jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-05-20 00:00:00

Federal Financial Statement Transparency Act of 2014 - Establishes in the executive branch an independent Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) to develop federal financial accounting concepts or standards, giving consideration to the budgetary information needs of executive agencies and the needs of users of federal financial information.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a FASAB operations fund to enable the FASAB to carry out its duties.

Requires the Secretary to assess a fee on each sale of a security for deposit into the fund.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2014-05-29 00:00:00

Verify It Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit a federal agency from notifying the Secretary of the Treasury of any past-due legally enforceable debt until such agency: (1) notifies by certified mail the person owing such debt that the agency proposes to notify the Secretary of the debt and gives such person at least 60 days to present evidence that such debt is not past-due or legally enforceable, (2) considers such evidence and determines that an amount of such debt is past-due and legally enforceable, and (3) satisfies any other conditions the Secretary may prescribe to ensure that the debt is valid and that the agency has made reasonable efforts to collect such debt.

Prohibits any administrative offset of a claim asserted by the federal government that has been outstanding for more than 10 years.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-06-17 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Searching for and Cutting Regulations that are Unnecessarily Burdensome Act of 2014 or the SCRUB Act of 2014 - Title I: Retrospective Regulatory Review Commission - Establishes the Retrospective Regulatory Review Commission to review the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to identify, using specified criteria, rules and sets of rules that collectively implement a regulatory program that should be repealed to lower the cost of regulation to the economy, giving priority to major rules that: (1) have been in effect more than 15 years, (2) impose paperwork burdens that could be reduced substantially without significantly diminishing regulatory effectiveness, (3) impose disproportionately high costs on small business entities, and (4) could be strengthened in their effectiveness while reducing regulatory costs. 

Title II: Regulatory Cut-go - Requires a federal agency that makes a new rule to repeal rules identified by the Commission to offset the cost to the economy of such new rule (cut-go procedures). Requires the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to review and certify the accuracy of agency determinations of the cost of new rules.

Title III: Retrospective Review of New Rules - Requires a federal agency that makes a new rule to include in the final issuance of such rule a plan for reviewing the rule not later than 10 years after it is promulgated.

Title IV: Judicial Review - Makes agency compliance with the requirements of this Act subject to judicial review.

Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions - Defines terms used in this Act and makes it effective upon enactment.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-06-23 00:00:00

Protection Against Wasteful Spending Act of 2014 - Requires the head of a federal agency to: (1) implement in each of fiscal years 2014-2020 all of the recommendations of the agency's inspector general (IG) regarding wasteful and excessive spending, or duplicative programs causing wasteful and excessive spending, except for any recommendation that would violate an existing law; and (2) report to Congress on such implementation.

Prohibits an agency that fails to implement an IG recommendation in a timely manner from obligating funds for: (1) convention or seminar attendance and international or domestic travel by any politically-appointed official, or (2) any bonus or salary increase for such official.

Directs that such funds that are prohibited from being obligated and amounts saved by the implementation of IG recommendations be credited or transferred equally to: (1) the Highway Trust Fund, and (2) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for capitalization grants for state water pollution control revolving funds under the Clean Water Act.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Date: 2014-07-10 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Research and Development Efficiency Act - Requires the Director of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to establish a working group under the authority of the National Science and Technology Council that includes the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Makes the working group responsible for reviewing federal regulations affecting research and research universities and making recommendations on how to: (1) harmonize, streamline, and eliminate duplicative federal regulations and reporting requirements; and (2) minimize the regulatory burden on U.S. institutions of higher education performing federally funded research while maintaining accountability for federal tax dollars.

Instructs the working group to take into account input and recommendations from specified non-federal stakeholders in ensuring effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability in the performance of scientific research.

Requires the Director to report to Congress on what steps have been taken to carry out the recommendations of the working group.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-07-10 00:00:00

Lean and Responsive Government Act - Requires the head of each federal agency to describe the implementation of continuous process improvement in the agency's periodic update on agency performance. Defines "continuous process improvement" as a management methodology (commonly referred to as lean six sigma) that combines tools to improve process speed, reduce waste, and incorporate requirements with data driven project analysis to provide products and services with improved quality at lower cost.

Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to: (1) make available on the OMB website a description of the results of the government-wide implementation of continuous process improvement, and (2) appoint an expert on such process as a member of the Performance Improvement Council to advise on its implementation across agencies.

Requires: (1) each agency's Chief Operating Officer to implement continuous process improvement, (2) each agency's Performance Improvement Officer to advise and assist the agency head and Chief Operating Officer in implementing such process, and (3) the head of each agency to include information on the results of continuous process improvement projects in each relevant appropriation request for the agency.

Requires the Director to designate a center of excellence for continuous process improvement training from within the Department of Defense (DOD).
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-07-16 00:00:00

Audit the Pentagon Act of 2014 - Requires, on March 2 of FY2015 and each subsequent fiscal year, a .5% reduction in the discretionary budget authority of a federal agency that is identified by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as required to have an audited financial statement: (1) that has not submitted a financial statement for the previous fiscal year, or (2) whose statement has not received either an unqualified or a qualified audit opinion by an independent external auditor. Excludes from such reduction accounts for military, reserve and National Guard personnel and the Defense Health Program account of the Department of Defense (DOD). Authorizes: (1) the Secretary of Defense to make such a reduction in the discretionary budget authority of any agency in a manner that minimizes any effect on national security, and (2) the President to waive a reduction in discretionary budget authority if such reduction would harm national security or members of the Armed Forces who are in combat.

Requires a report to Congress listing required DOD reports that interfere with DOD's capacity to achieve an audit of its financial statements with an unqualified opinion.

Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) congressional defense committees and DOD should not endanger the nation's troops by reducing wounded warrior accounts or vital protection for members of the Armed Forces in harm's way, (2) the valuation of legacy assets by DOD should be simplified without compromising essential controls or generally accepted government auditing standards, and (3) this Act should not be construed to require or permit the declassification of accounting details about classified defense programs and DOD should ensure financial accountability in such programs.

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Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-07-17 00:00:00

Savings, Accountability, Value, and Efficiency III Act of 2014 - Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue software licensing policies for federal agencies.

Amends the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to expand the definition of "energy or water conservation measure" under such Act to include, in the case of a contract in which the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is a party: (1) the purchase or lease of low emission and fuel efficient vehicles; (2) the upgrade of USPS vehicles to increase average fuel economy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions; or (3) the construction of infrastructure to support such vehicles, including electric vehicle charging stations.

Directs the Postmaster General to develop guidelines for USPS vehicles that provide for specified carbon dioxide emissions and fuel economy standards.

Requires the head of each federal agency to ensure that agency desktop computers are shut down for at least 4 hours out of each 24-hour time period, except for certain computers that are in use for 16 or more hours per day.

Denies payment of civil service retirement benefits and requires forfeiture of thrift saving plan (TSP) agency contributions for federal employees who are convicted of certain public corruption offenses.

Requires the Secretary of Defense to implement specified criteria in requests for overseas contingency operations.

Amends the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to direct each federal facility energy manager, not later than two years after completion of a comprehensive energy evaluation of a federal agency's facilities, to consider: (1) implementing any energy-saving or conservation measure that the agency identified in the evaluation that is life cycle cost-effective, and (2) bundling individual measures of varying paybacks together into combined projects.

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to examine, and report to Congress on, which payments may be made under both the Medicare Advantage Program and the veterans health care system or the TRICARE program for health care furnished to individuals eligible under such health care programs.

Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide Medicare beneficiaries with an option to receive statements of benefits in a electronic format.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-07-23 00:00:00

Retention of Electronic Correspondence Of Regulatory Decisions Act of 2014 or the RECORD Act of 2014 - Requires the records management program maintained by each federal agency head to provide for: (1) the identification and automatic retention of electronic mail (email) accounts that should be preserved as permanent federal records, including the accounts of such head and specified other agency officials and employees; and (2) the electronic capture, management, and preservation of those email accounts in accordance with records disposal requirements such that electronic records are readily accessible for retrieval through electronic searches and there are mandatory minimum functional requirements for electronic records management systems to ensure compliance with program requirements.

Directs the Comptroller General to evaluate and report to Congress not less than every two years on agency management of email records.

Amends the Inspector General Act to make it the responsibility of each Inspector General to: (1) review legislation and regulations relating to records retention requirements under the Federal Records Act for entity programs and operations, and (2) make recommendations in such Inspector General's semiannual reports concerning compliance with such requirements.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-07-24 00:00:00

National Regulatory Budget Act of 2014 - Establishes the Office of Regulatory Analysis in the executive branch as an independent establishment. Requires the Director of the Office to submit an annual report to specified congressional committees that includes: (1) regulatory costs imposed on regulated entities; (2) an analysis of any major changes in estimation methodology used by the Office since its last annual report; (3) an analysis of any major estimate changes caused by improved or inadequate data; (4) recommendations on how regulations may be streamlined, simplified, and modernized; and (5) recommendations for repealing regulations and reducing the cost of regulations without diminishing their effectiveness.

Requires the Director to publish a regulatory analysis of each proposed covered federal rule (a rule, an information collection requirement, guidance, or a directive that imposes not less than $25 million in annual costs on regulated entities) and each proposed withdrawal or modification of a covered federal rule by an executive agency that imposes or reduces costs on a regulated entity. 

Requires Congress to pass an annual bill establishing a National Regulatory Budget that sets an overall regulatory cost cap and an agency regulatory cost cap for each executive agency for the fiscal year.

Requires agencies to provide the information that the Director requests and imposes sanctions for failing to cooperate.

 Prohibits an executive agency that exceeds the annual agency regulatory cost cap imposed by the National Regulatory Budget for a fiscal year from promulgating a new covered federal rule that increases regulatory costs.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-07-24 00:00:00

To Help Reduce Inefficient Federal Tendencies Act of 2014 or the THRIFT Act of 2014 - Allows federal agencies, including judicial branch agencies, to: (1) retain up to 25% of annual savings from the implementation of plans developed by such agencies to create efficiencies and cost savings in agency operations, and (2) use such savings for specified purposes, including salary increases and employee awards for cost savings disclosures. Requires an agency to submit to the appropriate congressional committees a plan and an associated request to amend its approved operating budget specifying how such savings will be achieved and the amount and source of such savings.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-09-16 00:00:00

Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2014 - Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to: (1) grant inspectors general additional subpoena authority to compel the attendance and testimony of certain witnesses, including federal government contractors and former federal employees, necessary in the performance of functions assigned by such Act; (2) authorize appropriations for the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency through FY2021; (3) assign the Council additional responsibilities with respect to disputes involving the jurisdiction of more than one federal agency or entity; and (4) set forth procedures for considering allegations of wrongdoing against the Special Counsel and Deputy Special Counsel (officials appointed to investigate prohibited personal practices and government waste and abuse).

Exempts from requirements relating to the authority of federal agencies to collect information for investigations: (1) information collected during any evaluation by the Federal Accountability and Spending Transparency Board; and (2) information collected during any audit, investigation, inspection, evaluation, or other review conducted by the Council or any Office of the Inspector General, including any Office of Special Inspector General.

Requires: (1) the Comptroller General (GAO) to study and report on prolonged vacancies in the Offices of the Inspector General, and (2) the Council to conduct and report on an analysis of critical issues that involve the jurisdiction of more than one individual federal agency or entity.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-09-18 00:00:00

Printing Responsibly in New Typesets Act or the PRINT Act - Directs the Public Printer of the Government Printing Office (GPO) to: (1) adjust the font used to print GPO documents if the Public Printer determines that adjusting such font will reduce printing costs and be cost-effective and appropriate; and (2) enter into to an agreement with any person outside GPO who prints documents for the federal government to similarly adjust fonts used for printing documents.

Prohibits delivery of printed copies of any version of the Congressional Record to the office of a Senator or Member of the House of Representatives, effective 30 days after the enactment of this Act.

Redesignates GPO as the Government Publishing Office.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-09-18 00:00:00

Inspector General Vacancy Act of 2014 - Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to provide that if the President does not nominate an Inspector General within 180 days after a vacancy occurs in that position, the individual serving as interim Inspector General shall be deemed to be appointed, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2014-09-18 00:00:00

Cut REDTAPE Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt a new small business, including an incorporated business, from the additional tax imposed for underpayment of estimated income tax, if such business's gross receipts for the calendar year do not exceed $1 million.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-09-18 00:00:00

Fiscal Responsibility Using Government Accountability Laws Act of 2014 or the FRUGAL Act - Requires the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to analyze the extent to which taxpayers are reporting existing foreign accounts and are circumventing or properly utilizing offshore voluntary disclosure initiatives and programs. Requires the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to: (1) increase educational outreach concerning taxpayer offshore tax obligations, and (2) report to Congress on closing offshore tax loopholes and increasing revenue collection from offshore sources.

Requires the Federal Acquisition Regulation to be revised to include guidelines for federal agencies to use reverse auctions, an electronic auction in which offerors compete by submitting bids or revised bids for a contract, task, or delivery order until the award is made to the offeror with the lowest bid. States that the guidelines should ensure that reverse auctions uphold high quality standards and that small businesses can continue to participate in the procurement process.

Requires the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to develop and implement a plan to reduce spending on coin inventory management.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2014-11-13 00:00:00

United States Secret Service Accountability and Improvement Act of 2014 - Establishes in the legislative branch an independent advisory panel to: (1) examine the efficiency and effectiveness of the leadership structure, protocols, training, tools, and capabilities of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) mission to protect national leaders, visiting heads of state and government, designated sites, and special events of national significance; and (2) make recommendations to improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the United States Secret Service.

Directs the panel to assess the current leadership structure, protocols, training, tools, and capabilities of the Service, including assessing:

 the unity of effort between the divisions of the Service, law enforcement agencies, and other components of DHS related to the protective and investigative missions; the impact of Service personnel culture on its effectiveness and efficiency; the impact any leadership or security deficiencies have on the threat from acts of terrorism or other security incidents; identification of all security breaches at locations under Service protection in the past five years; the extent to which current resources provide for accomplishing its mission, and the effectiveness of communications and dissemination of homeland security information within the Service and with other law enforcement entities in routine and emergency situations. Sets forth reporting requirements, including requiring the final report to identify lessons learned regarding Service leadership issues and to include recommendations for improving efficiency and effectiveness, improving unity of effort, eliminating barriers to effective communications, identifying and mitigating culture issues that detract from its mission, and mitigating risks based on past security breaches.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-11-14 00:00:00

Report the Costs Act - Requires the annual reports of federal agency chief financial officers to include the cost of multilingual services provided or performed by federal agencies, including the cost of hiring interpreters and producing materials in a language other than English.

Requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to: (1) include in its financial status management reports a Multilingual Services Expense Report, and (2) issue guidance for agency chief financial officers in compiling reports on the cost of multilingual services.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-11-20 00:00:00

Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act of 2014 - Establishes in the executive branch a Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking. Directs the Commission to conduct a comprehensive study of the data inventory, data infrastructure, and statistical protocols related to federal policymaking and the statistical and programmatic agencies responsible for maintaining that data to:

 determine the optimal arrangement for which administrative data on federal programs and tax expenditures and related data series may be integrated and made available to facilitate program evaluation, policy-relevant research, and cost-benefit analyses by qualified researchers and institutions; make recommendations on how data infrastructure and protocols should be modified to best fulfill those objectives; and make recommendations on how best to incorporate outcomes measurement, institutionalize randomized controlled trials, and rigorous impact analysis into program design. Requires the Commission to consider if and how to create a clearinghouse for program and survey data.

Terminates the Commission not later than 18 months after enactment of this Act.