Governmentwide Executive Councils Reform Act

Bill: 118-hr-7523
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Timmons, William R. [R-SC-4]
Introduced: 2024-03-05
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Executive agency funding and structure

General Services Administration

Government information and archives
Latest action: action_date: 2024-03-07
text: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 40 - 0.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7523 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 5, 2024 Mr. Timmons (for himself and Mr. Khanna ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability A BILL To establish the Office of Executive Councils, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Governmentwide Executive Councils Reform Act . 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Administrator The term Administrator means the Administrator of General Services. (2) Director The term Director means the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. (3) Covered governmentwide executive council The term covered governmentwide executive council means each of the following: (A) The Chief Acquisition Officers Council, established under section 1311 of title 41, United States Code. (B) The Chief Data Officer Council, established under section 3520A of title 44, United States Code. (C) The Chief Financial Officers Council, established under section 302 of the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 ( 31 U.S.C. 901 note; Public Law 101–576 ). (D) The Chief Human Capital Officers Council, established under section 1303 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 5 U.S.C. 1401 note; Public Law 107–296 ). (E) The Chief Information Officers Council, established under section 3603 of title 44,United States Code. (F) The Performance Improvement Council, established under section 1124 of title 31, United States Code. 3. Responsibilities of a covered governmentwide executive council In addition to any other authority provided to any covered governmentwide executive council, each such council shall do the following: (1) Maintain a publicly accessible website that includes information relating to the mission, purpose, priorities, and membership of such council. (2) Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, develop and publish on the website described in paragraph (1) a charter outlining the roles of members, responsibilities, procedures, and other relevant information concerning such council that shall be updated not less frequently than once each year. (3) Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, develop and publish a strategic plan that identifies the goals, priorities, and expectations of such council that shall be updated not less frequently than once every 2 years. (4) Provide legislative, policy, technical analysis, or shared services recommendations to the Director, the Administrator, or Congress upon request and as related to the specific area of expertise of such council. (5) Serve as a primary advisory body to the Director on the development and execution of the Federal Government performance plan under section 1115(a) of title 31, United States Code, and the Federal Government priority goals under section 1120(a) of title 31, United States Code related to the specific area of the expertise of such council. 4. GSA Office of Executive Councils (a) Establishment There is established in the General Services Administration the Office of Executive Councils. (b) Duties The Office of Executive Councils shall do the following: (1) In consultation with the Director, provide administrative and project management support to each covered governmentwide executive council. (2) Detail employees of the General Services Administration to any such council, as needed, to support the operations and functions of such council. (3) Submit any report, provide any information, or respond to any request required by Congress. (c) Functional independence The Office of Executive Councils shall by headed by an employee of General Services Administration who shall— (1) be designated by the Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with the Administrator; (2) carry out additional duties and functions the Director and Administrator jointly request; and (3) facilitate collecting policy and technical viewpoints from each covered governmentwide executive council and the members of each such council as may be requested by Congress. (d) Prohibition The Office of Executive Councils may not provide any administrative or project management services to a covered governmentwide executive council that is not authorized by an Act of Congress. (e) Sunset The Office of Executive Councils shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. 5. Harmonizing governmentwide executive council leadership roles (a) Chief acquisition officers council Section 1311 of title 41, United States Code, is amended in subsection (c)— (1) in paragraph (1), by striking Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget and inserting Administrator ; (2) by striking paragraph (3); and (3) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3). (b) Chief data officer council and chief information officers council Title 44, United States Code, is amended— (1) in section 3520A— (A) in subsection (a), by striking Office of Management and Budget and inserting executive branch ; (B) in subsection (c)— (i) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs (4) and (5); and (ii) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) Vice chair The Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs shall serve as the Vice Chair of the Council. ; (C) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections (e) and (f); (D) by inserting after subsection (c) the following: (d) Support The Administrator of General Services shall provide administrative support for the Council. ; and (E) in subsection (f)(2), as so redesignated, by striking upon the expiration of the 2-year period that begins on the date the Comptroller General submits the report under paragraph (1) to Congress and inserting December 31, 2031 ; and (2) in section 3603— (A) in subsection (b)— (i) by striking paragraphs (1); (ii) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (7) as paragraphs (1) through (6), respectively; and (iii) in paragraph (1), as so redesignated, by inserting before the period at the end , who shall serve as Chair of the Council ; and (B) in subsection (c)(1), by striking on behalf of the Deputy Director for Management . (c) Chief financial officers council Section 302 of the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 ( 31 U.S.C. 901 note; Public Law 101–576 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking paragraph (1); (B) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) as paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively; (C) in paragraph (1), as so redesignated, by inserting , who shall serve as chair of the Council after Management and Budget ; and (D) in paragraph (2), as so redesignated, by inserting , who shall serve as vice chair of the Council after Secretary of Treasury ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (c) Support The Administrator of General Services shall provide administrative support for the Council. . (d) Chief human capital officers council Section 1303 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 5 U.S.C. 1401 note) is amended by adding at the end the following: (e) Support The Administrator of General Services shall provide administrative support for the Council. . (e) Performance improvement council Section 1124(b) of title 31, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows: (A) a designee of the Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget, who shall have experience in the areas of strategic and performance planning, measurement, and analysis, including the use of performance information to improve the results of an agency; ; and (2) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4) and by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) Chairperson and vice chairperson (A) Chairperson The chairperson of the Performance Improvement Council shall be the designee of the Director of Management of the Office of Management and Budget described in paragraph (1)(A). (B) Vice chairperson The Performance Improvement Council shall select from among the members of the Council a Performance Improvement Officer to serve as vice chairperson of the Council. . 6. GAO Annual report on the activities of the Office of Executive Councils Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for six years, the Administrator shall submit to the Committees on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Appropriations of the Senate and the Committees on Oversight and Accountability and Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report on the activities of the Office of Executive Councils, with respect to the previous year, that includes the following: (1) A description of the activities of the Office of Executive Councils, including a summary of each service provided by the Office of Executive Councils to each covered governmentwide executive council. (2) A detailed accounting of— (A) the costs associated with the activities of the Office of Executive Councils, organized by each covered governmentwide executive council; and (B) any administrative costs associated with the operations of the Office of Executive Councils. (3) A detailed accounting of any project, service, or program provided to each covered governmentwide executive council. 7. Technical amendments (a) Title 31 Section 503 of title 31, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking paragraph (12); and (B) by redesignating paragraphs (13) and (14) as paragraphs (12) and (13); and (2) in subsection (b)— (A) by striking paragraph (5); and (B) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (10) as paragraphs (5) through (9), respectively. (b) Title 44 Section 3602(f)(7) of title 44, United States Code, is amended by striking on behalf of the Deputy Director for Management, who shall chair the council .