II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 253 

Establishing the Committee to Reduce Government Waste. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 7, 2013 

Mr. UDALL of Colorado (for himself, Mr. ROBERTS, and Mr. ENZI) introduced 

the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 

on Rules and Administration 

A BILL 

Establishing the Committee to Reduce Government Waste. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT. 

4 There shall be a Senate committee known as the 

5 Committee to Reduce Government Waste (referred to in 

6 this resolution as the ‘‘committee’’). 

7 SEC. 2. MEMBERSHIP. 

8 (a) COMPOSITION.—The committee shall be com9 posed of 12 members as follows: 


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1 (1) Four members from the Committee on Fi2 nance, 2 selected by the majority leader and 2 se3 lected by the minority leader. 

4 (2) Four members from the Committee on Ap5 propriations, 2 selected by the majority leader and 

6 2 selected by the minority leader. 

7 (3) Four members from the Committee on the 

8 Budget, 2 selected by the majority leader and 2 se9 lected by the minority leader. 

10 (b) TENURE OF OFFICE.— 

11 (1) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT.—Members shall 

12 be appointed for a period not to exceed 6 years. 

13 (2) EXCEPTIONS.—No person shall continue to 

14 serve as a member of the committee after that per15 son has ceased to be a member of the Committee 

16 from which the member was chosen. 

17 (c) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the committee shall 

18 not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same man19 ner as the original appointment. 

20 (d) CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN.—The com21 mittee shall select a Chairman and Vice Chairman from 

22 among its members. 

23 (e) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the 

24 committee shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number 

25 of members may hold hearings. The powers conferred 


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1 upon them under section 4 may be exercised by a majority 

2 vote. 

3 SEC. 3. DUTIES. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The committee shall have the fol5 lowing duties: 

6 (1) STUDY.—The committee shall— 

7 (A) research, review, and study Federal 

8 programs that are underperforming or non9 essential; and 

10 (B) determine which Federal programs 

11 should be modified or eliminated. 

12 (2) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The committee shall 

13 develop recommendations to the Senate for actions 

14 designed to modify or eliminate underperforming or 

15 nonessential Federal programs. 

16 (3) REPORTS AND LEGISLATION.—The com17 mittee shall submit to the Senate— 

18 (A) at least once a year, reports includ19 ing— 

20 (i) a detailed statement of the find21 ings and conclusions of the committee; and 

22 (ii) a list of underperforming or non23 essential Federal programs; and 

24 (B) such legislation and administrative ac25 tions as the committee considers appropriate. 


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1 (b) CONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATION.—Any legisla2 tion submitted to the Senate by the committee shall be 

3 considered under the provisions of section 310 of the Con4 gressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 641). 

5 SEC. 4. POWERS. 

6 (a) HEARINGS.—The committee or, at its direction, 

7 any subcommittee or member of the committee, may, for 

8 the purpose of carrying out the provisions of section 3— 

9 (1) sit and act, at any time, during the ses10 sions, recesses, and adjourned periods of Congress; 

11 (2) require as the committee considers nec12 essary, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance of 

13 witnesses and the production of books, papers, and 

14 documents; 

15 (3) administer oaths and take testimony; and 

16 (4) procure necessary printing and binding. 

17 (b) WITNESS ALLOWANCES AND FEES.—The provi18 sions of section 1821 of title 28, United States Code, shall 

19 apply to witnesses requested to appear at any hearing of 

20 the committee. The per diem and mileage allowances for 

21 witnesses shall be paid from funds available to pay the 

22 expenses of the committee. 

23 (c) EXPENDITURES.—The committee, or any sub24 committee thereof, is authorized to make such expendi25 tures as it deems advisable. 


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1 SEC. 5. APPOINTMENT AND COMPENSATION OF STAFF. 

2 Except as otherwise provided by law, the committee 

3 shall have the power to appoint and fix the compensation 

4 of the Chief of Staff of the committee and such experts 

5 and clerical, stenographic, and other assistants as the 

6 committee deems advisable. 

7 SEC. 6. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. 

8 The expenses of the committee shall be paid from the 

9 contingent fund of the Senate. 

Æ 


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