[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 939 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 939
To require the evaluation and consolidation of duplicative green
building programs within the Department of Energy.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 14, 2015
Mr. Flake (for himself and Mr. Booker) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the evaluation and consolidation of duplicative green
building programs within the Department of Energy.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. EVALUATION AND CONSOLIDATION OF DUPLICATIVE GREEN BUILDING
PROGRAMS WITHIN DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrative expenses.--
(A) In general.--The term ``administrative
expenses'' has the meaning given the term by the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget under
section 504(b)(2) of the Energy and Water Development
and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 (31
U.S.C. 1105 note; Public Law 111-85).
(B) Inclusions.--The term ``administrative
expenses'' includes, with respect to an agency--
(i) costs incurred by--
(I) the agency; or
(II) any grantee, subgrantee, or
other recipient of funds from a grant
program or other program administered
by the agency; and
(ii) expenses relating to personnel
salaries and benefits, property management,
travel, program management, promotion, reviews
and audits, case management, and communication
regarding, promotion of, and outreach for
programs and program activities administered by
the agency.
(2) Applicable program.--The term ``applicable program''
means any program that is--
(A) listed in Table 9 (pages 348-350) of the report
of the Government Accountability Office entitled ``2012
Annual Report: Opportunities to Reduce Duplication,
Overlap and Fragmentation, Achieve Savings, and Enhance
Revenue''; and
(B) administered by the Secretary.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
(4) Service.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
term ``service'' has the meaning given the term by the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(B) Requirements.--For purposes of subparagraph
(A), the term ``service'' shall be limited to
activities, assistance, or other aid that provides a
direct benefit to a recipient, such as--
(i) the provision of technical assistance;
(ii) assistance for housing or tuition; or
(iii) financial support (including grants,
loans, tax credits, and tax deductions).
(b) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than October 1, 2015, the
Secretary shall submit to Congress and make available on the
public Internet website of the Department of Energy a report
that describes the outcomes of all applicable programs.
(2) Requirements.--In preparing the report under paragraph
(1), the Secretary shall--
(A) determine the total administrative expenses of
each applicable program;
(B) determine the expenditures for services for
each applicable program;
(C) estimate the number of--
(i) clients served by each applicable
program; and
(ii) beneficiaries who received services
under the applicable program (if applicable);
(D) estimate--
(i) the number of full-time employees who
administer each applicable program; and
(ii) the number of full-time equivalents
(the salary of whom is paid in part or full by
the Federal Government through a grant or
contract, a subaward of a grant or contract, a
cooperative agreement, or another form of
financial award or assistance) who assist in
administering the applicable program;
(E) describe the type of services each applicable
program provides, such as grants, technical assistance,
loans, tax credits, or tax deductions;
(F) describe the type of recipient who benefits
from the services provided under the applicable
program, such as individual property owners or renters,
local governments, businesses, nonprofit organizations,
or State governments; and
(G) identify whether written program goals are
available for each applicable program.
(c) Recommendations.--Not later than January 1, 2016, the Secretary
shall submit to Congress a report that includes--
(1) an analysis of whether any applicable program should be
eliminated or consolidated, including any legislative changes
that would be necessary to eliminate or consolidate applicable
programs; and
(2) methods to improve the applicable programs by
establishing program goals or increasing collaboration to
reduce the overlap and duplication identified in--
(A) the 2011 report of the Government
Accountability Office entitled ``Federal Initiatives
for the NonFederal Sector Could Benefit from More
Interagency Collaboration''; and
(B) the report of the Government Accountability
Office entitled ``2012 Annual Report: Opportunities to
Reduce Duplication, Overlap and Fragmentation, Achieve
Savings, and Enhance Revenue''.
(d) Analyses.--Not later than January 1, 2016, the Secretary shall
identify--
(1) which applicable programs were specifically authorized
by Congress; and
(2) which applicable programs are carried out solely under
the discretionary authority of the Secretary.
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