GSA Act of 2013

Bill: 113-hr-313
Sponsor: Rep. Emerson, Jo Ann [R-MO-8]
Introduced: 2013-01-18 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Congressional oversight
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Transportation costs
Travel and tourism

Summary:
action_date: 2013-01-18
text: 
Government Spending Accountability Act of 2013 or the GSA Act of 2013 - Requires each federal agency to post on its public website detailed information on employee presentations at conferences, including: (1) the prepared text of any verbal presentation; and (2) any visual, digital, video, or audio materials presented, including photographs, slides, and audio-visual recordings.
 
Limits to $500,000 the amount that any agency may spend to support a single conference. Allows an agency head to waive such limitation for a specific conference after making a determination that a higher expenditure is justified as the most cost-effective option to achieve a compelling purpose.
 
Prohibits an agency from paying the travel expenses for more than 50 employees stationed in the United States to attend any international conference, unless the Secretary of State determines that attendance of such employees is in the national interest. 
 
Requires each agency to post on its public website quarterly reports on each conference for which the agency paid travel expenses during the preceding three months.
 
Limits agency travel expenses for FY2014-FY2018 to 70% of the aggregate amount of such expenses for FY2010. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to establish guidelines for determining what expenses constitute travel expenses for purposes of the ceiling imposed on such expenses. Exempts from such limitation military travel expenses. 

action_date: 2013-07-30
text: 
Government Spending Accountability Act of 2013 or the GSA Act of 2013 - Requires each federal agency to post on its public website detailed information on employee presentations at conferences, including: (1) the prepared text of any verbal presentation; and (2) any visual, digital, video, or audio materials presented, including photographs, slides, and audio-visual recordings. Allows a waiver of such requirement for reasons of national security.
 
Limits to $500,000 the amount that any agency may spend to support a single conference. Allows an agency head to waive such limitation for a specific conference after making a determination that a higher expenditure is justified as the most cost-effective option to achieve a compelling purpose. Requires the agency head to report to the appropriate congressional committees on any waiver granted and the justification for such waiver. 
 
Prohibits an agency from paying the travel expenses for more than 50 employees stationed in the United States to attend any international conference, unless the Secretary of State determines that attendance of such employees is in the national interest, or the agency head determines that attendance for such employees is critical to the agency's mission. Requires the Secretary and the agency head to report to the appropriate congressional committees on any waiver granted and the justification for such waiver. 
 
Requires each agency to post on its public website quarterly reports on each conference that costs more than $10,000 for which the agency paid travel expenses during the preceding 3 months that include: 
 
 
 itemized expenses, including travel, lodging, meal expenses, and any other agency expenditures to support the conference; 
 
 the primary sponsor of the conference; 
 
 the location and date of the conference; 
 
 an explanation of how participation at the conference by agency employees advanced the mission of the agency; 
 
 the title of any employee or other individual whose travel or conference expenses were paid by the agency; 
 
the total number of individuals whose travel or conference expenses were paid by the agency; and 
 
 for a conference for which the agency was the primary sponsor, a statement that: (1) describes the cost to the agency of selecting the specific conference venue and why such location was selected, (2) demonstrates the cost efficiency of the location, (3) provides a cost benefit analysis of holding a conference rather than conducting a teleconference, and (4) describes any financial support or assistance from a private entity used to pay or defray the costs of the conference and a certification from the agency head that no conflict of interest resulted from accepting such support or assistance.
 
 
Limits agency travel expenses for FY2014-FY2018 to 70% of the aggregate amount of such expenses for FY2010. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), not later than September 30, 2013, to establish guidelines for determining what expenses constitute travel expenses for purposes of this Act. Exempts from such guidelines military travel expenses.

action_date: 2013-07-31
text: 
Government Spending Accountability Act of 2013 or the GSA Act of 2013 - Requires each federal agency to post on its public website detailed information on employee presentations at conferences, including: (1) the prepared text of any verbal presentation; and (2) any visual, digital, video, or audio materials presented, including photographs, slides, and audio-visual recordings. Allows a waiver of such requirement for reasons of national security.
 
Limits to $500,000 the amount that any agency may spend to support a single conference. Allows an agency head to waive such limitation for a specific conference after making a determination that a higher expenditure is justified as the most cost-effective option to achieve a compelling purpose. Requires the agency head to report to the appropriate congressional committees on any waiver granted and the justification for such waiver.
 
Prohibits an agency from paying the travel expenses for more than 50 employees stationed in the United States to attend any international conference, unless the Secretary of State determines that attendance of such employees is in the national interest, or the agency head determines that attendance for such employees is critical to the agency's mission. Requires the Secretary and the agency head to report to the appropriate congressional committees on any waiver granted and the justification for such waiver. 
 
Requires each agency to post on its public website quarterly reports on each conference that costs more than $10,000 for which the agency paid travel expenses during the preceding 3 months that include: 
 
 
itemized expenses, including travel, lodging, meal expenses, and any other agency expenditures to support the conference; 
the primary sponsor of the conference; 
the location and date of the conference; 
an explanation of how participation at the conference by agency employees advanced the mission of the agency; 
the title of any employee or other individual whose travel or conference expenses were paid by the agency; 
the total number of individuals whose travel or conference expenses were paid by the agency; and 
for a conference for which the agency was the primary sponsor, a statement that: (1) describes the cost to the agency of selecting the specific conference venue and why such location was selected, (2) demonstrates the cost efficiency of the location, (3) provides a cost benefit analysis of holding a conference rather than conducting a teleconference, and (4) describes any financial support or assistance from a private entity used to pay or defray the costs of the conference and a certification from the agency head that no conflict of interest resulted from accepting such support or assistance. 
 
 
Limits agency travel expenses for FY2014-FY2018 to 70% of the aggregate amount of such expenses for FY2010. Allows an agency to exclude certain travel expenses from such limitation if the agency head determines that the inclusion of such expenses would undermine national security, international diplomacy, health and safety inspections, law enforcement, or site visits required for oversight or investigatory purposes. Requires agency heads to report to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in each of FY2014-FY2018 on: (1) the justification for any expenses excluded; and (2) the positive or negative impacts, if any, of the limitation on travel expenses on the agency's mission, cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and ability to perform core functions. 
 
Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), not later than September 30, 2013, to establish guidelines for determining what expenses constitute travel expenses for purposes of this Act. Exempts from such guidelines military travel expenses.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-08-01
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2013-07-31
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2013-07-31
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5193-5194)
action_date: 2013-07-31
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5193-5194)
action_date: 2013-07-31
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 313.
action_date: 2013-07-31
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5193-5196)
action_date: 2013-07-31
text: Mr. Meadows moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2013-07-30
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 131.
action_date: 2013-07-30
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 113-183.
action_date: 2013-07-30
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 113-183.
action_date: 2013-03-20
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2013-03-20
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2013-01-18
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
action_date: 2013-01-18
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2013-01-18
text: Introduced in House