I 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5717 

To amend title 31, United States Code, to require annual reports from 

agencies detailing the cost of multilingual services, to end speculation 

about the cost of multilingual services provided by the Federal Government, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 14, 2014 

Mr. STOCKMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

A BILL 

To amend title 31, United States Code, to require annual 

reports from agencies detailing the cost of multilingual 

services, to end speculation about the cost of multilingual 

services provided by the Federal Government, 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 ‘‘Report the Costs Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. REPORT ON COST OF MULTILINGUAL SERVICES. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 9 of title 31, United 

7 States Code, is amended— 


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1 (1) in section 902(a)(6)— 

2 (A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub3 paragraph (D); 

4 (B) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as 

5 subparagraph (F); and 

6 (C) by inserting after subparagraph (D) 

7 the following: 

8 ‘‘(E) a report detailing the annual cost of 

9 multilingual services, described by section 904, 

10 in accordance with guidance issued under sec11 tion 3517; and’’; and 

12 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

13 ‘‘§ 904. Cost of multilingual services defined. 

14 ‘‘In this chapter, the term ‘cost of multilingual serv15 ices’ means the costs to the agency associated with— 

16 ‘‘(1) hiring interpreters; 

17 ‘‘(2) helping agency employees or contractors 

18 learn a language other than English; 

19 ‘‘(3) preparing or producing agency materials in 

20 a language other than English; 

21 ‘‘(4) compensating an employee or a contractor 

22 for the ability of the employee or contractor to speak 

23 a language other than English; and 


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1 ‘‘(5) any other services provided or performed 

2 by an agency in a language other than English that 

3 incur additional cost to the agency.’’. 

4 (b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this 

5 section apply with respect to any reports prepared under 

6 section 902(a)(6) of title 31, United States Code, for a 

7 fiscal year beginning on or after October 1, 2016. 

8 (c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec9 tions at the beginning of chapter 9 of title 31, United 

10 States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relat11 ing to section 903 the following: 

‘‘904. Cost of multilingual services.’’. 

12 SEC. 3. MULTILINGUAL SERVICES EXPENSES REPORT. 

13 (a) MULTILINGUAL SERVICES EXPENSES REPORT.— 

14 Subchapter II of chapter 35 of title 31, United States 

15 Code is amended— 

16 (1) in section 3512(a)(2)— 

17 (A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub18 paragraph (E); 

19 (B) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as 

20 subparagraph (G); and 

21 (C) by inserting after subparagraph (E) 

22 the following: 

23 ‘‘(F) a Multilingual Services Expense Re24 port that includes— 


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1 ‘‘(i) a summary and analysis of the 

2 cost of multilingual services (as described 

3 in section 904) detailed in reports pre4 pared under section 902(a)(6)(E); 

5 ‘‘(ii) a description of any changes 

6 needed to report accurately the cost of 

7 multilingual services for each agency; and 

8 ‘‘(iii) any other information the Direc9 tor considers appropriate to fully inform 

10 the Congress of the costs of all multi11 lingual services provided by the Federal 

12 Government; and’’; and 

13 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

14 ‘‘§ 3517. Multilingual services guidelines. 

15 ‘‘The Director of the Office of Management and 

16 Budget shall issue guidance that each agency Chief Finan17 cial Officer shall follow in compiling a report required 

18 under section 902(a)(6)(E) on the cost of multilingual 

19 services.’’. 

20 (b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this 

21 section apply to any reports prepared under title 3512(a) 

22 of title 31, United States Code, for a fiscal year beginning 

23 on or after October 1, 2016. 

24 (c) DEADLINE FOR GUIDANCE.—Not later than 180 

25 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the DirecVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:07 Nov 17, 2014 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5717.IH H5717

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1 tor of the Office of Management and Budget shall issue 

2 guidance under section 3517 of title 31, United States 

3 Code, as added by subsection (a). 

4 (d) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec5 tions at the beginning of chapter 35 of title 31, United 

6 States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relat7 ing to section 3516 the following: 

‘‘3517. Multilingual Services Accounting Guidelines.’’. 

Æ 


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