[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 428 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 428
To amend title 5, United States Code, to enhance the authority under
which Federal agencies may pay cash awards to employees for making cost
saving disclosures, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 15, 2025
Mr. Fleischmann introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 5, United States Code, to enhance the authority under
which Federal agencies may pay cash awards to employees for making cost
saving disclosures, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. COST SAVINGS ENHANCEMENTS.
(a) Definitions.--Section 4511 of title 5, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``Definition'' and
inserting ``Definitions''; and
(2) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking the period at the end and inserting
``; and'';
(B) by striking ``this subchapter, the term'' and
inserting the following: ``this subchapter--
``(1) the term''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) the term `wasteful expenses' means amounts made
available for salaries and expenses accounts, operations and
maintenance accounts, or other equivalent accounts--
``(A) that are identified by an employee of the
agency under section 4512(a) as wasteful; and
``(B) that the Chief Financial Officer of the
agency determines are not required for the purpose for
which the amounts were made available.''.
(b) Authority.--Section 4512 of title 5, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by inserting ``The head of an agency may pay a
cash award to any employee of such agency whose
identification of wasteful expenses to the Chief
Financial Officer of the agency has resulted in cost
savings for the agency.'' after the first sentence;
(B) in paragraph (1) by striking ``$10,000'' and
inserting ``$20,000'';
(C) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by inserting ``Chief Financial
Officer,'' after ``Inspector General,'';
(ii) by striking ``employee designated
under subsection (b)'' and inserting
``designated employee''; and
(iii) by inserting ``or identification''
after ``disclosure''; and
(D) in the matter following paragraph (2)--
(i) by inserting ``, Chief Financial
Officer,'' after ``Inspector General''; and
(ii) by inserting ``or identification''
after ``disclosure'';
(2) in subsection (b) by striking ``awards permitted under
this section'' and inserting ``awards for the disclosure of
fraud, waste, or mismanagement under this section''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(c)(1) If the Chief Financial Officer of the agency determines
that potential wasteful expenses identified by an employee meet the
requirements of section 4511(a)(2)(B), the head of the agency shall
notify the President for purposes of proposing the expenses for
rescission under title X of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment
Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 681 et seq.).
``(2) In the case of an agency for which there is no Chief
Financial Officer, the head of the agency shall designate an agency
employee who shall have the authority to make the determinations for
identification of wasteful expenses under this section.
``(d) The head of each agency shall make available, along with, and
in the same manner and form as, the provision of information required
under section 1116 of title 31, information on disclosures of wasteful
expenses under this section, including--
``(1) a description of each disclosure of possible wasteful
expenses identified by an employee and determined by the agency
to have merit; and
``(2) the number and amount of cash awards provided by the
agency under subsection (a).
``(e) An individual may not receive a cash award under this
subchapter if the individual is--
``(1) an officer or employee of the Office of the Inspector
General of an agency; or
``(2) ineligible for a cash award under section 4509.
``(f) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall--
``(1) ensure that the cash award program of each agency
complies with this section; and
``(2) submit to Congress an annual certification indicating
whether the cash award program of each agency complies with
this section.
``(g) Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of the
Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act of 2025, and every 3 years thereafter for
6 years, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to
Congress a report on the operation of the cost savings and awards
program under this section, including any recommendations for
legislative changes.''.
(c) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for
subchapter II of chapter 45 of title 5, United States Code, is amended
by striking the item relating to section 4511 and inserting the
following:
``4511. Definitions and general provisions.''.
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