TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Contractors and Federal Spending
Accountability Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. DATABASE FOR CONTRACTING OFFICERS AND SUSPENSION AND DEBARMENT
OFFICIALS.

(a) In General.--Subject to the authority, direction, and control
of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the
Administrator of General Services shall establish and maintain a
database of information regarding integrity and performance of persons
awarded Federal contracts and grants for use by Federal officials
having authority over contracts and grants.
(b) Persons Covered.--The database shall cover any person awarded a
Federal contract or grant if any information described in subsection
(c) exists with respect to such person.
(c) Information Included.--With respect to a person awarded a
Federal contract or grant, the database shall include information (in
the form of a brief description) for at least the most recent 5-year
period regarding--
(1) any civil or criminal proceeding, or any administrative
proceeding to the extent that such proceeding results in both a
finding of fault on the part of the person and the payment of
restitution to a government of $5,000 or more, concluded by the
Federal Government or any State government against the person,
and any amount paid by the person to the Federal Government or
a State government;
(2) all Federal contracts and grants awarded to the person
that were terminated in such period due to default;
(3) all Federal suspensions and debarments of the person in
that period;
(4) all Federal administrative agreements entered into by
the person and the Federal Government in that period to resolve
a suspension or debarment proceeding and, to the maximum extent
practicable, agreements involving a suspension or debarment
proceeding entered into by the person and a State government in
that period; and
(5) all final findings by a Federal official in that period
that the person has been determined not to be a responsible
source under either subparagraph (C) or (D) of section 4(7) of
the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C.
403(7)).
(d) Requirements Relating to Information in Database.--
(1) Direct input and update.--The Administrator shall
design and maintain the database in a manner that allows the
appropriate officials of each Federal agency to directly input
and update in the database information relating to actions it
has taken with regard to contractors or grant recipients.
(2) Timeliness and accuracy.--The Administrator shall
develop policies to require--
(A) the timely and accurate input of information
into the database;
(B) notification of any covered person when
information relevant to the person is entered into the
database; and
(C) an opportunity for any covered person to append
comments to information about such person in the
database.
(e) Availability.--
(1) Availability to all federal agencies.--The
Administrator shall make the database available to all Federal
agencies.
(2) Availability to the public.--The Administrator shall
make the database available to the public by posting the
database on the General Services Administration website.
(3) Limitation.--This subsection does not require the
public availability of information that is exempt from public
disclosure under section 552(b) of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 3. REVIEW OF DATABASE.

(a) Requirement to Review Database.--Prior to the award of a
contract or grant, an official responsible for awarding a contract or
grant shall review the database established under section 2.
(b) Requirement to Document Present Responsibility.--In the case of
a prospective awardee of a contract or grant against which a judgment
or conviction has been rendered more than once within any 3-year period
for the same or similar offences, if each judgment or conviction is a
cause for debarment, the official responsible for awarding the contract
or grant shall document why the prospective awardee is considered
presently responsible.

SEC. 4. DISCLOSURE IN APPLICATIONS.

(a) Requirement.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, Federal regulations shall be amended to require
that in applying for any Federal grant or submitting a proposal or bid
for any Federal contract a person shall disclose in writing information
described in section 2(c).
(b) Covered Contracts and Grants.--This section shall apply only to
contracts and grants in an amount greater than the simplified
acquisition threshold, as defined in section 4(11) of the Office of
Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 401(11)).

SEC. 5. ROLE OF INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE.

(a) Requirement.--The Interagency Committee on Debarment and
Suspension shall--
(1) resolve issues regarding which of several Federal
agencies is the lead agency having responsibility to initiate
suspension or debarment proceedings;
(2) coordinate actions among interested agencies with
respect to such action;
(3) encourage and assist Federal agencies in entering into
cooperative efforts to pool resources and achieve operational
efficiencies in the Governmentwide suspension and debarment
system;
(4) recommend to the Office of Management and Budget
changes to Government suspension and debarment system and its
rules, if such recommendations are approved by a majority of
the Interagency Committee;
(5) authorize the Office of Management and Budget to issue
guidelines that implement those recommendations;
(6) authorize the chair of the Committee to establish
subcommittees as appropriate to best enable the Interagency
Committee to carry out its functions; and
(7) submit to the Congress an annual report on--
(A) the progress and efforts to improve the
suspension and debarment system;
(B) member agencies' active participation in the
committee's work; and
(C) a summary of each agency's activities and
accomplishments in the Governmentwide debarment system.
(b) Definition.--The term ''Interagency Committee on Debarment and
Suspension'' means such committee constituted under sections 4 and 5
and of Executive Order 12549.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF INDEPENDENT AGENCIES.

Any agency, commission, or organization of the Federal Government
to which Executive Order 12549 does not apply is authorized to
participate in the Governmentwide suspension and debarment system and
may recognize the suspension or debarment issued by an executive branch
agency in its own procurement or assistance activities.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator of
General Services such funds as may be necessary to establish the
database described in section 2.

SEC. 8. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

(a) Report Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of General Services shall
submit to Congress a report.
(b) Contents of Report.--The report shall contain the following:
(1) A list of all databases that include information about
Federal contracting and Federal grants.
(2) Recommendations for further legislation or
administrative action that the Administrator considers
appropriate to create a centralized, comprehensive Federal
contracting and Federal grant database.

Passed the House of Representatives April 23, 2008.

Attest:

LORRAINE C. MILLER,

Clerk.

SOLUTION: Contractors and Federal Spending Accountability Act of 2008 - (Sec. 2) Requires the Administrator of General Services, subject to the authority of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to establish and maintain on a General Services Administration (GSA) website a database of information regarding the integrity and performance of persons awarded federal contracts and grants for use by federal officials. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the Administrator to make the database available to all federal agencies.

Requires the database to include information, for the last five years, regarding: (1) any civil or criminal proceeding, or and administrative proceeding resulting in a finding of fault and payment of restitution to a government of $5,000 or more, concluded by the federal government and state governments against such persons; and (2) federal contacts and grants terminated due to defaults by such persons; (3) federal suspensions and debarments of such persons; (4) federal and state administrative agreements to resolve suspension or debarment proceedings; and (5) final findings by a federal official that such a person has been determined not to be a responsible source under the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act.

Requires federal regulations to be amended to require applicants for federal grants or contracts exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold to disclose such information in writing.

Requires the Administrator to develop policies to require: (1) notification of any covered person when information relevant to the person is entered into the database; and (2) an opportunity for any covered person to append comments to information about such person in the database.

(Sec. 3) Requires an official to: (1) review such database prior to awarding a contract or grant; and (2) document why a prospective contract or grant awardee against whom a judgment or conviction for the same offense, or similar offences, has been rendered more than once within any three-year period, if each judgment or conviction is a cause for debarment, is considered presently responsible.

(Sec. 5) Requires the Interagency Committee on Debarment and Suspension to: (1) resolve issues regarding determination of the lead agency responsible for initiating suspension or debarment proceedings; (2) coordinate actions among interested agencies; (3) encourage and assist federal agencies in entering into cooperative efforts to pool resources and achieve operational efficiencies in the government-wide suspension and debarment system; (4) recommend to OMB changes to such system and its rules; (5) authorize OMB to issue guidelines that implement such recommendations; (6) authorize the Committee's chair to establish subcommittees; and (7) report to Congress annually on progress and efforts to improve such system, member agencies' active participation in the committee's work, and a summary of each agency's activities and accomplishments in such system. (Sec. 6) Allows federal agencies, commissions, or organizations not currently participating in the federal suspension and debarment system to participate and to recognize suspensions or debarments issued by participating agencies.

(Sec. 8) Requires the Administrator to submit a report to Congress that includes: (1) a list of all databases that include information about federal contracting and grants; and (2) recommendations for legislation or administrative action to create a centralized, comprehensive federal contracting and grant database.

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Puppies Assisting Wounded
Servicemembers Act of 2017'' or the ''PAWS Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:
(1) According to the analysis of veteran suicide published
by the Department of Veterans Affairs in August 2016 and titled
''Suicide Among Veterans and Other Americans''--
(A) an average of 20 veterans died by suicide each
day in 2014;
(B) mental health disorders, including major
depression and other mood disorders, have been
associated with increased risk for suicide;
(C) since 2001, the proportion of users of the
Veterans Health Administration with mental health
conditions or substance use disorders has increased
from approximately 27 percent in 2001 to more than 40
percent in 2014; and
(D) overall, suicide rates are highest among
patients with mental health and substance use disorder
diagnoses who are in treatment and lower among those
who received a mental health diagnoses but were not at
risk enough to require enhanced care from a mental
health provider.
(2) The Department of Veterans Affairs must be more
effective in its approach to reducing the burden of veteran
suicide connected to mental health disorders, including post-
traumatic stress disorder, and a pilot program and study to
assess the benefits of pairing service dogs with veterans
suffering from mental health disorders would allow the
Department to better determine the efficacy of using service
dogs as a nontraditional therapy to ensure the well-being of
veterans.
(3) Pairing a service dog with a veteran costs
approximately $25,000, including with respect to training of
the service dog as well as training of the veteran with the
service dog.

SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE GRANTS
FOR THE PROVISION OF SERVICE DOGS TO CERTAIN VETERANS
WITH SEVERE POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.

(a) Grants.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a
pilot program under which the Secretary provides a $25,000 grant to an
eligible organization for each veteran referred to that organization
for a service dog pairing.
(b) Benefits Provided.--
(1) In general.--An organization that receives a grant
under subsection (a) shall provide the following for each
service dog and veteran participating in the pilot program:
(A) Coverage of a commercially available veterinary
health insurance policy to maintain the health of the
dog and keep the dog functioning in the prescribed role
for the life of the dog.
(B) Hardware, or repairs or replacements for
hardware, that are clinically determined to be required
by the dog to perform the tasks necessary to assist the
veteran with the diagnosed disorder of the veteran.
(C) Payments for travel expenses for the veteran to
obtain the dog, calculated in the same manner as
similar travel expenses provided pursuant to section
111 of title 38, United States Code.
(2) Other travel expenses.--If a veteran is required to
replace a service dog provided pursuant to a grant under this
section, the Secretary shall pay for the travel expenses
described in paragraph (1)(C) required to obtain a new service
dog pursuant to subsection (c)(3), regardless of any other
benefits the veteran is receiving for the first service dog
under this section.
(c) Eligible Organizations.--To be eligible to receive a grant
under this section, an organization shall--
(1) be a nonprofit organization that provides trained
service dogs--
(A) that--
(i) is certified by Assistance Dogs
International;
(ii) on average, provides one-on-one
training for each service dog and recipient for
30 hours or more over 90 days or more;
(iii) provides a wellness verification from
a licensed veterinarian for each service dog;
(iv) provides an in-house residential
facility, or other accommodations nearby, in
which service dog recipients stay for a minimum
of 10 days while receiving at least 30 hours of
training with their new service dog;
(v) ensures all service dogs pass the
American Kennel Club Community Canine test and
the ADI Public Access Test prior to permanent
placement with a recipient; and
(vi) provides follow-up support service for
the life of the service dog, to include a
contact plan between the veteran and
organization to allow--
(I) the veteran to reach out for
and receive adequate help with the
service dog; and
(II) the organization to
communicate with the veteran to ensure
that the service dog is being properly
cared for; or
(B) that meets the Association of Service Dog
Providers for Military Veterans Service Dog Agency
Standards that cater to the unique needs of veterans
with post-traumatic stress disorder;
(2) agree to cover all costs in excess of the grant amount
to guarantee the benefits listed under subsection (b)(1);
(3) agree to reaccept or replace the service dog the
organization provided to the veteran, if necessary, as
determined by the organization and the veteran; and
(4) submit to the Secretary an application containing such
information, certification, and assurances as the Secretary may
require.
(d) Eligible Veterans.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
review and approve veterans eligible to participate under this
section and shall refer approved veterans to eligible
organizations. The period beginning on the date on which a
veteran applies to participate under this section and the date
on which the Secretary makes an approval determination may not
exceed 90 days.
(2) Initial eligibility.--For purposes of this section, an
eligible veteran is a veteran who is enrolled in the patient
enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs under
section 1705 of title 38, United States Code, and--
(A) has been treated and has completed an
established evidence-based treatment for post-traumatic
stress disorder yet remains diagnosed with post-
traumatic stress disorder by a qualified health care
provider as rated on the post-traumatic stress disorder
checklist (PCL-5);
(B) the health care provider or clinical team of
the Department of Veterans Affairs that is treating the
veteran for such disorder determines based upon medical
judgment that the veteran may potentially benefit from
a service dog; and
(C) agrees to successfully complete training
provided by an eligible organization pursuant to
subsection (c).
(3) Ongoing eligibility.--To remain eligible to participate
in the pilot program, a veteran shall see the health care
provider or clinical team of the Department of Veterans Affairs
treating the veteran for such a disorder at least every six
months to determine, based on a clinical evaluation of
efficacy, whether the veteran continues to benefit from a
service dog.
(4) Other cases.--If at any point, the veteran is no longer
able or willing to care for the service dog, the organization
that provided the service dog and the veteran shall determine
the appropriate recourse to ensure the safety of both the
veteran and the service dog.
(e) Relationship to Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits.--The
provision of a service dog to a veteran under this section is in
addition to any other hospital care or medical service furnished by the
Department for that veteran for post-traumatic stress disorder, and an
improvement in symptoms as a result of the provision of a service dog
shall not affect the eligibility of the veteran for any other benefit
under the laws administered by the Secretary.
(f) Metrics.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall--
(1) develop metrics and other appropriate means to measure,
with respect to veterans participating in the pilot program,
the improvement in psychosocial function and therapeutic
compliance of such veterans and changes with respect to the
dependence on prescription narcotics and psychotropic
medication of such veterans; and
(2) establish processes to document and track the progress
of such veterans under the pilot program in terms of the
benefits and improvements noted as a result of the pilot
program.
(g) GAO Briefing and Study.--
(1) Briefing.--Not later than one year after the date on
which the Secretary commences the pilot program under
subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United States
shall provide to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the
House of Representatives and the Senate a briefing on the
methodology established for the pilot program.
(2) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date on
which the pilot program terminates, the Comptroller General
shall submit to the committees specified in paragraph (1) a
report on the pilot program. Such report shall include an
evaluation of the approach and methodology used for the pilot
program with respect to--
(A) helping veterans with severe post-traumatic
stress disorder return to civilian life;
(B) relevant metrics, including reduction in
metrics such as reduction in scores under the post-
traumatic stress disorder checklist (PCL-5),
improvement in psychosocial function, and therapeutic
compliance; and
(C) reducing the dependence of participants on
prescription narcotics and psychotropic medication.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated for the period of fiscal year 2018 through fiscal year
2023, $10,000,000 to carry out the pilot program under this section.
(i) Offset.--The amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated
for Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Human Resources and
Administration for the period of fiscal year 2018 through fiscal year
2023 shall be reduced by $10,000,000.
(j) Termination.--The authority to carry out a pilot program under
this section shall terminate on the date that is five years after the
date of the enactment of this Act. An eligible veteran in possession of
a service dog furnished under the pilot program as of the termination
of the pilot program may keep the service dog after the termination of
the program for the life of the dog.

SOLUTION: Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers Act of 2017 or the PAWS Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a five-year pilot program under which it provides grants to eligible nonprofit organizations to provide service dogs to veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder after completing other evidence-based treatment. An organization that receives a grant shall provide for each participating service dog and veteran: coverage by a commercially available veterinary health insurance policy, hardware clinically determined to be required by the dog to perform the tasks necessary to assist the veteran, payments for travel expenses to obtain the dog, and travel expenses required to obtain a replacement service dog. To be eligible for a grant, an organization must: (1) agree to cover all costs in excess of the grant amount to guarantee such benefits, (2) be certified by Assistance Dogs International, (3) provide one-on-one training for each service dog and recipient for 30 hours or more over 90 days or more, and (4) provide an in-house residential facility or other accommodations nearby in which service dog recipients stay for a minimum of 10 days while receiving at least 30 hours of training. The VA shall develop metrics to measure the improvement in psychosocial function and therapeutic compliance and changes independence on prescription narcotics and psychotropic medication of veterans participating in the program. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on the methodology used for the pilot program.

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Payoffs-for-Layoffs Corporate
Welfare Elimination Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON PAYMENTS UNDER DEFENSE CONTRACTS FOR
RESTRUCTURING COSTS OF A DEFENSE CONTRACTOR MERGER OR
ACQUISITION.

(a) Prohibition.--No funds appropriated or otherwise made available
to the Department of Defense may be obligated or expended under section
2324 of title 10, United States Code, for payment of any restructuring
cost associated with a merger or acquisition that is incurred by a
contractor under contract with the Department of Defense.
(b) Applicability.--(1) The prohibition in subsection (a) applies
with respect to any merger or acquisition occurring on or after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
(2) In the case of a merger or acquisition that occurred before the
date of the enactment of this Act, funds appropriated or otherwise made
available to the Department of Defense may be used to process or pay a
claim for restructuring costs associated with the merger or acquisition
only if the relevant contract or advance agreement specifies that
payment for such costs may be made under the contract or agreement
using funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department
of Defense.
(c) Conforming Repeal.--Subsection (a) of section 818 of the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 (Public Law
103-337; 10 U.S.C. 2324 note) is repealed.
(d) Reports by Secretary of Defense.--Subsection (e) of such
section is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking out
''and 1997'' and inserting in lieu thereof ''1997, 1998, 1999,
and 2000''; and
(2) by adding at the end of paragraph (3) the following:
''(F) An analysis of the dollar amount of any
windfalls achieved by the combining defense contractors
which results from the reduction of overhead on fixed-
price type contracts from the Department of Defense
that existed before the business combination.
''(G) A list of each major weapons system purchased
by the Department of Defense since July 21, 1993, for
which actual prices have actually been reduced that are
attributable to the contractors' restructuring efforts.
''(H) The total number of pending restructuring
proposals submitted to the Department of Defense as of
the date of the report and the total dollar amount of
the requests for restructuring costs contained in those
proposals.''.
(e) Comptroller General Report.--Subsection (g)(3) of such section
is amended by adding at the end the following: ''The report shall
include an estimate and detailed description of the net effect on the
Federal budget of reimbursing defense contractors for their merger-
related restructuring costs, including the following:
''(A) The payment by the Department of Defense of
restructuring costs resulting from business combinations of
defense contractors.
''(B) The reduction of Federal tax revenues from
unemployment resulting from business combinations of defense
contractors who have been reimbursed for their merger-related
restructuring costs.
''(C) The increase in Federal expenditures in other Federal
adjustment programs from unemployment resulting from business
combinations of defense contractors who have been reimbursed
for their merger-related restructuring costs, including food
stamps, housing and energy assistance, and any other programs
the Comptroller General determines that unemployed persons are
likely to use at a rate higher than employed persons.
''(D) The increase in Federal grants of cash and in-kind
assistance to States and local communities that have
experienced significant layoffs or facility relocation (or
both) resulting from the business combination, that are
attributable to losses in the State and local tax base and
increased the use of State and local government services
similar to those described in subparagraph (C).
''(E) The effect of reduced competition resulting from
business combinations on the prices the Department of Defense
pays for military equipment and services.''.
(f) Definitions.--Such section is further amended by adding at the
end the following new subsection:
''(h) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
''(1) The term 'windfall' means the savings, either
actually realized or anticipated, by the combining defense
contractors as a result of reducing overhead through merger-
related restructuring which are foregone by the Government
because certain defense contracts are fixed-price type
contracts that existed before the business combination and
cannot be adjusted to reflect the contractor's reduced
overhead.
''(2) The term 'significant layoffs' means a situation in
which the number of layoffs exceed 500 full-time equivalent
employees or in which one of the combining defense contractors
previously represented the fifth largest employer or greater in
the relevant State or local community.''.

SOLUTION:
Payoffs-for-Layoffs Corporate Welfare Elimination Act of 1997 - Prohibits any funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Defense (DOD) from being obligated or expended for payment of any restructuring cost associated with a merger or acquisition incurred by a DOD contractor.
Provides for the handling of contractor claims for such costs with respect to a merger or acquisition occurring before the enactment of this Act.
Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 to: (1) repeal a provision made inconsistent by this Act; (2) extend through FY 2000 a requirement of a report from the Secretary of Defense to the Congress concerning DOD savings achieved under a corporate restructuring; (3) require in such report certain additional information concerning DOD's past experience with contractors for which DOD agreed to allow such costs; and (4) require a current report from the Comptroller General to the Congress to include an estimate and description of the net effect on the Federal budget of reimbursing defense contractors for such costs.