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Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Entrepreneur and 
Microenterprise Assistance Act''.

SEC. 2. RURAL ENTREPRENEUR AND MICROENTERPRISE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act is 
amended by inserting after section 364 (7 U.S.C. 2006f) the following:

``SEC. 365. RURAL ENTREPRENEUR AND MICROENTERPRISE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Economically disadvantaged microentrepreneur.--The 
        term `economically disadvantaged microentrepreneur' means an 
        owner, majority owner, or developer of a microenterprise that 
        has the ability to compete in the private sector but has been 
        impaired because of diminished capital and credit 
        opportunities, as compared to other microentrepreneurs in the 
        industry.
            ``(2) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian tribe' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).
            ``(3) Intermediary.--The term `intermediary' means a 
        private, nonprofit entity that provides assistance--
                    ``(A) to a microenterprise development 
                organization; or
                    ``(B) for a microenterprise development program.
            ``(4) Low-income individual.--The term low-income 
        individual means an individual with an income (adjusted for 
        family size) of not more than the greatest of--
                    ``(A) 80 percent of median income of an area;
                    ``(B) 80 percent of the statewide non-metropolitan 
                area median income; or
                    ``(C) 80 percent of the national median income.
            ``(5) Microcredit.--The term `microcredit' means a business 
        loan or loan guarantee of not more than $50,000 that is 
        provided to a rural entrepreneur.
            ``(6) Microenterprise.--The term `microenterprise' means--
                    ``(A) a sole proprietorship; or
                    ``(B) a business entity with not more than 10 full-
                time-equivalent employees.
            ``(7) Microenterprise development organization.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `microenterprise 
                development organization' means a private, nonprofit 
                entity that--
                            ``(i) provides training and technical 
                        assistance to rural entrepreneurs; and
                            ``(ii) facilitates access to capital or 
                        another service described in subsection (b) for 
                        rural entrepreneurs.
                    ``(B) Inclusions.--The term `microenterprise 
                development organization' includes an organization 
                described in subparagraph (A) with a demonstrated 
                record of delivering services to economically 
                disadvantaged microentrepreneurs, or an effective plan 
                to develop a program to deliver microenterprise 
                services to rural entrepreneurs effectively, as 
                determined by the Secretary.
            ``(8) Microenterprise development program.--The term 
        `microenterprise development organization' means a program 
        administered by an organization serving a rural area.
            ``(9) Microentrepreneur.--The term `microentrepreneur' 
        means the owner, operator, or developer of a microenterprise.
            ``(10) Program.--The term `program' means the rural 
        entrepreneur and microenterprise program established under 
        subsection (b)(1).
            ``(11) Qualified organization.--The term `qualified 
        organization' means--
                    ``(A) a microenterprise development organization or 
                microenterprise development program that has a 
                demonstrated record of delivering microenterprise 
                services to rural entrepreneurs, or an effective plan 
                to develop a program to deliver microenterprise 
                services to rural entrepreneurs effectively, as 
                determined by the Secretary.
                    ``(B) an intermediary that has a demonstrated 
                record of delivery assistance to microenterprise 
                development organizations or microenterprise 
                development programs;
                    ``(C) a microenterprise development organization or 
                microenterprise development program that serves rural 
                entrepreneurs;
                    ``(D) an Indian tribe, the tribal government of 
                which certifies to the Secretary that no 
                microenterprise development organization or 
                microenterprise development program exists under the 
                jurisdiction of the Indian tribe;
                    ``(E) a group of 2 or more organizations or Indian 
                tribes described in any of subparagraphs (A) through 
                (D) that agree to act jointly as a qualified 
                organization under this section; or
                    ``(F) for purposes of subsection (b), a public 
                college or university.
            ``(12) Rural area.--The term `rural area' means any 
        community that is rural in character and has a population of 
        not more than 25,000 individuals.
            ``(13) Rural capacity building service.--The term `rural 
        capacity building service' means a service provided to an 
        organization that--
                    ``(A) is, or is in the process of becoming, a 
                microenterprise development organization or 
                microenterprise development program; and
                    ``(B) serves rural areas for the purpose of 
                enhancing the ability of the organization to provide 
                training, technical assistance, and other related 
                services to rural entrepreneurs.
            ``(14) Rural entrepreneur.--The term `rural entrepreneur' 
        means a microentrepreneur, or prospective microentrepreneur--
                    ``(A) the principal place of business of which is 
                in a rural area; and
                    ``(B) that is unable to obtain sufficient training, 
                technical assistance, or microcredit elsewhere, as 
                determined by the Secretary.
            ``(15) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture, acting through the Rural Business-Cooperative 
        Service.
            ``(16) Tribal government.--The term `tribal government' 
        means the governing body of an Indian tribe.
    ``(b) Rural Entrepreneurship and Microenterprise Program.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a rural 
        entrepreneurship and microenterprise program.
            ``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the program shall be to 
        provide low-income individuals and moderate-income individuals 
        with--
                    ``(A) the skills necessary to establish new small 
                businesses in rural areas; and
                    ``(B) continuing technical and financial assistance 
                as individuals and business starting or operating small 
                businesses.
            ``(3) Grants.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may make a grant 
                under the program to a qualified organization--
                            ``(i) to provide training, operational 
                        support, or a rural capacity building service 
                        to a qualified organization to assist the 
                        qualified organization in developing 
                        microenterprise training, technical assistance, 
                        market development assistance, and other 
                        related services, primarily for business with 5 
                        or fewer full-time-equivalent employees;
                            ``(ii) to assist in researching and 
                        developing the best practices in delivering 
                        training, technical assistance, and microcredit 
                        to rural entrepreneurs; and
                            ``(iii) to carry out such other projects 
                        and activities as the Secretary determines to 
                        be consistent with the purposes of this 
                        section.
                    ``(B) Subgrants.--Subject to such regulations as 
                the Secretary may promulgate, a qualified organization 
                that receives a grant under this paragraph may use the 
                grant to provide assistance to other qualified 
                organizations, such as small or emerging qualified 
                organizations.
                    ``(C) Diversity.--In making grants under this 
                paragraph, the Secretary shall ensure, to the maximum 
                extent practicable, that grant recipients include 
                qualified organizations--
                            ``(i) of varying sizes; and
                            ``(ii) that serve racially- and ethnically-
                        diverse populations.
                    ``(D) Cost sharing.--
                            ``(i) Federal share.--The Federal share of 
                        the cost of a project carried out using funds 
                        from a grant made under this paragraph shall be 
                        75 percent.
                            ``(ii) Form of non-federal share.--The non-
                        Federal share of the cost of a project 
                        described in clause (i) may be provided--
                                    ``(I) in cash (including through 
                                fees, grants (including community 
                                development block grants), and gifts); 
                                or
                                    ``(II) in kind.
            ``(4) Rural microloan program.--
                    ``(A) Establishment.--In carrying out the program, 
                the Secretary may carry out a rural microloan program.
                    ``(B) Purpose.--The purpose of the rural microloan 
                program shall be to provide technical and financial 
                assistance to sole proprietorships and small businesses 
                located in rural areas with a particular focus on those 
                businesses with 5 or fewer full-time equivalent 
                employees.
                    ``(C) Authority of secretary.--In carrying out the 
                rural microloan program, the Secretary may--
                            ``(i) make direct loans to qualified 
                        organizations for the purpose of making short-
                        term, fixed interest rate microloans to 
                        startup, newly established, and growing rural 
                        microbusiness concerns; and
                            ``(ii) in conjunction with those loans, 
                        provide grants in accordance with subparagraph 
                        (E) to those qualified organizations for the 
                        purpose of providing intensive marketing, 
                        management, and technical assistance to small 
                        business concerns that are borrowers under this 
                        paragraph.
                    ``(D) Loan duration; interest rates; conditions.--
                            ``(i) Loan duration.--A loan made by the 
                        Secretary under this paragraph shall be for a 
                        term of 20 years.
                            ``(ii) Applicable interest rates.--A loan 
                        made by the Secretary under this paragraph to a 
                        qualified organization shall bear an annual 
                        interest rate of at least 1 percent.
                            ``(iii) Deferral of interest and 
                        principal.--The Secretary may permit the 
                        deferral of payments, for principal and 
                        interest, on a loan made under this paragraph 
                        for a period of not more than 2 years, 
                        beginning on the date on which the loan was 
                        made.
                    ``(E) Grant amounts.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Except as otherwise 
                        provided in this section, each qualified 
                        organization that receives a loan under this 
                        paragraph shall be eligible to receive a grant 
                        to provide marketing, management, and technical 
                        assistance to small business concerns that are 
                        borrowers or potential borrowers under this 
                        subsection.
                            ``(ii) Maximum amount of grant for 
                        microenterprise development organizations.--
                        Each microenterprise development organization 
                        that receives a loan under this paragraph shall 
                        receive an annual grant in an amount equal to 
                        not more than 25 percent of the total 
                        outstanding balance of loans made to the 
                        microenterprise development organization under 
                        this paragraph, as of the date of provision of 
                        the grant.
                            ``(iii) Matching requirement.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--As a condition 
                                of any grant made to a qualified 
                                organization under this subparagraph, 
                                the Secretary shall require the 
                                qualified organization to match not 
                                less than 15 percent of the total 
                                amount of the grant.
                                    ``(II) Sources.--In addition to 
                                cash from non-Federal sources, a 
                                matching share provided by the 
                                qualified organization may include 
                                indirect costs or in-kind contributions 
                                funded under non-Federal programs.
    ``(c) Administrative Expenses.--Not more than 10 percent of 
assistance received by a qualified organization for a fiscal year under 
this section may be used to pay administrative expenses.
    ``(d) Funding.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, and on October 1, 2008, and each October 
        1 thereafter through October 1, 2012, out of any funds in the 
        Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the Secretary of the 
        Treasury shall transfer to the Secretary to carry out this 
        section $50,000,000, to remain available until expended.
            ``(2) Allocation of funds.--Of the amount made available by 
        paragraph (1) for each fiscal year--
                    ``(A) not less than $30,000,000 shall be available 
                for use in carrying out subsection (b)(3); and
                    ``(B) not less than $20,000,000 shall be available 
                for use in carrying out subsection (b)(4), of which not 
                more than $7,000,000 shall be used to support direct 
                loans.
                    ``(C) Receipt and acceptance.--The Secretary shall 
                be entitled to receive, shall accept, and shall use to 
                carry out this section the funds transferred under 
                paragraph (1), without further appropriation.''.

Answer: Rural Entrepreneur and Microenterprise Assistance Act - Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a rural entrepreneur and microenterprise (sole proprietorship or business entity with not more than 10 full-time employees) program to help low- and moderate- income individuals acquire: (1) necessary skills to establish small rural businesses; and (2) technical and financial assistance.

Authorizes the Secretary to carry out a related rural microloan program to provide technical and financial assistance to sole proprietorships and small rural businesses with a particular focus on businesses with five or fewer full-time employees.


Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Medicare Spending Transparency Act 
of 2011''.

SEC. 2. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF AGGREGATE DATA ON MEDICARE PROVIDERS OF 
              SERVICES AND SUPPLIERS.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to make aggregate 
information about providers of services and suppliers under the 
Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) publicly available and to provide a new level of 
transparency in such program.
    (b) Public Availability.--Section 1128J of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1320a-7k) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
    ``(f) Public Availability of Certain Medicare Data.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall, to the extent 
        consistent with applicable information, privacy, security, and 
        disclosure laws, including the regulations promulgated under 
        the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 
        and section 552a of title 5, United States Code, make available 
        to the public on the Internet website of the Centers for 
        Medicare & Medicaid Services the following data with respect to 
        title XVIII:
                    ``(A) A complete list of the providers of services 
                and suppliers participating in the program under such 
                title, including the business address of such providers 
                of services and suppliers.
                    ``(B) Aggregate information about each such 
                provider of services and supplier, including--
                            ``(i) the total number of individuals 
                        furnished items or services by the provider of 
                        services or supplier for which payment was made 
                        under such title during the preceding year;
                            ``(ii) the number of unique patient 
                        encounters conducted by the provider of 
                        services or supplier for which payment was made 
                        under such title during the preceding year;
                            ``(iii) the average number of codes billed 
                        under such title by the provider of services of 
                        supplier per patient encounter during the 
                        preceding year;
                            ``(iv) the total amount paid to such 
                        provider of services or supplier under such 
                        title during the preceding year;
                            ``(v) the top 50 billing codes on claims 
                        paid under such title to the provider of 
                        services or supplier during the preceding year, 
                        as determined by volume, including a 
                        description of such codes;
                            ``(vi) the top 50 billing codes on such 
                        claims paid during such year, as determined by 
                        dollar amount, including a description of such 
                        codes; and
                            ``(vii) the top 50 diagnosis and procedure 
                        code pairs on such claims paid during such 
                        year, as determined by volume, including a 
                        description of such codes.
            ``(2) Implementation.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of enactment of the Medicare Spending Transparency Act of 2011, 
        the Secretary shall promulgate regulations to carry out this 
        subsection.''.

SEC. 3. ACCESS TO MEDICARE CLAIMS AND PAYMENT DATA BY QUALIFIED 
              INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to allow qualified 
individuals and groups access to information on claims and payment data 
under the Medicare program for purposes of conducting health research 
and detecting fraud under such program.
    (b) Access to Medicare Claims and Payment Data by Qualified 
Individuals and Groups.--Section 1128J of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1320a-7k), as amended by section 2, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subsection:
    ``(g) Access to Medicare Claims and Payment Data by Qualified 
Individuals and Groups.--
            ``(1) In general.--For purposes of conducting health 
        research and detecting fraud under title XVIII, and to the 
        extent consistent with applicable information, privacy, 
        security, and disclosure laws, including the regulations 
        promulgated under the Health Insurance Portability and 
        Accountability Act of 1996 and section 552a of title 5, United 
        States Code, and subject to any information systems security 
        requirements under such laws or otherwise required by the 
        Secretary, a qualified individual or group shall have access to 
        claims and payment data of the Department of Health and Human 
        Services and its contractors related to title XVIII. 
        Notwithstanding any other provision of law, such data shall 
        include the identity of individual providers of services and 
        suppliers under such title.
            ``(2) Definition of qualified individual or group.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In this subsection, the term 
                `qualified individual or group' means an individual or 
                entity that the Secretary has determined, in accordance 
                with subparagraph (B), has relevant experience, 
                knowledge, and technical expertise in medicine, 
                statistics, health care billing, practice patterns, 
                health care fraud detection, and analysis to use data 
                provided to the individual or the entity under this 
                subsection in an appropriate, responsible, and ethical 
                manner and for the purposes described in paragraph (1).
                    ``(B) Procedures.--The Secretary shall establish 
                procedures for determining, in a timely manner, whether 
                an individual or entity is a qualified individual or 
                group.
            ``(3) Procedures.--The Secretary shall establish procedures 
        for the storage and use of data provided to a qualified 
        individual or group under this subsection. Such procedures 
        shall ensure that, in the case where the qualified individual 
        or group publishes an analysis of such data (or any analysis 
        using such data), the qualified individual or group discloses 
        the following information (in a form and manner, and at a time, 
        specified by the Secretary):
                    ``(A) The name of the qualified individual or 
                group.
                    ``(B) The sources of any funding for the qualified 
                individual or group.
                    ``(C) Any employer or other relevant affiliations 
                of the qualified individual or group.
                    ``(D) The data analysis methods used by the 
                qualified individual or group in the analysis 
                involved.''.

Answer: Medicare Spending Transparency Act of 2011 - Amends title XI of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), consistent with applicable information, privacy, security, and disclosure laws, to make public on the Internet website of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services the following data with respect to SSA title XVIII (Medicare): (1) a complete list of service providers and suppliers participating in the Medicare program, including their business addresses; and (2) certain aggregate information about each provider and supplier.

Entitles a qualified individual or group, for health research and fraud detection purposes, to access to Medicare claims and payment data of both HHS and its contractors. Directs the Secretary to establish procedures for the storage and use of data provided to such an individual or group.


Question: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Stop Government Propaganda Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Since 1951, the following prohibition on the use of 
        appropriated funds for propaganda purposes has been enacted 
        annually: ``No part of any appropriation contained in this or 
        any other Act shall be used for publicity or propaganda 
        purposes within the United States not heretofore authorized by 
        Congress.''.
            (2) On May 19, 2004, the Government Accountability Office 
        (GAO) ruled that the Department of Health and Human Services 
        violated the publicity and propaganda prohibitions by creating 
        fake television new stories for distribution to broadcast 
        stations across the country.
            (3) On January 4, 2005, the GAO ruled that the Office of 
        National drug Control Policy violated the publicity and 
        propaganda prohibitions by distributing fake television news 
        stories to broadcast stations from 2002 to 2004.
            (4) In 2003, the Department of Education violated publicity 
        and propaganda prohibitions by using of taxpayer funds to 
        create fake television news stories promoting the ``No Child 
        Left Behind'' program violated the propaganda prohibition.
            (5) An analysis of individual journalists, paid for by the 
        Department of Education in 2003, which ranked reporters on how 
        positive their articles portrayed the Administration and the 
        Republican Party, constituted a gross violation of the law 
        prohibiting propaganda and the use of taxpayer funds for 
        partisan purposes.
            (6) The payment of taxpayer funds to journalist Armstrong 
        Williams in 2003 to promote Administration education policies 
        violated the ban on covert propaganda.
            (7) The payment of taxpayer funds to journalist Maggie 
        Gallagher in 2002 to promote Administration welfare and family 
        policies violated the ban on covert propaganda.
            (8) Payment for and construction of 8 little red 
        schoolhouse facades at the entranceways to the Department of 
        Education headquarters in Washington, DC to boost the image of 
        the ``No Child Left Behind'' program was an inappropriate use 
        of taxpayer dollars.
            (9) Messages inserted into Social Security Administration 
        materials in 2004 and 2005 intended to further grassroots 
        lobbying efforts in favor of President Bush's Social Security 
        privatization plan is an inappropriate use of taxpayer funds.
            (10) The Department of Health and Human Services ignored 
        the Government Accountability Office's legal decision of May 
        19, 2004, and failed to follow the GAO's directive to report 
        its Anti-Deficiency Act violation to Congress and the 
        President, as provided by section 1351 of title 31, United 
        States Code.
            (11) Despite numerous violations of the propaganda law, the 
        Department of Justice has not acted to enforce the law or 
        follow the requirements of the Anti-Deficiency Act.
            (12) In order to protect taxpayer funds, stronger measures 
        must be enacted into law to require actual enforcement of the 
        ban on the use of taxpayer funds for propaganda purposes.

SEC. 3. DEFINITION.

    In this Act, the term ``publicity'' or ``propaganda'' includes--
            (1) a news release or other publication that does not 
        clearly identify the Government agency directly or indirectly 
        (through a contractor) financially responsible for the message;
            (2) any audio or visual presentation that does not 
        continuously and clearly identify the Government agency 
        directly or indirectly financially responsible for the message;
            (3) an Internet message that does not continuously and 
        clearly identify the Government agency directly or indirectly 
        financially responsible for the message;
            (4) any attempt to manipulate the news media by payment to 
        any journalist, reporter, columnist, commentator, editor, or 
        news organization;
            (5) any message designed to aid a political party or 
        candidate;
            (6) any message with the purpose of self-aggrandizement or 
        puffery of the Administration, agency, Executive branch 
        programs or policies, or pending congressional legislation;
            (7) a message of a nature tending to emphasize the 
        importance of the agency or its activities;
            (8) a message that is so misleading or inaccurate that it 
        constitutes propaganda; and
            (9) the preparation, distribution, or use of any kit, 
        pamphlet, booklet, publication, radio, television, or video 
        presentation designed to support or defeat legislation pending 
        before Congress or any State legislature, except in 
        presentation to Congress or any State legislature itself.

SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON PUBLICITY OR PROPAGANDA AND ENFORCEMENT.

    (a) In General.--The senior official of an Executive branch agency 
who authorizes or directs funds appropriated to such Executive branch 
agency for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States, 
unless authorized by law, is liable to the United States Government for 
a civil penalty of not less than $5,000 and not more than $10,000, plus 
3 times the amount of funds appropriated.
    (b) Responsibilities of the Attorney General.--The Attorney General 
diligently shall investigate a violation of subsection (a). If the 
Attorney General finds that a person has violated or is violating 
subsection (a), the Attorney General may bring a civil action under 
this section against the person.
    (c) Actions by Private Persons.--
            (1) In general.--A person may bring a civil action for a 
        violation of subsection (a) for the person and for the United 
        States Government. The action shall be brought in the name of 
        the Government. The action may be dismissed only if the court 
        and the Attorney General give written consent to the dismissal 
        and their reasons for consenting.
            (2) Notice.--A copy of the complaint and written disclosure 
        of substantially all material evidence and information the 
        person possesses shall be served on the Government pursuant to 
        Rule 4(d)(4) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The 
        complaint shall be filed in camera, shall remain under seal for 
        at least 60 days, and shall not be served on the defendant 
        until the court so orders. The Government may elect to 
        intervene and proceed with the action within 60 days after it 
        receives both the complaint and the material evidence and 
        information.
            (3) Delay of notice.--The Government may, for good cause 
        shown, move the court for extensions of the time during which 
        the complaint remains under seal under paragraph (2). Any such 
        motions may be supported by affidavits or other submissions in 
        camera. The defendant shall not be required to respond to any 
        complaint filed under this section until 20 days after the 
        complaint is unsealed and served upon the defendant pursuant to 
        Rule 4 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
            (4) Government action.--Before the expiration of the 60-day 
        period or any extensions obtained under paragraph (3), the 
        Government shall--
                    (A) proceed with the action, in which case the 
                action shall be conducted by the Government; or
                    (B) notify the court that it declines to take over 
                the action, in which case the person bringing the 
                action shall have the right to conduct the action.
            (5) Limited intervention.--When a person brings an action 
        under this subsection, no person other than the Government may 
        intervene or bring a related action based on the facts 
        underlying the pending action.
    (d) Rights of the Parties.--
            (1) Government action.--If the Government proceeds with the 
        action, it shall have the primary responsibility for 
        prosecuting the action, and shall not be bound by an act of the 
        person bringing the action. Such person shall have the right to 
        continue as a party to the action, subject to the limitations 
        set forth in paragraph (2).
            (2) Limitations.--
                    (A) Dismissal.--The Government may dismiss the 
                action notwithstanding the objections of the person 
                initiating the action if the person has been notified 
                by the Government of the filing of the motion and the 
                court has provided the person with an opportunity for a 
                hearing on the motion.
                    (B) Settlement.--The Government may settle the 
                action with the defendant notwithstanding the 
                objections of the person initiating the action if the 
                court determines, after a hearing, that the proposed 
                settlement is fair, adequate, and reasonable under all 
                the circumstances. Upon a showing of good cause, such 
                hearing may be held in camera.
                    (C) Proceedings.--Upon a showing by the Government 
                that unrestricted participation during the course of 
                the litigation by the person initiating the action 
                would interfere with or unduly delay the Government's 
                prosecution of the case, or would be repetitious, 
                irrelevant, or for purposes of harassment, the court 
                may, in its discretion, impose limitations on the 
                person's participation, such as--
                            (i) limiting the number of witnesses the 
                        person may call;
                            (ii) limiting the length of the testimony 
                        of such witnesses;
                            (iii) limiting the person's cross-
                        examination of witnesses; or
                            (iv) otherwise limiting the participation 
                        by the person in the litigation.
                    (D) Limit participation.--Upon a showing by the 
                defendant that unrestricted participation during the 
                course of the litigation by the person initiating the 
                action would be for purposes of harassment or would 
                cause the defendant undue burden or unnecessary 
                expense, the court may limit the participation by the 
                person in the litigation.
            (3) Action by person.--If the Government elects not to 
        proceed with the action, the person who initiated the action 
        shall have the right to conduct the action. If the Government 
        so requests, it shall be served with copies of all pleadings 
        filed in the action and shall be supplied with copies of all 
        deposition transcripts (at the Government's expense). When a 
        person proceeds with the action, the court, without limiting 
        the status and rights of the person initiating the action, may 
        nevertheless permit the Government to intervene at a later date 
        upon a showing of good cause.
            (4) Interference.--Whether or not the Government proceeds 
        with the action, upon a showing by the Government that certain 
        actions of discovery by the person initiating the action would 
        interfere with the Government's investigation or prosecution of 
        a criminal or civil matter arising out of the same facts, the 
        court may stay such discovery for a period of not more than 60 
        days. Such a showing shall be conducted in camera. The court 
        may extend the 60-day period upon a further showing in camera 
        that the Government has pursued the criminal or civil 
        investigation or proceedings with reasonable diligence and any 
        proposed discovery in the civil action will interfere with the 
        ongoing criminal or civil investigation or proceedings.
            (5) Government action.--Notwithstanding subsection (b), the 
        Government may elect to pursue its claim through any alternate 
        remedy available to the Government, including any 
        administrative proceeding to determine a civil money penalty. 
        If any such alternate remedy is pursued in another proceeding, 
        the person initiating the action shall have the same rights in 
        such proceeding as such person would have had if the action had 
        continued under this section. Any finding of fact or conclusion 
        of law made in such other proceeding that has become final 
        shall be conclusive on all parties to an action under this 
        section. For purposes of the preceding sentence, a finding or 
        conclusion is final if it has been finally determined on appeal 
        to the appropriate court of the United States, if all time for 
        filing such an appeal with respect to the finding or conclusion 
        has expired, or if the finding or conclusion is not subject to 
        judicial review.
    (e) Award to Private Plaintiff.--
            (1) Government action.--If the Government proceeds with an 
        action brought by a person under subsection (c), such person 
        shall, subject to the second sentence of this paragraph, 
        receive at least 15 percent but not more than 25 percent of the 
        proceeds of the action or settlement of the claim, depending 
        upon the extent to which the person substantially contributed 
        to the prosecution of the action.
            (2) No government action.--If the Government does not 
        proceed with an action under this section, the person bringing 
        the action or settling the claim shall receive an amount which 
        the court decides is reasonable for collecting the civil 
        penalty and damages. The amount shall be not less than 25 
        percent and not more than 30 percent of the proceeds of the 
        action or settlement and shall be paid out of such proceeds. 
        Such person shall also receive an amount for reasonable 
        expenses which the court finds to have been necessarily 
        incurred, plus reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. All such 
        expenses, fees, and costs shall be awarded against the 
        defendant.
            (3) Frivolous claim.--If the Government does not proceed 
        with the action and the person bringing the action conducts the 
        action, the court may award to the defendant its reasonable 
        attorneys' fees and expenses if the defendant prevails in the 
        action and the court finds that the claim of the person 
        bringing the action was clearly frivolous, clearly vexatious, 
        or brought primarily for purposes of harassment.
    (f) Government Not Liable for Certain Expenses.--The Government is 
not liable for expenses which a person incurs in bringing an action 
under this section.
    (g) Fees and Expenses to Prevailing Defendant.--In civil actions 
brought under this section by the United States, the provisions of 
section 2412(d) of title 28 shall apply.
    (h) Whistleblower Protection.--
            (1) In general.--Any employee who is discharged, demoted, 
        suspended, threatened, harassed, or in any other manner 
        discriminated against in the terms and conditions of employment 
        by his or her employer because of lawful acts done by the 
        employee on behalf of the employee or others in furtherance of 
        an action under this section, including investigation for, 
        initiation of, testimony for, or assistance in an action filed 
        or to be filed under this section, shall be entitled to all 
        relief necessary to make the employee whole.
            (2) Relief.--Relief under this subsection shall include 
        reinstatement with the same seniority status such employee 
        would have had but for the discrimination, 2 times the amount 
        of back pay, interest on the back pay, and compensation for any 
        special damages sustained as a result of the discrimination, 
        including litigation costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. An 
        employee may bring an action in the appropriate district court 
        of the United States for the relief provided in this 
        subsection.

SEC. 5. JUDICIAL NOTICE.

    The courts of the United States shall take cognizance and notice of 
any legal decision of the Government Accountability Office interpreting 
the application of this Act.

SEC. 6. POINT OF ORDER.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Reduction of salary.--It shall not be in order in the 
        House of Representatives or the Senate to consider a bill, 
        amendment, or resolution providing an appropriation for an 
        agency that the Government Accountability Office has found in 
        violation of this Act unless the appropriations for salary and 
        expenses for the head of the relevant agency contains a 
        provision reducing the salary of the head by an amount equal to 
        the illegal expenditure identified by the Government 
        Accountability Office. If the illegal expenditure exceeds the 
        annual salary of the agency head, then the point of order shall 
        continue until the remaining amount is subtracted from the 
        salary of the agency head.
            (2) Compliance.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply if the 
        agency is complying with the decision of the Government 
        Accountability Office.
    (b) Supermajority Waiver and Appeal.--This section may be waived or 
suspended in the Senate only by an affirmative vote of \3/5\ of the 
Members, duly chosen and sworn. An affirmative vote of \3/5\ of the 
Members of the Senate, duly chosen and sworn, shall be required in the 
Senate to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair on a point of 
order raised under this section.

Answer:
Stop Government Propaganda Act - Imposes a civil penalty on a senior official of an Executive branch agency who authorizes or directs funds appropriated to such agency for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States.

Instructs the Attorney General to diligently investigate such a violation, and if the Attorney General finds that a person has committed such a violation or is committing such a violation, authorizes the Attorney General to bring a civil action against that person.

Allows a private person to bring a civil action for such a violation for the person and for the U.S. Government in the name of the Government. Permits the dismissal of such an action only if the court and the Attorney General give written consent to the dismissal and their reasons for consenting. Prohibits any person other than the Government from intervening or bringing a related action based on the facts underlying the pending action.

Specifies the rights of the parties with regard to such an action. Allows the Government to elect to pursue its claim through any alternate remedy available to it.

Sets forth requirements for whistleblower protections.

States that the U.S. courts shall take cognizance and notice of any legal decision of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) interpreting the application of this Act.

Prohibits a point of order in the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider legislation providing an appropriation for an agency that the GAO has found in violation of this Act, unless the appropriations for salary and expenses for the head of the relevant agency contains a provision reducing the salary of the head by an amount equal to the illegal expenditure.