lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-05-12 00:00:00

Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act

 Amends the definition of the term "law enforcement officer" under provisions of the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) to include: (1) federal employees not otherwise covered by such term whose duties include the investigation or apprehension of suspected or convicted individuals and who are authorized to carry a firearm, (2) such employees of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) whose duties are primarily the collection of delinquent taxes and the securing of delinquent returns, (3) an employee of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and (4) an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs who is a department police officer.

Requires such service that is performed by an incumbent law enforcement officer: (1) on or after enactment of this Act to be treated for all purposes other than retirement as service performed as a law enforcement officer; and (2) before enactment of this Act to be treated for federal retirement purposes as service performed as such an officer only if a written election is submitted to the Office of Personnel Management within five years after enactment of this Act or before separation from government service, whichever is earlier. Allows an incumbent who makes an election to be treated as a law enforcement officer to pay a deposit into the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund to cover prior service.

Provides that nothing under current law respecting mandatory separation from government service under CSRS or FERS shall cause the mandatory separation of an officer during the three-year period beginning on the enactment of this Act.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-05-21 00:00:00

Furloughed Federal Employee Double Dip Elimination Act 

 Requires regulations pertaining to the compensation of a federal employee who receives back pay for a period in which such employee was furloughed due to a lapse in appropriations to ensure that such back pay be treated in the same way as federal wages attributable to such employee and that the period to which such back pay relates be treated in the same way as a period of federal service attributable to such employee (thereby disqualifying such employee for receipt of state unemployment compensation).
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-05-21 00:00:00

Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act of 2016

(Sec. 2) This bill expands the cash awards program for disclosures by federal employees of fraud, waste, or mismanagement that result in cost savings to the employee's agency to include identification of surplus salaries and expenses funds that: (1) an agency employee identifies as unnecessary, (2) the inspector general and the chief financial officer of the agency determine are not required for the purpose for which the amounts were made available, and (3) the rescission of which would not be detrimental to the full execution of the purposes for which the amounts were made available.

Any savings resulting from such identifications must be deposited in the Treasury and used to reduce a budget deficit or the federal debt. But agencies may retain up to 10% of such savings for the purpose of paying cash awards to employees who identify surplus salaries and expenses funds.

Each fiscal year, agencies must submit reports to the Department of the Treasury regarding: (1) the total savings achieved through disclosures of possible fraud, waste, or mismanagement and identifications of surplus salaries and expenses funds by an employee; and (2) each disclosure that has merit and the number and amount of cash awards by the agency. This information must also be included in agency budget requests submitted to the Office of Management and Budget.

Treasury must report annually to Congress on federal cost saving and awards based on agency reports about such employee disclosures. The Office of Personnel Management must certify annually whether each agency's cash award program complies with this bill.

Every three years, the Government Accountability Office must report on the operation of the program and any recommendations for legislative improvements.

The bill prohibits the payment of awards to: (1) federal officers who serve in a position at level I of the Executive Schedule; (2) the head of an agency; or (3) a commissioner, board member, or other voting member of an independent establishment.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Labor and employment
Date: 2015-06-02 00:00:00

Protecting Our Children Act

 Amends the Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 to exempt from its prohibition against lie detector use the employers of prospective employees who care for or supervise or interact with unsupervised children on a frequent basis.

Requires such prospective employees to be given reasonable written notice of the date, time, and location of the polygraph test and of their right to consult with legal counsel or an employee representative before each phase of the test.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-06-11 00:00:00

Federal Employee Short-Term Disability Insurance Act of 2015

Requires the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to establish and administer a program for short-term (i.e., up to 12 months) disability insurance coverage for federal employees for: (1) an injury or disability that is not work related, (2) leave to care for a family member, and (3) leave to make arrangements to become a foster parent or to adopt a child. Disqualifies an employee for such insurance if an injury or disability is caused by willful misconduct, a self-inflicted injury, or intoxication.

Requires the Director to contract with one or more insurance carriers for disability insurance coverage plans, without regard to competitive bidding requirements. Requires such plans to contain a detailed statement of benefits offered, the premiums charged, and the duration of the enrollment period.

Authorizes the Director to prescribe reasonable minimum standards for benefits offered by such plans, including a prohibition against excluding or penalizing an employee for a preexisting condition.

Requires individuals eligible for coverage under a disability insurance plan to be responsible for 100% of the premiums for the coverage offered.

Establishes in the Employees' Life Insurance Fund a Non-Work Related Disability Insurance Administrative Account, which shall be available to OPM to defray reasonable expenses incurred in administering this Act and to which contracted carriers shall make contributions necessary to cover such expenses.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-06-16 00:00:00

Requires that all civilian employees of military installations which are not located within the same pay locality and which are reorganized or associated as a single joint installation receive uniform locality pay at the percentage payable with respect to the locality then receiving the highest locality pay.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-06-23 00:00:00

Citizen Empowerment Act of 2015

Requires any executive agency employee who is conducting an in-person or a telephonic interview, audit, investigation, inspection, or other official interaction with an individual relating to a possible violation of federal law that could result in the imposition of civil or criminal fines or penalties or the collection of unpaid tax to allow such individual to make an audio recording of the interaction.

Permits the employee conducting the interaction to record it if the employee: (1) informs the individual of the recording prior to or at the initiation of the interaction, and (2) provides the individual with a transcript of the recording at such individual's expense.

Requires the employee conducting an initial in-person or telephonic interview or other interaction to provide to the individual a verbal or written notice of such individual's rights.

Exempts from the application of this Act any in-person or telephonic interview or other interaction that: (1) is likely to include the discussion of classified material or information that would endanger public safety if released publicly; or (2) if released, would endanger an ongoing criminal investigation being conducted by a federal law enforcement officer.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-07-10 00:00:00

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

(Sec. 1) This bill requires the probationary period before an appointment in the competitive civil service or an initial appointment as a supervisor or manager becomes final to be: (1) with respect to any position that requires formal training, a period of two years beginning on the date that such training is completed; (2) with respect to any position that requires a license, a period of two years beginning on the date that such license is granted; and (3) with respect to any other position, at least two years. The probationary period for a preference eligible (i.e., a veteran) initially appointed to a position that exists as of 180 days after the enactment of this Act shall not be longer than the period that applies on such date. The probationary period for a preference eligible appointed to a position that does not exist on such date shall not be longer than the length of time the President establishes.

Each agency must ensure that: (1) announcements of vacant positions and offers of appointment clearly state the terms and conditions of the probationary period, (2) individuals who are required to complete probationary periods receive timely notice of requirements to successfully complete the probationary period, and (3) certification of such successful completion is made.

(Sec. 2) The bill increases from one to two years the probationary period after which an individual's appointment as a career appointee in the Senior Executive Service becomes final.

(Sec. 3) The definition of "employee" for purposes of adverse action provisions is revised to mean an individual in the competitive service or in the excepted service who has completed at least two years (currently, one year) of current continuous service in the same or a similar position.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-07-23 00:00:00

Retired Civil Servant Military Service Restoration Act of 2015

Allows an employee or Member of Congress who has performed military service and who retires on or after September 8, 1982, to make the deposit required for crediting such service under the Civil Service Retirement System at any time before or after the date of separation on which the entitlement to an annuity under such System is based.

Requires such a deposit made after separation, and the annuity or lump-sum payable after such deposit, to include computed interest.

Requires the retirement counselor training program to ensure that employees and Members who served in the Armed Forces are made aware of the provisions governing crediting military service.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-07-28 00:00:00

Federal Intern Protection Act of 2016

(Sec. 2) This bill extends protections against discrimination in a federal workplace based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability to interns (individuals who perform uncompensated voluntary service in a federal agency to earn credit awarded by an educational institution or to learn a trade or occupation) and applicants for internships.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-07-29 00:00:00

Postal Innovation Act

This bill directs the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to establish a pilot program to provide nonpostal services through public-private partnerships in five postal districts or regions, including at least one rural area. Such nonpostal services may include financial services, warehousing, experimental postal products market testing, community support services, Internet voting, municipal broadband and public wireless Internet service, emergency broadband Internet service, and passport services. The bill also authorizes the USPS to furnish property and services to a state, local, or tribal government. USPS may use cost savings from providing such services to reinvest in innovation, research and development, and operations.

The bill sets forth conditions under which alcoholic beverages shall be considered mailable. They must be mailed: (1) by a covered shipper, (2) in accordance with delivery requirements otherwise applicable to privately carried shipments, and (3) by a means that ensures direct delivery to a duly authorized agent at a postal facility or to the addressee, who must be at least 21 years of age and must present a valid, government-issued photo identification at the time of delivery. The alcoholic beverage may not be for resale or other commercial purpose.

The bill authorizes USPS to enter into contracts to upgrade its fleet of vehicles to increase long-term savings by reducing collision, maintenance, fuel, or other costs. USPS must: (1) develop guidelines for carbon dioxide emissions, fuel economy, and safety for its vehicles; and (2) reduce the petroleum consumption of its vehicles by not less than 2% annually through the end of FY2025.

The Government Accountability Office must conduct a study on the feasibility of USPS providing Internet services to the public.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-09-11 00:00:00

Locality Pay Equity Act 

 This bill: (1) prohibits the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) from defining more than one local wage area for prevailing rate employees within a pay locality, except with respect to the pay locality designated as "Rest of United States"; and (2) requires the OPM to ensure that this Act shall not have the effect of reducing any rate of basic pay for any individual who is serving as a prevailing rate employee.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-09-18 00:00:00

No Government No Pay Act of 2015

 A Member of Congress may not receive pay, during a government shutdown, equal to the product of 1 day's worth of pay under such annual rate and the number of 24-hour periods during which the government shutdown is in effect. This prohibition is applicable to days occurring during the 115th and succeeding Congresses.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-09-18 00:00:00

Federal Firefighter Flexibility and Fairness Act

This bill provides that any hours worked by a firefighter under a qualified trade-of-time arrangement shall be disregarded for purposes of determining eligibility for, or the amount of, any overtime pay. The bill defines "qualified trade-of-time arrangement" as an arrangement under which two firefighters who are employed by the same agency agree, solely at their option and with the approval of their employing agency, to substitute for one another during scheduled work hours in the performance of work in the same capacity.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-09-29 00:00:00

Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act

This bill requires federal employees furloughed due to a lapse in appropriations that begins on or about October 1, 2015, to be compensated at their standard rate of compensation for the period of such lapse as soon as practicable after such lapse ends.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-10-16 00:00:00

Congressional Death Benefit Elimination Act of 2015

This bill declares that no payment of death gratuities may be made to surviving heirs of deceased Members of Congress from congressional accounts or any other appropriated funds.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-10-20 00:00:00

Senior Executive Service Taking Responsibility for Unilateral Station Transfers Act or the SES TRUST Act

This bill directs the appointing authority for each agency to periodically determine the annual rate of basic pay for each Senior Executive Service (SES) position within such agency. Any senior executive who transfers or otherwise moves to an SES position with the same or any other agency shall receive the rate of pay applicable to that position.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must review any decision to reassign a senior executive to another SES position, within 30 days after such reassignment, to ensure that the decision was not based on an impermissible reason (defined as any reason other than performance of the senior executive or interests in the efficiency of the SES). If OPM determines that the reassignment was based on an impermissible reason, and the rate of basic pay applicable to such other position is lower than the rate provided under the previous position, the senior executive shall retain the higher rate of pay.

The bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit, semiannually, a report on covered senior executives who transfer from one SES position to another within the VA, including a justification for any increase or decrease in pay, and information on any incentives or relocation expenses, received by such person.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-12-09 00:00:00

This bill repeals specified authorizations for office space, office expenses, franking and printing privileges, and staff for former Speakers of the House.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2016-01-08 00:00:00

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

Senior Executive Service Accountability Act 

(Sec. 2) This bill revises personnel requirements for employees in the Senior Executive Service (SES) to:

 require each federal agency to include in its biennial report to the Office of Personnel Management a justification for certain SES positions and the specific result expected from each position, including the impact of such result on the agency mission; extend the probationary period for SES employees from one year to two years; eliminate the authority for allowing an SES employee removed for a less than fully successful executive performance to retain an SES pay grade level if appointed to a civil service position; require a written description of employee performance requirements to be provided to SES employees by 30 calendar days before each rating period; make SES employees subject to the same 14-day (or less) suspension period, without duties and pay, as is applicable to other federal employees; expand the grounds for suspension or termination of an SES employee to include such cause as would promote the efficiency of the SES; allow an agency to place an SES employee on mandatory leave for misconduct, neglect of duty, malfeasance, or such cause as would promote the efficiency of the SES; provide for expedited removal of SES employees for performance or misconduct and for an expedited appeals process for removals; and require mandatory reassignments of SES employees at least once every five years.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2016-01-11 00:00:00

Administrative Leave Reform Act

(Sec. 2) This bill prohibits placing a federal employee on administrative leave, or any other paid non-duty status without charge to leave, for more than 14 total days for reasons relating to misconduct or performance.

After an employee has been placed on administrative leave for 14 days, the employing agency: (1) shall return the employee to duty status, utilizing telework if available, and assign the employee to duties if such employee is not a threat to safety, the agency mission, or government property; or (2) may place an employee who is found to be such a threat on extended administrative leave for additional periods of not more than 30 days each.

For any additional period of 30 days granted to the employee after the initial 30-day extension, the agency shall submit a report containing:

 the title, position, office or agency subcomponent, job series, pay grade, and salary of the employee; a description of the employee's work duties; the reason for the administrative leave; an explanation as to why the employee is such a threat; an explanation as to why the employee is not able to telework or be reassigned to another position within the agency; the status of any pending related investigation and a certification that such additional time is needed; and the results of a completed investigation and the reason that the employee remains on administrative leave. An investigative entity must certify to the applicable agency that such additional time is needed and include an estimate of the length of such additional time.

 An agency may not grant such additional period of administrative leave to an employee on or after 30 days following the completion of a related investigation.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2016-01-11 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on March 16, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Official Personnel File Enhancement Act

(Sec. 2) This bill requires that a permanent notation be made in the official personnel record file of a federal employee in the competitive or excepted service who is the subject of a personnel investigation and who resigns prior to the resolution of such investigation, if an adverse finding is made against such employee at the close of such investigation.

The bill defines "personnel investigation" to include: (1) an investigation by an Inspector General; and (2) an adverse personnel action as a result of performance, misconduct, or for such cause as will promote the efficiency of the service under provisions relating to performance appraisals or adverse actions.

The agency employing such employee shall make such notation within 40 days after the resolution of such investigation.

Prior to making such notation, the agency shall:

 notify the employee in writing within 5 days of such resolution and provide such employee a copy of the adverse finding and any supporting documentation, provide the employee at least 30 days to respond in writing and to furnish affidavits and other documentary evidence to show why the adverse finding was unfounded, and provide a written decision regarding such notation and the specific reasons to the employee at the earliest practicable date. The bill entitles an employee to appeal the agency's decision to the Merit Systems Protection Board. Such an appeal shall be noted in the employee's file while the appeal is pending. If the employee is the prevailing party on appeal, the agency shall remove the notation regarding the adverse finding from the employee's file within two weeks after the Board issues its decision.

(Sec. 3) The bill requires any federal government appointing authority to review and consider the personnel file of a former federal employee who is a candidate for a position within the competitive or excepted service prior to appointing or reinstating such employee to such a position.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2016-02-01 00:00:00

This bill provides for appellate review by the Merit Systems Protection Board for employees or applicants for employment who were determined ineligible for a sensitive position if: (1) such position does not require a security clearance or access to classified information, and (2) such determination is otherwise appealable.