GORAC Act

Subjects: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:  <p><strong>Government Office Realignment And Closure Act of 2023 or the GORAC Act</strong></p> <p>This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to provide for an independent evaluation of federal agencies and programs to identify duplicative, wasteful, or outdated functions and provides for congressional consideration of legislation to implement recommendations from the evaluation.</p> <p>Specifically, the GAO must (1) procure the services of a nonfederal auditor to evaluate each federal program carried out in the previous 20 years, make recommendations on federal agencies and programs that should be realigned or eliminated, and report on such recommendations; and (2) take steps to assure that any work performed by such auditor complies with standards established by the GAO for audits of federal establishments, programs, activities, and functions.</p> <p>The GAO must provide for the relocation of federal employees whose positions are eliminated as a result of the implementation of recommendations included in the report.</p>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 397 Introduced in House (IH)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 397

    To require the evaluation of Federal agencies and programs for 
  duplicative, wasteful, or outdated functions, and to recommend the 
 elimination or realignment of such functions, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 17, 2023

  Ms. Van Duyne (for herself, Mr. Finstad, and Mr. Carter of Georgia) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
   Oversight and Accountability, 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 require the evaluation of Federal agencies and programs for 
  duplicative, wasteful, or outdated functions, and to recommend the 
 elimination or realignment of such functions, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Government Office Realignment And 
Closure Act of 2023'' or the ``GORAC Act''.

SEC. 2. EVALUATION OF FEDERAL AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS FOR DUPLICATIVE, 
              WASTEFUL, OR OUTDATED FUNCTIONS.

    (a) Non-Federal Auditor Review.--The Comptroller General shall--
            (1) procure the services of a non-Federal auditor to--
                    (A) evaluate each Federal program carried out in 
                the 20-year period preceding the date of the enactment 
                of this Act;
                    (B) make recommendations, using the criteria under 
                subsection (b), on Federal agencies and Federal 
                programs that should be realigned or eliminated; and
                    (C) submit to the Comptroller General a report 
                containing such recommendations; and
            (2) take appropriate steps to assure that any work 
        performed by the non-Federal auditor complies with the 
        standards established by the Comptroller General for audits of 
        Federal establishments, organizations, programs, activities, 
        and functions.
    (b) Criteria.--The non-Federal auditor shall recommend under 
subsection (a)(1)(B)--
            (1) the realignment of 2 or more Federal agencies or 
        Federal programs into a single consolidated or streamlined 
        Federal agency or Federal program, if--
                    (A) such Federal agencies or Federal programs have 
                the same essential function; and
                    (B) such function can be carried out through a 
                single consolidated or streamlined Federal agency or 
                Federal program;
            (2) the realignment or elimination of any Federal agency or 
        Federal program that has wasted Federal funds in the 20-year 
        period preceding the date of the enactment of this Act by--
                    (A) egregious spending;
                    (B) mismanagement of resources and personnel; or
                    (C) use of such funds for personal benefit or the 
                benefit of a special interest group; and
            (3) the elimination of any Federal agency or Federal 
        program that during any time in the 20-year period preceding 
        the date of the enactment of this Act--
                    (A) completed its intended purpose;
                    (B) became irrelevant; or
                    (C) failed to meet its objectives.
    (c) Proposed Legislation.--
            (1) In general.--The Comptroller General shall propose 
        legislation in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3) to 
        implement the recommendations included in the report submitted 
        under subsection (d).
            (2) Use of savings.--The legislation proposed under 
        paragraph (1) shall provide that all funds saved by the 
        implementation of the recommendations described under 
        subsection (a)(1)(B) shall be--
                    (A) used to support domestic programs; or
                    (B) pay down the national debt.
            (3) Relocation of federal employees.--The legislation 
        proposed under paragraph (1) shall provide that if the position 
        of an employee of a Federal agency is eliminated as a result of 
        the implementation of the recommendations included in the 
        report, the head of the agency shall make reasonable efforts to 
        relocate such employee to another position within the agency or 
        within another Federal agency.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report 
that includes--
            (1) the recommendations described under subsection 
        (a)(1)(B), with supporting documentation for all 
        recommendations; and
            (2) the proposed legislation described under subsection 
        (c).
    (e) Additional Authorities.--
            (1) Hearings.--The non-Federal auditor may request that the 
        Comptroller General for the purpose of carrying out this 
        section require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and 
        testimony of such witnesses as any member of the Comptroller 
        considers advisable.
            (2) Production of certain materials.--
                    (A) In general.--The non-Federal auditor may 
                request that the Comptroller General for the purpose of 
                carrying out this section require, by subpoena or 
                otherwise, the production of such books, records, 
                correspondence, memoranda, papers, documents, tapes, 
                and other evidentiary materials relating to any matter 
                under investigation by the non-Federal auditor.
                    (B) Authority to decline request.--The Comptroller 
                General may decline a request described under 
                subparagraph (A).
                    (C) Issuance.--Subpoenas issued under subparagraph 
                (A) shall bear the signature of the Comptroller General 
                and shall be served by any person or class of persons 
                designated by the chairperson for that purpose.
                    (D) Enforcement.--In the case of contumacy or 
                failure to obey a subpoena issued under subparagraph 
                (A), the United States district court for the judicial 
                district in which the subpoenaed person resides, is 
                served, or may be found, may issue an order requiring 
                such person to appear at any designated place to 
                testify or to produce documentary or other evidence. 
                Any failure to obey the order of the court may be 
                punished by the court as a contempt of that court.
                    (E) Information from federal agencies.--The 
                Comptroller General may secure directly from any 
                Federal department or agency such information as the 
                non-Federal auditor considers necessary to carry out 
                this section. Upon a request made to the Comptroller 
                General from the non-Federal auditor, the head of an 
                agency shall furnish such information to the auditor.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Entitlement program.--The term ``entitlement program'' 
        means any program that makes payments (including loans and 
        grants), the budget authority for which is not provided for in 
        advance by appropriation Acts, to any person or government if, 
        under the provisions of the law containing such authority, the 
        United States is obligated to make such payments to persons or 
        governments who meet the requirements established by such law.
            (2) Federal agency.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), the term ``Federal agency'' has the meaning given 
                the term ``Executive agency'' under section 105 of 
                title 5, United States Code.
                    (B) Exceptions.--The term ``Federal agency'' does 
                not include--
                            (i) a military installation, as such term 
                        is defined in section 2801(c)(4) of title 10, 
                        United States Code; or
                            (ii) any agency that solely administers 
                        entitlement programs.
            (3) Federal program.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), the term ``program'' means any activity or 
                function of an agency.
                    (B) Exception.--The term ``program'' does not 
                include entitlement programs.
            (4) Non-federal auditor.--The term ``non-Federal auditor'' 
        means the non-Federal auditor from which the Comptroller 
        General procures services under subsection (a).

SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL CONSIDERATION OF REFORM PROPOSALS.

    (a) Introduction; Referral; and Report or Discharge.--
            (1) Introduction.--On the first calendar day on which both 
        Houses are in session, on or immediately following the date on 
        which the report is submitted to Congress under section 2, a 
        single implementation bill shall be introduced (by request)--
                    (A) in the Senate by the Chair of the Committee on 
                Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and
                    (B) in the House of Representatives by the Chair of 
                the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (2) Referral.--
                    (A) To the appropriate committee of jurisdiction.--
                The implementation bills introduced under paragraph (1) 
                shall be referred to any appropriate committee of 
                jurisdiction in the Senate and any appropriate 
                committee of jurisdiction in the House of 
                Representatives.
                    (B) Authority over implementation bill.--A 
                committee to which an implementation bill is referred 
                under this paragraph may review and report on such 
                bill, may report such bill to the respective House, and 
                may not amend such bill.
            (3) Report or discharge.--If a committee to which an 
        implementation bill is referred has not reported such bill by 
        the end of the 15th calendar day after the date of the 
        introduction of such bill, such committee shall be immediately 
        discharged from further consideration of such bill, and upon 
        being reported or discharged from the committee, such bill 
        shall be placed on the appropriate calendar.
    (b) Floor Consideration.--
            (1) In general.--When the committee to which an 
        implementation bill is referred has reported, or has been 
        discharged under subsection (b)(3), it is at any time 
        thereafter in order (even though a previous motion to the same 
        effect has been disagreed to) for any Member of the respective 
        House to move to proceed to the consideration of the 
        implementation bill, and all points of order against the 
        implementation bill (and against consideration of the 
        implementation bill) are waived. The motion is highly 
        privileged in the House of Representatives and is privileged in 
        the Senate and is not debatable. The motion is not subject to 
        amendment, or to a motion to postpone, or to a motion to 
        proceed to the consideration of other business. A motion to 
        reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to or 
        disagreed to shall not be in order. If a motion to proceed to 
        the consideration of the implementation bill is agreed to, the 
        implementation bill shall remain the unfinished business of the 
        respective House until disposed of.
            (2) Amendments.--An implementation bill may not be amended 
        in the Senate or the House of Representatives.
            (3) Debate.--Debate on the implementation bill, and on all 
        debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith, shall be 
        limited to not more than 10 hours, which shall be divided 
        equally between those favoring and those opposing the 
        resolution. A motion further to limit debate is in order and 
        not debatable. An amendment to, or a motion to postpone, or a 
        motion to proceed to the consideration of other business, or a 
        motion to recommit the implementation bill is not in order. A 
        motion to reconsider the vote by which the implementation bill 
        is agreed to or disagreed to is not in order.
            (4) Vote on final passage.--Immediately following the 
        conclusion of the debate on an implementation bill, and a 
        single quorum call at the conclusion of the debate if requested 
        in accordance with the rules of the appropriate House, the vote 
        on final passage of the implementation bill shall occur.
            (5) Rulings of the chair on procedure.--Appeals from the 
        decisions of the Chair relating to the application of the rules 
        of the Senate or the House of Representatives, as the case may 
        be, to the procedure relating to an implementation bill shall 
        be decided without debate.
    (c) Coordination With Action by Other House.--If, before the 
passage by 1 House of an implementation bill of that House, that House 
receives from the other House an implementation bill, then the 
following procedures shall apply:
            (1) Nonreferral.--The implementation bill of the other 
        House shall not be referred to a committee.
            (2) Vote on bill of other house.--
                    (A) In general.--If prior to the passage by one 
                House of an implementing bill of that House, that House 
                receives the same implementing bill from the other 
                House, then--
                            (i) the procedure in that House shall be 
                        the same as if no implementing bill had been 
                        received from the other House; but
                            (ii) the vote on final passage shall be on 
                        the implementing bill of the other House.
                    (B) Exception for revenue measures received in 
                senate.--The provisions of subparagraph (A) shall not 
                apply in the Senate to an implementing revenue bill.
    (d) Rules of Senate and House of Representatives.--This section is 
enacted by Congress--
            (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate 
        and House of Representatives, respectively, and as such it is 
        deemed a part of the rules of each House, respectively, but 
        applicable only with respect to the procedure to be followed in 
        that House in the case of an implementation bill described in 
        subsection (a), and it supersedes other rules only to the 
        extent that it is inconsistent with such rules; and
            (2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of 
        either House to change the rules (so far as relating to the 
        procedure of that House) at any time, in the same manner, and 
        to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of that 
        House.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Calendar day.--The term ``calendar day'' means a 
        calendar day other than 1 on which either House is not in 
        session because of an adjournment of more than 3 days to a date 
        certain.
            (2) Implementation bill.--The term ``implementation bill'' 
        means only a bill which is introduced as provided under 
        subsection (a), and contains the proposed legislation included 
        in the report submitted to Congress under section 2(d), without 
        modification.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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