jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2008-07-23 00:00:00

Reducing Information Control Designations Act - (Sec. 3) Requires each federal agency to reduce and minimize its use of information control designations on information that is not classified. Defines such designations to mean information dissemination controls that are not defined by federal statute or executive order relating to the classification of national security information and that are used to manage, direct, or route information or to control the accessibility of information, regardless of its form or format. Requires the Archivist of the United States to promulgate regulations to address: (1) standards for the use of the such designations to maximize public access to information; (2) the process for removing such designations; (3) procedures for identifying and tracking designated information; (4) provisions to minimize the use of such designations to prevent misuse and interference with competition in the private sector; and (5) a process for individuals and the public to challenge the use of such designations. Requires the head of each federal agency to: (1) implement the regulations promulgated by the Archivist to encourage the sharing of information; and (2) ensure that such designations do not determine public disclosure requirements under the Freedom of Information Act.(Sec. 4) Requires the Inspector General of each federal agency to randomly audit and report to Congress on unclassified information with such designations to determine compliance. Directs the Archivist to: (1) require personal identifiers and agency affiliations of individuals applying such designations: (2) require training of such individuals; and (3) implement a program to detail federal employees to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to train such employees. Terminates such detailee program on December 31, 2012.(Sec. 7) Requires promulgation of final regulations and implementation of the requirements of this Act within 24 months.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2008-07-29 00:00:00

Federal Efficiency and Performance Act of 2008 - Requires the President to recommend to Congress, with proposed legislation, which existing federal programs and agencies should be modernized, consolidated, reprioritized, and where necessary, terminated in order to: (1) reduce federal expenditures; (2) increase efficiency and effectiveness of government operations; (3) eliminate overlap and duplication in federal programs and offices; (4) abolish agencies, programs, and activities that no longer serve an important governmental purpose; and (5) identify reductions in amounts of discretionary budget authority or direct spending that can be dedicated to federal deficit reduction.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2008-07-29 00:00:00

Federal Agency Performance Review and Efficiency Act - Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to make it the principal duty and responsibility of each Inspector General to review annually the operations, efficiency, and effectiveness of all federal programs within his or her establishment and to report to Congress and the President any recommendations, along with proposed legislation, on whether an abolishment, reorganization, consolidation, or transfer of existing federal programs and agencies is necessary to: (1) reduce federal expenditures; (2) increase efficiency of government operations; (3) eliminate overlap and duplication in federal programs and offices; (4) abolish agencies or programs that no longer serve an important governmental purpose; and (5) identify reductions in amounts of discretionary budget authority or direct spending that can be dedicated to federal deficit reduction.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Economics and public finance
Date: 2008-09-11 00:00:00

Requires the Comptroller General to develop and implement a systematic process to: (1) review audits by Inspectors General or external auditors of executive agency and government corporation programs, projects, and activities funded through earmarks; and (2) conduct annually an appropriate number of Government Accountability Office (GAO) audits of such earmark-funded programs, projects, and activities. Requires the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the results of: (1) audits of executive agency and government corporation financial statements by Inspector Generals or external auditors which were then submitted to GAO; (2) GAO reviews of such audits; and (3) annual GAO audits of earmark-funded agency programs, projects, and activities. Revises audit requirements for non-federal entities that expend federal awards totaling at least $300,000 or another amount specified by the Director of the General Assistance Administration. Requires submission to the Comptroller General of the results of all executive agency and government corporation audits of earmark-funded programs, projects, or activities.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Date: 2008-09-18 00:00:00

Debt Repayment Instead of Pork Act of 2008 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to make it out of order in the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider any bill, joint resolution, amendment, motion, or conference report providing new budget authority for earmarks if the enactment of such measure as reported, the adoption and enactment of that amendment, or the enactment of legislation in the form recommended in that conference report would cause the level of total outlays for earmarks for any fiscal year to exceed the amount of the estimated budget surplus for that fiscal year. Makes it out of order for any fiscal year in which there is no budget surplus to consider any such measure that carries an earmark. Requires the Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), by March 1 of each calendar year, to prepare, and submit to the congressional budget committees, an estimate of the surplus or deficit for the next fiscal year.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2008-09-25 00:00:00

Federal Agency Program Realignment and Closure Act - Establishes the Federal Agency Program Realignment and Closure Commission to: (1) evaluate each executive agency and its programs; and (2) submit to the President and Congress a list of the agencies and programs it recommends eliminating or realigning.Requires the Commission to recommend that an agency or program be: (1) realigned where a function performed by two or more agencies or programs can be consolidated; (2) eliminated if it performs a function that is also provided by a state or that would be more efficient if performed at the state level; or (3) eliminated if it performs a function that can be more efficently performed by a private entity.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Date: 2008-09-25 00:00:00

Multilingual Services Accounting Act - Requires federal agency Chief Financial Officers to include multilingual services accounting information in their mandatory annual reports to the agency head and to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Defines multilingual services to include: (1) services provided by interpreters hired by an agency; (2) services resulting in additional expenses which an agency provides to assist its employees or contractors to learn a non-English language; (3) agency preparation, translation, printing, or recordation of materials in a language other than English; and (4) services provided or performed for the federal government by agency employees or contractors that require speaking a non-English language that result in wage differentials or benefits provided by the agency. Requires the OMB Director's annual financial management status report to certain congressional committees to contain a Multilingual Services Expenses Report that includes: (1) a summary and analysis of the multilingual services accounting information prepared by each agency Chief Financial Officer; and (2) a description of any changes to the existing financial management structure of the federal government needed to establish an integrated individual agency accounting of all multilingual services conducted by each agency. Requires the OMB Director to issue guidance that an agency Chief Financial Officer must follow in compiling multilingual services accounting information.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Date: 2008-09-28 00:00:00

Spending Reform Act of 2008 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require the concurrent budget resolution to include discretionary spending limit for five successive fiscal years. Sets forth points of order against consideration of legislation in Congress (currently, only the Senate) that would exceed for any fiscal year discretionary spending limit established in the most recent concurrent budget resolution for that fiscal year (currently, the Balanced Budget and Deficit Control Act of 1985 [Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act]). Makes such point of order inapplicable if a declaration of war by Congress is in effect. Sets forth points of orders for consideration of certain concurrent budget resolutions. Establishes discretionary spending limit for FY2009 as the number set forth in the FY2009 budget resolution. Permits waivers or suspension of such requirements, or successful appeals from rulings of the Chair, only by an affirmative vote of three-fifths (60) of the Senate. Establishes the Federal Agency Sunset Commission to review and report to Congress on the efficiency and public need for each federal agency, recommending abolishment or reorganization. Provides for relocation of federal employees if their agency is abolished. Requires the Comptroller General and the Director of Congressional Budget Office (CBO), in cooperation with the Director of the Congressional Research Service (CRS), to inventory federal programs to advise and assist Congress and the Commission in carrying out such requirements. Establishes a Joint Select Committee on Earmark Reform. Sets forth a point of order against consideration of legislation containing a congressional earmark or limited tax or tariff benefit. Establishes the Securing America's Future Economy Commission to examine the long-term fiscal challenges facing the United States and develop legislation designed to address specified issues. Authorizes the President and the House and Senate Budget Committees to propose alternative legislation. Requires the long-term CBO cost estimate of such proposals to be published in the Congressional Record.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-01-09 00:00:00

Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require Senate candidates to file election-related designations, statements, and reports in electronic form.Requires the Secretary of the Senate to forward a copy of any electronically filed designation, statement, or report to the Federal Election Commission within one working day (instead of the current two working days) after receiving it.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-01-10 00:00:00

Federal Agency Data-Mining Reporting Act of 2007 - Requires federal agencies to report to Congress on any activity to use or develop data mining to identify terrorist or criminal activity. Requires that such report be produced in coordination with the agency's privacy officer, be made available to the public (except for an annex containing classified, sensitive, or proprietary information), and include: (1) a through description of data mining activity goals and deployment dates, technology, and data sources; (2) an assessment of the efficacy of the activity in providing accurate information and the impact on individual privacy and civil liberties; (3) an analysis of laws and regulations governing the information being collected; and (4) a through discussion of the policies and procedures to protect individual privacy and due process and to guard against harmful consequences of potential inaccuracies. Requires annual updates, including regarding any new uses or development of data mining activity.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2007-03-20 00:00:00

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to contract with an independent reviewing authority to review operations efficiency at all Farm Service Agency (FSA) headquarters, including: (1) all state offices; (2) the National Headquarters office in Washington, D.C.; (3) the Kansas City, Missouri, office; and (4) the Salt Lake City office. Includes in such review: (1) management practices; (2) information technology purchases and deliverables; (3) software development; (4) contractor hiring practices and related cost-savings; and (5) other relevant factors. Prohibits the Secretary from closing or consolidating any FSA county office before the date on which the Secretary determines that each headquarters office has implemented the recommendations included in a report required under this Act.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2007-03-21 00:00:00

Early Plant Pest Detection and Surveillance Improvement Act - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into a cooperative agreement with any state department of agriculture that agrees to conduct early plant pest detection surveillance activities, including inspection and surveillance of domestic plant shipments between a state and other states.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-04-17 00:00:00

Transparency in Federal Funding Act of 2007 - Requires each cabinet-level department and independent agency that administers a program containing an earmark in the preceding year to disclose annually to Congress whether any portion of such earmarked funds were retained by the agency or any other organization tasked with distributing them.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-06-28 00:00:00

Improving Government Accountability Act - Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to allow an Inspector General to be removed from office prior to the expiration of his or her term only on the grounds of permanent incapacity, inefficiency, neglect of duty, malfeasance, or conviction of a felony or conduct involving moral turpitude.Establishes the term of office of each Inspector General as seven years and permits reappointment.Requires each Inspector General to appoint a Counsel to the Inspector General.Authorizes an Inspector General to annually transmit an appropriation estimate and request to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and to the appropriate congressional committees, in addition to the head of the establishment concerned. Requires the President to include in each annual budget specified Inspector General appropriation information.Establishes: (1) within the Executive Branch the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency; and (2) an Integrity Committee for the Council to review and refer for investigation allegations made against Inspectors General and certain staff.Prohibits an Inspector General from receiving any cash award or cash bonus.Removes specified Inspector General positions from the Level IV of the Executive Schedule and places such positions in Level III.Requires each Inspector General to be appointed without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of integrity and demonstrated ability in accounting, auditing, financial analysis, law, management analysis, public administration, or investigations.Requires the head of a federal entity to communicate the reasons not later than 15 days before the removal or transfer of an Inspector General.Considers each Office of Inspector General to be a separate federal agency for purposes of certain civil service provisions concerning reinstatement, retirement, and the Senior Executive Service.Sets forth requirements for Inspectors General websites.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Congress
Date: 2007-06-28 00:00:00

United States Authorization and Sunset Commission Act of 2007 - Establishes the U.S. Authorization and Sunset Commission, to be comprised of four Representatives and four Senators. Requires the Commission to submit to Congress, not later than 18 months after this Act's enactment and at least once every 10 years thereafter, a legislative proposal (referred to as the Commission Schedule and Review bill) that includes a schedule of review and abolishment of agencies and programs. Requires such schedule to provide a time line for the Commission's review and proposed abolishment of: (1) at least 25% (as measured in dollars) of unauthorized agencies or programs; and (2) if applicable, at least 25% of the programs identified by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) through its Program Assessment Rating Tool program (or similar review program) as ineffective or results not demonstrated. Requires agencies performing similar or related functions to be reviewed concurrently.Sets forth review criteria. Requires the Commission to submit to the Congress and the President every two years a report that analyzes and includes (as appropriate) proposals and legislative provisions to reauthorize, reorganize, consolidate, expand, or transfer each agency and program scheduled for review. Provides for expedited congressional consideration of a resulting bill.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Economics and public finance
Date: 2007-08-02 00:00:00

Establishes the Commission on Congressional Budgetary Accountability and Review of Federal Agencies. Directs the President to: (1) designate two Commission co-chairpersons; (2) establish a systematic method for assessing the effectiveness and accountability of agency programs; (3) divide such programs into four equal budgetary parts; (4) submit to the Commission annual assessments of the programs within each part (one each year) that use such method; and (5) identify common performance measures for programs having similar functions and provide the Commission with data on such measures. Requires the Commission to: (1) evaluate executive agencies and their programs identified in each assessment; (2) consider submitted assessments in evaluating programs; and (3) submit to Congress each of the next four years a plan recommending agencies and programs that should be realigned or eliminated and proposing implementing legislation. Provides for expedited consideration of such legislation.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-11-01 00:00:00

Plain Language in Government Communications Act of 2007 - Requires each executive agency, not later than one year after enactment of this Act, to use plain language in any covered document issued or substantially revised after the enactment of this Act. Defines "covered document" to include: (1) documents that provide information about any government requirement or program or that are relevant to obtaining any government benefit or service; and (2) letters, publications, forms, notices, or instructions.Requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue guidance on implementing such requirements to agencies as a circular. Authorizes agencies, pending issuance of such guidance, to follow the guidance of the Plain English Handbook published by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the plain language guidelines developed by the Plain Language Action and Information Network, or their own plain language guidance as long as it is consistent with the Network's guidelines.Requires each agency head to report to specified congressional committees on how the agency intends to: (1) communicate the requirements of this Act to employees; (2) train employees to write in plain language; (3) meet the plain language requirement; (4) ensure ongoing compliance with this Act; and (5) designate a senior official to be responsible for implementing this Act. Requires: (1) agency heads to report on compliance to OMB; and (2) OMB to report on the progress of agencies to such committees.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-11-07 00:00:00

Restoring Trust in Regulator Travel Act - Prohibits a federal agency and its employees from accepting funding for travel from a nonfederal entity if such entity has been subject to the jurisdiction of that agency within two years of the travel.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-12-19 00:00:00

Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2007 - Prohibits any person who has a seriously delinquent tax debt from obtaining a federal government contract or grant. Requires federal agency heads to require prospective contractors or grantees to: (1) certify that they do not have such a debt; and (2) authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to disclose information describing whether such contractors or grantees have such a debt. Defines "seriously delinquent tax debt" and an outstanding tax debt for which a notice of lien has been filed in public records.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Congress
Date: 2008-01-29 00:00:00

Government Accountability Office Act of 2008 - Revises certain administrative requirements for the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Requires the Comptroller General (not the President, as currently) to appoint the Deputy Comptroller General, who shall serve at the Comptroller General's pleasure. Establishes an Office of the Inspector General in GAO. Requires the Comptroller General's annual report to Congress to assess the overall degree of federal agency cooperation with GAO audits. Requires any executive agency (or component) that prepares an audited financial statement (or related schedule) to reimburse GAO the cost of any GAO audit. Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to revise the coverage of certain GAO officers and employees under its financial disclosure requirements. Increases from 15 to 20 the number of experts and consultants whose services the Comptroller General may procure for renewable three-year terms at rates up to level IV of the Executive Schedule. Makes funds appropriated to GAO for salaries and expenses also available for recruitment-related meals and entertainment. Authorizes GAO to accept any money or property received as a gift, devise, bequest, grant, or otherwise to aid or facilitate its work. Revises the highest basic pay rate for GAO personnel from GS-15 to Executive Level III. Caps the Comptroller General's annuity at level II of the Executive Schedule instead of his or her basic pay rate. Revises requirements for: (1) the pay rates for senior-level positions at GAO; (2) voluntary separation incentive payments; and (3) basic pay for retirement.
Topic: Government Operations — Bureaucracy
Subject: Economics and public finance
Date: 2008-02-13 00:00:00

Biennial Budgeting and Appropriations Act - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require: (1) biennial (currently, annual) budget resolutions; (2) biennial appropriations Acts; and (3) biennial government strategic and performance plans. Defines the budget biennium as the two consecutive fiscal years beginning on October 1 of any odd-numbered year. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to: (1) determine the impact and feasibility of changing the definition of a fiscal year and the budget process based on that definition to a two-year fiscal period with a biennial budget process based on such period; and (2) report the findings to the House and Senate Budget Committees.