REDUCE Government Act

Bill: 114-hr-1072
Sponsor: Rep. Fleming, John [R-LA-4]
Introduced: 2015-02-25 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Appropriations
Budget deficits and national debt
Congressional oversight
Department of Agriculture
Department of Education
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of the Interior
Executive agency funding and structure
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Legislative rules and procedure
Performance measurement
Public participation and lobbying

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-25
text: 

Realign and Eliminate Duplicative Unnecessary Costly Excess in Government Act of 2015 or the REDUCE Government Act

 
Establishes the Federal Realignment and Closure Commission, which shall: (1) establish a systematic method for assessing the effectiveness and accountability of agency programs, excluding Department of Defense programs; (2) divide the programs into three approximately equal budgetary groupings; (3) assess the effectiveness and accountability of all programs within a grouping in each of 2017, 2019, and 2021; and (4) by June 30 of each such year, submit a plan with recommendations of the agencies and programs that should be realigned or eliminated within the grouping assessed. 
 
Requires the Commission to recommend: (1) the realignment of agencies or programs that are performing the same essential function that can be consolidated or streamlined into a single agency or program; and (2) the elimination of agencies or programs that have completed their intended purpose, have become irrelevant, or have failed to meet their objectives. Authorizes the Commission to recommend the realignment or elimination of any agency or program that has wasted federal funds by: (1) spending funds on items outside its authorized mission, (2) mismanaging resources and personnel, or (3) using such funds for personal benefit or the benefit of a special interest group. 
 
Requires the President: (1) by August 15 of each such year, to transmit a report containing the President's approval or disapproval of the Commission's plan and recommendations; (2) to transmit a copy of an approved plan and recommendations to Congress; and (3) to eliminate or realign agencies and programs pursuant to such recommendations unless Congress enacts a resolution disapproving them. 
 
Requires funds saved by implementation of such plan to be used for deficit reduction.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-02-25
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, and Appropriations, 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: 2015-02-25
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, and Appropriations, 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: 2015-02-25
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, and Appropriations, 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: 2015-02-25
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, and Appropriations, 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: 2015-02-25
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-25
text: Introduced in House