in11 cluding— 

12 (I) the elimination of guaranteed 

13 health insurance benefits for seniors 

14 or people with disabilities; 

15 (II) the conversion of Medicare 

16 into a voucher plan that provides lim17 ited payments to seniors or people 

18 with disabilities to purchase health 

19 care in the private health insurance 

20 market; 

21 (III) cuts in Medicaid health in22 surance benefits; 

23 (IV) cuts in nursing home care; 

24 or 


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1 (V) privatization of Social Secu2 rity benefits. 

3 (2) CONSULTATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES.— 

4 The Board shall consult regularly with the Govern5 ment Accountability Office and other agencies in 

6 making the recommendations required under this 

7 section. 

8 SEC. 4. POWERS OF THE BOARD. 

9 (a) HEARINGS.—The Board may hold such hearings, 

10 sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, 

11 and receive such evidence as the Board considers advisable 

12 to carry out this Act. 

13 (b) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Board may 

14 secure directly from any department or agency informa15 tion necessary to enable it to carry out this section. Upon 

16 request of the Chairperson, the head of that department 

17 or agency shall furnish that information to the Board on 

18 an agreed upon schedule. 

19 (c) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Board may use the 

20 United States mails in the same manner and under the 

21 same conditions as other agencies of the Federal Govern22 ment. 

23 (d) GIFTS.—The Board may accept, use, and dispose 

24 of gifts or donations of services or property. 


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1 (e) OFFICES.—The Board shall maintain a principal 

2 office and such field offices as it determines necessary, and 

3 may meet and exercise any of its powers at any other 

4 place. 

5 SEC. 5. BOARD PERSONNEL MATTERS. 

6 (a) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS AND CHAIR7 PERSON.—Each member of the Board, other than the 

8 Chairperson, shall be compensated at a rate equal to the 

9 annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level III of the Ex10 ecutive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United 

11 States Code. The Chairperson shall be compensated at a 

12 rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of 

13 basic pay prescribed for level II of the Executive Schedule 

14 under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code. 

15 (b) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—The members of the Board 

16 shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu 

17 of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agen18 cies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 

19 States Code, while away from their homes or regular 

20 places of business in the performance of services for the 

21 Board. 

22 (c) STAFF.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Chairperson may, with24 out regard to the civil service laws and regulations, 

25 appoint and terminate an executive director and 


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1 such other additional personnel as may be necessary 

2 to enable the Board to perform its duties. The em3 ployment of an executive director shall be subject to 

4 confirmation by the Board. 

5 (2) COMPENSATION.—The Chairperson may fix 

6 the compensation of the executive director and other 

7 personnel without regard to chapter 51 and sub8 chapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States 

9 Code, relating to classification of positions and Gen10 eral Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay 

11 for the executive director and other personnel may 

12 not exceed the rate payable for level V of the Execu13 tive Schedule under section 5316 of such title. 

14 (d) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.—Any 

15 Federal Government employee may be detailed to the 

16 Board without reimbursement, and such detail shall be 

17 without interruption or loss of civil service status or privi18 lege. 

19 (e) PROCUREMENT OF TEMPORARY AND INTERMIT20 TENT SERVICES.—The Chairperson may procure tem21 porary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of 

22 title 5, United States Code, at rates for individuals which 

23 do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of 

24 basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule 

25 under section 5316 of such title. 


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1 SEC. 6. CONGRESSIONAL CONSIDERATION OF BOARD REC2 OMMENDATIONS. 

3 (a) INTRODUCTION.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—On the day on which the re5 port is submitted by the Board to the Congress 

6 under section 3(a), the legislative proposal (de7 scribed in section 3(a)(4)) contained in the report 

8 shall be introduced (by request) in the Senate by the 

9 majority leader of the Senate or by Members of the 

10 Senate designated by the majority leader of the Sen11 ate and shall be introduced (by request) in the 

12 House by the majority leader of the House or by 

13 Members of the House designated by the majority 

14 leader of the House. 

15 (2) NOT IN SESSION.—If either House is not in 

16 session on the day on which such legislative proposal 

17 is submitted, the legislative proposal shall be intro18 duced in that House, as provided in subparagraph 

19 (A), on the first day thereafter on which that House 

20 is in session. 

21 (3) ANY MEMBER.—If the legislative proposal is 

22 not introduced in either House within 5 days on 

23 which that House is in session after the day on 

24 which the legislative proposal is submitted, then any 

25 Member of that House may introduce the legislative 

26 proposal. 


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1 (4) REFERRAL.—The legislation introduced 

2 under this subsection in the House of Representa3 tives shall be referred to the Committee on Over4 sight and Government Reform of the House of Rep5 resentatives. The legislation introduced under this 

6 subsection in the Senate shall be referred to the 

7 Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 

8 Affairs of the Senate. 

9 (b) DISCHARGE.—If the committee to which a legisla10 tive proposal described in subsection (a) is referred has 

11 not reported the bill containing such proposal by the end 

12 of the 20-day period beginning on the date on which the 

13 Board submits the report to Congress under section 3(a), 

14 such committee shall be, at the end of such period, dis15 charged from further consideration of such bill, and such 

16 bill shall be placed on the appropriate calendar of the 

17 House involved. 

18 (c) EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION.— 

19 (1) CONSIDERATION.—On or after the third 

20 day after the date on which the committee to which 

21 such a bill is referred has reported, or has been dis22 charged (under subsection (b)) from further consid23 eration of, such a bill, it is in order (even though a 

24 previous motion to the same effect has been dis25 agreed to) for any Member of the respective House 


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1 to move to proceed to the consideration of the bill. 

2 A member may make the motion only on the day 

3 after the calendar day on which the Member an4 nounces to the House concerned the Member’s inten5 tion to make the motion, except that, in the case of 

6 the House of Representatives, the motion may be 

7 made without such prior announcement if the mo8 tion is made by direction of the committee to which 

9 the bill was referred. The motion is highly privileged 

10 in the House of Representatives and is privileged in 

11 the Senate and is not debatable. The motion is not 

12 subject to amendment, or to a motion to postpone, 

13 or to a motion to proceed to the consideration of 

14 other business. A motion to reconsider the vote by 

15 which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall 

16 not be in order. If a motion to proceed to the consid17 eration of the bill is agreed to, the respective House 

18 shall immediately proceed to consideration of the bill 

19 without intervening motion, order, or other business, 

20 and the bill shall remain the unfinished business of 

21 the respective House until disposed of. 

22 (2) DEBATE.—Debate on the bill, and on all 

23 debatable motions and appeals in connection there24 with, shall be limited to not more than 2 hours, 

25 which shall be divided equally between those favoring 


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1 and those opposing the bill. An amendment to the 

2 bill is not in order. A motion further to limit debate 

3 is in order and not debatable. A motion to postpone, 

4 or a motion to proceed to the consideration of other 

5 business, or a motion to recommit the bill is not in 

6 order. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the 

7 bill is agreed to or disagreed to is not in order. 

8 (3) VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE.—Immediately 

9 following the conclusion of the debate on the bill and 

10 a single quorum call at the conclusion of the debate 

11 if requested in accordance with the rules of the ap12 propriate House, the vote on final passage of the bill 

13 shall occur. 

14 (4) APPEALS.—Appeals from the decisions of 

15 the Chair relating to the application of the rules of 

16 the Senate or the House of Representatives, as the 

17 case may be, to the procedure relating to the bill 

18 shall be decided without debate. 

19 (d) CONSIDERATION BY OTHER HOUSE.— 

20 (1) BEFORE PASSAGE.—If, before the passage 

21 by one House of a bill of that House described in 

22 subsection (b), that House receives from the other 

23 House a bill described in subsection (b), then the 

24 following procedures shall apply— 


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1 (A) the bill of the other House shall not be 

2 referred to a committee and may not be consid3 ered in the House receiving it except in the case 

4 of final passage as provided in subparagraph 

5 (B)(ii); and 

6 (B) with respect to a bill described in sub7 section (b) of the House receiving the bill (i) 

8 the procedure in that House shall be the same 

9 as if no bill had been received from the other 

10 House; but (ii) the vote on final passage shall 

11 be on the bill of the other House. 

12 (2) AFTER PASSAGE.—Upon disposition of the 

13 bill received from the other House, it shall no longer 

14 be in order to consider the bill that originated in the 

15 receiving House. 

16 (e) RULES OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE.—This sec17 tion is enacted by Congress— 

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

19 the Senate and House of Representatives, respec20 tively, and as such it is deemed a part of the rules 

21 of each House, respectively, but applicable only with 

22 respect to the procedure to be followed in that 

23 House in the case of a bill described in subsection 

24 (b), and it supersedes other rules only to the extent 

25 that it is inconsistent with such rules; and 


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1 (2) with full recognition of the constitutional 

2 right of either House to change the rules (so far as 

3 relating to the procedure of that House) at any time, 

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

5 the case of any other rule of that House. 

6 (f) CALENDAR DAY DEFINED.—In this section, the 

7 term ‘‘calendar day’’ means a calendar day other than one 

8 on which either House is not in session because of an ad9 journment of more than three days to a date certain. 

10 SEC. 7. TERMINATION OF THE BOARD. 

11 The Board shall terminate 120 days after the date 

12 on which the Board submits the report under section 3(a). 

Æ 


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