Afghanistan Suspension and Debarment Reform Act

Bill: 113-hr-2912
Sponsor: Rep. Chaffetz, Jason [R-UT-3]
Introduced: 2013-08-01 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Administrative remedies
Afghanistan
Asia
Congressional oversight
Foreign aid and international relief
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government studies and investigations
Public contracts and procurement
Reconstruction and stabilization

Summary:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: 
Afghanistan Suspension and Debarment Reform Act - Amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (the Act) to add to the powers of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (Inspector General), who is required to conduct, supervise, and coordinate audits and investigations of the treatment, handling, and expenditure of funds appropriated by the U.S. government, and of the programs, operations, and contracts carried out using such funds in Afghanistan, in order to prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse.
 
Empowers the Inspector General to refer to the lead agency a potential covered case for suspension or debarment of a person from procurement or nonprocurement activities of the federal government. 
 
Defines a &quot;covered case&quot; as one involving a person that is an Afghan national or foreign national or foreign company operating in Afghanistan that has received in the past, is receiving, or may receive in the future, funds from any covered prime contract or subcontract.
 
Requires the Inspector General to notify the Interagency Committee on Debarment and Suspension and Congress if such a referral is made. 
 
Requires the lead agency, after the referral of such a suspension or debarment case, to accept or decline the case. 
 
Requires the Interagency Committee, if the lead agency declines to accept a suspension or debarment case, or fails to respond to the referral, to determine whether the Inspector General shall act as the lead agency. 
 
Requires the lead agency, on the other hand, if it accepts a suspension or debarment case, to either suspend or debar the person that is the subject of the case or decline. 
 
Authorizes the Inspector General (or designee), if the Interagency Committee determines that the Inspector General may act as lead agency, to suspend or debar the person from federal procurement or nonprocurement activities.
 
Allows the Inspector General (or designee), when exercising such authority, to grant an exception permitting a person otherwise debarred or suspended to submit an offer for or be awarded a particular contract, grant, or procurement or nonprocurement activity.
 
Directs the Comptroller General (GAO), after the termination of the Office of Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, to study the Inspector General authority and the process for determining a lead agency in a suspension or debarment case. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Introduced in House