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 Govern-
ment, 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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Report the Costs Act’’. 
SEC. 2. REPORT ON COST OF MULTILINGUAL SERVICES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 9 of title 31, United 
States Code, is amended— 
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(1) in section 902(a)(6)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (D); 
(B) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as 
subparagraph (F); and 
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (D) 
the following: 
‘‘(E) a report detailing the annual cost of 
multilingual services, described by section 904, 
in accordance with guidance issued under sec-
tion 3517; and’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 904. Cost of multilingual services defined. 
‘‘In this chapter, the term ‘cost of multilingual serv-
ices’ means the costs to the agency associated with— 
‘‘(1) hiring interpreters; 
‘‘(2) helping agency employees or contractors 
learn a language other than English; 
‘‘(3) preparing or producing agency materials in 
a language other than English; 
‘‘(4) compensating an employee or a contractor 
for the ability of the employee or contractor to speak 
a language other than English; and 
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‘‘(5) any other services provided or performed 
by an agency in a language other than English that 
incur additional cost to the agency.’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this 
section apply with respect to any reports prepared under 
section 902(a)(6) of title 31, United States Code, for a 
fiscal year beginning on or after October 1, 2016. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 9 of title 31, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relat-
ing to section 903 the following: 
‘‘904. Cost of multilingual services.’’. 
SEC. 3. MULTILINGUAL SERVICES EXPENSES REPORT. 
(a) MULTILINGUAL SERVICES EXPENSES REPORT.— 
Subchapter II of chapter 35 of title 31, United States 
Code is amended— 
(1) in section 3512(a)(2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (E); 
(B) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as 
subparagraph (G); and 
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (E) 
the following: 
‘‘(F) a Multilingual Services Expense Re-
port that includes— 
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‘‘(i) a summary and analysis of the 
cost of multilingual services (as described 
in section 904) detailed in reports pre-
pared under section 902(a)(6)(E); 
‘‘(ii) a description of any changes 
needed to report accurately the cost of 
multilingual services for each agency; and 
‘‘(iii) any other information the Direc-
tor considers appropriate to fully inform 
the Congress of the costs of all multi-
lingual services provided by the Federal 
Government; and’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 3517. Multilingual services guidelines. 
‘‘The Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget shall issue guidance that each agency Chief Finan-
cial Officer shall follow in compiling a report required 
under section 902(a)(6)(E) on the cost of multilingual 
services.’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this 
section apply to any reports prepared under title 3512(a) 
of title 31, United States Code, for a fiscal year beginning 
on or after October 1, 2016. 
(c) DEADLINE FOR GUIDANCE.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Direc-
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tor of the Office of Management and Budget shall issue 
guidance under section 3517 of title 31, United States 
Code, as added by subsection (a). 
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 35 of title 31, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relat-
ing to section 3516 the following: 
‘‘3517. Multilingual Services Accounting Guidelines.’’. 
Æ 
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