zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Inspectors General Transparency Act of 2015

Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to require an Inspector General who issues a work product in carrying out his or her duties and responsibilities to submit such work product to: (1) the head of each establishment reviewed in the work product, (2) the House Committees on Appropriations and Oversight and Government Reform and the Senate Committees on Appropriations and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; (3) the congressional committees of jurisdiction, (4) any individual or entity who initiated a request for such work product, and (5) any Member of Congress, upon request. Requires the posting of such work product on the website of the Office of Inspector General not later than three days after such work product is submitted in final form to the head of the establishment.

Date: 2015-04-22
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Stopping Improper Payments to Deceased People Act 

Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Benefits) of the Social Security Act to direct the Social Security Administration (SSA) to: (1) provide information on all deceased individuals that is furnished to or maintained by SSA, subject to appropriate safeguards against unauthorized use or disclosure, to federal or state agencies providing benefits or administering a federal program; and (2) provide for the use of such information by federal agencies to operate the Do Not Pay working system and to carry out tax administration or debt collection duties.

Directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to analyze and report to Congress on potential alternative sources of death data maintained by non-federal sources.

Amends the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act of 2012 to require the OMB to: (1) issue guidance to agencies that operate or maintain a database of information relating to beneficiaries, annuity recipients, or other purposes for which improved data matching with databases would be relevant and necessary; (2) develop a plan to assist states and local agencies, and Indian Tribes and tribal organizations, to provide information, in an electronic format, to the federal government on the deaths of individuals; and (3) submit to Congress a plan to improve data matching with the federal government on the death of individuals who are benefit recipients and an annual report on the implementation of such requirements.

Directs the SSA to submit a plan to ensure the accuracy and completeness of death data of individuals who are not eligible for or receiving social security benefits.

Date: 2015-04-23
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Social welfare
Freedom from Government Competition Act of 2015

 Requires each executive or military department or independent establishment to obtain all goods and services necessary for or beneficial to the accomplishment of its authorized functions by procurement from private sources, except if: (1) such goods or services are required by law to be produced or performed by such agency; or (2) the head of the agency determines and certifies that federal production, manufacture, or provision of a good or service is necessary for the national defense or homeland security, that a good or service is so inherently governmental in nature that it is in the public interest to require production or performance by government employees, or that there is no private source capable of providing the good or service.

Requires such private sector provision of goods and services to be performed through: (1) the divestiture of federal involvement, (2) the award of a contract using competitive procedures, or (3) conducting a public-private competitive sourcing analysis in accordance with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) procedures and determining that using the private sector is in the best interest of the United States and provides the best value to the taxpayer.

Authorizes an agency head to utilize federal employees to provide goods or services previously provided by a private sector entity upon completion of a public-private competitive sourcing analysis and after determining that provision by federal employees provides the best value.

Requires OMB to carry out a study, in conjunction with the Comptroller General, to evaluate the activities carried out in each agency.

Date: 2015-04-28
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Inspector General Access Act of 2015

Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to eliminate a provision of such Act that requires referral of allegations of misconduct involving Department of Justice (DOJ) attorneys, investigators, or law enforcement personnel to the DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility (thus allowing the DOJ Inspector General to investigate such allegations).

Date: 2015-05-05
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Federal Improper Payments Coordination Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act of 2012 to: (1) extend the availability of the Do Not Pay Initiative to the judicial and legislative branches and to the states; and (2) authorize the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue guidance that establishes privacy requirements that shall be incorporated into Do Not Pay Initiative access agreements with states and the judicial and legislative branches.

(Sec. 3) The Departments of Defense and State must submit, promptly and on a regular basis, relevant information on the deaths of individuals.

The OMB, in consultation with the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, the heads of other relevant federal, state, and local agencies, and Indian tribes and tribal organizations, as appropriate, shall issue guidance regarding implementation of the Initiative to the Department of the Treasury and each agency or component of an agency: (1) that operates or maintains a database of death records maintained by the Social Security Administration; or (2) for which the OMB determines improved data matching would be relevant, necessary, or beneficial.

(Sec. 4) Treasury must report to Congress on:

 data analytics performed as part of the Do Not Pay Business Center operated by Treasury for the purpose of detecting, preventing, and recovering improper payments through pre-award, post-award prepayment, and post-payment analysis; the metrics used in determining whether the analytic and investigatory efforts have reduced, or contributed to the reduction of, improper payments or improper awards; and the target dates for implementing the data analytics operations performed as part of the Do Not Pay Business Center.

Date: 2015-05-14
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Stop Deducting Damages Act of 2015

 Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) deny a tax deduction for any amount paid or incurred for compensatory or punitive damages in connection with any judgment in, or settlement of, any action against a government; and (2) include in gross income any amount paid as insurance or otherwise due to liability for punitive damages.

Date: 2015-05-20
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Taxation
Competitive Service Act of 2015 

Authorizes an appointing authority (i.e., a federal agency appointing an individual to a position in the competitive service), other than the appointing authority that requested the certificate of eligibles for filling a position in the competitive service, to select an individual from that certificate for appointment to a position that is: (1) in the same occupational series as the position for which the certificate of eligibles was issued, and (2) at a similar grade level as the original position. Sets forth requirements relating to the sharing of certificates, notice, and selection of job applicants.

Date: 2015-06-18
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Immigration
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2015 or the Fair Chance Act

This bill prohibits federal agencies and federal contractors from requesting that applicants for employment disclose criminal history record information before receiving a conditional offer (an offer of employment conditioned upon the results of a criminal history inquiry). The bill sets forth positions to which such prohibition shall not apply, such as positions for which prior consideration of criminal history record information is otherwise required by law, positions with law enforcement and national security duties, and positions requiring access to classified information.

The bill prohibits agencies from requiring an individual or sole proprietor who submits a bid for a contract to disclose criminal history record information regarding that individual or sole proprietor before determining the apparent awardee.

The Director of the Office of Personnel Management, the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance, the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, the Administrator of General Services, and the Secretary of Defense must: (1) establish procedures for submitting complaints about, and taking adverse actions against, agency employees and contractors for violating such prohibitions and for appealing such an adverse action; and (2) issue regulations to implement this Act. The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council shall revise the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement the requirements of this Act.

The Department of Labor, in coordination with the Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Justice Statistics, must study and report every five years on the employment of individuals who are released from federal prison after completing a term of imprisonment for a federal criminal offense.

Date: 2015-09-10
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Fraud Reduction and Data Analytics Act of 2015

(Sec. 3) This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to establish guidelines for federal agencies to establish financial and administrative controls to identify and assess fraud risks and design and implement control activities in order to prevent, detect, and respond to fraud, including improper payments.

The guidelines shall incorporate the leading practices identified in the report published by the Government Accountability Office on July 28, 2015, entitled "Framework for Managing Fraud Risks in Federal Programs."

The financial and administrative controls shall include:

 conducting an evaluation of fraud risks and using a risk-based approach to design and implement financial and administrative control activities to mitigate identified fraud risks; collecting and analyzing data from reporting mechanisms on detected fraud to monitor fraud trends and using that data and information to continuously improve fraud prevention controls; and using the results of monitoring, evaluation, audits, and investigations to improve fraud prevention, detection, and response. Each agency shall submit as part of its annual financial report a report on its progress in:

 implementing such financial and administrative controls, the fraud risk principle in the Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government, and OMB Circular A-123 leading practices for managing fraud risk; identifying risks and vulnerabilities to fraud; and establishing steps to curb fraud. (Sec. 4) The OMB must establish a working group to: (1) improve the sharing of financial and administrative controls and other best practices and techniques for detecting, preventing, and responding to fraud and the sharing and development of data analytics techniques; and (2) submit a plan for a federal interagency library of data analytics and data sets for use by agencies and Offices of Inspectors General to facilitate the detection, prevention, and recovery of fraud.

Date: 2015-12-03
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Food Waste Accountability Act of 2016

This bill amends the Federal Food Donation Act of 2008 to require contractors who enter into contracts above $25,000 with a federal executive agency for the provision, service, or sale of food in the United States to submit annual reports on the weight of food that was disposed of by donation, composting, or discarding. The agency must submit such reports to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the OMB must then submit an annual report to Congress aggregating the information in the reports.

Date: 2016-01-13
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded House reported version is repeated here.)

Making Electronic Government Accountable By Yielding Tangible Efficiencies Act of 2016 or the MEGABYTE Act of 2016

(Sec. 2) This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue a directive to require the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of each executive agency to develop a comprehensive software licensing policy, which shall: (1) require the CIO of each agency to establish a comprehensive inventory of software licenses; (2) track and maintain such licenses; (3) analyze software usage to make cost-effective decisions; (4) provide software license management training; (5) establish goals and objectives of the agency's software license management program; and (6) consider the software license management life cycle phases to implement effective decision making and incorporate existing standards, processes, and metrics.

The CIO of each executive agency must report to the OMB, beginning in the first fiscal year after this Act's enactment and in each of the following five fiscal years, on the savings from improved software license management.

Date: 2016-04-12
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Promoting Value Based Defense Procurement Act

This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to use Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) source selection criteria for new solicitations only in situations in which:

 DOD is able to clearly describe the minimum requirements expressed in terms of performance objectives, measures, and standards that will be used to determine offer acceptability; DOD would realize no, or minimal, value from a contract proposal exceeding minimum technical or performance requirements; the proposed technical approaches will require no, or minimal, subjective judgment of competing proposals; a review of technical proposals other than the lowest bidder's would result in no, or minimal, benefit to DOD; and the contracting officer has included a justification for the use of LPTA evaluation methodology if the contract is predominately for the acquisition of information technology services, systems engineering and technical assistance services, or other knowledge-based professional services. LPTA source selection criteria shall be avoided when the procurement is predominately for the acquisition of information technology services, systems engineering and technical assistance services, audit or audit readiness services, or other knowledge-based professional services.

Date: 2016-04-20
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Construction Consensus Procurement Improvement Act of 2016

(Sec. 3) This bill modifies the design-build selection procedures used by federal agencies soliciting offers to enter into civilian contracts for the design and construction of a public building, facility, or work. Two-phase selection procedures (i.e., submission of qualifications and then the submission of price and technical proposals in response to a request for proposal) must be used when a contracting officer determines that a project has a value of $3 million or greater. But for contracts valued at less than $3 million, the contracting officer makes the same determination under current law as to whether the use of two-phase selection procedures is appropriate when the officer anticipates at least three offers for the contract.

Federal agencies must report, each year through FY2021, on each instance where the agency awarded a design-build contract in which: (1) more than five finalists were selected for phase-two requests for proposals, or (2) the contract or order was awarded without using two-phase selection procedures. The Government Accountability Office must report on agency compliance with design-build contract procedures.

(Sec. 4) The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council must amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to prohibit the use of reverse auctions as part of the two-phase selection procedure for awarding contracts for construction and design services. A "reverse auction," with respect to procurement by an agency, is: (1) a real-time auction conducted through an electronic medium among at least two offerors who compete by submitting bids for a supply or service contract with the ability to submit revised lower bids before the closing of the auction; and (2) the award of the contract, delivery order, task order, or purchase order to the offeror based on the price obtained through the auction process.

Date: 2016-05-11
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Civilian Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act of 2016 or the CEJA

 This bill amends the federal criminal code to grant jurisdiction over and impose penalties on federal contractors and employees who commit certain crimes outside of the United States while employed by or accompanying any agency of the United States other than the Department of Defense or while so employed and stationed or deployed in a country outside of the United States pursuant to a treaty or executive agreement in furtherance of a border security initiative with that country.

The bill provides for an optional venue for offenses under this bill involving federal employees and contractors overseas in the district in which is headquartered the U.S. agency that: (1) employs the offender, or any one or two or more joint offenders; or (2) the offender is accompanying, or that any one or two or more joint offenders is accompanying.

It requires the statute of limitations for an offense under this bill to be suspended for the period during which the alleged offender is outside the United States or is a fugitive from justice.

It grants the Department of Justice (DOJ) principal authority for the enforcement of this bill. DOJ must: (1) assign personnel and resources through task forces to investigate allegations of criminal offenses by federal contractors and employees overseas, and (2) report to Congress annually on the number of prosecutions and actions taken.

 This bill does not apply to the authorized intelligence activities of the U.S. government.

Date: 2016-05-26
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
This bill specifies that no funds are authorized to be appropriated for the programs, activities, or expenses of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC).

(The SLSDC is a government corporation within the Department of Transportation responsible for the operation, maintenance, and development of the U.S. portion of the Saint Lawrence Seaway between Montreal and Lake Erie. The SLSDC is also responsible for regional trade and economic development. )

Date: 2016-06-28
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Transportation and public works
Giving Workers a Fair Shot Act

This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to require employers to provide their employees with specified information concerning their pay, leave time, and eligibility for the minimum wage and overtime pay. Employers who fail to provide required information are subject to fines.

The bill revises the definition of "supervisor" under the National Labor Relations Act to prevent the over classification of employees as supervisors for the purpose of limiting the number of employees eligible to join a union.

The bill increases civil penalties for intentional violations of requirements under the National Labor Relations Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, and the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, and imposes criminal penalties for violating certain requirements of those Acts, including violations of mandatory health or safety standards and for retaliation against employees who provide information about health or safety violations.

The bill expedites the establishment of an initial collective bargaining agreement by allowing either an employer or a union to seek mediation under the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service if an agreement is not reached within 90 days after bargaining begins.

The bill amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to: (1) require repeat votes by shareholders on executive compensation until a vote is binding, (2) prohibit the chief executive officer and the chairman of the board of directors at publicly traded companies from being the same person (except for small capitalization companies), and (3) impose restrictions the sale of stock by company directors or officers.

The bill disallows the reimbursement of costs incurred by a contractor in attempting to persuade its employees not to exercise their rights to organize or bargain collectively (union busting).

Date: 2016-09-06
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Labor and employment
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House passed version is repeated here.)

GAO Civilian Task and Delivery Order Protest Authority Act of 2016

(Sec. 2) This bill makes permanent the Government Accountability Office's (GAO's) authority to hear a contractor's protest regarding the issuance or proposed issuance of a civilian federal agency's task or delivery order contract for the procurement of services or property valued in excess of $10 million. (Under current law, the GAO's jurisdiction over protests relating to federal defense contracts is already permanent, but the protest authority for civilian federal agency contracts is scheduled to expire after September 30, 2016.)

Date: 2016-09-12
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Government Neutrality in Contracting Act 

 Directs the head of any federal agency that awards or obligates funds for any construction contract, or that awards grants, provides financial assistance, or enters into cooperative agreements for construction projects, to ensure that bid specifications, project agreements, or other controlling documents do not: (1) require or forbid a bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor to enter into or adhere to agreements with a labor organization with respect to that construction project or another related construction project; or (2) otherwise discriminate against such a party because it did or did not become a signatory or otherwise adhere to such an agreement.

Allows exemptions to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve national security. Allows additional exemptions for certain projects. Directs the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement this Act with respect to the applicable federal contracts.

Date: 2015-01-07
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Natural Disaster Fairness in Contracting Act of 2015 

Requires agencies, in entering into a contract to procure property or services in connection with natural disaster reconstruction efforts, to use specified competitive procedures.

Allows agencies to enter into a contract to procure property or services in connection with such reconstruction efforts using other than full and open competition only upon the written approval of the President or the President's designee. Requires congressional notification when procedures other than full and open competitive procedures are to be used.

Instructs agencies that enter into a contract for the procurement of property or services in connection with such reconstruction efforts through the use of other than full and open competitive procedures to publish in the Federal Register or Federal Business Opportunities and otherwise make available to the public specified information concerning the contract seven days before it is finalized.

Permits the use of noncompetitive procedures by agencies when: (1) a contract will be performed within a six-month period, and (2) the need for the property or services is of such an unusual and compelling urgency that the government would otherwise be seriously injured.

Date: 2015-01-07
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Emergency management
Protect America's Cities from Government Blacklist Act of 2015

 Prohibits a federal agency from establishing or implementing a policy that discourages or prohibits the selection of a location for travel, an event, a meeting, or a conference because the location is perceived to be a resort or vacation destination.

Date: 2015-01-07
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the Senate reported version is repeated here.)

Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act of 2015

(Sec. 3) Defines "remanufactured vehicle component" as a vehicle component (including an engine, transmission, alternator, starter, turbocharger, steering, or suspension component) that has been returned to same-as-new, or better, condition and performance by a standardized industrial process that incorporates technical specifications (including engineering, quality, and testing standards) to yield fully warranted products.

(Sec. 4) Directs the head of each federal agency to: (1) encourage the use of remanufactured vehicle components to maintain federal vehicles if using such components reduces the cost of maintaining such vehicles while maintaining quality; and (2) not encourage the use of remanufactured vehicle components if using such components does not reduce the cost of maintenance, lowers the quality of vehicle performance, or delays the return to service of a vehicle.

Date: 2015-02-25
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
American Business for American Companies Act of 2015

Prohibits an executive agency from awarding a contract for the procurement of property or services (including a defense contract) to: (1) any foreign incorporated entity determined to be an inverted domestic corporation or any subsidiary of such entity, or (2) any joint venture more than 10% of which is held by such an entity or subsidiary.

Directs each agency to include in each such contract awarded with a value in excess of $10 million, other than a contract for exclusively commercial items, a clause that prohibits the prime contractor from: (1) awarding a first-tier subcontract with a value greater than 10% of the total prime contract to such an entity or joint venture, or (2) structuring subcontract tiers enabling such entity or joint venture to perform more than 10% of the total value of the prime contract.

Authorizes an agency to waive such requirements for a contract in the interest of national security or when necessary for the efficient or effective administration of federal or federally funded: (1) programs that provide health benefits to individuals, or (2) public health programs. Provides for termination of a contract or suspension or debarment of a contractor in violation of this Act.

Requires a foreign incorporated entity to be treated as an inverted domestic corporation if: (1) the entity acquires, on or after May 8, 2014, substantially all of the properties held by a domestic corporation or substantially all of the assets of, or substantially all of the properties constituting a trade or business of, a domestic partnership; and (2) after the acquisition, either more than 50% of the stock of the entity is held by former shareholders of the domestic corporation or former partners of the domestic partnership, or the management and control of the expanded affiliated group which includes the entity occurs primarily within the United States and such expanded affiliated group has significant domestic business activities. Sets forth an exception for an entity within an expanded affiliated group with substantial business activities in the foreign country in which the entity is created. Requires the Department of the Treasury to prescribe regulations for determining cases in which the management and control of an expanded affiliated group is to be treated as occurring primarily within the United States.

Date: 2015-04-16
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Freedom from Government Competition Act

 Requires each executive or military department or independent establishment to obtain all goods and services necessary for or beneficial to the accomplishment of its authorized functions by procurement from private sources, except if: (1) such goods or services are required by law to be produced or performed by such agency; or (2) the head of the agency determines and certifies that federal production, manufacture, or provision of a good or service is necessary for the national defense or homeland security, that a good or service is so inherently governmental in nature that it is in the public interest to require production or performance by government employees, or that there is no private source capable of providing the good or service.

Requires such private sector provision of goods and services to be performed through: (1) the divestiture of federal involvement, (2) the award of a contract using competitive procedures, (3) converting an activity to performance by a qualified firm under at least 51% ownership by an Indian tribe or a Native Hawaiian Organization, or (4) conducting a public-private competitive sourcing analysis in accordance with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) procedures and determining that using the private sector is in the best interest of the United States and provides the best value to the taxpayer.

Authorizes an agency head to utilize federal employees to provide goods or services previously provided by a private sector entity upon completion of a public-private competitive sourcing analysis and after determining that provision by federal employees provides the best value.

Requires OMB to carry out a study, in conjunction with the Comptroller General, to evaluate the activities carried out in each agency.

Date: 2015-04-28
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Arbitration Fairness Act of 2015

Declares that no predispute arbitration agreement shall be valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of an employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights dispute.

Declares, further, that the validity and enforceability of an agreement to arbitrate shall be determined by a court, under federal law, rather than an arbitrator, irrespective of whether the party resisting arbitration challenges the arbitration agreement specifically or in conjunction with other terms of the contract containing such agreement.

Exempts from this Act arbitration provisions in a contract between an employer and a labor organization or between labor organizations. Denies to any such arbitration provision, however, the effect of waiving the right of an employee to seek judicial enforcement of a right arising under the U.S. Constitution, a state constitution, a federal or state statute, or related public policy.

Date: 2015-04-29
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Law
Civilian Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act of 2015 or the CEJA

 Amends the federal criminal code to grant jurisdiction over and impose penalties on federal contractors and employees who commit certain crimes outside of the United States while employed by or accompanying any agency of the United States other than the Department of Defense or while so employed and stationed or deployed in a country outside of the United States pursuant to a treaty or executive agreement in furtherance of a border security initiative with that country. Sets forth the crimes under federal law that are covered by this Act.

Provides for an optional venue for offenses under this Act involving federal employees and contractors overseas in the district in which is headquartered the U.S. agency that: (1) employs the offender, or any one or two or more joint offenders; or (2) the offender is accompanying, or that any one or two or more joint offenders is accompanying.

Requires the statute of limitations for an offense under this Act to be suspended for the period during which the alleged offender is outside the United States or is a fugitive from justice.

Directs the Attorney General to: (1) assign personnel and resources through task forces to investigate allegations of criminal offenses by federal contractors and employees overseas, and (2) report to Congress annually on the number of prosecutions and actions taken. Grants the Attorney General principal authority for the enforcement of this Act.

Makes this Act inapplicable to the authorized intelligence activities of the U.S. government.

Date: 2015-05-19
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Construction Consensus Procurement Improvement Act of 2015

(Sec. 3) This bill modifies the design-build selection procedures used by federal agencies soliciting offers to enter into civilian contracts for the design and construction of a public building, facility, or work. Two-phase selection procedures (i.e., submission of qualifications and then the submission of price and technical proposals in response to a request for proposal) must be used when a contracting officer determines that a project has a value of $750,000 or greater. But for contracts valued at less than $750,000, the contracting officer makes the same determination under current law as to whether the use of two-phase selection procedures is appropriate when the officer anticipates at least three offers for the contract.

Federal agencies must report, each year through FY2021, on each instance where the agency awarded a design-build contract in which: (1) more than five finalists were selected for phase-two requests for proposals, or (2) the contract or order was awarded without using two-phase selection procedures. The Government Accountability Office must report on agency compliance with design-build contract procedures.

(Sec. 4) The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council must amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to prohibit the use of reverse auctions as part of the two-phase selection procedure for awarding contracts for construction and design services. A "reverse auction," with respect to procurement by an agency, is: (1) a real-time auction conducted through an electronic medium among at least two offerors who compete by submitting bids for a supply or service contract with the ability to submit revised lower bids before the closing of the auction; and (2) the award of the contract, delivery order, task order, or purchase order to the offeror based on the price obtained through the auction process.

Date: 2015-06-08
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on July 27, 2015. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Representative Payee Fraud Prevention Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) Prohibits any person authorized by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to receive federal retirement payments on behalf of a minor or an individual of legal disability from embezzling or in any manner converting any amounts from such payments to a use other than for the benefit of such minor or individual.

Considers any willful neglect or refusal to make and file proper accountings or reports concerning such payments as required by law to be prima facie evidence of the embezzlement or prohibited conversion of such amounts.

Prohibits OPM from authorizing a person to receive payments on behalf of a minor or individual of legal disability if that person has been convicted of: (1) a violation of this Act, (2) fraud under the Social Security Act, or (3) misappropriation as a fiduciary under veterans' benefits provisions.

Date: 2015-06-15
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Assuring Contracting Equity Act of 2015

This bill increases from: (1) 23% to 25% the government-wide small business procurement contract goal, (2) 5% to 10% the government-wide procurement goal for small disadvantaged businesses and women-owned businesses, and (3) 3% to 6% the government-wide procurement goal for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses and HUBZONE (historically underutilized business zone) small businesses. The number of categories is limited for which a small business may qualify under such goals.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) must include within its report to the President and to Congress on these goals, the percentage of participation by small businesses for the total value of all prime contracts and subcontracts awards for a fiscal year, including the value of each contract awarded.

The SBA must consult with the heads of other federal agencies to develop and implement standards for procurement officers to take into consideration the past compliance of potential contractors with small business subcontracting goals when making contract awards.

Date: 2015-07-23
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Commerce
(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on April 12, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Fraud Reduction and Data Analytics Act of 2015

(Sec. 3) This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to establish guidelines for federal agencies to establish financial and administrative controls to identify and assess fraud risks and design and implement control activities in order to prevent, detect, and respond to fraud, including improper payments.

The guidelines shall incorporate the leading practices identified in the report published by the Government Accountability Office on July 28, 2015, entitled "Framework for Managing Fraud Risks in Federal Programs."

The financial and administrative controls shall include:

 conducting an evaluation of fraud risks and using a risk-based approach to design and implement financial and administrative control activities to mitigate identified fraud risks; collecting and analyzing data from reporting mechanisms on detected fraud to monitor fraud trends and using that data and information to continuously improve fraud prevention controls; and using the results of monitoring, evaluation, audits, and investigations to improve fraud prevention, detection, and response. Each agency shall submit as part of its annual financial report a report on its progress in:

 implementing such financial and administrative controls, the fraud risk principle in the Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government, and OMB Circular A-123 leading practices for managing fraud risk; identifying risks and vulnerabilities to fraud; and establishing steps to curb fraud. (Sec. 4) The OMB must establish a working group to: (1) improve the sharing of financial and administrative controls and other best practices and techniques for detecting, preventing, and responding to fraud, and the sharing and development of data analytics techniques; and (2) submit a plan for a federal interagency library of data analytics and data sets for use by agencies and Offices of Inspectors General to facilitate the detection, prevention, and recovery of fraud.

Date: 2015-10-05
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Contractor Accountability and Transparency Act of 2016

This bill requires the head of each executive agency to post each covered contract (i.e., a contract for the procurement of property or services with a value greater than the simplified acquisition threshold) entered into by that agency on a publicly available website in a searchable format. The agency head may redact sensitive or classified information, trade secrets, or other proprietary information in such contracts.

Date: 2016-03-17
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Buy American Act of 2016

This bill directs the the Department of Defense (DOD), in the case of athletic footwear needed by members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps upon their initial entry into the Armed Forces, to: (1) furnish such footwear directly instead of providing a cash allowance to the service members to purchase such footwear, and (2) comply with American source requirements in procuring such footwear.

A cash allowance may be provided for the purchase of footwear that is medically required to meet a service member's unique physiological needs that cannot be met with footwear furnished by DOD.

Date: 2016-04-20
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Promoting Value Based Defense Procurement Act of 2016

This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to revise the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement to require that Lowest Price Technically Acceptable source selection criteria are used for new solicitations (solicitations issued starting 120 days after enactment of this bill) only in situations in which:

 DOD is able to clearly describe the minimum requirements expressed in terms of performance objectives, measures, and standards that will be used to determine offer acceptability; DOD would realize no, or minimal, value from a contract proposal exceeding minimum technical or performance requirements; the proposed technical approaches will require no, or minimal, subjective judgment of competing proposals; a review of technical proposals other than the lowest bidder's would result in no, or minimal, benefit to DOD; and the contracting officer has included a justification for the use of LPTA evaluation methodology if the contract is predominately for the acquisition of information technology services, systems engineering and technical assistance services, or other knowledge-based professional services. LPTA source selection criteria shall be avoided when the procurement is predominately for the acquisition of information technology services, systems engineering and technical assistance services, or other knowledge-based professional services.

Date: 2016-04-20
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Made in America Water Infrastructure Act

This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act by requiring all of the steel used in projects funded by the drinking water state revolving fund program to be produced in the United States, unless: (1) it would be inconsistent with the public interest, (2) iron and steel products are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality, or (3) inclusion of iron and steel products produced in the United States will increase the cost of the overall product by more than 25%.

Date: 2016-07-06
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Environmental protection
Disabled Veteran Housing Simplification Act of 2007 - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to exempt from the community service requirement applicable to adult residents of a public housing project an individual who has been determined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to be permanently and totally disabled, and who is unable to comply with such requirement, or is a primary caretaker of such individual.

Date: 2007-01-11
Topic: Housing (Veterans)
Subject: Housing and community development
Home Ownership for America's Veterans Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend the eligibility period of veterans for mortgage financing; and (2) require annual inflation adjustments after 2010 to limits on state veteran bond amounts based on the Conventional Mortgage Home Price Index (compiled by Freddie Mac).

Date: 2007-01-18
Topic: Housing (Veterans)
Subject: Taxation
Disabled Veterans Adaptive Housing Improvement Act - Increases from: (1) $50,000 to $60,000 the maximum amount authorized to be provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs to certain disabled veterans for the construction of specially adapted housing; and (2) $10,000 to $12,000 the maximum amount authorized for specially adapted features in a home. Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to annually increase such amounts to reflect increases in the cost of residential home construction.

Date: 2007-01-24
Topic: Housing (Veterans)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Services To Prevent Veterans Homelessness Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide financial assistance to eligible entities (private nonprofit organizations or consumer cooperatives) to provide and coordinate the provision of various supportive services for very low-income veteran families occupying permanent housing. Requires: (1) equitable geographic distribution of such assistance; and (2) the Secretary to provide training and technical assistance to participating entities regarding the planning, development, and provision of such services.

Date: 2007-05-17
Topic: Housing (Veterans)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Veteran Home Equity Conversation [sic] Mortgage Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to guarantee any home equity conversion mortgage (mortgage) made to an elderly (62 or older) veteran homeowner, as long as the Secretary determines that the mortgage: (1) is likely to improve the financial situation or otherwise meet the special needs of the homeowner; (2) will include safeguards to offset special risks associated with such a mortgage; and (3) has appropriate terms to ensure its acceptance in the secondary mortgage market. Allows such mortgage to be guaranteed only if it is secured by a dwelling, farm residence, or manufactured home permanently affixed to a lot that is owned and occupied by the elderly veteran homeowner. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) guarantee any mortgage given to refinance an existing home equity conversion mortgage guaranteed by the Secretary; (2) establish a mortgage guarantee fee; and (3) waive the mortgage guarantee fee in certain circumstances.

Date: 2007-05-24
Topic: Housing (Veterans)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual taxpayer to deduct from gross income interest incurred to acquire, construct, improve, or refinance a principal residence, whether or not such taxpayer itemizes other income tax deductions.

Date: 2007-09-20
Topic: Housing (Veterans)
Subject: Taxation