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Calendar No. 479
115th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 115-281
======================================================================
FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2019
_______
June 21, 2018.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Lankford of Oklahoma, from the Committee on Appropriations,
submitted the following
REPORT
[To accompany S. 3107]
The Committee on Appropriations reports an original bill
(S. 3107) making appropriations for financial services and
general government for the fiscal year ending September 30,
2019, and for other purposes, reports favorably thereon without
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
Amounts of new budget (obligational) authority for fiscal year 2019
Total of bill as reported to the Senate................. $45,944,000,000
Amount of 2018 appropriations........................... 48,149,851,000
Amount of 2019 budget estimate.......................... 49,124,783,000
Bill as recommended to Senate compared to--
2018 appropriations................................. -2,205,851,000
2019 budget estimate................................ -3,180,783,000
CONTENTS
----------
Page
Overview and Summary of the Bill................................. 5
Program, Project, and Activity................................... 5
Reprogramming Guidelines......................................... 5
Relationship With Budget Offices................................. 6
Congressional Budget Justifications.............................. 7
Agency Reports................................................... 7
Antideficiency Act Violations.................................... 8
Other Matters and Directives..................................... 8
Title I: Department of the Treasury:
Departmental Offices......................................... 9
Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence............... 11
Cybersecurity Enhancement Account............................ 12
Department-wide Systems and Capital Investments Programs..... 13
Office of Inspector General.................................. 14
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration............ 15
Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief
Program.................................................... 16
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network......................... 17
Bureau of the Fiscal Service................................. 19
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau..................... 20
United States Mint........................................... 20
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund............ 21
Bureau of Engraving and Printing............................. 23
Internal Revenue Service..................................... 24
Taxpayer Services............................................ 28
Enforcement.................................................. 31
Operations Support........................................... 32
Business Systems Modernization............................... 33
Administrative Provisions--Internal Revenue Service.......... 34
Administrative Provisions--Department of the Treasury........ 35
Title II: Executive Office of the President and Funds
Appropriated to the President:
The White House.............................................. 37
Executive Residence at the White House....................... 37
White House Repair and Restoration........................... 38
Council of Economic Advisers................................. 38
National Security Council and Homeland Security Council...... 38
Office of Administration..................................... 39
Office of Management and Budget.............................. 39
Office of National Drug Control Policy....................... 41
Federal Drug Control Programs:
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program............ 42
Other Federal Drug Control Programs...................... 43
Unanticipated Needs.......................................... 44
Information Technology Oversight and Reform.................. 44
Special Assistance to the President.......................... 45
Official Residence of the Vice President..................... 46
Administrative Provisions--Executive Office of the President
and Funds Appropriated to the President.................... 46
Title III: The Judiciary:
Supreme Court of the United States........................... 47
Care of the Building and Grounds......................... 48
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit....... 48
United States Court of International Trade................... 49
Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and Other Judicial
Services................................................... 49
Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund................... 49
Defender Services........................................ 50
Fees of Jurors and Commissioners......................... 51
Court Security........................................... 51
Administrative Office of the United States Courts............ 52
Federal Judicial Center...................................... 52
United States Sentencing Commission.......................... 52
Administrative Provisions--The Judiciary..................... 53
Title IV--District of Columbia:
Federal Payments:
Federal Funds............................................ 54
Federal Payment for Resident Tuition Support............. 54
Federal Payment for Emergency Planning and Security Costs
in the District of Columbia............................ 55
Federal Payment to the District of Columbia Courts....... 56
Federal Payment for Defender Services in District of
Columbia Courts........................................ 56
Federal Payment to the Court Services and Offender
Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia........ 57
Federal Payment to the Public Defender Service for the
District of Columbia................................... 57
Federal Payment to the Criminal Justice Coordinating
Council................................................ 58
Federal Payment for Judicial Commissions................. 58
Federal Payment for School Improvement................... 59
Federal Payment for the D.C. National Guard.............. 59
Federal Payment for HIV/AIDS Prevention.................. 60
Federal Payment to the District of Columbia Water and
Sewer Authority........................................ 60
District of Columbia Funds................................... 61
Title V--Independent Agencies:
Administrative Conference of the United States............... 62
Commodity Futures Trading Commission......................... 62
Consumer Product Safety Commission........................... 63
Election Assistance Commission............................... 65
Federal Communications Commission............................ 65
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation: Office of the
Inspector General.......................................... 70
Federal Election Commission.................................. 70
Federal Labor Relations Authority............................ 71
Federal Trade Commission..................................... 71
General Services Administration.............................. 73
Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation........................ 82
Merit Systems Protection Board............................... 83
Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation.............. 83
National Archives and Records Administration................. 84
National Credit Union Administration......................... 87
Office of Government Ethics.................................. 88
Office of Personnel Management............................... 89
Office of Special Counsel.................................... 93
Postal Regulatory Commission................................. 94
Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.................. 94
Securities and Exchange Commission........................... 96
Selective Service System..................................... 98
Small Business Administration................................ 98
United States Postal Service................................. 107
United States Tax Court...................................... 108
Statement Concerning General Provisions.......................... 109
Title VI--General Provisions--This Act........................... 110
Title VII--General Provisions--Governmentwide.................... 113
Title VIII--General Provisions--District of Columbia............. 117
Compliance With Paragraph 7, Rule XVI of the Standing Rules of
the
Senate......................................................... 119
Compliance With Paragraph 7(c), Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules
of the Senate.................................................. 120
Compliance With Paragraph 12, Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of
the Senate..................................................... 121
Budgetary Impact of Bill......................................... 123
Comparative Statement of New Budget Authority.................... 124
OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY OF THE BILL
The Financial Services and General Government
appropriations bill provides funding for the Department of the
Treasury, including the Internal Revenue Service; the Executive
Office of the President; the Judiciary; the District of
Columbia; and more than two dozen independent Federal agencies.
The Committee recommends $45,944,000,000 in discretionary
and mandatory appropriations. This represents a decrease of
$2,205,851,000 below the fiscal year 2018 enacted level, and a
decrease of $3,180,783,000 below the budget request. Of the
total, $23,688,000,000 is provided in discretionary
appropriations. Mandatory appropriations less scorekeeping
adjustments total $22,256,000,000.
PROGRAM, PROJECT, AND ACTIVITY
During fiscal year 2019, for the purposes of the Balanced
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Public Law
99-177), as amended, with respect to appropriations contained
in the accompanying bill, the terms ``program, project, and
activity'' [PPA] shall mean any item for which a dollar amount
is contained in appropriations acts (including joint
resolutions providing continuing appropriations) or
accompanying reports of the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations, or accompanying conference reports and joint
explanatory statements of the committee of conference.
REPROGRAMMING GUIDELINES
The Committee includes a provision (section 608)
establishing the authority of agencies to reprogram funds and
the limitation on that authority. The provision specifically
requires the advance approval of the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations of any proposal to reprogram funds
that: (1) creates a new program; (2) eliminates a program,
project, or activity; (3) increases funds or personnel for any
PPA for which funds have been denied or restricted by the
Congress; (4) proposes to redirect funds that were directed in
such reports for a specific activity to a different purpose;
(5) augments an existing PPA in excess of $5,000,000 or 10
percent, whichever is less; (6) reduces an existing PPA by
$5,000,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less; or (7) creates,
reorganizes, or restructures offices differently than the
congressional budget justifications or the table at the end of
the Committee report, whichever is more detailed.
The Committee retains the requirement that each agency
submit an operating plan to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations not later than 60 days after enactment of this
act to establish the baseline for application of reprogramming
and transfer authorities provided in this act. Specifically,
each agency should provide a table for each appropriation with
columns displaying the budget request; adjustments made by
Congress; adjustments for rescissions, if appropriate; and the
fiscal year enacted level. The table shall delineate the
appropriation both by object class and by PPA. The report must
also identify items of special congressional interest.
The Committee expects the agencies and bureaus to submit
reprogramming requests in a timely manner and to provide a
thorough explanation of the proposed reallocations, including a
detailed justification of increases and reductions and the
specific impact the proposed changes will have on the budget
request for the following fiscal year. Except in emergency
situations, reprogramming requests should be submitted no later
than June 30.
The Committee expects each agency to manage its programs
and activities within the amounts appropriated by Congress. The
Committee reminds agencies that reprogramming requests should
be submitted only in the case of an unforeseeable emergency or
a situation that could not have been anticipated when
formulating the budget request for the current fiscal year.
Further, the Committee notes that when a Department or agency
submits a reprogramming or transfer request to the Committees
on Appropriations and does not receive identical responses from
the House and the Senate, it is the responsibility of the
Department or agency to reconcile the House and the Senate
differences before proceeding, and if reconciliation is not
possible, to consider the request to reprogram funds
unapproved.
RELATIONSHIP WITH BUDGET OFFICES
Through the years, the Committee has channeled most of its
inquiries and requests for information and assistance through
the budget offices of the various departments, agencies,
offices, and commissions. The Committee has often pointed to
the natural affinity and relationship between the budget
offices and the Committee which makes such a relationship
workable. The Committee reiterates its longstanding position
that while the Committee reserves the right to call upon any
office or officer in the departments, agencies, and
commissions, the primary conjunction between the Committee and
these entities must be through the budget offices. To help
ensure the Committee's ability to perform its responsibilities,
the Committee insists on having direct, unobstructed, and
timely access to the budget offices and expects to be able to
receive forthright and complete responses from those offices
and their employees.
The Committee expects timely agency compliance with
mandated reporting requirements. The Committee directs all
agencies from which reports are required to allow sufficient
time to secure any necessary internal and external clearances
of reports in order to satisfy congressional deadlines. The
Committee strongly urges agencies to alert the Committee as far
as possible in advance of any expected slippage in meeting a
report delivery due date.
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET JUSTIFICATIONS
Budget justifications are prepared not for the use of the
agency, but instead are the primary tool used by the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations to evaluate the resource
requirements and fiscal needs of agencies. The Committee is
aware that the format and presentation of budget materials is
largely left to the agency within presentation objectives set
forth by the Office of Management and Budget [OMB]. However,
the Committee expects agencies to consult with the Committees
on Appropriations in advance regarding any plans to modify the
format of agency budget documents to ensure that the data
needed to make appropriate and meaningful funding decisions is
provided.
The Committee directs that justifications submitted with
the fiscal year 2020 budget requests by agencies funded under
this act must contain the customary level of detailed data and
explanatory statements to support the appropriations requests
at the level of detail contained in the funding table included
at the end of the report. Among other items, agencies shall
provide a detailed discussion of proposed new initiatives,
proposed changes in the agency's financial plan from prior year
enactment, and detailed data on all programs and comprehensive
information on any office or agency restructurings. At a
minimum, each agency must also provide adequate justification
for funding and staffing changes for each individual office.
Explanatory materials should compare programs, projects, and
activities that are proposed for fiscal year 2020 to the fiscal
year 2019 enacted level.
The Committee includes a general provision requiring that
agencies provide, as a component incorporated within their
fiscal year 2020 budget justification materials submitted to
the Committee, a separate table briefly describing the top
management challenges for fiscal year 2019 as identified by the
agency inspector general, along with an explanation of how the
fiscal year 2020 budget request addresses each such management
challenge.
The Committee is aware that the analytical materials
required for review by the Committee are unique to each agency
in this act. Therefore, the Committee expects that each agency
will coordinate with the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations in advance on its planned presentation for its
budget justification materials in support of the fiscal year
2020 budget request.
AGENCY REPORTS
As a measure to reduce costs and conserve paper, the
Committee reminds agencies funded by this act that currently
provide separate copies of periodic reports (such as
Performance and Accountability Reports) and correspondence to
the chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees
and Subcommittees on Financial Services and General Government,
and also to the ranking members of the committees and
subcommittees, to use a single cover letter jointly addressed
to the chairs and ranking members of the Committee and
subcommittee of both the House and the Senate. To the greatest
extent feasible, agencies should include in the cover letter a
reference or hyperlink to facilitate electronic access to the
report and provide the documents by electronic mail delivery.
Consolidating addressees and remitting a copy of the letter and
attachments to each recipient should expedite agency
processing. This should also help ensure that consistent
information is conveyed concurrently to the majority and
minority committee offices of both chambers of Congress.
ANTIDEFICIENCY ACT VIOLATIONS
The Antideficiency Act is a cornerstone of Federal fiscal
law. It forbids agencies from exceeding an appropriation,
apportionment, or allotment; from obligating funds before
Congress has appropriated them; and from accepting voluntary
services or employing personal services exceeding that
authorized by law. These prohibitions ensure that agencies
operate within amounts that Congress has appropriated and,
therefore, that agency activities are carried out in accordance
with the will of the people as expressed through Congress.
The Antideficiency Act requires agencies to immediately
report violations of the act to Congress and to the President
and to transmit a copy of each report to the Comptroller
General. These reports must include all relevant facts
pertaining to the violation and a statement of action taken.
These reports provide information essential to the Committee as
it performs oversight and as it considers agency funding
levels. Therefore, the Committee directs any agency funded by
this Act to concurrently transmit to the Subcommittee on
Financial Services and General Government a copy of any
Antideficiency Act violation report submitted pursuant to 31
U.S.C. 1351 or 31 U.S.C. 1517(b).
OTHER MATTERS AND DIRECTIVES
Cybersecurity.--Cybersecurity remains one of the most
significant challenges facing the Nation. Recent events have
demonstrated that the Federal Government faces an array of
cyber-based threats to its systems and data and the results
have proven disastrous to millions of Americans. The Committee
remains concerned that billions of Federal dollars are spent
each fiscal year yet there is no guarantee of security for
Americans. The Committee stresses the importance of the role of
the Federal Chief Information Officer [CIO] in protecting
Federal assets and information and strengthening the Federal
Government's overall cybersecurity infrastructure. The
Committee is committed to conducting oversight of agencies
within its jurisdiction to ensure that funding is being spent
wisely and effectively while ensuring that stronger cyber
controls are in place. The Committee encourages the
Administration and agencies to enhance their cyber strategies
and allocate resources accordingly to combat cybercrime and
data breaches.
TITLE I
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Departmental Offices
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $201,751,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 201,751,000
Committee recommendation................................ 208,751,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Secretary of the Treasury has the primary role in
formulating and managing the domestic and international tax and
financial policies of the Federal Government. The Secretary's
responsibilities funded by the Departmental Offices Salaries
and Expenses appropriation include: recommending and
implementing U.S. domestic and international economic and tax
policy; formulating fiscal policy; governing the fiscal
operations of the Government; managing the public debt;
managing international development policy; representing the
United States on international monetary, trade, and investment
issues; overseeing Department of the Treasury overseas
operations; and directing the administrative operations of the
Department of the Treasury. The majority of the Salaries and
Expenses appropriation provides resources for policy
formulation and implementation in the areas of domestic and
international finance, tax, economic, trade, financial
operations and general fiscal policy. This appropriation also
provides resources to support the Secretary, policy components,
and departmental administrative policies in financial and
personnel management, procurement operations, and information
systems and telecommunications.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $208,751,000 for the Departmental
Offices account of the Department of the Treasury for fiscal
year 2019. The recommendation is $7,000,000 above the enacted
level to allow the Department to manage a growing caseload
associated with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the
United States, invest in information technology improvements,
and hire additional staff to conduct economic analysis of tax
regulatory actions.
Wildlife Trafficking.--The Committee directs the Department
to use available resources to pursue and enforce money
laundering and other related laws as related to wildlife
trafficking and the illegal ivory trade. The Department shall
report to the Committee semiannually during fiscal year 2019 on
such enforcement actions and other steps taken to carry out the
Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act of
2016 during this fiscal year.
Ivory Poaching.--Militias, armed groups, insurgents, and
even terrorist groups are using profits from illegal ivory
poaching and trafficking to further violence in Africa and
elsewhere. Often the sales are to China and involve organized
crime, shell companies, and arms traffickers. Accordingly, the
Committee directs the Department of the Treasury to use
available resources to pursue and enforce money laundering and
other related laws as related to the illegal ivory trade,
particularly in Africa. The Department shall report to the
Committee every 6 months during the fiscal year on such
enforcement actions taken during the fiscal year.
Management of Capital Investments.--The Committee notes
that section 123 of the bill requires the Secretary of the
Treasury to develop an annual Capital Investment Plan, to be
submitted to the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and
the House of Representatives within 30 days following
submission of the President's annual budget request. The
Committee directs the Department to include estimated funding
needs for the lifetime capital costs for each project, not just
for the budget year. The Committee also directs the Department
to include in the Capital Investment Plan meaningful and
understandable summaries of capital investments by project type
(e.g., information technology). The Committee directs the
Office of the Chief Information Officer to ensure that adequate
resources are devoted both to projects in the capital phase and
to proper maintenance and modernization of existing systems and
to ensure that all projects are tracked properly and described
completely in the annual Capital Investment Plan.
Cybersecurity.--The Committee supports investments in
financial cybersecurity research, and strongly urges the
Department of the Treasury, including the Office of Critical
Infrastructure Policy, to work with the National Science
Foundation, the Department of Homeland Security's Science and
Technology Directorate and its Homeland Security Advanced
Research Projects Agency, the Intelligence Advanced Research
Projects Activity, and others to leverage cybersecurity
research and efforts to protect our Nation where it is most
vulnerable.
Puerto Rico.--The Committee encourages the Department to
provide technical assistance to Puerto Rico on stabilizing and
strengthening public financial management and financial
management systems. The Committee directs the Department to
submit a report within 30 days of the end of the fiscal year to
the Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate
providing detailed descriptions of any technical assistance
that has been provided, including: what activities have been
undertaken by Treasury employees in the provision of technical
assistance; timeframes within which the activities have
occurred; number of full-time-equivalent hours devoted to
provision of the activities; and documentation that the
activities have occurred.
Financial Literacy.--The Committee is concerned about the
low level of financial literacy and numeracy skills among the
adult population of the United States, as one in seven adults
do not have the basic financial literacy skills to succeed in
all but the most rudimentary financial literacy tasks. The
Committee encourages the Department to explore the degree to
which current Federal financial literacy programs benefit those
individuals with less than basic literacy skills and to develop
measurable goals and objectives for the Financial Literacy and
Education Commission that address the needs of this population.
Finally, the Committee urges the Department to explore
opportunities to work with rural community-based adult and
family literacy organizations to promote and implement future
financial literacy initiatives.
DATA Act.--In a November 2017 report, the Government
Accountability Office [GAO] reviewed the quality of data
reported by Federal agencies in accordance with the Digital
Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (DATA Act). This
report found issues and challenges with the completeness and
accuracy of the data submitted, use of data elements, and
presentation of the data on USAspending.gov. The report makes
six recommendations for Executive Action, four of which are
directed at the Department of the Treasury. The Committee
directs the Department to continue working toward full
compliance under the law and build on progress to-date and the
recommendations made in the report to improve data quality for
the benefit of taxpayers.
Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $141,778,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 159,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 159,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Economic and trade sanctions issued and enforced by the
Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence's [TFI] Office
of Foreign Assets Control safeguard financial systems against
illicit use and combat rogue nations, terrorist facilitators,
money launderers, proliferators of weapons of mass destruction,
and other national security threats. In addition, TFI produces
vital analysis with regard to foreign intelligence and
counterintelligence across all elements of the national
security community.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $159,000,000
for the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence to carry
out its central role in detecting and defeating security
threats.
African Conflicts.--The Committee is concerned that
sanction programs related to African conflicts like South Sudan
and human rights programs such as Global Magntisky are under-
staffed. When staff is reassigned during times of crisis to
supplement work targeting other regions, the problem is
exacerbated. The Committee recommendation includes a
significant increase for the Office of Terrorism and Financial
Intelligence, and the Committee expects the Department to
increase the number of employees in the Office of Terrorism and
Financial Intelligence focused on enforcing financial sanctions
in African countries.
Economic Sanctions and Divestments.--The Committee
recommendation includes resources for Terrorism and Financial
Intelligence programs. With these funds, the Department will
continue to issue and enforce economic and trade sanctions
consistent with national security and foreign policy goals.
These sanctions are a key tool for asserting U.S. policy toward
countries and entities under sanction. The Committee directs
the Department to fully implement all sanctions and divestment
measures, particularly those applicable to WMD proliferation,
terrorism, transnational organized crime, human rights abuses,
drug trafficking, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant,
Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela,
Zimbabwe, Burma, and designated rebel groups operating in and
around the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Committee directs
the Department to promptly notify the Committee of any resource
constraints that adversely impact the implementation of any
sanctions program.
Cryptocurrency.--The Department shall report to the
Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate on the
state of anti-money laundering efforts, threats to sanctions
enforcement, and the effectiveness of U.S. anti-money
laundering laws in combatting cryptocurrency-based money
laundering, including any legislative recommendations to
improve the interdiction of cryptocurrency-based money
laundering and sanctions circumvention schemes.
CYBERSECURITY ENHANCEMENT ACCOUNT
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $24,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 25,208,000
Committee recommendation................................ 25,208,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Cybersecurity Enhancement Account is a dedicated
account designed to bolster the Department's cybersecurity
posture and mitigate cybersecurity threats to the U.S.
financial infrastructure.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $25,208,000 in Department-wide
funding for focus on critical improvements to systems in the
Treasury-wide budget activity identified in the congressional
justification for this new account, including the Treasury
Secure Data Network, the Fiscal Service Trusted Internet
Connections, and the other systems that have been identified as
High Value Assets. The funding will also support identification
and protection of information systems; detection of threat
actors; and response and recovery from cyber incidents. A
portion of the resources will also support a dedicated
innovation fund for evolving high impact cyber investments
throughout the Department.
Treasury Chief Information Officer Oversight.--
Cybersecurity remains one of the most significant challenges
facing the Nation. Recent events have demonstrated that the
Federal Government faces as array of cyber-based threats to its
systems and data and the results have proven disastrous to
millions of Americans. The Committee directs the Treasury CIO
to review and approve each investment under the Cybersecurity
Enhancement Account and report to the Committees on
Appropriations of the House and the Senate each quarter on the
progress of each investment. In order to help ensure that the
Treasury CIO retains control over the execution of these funds,
the Committee recommendation does not permit transfers of funds
from the Cybersecurity Enhancement Account and does not adopt
the language in the request allowing these funds to be
obligated and expended through allocation accounts available to
individual offices and bureaus.
Spend Plans.--To improve oversight of these funds across
the Department, the Committee expects the CIOs of each office
and bureau of the Treasury to submit a spend plan for each
prospective investment under this heading to the Treasury
Department CIO for review. The Committee directs the Treasury
CIO to review each investment submitted under the Cybersecurity
Enhancement Account heading to improve oversight of these funds
across the Department; none of the funds under this heading
will be available to fund such an investment without the
approval of the Treasury CIO.
The spend plans should include how the investment will:
enhance Department-wide coordination of cybersecurity efforts
and improve the Department's responsiveness to cybersecurity
threats; provide bureau and agency leadership with greater
visibility into cybersecurity efforts and further encourage
information sharing across bureaus; improve identification of
cyber threats and better protect information systems from
attack; provide a platform to enhance efficient communication,
collaboration, and transparency around the common goal of
improving not only the cybersecurity of the Treasury
Department, but also the Nation's financial sector. The spend
plans should also detail the type of cybersecurity enhancement
the investment represents, and the cost, scope, schedule of the
investment, and explain how it complements existing cyber
efforts.
DEPARTMENT-WIDE SYSTEMS AND CAPITAL INVESTMENTS PROGRAMS
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $4,426,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 4,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 4,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The 1997 Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act
established this account, which is authorized to be used by or
on behalf of Treasury bureaus at the Secretary's discretion to
modernize business processes and increase efficiency through
technology investments, as well as other activities that
involve more than one Treasury bureau or Treasury's interface
with other Government agencies.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $4,000,000 for Department-wide
Systems and Capital Investments Programs [DSCIP].
The Committee notes that the DSCIP account has been
utilized to fund a wide variety of multiyear initiatives. Given
the complexity of these initiatives, the bill includes language
in section 123 directing the Department of the Treasury to
submit an annual Capital Investment Plan to the Committees on
Appropriations within 30 days after the President's budget
submission.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $37,044,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 36,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 37,044,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
As a result of the 1988 amendments to the Inspector General
Act, the Secretary of the Treasury established the Office of
Inspector General [OIG] in 1989.
The OIG conducts and supervises audits, evaluations, and
investigations designed to: (1) promote economy, efficiency,
and effectiveness and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in
departmental programs and operations; and (2) keep the
Secretary and Congress fully and currently informed of problems
and deficiencies in the administration of departmental programs
and operations. The audit function provides program audit,
contract audit, and financial statement audit services.
Contract audits provide professional advice to agency
contracting officials on accounting and financial matters
relative to negotiation, award, administration, repricing, and
settlement of contracts. Program audits review and audit all
facets of agency operations. Financial statement audits assess
whether financial statements fairly present the agency's
financial condition and results of operations, the adequacy of
accounting controls, and compliance with laws and regulations.
These audits contribute significantly to improved financial
management by helping Treasury managers identify improvements
needed in their accounting and internal control systems. The
evaluations function reviews program performance and issues
critical to the mission of the Department. The investigative
function provides for the detection and investigation of
improper and illegal activities involving programs, personnel,
and operations.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $37,044,000 for salaries and
expenses of the Office of Inspector General. This amount is
equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
The Committee directs the Inspector General to utilize
funds provided to meet mandated audit requirements such as
information security in addition to other prioritized work
including Treasury's responsibilities as they relate to
combatting terrorist financing and money laundering.
The Committee remains concerned about cyber-based threats
as Treasury's information systems are critical to the core
functions of government and the Nation's financial
infrastructure. The Committee encourages the Inspector General
to conduct oversight work on the potential vulnerability of
Treasury's networks and systems including its physical
security, continuous monitoring, and strong authentication.
TREASURY INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR TAX ADMINISTRATION
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $169,634,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 161,113,000
Committee recommendation................................ 169,634,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
[TIGTA] was established by the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act
of 1998 (Public Law 105-206). TIGTA was created to provide
independent audit and investigative services necessary to
improve the quality and credibility of oversight of the
Internal Revenue Service [IRS] and ensure that the IRS is held
to a high level of accountability.
TIGTA conducts audits, investigations, and inspections and
evaluations to assess the operations and programs of the IRS
and related entities, the IRS Oversight Board and the Office of
Chief Counsel to (1) promote the economic, efficient, and
effective administration of the Nation's tax laws and to detect
and deter fraud and abuse in IRS programs and operations; and
(2) recommend actions to resolve fraud and other serious
problems, abuses, and deficiencies in these programs and
operations, and keep the Secretary and Congress fully and
currently informed of these issues and the progress made in
resolving them.
The audit function provides program audit, limited contract
audit, and financial audit services. Program audits review and
audit all facets of the IRS and related entities in an effort
to improve IRS systems and operations, while ensuring fair and
equitable treatment of taxpayers. Contract audits focus on
invoices/vouchers submitted to the IRS to determine whether
charges are valid and to identify erroneous and improper
payments. The investigative function provides for the detection
and investigation of improper and illegal activities involving
IRS programs and operations and protects the IRS and related
entities against external attempts to corrupt or threaten the
administration of the tax laws.
During fiscal year 2017, TIGTA recovered, protected, and
identified monetary benefits totaling $187,000,000. In fiscal
year 2017, TIGTA received 10,638 complaints, opened 2,835
investigations, and closed 2,876 investigations.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $169,634,000
for TIGTA. This amount is the same as the fiscal year 2018
enacted level. The Committee recognizes the expansive workload
that TIGTA has assumed as well as considerable demands on its
resources in order to be responsive to Congress. The Committee
acknowledges the challenges TIGTA faces in adapting its
oversight activities to address increasingly complex and high-
risk issues associated with IRS operations, including
protecting sensitive taxpayer data, detection and investigation
of fraud and electronic crime, impersonation scams, and review
of procurement activities. The Committee recognizes that growth
in the size and workload of the IRS generates concomitant
increased work for TIGTA.
Since fiscal year 2011, TIGTA has designated the security
of taxpayer data as the top concern facing the IRS based on the
increased number and sophistication of threats to taxpayer
information and the need for the IRS to better protect taxpayer
data. The IRS is responsible for safeguarding a vast amount of
sensitive financial and personal data, processing returns that
contain confidential information for over 100 million
taxpayers. Persistent information security weaknesses put the
IRS at risk of disruption, fraud, or inappropriate disclosure
of sensitive information.
Recent cyber events involving the IRS have illustrated that
bad actors are constantly seeking new ways to attack and
exploit IRS systems and processes in order to access tax
information for the purpose of stealing identities and filing
fraudulent tax returns. As the IRS expands online tools
available to taxpayers through its Future State initiative it
is imperative that the IRS implement necessary security
controls. The Committee appreciates the work TIGTA has
performed to evaluate whether the IRS has properly implemented
secure electronic authentication in accordance with Federal
standards and encourages TIGTA to keep the Committee informed
of the IRS's responses to its recommendations. In addition, the
Committee looks forward to reviewing TIGTA's audit assessing
the effect of legacy systems on the IRS's ability to deliver
modernized tax administration.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 makes significant changes
to the tax code affecting individuals, businesses, and tax-
exempt organizations and the IRS has numerous responsibilities
in accordance with this act such as hiring additional staff,
updating information technology [IT] systems, and making
necessary changes to forms and publications used by taxpayers.
The Committee acknowledges TIGTA's initial assessment of the
IRS's implementation efforts and looks forward to reviewing
TIGTA's future work to monitor the IRS's efforts to implement
the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
Combatting IRS Impersonation Scams.--According to TIGTA, as
of April 2018, more than 2,100,000 Americans have been targeted
by an IRS impersonation scam. Additionally, more than 12,700
Americans have lost a total of at least $66,900,000 to IRS
impersonation scams. Given the ubiquitous nature of this scam,
the Committee commends the work that TIGTA has done thus far to
combat these scams, encourages TIGTA to continue to prioritize
working with the IRS to increase awareness of this scam, and
urges TIGTA to pursue the criminals perpetrating this fraud.
SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR THE TROUBLED ASSET RELIEF PROGRAM
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $34,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 17,500,000
Committee recommendation................................ 17,500,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (Public Law 110-
343) established the Office of the Special Inspector General
for the Troubled Asset Relief Program [SIGTARP] to perform
audits and investigations of the Troubled Asset Relief Program
[TARP].
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $17,500,000 for SIGTARP for fiscal
year 2019. The recommendation is $16,500,000 below the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level and equal to the budget request.
The Committee notes that less than 1 percent of TARP
investments remain outstanding, the application periods for the
Federal Housing Administration Refinance program and Making
Home Affordable initiative have ended, and nearly 70 percent of
Housing Finance Agency Hardest Hit Fund disbursements have
occurred. The Committee notes SIGTARP has found fraud, waste,
and abuse in TARP programs that have disbursed funds. The
Committee expects SIGTARP to continue winding down its
operations as disbursements under TARP housing programs are
paid out and SIGTARP approaches its sunset date.
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $115,003,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 117,800,000
Committee recommendation................................ 117,800,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network [FinCEN], a bureau
within the Treasury Department's Office of Terrorism and
Financial Intelligence, is the largest overt collector of
financial intelligence in the United States. FinCEN's mission
is to safeguard the financial system from the abuses of
financial crime, including terrorist financing, money
laundering, and other illicit activity. FinCEN accomplishes its
mission by administering the Bank Secrecy Act, a collection of
statutes that form the Nation's antimoney laundering/
counterterrorist financing regulatory regime. As the delegated
administrator of the Bank Secrecy Act, FinCEN is responsible
for the development and implementation of regulations, rules,
and guidance issued under the Bank Secrecy Act. FinCEN also
oversees the work of eight Federal agencies with delegated
responsibility to examine various sectors of the financial
industry for compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act's
requirements. FinCEN is responsible for collecting,
maintaining, and disseminating the information reported by
financial institutions under the Bank Secrecy Act through a
Governmentwide access service. FinCEN is the United States'
Financial Intelligence Unit [FIU] and a founding member of the
Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units. As the United
States' FIU, FinCEN routinely shares information and cooperates
with other FIUs around the world to address the global problems
of terrorist financing, money laundering, and other illicit
activity.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $117,800,000 for FinCEN. The
amount is $2,797,000 above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level
to enhance FinCEN's national security capacity and develop a
non-bank financial institution risk assessment model.
Money Laundering of Cybercrime Proceeds.--The Committee
recognizes that major data security breaches are becoming more
common and are often orchestrated by sophisticated
cybercriminal enterprises who then monetize the data and
launder it through U.S. financial institutions. The Committee
notes FinCEN's history of supporting law enforcement cases that
combat cybercrime, and emphasizes the importance of continuing
this effort as part of the bureau's broader mission to detect
and disrupt all forms of financial crime. In addition to
analyzing financial flows for this important effort in the
course of ongoing strategic operations, FinCEN shall continue
to use this data to ensure reporting institutions remain
vigilant in detecting the laundering of cybercriminal proceeds.
The Committee notes that FinCEN has issued two cyber-related
advisories to financial institutions concerning, respectively,
cyber-events and cyber-enabled crime generally and on business
e-mail compromise more specifically. The advisories assisted
financial institutions in understanding how to identify and
report suspicious cyber-related activity. The Committee
encourages FinCEN to continue to issue cyber-related advisories
or other publications, as appropriate, to keep financial
institutions apprised of the trends, typologies, red flag
indicators, and other information that may assist financial
institutions in reporting cyber-related suspicious activities.
Money Laundering by Foreign Agents.--The Committee is
concerned by the increased use of the U.S. financial system by
corrupt foreign government officials and private citizens
engaged in criminal enterprises, as these illegal practices are
often used to finance additional criminal activity and
encourage domestic repression in countries including, but not
limited to, Venezuela. The Committee encourages FinCEN to
continue to work closely with the Department of Justice in its
efforts to investigate these crimes so that the assets of
persons and entities involved in money laundering through U.S.
financial institutions may be frozen and that ensuing cases may
be prosecuted to the fullest extent.
Beneficial Ownership.--FinCEN's Customer Due Diligence
Requirements for Financial Institutions [CDD Rule] went into
effect on May 11, 2018. The CDD Rule requires enhanced due
diligence requirements for financial institutions to identify
and verify the beneficial owners of legal entity customers at
the time of account openings. The beneficial ownership
requirement is intended to address weaknesses in the financial
system and provide information that will assist law enforcement
in financial investigations, help prevent evasion of targeted
financial sanctions, improve the ability of financial
institutions to assess risk, facilitate tax compliance, and
advance U.S. compliance with international standards and
commitments. The Committee recognizes the challenges smaller
community banks and credit unions face with regulations as they
can be more costly and burdensome and encourages the Secretary
of the Treasury to keep the Committee informed of the impact
the CDD Rule is having on these institutions.
Bureau of the Fiscal Service
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $338,280,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 330,837,000
Committee recommendation................................ 338,280,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The mission of the Fiscal Service is to promote the
financial integrity and operational efficiency of the U.S.
Government through accounting, borrowing, collections,
payments, and shared services. The Fiscal Service provides
central payment services to Federal agencies and operates the
Federal Government's collections and deposit systems in
addition to providing Governmentwide accounting and reporting
services, managing the collection of delinquent debt owed to
the Federal Government, borrowing on behalf of the Federal
Government, and providing support services for other Federal
agencies on a reimbursable basis.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $338,280,000
for the Bureau of the Fiscal Service. This amount is equal to
the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
Judgment Fund Transparency.--The Judgment Fund is a
permanent, indefinite appropriation available to pay final
money judgments and awards against the United States pursuant
to section 1304 of title 31 of the United States Code. The
Judgment Fund is also available to pay compromise settlements
entered into by the U.S. Department of Justice related to
actual or imminent litigation.
Transparency and accountability are essential and
reasonable expectations of American taxpayers, yet the
Committee remains concerned with the lack of transparency with
these taxpayer funded payments.
The Judgment Fund Section in the Bureau of the Fiscal
Service administers the Judgment Fund, and the Committee
directs the Department to issue the 2018 report within 60 days
of enactment of this Act for the 2018 fiscal year, and directs
that the report include all judgment fund payments since 2016,
unless the disclosure of such information is otherwise
prohibited by law or court order. With respect to each payment
made from the Judgement Fund, the report shall consist of: (1)
the name of the plaintiff or claimant; (2) the name of the
counsel for the plaintiff or claimant; (3) the name of the
agency that submitted the claim; (4) a brief description of the
facts that gave rise to the claim; and (5) the amount paid
representing principal, attorney fees, and interest, if
applicable. In addition, if a payment is made to a foreign
state, the Department shall include a description of the
payment method, the currency denomination used for the payment,
and the name and location of the financial institution to which
the payment was dispersed if it is owned or controlled by a
foreign state.
DATA Act.--The Committee is supportive of the Department's
implementation of the DATA Act (Public Law 113-101). The Fiscal
Service has worked to establish a DATA Act schema that
leverages industry standards to create a Government-wide data
structure for Federal spending information. The Committee
expects the Fiscal Service to continue to work with Federal
agencies to improve implementation of section 5 of the DATA
Act.
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $111,439,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 114,427,000
Committee recommendation................................ 111,439,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau [TTB] is
charged with collecting revenue and protecting the public and
is responsible for enforcement of certain Federal laws and
regulations relating to alcohol and tobacco. TTB works directly
and in cooperation with others to maintain a sound revenue
management and collection system that continues to reduce the
regulatory burden, improve service, collect the revenue due,
and prevent tax evasion and other criminal conduct. TTB is also
responsible for preventing consumer deception, ensuring that
regulated products comply with Federal commodity, safety, and
distribution requirements, and providing customer service.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $111,439,000 for TTB activities
including full implementation of the Craft Beverage
Modernization Act (Public Law 115-97).
Labeling Program.--The surge of small brewers, distillers,
and wine makers emerging in the domestic market has also meant
a rapid annual growth in the number of alcohol beverage label,
formula, and permit applications submitted to the TTB. In
recent years, understaffing and outdated filing and processing
procedures in the Bureau's labeling, formula, and permitting
programs caused significant delays in application approvals.
These delays ultimately affected the ability of the applicants
to get their product to the market in a timely manner. The
Committee encourages the Bureau to continue to make strategic
investments that will further streamline the approval process
to keep up with the volume of label, formula, and permit
applications and reduce delays.
Trade Practice Enforcement.--Enforcement of trade practice
functions, as required under the Federal Alcohol Administration
Act, is critical to ensuring a competitive, fair, and safe
marketplace. The Committee expects funds to continue to be used
for the Bureau's programs to enforce trade practice violations.
United States Mint
UNITED STATES MINT PUBLIC ENTERPRISE FUND
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The United States Mint manufactures coins, sells numismatic
and investment products, and provides for security and asset
protection. Public Law 104-52 established the U.S. Mint Public
Enterprise Fund [the Fund]. The Fund encompasses the previous
Salaries and Expenses, Coinage Profit Fund, Coinage Metal Fund,
and the Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund. The Mint submits
annual audited business-type financial statements to the
Secretary of the Treasury and to Congress in support of the
operations of the revolving fund.
The operations of the Mint are divided into two major
activities: manufacturing and sales (including circulating
coinage and numismatic and investment products); and
protection. The Mint is credited with receipts from its
circulating coinage operations, equal to the full cost of
producing and distributing coins that are put into circulation,
including depreciation of the Mint's plant and equipment on the
basis of current replacement value. Those receipts pay for the
costs of the Mint's operations, which include the costs of
production and distribution.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a spending level of $30,000,000
for circulating coinage and protective service capital
investments for the Mint.
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $250,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 14,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 250,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund makes
investments in the form of grants, loans, equity investments,
deposits, and technical assistance grants to new and existing
community development financial institutions [CDFIs] through
the CDFI program. CDFIs include community development banks,
credit unions, venture capital funds, revolving loan funds, and
microloan funds, among others. Recipient institutions engage in
lending and investment for affordable housing, small business,
and community development within underserved communities. The
CDFI Fund administers the Bank Enterprise Award Program, which
provides a financial incentive to insured depository
institutions to undertake community development financing
activities.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $250,000,000 for the CDFI Fund. Of
the amounts provided, $182,000,000 is for financial and
technical assistance grants, $16,000,000 is for Native
Initiatives, $25,000,000 is for the Bank Enterprise Award
Program, and $27,000,000 is for the administrative expenses for
all programs.
The Committee notes the CDFI Fund's ability to leverage
private sector investment in community development projects
such as affordable housing, retail development, and community
centers, as well as lending to small businesses. However, the
Committee remains concerned about an overall lack of
transparency into many of the CDFI Fund's programs and nominal
ability to verify investment impacts. The Committee strongly
believes it is important to ensure that CDFIs are delivering
investments to the borrowers and communities that need it most.
The Committee notes the steps the CDFI fund has taken to
facilitate better data collection, integration, and management
through its Awards Management Information System [AMIS]. The
Committee provides $1,000,000 for the development of tools,
including AMIS, to better measure and assess CDFI investment
performance, improve data quality, and enable more efficient
allocation of CDFI Fund resources. The Committee directs the
CDFI Fund to prioritize completion of such tools in fiscal year
2019. In addition, the Committee directs the Secretary to
report to the Appropriations Committees within 90 days of
enactment on the impact fiscal year 2017 CDFI Fund Awardees are
having in the communities they serve; the overall risk to which
the Fund's portfolio is exposed; and a description of awardees
that are at risk of noncompliance.
Core Program.--The Committee recommends $182,000,000 for
the CDFI Fund to carry out its financial assistance and
technical assistance programs, including the Healthy Foods
Financing Initiative. The Committee believes that applicants
for CDFI awards should receive fair and equal consideration,
consistent with section 102 of the Riegle Community Development
and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-325),
including financial and technical assistance for lending and
investment in small businesses, affordable housing, community
development, and efforts to increase the availability of
affordable, healthy foods in underserved communities. The core
CDFI Program should be the source of awards allocations for
these purposes.
CDFI Program Integration for Individuals With
Disabilities.--The Committee notes the bill does not include
dedicated funds for financial and technical assistance grants
to position more CDFIs to incorporate the needs of the disabled
into their business plans and practices but highlights that
dedicated funds provided in fiscal year 2017 and fiscal year
2018 for this purpose are available until September 30, 2019.
As previously directed, the CDFI Fund must submit a report not
later than the end of fiscal year 2019 that includes the number
of awards, amount of each award, and anticipated projects
funded as well as findings and recommendations related to the
efficacy of award efforts and impacts on the disability
community.
Bank Enterprise Award Program.--The Committee recommends
$25,000,000 for the Bank Enterprise Award Program to increase
lending, investment, and service activities within economically
distressed communities. This program plays an important role in
providing financial services to underserved communities across
the country.
Native Programs.--The Committee recommends $16,000,000 for
grants, loans, and technical assistance and training programs
to benefit Native American, Alaskan Natives, and Native
Hawaiian communities in the coordination of development
strategies, increased access to equity investments, and loans
for development activities.
The Committee expects the CDFI Fund to ensure no funding is
allocated to tribes to support marijuana production,
manufacturing, or distribution and report to the Committee on
any Tribe who engages in such activities and receives funding
appropriated by this act.
Non-Metropolitan and Rural Areas.--The Committee directs
Treasury to take into consideration the unique conditions,
challenges, and scale of non-metropolitan and rural areas when
designing and administering programs to address economic
revitalization and community development and when making CDFI
award decisions. The Committee notes that the CDFI Fund is
required by 12 U.S.C. 4706(b) to seek to fund a geographically
diverse group of award recipients, including those from non-
metropolitan and rural areas. In addition, the Committee
directs funding to be used in each program for projects that
serve populations living in persistent poverty counties in
accordance with this act. The Committee directs the Secretary
to report to the Appropriations Committees within 90 days of
enactment detailing how the fiscal year 2019 CDFI Program
recipients intend to serve non-metropolitan and rural areas and
populations living in persistent poverty counties.
Bond Guarantee Program.--The Committee includes a provision
enabling the Secretary of the Treasury to guarantee up to
$500,000,000 in bonds until December 31, 2019, as authorized by
section 1134 of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (Public Law
111-240). The bond guarantees will not result in a cost to the
taxpayer. The bonds are intended to support CDFI lending and
investment activities in underserved communities by providing a
source of long-term capital, and the funds raised through the
bonds will be used to capitalize new loans or refinance
existing loans.
The Committee notes that several Federal agencies have
developed partnerships with the Corporation for National and
Community Service [CNCS] to help further the agency goals and
to support targeted human capital needs of their grantees,
including partnerships with the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, the Department of Education, the Department of
Transportation, and the U.S. Forest Service. Given that
``Economic Opportunity'' is one of CNCS's five key focus areas,
the Committee encourages the CDFI Fund to engage with CNCS to
explore whether there may be potential opportunities for
collaboration on an initiative to train and to place AmeriCorps
members at certified CDFIs.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing [BEP] has been the
sole manufacturer of U.S. paper currency for almost 150 years.
The origin of the BEP is traced to an act of Congress passed on
February 25, 1862, 12 Stat. 345, authorizing the Secretary of
the Treasury to issue a new currency--United States notes.
While this law was the cornerstone authority for the operations
of the engraving and printing division of the Treasury for many
years, it was not until an Act of June 20, 1874, 18 Stat. 100,
that the Congress first referred to this division as the
``Bureau of Engraving and Printing.'' The Bureau's status as a
distinct bureau within the Department of the Treasury was
solidified by section 1 of the Act of June 4, 1897, 30 Stat.
18, which placed all of the business of the BEP under the
immediate control of a director, subject to the direction of
the Secretary of the Treasury. The 1897 law is now codified in
31 U.S.C. 303.
The BEP designs, manufactures, and supplies Federal Reserve
notes and other security documents issued by the Federal
Government. The operations of the BEP are currently financed by
means of a revolving fund established in accordance with the
provisions of Public Law 656, August 4, 1950 (31 U.S.C. 181),
which requires the BEP to be reimbursed by customer agencies
for all costs of manufacturing products and services performed.
The BEP is also authorized to assess amounts to acquire capital
equipment and provide for working capital needs.
Washington, DC Production Facility.--The Committee
recognizes that the age and structural design of the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing's Washington, DC facility causes
production inefficiencies and limits the options available to
the BEP in acquiring and installing new manufacturing equipment
needed to print the next generation of currency. As a result,
the current production facility would require significant and
costly renovations to accommodate new up-to-date equipment and
achieve manufacturing efficiencies.
Since 2010, BEP has commissioned four studies to
investigate alternatives and requirements to ensure future
currency production. These studies evaluated the capabilities
of the existing DC production facilities, as well as the future
of currency demand.
The Department estimates that a new modern production
facility that is smaller, more efficient and flexible will
enable BEP to reduce its space by 28 percent, reduce annual
operating costs by $38,000,000 and achieve $579,000,000 in
total savings over a decade. Additionally, the main production
facility could then be renovated for BEP and other Treasury
administrative functions to consolidate the Department's
footprint and reduce its reliance on leased spaces in order to
save additional taxpayer money.
The Committee includes a provision to allow BEP to utilize
its revolving fund to acquire land and construct a replacement
currency production facility. As a result, no direct
appropriation is required to build or acquire a new facility.
Internal Revenue Service
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Internal Revenue Service administers the Nation's tax
laws and collects the revenue that funds more than 92 percent
of the Federal Government's operations and public services. The
IRS's mission is to provide taxpayers with quality service by
helping them understand and meet their tax responsibilities and
by applying the tax law with integrity and fairness to all. The
IRS focuses its enforcement programs toward increasing
voluntary tax compliance by deterring taxpayers inclined to
evade their tax obligations while vigorously pursuing those who
violate the law. Each year, IRS employees deal directly with
more American taxpayers than any other institution, public or
private.
Unfortunately, the IRS does not seem to have its priorities
in order. The Committee remains concerned about IRS's Future
State vision where taxpayers will rely on online services for
their IRS interactions. According to the National Taxpayer
Advocate, a central component of the IRS's Future State plan is
to migrate taxpayers away from interacting with the agency by
phone or in person and toward interacting with the agency
through online accounts. In addition, according to the National
Taxpayer Advocate, there are about 33 million taxpayers who do
not have broadband Internet access, and about 14 million
taxpayers who do not have any Internet at all.
While some evolution in service delivery can be expected,
it is the IRS's ability to manage that change without adversely
impacting taxpayers that is most worrisome. The protection of
taxpayer data is of particular concern given the mistakes the
IRS has made in the past in its rush to expand online services.
The IRS's online tools and applications such as Identity
Protection Personal Identification Number, Get Transcript, and
the online Data Retrieval Tool used to assist those filling out
the Free Application for Federal Student Aid have been subject
to cyberattacks, resulting in the loss of taxpayer information.
The committee encourages IRS to adhere to recommendations by
TIGTA and GAO to strengthen its security controls.
The IRS continues to ignore the impact of its own behavior
on the attitudes of taxpayers. When the IRS takes actions that
represent a serious breach of the trust of the American people,
it undermines taxpayers' faith in the impartiality of the
agency. The self-inflicted damage harms the very credibility
that is essential for our voluntary compliance system to
function. Americans have lost faith in the institution and it
is incumbent upon the agency to regain the trust of the
taxpayers.
Unfortunately there continues to be evidence of a culture
that is simply out of touch with taxpayers and their concerns.
When the IRS singles out certain groups for disparate treatment
it should not be surprised by the lasting impact such actions
have on taxpayer attitudes. When the IRS hires employees with
past performance or conduct issues, it does nothing to maintain
the public trust in tax administration or build confidence in
the IRS's ability to safeguard taxpayer's rights and privacy.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a total of $11,262,554,000 for the
Internal Revenue Service for fiscal year 2019.
Tax Gap.--The vast majority of Americans voluntarily pay
their fair share of taxes, yet there is still a ``tax gap.''
The tax gap is the difference between what taxpayers are
supposed to pay and what they actually do pay. According to IRS
estimates, taxpayers collectively pay more than 80 percent of
the taxes they owe. In April 2016, IRS estimated that the
average annual gross tax gap was $458,000,000,000 for tax years
2008-2010. However, IRS estimates that through late payments
and enforcement actions it eventually will collect an
additional $52,000,000,000 on average for those years, leaving
the average net tax gap at $406,000,000,000 for tax years 2008-
2010. In a 2017 report (GAO-18-39), GAO found that the IRS had
moved away from setting specific, numeric goals for improving
taxpayer compliance. GAO recommended that the Commissioner of
the IRS re-establish goals for improving voluntary compliance
and develop and document a strategy that outlines how it will
use underlying tax gap data to update compliance strategies to
address the tax gap. The Committee directs the Secretary to
formally report back in writing within 60 days of enactment on
its new and ongoing efforts to address the tax gap. In
addition, the Committee directs the Secretary to provide an in-
person briefing to the Committees on Appropriations on such a
report, as well as its efforts to implement GAO's open
recommendations from GAO-18-39.
Tax Reform.--The Committee notes the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
(Public Law 115-97) is the most significant revision of the
U.S. tax code in over 30 years. Containing hundreds of
provisions intended to provide relief to American families and
make America's businesses more competitive, implementing the
new law will require extensive administrative work in calendar
years 2018 and 2019. Recognizing that the IRS would require
additional resources to implement the new law in a way that
adequately serves taxpayers, facilitates tax compliance, and
protects sensitive taxpayer data the Committees on
Appropriations provided $320,000,000 in Public Law 115-141 to
be used solely for carrying out Public Law 115-97. The
Committee includes a provision that provides an additional
$77,000,000 to continue implementation of Public Law 115-97.
The Committee urges the Secretary to keep the Committees of
Appropriations informed of its progress in carrying out its
responsibilities to provide taxpayer assistance, education, and
outreach; revise hundreds of forms, publications, and
instructions on an expedited basis; and modify existing tax
processing systems to incorporate changes pursuant to Public
Law 115-97.
Information Technology Challenges.--In fiscal years 2016
and 2017 the IRS spent almost $6,000,000,000 on IT investments.
The Committee agrees with TIGTA that successful modernization
of IRS systems and the development and implementation of new
information technology applications are critical to meeting the
IRS's evolving business needs and to enhancing services
provided to taxpayers. In recent testimony, IRS's Deputy
Commissioner for Operations Support reported that approximately
64 percent of the agency's IT hardware is aged and out of
warranty, and 32 percent of IRS's software is two or more
releases behind industry standards. According to TIGTA, the
IRS's reliance on legacy systems, aged hardware, and outdated
programming languages pose significant risks to the IRS's
ability to deliver its mission. The Committee stresses that it
is unacceptable for the American taxpayer to not be able to
access IRS systems on the deadline to file their tax returns.
The Committee urges the IRS to address increased risks facing
IRS IT legacy investments and directs the Secretary to report
to the Committees on Appropriations within 60 days of enactment
with a five-year IT modernization plan for the IRS.
User Fees.--Numerous user fees are collected by the IRS for
services provided by the IRS to taxpayers. Specifically, the
IRS charges user fees for various activities that include
assisting taxpayers in complying with their tax liabilities,
clarifying the application of the tax code to particular
circumstances, and ensuring the quality of paid preparers of
tax returns, among others. Those fees are available for use by
the IRS at the discretion of the Commissioner. According to the
IRS, it determines the use of user fees based on agency-wide
requirements given the total IRS funding available. In its
fiscal year 2019 budget request, the IRS estimates user fees of
$498,900,000 will supplement its fiscal 2019 funding. As
evidence of its priorities, in fiscal year 2018 the IRS
anticipates spending over a third of its user fees on ACA
information technology needs. The Committee directs the IRS to
submit a user fee spending plan within 60 days of enactment
detailing planned spending on its four appropriations
accounts--Taxpayer Services, Enforcement, Operations Support,
and Business Modernization Systems. Specifically, the Committee
would like to see how programs, investments, and initiatives
funded through each appropriations account are supported by
user fees.
Cybersecurity.--The IRS is responsible for safeguarding a
vast amount of sensitive financial and personal data,
processing returns that contain confidential information for
over 100 million taxpayers. Persistent information security
weaknesses put the IRS at risk of disruption, fraud, or
inappropriate disclosure of sensitive information. TIGTA stated
that the security over taxpayer data and protection of the IRS
resources was the top priority in its list of top ten
management challenges for the IRS for fiscal year 2018. GAO
recently reported that numerous deficiencies in the IRS's
controls increases the risk that the IRS's network devices and
systems could be compromised and used by unauthorized
individuals to access sensitive taxpayer data (GAO-18-165).
Given the recent breaches to taxpayer data, it is clear the IRS
cannot afford to have taxpayer information misused, improperly
disclosed, or destroyed. Securing the IRS's systems and
protecting taxpayers' information should be a top priority for
the IRS.
Data Security of Minors.--The Committee directs the IRS to
brief the Committees on Appropriations within 90 days of
enactment on the status of the data security protections for
personally identifiable information of children, including the
sufficiency of any existing and newly implemented security
procedures and a disclosure of instances where the personal
identifying information of a child has been compromised.
Employee Performance and Conduct.--The Committee continues
past language acknowledging that the IRS must ensure that its
employees comply with the tax law in order to maintain the
public's confidence. The Committee is concerned about a recent
TIGTA report that found that the employee award screening
procedures that have been implemented do not fully comply with
the Department of Treasury and the Consolidated Appropriations
Act requirements. In fiscal year 2016, the IRS issued more than
$1,100,000 in awards and other forms of recognition to 1,147
employees who were not screened per the IRS procedures. In
fiscal year 2017, the IRS issued almost $642,000 in awards to
815 employees who had not been screened per IRS procedures and
had received discipline ranging from admonishment to written
reprimand for a tax or conduct matter. TIGTA recommended that
the IRS Human Capital Officer expand misconduct screening to
consider employees with any level of disciplinary action prior
to issuing awards, among other directives. In a separate audit,
TIGTA found that the IRS hired more than 10 percent of
employees who were previously terminated from the IRS or
separated while under investigation for a conduct or
performance issue. The Committee agrees with TIGTA that
rehiring employees with known conduct and performance issues
presents increased risks to the IRS and taxpayers.
Budget Presentation for Staffing of New Initiatives.--The
Committee strongly believes that transparency in the budget
request documents is critical for congressional oversight and
informed decisionmaking. The Committee directs that the
justification materials submitted by the IRS to the Committee
for fiscal year 2020 should accurately reflect the anticipated
hiring dates for staff identified for proposed new initiatives.
The Committee expects that resources designated for hiring of
staff for new initiatives be predicated on the expected hiring
dates, and not assume that such planned hiring will occur on
one particular date during the fiscal year. The Office of
Management and Budget Circular A-11 suggests agencies consider
delays in recruiting and hiring when budgeting for staff.
TAXPAYER SERVICES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $2,506,554,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 2,241,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 2,506,554,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Taxpayer Services appropriation provides for taxpayer
services, including forms and publications; processing tax
returns and related documents; filing and account services;
taxpayer advocacy services; and assisting taxpayers to
understand their tax obligations, correctly file their returns,
and pay taxes due in a timely manner.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $2,506,554,000 for Taxpayer
Services. This amount is $265,554,000 above the budget request
and equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level to prioritize
taxpayer services. Bill language is included providing not less
than $9,890,000 for the tax counseling for the elderly program,
not less than $12,000,000 for low-income taxpayer clinic
grants, not less than $15,000,000, to be available for 2 years,
for a community volunteer income tax assistance [VITA] matching
grant program for tax return preparation assistance and
$206,000,000 for the Taxpayer Advocate Service of which
$5,000,000 shall be devoted to assisting taxpayers impacted by
tax-related identity theft and refund fraud.
Providing quality taxpayer service is a critical component
of the IRS's efforts to help the taxpaying public understand
their tax obligation while making it easier to participate in
the tax system. The Committee notes that the IRS has
flexibility in how it allocates user fees as well as the
transfer authority among appropriations accounts. In fiscal
year 2018, the IRS did not allocate user fees to the Taxpayer
Services account for its level of service [LOS]--the relative
success rate of taxpayers who call the IRS toll-free number
seeking assistance from a customer service representative--
performance since the 2018 omnibus bill provided sufficient
appropriations to maintain a 75 percent LOS in fiscal year
2018. According to the IRS, the LOS was better than expected
because fewer taxpayers called the IRS. The National Taxpayer
Advocate remains concerned about the IRS's recent and
continuing reductions in service for taxpayers, including
declining to answer all but basic tax law questions during the
filing season or any questions after the filing season,
eliminating walk-in service at Taxpayer Assistance Centers
[TACs], and eliminating the ability of taxpayers to ask
questions of the IRS online.
The fiscal year 2019 LOS target is 47 percent and assumes
at least $58,000,000 from user fees. The 2019 filing season LOS
is projected to be 55 percent. These targets take into account
the potential impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Public Law
115-97). The IRS assumes the IRS assistors will need to answer
4 million additional phone calls to maintain the LOS. This
represents a 17 percent increase over the 23 million assisted
calls answered in fiscal year 2017. The IRS plans to spend
$15,000,000 of the $320,000,000 provided in the fiscal year
2018 omnibus bill on taxpayer assistance, education, and
outreach. The Committee encourages the IRS to use resources
available through user fee revenues to augment the direct
discretionary appropriation for Taxpayer Services in a manner
that reflects taxpayer services as a top priority.
Future State Vision.--The Committee remains concerned about
the IRS's Future State vision where taxpayers will rely on
online services for their IRS interactions. According to the
IRS, taxpayer preferences are changing as more taxpayers prefer
to interact with the IRS using digital tools at the time and
place of their choosing. According to the National Taxpayer
Advocate, the IRS Future State strategy fails to acknowledge
that taxpayers need, not just prefer, to engage in a
conversation with the IRS at many points in their transactions
to understand how the complex rules and procedures apply to
their particular facts and circumstances. While the online
account application is a good information retrieval tool, it is
not a substitute for personalized service. Given the impact of
recent tax law changes on the fiscal year 2019 filing season,
the Committee directs the IRS to provide taxpayers and their
representatives with high quality, secure service through all
available channels with an emphasis on personalized service.
Rural Service Delivery Issues.--The IRS has been plagued by
significant wait times and deteriorating rate of response for
assistance provided through the national toll-free line. Given
the significant changes made to the tax code by the Tax Cuts
and Jobs Act, it is more imperative than ever that the IRS
offer personal and local assistance to Americans taxpayers. The
Committee notes with concern that both the overall number of
TACs continues to decline and the number of TACs currently
staffed with only one employee continues to increase, often
resulting in the effective closures of the sites. While the IRS
has created virtual customer service sites in some locations,
the technical and financial requirements of these sites have
not been made widely available. The Committee is concerned that
the actions taken by the IRS and the proposed ``Future State''
of service leave rural taxpayers reliant on paid preparers or
unable to obtain timely and accurate assistance with pre- and
post-filing questions. The Committee notes that the IRS has not
sought congressional or public comment on its plans or offered
any alternatives to meet the needs of rural taxpayers. To
rectify this situation, the Committee directed the IRS to
report to the Committee within 120 days of enactment of the
fiscal year 2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law
115-141) the steps being taken to prevent any closures or
effective closures of TAC locations, and the status of any
proposed alternatives to fully staffed TACs (such as virtual
customer service sites). Additionally, the Committee directed
the IRS to study the impact of closing a TAC and the adverse
effects it has on taxpayers and their interaction with the IRS.
The Committee awaits and looks forward to receiving these
reports from the IRS within the deadline set forth in Public
Law 115-141.
The Committee recognizes the difficulty in hiring
specialized positions in TACs in rural field offices. To
attract qualified tax specialists to deliver satisfactory
customer service for tax filing, the Committee encourages the
IRS to hire replacement full-time employees in field offices
that are not located within 50 miles from another field office
in a state.
Taxpayer Services in Alaska and Hawaii.--Given the remote
distance of Alaska and Hawaii from the U.S. mainland and the
difficulty experienced by Alaska and Hawaii taxpayers in
receiving needed tax assistance by the national toll-free line,
it is imperative that the Taxpayer Advocate Service Centers in
these States are appropriately staffed and capable of resolving
taxpayer problems of the most complex nature. The Committee
directs the IRS to continue to staff each Taxpayer Advocate
Service Center in each of these States with a Collection
Technical Advisor and an Examination Technical Advisor in
addition to the current complement of office staff. Within 120
days of enactment, the Committee directs the IRS to conduct a
study on the cost and feasibility of opening additional TACs or
expanding access to virtual face-to-face taxpayer services in
these and other remote and rural States with few TACs.
Community Volunteer Income Tax Assistance.--The VITA and
Tax Counseling for the Elderly [TCE] programs are an important
aspect of IRS efforts to provide income tax preparation
assistance programs for underserved taxpayers, including rural,
elderly, disabled, English as a second language, American
Indian, and low-income taxpayers. The Committee provides
$15,000,000 for VITA grants and $9,890,000 for TCE grants.
Single Point of Contact for Victims of Identity Theft.--The
Joint Explanatory Statement of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2018, directed the IRS to provide victims of tax-related
identity theft with the name, email, and telephone number of a
single employee to assist them in resolving cases where either
the victim's case involves more than one tax issue or the
victim's case involves more than one tax year. The Committee
directs the IRS to report to the Committee on the
implementation of this directive and on the full cycle time for
resolving identity theft cases.
ENFORCEMENT
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $4,860,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 4,628,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 4,860,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Enforcement appropriation provides for the examination
of tax returns, both domestic and international; the
administrative and judicial settlement of taxpayer appeals of
examination findings; technical rulings; monitoring employee
pension plans; determining qualifications of organizations
seeking tax-exempt status; examining tax returns of exempt
organizations; enforcing statutes relating to detection and
investigation of criminal violations of the 31 internal revenue
laws; identifying underreporting of tax obligations; securing
unfiled tax returns; and collecting unpaid accounts.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $4,860,000,000 for enforcement
activities for fiscal year 2019. This amount is $232,000,000
above the budget request to help strengthen identity theft
protection.
Combating Refund Fraud and Identity Theft.--Tax-related
identity theft continues to plague the IRS. Following the 2016-
2017 data breaches to IRS's Get Transcript and identity
protection personal identification service the IRS learned that
the personal data of as many as 100,000 taxpayers could have
been compromised from an online tool for students to apply for
financial aid. TIGTA has consistently ranked protection of
taxpayer data as one of the highest priority challenges facing
the IRS while GAO has reported on persistent deficiencies in
IRS's internal controls. The Committee directs the IRS to
establish, as a top priority, stronger security measures to
protect all tax filers before identity theft occurs, as well as
reliable measures to protect tax filers who experience identity
theft. The IRS should specifically consider the recommendations
of TIGTA, GAO, and the National Taxpayer Advocate and to report
back to the Committee on Appropriations within 90 days,
documenting its plans to address this problem.
IRS Private Debt Collection.--According to the National
Taxpayer Advocate, out of the more than 4,100 taxpayers who
made payments after their debts were assigned to a private debt
collector [PDC], 44 percent had incomes below 250 percent of
the Federal poverty level, and 169 should not have been
assigned to a PDC in the first place because they were
receiving Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental
Security Income benefits. The Committee is concerned that the
IRS did not honor its commitment to exclude these taxpayers'
debts from assignment to PDCs. Therefore, the IRS should use
available IRS data to prevent the debts of Social Security
Disability Insurance recipients from assignment to PDCs.
Processing of Applications for Tax-Exempt Status.--The
Committee strongly believes that meaningful, transparent, and
sustained corrective action is warranted to restore any erosion
of public trust in the IRS, strengthen the agency, and prevent
any recurrence of the circumstances that led to the use of
inappropriate case screening criteria in the handling of
applications for certain tax-exempt groups based on their
political beliefs. In March 2015, TIGTA assessed the IRS's
actions in response to its 2013 recommendations to improve the
identification and processing of applications for tax-exempt
status involving political campaign intervention TIGTA's report
found that the IRS implemented significant changes to the
process for reviewing applications for tax-exempt status. The
Committee notes language was included in the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2018 restricting the use of Federal funds
to develop new IRS regulations covering section 501(c)(4) and
that the same language is continued in this bill.
Preventing Payroll Tax Fraud.--The Committee retains an
administrative provision enacted for fiscal year 2018 which
requires that the IRS issue a notice of confirmation of any
address change relating to an employer making employment tax
payments; that such notice shall be sent to both the employer's
former and new address, and requires that an officer or
employee of the IRS shall give special consideration to an
offer-in-compromise from a taxpayer who has been the victim of
fraud by a third party payroll tax preparer.
Misclassification of Contractors.--The Committee remains
concerned that staffing within the IRS's SS-8 Program,
responsible for making determinations as to a worker's Federal
employment tax status, has not always kept pace with the number
of SS-8 filings during past filing seasons. The Committee
believes that the IRS SS-8 Program is critical to ensuring that
workers are classified correctly, identifying leads for
employment tax exams and criminal investigations, and combating
the underreporting of employment taxes that contributes
significantly to the tax gap. The Committee believes it is
crucial that the IRS maintain sufficient staffing at all SS-8
processing locations. The Committee directs the IRS to notify
the House Appropriations Committee, the Senate Appropriations
Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, and the Senate
Finance Committee prior to making any staffing reductions or
reallocations within the SS-8 processing program.
OPERATIONS SUPPORT
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $3,634,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 4,155,796,000
Committee recommendation................................ 3,709,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Operations Support appropriation provides for overall
planning and direction of the IRS including Infrastructure,
including administrative services related to space and housing,
rent and space alterations, buildings service maintenance,
guard services, and non-IT equipment; Shared Services and
Support, including policy management, IRS-wide support for
research, strategic planning, communications and liaison,
finance, human resources, equity, diversity, and inclusion
programs, printing, postage, business systems planning,
corporate training, legal services, procurement, and employee
benefit programs; and Information Services, including the
staffing, equipment, and related costs to manage, maintain, and
operate the information systems critical to the support of tax
administration programs.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $3,709,000,000 for Operations
Support for fiscal year 2019. This amount is $75,000,000 above
the fiscal year 2018 enacted level to provide for investments
in information technology infrastructure.
The Committee remains concerned that the IRS continues to
supplement this appropriations account with the vast majority
of its user fees.
Information Technology Reports.--Given the size and
significance of the IRS's IT investments and the challenges
inherent in successfully delivering these complex IT
investments, it is important that the Committees on
Appropriations be provided reliable information to assist with
their oversight responsibilities. The Committee directs the IRS
to submit quarterly reports on particular major project
activities to the Committees on Appropriations and the GAO, no
later than 30 days following the end of each calendar quarter
in fiscal year 2019. The Committee expects the reports to
include detailed, plain English explanations of the cumulative
expenditures and schedule performance to date, specified by
fiscal year; the costs and schedules for the previous 3 months;
the anticipated costs and schedules for the upcoming 3 months;
and the total expected costs to complete the major information
technology project activities. In addition, the quarterly
report should clearly explain when the project was started; the
expected date of completion; the percentage of work completed
as compared to planned work; the current and expected state of
functionality; any changes in schedule; and current risks
unrelated to funding amounts and mitigation strategies. The
Committee directs the Department of the Treasury to conduct a
semi-annual review of the IRS's IT investments to ensure the
cost, schedule, and scope goals of the projects are
transparent. The Committee further directs GAO to review and
provide an annual report to the Committees evaluating the cost
and schedule of activities of all major IRS information
technology projects for the year, with particular focus on the
projects about which the IRS is submitting quarterly reports to
the Committee.
BUSINESS SYSTEMS MODERNIZATION
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $110,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 110,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 110,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Business Systems Modernization appropriation provides
resources for the planning and capital asset acquisition of
information technology to modernize the IRS business systems.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $110,000,000 for Business Systems
Modernization for fiscal year 2019. This amount is equal to the
budget request.
The Committee supports the IRS's priority to modernize
operations to gain efficiencies, protect data, and reduce long-
term maintenance costs. The Committee remains concerned that
the IRS has been using the Individual Master File, which uses
an outdated assembly language code, for more than 50 years. The
Committee urges the IRS to convert the core Individual Master
File functions into Java-based programs and continue efforts to
make the Customer Account Data Engine 2 the legal and financial
authoritative source of individual taxpayer data.
The Committee expects the IRS to continue to submit
quarterly reports to the Committees and GAO during fiscal year
2019, no later than 30 days following the end of each calendar
quarter. The Committee expects the reports to include detailed,
plain English explanations of the cumulative expenditures and
schedule performance to date, specified by fiscal year; the
costs and schedules for the previous 3 months; the anticipated
costs and schedules for the upcoming 3 months; and the total
expected costs to complete major IT investments. In addition,
the quarterly report should clearly explain when the project
was started; the expected date of completion; the percentage of
work completed as compared to planned work; the current and
expected state of functionality; any changes in schedule; and
current risks unrelated to funding amounts and mitigation
strategies. The Committee directs the Department of the
Treasury to conduct a semi-annual review of major IT
investments to ensure the cost, schedule, and scope goals of
the projects are transparent. The Committee further directs GAO
to review and provide an annual report to the Committee
evaluating the cost and schedule of major IT investments for
the year, as well as an assessment of the functionality
achieved.
The Committee remains concerned that IRS systems
modernization, by its nature, is a high-risk endeavor, and
appreciates that the IRS has, in recent years, satisfied the
majority of developmental milestones planned for completion
early, under budget, or within 10 percent of cost and schedule
estimates. Because of the tendency for certain projects or
components to exceed schedule and cost estimates, the Committee
urges IRS management to maintain close routine scrutiny of cost
and schedule factors.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
The Committee includes 12 administrative provisions as
follows:
Section 101 continues a provision allowing the IRS to
transfer up to 5 percent of any appropriation made available to
the agency in fiscal year 2018 to any other IRS appropriation,
upon the advance approval of the Committees on Appropriations.
Section 102 continues a provision maintaining a training
program in taxpayers' rights and cross-cultural relations.
Section 103 continues a provision requiring the IRS to
institute and enforce policies and procedures, which will
safeguard the confidentiality of taxpayer information and
protect taxpayers against identity theft.
Section 104 continues a provision directing that funds
shall be available for improved facilities and increased
staffing to support sufficient and effective 1-800 help line
services for taxpayers including enhanced response time to
taxpayer communications, particularly for victims of tax-
related crimes.
Section 105 continues a provision requiring videos produced
by the IRS to be approved in advance by the Service-Wide Video
Editorial Board.
Section 106 continues a provision requiring the IRS to
issue notices to employers of any address change request and to
give special consideration to offers in compromise for
taxpayers who have been victims of payroll tax preparer fraud.
Section 107 continues a provision that prohibits the use of
funds by the IRS to target United States citizens for
exercising any right guaranteed under the First Amendment to
the Constitution.
Section 108 continues a provision that prohibits the use of
funds by the IRS to target groups for regulatory scrutiny based
on their ideological beliefs.
Section 109 continues a provision that requires the IRS to
comply with procedures on conference spending as recommended by
the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Section 110 continues provision that prohibits the use of
funds to give bonuses or hire former employees without
consideration of conduct and compliance with Federal tax laws.
Section 111 continues a provision that prohibits the use of
funds to violate the confidentiality of tax returns.
Section 112 continues a provision which prohibits funds for
pre-populated returns.
Section 113 includes a provision that provides $77,000,000
to implement Public Law 115-97.
Administrative Provisions--Department of the Treasury
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
The Committee includes 13 administrative provisions, as
follows:
Section 114 authorizes certain basic services within the
Treasury Department in fiscal year 2018, including purchase of
uniforms; maintenance, repairs, and cleaning; purchase of
insurance for official motor vehicles operated in foreign
countries; and contracts with the Department of State for
health and medical services to employees and their dependents
serving in foreign countries.
Section 115 authorizes transfers, up to 2 percent, between
Departmental Offices, Office of Terrorism and Financial
Intelligence, Office of Inspector General, Special Inspector
General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, Financial Crimes
Enforcement Network, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, and Alcohol
and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, appropriations under certain
circumstances.
Section 116 authorizes transfers, up to 2 percent, between
the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Inspector General
for Tax Administration under certain circumstances.
Section 117 prohibits the Department of the Treasury and
the Bureau of Engraving and Printing from redesigning the $1
Federal Reserve Note.
Section 118 authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to
transfer funds from Salaries and Expenses, Bureau of the Fiscal
Service, to the Debt Collection Fund as necessary to cover the
costs of debt collection. Such amounts shall be reimbursed to
the Salaries and Expenses account from debt collections
received in the Debt Collection Fund.
Section 119 requires prior approval for the construction
and operation of a museum by the United States Mint.
Section 120 prohibits the merger of the United States Mint
and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing without prior approval
of the committees of jurisdiction.
Section 121 authorizes the Department's intelligence
activities.
Section 122 permits the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to
use not to exceed $5,000 from the Industrial Revolving Fund for
reception and representation expenses.
Section 123 requires the Secretary of the Treasury to
develop an annual Capital Investment Plan.
Section 124 continues a provision that requires a report on
the Department's Franchise Fund.
Section 125 continues a provision which prohibits the
Department from finalizing any regulation related to the
standards used to determine the tax-exempt status of a
501(c)(4) organization.
Section 126 continues a provision that requires quarterly
reports of the Office of Financial Research and Office of
Financial Stability.
Section 127 provides for the reimbursement of certain
expenses in fiscal year 2019.
Section 128 allows the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to
utilize its revolving fund to construct a replacement currency
production facility.
TITLE II
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AND FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE
PRESIDENT
The White House
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $55,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 55,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 55,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The ``Salaries and Expenses'' account of The White House
provides staff assistance and administrative services for the
direct support of the President. The White House also serves as
the President's representative before the media. In accordance
with 3 U.S.C. 105, The White House office also supports and
assists the activities of the spouse of the President.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $55,000,000
for The White House, Salaries and Expenses. The recommendation
is equal to the budget request.
Executive Residence at the White House
OPERATING EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $12,917,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 13,081,000
Committee recommendation................................ 13,081,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
These funds provide for the care, maintenance, repair,
alteration, refurnishing, improvement, air-conditioning,
heating, and lighting of the White House and the official and
ceremonial functions of the President.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $13,081,000
for the Executive Residence at the White House. The Committee
recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2019 request. The
bill also continues certain restrictions on reimbursable
expenses for use of the Executive Residence.
White House Repair and Restoration
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $750,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 750,000
Committee recommendation................................ 750,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This account funds the repair, alteration, and improvement
of the Executive Residence at the White House. A separate
account was established in fiscal year 1996 to program and
track expenditures for the capital improvement projects at the
Executive Residence at the White House.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $750,000 for
White House Repair and Restoration, equal to the fiscal year
2018 enacted level and the budget request.
Council of Economic Advisers
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $4,187,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 4,187,000
Committee recommendation................................ 4,187,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Council of Economic Advisers analyzes the national
economy and its various segments, advises the President on
economic developments, recommends policies for economic growth
and stability, appraises economic programs and policies of the
Federal Government, and assists in the preparation of the
annual Economic Report of the President to Congress.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $4,187,000 for
salaries and expenses of the Council of Economic Advisers. This
amount is equal to the budget request.
National Security Council and Homeland Security Council
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $11,800,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 13,500,000
Committee recommendation................................ 11,800,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The National Security Council advises the President in
integrating domestic, foreign, and military policies related to
national security, and the Homeland Security Council advises
the President in coordinating homeland security-related
policies across the Government.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $11,800,000
for the salaries and expenses of the National Security Council
and the Homeland Security Council.
Office of Administration
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $100,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 100,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 100,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Office of Administration provides administrative
services to the Executive Office of the President [EOP]. These
services, defined by Executive Order 12028 of 1977, include
financial, personnel, library and records services, information
management systems support, and general office services.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $100,000,000
for the Office of Administration for fiscal year 2019. This
amount is equal to the budget request.
The Committee's recommendation includes not to exceed
$12,800,000 to remain available until expended for
modernization of the information technology infrastructure
within the Executive Office of the President.
Office of Management and Budget
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $101,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 103,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 103,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Office of Management and Budget [OMB] assists the
President in the discharge of his budgetary, management, and
other executive responsibilities.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $103,000,000
for the Office of Management and Budget, which is $2,000,000
above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
The Committee directs OMB to utilize sufficient resources
to respond in a timely and complete manner to requests from
Congress, in particular requests related to program funding and
operations.
The Committee recommendation includes a $2,000,000 increase
for the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs to hire
additional personnel dedicated to regulatory review and
reforms.
Apportionment.--The Committee expects prompt apportionment
for appropriations made by this Act or any other appropriations
Act, while at the same time recognizes that, at times, there
may be valid programmatic reasons for delay in such
apportionment. Should circumstances arise that necessitate a
delayed apportionment, the Committee expects the Office of
Management and Budget to work with the applicable department or
agency to make the relevant Appropriations Subcommittee aware
of the circumstances causing the delay.
Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator.--The
Committee continues to strongly support the Office of the
Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator [IPEC], including
its important work promoting private sector efforts to reduce
online copyright infringement. The Committee directs the Office
to continue to promote private sector efforts to reduce online
copyright infringement and to implement a meaningful plan, as
called for in the Joint Strategic Plan, to enhance capacity
building, outreach, and training programs to promote meaningful
protection of American intellectual property abroad. Therefore,
the Committee recommends no less than three full-time
equivalents [FTEs] dedicated solely to the Office of the IPEC
from OMB.
Duplication and Cost Savings.--For the past 8 years, GAO
has published an annual report that identifies Federal
agencies, programs, and initiatives with fragmented,
overlapping, or duplicative goals or activities. While Congress
and Executive branch agencies have made progress in addressing
actions that GAO identified from 2011 to 2017, further steps
are needed to address the remaining actions GAO has identified.
Congress and executive branch agencies have partially or fully
addressed 76 percent of the actions GAO identified from 2011 to
2017, resulting in about $178 billion in financial benefits.
GAO estimates that tens of billions more could be saved by
fully implementing open actions.
The Office of Management and Budget is directed to submit a
report to the Committee, within 180 days of enactment, on
actions the Administration is taking and plans to take to
address the fragmented, overlapping, or duplicative goals or
activities across the Executive Branch identified by the annual
GAO reports. As part of this report, OMB should identify any
legal impediments to each agency's ability to further reduce
fragmented, overlapping, or duplicative goals or activities and
suggest legislative recommendations, if applicable.
Conferences.--The Committee continues a provision in title
VII of the bill requiring agencies to report annually to their
inspector general or senior ethics officer on conferences
costing more than $100,000 and to notify the same official of
conferences costing more than $20,000 within 15 days of a
conference. The provision also prohibits funding for any travel
and conference activities that are not in compliance with OMB
Memorandum M-12-12 or any subsequent revisions to that
memorandum. Agencies shall report conference expenditures in
excess of $100,000 on agency Web sites and OMB shall notify the
Committee annually in writing of any agencies failing to report
this information.
Biodefense Activities.--The Committee directs OMB to
conduct a detailed analysis of the Administration's budget for
biodefense activities as part of the annual budget process.
Such analysis should display all funds requested for biodefense
activities, both mandatory and discretionary, by agency and
categorized by biodefense enterprise element (threat awareness,
prevention, deterrence, preparedness, surveillance and
detection, response, attribution, recovery, and mitigation),
and bioforensic capabilities. Funding identified by this
analysis should be accompanied by detailed explanations of how
they align with long-term biodefense goals (as identified by
the strategy described under Section 104 of title 6, United
States Code). This detailed analysis should be submitted to
Congress concurrently with the President's budget request.
Government-Wide Provisions.--The bill includes a variety of
general provisions that apply to all Federal agencies funded
through the appropriations process. Provisions address a number
of issues including workplace policies on illegal drug use,
limitations on use of funds for office renovations or the
purchase of passenger motor vehicles, improper Internet use and
limitations on funding for conferences. The Committee agrees
that the responsibility to enforce these provisions lies
primarily with the individual agencies. However, the Committee
believes that OMB should be responsible for ensuring that all
agencies are aware of these provisions and that agencies have
the necessary policies and procedures in place to comply with
these requirements. The Committee directs OMB to submit, within
45 days of enactment, a plan for ensuring agency awareness and
compliance with the government-wide general provisions.
Office of National Drug Control Policy
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $18,400,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 17,400,000
Committee recommendation................................ 18,400,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Office of National Drug Control Policy [ONDCP],
established by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, and
reauthorized by Public Law 109-469, is charged with developing
policies, objectives, and priorities for the National Drug
Control Program. In addition, ONDCP administers the High
Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, the Drug-Free
Communities Support Program, and several other related
initiatives.
This account provides funding for personnel compensation,
travel, and other basic operations of the Office, and for
general policy research to support the formulation of the
National Drug Control Strategy.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $18,400,000
for ONDCP's salaries and expenses. The Committee rejects
proposals to transfer the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas
[HIDTA] and Drug-Free Communities programs to the Department of
Justice and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration, respectively.
Opioid Crisis.--The Committee is deeply concerned about the
opioid crisis, which impacts communities across the country and
affects people from all walks of life, with devastating
consequences. The Office of National Drug Control Policy is a
key participant in efforts to combat this epidemic. As ONDCP
carries out its mission, it is critically important to ensure
that rural and underserved areas that are hardest-hit in the
opioid crisis and which have the highest concentrations of
opioid-related cases are sufficiently supported in its
programs, policies, and activities.
Opioid Addiction.--As prescription drug monitoring programs
successfully control the supply of prescription drugs
available, those struggling with substance abuse disorders who
are no longer able to obtain or afford prescription opioids
often turn to heroin and other opioids. The Committee
recognizes the prevalence of opioid addiction and the resultant
increase in trafficking of and addiction to heroin and other
emergent threats such as fentanyl. The Committee encourages the
HIDTA program through ONDCP, to the extent practicable, to
prioritize discretionary funds to aid States that have
identified heroin and opioid addiction as an emergent threat,
and have developed and implemented community responses to
combat addiction to heroin and other opioids. HIDTAs enable
necessary coordination of law enforcement efforts and support
for state and local law enforcement and must continue to play a
significant role in the eradication of heroin and prescription
drug diversion.
FEDERAL DRUG CONTROL PROGRAMS
HIGH INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING AREAS PROGRAM
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $280,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 280,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The HIDTA program was established by the Anti-Drug Abuse
Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-690) and the Office of National
Drug Control Policy's reauthorization (Public Law 109-469) to
provide assistance to Federal, State, and local law enforcement
entities operating in those areas most adversely affected by
drug trafficking.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $280,000,000
for the HIDTA program. The Committee directs that funding shall
be provided for the existing HIDTAs at no less than the fiscal
year 2018 level.
ONDCP is directed to consult with the HIDTAs in advance of
deciding programmatic spending allocations for discretionary
(supplemental) funding, taking particular note of areas with
highest rates of overdose deaths.
The Committee recommendation specifies that up to
$2,700,000 may be used for auditing services and associated
activities.
Heroin and Opioid Abuse Initiatives.--The Committee is
gravely concerned about the public health crisis unfolding
across the United States as the rate of overdose deaths
involving heroin and prescription opioid use has reached record
levels. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the rate of deaths from drug verdoses involving
opioid pain relievers, heroin, and fentanyl has increased by
200 percent since 2000. The Committee urges ONDCP to consult
with the HIDTAs to disrupt the distribution, use, and
prevalence of heroin and opioid abuse. Within 90 days of
enactment of this act, the Committee directs ONDCP to report to
the Committee on how the administration intends to address the
distribution, use, and prevalence of heroin, fentanyl and
opioid abuse and ONDCP's coordination with other Federal
agencies, Drug-Free Community coalitions, and HIDTA partners to
combat this public health crisis.
Overdose Detection Mapping.--The Committee is aware of a
new HIDTA initiative that may be a model for expansion within
the HIDTA program to help local agencies address drug threats
and save lives. The Overdose Detection Mapping Application
Program [ODMAP] provides real-time overdose surveillance data
across jurisdictions to support public safety and public health
efforts to mobilize an immediate response to an overdose spike.
ONDCP is encouraged to distribute information to regional HIDTA
Executive Boards for the purposes of integrating and
implementing the ODMAP into each regional Threat Assessment and
Strategy for Program Year 2019-2020. This would allow each
regional HIDTA Executive Board to work with State and local
stakeholders to enact a strategic plan in order to: (1)
determine appropriate participants in ODMAP; (2) select team
leads; (3) define the number of suspected overdoses in a
certain timeframe (``spikes'') that trigger a response plan;
(4) interview target audience(s); (5) understand local
resources and requirements; and (6) evaluate their results.
OTHER FEDERAL DRUG CONTROL PROGRAMS
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $117,093,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 11,843,000
Committee recommendation................................ 117,327,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-690), and
the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act
(Public Law 109-469) established this account to be
administered by the Director of the Office of National Drug
Control Policy. The funds appropriated to the program support
high-priority drug control programs and may be transferred to
drug control agencies.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $117,327,000
for Other Federal Drug Control Programs. Within this amount,
the Committee provides the following funding levels:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Drug-Free Communities Support Program................. $99,000,000
National Community Anti-Drug Coalition training... 2,000,000
Drug court training, including standards training, and 2,000,000
technical assistance.................................
Anti-doping activities................................ 9,500,000
World Anti-Doping Agency [WADA]....................... 2,577,000
Activities as authorized by Public Law 109-469, 1,250,000
section 1105.........................................
Activities as authorized by Public Law 114-198, 3,000,000
section 103..........................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Drug-Free Communities Support Program.--ONDCP directs the
Drug-Free Communities Support Program [DFCSP] in partnership
with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration. DFCSP provides dollar-for-dollar matching
grants of up to $125,000 to local coalitions that mobilize
their communities to prevent youth alcohol, tobacco, illicit
drug, and inhalant abuse. Such grants support coalitions of
youth; parents; media; law enforcement; school officials;
faith-based organizations; fraternal organizations; State,
local, and tribal government agencies; healthcare
professionals; and other community representatives. The DFCSP
enables these coalitions to strengthen their coordination and
prevention efforts, encourage citizen participation in
substance abuse reduction efforts, and disseminate information
about effective programs. The Committee provides $99,000,000
for the continuation of the DFCSP.
The Committee includes a provision in the bill directing
ONDCP to provide $2,000,000 of DFCSP funds for training and
related purposes as authorized by section 4 of Public Law 107-
82, as amended by Public Law 109-469.
Unanticipated Needs
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $798,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 1,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
These funds enable the President to meet unanticipated
exigencies in support of the national interest, security, or
defense.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $1,000,000, which is the same as
the request.
Information Technology Oversight and Reform
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $19,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 25,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 19,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The goal of the Information Technology Oversight and Reform
[ITOR] program is to drive value in Federal IT investments by
making smarter investment decisions and reducing waste,
duplication, and inefficient uses of IT through data-driven
investment management, deliver digital services to 25 Federal
agencies, and protect IT assets and information by improving
oversight of Federal cybersecurity practices.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $19,000,000 for the ITOR program.
The Federal Government plans to invest approximately
$90,000,000,000 during fiscal year 2019 in IT development for a
wide variety of capabilities, spanning, for example, from basic
desktop computing to a searchable database for investigating
terrorist financing activity. However, it is clear to the
Committee that this spending on IT does not produce
$90,000,000,000 in value for the public as a result of IT
projects that arrive late or over budget. The Committee notes
that Federal IT projects have failed because of a lack of
oversight and governance. ITOR funding in fiscal year 2019 is
intended to help drive value in Federal IT investments by
making smarter investment decisions and reducing waste,
duplication, and inefficient uses of IT, delivering digital
services, improving oversight of Federal cybersecurity
practices, and providing IT training.
IT Dashboard.--The Committee supports OMB's management and
enhancement of the IT Dashboard, a Web site that includes cost,
schedule, and performance data for major IT investments. The
Committee directs OMB to use ITOR funding to work with agencies
to implement the Federal Information Technology Acquisition
Reform Act, which is designed to improve Federal IT
acquisitions. Specifically, the Committee directs OMB to report
quarterly to the Committee on Appropriations on the cost
savings, avoidance, and reductions in duplicative IT
investments.
Special Assistance to the President
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $4,228,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 4,228,000
Committee recommendation................................ 4,228,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This appropriation provides for staff and expenses to
enable the Vice President to provide assistance to the
President in connection with the performance of executive
duties and responsibilities. These funds also support the
official activities of the spouse of the Vice President. The
Vice President also has a staff funded by the Senate to assist
him in the performance of his legislative duties.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $4,228,000 for
special assistance to the President. This amount is equal to
the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and the budget request.
Official Residence of the Vice President
OPERATING EXPENSES
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $302,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 302,000
Committee recommendation................................ 302,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This account supports the care and operation of the Vice
President's residence on the grounds of the Naval Observatory.
These funds specifically support equipment, furnishings, dining
facilities, and services required to perform and discharge the
Vice President's official duties, functions, and obligations.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $302,000 for
the official residence of the Vice President. This amount is
equal to the budget request and the fiscal year 2018 enacted
level.
Administrative Provisions--Executive Office of the President and Funds
Appropriated to the President
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Section 201 continues a provision that provides flexibility
in the use of funds in accounts under the EOP.
Section 202 requires the Director of the OMB to include a
statement of budgetary impact with any Executive order issued
during fiscal year 2019.
TITLE III
THE JUDICIARY
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Established under Article III of the Constitution, the
judicial branch of Government is a separate but equal branch.
The Federal judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, United
States Courts of Appeals, District Courts, Bankruptcy Courts,
Court of International Trade, Court of Federal Claims, and
several other entities and programs. The organization of the
judiciary, the district and circuit boundaries, the places of
holding court, and the number of Federal judges are legislated
by the Congress and signed into law by the President.
The Committee's recommended funding levels support the
Federal judiciary's role of providing equal justice under the
law and include sufficient funds to support this critical
mission. The recommended funding level includes the salaries of
judges and support staff and the operation and security of our
Nation's courts.
The judicial branch is subject to the same funding
constraints facing the executive and legislative branches. It
is imperative that the Federal judiciary devote its resources
primarily to the retention of staff. Further, it is also
important that the judiciary contain controllable costs such as
travel, construction, and other expenses.
Supreme Court of the United States
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $82,028,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 84,359,000
Committee recommendation................................ 84,703,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The United States Supreme Court consists of nine justices
appointed under Article III of the Constitution of the United
States, one of whom is appointed as Chief Justice of the United
States. The Supreme Court acts as the final arbiter in the
Federal court system.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $84,703,000
for the salaries and expenses of personnel, and the costs of
operating the Supreme Court, excluding the care of the building
and grounds. The Committee's recommendation is above the
enacted level and equal to reestimate level provided by the
Judiciary to address security needs identified by the Court.
CARE OF THE BUILDING AND GROUNDS
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $16,153,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 15,999,000
Committee recommendation................................ 15,999,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Care of the Building and Grounds, for expenditure by the
Architect of the Capitol, provides for the structural and
mechanical care of the United States Supreme Court Building and
Grounds, including maintenance and operation of mechanical,
electrical, and electronic equipment.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $15,999,000
for personnel and other services related to the Supreme Court
building and grounds, which is supervised by the Architect of
the Capitol.
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $31,291,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 31,274,000
Committee recommendation................................ 32,016,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
was established on October 1, 1982 under Article III of the
Constitution. The court was formed by the merger of the United
States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals and the appellate
division of the United States Court of Claims. The court
consists of 12 judges who are appointed by the President, with
the advice and consent of the Senate. Judges are appointed to
the court under Article III of the Constitution of the United
States.
The Federal Circuit has nationwide jurisdiction in a
variety of subjects, including international trade, Government
contracts, patents, certain claims for money from the United
States Government, Federal personnel, and veterans' benefits.
Appeals to the court come from all Federal district courts, the
United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States Court
of International Trade, and the United States Court of Veterans
Appeals. The court also takes appeals of certain administrative
agencies' decisions, including the Merit Systems Protection
Board, the Board of Contract Appeals, the Board of Patent
Appeals and Interferences, and the Trademark Trial and Appeals
Board. Decisions of the United States International Trade
Commission, the Office of Compliance of the United States
Congress, and the Government Accountability Office Personnel
Appeals Board are also reviewable by the court.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $32,016,000.
The recommendation is consistent with the reestimate provided
by the Judiciary.
United States Court of International Trade
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $18,889,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 19,070,000
Committee recommendation................................ 19,450,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The United States Court of International Trade, located in
New York City, consists of nine Article III judges. The court
has exclusive nationwide jurisdiction over civil actions
brought against the United States, its agencies and officers,
and certain civil actions brought by the United States, arising
out of import transactions and the administration and
enforcement of the Federal customs and international trade
laws.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $19,450,000.
The recommendation is consistent with the reestimate provided
by the Judiciary.
Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and Other Judicial Services
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $5,099,061,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 5,132,543,000
Committee recommendation................................ 5,157,961,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Salaries and Expenses is one of four accounts that provide
total funding for the Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and
Other Judicial Services. In addition to funding the salaries of
judges and support staff, this account also funds the operating
costs of appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts, the Court
of Federal Claims, and probation and pretrial services offices.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $5,154,461,000
for salaries and expenses.
The Committee encourages the Judiciary to explore
additional consolidation of office space to reduce overall
operating costs, including expanded use of shared courtrooms,
judges' chambers suites, clerks' offices, and other court
units. Within 150 days of enactment, the Judiciary is directed
to examine space utilization across the country and report to
the Committee on ongoing and future initiatives to achieve cost
and space reductions, including the number and square footage
of vacant courtrooms and chambers nationwide, and the
Judiciary's justification for the vacancies.
VACCINE INJURY COMPENSATION TRUST FUND
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $8,230,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 8,475,000
Committee recommendation................................ 8,475,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Enacted by the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of
1986 (Public Law 99-660), the Vaccine Injury Compensation
Program is a Federal no-fault program designed to resolve a
perceived crisis in vaccine tort liability claims that
threatened the continued availability of childhood vaccines
nationwide. The statute's primary intention is the creation of
a more efficient adjudicatory mechanism that ensures a no-fault
compensation result for those allegedly injured or killed by
certain covered vaccines. This program protects the
availability of vaccines in the United States by diverting a
substantial number of claims from the tort arena.
Not only did this act create a special fund to pay
judgments awarded under the act, but it also created the Office
of Special Masters within the United States Court of Federal
Claims to hear vaccine injury cases. The act stipulates that up
to eight special masters may be appointed for this purpose. The
special masters expenditures are reimbursed to the judiciary
for vaccine injury cases from a special fund set up under the
Vaccine Act.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $8,475,000.
The recommendation is consistent with the budget request.
DEFENDER SERVICES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $1,078,713,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 1,141,489,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,140,846,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Defender Services program ensures the right to counsel
guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment, the Criminal Justice Act (18
U.S.C. 3006A(e)) and other congressional mandates for those who
cannot afford to retain counsel and other necessary defense
services. The Criminal Justice Act provides that courts appoint
counsel from Federal public and community defender
organizations or from a panel of private attorneys established
by the court. The Defender Services program helps to maintain
public confidence in the Nation's commitment to equal justice
under the law and ensures the successful operation of the
constitutionally based adversary system of justice by which
Federal criminal laws and federally guaranteed rights are
enforced.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of
$1,140,846,000. The recommendation is $62,133,000 above the
fiscal year 2018 funding level and is sufficient to fund
projected caseload for Federal defender organizations and panel
attorneys. The Committee's recommendation supports a current
services operating level for the Defender Services program for
fiscal year 2019.
FEES OF JURORS AND COMMISSIONERS
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $50,944,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 51,233,000
Committee recommendation................................ 49,750,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This account provides for the statutory fees and allowances
of grand and petit jurors and for the compensation of jury and
land commissioners. Budgetary requirements depend primarily
upon the volume and the length of jury trials demanded by
parties to both civil and criminal actions and the number of
grand juries being convened by the courts at the request of the
United States Attorneys.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $49,750,000.
The recommendation is $3,921,000 below the fiscal year 2018
funding level and consistent with the Judiciary's reestimate of
its request.
COURT SECURITY
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $586,999,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 602,309,000
Committee recommendation................................ 604,460,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Court Security appropriation was established in 1983
and funds the necessary expenses incident to the provision of
protective guard services, and the procurement, installation,
and maintenance of security systems and equipment for United
States courthouses and other facilities housing Federal court
operations, including building access control, inspection of
mail and packages, directed security patrols, perimeter
security provided by the Federal Protective Service, and other
similar activities as authorized by section 1010 of the
Judicial Improvement and Access to Justice Act (Public Law 100-
702).
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $604,460,000.
The recommendation is $17,461,000 above the fiscal year 2018
funding level and consistent with Judiciary's reestimate of its
request.
The Committee recommendation funds projected Federal
Protective Service charges, contracts for court security
officers protecting Federal courthouses, and security systems
and equipment costs. Funding is included to hire five new staff
at the U.S. Marshals Service [USMS] to work on the physical
access control systems program as part of the judiciary's and
USMS's multiyear strategy to replace aging and failing building
access systems at Federal courthouses nationwide. Funding is
also included for judiciary-funded court security costs
associated with new courthouses.
Administrative Office of the United States Courts
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $90,423,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 89,867,000
Committee recommendation................................ 92,413,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Administrative Office [AO] of the United States Courts
was created in 1939 by an act of Congress. It serves the
Federal judiciary in carrying out its constitutional mission to
provide equal justice under the law. Beyond providing numerous
services to the Federal courts, the AO provides support and
staff counsel to the Judicial Conference of the United States
and its committees, and implements Judicial Conference policies
as well as applicable Federal statutes and regulations. The AO
is the focal point for communication and coordination within
the Federal judiciary and with Congress, the executive branch,
and the public on behalf of the judiciary.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $92,413,000.
This recommendation is consistent with the Judiciary's
reestimate.
Federal Judicial Center
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $29,265,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 29,064,000
Committee recommendation................................ 29,819,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Federal Judicial Center, located in Washington, DC,
improves the management of Federal judicial dockets and court
administration through education for judges and staff, and
research, evaluation, and planning assistance for the courts
and the Judicial Conference. The Center's responsibilities
include educating judges and other judicial branch personnel
about legal developments and efficient litigation management
and court administration. Additionally, the Center also
analyzes the efficacy of case and court management procedures
and ensures the Federal judiciary is aware of the methods of
best practice.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $29,819,000.
United States Sentencing Commission
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $18,699,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 18,548,000
Committee recommendation................................ 18,548,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The United States Sentencing Commission establishes,
reviews, and revises sentencing guidelines, policies, and
practices for the Federal criminal justice system. The
Commission is also required to monitor the operation of the
guidelines and to identify and report necessary changes to the
Congress.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $18,548,000.
Administrative Provisions--The Judiciary
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
The Committee recommends the following administrative
provisions for the judiciary:
Section 301 allows the judiciary to expend funds for the
employment of experts and consultative services.
Section 302 allows the judiciary, subject to the
Committee's reprogramming procedures, to transfer up to 5
percent between appropriations, but limits to 10 percent the
amount that may be transferred into any one appropriation.
Section 303 limits official reception and representation
expenses incurred by the Judicial Conference of the United
States to no more than $11,000.
Section 304 grants the judicial branch the same tenant
alteration authorities as the executive branch.
Section 305 provides continued authority for a court
security pilot program.
Section 306 extends for 1 year the authorization of a
temporary judgeship in Kansas, Missouri, Alabama, Arizona,
Florida, New Mexico, Texas, California, North Carolina, and
Hawaii.
TITLE IV
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Federal Payments
FEDERAL FUNDS
The Appropriations Committees have a special relationship
with the District of Columbia that is unlike any other city in
the country. Under the National Capital Revitalization and
Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997, the Federal Government
is required to fund the court operations of the District of
Columbia, offender and defendant supervision, and defendant
representation. Title IV of this act provides Federal payments
to meet these statutory obligations. Title IV also includes
other Federal payments to fund initiatives in areas including
education and security.
Death with Dignity.--Congress has expressly forbidden the
use of Federal funding for purposes related to assisted suicide
under the Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act of 1997
(P.L. 105-12). The Committee remains concerned that the Death
With Dignity Act of 2016 (D.C. Law 21-182) puts our nation's
most vulnerable--people who are elderly, disabled, or fighting
mental illness--at risk. As such, the Chief Financial Officer
for the District of Columbia shall submit a report to the
Committee to certify that no Federal funds are used to
implement D.C. Law 21-182 in the District of Columbia in
contravention of existing law. The District shall also report
to the Committees on Appropriations on the number of lethal
prescriptions prescribed during the fiscal year, the number of
patients that actually consumed the medication and the cause of
death that was listed on the death certificate.
FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR RESIDENT TUITION SUPPORT
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $40,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 30,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Resident Tuition Support program was created by the
District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 (Public Law
106-98), expanded through the District of Columbia College
Access Improvement Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-157), and
amended and reauthorized through Public Law 110-97. The program
provides grants of up to $10,000 annually for undergraduate
District students to attend eligible public 2-year and 4-year
colleges and universities nationwide. The grants are applied
toward the cost of the difference between in-State and out-of-
State tuition. Grants of up to $2,500 are provided for students
to attend private institutions in the DC metropolitan area and
private historically Black colleges and universities
nationwide.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $30,000,000
for the resident tuition support program. The District of
Columbia can contribute local funds to this program if there is
demand for the program above the level of Federal funds
available.
Since inception, the Resident Tuition Support program has
awarded over $350,000,000 and assisted over 24,000 students
enroll in college. The program has also been expanded twice
while enrollment rates and the percentage of undergraduate
District students receiving the maximum $10,000 award have
fluctuated. According to the National Center for Education
Statistics reports on nationwide undergraduate enrollment,
``while total undergraduate enrollment increased by 37 percent
between 2000 and 2010, enrollment decreased by 4 percent
between 2010 and 2014. Undergraduate enrollment is projected to
increase 14 percent from 17.3 million to 19.8 million students
between 2014 and 2025.'' The 10-year accomplishment report of
the Resident Tuition Support program noted that many grantees
drop out on their path to a degree and 41 percent graduate from
college in 6 years. According to the most recent data
available, about 60 percent of students nationwide who began
seeking a bachelor's degree in 2008 completed that degree
within 6 years, compared to approximately 51 percent in the
Resident Tuition Support program. It is important for the
program to realize a return on its investment, wherein every
grantee earns a college degree. Given the changing landscape in
nationwide college enrollment and graduation rates, the
Committee directed GAO in fiscal year 2017 to conduct a review
of the D.C. Tutition Assistance Grant program. This review is
to assess, to the extent possible, trends in eligibility,
enrollment, performance and outcomes, and describe the steps
taken to provide support to current participants. The review
will also consider other available resources for the program
and provide an analysis of scholarship programs offered by
other municipalities in the United States, including a
comparison of participant requirements, administrative
expenses, outcomes and funding sources. The Committee looks
forward to receiving this report from GAO.
In addition, the Committee directs that the State
Superintendent shall include, as a component of the fiscal year
2020 budget justification submission, an annual update of the
District's efforts, including research findings, to enhance the
retention, persistence, and graduation rates of program
participants, including early awareness and readiness
initiatives to promote academic college preparation, guidance,
and other support mechanisms and partnerships. The budget
justification should also describe the status and effectiveness
of cost containment measures instituted.
FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR EMERGENCY PLANNING AND SECURITY COSTS IN THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $13,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 12,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 12,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This Federal payment provides funds for emergency planning
and security costs related to the presence of the Federal
Government in the District of Columbia and surrounding
jurisdictions.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $12,000,000,
for emergency planning and security costs, which is equal to
the request.
FEDERAL PAYMENT TO THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $265,400,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 244,939,000
Committee recommendation................................ 244,939,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Under the National Capital Revitalization and Self-
Government Improvement Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-33, title
XI), the Federal Government is required to finance the District
of Columbia Courts, the judicial branch of the District of
Columbia government. This Federal payment to the District of
Columbia Courts funds the operations of the District of
Columbia Court of Appeals, Superior Court, the Court System,
and the Capital Improvement Program. By law, the annual budget
includes estimates of the expenditures for the operations of
the Courts prepared by the Joint Committee on Judicial
Administration, the Court's policy-making body, as well as the
President's recommendation for funding the Courts' operations.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a Federal payment to the District
of Columbia Courts of $244,939,000. This amount includes
$13,379,000 for the Court of Appeals, $121,251,000 for the
Superior Court, $71,909,000 for the Court System, and
$38,400,000 for capital improvements to courthouse facilities.
FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR DEFENDER SERVICES IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $49,890,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 46,005,000
Committee recommendation................................ 46,005,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The District of Columbia Courts appoint and compensate
attorneys to represent persons who are financially unable to
obtain such representation. The Defender Services programs
provide counsel for indigent persons who are charged with
criminal offenses, for family proceedings involving child
abuse, neglect, and termination of parental rights, and for
guardianship proceedings for protection of mentally
incapacitated individuals and minors whose parents are
deceased.
In addition to legal representation, these programs provide
indigent persons with services such as transcripts of court
proceedings, expert witness testimony, foreign and sign
language interpretation, and investigations and genetic
testing.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $46,005,000
for Defender Services in the District of Columbia Courts, the
same as the budget request.
FEDERAL PAYMENT TO THE COURT SERVICES AND OFFENDER SUPERVISION AGENCY
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $244,298,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 256,724,000
Committee recommendation................................ 256,724,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency [CSOSA]
for the District of Columbia is an independent Federal agency
created by the National Capital Revitalization and Self-
Government Improvement Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-33, title
XI). CSOSA acquired the operational responsibilities for the
former District agencies in charge of probation and parole, and
houses the Pretrial Services Agency within its framework. The
mission of CSOSA is to increase public safety, prevent crime,
reduce recidivism, and support the fair administration of
justice in close collaboration with the community.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $256,724,000,
which is the same as the request. Of this amount, $73,558,000
is designated for the Pretrial Services Agency and $183,166,000
is designated for the Community Supervision Program.
FEDERAL PAYMENT TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICE FOR THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $41,829,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 45,858,000
Committee recommendation................................ 45,858,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Public Defender Service [PDS] for the District of
Columbia, an independent organization established by a District
of Columbia statute (16 D.C. Code 2-1601-1608), has a distinct
mission to provide and promote quality legal representation
services within the District of Columbia justice system. PDS
provides legal representation to indigent adults and children
facing loss of liberty and provides support in the form of
training, consultation, and legal reference services to members
of the local bar appointed as counsel in criminal, juvenile,
and mental health cases involving indigent individuals.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a Federal payment to the Public
Defender Service for the District of Columbia of $45,858,000,
which is equal to the budget request.
FEDERAL PAYMENT TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $2,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 1,900,000
Committee recommendation................................ 2,150,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council [CJCC] provides a
forum for District of Columbia and Federal law enforcement to
identify criminal justice issues and solutions, and improve the
coordination of their efforts. In addition, the CJCC developed
and maintains the Justice Integrated Information System which
provides for the sharing of information with Federal and local
law enforcement.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $2,150,000 to
CJCC.
The Committee recognizes that integrated technology is a
critical tool employed by law enforcement, judicial,
correctional and supervising agencies. Further, the Committee
appreciates the importance of promoting operational security,
technical integrity, and system redundancies/fail-safes to
ensure continuity of operation of the system in the event an
unanticipated circumstance could otherwise render the system
inoperable. The Committee recommendation includes increased
funding to support the JUSTIS system-to-system related
initiatives including the enhancements to the inter-regional
usage associated with Mid-Atlantic Regional Information Sharing
initiative and enhancements to the system's security posture
(including an external review of the system security plan) and
redundancy design as a proactive measure to protect against
cyber disruption.
The Committee directs the CJCC to submit performance
measures in an annual report to accompany the fiscal year 2020
budget justification, which should also describe progress made
on specific CJCC initiatives.
FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR JUDICIAL COMMISSIONS
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $565,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 565,000
Committee recommendation................................ 565,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Judicial Nomination Commission [JNC] recommends a panel
of three candidates to the President for each judicial vacancy
in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and Superior
Court. From the panel selected by the JNC, the President
nominates a person for each vacancy and submits his or her name
for confirmation to the Senate. The Commission on Judicial
Disabilities and Tenure [CJDT] has jurisdiction over all judges
of the Court of Appeals and Superior Court and makes
determinations as to whether a judge's conduct warrants
disciplinary action and whether involuntary retirement of a
judge for health reasons is warranted. In addition, the CJDT
conducts evaluations of judges seeking reappointment and judges
who retire and wish to continue service as a senior judge.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $565,000 as a Federal payment for
the judicial commissions, of which $270,000 is designated for
the Judicial Nomination Commission and $295,000 is designated
for the Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure. This
amount is the same as the budget request. Funds shall remain
available until September 30, 2020.
FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $45,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 45,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 52,500,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
As authorized by Scholarships for Opportunity and Results
Act and as part of a three-part comprehensive funding strategy,
the District of Columbia receives funds for District of
Columbia Public Schools [DCPS], public charter schools, and
Opportunity Scholarships. The intent of this comprehensive
funding approach was to ensure progress and improvement of DCPS
and public charter schools, while ensuring continued funding to
support the Opportunity Scholarship Program for students to
attend private schools.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $52,500,000
above for school improvement, which is $7,500,000 above the
fiscal year 2018 enacted level and the budget request to
prevent a reduction in the number of students currently
enrolled in the Opportunity Scholarship Program. These funds
are allocated as follows: $17,500,000 for District of Columbia
Public Schools, $17,500,000 for Public Charter Schools and
$17,500,000 for Opportunity Scholarships.
FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR THE D.C. NATIONAL GUARD
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $435,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 435,000
Committee recommendation................................ 435,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of
Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program
provides tuition assistance for nonresident District of
Columbia National Guard members.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $435,000 for
the D.C. National Guard designated for the Major General David
F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention
and College Access Program. This amount is the same as the
budget request.
FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR HIV/AIDS PREVENTION
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $5,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 5,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 2,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Based on the national HIV/AIDS case based reporting system,
the District has among the highest AIDS diagnosis rates in the
country. Currently, 2.5 percent of the population was diagnosed
and is living with HIV.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommendation includes a Federal payment of
$2,000,000 to support testing and treatment of HIV/AIDS. The
Committee is concerned with the lack of metrics utilized to
determine program success and encourages the District to
include additional reporting in the fiscal year 2020 budget
justification describing how this payment will support proposed
activities in 2020.
FEDERAL PAYMENT TO THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $14,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 10,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Approximately one-third of the District of Columbia is
served by a combined sewer system, constructed by the Federal
Government in 1890, in which both sanitary waste and storm
water flow through the same pipes. When the collection system
or the Blue Plains treatment plant reach capacity, typically
during periods of heavy rainfall, the system is designed to
overflow the excess water. This mixture of sewage and storm
water runoff is discharged to the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers,
Rock Creek, and tributary waters between 60 and 75 times each
year. Under a judicial consent decree entered on March 23,
2005, the Water and Sewer Authority is undertaking a 20-year,
$2,600,000,000 sewer construction program to reduce combined
sewer overflows [CSO]. The Clean Rivers Project includes deep
underground storage tunnels, side tunnels to reduce flooding,
pump station rehabilitation, and the elimination of over a
dozen CSO outfalls along the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers and
Rock Creek. When completed in 2025, this project is expected to
vastly improve water quality and significantly reduce
contaminated discharges into and debris in our Nation's capital
waterways as well as improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $10,000,000
to be matched by at least $10,000,000 provided by the Water and
Sewer Authority, to continue implementation of the Long-Term
Combined Sewer Overflow Control Plan.
District of Columbia Funds
The Committee recommends, for the operating expenses of the
District of Columbia, the amount as set forth in the enrolled
version of the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request Act of 2018,
District of Columbia Bill 21-668, as may be amended.
Budget Autonomy.--The Founding Fathers recognized the
importance of establishing a seat for the Federal Government.
Accordingly, article I, section 8 of the Constitution provides
that Congress exercises ``exclusive Legislation in all Cases
whatsoever'' in the District of Columbia. The Supreme Court has
held in the case of Palmore v. United States that this clause
vests Congress with ``plenary'' authority to exercise powers to
legislate for all matters in the District. Pursuant to this
Constitutional power, Congress enacted the District of Columbia
Home Rule Act in 1973. The District government holds only the
powers that Congress granted it through the Home Rule Act.
Though that act granted the District substantial powers of
local self-government, it expressly preserved Congressional
authority to review and affirmatively approve all District
obligations and expenditures. The Home Rule Act did not grant
the Government of the District of Columbia authority to change
the longstanding process through which the District Government
transmits its budget request to the President for submission to
Congress, with all amounts--local or otherwise--becoming
available for obligation or expenditure only in accordance with
an act of Congress. Indeed, section 603 of the Home Rule Act
explicitly provided that the act made ``no change in existing
law, regulation, or basic procedure and practice relating to
the respective roles of the Congress, the President, the
Federal Office of Management and Budget, and the Comptroller
General of the United States in the preparation, review,
submission, examination, authorization, and appropriation of
the total budget of the District of Columbia Government.''
Because section 603 is not part of the District Charter, it
cannot be amended by the District Council or voters. Only an
act of Congress may change the District's budget process.
Furthermore, the Budget Autonomy Act had no effect on the
applicability of the Antideficiency Act (31 U.S.C. 1341), which
bars ``an officer or employee of the United States Government
or of the District of Columbia government'' from incurring
obligations or making expenditures that exceed the amount
appropriated by law.
TITLE V
INDEPENDENT AGENCIES
Administrative Conference of the United States
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $3,100,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 3,100,000
Committee recommendation................................ 3,100,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Administrative Conference of the United States [ACUS]
is an independent agency and advisory committee created to
study administrative processes in order to recommend
improvements to Congress and agencies.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $3,100,000 for ACUS for fiscal
year 2019.
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $249,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 281,500,000
Committee recommendation................................ 281,500,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission [CFTC] was
established as an independent agency by the Commodity Futures
Trading Commission Act of 1974 (88 Stat. 1389; 7 U.S.C. 4a).
The Commission administers the Commodity Exchange Act, 7 U.S.C.
section 1, et seq.
The CFTC oversees our Nation's futures, options and swaps
markets. The Commission's mission is to foster transparent,
open, competitive and financially sound derivatives markets.
Effective oversight by the CFTC protects market participants
from fraud, manipulation and abusive practices, and protects
the public and our economy from systemic risk related to
derivatives.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $281,500,000
for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which is equal to
the budget request. The Committee recommendation includes
increased funding to boost the CFTC's analytical expertise,
cybersecurity capabilities and financial technology to maximize
the Commission's ability to oversee our nation's swaps,
futures, and options markets.
The Committee recommendation includes $57,000,000 for the
purchase of information technology. The Committee highlights
the crucial need for the CFTC to make mission-critical
investments in technology to sort through the vast volume of
data and information generated daily by markets. The CFTC's
responsibilities to conduct effective oversight and analysis of
the swaps and futures markets requires greater attention to and
investments in its information technology systems.
The Committee recommendation for fiscal year 2018 includes
$3,302,509 for the OIG. Of this amount, not more than $502,509
should be for overhead expenses.
Spending Plan.--The Committee directs the CFTC to submit,
within 30 days of enactment, a detailed spending plan for the
allocation of the funds made available, displayed by discrete
program, project, and activity, including staffing projections,
specifying both FTEs and contractors, and planned investments
in information technology.
Consumer Product Safety Commission
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $126,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 123,450,000
Committee recommendation................................ 126,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Consumer Product Safety Commission [CPSC] is an
independent regulatory agency that was established on May 14,
1973, and is responsible for protecting the public against
unreasonable risks of injury from consumer products; assisting
consumers to evaluate the comparative safety of consumer
products; developing uniform safety standards for consumer
products and minimizing conflicting State and local
regulations; and promoting research and investigation into the
causes and prevention of product-related deaths, illnesses, and
injuries.
In carrying out its mandate, the CPSC establishes mandatory
product safety standards, where appropriate, to reduce the
unreasonable risk of injury to consumers from consumer
products; helps industry develop voluntary safety standards;
bans unsafe products if it finds that a safety standard is not
feasible; monitors recalls of defective products; informs and
educates consumers about product hazards; conducts research and
develops test methods; collects and publishes injury and hazard
data; and promotes uniform product regulations by governmental
units.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $126,000,000 for the Consumer
Product Safety Commission, which is equal to the fiscal year
2018 enacted level.
Flame Retardant Chemicals.--As the Commission considers new
upholstered furniture flammability standards, the Committee
encourages the Commission to take steps to adopt as a national
mandatory flammability standard for residential upholstered
furniture the performance standards and test methods prescribed
in California Technical Bulletin 117-2013, a standard that does
not lead to the use of flame retardant chemicals. In 2012, the
Commission released a study that indicates that flame retardant
chemicals, as currently used in upholstered furniture foam,
have no practical impact on flammability. The Commission should
also move forward to convene a Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel
under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act in order to assess
and issue a report on the possible harm to consumers' health
and safety from the use of the class of additive, non-polymeric
organohalogen flame retardants in children's products,
furniture, mattresses, and the casings surrounding electronics.
Furniture Tip-Overs.--Furniture tip-overs, particularly
televisions, remain a serious risk to children and consumers.
According to a 2014 CPSC study, between 2011 and 2013 an
estimated annual average of 38,000 people were treated in U.S.
hospital emergency departments for product instability or tip-
over injuries related to televisions, furniture, and
appliances. The same study reported that between 2000 and 2013
there were 430 tip-over fatalities, 84 percent of which were
suffered by children younger than age 18. The Committee
encourages the Commission to continue to engage with industry,
consumer groups, and the public to increase efforts to limit or
mitigate the risk associated with furniture tip-overs.
Portable Generators.--The Committee recognizes the risk of
carbon monoxide poisoning deaths and injuries associated with
portable generators. The Committee urges the Commission to keep
the Committees of Appropriations informed of its progress to
address the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning deaths and
injuries associated with portable generators.
Bicycle Standards.--The Committee recognizes that there
have been technological changes in bicycle design and in the
materials used to manufacture bicycles since the bicycle
regulations were promulgated. The Committee encourages the
Commission to undertake a comprehensive review of the bicycle
regulations to determine how these regulations might be further
amended to reflect advancements in technology.
Youth Sports Concussions.--The Committee is concerned with
the growth of diagnosed traumatic brain injuries for children
participating in various sports. According to the Centers for
Disease Control, in 2012, 329,290 children were treated for
sports and recreation-related injuries that included a
diagnosis of a concussion. The Committee encourages the CPSC to
work cooperatively with all stakeholders, including other
Federal agencies, to update the current standards for youth
safety and protection equipment. The Committee notes that the
Joint Explanatory Statement of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2018, directed the CPSC to report to the Committees of
Appropriations on the progress to update the current National
Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment
football helmet standards.
Election Assistance Commission
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $10,100,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 9,200,000
Committee recommendation................................ 9,200,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Election Assistance Commission [EAC] was created by the
Help America Vote Act of 2002 [HAVA] (Public Law 107-252) and
is charged with implementing provisions of that act relating to
the reform of Federal election administration.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee provides $9,200,000 for EAC's administrative
expenses. The Committee bill requires that $1,500,000 of these
funds be transferred to the National Institute for Standards
and Technology [NIST] for technical assistance related to the
development of voluntary State voting systems guidelines.
Within 30 days of the transfer, the Director of NIST (or
designee) shall provide to the Executive Director (or Acting)
of the EAC and the Committee an expenditure plan for the funds
that includes: (1) the number and position title and office of
each staff person doing work and amount of time each staff
person spends on that work; (2) the specific tasks accomplished
including length of time needed to accomplish the task; (3) an
explanation of expenditures, including contracts and grants,
and use of the EAC funding transferred to NIST (including
enumeration of funds); and (4) an explanation of how the work
accomplished relates to mandated activities under HAVA.
Finally, the Executive Director (or Acting) of the EAC and
Director of NIST (or designee) shall work together to set
priorities for the work outlined in order to meet timelines.
Federal Communications Commission
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $322,035,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 333,118,000
Committee recommendation................................ 333,118,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Federal Communications Commission [FCC] is charged with
regulating interstate and international communications by
radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. The FCC is also
charged with promoting the safety of life and property through
wire and radio communications. The mandate of the FCC under the
Communications Act is to make available to all people of the
United States a rapid, efficient, nationwide, and worldwide
wire and radio communication service. The FCC performs five
major functions to fulfill this charge: (1) spectrum
allocation; (2) creating rules to promote fair competition and
protect consumers where required by market conditions; (3)
authorization of service; (4) enhancing public safety and
homeland security; and (5) enforcement.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $333,118,000
for the Salaries and Expenses of the FCC for fiscal year 2019.
The total appropriation of $333,118,000 will be derived from
offsetting collections.
The Committee also recommends that up to $130,284,000 be
retained from spectrum auction activities to fund the
administrative expenses of conducting such auctions.
Incentive Auction.--The Committee notes the additional work
to be performed in fiscal year 2019 by the FCC for new eligible
entities of the TV Broadcaster Relocation Fund including
Television Translator stations, Low Power Television stations,
and FM Broadcast stations. Of the recommended amount for
spectrum auction administrative expenses, $17,550,000 should be
used to fund administrative expenses relating to the post-
Incentive Auction repack. The Committee expects the FCC will
keep it apprised of its progress to develop a rulemaking and
oversee the distribution of funds for new eligible entities.
The Committee stresses the importance of completing its
administrative work in fiscal year 2019. The Committee
continues a prior directive for the FCC to provide monthly
reports to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations,
the Senate Committee on Commerce, and the House Committee on
Energy and Commerce with the current status of the construction
schedule including the allocation provided to all eligible
entities and the status of any relief granted to accommodate
stations that face unforeseen circumstances during the
transition period.
Wireless Support.--The Committee includes a provision that
would provide certainty to rural wireless broadband users and
carriers across the Nation as the Federal Communications
Commission continues to develop a new framework for parts of
the Universal Service Fund. The provision reaffirms the intent
of current regulations adopted by the Commission (47 CFR
54.307(e)(5) and (e)(6)) that provide that competitive eligible
telecommunications carriers will continue to receive reliable
support until Mobility Fund Phase II is implemented. The
Committee preserves the Commission's flexibility to develop
nationwide replacement mechanisms for high-cost support, which
could include Mobility Fund Phase II, another support
mechanism, or set of support mechanisms and a separate but
complementary Alaska-specific support mechanism. The Committee
does not intend that this section will limit the Commission's
consideration, development, or adoption of a replacement
mechanism other than Mobility Fund Phase II or a separate
Alaska-specific support mechanism.
Tribal Lifeline Reform.--The Committee recognizes the steps
taken by the FCC to reform the Lifeline program by limiting
enhanced Tribal support to facilities-based providers. The
Committee urges the Commission to ensure that such reforms are
holding carriers accountable for their program dollars and
their commitment to serve local networks.
Broadband Connectivity on Tribal Lands.--The Committee
remains concerned about the lack of access to broadband
services on Tribal lands. According to data collected by the
FCC, only 65 percent of residents on rural, Tribal lands have
access to fast broadband service, which is eight times worse
than the national average. The Committee urges the FCC to
responsibly and efficiently take action to increase access to
broadband on Tribal lands and supports consultation with
federally recognized Indian Tribes, Alaska Native villages and
corporations, and entities related to Hawaiian home lands. The
FCC is encouraged to use all available resources with the goal
of spending $300,000 to support consultation with Federal
recognized Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, and entities
related to Hawaiian home lands. Any action by the FCC to
address broadband services on Tribal lands should be done in a
manner that takes into account duplication of Federal programs,
grants, funding streams, and overbuilding of networks. The FCC
should consult with Federal stakeholders and agencies who have
a role in deploying broadband when assessing duplication. The
Committee urges the FCC to examine alternative and emerging
technologies for deployment of internet to areas where
traditional infrastructure is costly to deploy. The Committee
also urges the FCC to consider population density when
determining the definition of service to rural areas.
Contraband Cell Phones.--The Committee remains concerned
regarding the continued exploitation of contraband cell phones
in prisons and jails nationwide. Given the growing public
safety concerns (more cell phones are seized each year), this
is an issue of critical importance that requires solutions
sooner rather than later. The Committee recognizes that the
Bureau of Prisons [BOP] and the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration [NTIA] have worked over the last
decade to block cell signals within prison cells while limiting
signal blockages outside of prison cells, both for officer
safety and to limit any impact on the public. The Committee
understands that CTIA, the wireless industry trade association,
established a task force that includes representatives of nine
state prison systems, the Association of State Correctional
Administrators, as well as BOP in response to congressional
concerns. The Committee understands FCC facilitated the first
meeting in April 2018. The Committee directs the FCC, in
consultation with BOP and NTIA, to brief the Committees on
Appropriations within 60 days of enactment on its timeline for
further addressing the contraband cell phone in prisons issue
and the status of any reports the FCC has received from the
task force. Following the briefing, the FCC is directed to
share with the Committees any barriers that arise and prevent
the FCC from meeting the proposed timeline.
Oversight Monitoring and Rating System.--Section 551 of the
Telecommunications Act of 1996 required the FCC to establish
guidelines and recommended procedures for the rating of video
programming to parents and provided the FCC with the ability to
certify that distributors of video programming developed and
implemented a compliant voluntary rating system. The video
programming industry submitted ``TV Parental Guidelines'' to
the FCC, which were accepted in a 1998 report and order. The
video programming industry also established a TV Parental
Guidelines Oversight Monitoring Board to ensure the guidelines
are applied accurately and consistently, address complaints and
requests from the public, and provide information to producers
and program distributors. The Committee recognizes it has been
close to 20 years since this issue was visited and directs the
FCC to report to the Committee within 90 days of enactment on
the extent to which the rating systems matches the video
content that is being shown and the ability of the TV Parental
Guidelines Oversight Monitoring Board to address public
concerns. The FCC is further directed to examine the monitoring
board's ability to conduct transparent meetings and efforts to
include relevant stakeholders.
Call Completion in Rural Areas.--The Committee recognizes
that the FCC is considering a Report and Order and Further
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that will adopt new measures, and
seek comment on others, to better tackle the problem of call
completion and ensure that calls are completed to all
Americans--including those in rural America. As directed in the
fiscal year 2018 report, the Committee looks forward to
receiving a report detailing the FCC's efforts to resolve call
completion issues and to prevent discriminatory delivery of
calls to any area of the country.
Universal Service Reform.--The Committee expresses concern
regarding fraud, waste, and abuse within the Universal Service
Fund programs. The Committee directs the FCC to prioritize
unserved areas in all Universal Service Fund programs.
The Committee supports the Lifeline program's mission of
making basic communications services affordable to low-income
Americans, and shares the Commission's objective of minimizing
waste, fraud, and abuse in the program. The Committee urges the
Commission to ensure that the measures already adopted to
combat waste, fraud, and abuse, such as the National Verifier,
are implemented.
The Committee appreciates the ongoing commitment of the FCC
to modernize and focus the Universal Service Fund [USF] on
promoting broadband availability and affordability.
Nevertheless, the Committee is troubled that the budget for the
High Cost USF program has not been revised since 2011. The
Committee strongly supports a comprehensive assessment of what
is needed to appropriately fund the High Cost USF program
budget to fulfill its statutory mandate for universal service
pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 254(b)(4) while addressing GAO's open
recommendation to improve accountability and transparency of
high-cost program funding (GAO-14-587).
Remote Areas Fund.--While the Committee is encouraged by
the Commission's efforts to expand broadband access throughout
rural America, the Committee believes the Remote Areas Fund
[RAF] will be both critical and necessary to broadband
deployment in the most remote areas of the country. The
Committee urges the FCC to move forward with the RAF no later
than one year after the commencement of the CAF Phase II
auction, or as soon as practicable thereafter. The Committee
believes that the RAF must be structured to provide an
opportunity for robust participation.
Robocalls.--The Committee recognizes the pervasiveness of
abusive and illegal robocalls that are disrupting and harming
Americans every day. While the Committee appreciates the
current efforts the FCC and the Federal Trade Commission [FTC]
are committing to enforcing laws and working alongside industry
on solving the illegal robocall problem, it is clear that more
focus needs to be dedicated to solving this increasingly
prevalent issue. As such, the Committee directs the FCC and the
FTC to continue to collaborate with each other and with
industry to defend Americans from unwanted robocalls.
Information Technology Reform.--The Committee supports the
FCC's efforts to improve its IT investments and directs the
Commission to report to the Committee within 6 months on how it
will prioritize future IT reform efforts and identify the most
important IT systems to be modernized. The Committee further
directs the FCC to report to the Committee on the role of IT
failure or any other cause for significant delays in the
Universal Service Company's issuance of E-Rate funding
determination letters to schools and libraries.
5G Services.--The Committee appreciates that the Commission
moved swiftly following enactment of amendments to 47 U.S.C.
309(j)(8)(C) made as part of Public Law 115-141 to schedule
auctions for licenses in the 24GHz and 28GHz bands and the
Committee expects the Commission to work to ensure that those
auctions occur without delay. To build on those auctions and
more fully support the deployment of 5G services and advance
U.S. competitiveness, the Committee directs the Commission to
report not later than April 1, 2019 on the prospect and
timeline for making additional mid-band and high-band spectrum
available for either licensed or unlicensed use.
Topography.--As the FCC develops the auction procedures for
Mobility Fund II to facilitate wireless broadband service in
unserved rural regions, the Committee urges the Commission to
consider the impact of a state or locality's surface
configuration on the availability of wireless service and
ensure that topography does not impede or adversely affect the
auction results.
Permitting Process.--The Committee encourages the FCC to
continue to work toward streamlining their permitting process
by finding ways to minimize costs and duplication as well as
expedite broadband deployment in rural areas.
Mobility Fund II.--The Committee remains concerned that the
auction process will preclude high cost areas from
consideration, many of which are rural areas that are most in
need of assistance. The Committee encourages the FCC to
consider a reasonable set aside of the funding that will be
made available through the Mobility Fund II auction to provide
assistance to these high-cost, geographically challenged areas.
Radio Frequency.--On March 27, 2013, the FCC released a
First Report and Order/Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
and Notice of Inquiry regarding the Commission's rules on Human
Exposure to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields (ET Docket
Nos. 13-84 and 03-137). The Committee encourages the FCC to
work with relevant agencies on ET Docket Nos. 13-84 and 03-137
and to report to the Committee on the current status of the
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking within 30 days of
enactment.
Coordination on Rural Communications Services.--The
Committee recognizes the FCC's vital role in preserving and
advancing universal communications services. The Committee
encourages the FCC to coordinate efforts with the Rural Utility
Service to optimize the use of limited resources and promote
broadband deployment in rural America.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $39,136,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 42,982,000
Committee recommendation................................ 42,982,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation [FDIC] OIG
conducts audits, investigations, and other reviews to assist
and augment the FDIC's contribution to the stability of, and
public confidence in, the Nation's financial system. A separate
appropriation more effectively ensures the OIG's independence
consistent with the Inspector General Act of 1978 and other
legislation.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $42,982,000 for the FDIC inspector
general, the same as the budget request and $3,846,000 more
than the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. Funds are to be
derived from the Deposit Insurance Fund and the Federal Savings
and Loan Insurance Corporation Resolution Fund.
Federal Election Commission
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $71,250,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 71,250,000
Committee recommendation................................ 71,250,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Federal Election Commission [FEC] was created through
the 1974 Amendments to the Federal Election Campaign Act of
1971 (Public Law 93-443). Consistent with its duty of executing
our Nation's Federal campaign finance laws, and in pursuit of
its mission of maintaining public faith in the integrity of the
Federal campaign finance system, the FEC conducts three major
regulatory programs: (1) providing public disclosure of funds
raised and spent to influence Federal elections; (2) enforcing
compliance with restrictions on contributions and expenditures
made to influence Federal elections; and (3) administering
public financing of Presidential campaigns.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $71,250,000 for the Federal
Election Commission.
Federal Labor Relations Authority
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $26,200,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 26,200,000
Committee recommendation................................ 26,200,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Federal Labor Relations Authority [FLRA] is an
independent administrative Federal agency created by title VII
of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-454)
with a mission to carry out five statutory responsibilities in
relation to the Federal workforce: (1) determining the
appropriateness of units for labor organization representation;
(2) resolving complaints of unfair labor practices; (3)
adjudicating exceptions to arbitrator's awards; (4)
adjudicating legal issues relating to the duty to bargain; and
(5) resolving impasses during negotiations.
The FLRA's authority is divided by law and by delegation
among a three-member authority and an Office of General
Counsel, appointed by the President and subject to Senate
confirmation; and the Federal Service Impasses Panel, which
consists of seven part-time members appointed by the President.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $26,200,000
for the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
Federal Trade Commission
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $306,317,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 309,700,000
Committee recommendation................................ 309,700,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Federal Trade Commission administers a variety of
Federal antitrust and consumer protection laws. Activities in
the antitrust area include detection and elimination of illegal
collusion, anticompetitive mergers, unlawful single-firm
conduct, and injurious vertical agreements. The FTC enforces
consumer protection laws involving advertising, marketing, and
financial practices; fights consumer fraud; and addresses
privacy and identity protection concerns.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommendation provides $309,700,000 for the
salaries and expenses of the FTC for fiscal year 2019.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates $136,000,000 of
collections from Hart-Scott-Rodino premerger filing fees and
$17,000,000 of collections from Do-Not-Call fees will partially
offset the appropriation requirement for this account. The
total amount of direct appropriations for this account is
therefore $156,700,000.
The Committee recognizes the FTC's mission to preserve
competition in the marketplace and protect consumers, including
efforts to improve the security of consumer financial
transactions. The recommended funding will support these
necessary endeavors. The recommendation includes funding for
the FTC Do-Not-Call initiative, of which the entire amount is
to be derived from the collection of fees.
Sports Concussion.--According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, a concussion is a type of traumatic
brain injury that can occur in any sport or recreation
activity. Given the potential for real injury to children, the
Committee urges the FTC to remain vigilant in its enforcement
efforts against potential unfair and deceptive practices
related to sports concussion. The FTC should review any
National Academies' report on sports-related concussions in
youth for any matter that may inform efforts to protect
consumers from unfair or deceptive practices in or affecting
commerce. The FTC should also be vigilant of and, if necessary,
take steps to prevent anticompetitive conduct related to the
development and use of industry standards that could reduce
competition and innovation in protective sports equipment.
Contact Lenses.--The Committee is disappointed in the FTC's
decision not to include the proposed patient safety
improvements related to the prescription verification process
in its draft contact lens rule and instead impose new paperwork
requirements on patients and doctors that are unnecessarily
burdensome. The Committee directs the FTC to prioritize patient
safety and consider enforcement mechanisms under its existing
authority or revisions to the draft rule that address sales of
excessive quantities of lenses, illegal substitutions, and
communication challenges associated with prescription
verification, including robo-calls. The Committee further
directs the FTC to continue to confer and consult with other
Federal agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration,
to optimize its enforcement and consumer education activities.
Credit Card Skimmers.--The Committee appreciates the FTC's
effort to warn Americans travelling abroad to be alert for
credit card skimmers placed by thieves inside automatic teller
machines and gas pumps. However, the Committee is aware that
such credit card information theft increasingly occurs within
the United States and thus urges the FTC to work with the
Department of Justice and state attorneys general to prevent
such consumer scams.
Pharmacy Benefit Managers.--The Committee is concerned
about the anticompetitive effects of continued consolidation in
the pharmacy benefits management [PBM] industry. Such
consolidation has the potential to reduce patient choice,
decrease access to pharmacy services, and lead to higher
prescription drug costs paid by plan sponsors and consumers.
The Committee encourages the FTC to evaluate and address these
concerns as it reviews ongoing consolidation in the PBM
industry.
Robocalls.--The Committee supports the FTC's initiatives to
spur the development and availability of technology that will
provide consumers with greater protection from unwanted and
illegal telephone calls. The Committee notes the success of
previous Commission-led ``robocall challenges'' and urges the
FTC to consider further challenges that will speed the
availability of innovative technological protections for
consumers.
Technical Expertise.--The Committee is concerned that the
FTC lacks sufficient technical expertise to enforce consumer
protection in the digital domain. The Committee recommends that
the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection add up to 10 additional
FTE technologists to work across the five law enforcement areas
(Privacy and Identity Protection, Financial Practices,
Marketing Practices, Advertising Practices, and Enforcement).
These technologists should have an academic or professional
background in computer science, cybersecurity, software
engineering or other related field.
Unfair Methods of Competition.--The Committee requests that
the FTC, in consultation with the Food and Drug Administration,
examine Congress' intent regarding unfair methods of
competition in 15 U.S.C. 45(n) and the FTC's standalone section
5 authorities with regards to unreasonable cost increases,
including those that occur over multiple years, on off-patent
pharmaceutical drugs and biologics when there are no
alternative options available to the consumer, and when price
increases are unreasonable, unavoidable, and not due to
increased manufacturing costs of the product. The committee
requests the FTC submit a report to the Committee within 120
days of the bill's enactment.
Deceptive Online Marketing.--The Committee urges the FTC to
share with state Attorneys General materials to help educate
consumers about online booking scams, including the use of
websites and call centers to mislead consumers into believing
that they are dealing directly with hotels. The Committee also
encourages the FTC to make state Attorneys General aware of its
recent enforcement action against Reservation Counter, LLC, and
its owners.
Made in USA Standard.--The Committee understands that the
FTC has not amended its ``Made in USA'' standard since it was
adopted in 1977. During that time, innovative technologies have
connected global supply chains to domestic manufacturers for
producing goods and materials. Such a global economy is a cause
for concern on whether the ``Made in USA'' standard reflects
these significant changes over time. The Committee strongly
encourages the FTC to review its ``Made in USA'' standard by
soliciting feedback and conducting consumer perception surveys
so that the standard may reflect current sentiments of what
makes a product ``Made in USA.'' If the Commission does not
feel that a review of the standard is warranted, the Committee
requests a response within 90 days of enactment of this act
justifying this position.
General Services Administration
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The General Services Administration [GSA] was established
by the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949
(Public Law 81-152) when Congress mandated the consolidation of
the Federal Government's real property and administrative
services. GSA is organized into the Public Buildings Service,
the Federal Acquisition Service, the Office of Governmentwide
Policy, and the Office of Citizen Services.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
Federal Fleet.--The Federal government spends more than
$4,000,000,000 annually to acquire, operate, and maintain
civilian and non-tactical military vehicles. The annual Federal
Fleet Report publishes motor vehicle fleet inventory, cost, and
use data from Federal departments and agencies. The Committee
expects timely release of this data annually and is greatly
concerned that GSA has not published the Federal Fleet Report
for fiscal years 2016 and 2017. The Committee directs GSA to
publish these reports within 90 days of enactment.
GSA Advantage.--GSA is encouraged to explore options for
the listing of remanufactured products in a way that
acknowledges both the original manufacturer and the business
that refurbished the product. One option for GSA to explore
would be the modification of categories within the product
listing for recognizing both the manufacturer and the
refurbisher.
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park.--The
Committee is encouraged that GSA and the National Park Service
are working toward a solution to relocate and consolidate the
visitor center and headquarters for the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal National Historical Park with other nearby National Park
Service offices in Williamsport, Maryland. We encourage
continued dialogue between the agencies to move the project
forward.
Indian Energy Preference.--The Committee is concerned by
GAO's findings that GSA has not issued any guidance, rules or
regulations regarding the purchase of energy products or by-
products from Indian tribes, in accordance with the Energy
Policy Act (Public Law 109-58). The Committee directs GSA to
report on what additional steps the agency will take to
implement the provisions in the act, specifically section
2602(d) and section 203.
FBI Headquarters.--Due to concerns about the FBI
Headquarters Revised Nationally-Focused Consolidation Plan
which was submitted to Congress by GSA on February 12, 2018,
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141)
included no funding for this project. No funds were requested
for the project for fiscal year 2019 and no funds are provided
in this bill.
The Committee continues to be reluctant to appropriate any
additional funds for this project due to the unanswered
questions regarding the new plan, including the revision of
longstanding mission and security requirements. The Committee
encourages GSA to work with the FBI to submit a prospectus for
a new, fully-consolidated headquarters building, including at
one of the three previously vetted sites that complies with
prior Congressional directives and actions and meets
Interagency Security Committee Level V security standards.
Dirksen Courthouse.--The Dirksen Courthouse in Chicago is
adjacent to buildings in critical disrepair that are scheduled
to be sold to a developer. Concerns have been raised as to the
effect of the development plan on the security of the Court and
other federal agencies in the courthouse. The Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2018 directed GSA to review the current
development plan to ensure that it does not pose security
problems and report back to the Committee. The Committee looks
forward to receiving this report and to continuing to
coordinate with GSA, the Federal Judiciary, and other federal
tenants to ensure security risks to the Courthouse are
appropriately evaluated and addressed.
Buy American.--The Committee recognizes that there is
currently no comprehensive government-wide repository for
information about waivers to the Buy American Act, Berry
Amendment and other domestic content statutes. This lack of
transparency harms small- and medium-sized manufacturers who
are often negatively impacted by waivers to the Buy American
Act that allow the government to purchase manufactured goods
overseas. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018
encouraged GSA to examine the feasibility of a website, called
BuyAmerican.gov, to track, government-wide, the use of waivers
to our domestic procurement laws and report to the
Appropriations Committee within 120 days of enactment. The
Committee looks forward to promptly receiving this report.
Chesapeake Bay Program Office.--Most of the Federal
agencies involved in the Chesapeake Bay Program have been co-
located in the Annapolis area and leases are approaching
renewal. The Committee encourages GSA to work closely with the
Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection
Agency to ensure, to the extent practicable and cost-effective,
that as many of the Federal agencies as possible, be co-located
in the Annapolis area to facilitate program coordination.
Energy Efficiency.--The Committee has been encouraged by
GSA's continued leadership in the use of Energy Savings
Performance Contracts [ESPCs], which generate energy savings to
pay for the investment in energy-related equipment, but is
concerned about possible drop off in the use of these contracts
to address deferred maintenance and infrastructure
improvements. Accordingly, the Committee directs the
Administrator to report, no later than 45 days after enactment
of this Act, on the number and value of ESPCs entered into by
GSA annually for 2014-2018 and projections for 2019 and 2020.
FEDERAL BUILDINGS FUND--LIMITATIONS ON AVAILABILITY OF REVENUE
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Limitation on availability of revenue:
Limitation on availability, 2018.................... $9,073,938,000
Limitation on availability, budget estimate, 2019... 10,131,673,000
Committee recommendation................................ 9,633,450,000
The Federal Buildings Fund [FBF] finances the activities of
the Public Buildings Service, which provides space and services
for Federal agencies in a relationship similar to that of
landlord and tenant. The FBF, established in 1975, replaces
direct appropriations by using income derived from rent
assessments, which approximate commercial rates for comparable
space and services. The Committee makes funds available through
a process of placing limitations on obligations from the FBF as
a way of allocating funds for various FBF activities.
CONSTRUCTION AND ACQUISITION
Limitation on availability, 2018........................ $692,069,000
Limitation on availability, budget estimate, 2019....... 1,338,387,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,080,068,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The construction and acquisition fund finances the site,
design, construction, management, and inspection costs of new
Federal facilities.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a limitation of $1,080,068,000 for
construction and acquisition:
--$767,900,000 for the Department of Transportation Lease
Purchase Option, which will reduce the Federal
government's rental payments to the private sector by
approximately $49,400,000 annually.
--$100,000,000 for the DHS Consolidation at St. Elizabeths to
be combined with existing unobligated balances to
consolidate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,
which is currently located in several leases throughout
the National Capital Region.
--$27,268,000 for the Former Hardesty Federal Complex
--$9,000,000 for the Southeast Federal Center Remediation
--$175,900,000 for the Calexico West Land Port of Entry Phase
II.
REPAIRS AND ALTERATIONS
Limitation on availability, 2018........................ $666,335,000
Limitation on availability, budget estimate, 2019....... 909,746,000
Committee recommendation................................ 890,419,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Under this activity, GSA executes its responsibility for
repairs and alterations of both Government-owned and -leased
facilities under the control of GSA.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a limitation of $890,419,000 for
repairs and alterations in fiscal year 2019.
The Committee recommends $424,690,000 for major repairs and
alterations projects, $373,556,000 for Basic Repairs and
Alterations, $30,000,000 for the Fire and Life Safety Program,
$11,500,000 for the Judiciary Capital Security Program, and
$50,673,000 for the Consolidation Activities Program.
RENTAL OF SPACE
Limitation on availability, 2018........................ $5,493,768,000
Limitation on availability, budget estimate, 2019....... 5,430,345,000
Committee recommendation................................ 5,418,845,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The rental of space program funds lease payments made to
privately owned buildings, temporary space for Federal
employees during major repair and alteration projects, and
relocations from Federal buildings due to forced moves and
relocations as a result of health and safety conditions. GSA is
responsible for leasing general purpose space and land incident
thereto for Federal agencies, except in cases where GSA has
delegated its leasing authority.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a limitation of $5,418,845,000 for
rental of space.
BUILDING OPERATIONS
Limitation on availability, 2018........................ $2,221,766,000
Limitation on availability, budget estimate, 2019....... 2,253,195,000
Committee recommendation................................ 2,244,118,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This activity provides for the operation of all Government-
owned facilities under the jurisdiction of GSA and building
services in GSA-leased space where the terms of the lease do
not require the lessor to furnish such services. Services
included in building operations are cleaning, protection,
maintenance, payments for utilities and fuel, grounds
maintenance, and elevator operations.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a limitation of $2,244,118,000 for
building operations.
GOVERNMENTWIDE POLICY
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $53,499,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 65,835,000
Committee recommendation................................ 58,499,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Office of Governmentwide Policy [OGP], working
cooperatively with other agencies, provides the leadership
needed to develop and evaluate policies associated with high-
performance green buildings and real property, acquisition
policy, personal property, travel and transportation
management, vehicles and aircraft, committee and regulations
management, and management of Federal spending data. OGP
collaborates with partner agencies and other stakeholders to
improve public access to policy information and support data,
and improve transparency in Government.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $58,499,000
for Governmentwide Policy. GSA is encouraged to consider the
potential national security implications of acquiring
telecommunications technology from foreign companies.
OPERATING EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $45,645,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 49,440,000
Committee recommendation................................ 49,440,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Operating Expenses supports a variety of operational
activities which are not feasible or appropriate for a user fee
arrangement. Major programs include the personal property
utilization and donation activities of the Federal Acquisition
Service; the real property utilization and disposal activities
of the Public Buildings Service; and the Management and
Administration activities, including support of Governmentwide
emergency response and recovery activities, and top-level
agency-wide management, administration, and communications
activities.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $49,440,000
for Operating Expenses.
CIVILIAN BOARD OF CONTRACT APPEALS
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $8,795,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 9,301,000
Committee recommendation................................ 9,301,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals is responsible for
resolving contract disputes between government contractors and
Federal agencies.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $9,301,000 for
the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $65,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 67,000,000
Committee recommendation (including transfer)........... 67,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This appropriation provides agency-wide audit and
investigative functions to identify and correct management and
administrative deficiencies within GSA, which create conditions
for existing or potential instances of fraud, waste, and
mismanagement. The audit function provides internal audit and
contract audit services. Contract audits provide professional
advice to GSA contracting officials on accounting and financial
matters relative to the negotiation, award, administration,
repricing, and settlement of contracts. Internal audits review
and evaluate all facets of GSA operations and programs, test
internal control systems, and develop information to improve
operating efficiencies and enhance customer services. The
investigative function provides for the detection and
investigation of improper and illegal activities involving GSA
programs, personnel, and operations.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $65,000,000
for the Office of Inspector General.
In addition to the foregoing appropriation, the Committee
provides $2,000,000 to be immediately transferred to the
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency
for enhancements to www.oversight.gov.
Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency Website.--The Council of the Inspectors General on
Integrity and Efficiency [CIGIE] was established by the
Inspector General Reform Act of 2008. The Council is made up of
73 individual Inspectors General [IGs] from both the Executive
and Legislative branches and 6 integrity-related senior
officials. CIGIE's mission is to address integrity, economy,
and effectiveness issues that transcend individual Government
agencies and increase the professionalism and effectiveness of
the IG workforce.
In fiscal year 2016, CIGIE developed a working group
charged with developing a website to consolidate in one place
all public reports from inspectors general to improve the
public's access to independent information about the Federal
Government. The Committee commends CIGIE for its efforts to
develop this website for the public to follow the ongoing
oversight work of all IGs that publicly post reports. With the
launch of Oversight.gov, users can now sort, search, and filter
the site's database of public reports across agencies to find
oversight areas of interest.
IG recommendations have the potential to save significant
taxpayer dollars, but agencies continue to fail to implement
many of these recommendations. The Committee believes a
centralized database will help Congress, agencies, and
taxpayers track outstanding recommendations and will ultimately
make the federal government more efficient and effective.
In addition to funds otherwise available to CIGIE, the
Committee recommendation includes $2,000,000 to be transferred
to CIGIE's revolving fund to enhance Oversight.gov, including
the development of a database that contains the status of open
IG recommendations.
As CIGIE scales a pilot program of select IGs to the entire
IG community, the Committee encourages all IGs to provide
timely updates to Oversight.gov to ensure the open
recommendation database is regularly updated.
No later than 120 days after enactment, CIGIE is directed
to report to the Committee on Appropriations with a spend plan
on the proposed use of the use of funds, including additional
website features and functionality and interest from CIGIE
members in regularly providing updated information for the open
IG recommendation repository.
ALLOWANCES AND OFFICE STAFF FOR FORMER PRESIDENTS
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $4,754,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 4,796,000
Committee recommendation................................ 4,796,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This appropriation currently provides pensions, office
staffs, and related expenses for former Presidents Jimmy
Carter, George H.W. Bush, William Clinton, and George W. Bush,
and Barack Obama.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $4,796,000 for allowances and
office staff for former Presidents.
FEDERAL CITIZEN SERVICES FUND
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $50,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 58,400,000
Committee recommendation................................ 55,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Federal Citizen Services Fund provides for the salaries
and expenses of the Office of Citizen Services and Innovative
Technologies [OCSIT]. OCSIT provides the means for citizens,
businesses, other governments, and the media to obtain
information and services easily from the Government via the
Web, email, printed media, and telephone. OCSIT leads several
interagency groups to share best practices and develop
strategies for improving the way Government provides services
to the American public.
The Federal Citizen Services [FCS] Fund is financed from
annual appropriations to pay for the salaries and expenses of
OCSIT staff and Citizens Services programs. Reimbursements from
Federal agencies pay for the direct costs of information
services OCSIT provides on their behalf. The FCS Fund also
receives funding from user fees for publications ordered by the
public, payments from private entities for services rendered,
and gifts from the public. All income is available without
regard to fiscal year limitations, but is subject to an annual
aggregate expenditure limit as set forth in appropriation acts.
committee recommendation
The Committee recommends $55,000,000 for the Federal
Citizen Services Fund.
TECHNOLOGY MODERNIZATION FUND
Appropriation, 2018..................................... $100,000,000
Budget estimates, 2019.................................. 210,000,000
Committee recommendation................................................
The Technology Modernization Fund [TMF] is designed to be a
full cost recovery fund that finances the transition of Federal
agencies from antiquated legacy IT systems to modern IT
platforms. The Fund is administered by GSA in accordance with
recommendations made by an inter-agency TMF Board established
by the Modernizing Government Technology Act. The Fund was
established to provide upfront funding for modernization
investments, which agencies are required to repay over a period
of up to five years.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $0 for the TMF. The Committee
notes the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law
115-141), provided $100,000,000 for the TMF. As of June 2018,
the TMF approved proposals submitted by three Federal agencies
totaling $45,000,000. As the TMF reviews the remaining
proposals, the Committee encourages GSA and OMB to provide
additional transparency surrounding agency proposals at each
stage of the selection process, including projects submitted
for consideration and those selected to receive funding. The
Committee will continue to monitor the proposal process and
work with GSA and OMB to establish metrics for determining
program and project success.
Within 30 days of enactment of this act, GSA is directed to
provide the Committee on Appropriations details on proposals
submitted by agencies to the Technology Modernization Fund and
proposals that have been awarded funding. For each proposal,
the information shall include: the agency seeking funding; the
type of project for which funding was requested; the requested
and approved cost of the project; the plan for repayment of the
funds; and whether a repayment extension was requested, and if
so, whether it was granted. For future proposals, GSA shall
provide the Committee this information at the time of award.
ASSET PROCEEDS AND SPACE MANAGEMENT FUND
Appropriation, 2018..................................... $5,000,000
Budget estimates, 2019.................................. 31,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 15,500,000
This account provides appropriations for the purposes of
carrying out actions pursuant to the recommendations of the
Public Buildings Reform Board focusing on civilian real
property.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $15,500,000
for the Asset Proceeds and Space Management Fund. The Committee
supports the Public Buildings Reform Board and efforts to
reduce Federal real property costs by consolidating and selling
underutilized and vacant Federal buildings and other civilian
real property. However, a Public Buildings Reform Board Chair
has not been nominated, and the six Board members have not been
appointed, resulting in lower than anticipated Board
expenditures and delays in recommendations from the Board. The
Committee will continue to monitor steps being taken to stand
up the Public Buildings Reform Board to ensure sufficient
resources are available to meet program needs.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IMPROVEMENT FUND
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $1,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 6,070,000
Committee recommendation................................ 6,070,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This appropriation supports the authorized activities of
the Environmental Review Improvement Fund and the Federal
Permitting Improvement Steering Council. The Council will lead
on-going government-wide efforts to modernize the Federal
permitting and review process for major infrastructure projects
and work with Federal agency partners to implement and oversee
adherence to the statutory requirements set forth in the Fixing
America's Surface Transportation Act of 2015.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $6,070,000 for
the Environmental Review Improvement Fund.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Section 520 authorizes GSA to use funds for the hire of
passenger motor vehicles.
Section 521 authorizes GSA to transfer funds within the
Federal buildings fund to meet program requirements.
Section 522 requires that the fiscal year 2020 budget
request meet certain standards.
Section 523 provides that no funds may be used to increase
the amount of occupiable square feet, provide cleaning
services, security enhancements, or any other service usually
provided, to any agency which does not pay the requested rate.
Section 524 continues the provision that permits GSA to pay
small claims less than $250,000 made against the Government.
Section 525 provides that certain lease agreements must
conform to an approved prospectus.
Section 526 requires a GSA spending plan for certain
accounts and programs.
Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $1,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 1,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation is an independent
agency established by Congress in 1975 (Public Law 93-642) to
encourage exceptional college students to pursue careers in
public service through the Truman Scholarship program. The
Truman Scholarship is a merit-based award available to college
juniors who plan to pursue careers in Government or elsewhere
in public service.
The Foundation Trust Fund was established with a one-time
$30,000,000 appropriation in 1976. The authorizing legislation
directed that this endowment be invested solely in U.S.
Treasury Securities, the interest from which has funded the
Foundation's operating budget. With the decline in interest
rates, the annual yield from the trust fund has declined by
nearly 80 percent since 2002.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,000,000 for
the Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation.
The Committee notes that administrative expenses of the
Foundation exceeded scholarship payments in fiscal year 2017.
Therefore, the Committee encourages the Foundation to examine
its operating budget and work to reduce overhead costs and
achieve additional cost savings.
Merit Systems Protection Board
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $46,835,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 46,835,000
Committee recommendation................................ 46,835,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Merit Systems Protection Board [MSPB] was established
by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. MSPB is an independent
quasi-judicial agency manifested to protect Federal merit
systems against partisan political and other prohibited
personnel practices and to ensure adequate protection for
employees against abuses by agency management.
MSPB assists Federal agencies in running a merit-based
civil service system. This is accomplished on a case-by-case
basis through hearing and deciding employee appeals and on a
systemic basis by reviewing significant actions and regulations
of the Office of Personnel Management [OPM] and conducting
studies of the civil service and other merit systems. The
intended results of MSPB's efforts are to assure that personnel
actions taken against employees are processed within the law
and that actions taken by OPM and other agencies support and
enhance Federal merit principles.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $46,835,000
for the MSPB. The recommendation includes not more than
$2,345,000 for adjudicating retirement appeals through an
appropriation from the trust fund consistent with past
practice.
Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation
MORRIS K. UDALL AND STEWART L. UDALL TRUST FUND
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $1,975,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 1,875,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,875,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The General Fund payment to the Morris K. Udall and Stewart
L. Udall Trust Fund is invested in Treasury securities with
maturities suitable to the needs of the Fund. Interest earnings
from the investments are used to carry out the activities of
the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation. The
Foundation awards scholarships, fellowships, and grants, and
funds activities of the Udall Center.
The Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation also
supports training programs for professionals in health care
policy and public policy, such as the Native Nations Institute
[NNI]. NNI, based at the University of Arizona, provides Native
Americans with leadership and management training, and analyzes
policies relevant to tribes.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,875,000 for
the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund.
The Committee appreciates the progress made by the Udall
Foundation to strengthen its internal controls related to
contract oversight and personnel management. The Committee
directs the Foundation to report semiannually to the Committee
regarding its continued work in instituting reformed internal
controls, including milestones achieved. Finally, the Committee
provides that $200,000 shall be transferred to the Inspector
General of the Department of the Interior to conduct annual
audits and investigations of the Foundation and submit reports
of its findings to the Committee in order to ensure that the
Foundation's spending, management, and other activities are
subject to regular oversight and review.
ENVIRONMENTAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION FUND
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $3,366,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 3,200,000
Committee recommendation................................ 3,200,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution is
a Federal program established by Public Law 105-156 to assist
parties in resolving environmental, natural resource, and
public lands conflicts. The Institute is part of the Morris K.
Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation and serves as an
impartial, nonpartisan institution providing professional
expertise, services, and resources to all parties involved in
such disputes. The Institute helps parties determine whether
collaborative problem solving is appropriate for specific
environmental conflicts, how and when to bring all the parties
together for discussion, and whether a third-party facilitator
or mediator might be helpful in assisting the parties in their
efforts to reach consensus or to resolve the conflict. In
addition, the Institute maintains a roster of qualified
facilitators and mediators with substantial experience in
environmental conflict resolution and can help parties in
selecting an appropriate neutral professional.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,200,000 for
the Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund.
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration [NARA] is
the national recordkeeper, managing the Government's archives
and records, and operating the Presidential libraries. NARA is
an independent agency created by statute in 1934 and tasked
with the unique mission to identify, access, protect, preserve,
and make available for use the important documents and records
of all three branches of the Federal Government. NARA
administers the Information Security Oversight Office, is the
publisher of the Federal Register, and makes grants for
historical documentation through the National Historical
Publications and Records Commission. In addition, NARA is
charged with additional responsibilities including mediating
Freedom of Information Act disputes and coordinating controlled
unclassified information.
OPERATING EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $384,911,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 365,105,000
Committee recommendation................................ 375,105,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This account provides for basic operations dealing with
management of the Federal Government's archives and records,
operation of Presidential libraries, review for
declassification of classified security information, and other
duties.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $375,105,000 for operating
expenses of the National Archives and Records Administration
for fiscal year 2019.
The Committee's recommendation supports initiatives to
strengthen NARA's record management leadership role; address
archival storage needs; continue to develop, build, and expand
the IT infrastructure to conduct the business of the National
Declassification Center established in Executive Order 13526;
operate and maintain the Electronic Records Archive; and
improve research room holdings protection.
The Committee continues to encourage NARA to digitize and
post online archival records that are relocated as a result of
a facility closure. The Committee directs NARA to report,
within 90 days of enactment, on its progress to digitize and
preserve physical access to archival records that have been or
will be relocated to another State by any facility closure
occurring from fiscal years 2014 to 2018, inclusive or planned
for fiscal year 2019. The report shall: (1) describe the
progress that has been made to digitize and post online such
records that have been moved; (2) describe NARA's digitization
priorities for 2019 pertaining to any relocated archival
records; and (3) include a timeline for completing the
digitization and posting online process. The Committee further
directs NARA to give due consideration and appropriate
adjudication, within the limits of the Federal Records Act and
all applicable laws, of any request to review archival records
that are relocated as a result of a facility closure, to
determine whether those records continue to require permanent
preservation in the National Archives.
Recordkeeping.--The Committee remains concerned about the
ability of Federal agencies to effectively manage email and
other electronic Federal records so that essential records are
available when required by Congress in order to fulfill its
oversight responsibilities. The executive branch must assure
the American public that records documenting Government
decisions and actions are retained for the appropriate time
period and can be retrieved and provided to Congress in a
timely manner and as required by law. The Presidential and
Federal Records Act Amendments of 2014 (Public Law 113-187)
modernized the Federal records management statutes to include
emails and electronic records and to reinforce that the
executive branch must manage these records with greater care
and stewardship than what has been observed in recent months
and years.
The Committee notes that NARA has made significant progress
in issuing guidance directing executive branch agencies to
manage electronic Federal records, including email records, as
required by law. The Committee expects NARA to incorporate
email recordkeeping standards into its inspections of other
agencies' records management programs, with special emphasis on
personal and alias email accounts used for conducting official
business. The Committee also notes that NARA has received
additional resources to increase oversight over executive
branch compliance with Federal recordkeeping laws. The
Committee directs NARA to continue to place a high priority on
its recordkeeping oversight mission and to report to the
Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives
and the Senate, the House Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs any instances of substantial non-
compliance by executive agencies or significant risk to Federal
records that are identified in the course of NARA oversight
activities.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $4,801,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 4,241,000
Committee recommendation................................ 4,801,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The mission of the Office of Inspector General is to ensure
that NARA safeguards and preserves the records of our
Government while providing the American people with access to
the essential documentation of their rights and the actions of
their Government. The OIG accomplishes this by combating fraud,
waste, and abuse through high-quality objective audits and
investigations covering all aspects of agency operations at
facilities nationwide. The OIG also serves as an independent,
internal advocate for the economy, efficiency, and
effectiveness of NARA and its operations.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $4,801,000 for the OIG. The
Committee supports a distinct account for the OIG in order to
clearly identify the resources necessary to staff and operate
the expanding mission-critical oversight and accountability
functions performed by the OIG to ensure responsible NARA
stewardship over public records.
REPAIRS AND RESTORATION
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $7,500,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 7,500,000
Committee recommendation................................ 7,500,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This account provides for the repair, alteration, and
improvement of Archives facilities and Presidential libraries
nationwide, and provides adequate storage for holdings. Funding
made available will better enable NARA to maintain its
facilities in proper condition for public visitors,
researchers, and NARA employees, and also maintain the
structural integrity of the buildings.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $7,500,000 for the repairs and
restoration account. This amount is equal to the fiscal year
2018 enacted level and equal to the budget request.
NATIONAL HISTORICAL PUBLICATIONS AND RECORDS COMMISSION
GRANTS PROGRAM
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $6,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 6,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission
[NHPRC] provides grants nationwide to preserve and publish
records that document American history. Administered within the
National Archives, which preserves Federal records, NHPRC helps
State, local, and private institutions preserve non-Federal
records, helps publish the papers of major figures in American
history, and helps archivists and records managers improve
their techniques, training, and ability to serve a range of
information users. Since 1964, the NHPRC has funded nearly
5,000 projects at local government archives, colleges and
universities, and other nonprofit institutions to facilitate
use of public records and other collections by scholars, family
and local historians, journalists, documentary filmmakers, and
many others.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $6,000,000 for the NHPRC. This
amount is equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
The Committee commends the National Archives and Records
Administration and the NHPRC for their work to ensure the
publication and preservation of our Nation's history. The
Committee urges the NHPRC to continue to support the completion
of documentary editions through the Grants Program and to
support the scholarly presentation of our country's most
treasured historical documents.
National Credit Union Administration
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REVOLVING LOAN FUND
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $2,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019...................................................
Committee recommendation................................ 2,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Community Development Revolving Loan Fund [CDRLF]
program was established in 1979 to assist officially designated
``low-income'' credit unions in providing basic financial
services to low-income communities. Low-interest loans and
deposits are made available to assist these credit unions.
Loans or deposits are normally repaid in 5 years, although
shorter repayment periods may be considered. Technical
assistance grants [TAGs] are also available to low-income
credit unions for improving operations as well as addressing
safety and soundness issues. Credit unions use TAG funds for
specific initiatives, including taxpayer assistance, financial
education, home ownership initiatives, and training assistance.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends $2,000,000 for technical
assistance grants to community development credit unions. The
Committee expects the CDRLF to continue making loans from
available funds derived from repaid loans and interest earned
on previous loans to designated credit unions.
Office of Government Ethics
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $16,439,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 16,294,000
Committee recommendation................................ 16,439,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Office of Government Ethics [OGE], a separate agency
within the executive branch, was established by the Ethics in
Government Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-521). The OGE is charged
by law to provide overall direction of executive branch
policies designed to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure
high ethical standards for executive branch employers. The OGE
carries out these responsibilities by promulgating and
maintaining enforceable standards of ethical conduct for nearly
2.7 million civilian employees in more than 130 executive
branch agencies and the White House; overseeing a financial
disclosure system that reaches 26,000 public and over 380,000
confidential financial disclosure report filers; ensuring that
executive branch ethics programs are in compliance with
applicable ethics laws and regulations; providing direct
education and training products to more than 4,500 ethics
officials executive branch-wide; conducting outreach to the
general public, the private sector, and civil society; and
providing technical assistance to, State, local, and foreign
governments, and international organizations.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $16,439,000
for salaries and expenses of the OGE in fiscal year 2019.
Office of Personnel Management
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF TRUST FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $129,341,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 132,172,000
Committee recommendation................................ 132,172,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Office of Personnel Management was established by
Public Law 95-454, the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978,
enacted on October 13, 1978. OPM is responsible for management
of Federal human resources policy and oversight of the merit
civil service system. Although individual agencies are largely
responsible for personnel operations, OPM provides a
Governmentwide framework for human resources policy, advises
and assists agencies (often on a reimbursable basis) with
workforce planning and personnel matters, and ensures that
agency operations are consistent with requirements of law on
issues such as veterans preference and merit system compliance.
OPM oversees examination of applicants for employment in the
competitive service; issues regulations and policies on
recruitment, hiring, classification and pay, training, and
other aspects of personnel management; and manages the process
for personnel security and background checks for suitability
and national security clearances. OPM is also responsible for
administering the retirement, health benefits, and life
insurance programs affecting most Federal employees, retired
Federal employees, and their families and survivors.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a general fund appropriation of
$132,172,000 for the salaries and expenses of the Office of
Personnel Management.
National Background Investigations Bureau.--The National
Background Investigations Bureau [NBIB] was created to
restructure the way OPM handles background investigations in
the wake of the massive breach announced in fiscal year 2016
that exposed sensitive information on millions of current,
former and prospective Federal employees, their family members,
and other contacts. While NBIB has efforts underway to improve,
modernize, and streamline the background investigations process
it continues to face a growing inventory of investigations, as
recently as high as 700,000 investigations. The National
Defense Authorization Act [NDAA] of 2018 Sec. 925 states that
the Secretary of Defense has the authority to conduct all types
of background investigations for Department of Defense [DoD]
personnel and mandates that, by October 1, 2020, DoD will
assume responsibility for its own background investigations
according to the implementation plan developed pursuant to
Sec. 951(a)(1) of the NDAA of 2017. The Committee is aware that
NBIB is cooperating with DoD on the implementation of this
provision and is continuing to analyze other scenarios
including transitioning NBIB outside of OPM. The Committee
directs OPM and NBIB to provide quarterly updates to the
Committees of Appropriations as more developments occur and OPM
issues an assessment of the impact of the transition and
implications to the agency in fiscal year 2019 and beyond.
Official Time.--The Committee notes the importance of
providing insight on official time hours to provide value to
the taxpayer. In 2014, GAO recommended that OPM consider
whether it would be useful to share agencies' practices on
monitoring use of official time. GAO also recommended that OPM
work with agencies to identify opportunities to increase
efficiency of data collection and reporting of official time
data to OPM. As a result, OPM solicited from agencies their
practices on monitoring the use of official time. In its 2018
report, OPM found that bargaining unit employees spent a total
of 3,633,290 hours performing representational duties on
official time in fiscal year 2016, an increase of 4.76 percent
compared to fiscal year 2014. Further, government-wide, the
number of official time hours used per bargaining unit employee
on representational matters increased from 2.88 hours in fiscal
year 2014 to 2.97 hours during fiscal year 2016. The estimated
total payroll costs, average salary and benefits, for fiscal
year 2016 official time hours were $177,211,408, compared to
$162,522,783 in fiscal year 2014. GAO has expressed concerns
about how OPM determines cost estimates and OPM has stated they
will continue to explore alternative approaches. OPM's report
on official time usage in the Federal Government does not
capture a complete accounting of all the costs of union
activities in the Federal Government. OPM's report does not
include the costs of taxpayer-funded facilities, equipment, and
travel expenses agencies provide labor organizations as a
result of collective bargaining. The Committee directs OPM to
assist agencies in strengthening internal controls and
increasing transparency and accountability for monitoring and
reporting on the use of official time.
IT Modernization.--Since fiscal year 2017 the Committee has
provided OPM $32,000,000 to improve IT security and
infrastructure. The Committee notes the progress OPM has made
in its IT Transformation Strategy through activities such as
migrating data center equipment and systems to strategic data
centers and upgrading software components. The Committee
supports OPM's efforts to develop an employee digital record
and modernize the Trust Fund Federal Financial System. However,
the Committee remains concerned about OPM's overall IT posture
and directs OPM to implement the recommendations of GAO reports
and IG reports to improve information security. The Committee
continues a prior directive for OPM to provide quarterly
briefings to the Committees on Appropriations of the House and
Senate outlining progress on its IT Transformation and
Cybersecurity Strategy.
Federal Telework.--The Committee notes that OPM's fiscal
year 2016 report to Congress on the Status of Telework in the
Federal Government found that from 2015 to 2016, telework
participation increased from 20 percent to 22 percent of all
employees and from 46 to 51 percent of eligible employees. The
Committee encourages OPM to work with agencies to continue to
improve data collection methods and provide training for
employees and managers to be effective teleworkers. The
Committee further encourages OPM to work with agencies on
establishing outcome goals for telework and to assess progress
towards achieving those goals.
Trust Fund Federal Financial System.--The Committee
supports OPM's efforts to modernize the Trust Fund Federal
Financial System [FFS] and highlights that the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141) provided
$9,400,000 to modernize FFS. OPM previously stated FFS was
unable to meet many trust fund accounting and related business
processes, resulting in increased inefficiencies across
multiple areas within OPM. In June 2017, OPM issued a Request
for Information [RFI] seeking input from industry. According to
the RFI, OPM was looking for new and innovative technological
approaches and solution options to fill existing technology and
trust fund related business gaps that are preventing the agency
from fulfilling long term strategic goals efficiently and cost
effectively. The Committee directs OPM to submit a report
within 30 days of enactment to the Committee on Appropriations
providing a spend plan for the $18,4000,000 dedicated to the
FFS initiative; the options the agency is pursuing to modernize
FFS; and a timeline for completion of the modernization of FFS.
Retirement Processing.--The Committee acknowledges OPM's
actions to address the backlog of retirement claims and
supports continued efforts to eliminate the backlog. OPM is
directed to continue to inform the Committee of its progress.
Federal Security Clearances.--The Committee notes that in
light of misconduct involving Federal contractor personnel
under OPM's Federal Investigative Services, there has been
increased scrutiny into the process of conducting quality
reviews for security clearance background investigations. The
Committee recognizes the inherent conflict of interest when
Federal security clearance contractors are contractually
permitted to conduct quality reviews of their own work and
urges the OPM Director to prevent future occurrences through
stricter contractual control mechanisms. The Committee notes
that preventing such inherent conflicts of interest with
Federal contractors conducting security clearances
significantly mitigates risk, a critical element to good
governance and U.S. national security. Therefore, the Committee
includes a provision in title VI preventing such contractors
from conducting quality reviews of their own work. To ensure
that contractor work is conducted properly, OPM should ensure
that internal controls are implemented to prevent
investigations from being closed prematurely.
limitation
(TRANSFER OF TRUST FUNDS)
Limitation, 2018........................................ $131,414,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 133,483,000
Committee recommendation................................ 133,483,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
These funds will be transferred from the appropriate trust
funds of the Office of Personnel Management to cover
administrative expenses for the retirement and insurance
programs.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a limitation of $133,483,000 for
administrative expenses.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
salaries and expenses
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF TRUST FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $5,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 5,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 5,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Office of Inspector General is charged with
establishing policies for conducting and coordinating efforts
which promote economy, efficiency, and integrity in the Office
of Personnel Management's activities which prevent and detect
fraud, waste, and mismanagement in the agency's programs.
Contract audits provide professional advice to agency
contracting officials on accounting and financial matters
regarding the negotiation, award, administration, repricing,
and settlement of contracts. Internal agency audits review and
evaluate all facets of agency operations, including financial
statements. Evaluation and inspection services provide detailed
technical evaluations of agency operations. Insurance audits
review the operations of health and life insurance carriers,
healthcare providers, and insurance subscribers. The
investigative function provides for the detection and
investigation of improper and illegal activities involving
programs, personnel, and operations. Administrative sanctions
debar from participation in the health insurance program those
healthcare providers whose conduct may pose a threat to the
financial integrity of the program itself or to the well-being
of insurance program enrollees.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $5,000,000 for
salaries and expenses of the Office of Inspector General in
fiscal year 2019, which is equal to the budget request.
The Committee appreciates the audit work the Inspector
General has conducted on OPM's IT security programs and
practices and supports the OIG's recommendations to improve
OPM's technical security controls. The Committee remains
concerned about OPM's security posture as it overhauls its
technology infrastructure. The Committee encourages the OIG to
continue monitoring OPM's infrastructure improvement process.
The Committee is also concerned about the ability of
contractors to effectively provide assistance to millions of
Americans that were affected by the data breach in addition to
security controls with its existing vendors. The Committee
encourages the OIG to continue to conduct oversight on OPM's
contracting and procurement practices.
Semiannual Report to Congress.--The Committee encourages
the OIG to regularly report in its Semiannual Report to
Congress OPM's efforts to improve and address cybersecurity
challenges including steps taken to prevent, mitigate, and
respond to data breaches involving sensitive personnel records
and information; OPM's cybersecurity policies and procedures in
place, including policies and procedures relating to IT best
practices such as data encryption, multifactor authentication,
and continuous monitoring; OPM's oversight of contractors
providing IT services; and OPM's compliance with government-
wide initiatives to improve cybersecurity.
(LIMITATION ON TRANSFER FROM TRUST FUNDS)
Limitation, 2018........................................ $25,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 25,265,000
Committee recommendation................................ 25,265,000
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a limitation on transfers from the
trust funds in support of the OIG activities totaling
$25,265,000 for fiscal year 2019.
Office of Special Counsel
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $26,535,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 26,252,000
Committee recommendation................................ 26,535,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel [OSC] provides a safe
channel for Federal employees to report waste, fraud, abuse,
and threats to public health and safety.
The OSC was first established on January 1, 1979. From 1979
until 1989, it operated as an autonomous investigative and
prosecutorial arm of the Merit Systems Protection Board. In
1989, Congress enacted the Whistleblower Protection Act (Public
Law 101-12), which made OSC an independent agency within the
executive branch. In 1994, the Uniformed Services Employment
and Reemployment Rights Act (Public Law 103-353) became law. It
defined employment-related rights of persons in connection with
military service, prohibited discrimination against them
because of that service, and gave OSC new authority to pursue
remedies for violations by Federal agencies.
Enactment of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act
(Public Law 112-199) in November 2012 significantly expanded
the jurisdiction of the OSC and the types of cases the OSC is
required by law to investigate.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $26,535,000
for OSC, which is $283,000 above the budget request and equal
to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.
Veterans Affairs cases.--OSC estimates that from fiscal
years 2015 through 2017, Department of Veterans Affairs [VA]
cases increased significantly, surpassing 5,883 new matters.
Notably, three-fourths of OSC's whistleblower disclosures that
are substantiated in full or in part are from the VA. The
Committee commends OSC's ongoing work in obtaining relief for
VA whistleblowers and recognizes that such success may be
contributing to the willingness of VA employees to report
wrongdoing, resulting in the continued increase in VA-related
cases. The Committee supports OSC's efforts to address these
matters and expects that as OSC continues to move toward a more
cohesive internal structure through its ``One OSC'' initiative,
it will be able to allocate personnel resources more
effectively to adjust to unit influxes to help address the
increased VA caseload.
Postal Regulatory Commission
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $15,200,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 15,100,000
Committee recommendation................................ 15,200,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Postal Regulatory Commission [PRC] is an independent
agency that has exercised regulatory oversight over the United
States Postal Service since its creation by the Postal
Reorganization Act of 1970. For over 3 decades, that oversight
consisted primarily of conducting public, on-the-record
hearings concerning proposed rates, mail classification, and
major service changes, and recommended decisions for action to
the Postal Service Board of Governors. The mission of the PRC
is to ensure transparency and accountability of the United
States Postal Service and foster a vital and efficient
universal mail system.
The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (Public Law
109-435) assigned significant responsibilities to the PRC.
These enhanced authorities include providing regulatory
oversight of the pricing of Postal Service products and
services, ensuring Postal Service transparency and
accountability, consulting on delivery service standards and
performance measures, consulting on international postal
policies, preventing cross-subsidization or other
anticompetitive postal practices, and serving as a forum to act
on complaints with postal products and services.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation, out of the
Postal Fund, of $15,200,000 for the PRC.
The Committee urges the PRC, which is funded from the
Postal Service Fund and derived directly from postal rates and
fees paid by postal customers, to optimize efficient use of its
resources, including exercising prudent decision-making.
Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $8,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 5,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 5,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board [PCLOB] is
an independent agency within the executive branch established
by the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act
of 2007 (Public Law 110-53). The Board is the successor to the
Board created within the Executive Office of the President
under the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of
2004 (Public Law 108-458) as recommended in the July 22, 2004
report of the National Commission on Terrorist Acts Upon the
United States (the 9/11 Commission).
The Board's purpose is to review and analyze actions the
executive branch takes to protect the Nation from terrorism,
ensuring the need for such actions is balanced with the need to
protect privacy and civil liberties; and to ensure that liberty
concerns are appropriately considered in the development and
implementation of laws, regulations, and policies related to
efforts to protect the Nation against terrorism.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $5,000,000 for
the PCLOB. In addition, the Board has access to unobligated
balances to fund Board current expenses.
Public Buildings Reform Board
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $5,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 2,000,000
Committee recommendation................................................
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Public Buildings Reform Board was created under the
Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act of 2016 to identify
opportunities for the Government to significantly reduce its
inventory of civilian real property and reduce cost to the
Government.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee supports the Public Buildings Reform Board
and efforts to reduce Federal real property costs by
consolidating and selling underutilized and vacant Federal
buildings and other civilian real property. The fiscal year
2018 budget request for the Board was $2,000,000, while the
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 provided $5,000,000. As
a result, the Board has sufficient resources to meet expected
obligations in fiscal year 2019. Additionally, a Chair has not
been nominated by the President, and the six Board members have
not been appointed by the President, resulting in lower than
anticipated expenditures. As a result, the Committee
recommendation does not include funding for the Board. However,
the Committee will continue to monitor steps being taken to
stand up the Board to ensure sufficient resources are available
to meet program needs.
Securities and Exchange Commission
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $1,896,507,052
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 1,699,052,809
Committee recommendation................................ 1,695,490,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC] is an
independent agency responsible for administering many of the
Nation's laws regulating the areas of securities and finance.
The mission of the SEC is to administer and enforce Federal
securities laws in order to protect investors, maintain fair,
orderly, and efficient markets, and promote capital formation.
This includes ensuring full disclosure of appropriate financial
information, regulating the Nation's securities markets, and
preventing and policing fraud and malpractice in the securities
and financial markets.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends a total budget (obligational)
authority of $1,658,302,000 for the salaries and expenses of
the SEC, to be fully derived from fee collections. The
Committee also provides $37,188,942 for costs associated with
relocation under a replacement lease for the Commission's New
York regional office facilities, should such a new building be
the winning alternative in a competitive procurement process to
be conducted by the GSA. The total appropriation of $37,188,942
will be fully derived from offsetting collections whereby any
unused portion of the funds would be refunded to fee payers.
The Committee expects the Commission to work closely with the
GSA to keep the Committee informed of progress on the
replacement lease.
Fee Offset Nature of Account.--Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank
Act, transaction fees receipts are treated as offsetting
collections equal to the amount of the appropriation.
Reserve Fund Notifications.--The Committee appreciates the
SEC's adherence to its obligation to notify Congress of the
date, amount, and purpose of any obligation from the Fund
within 10 days of such obligation. The Committee directs the
SEC, in its written notifications to Congress required by 15
U.S.C. 78d(i)(3) regarding amounts obligated from the SEC
Reserve Fund, to specify: (1) the balance in the fund remaining
available after the obligation is deducted; (2) the estimated
total cost of the project for which amounts are being deducted;
(3) the total amount for all projects that have withdrawn
funding from the Reserve Fund since fiscal year 2012; and (4)
the estimated amount, per project, that will be required to
complete all ongoing projects which use funding derived from
the Reserve Fund.
Spending Plan.--The Committee directs the SEC to submit,
within 30 days of enactment, a detailed spending plan for the
allocation of appropriated funds displayed by discrete program,
project, and activity, including staffing projections,
specifying both FTEs and contractors, and planned investments
in information technology. The Committee also directs the SEC
to submit, within 30 days of enactment, a detailed spending
plan for the allocation of expenditures from the Reserve Fund.
Promoting Capital Formation.--The opportunity to invest in
the public companies has provided Main Street investors,
workers planning for retirement, and families saving for
college access to an extraordinary engine of wealth creation:
equity ownership in growing businesses. Accordingly, the
Committee is concerned by the decades-long decline in the
number of public companies and initial public offerings in the
United States. The Committee directs the Commission to consider
the factors that may be driving these trends and report to the
Committee on its conclusions within 90 days of enactment. The
Commission's consideration of these matters should include the
greater availability of exemptions and the potential burdens
imposed by registration policies, reporting requirements, and
proxy rules and the impact of proxy advisory firms.
Disclosure Thresholds.--The Committee is concerned that
investors could be circumventing the 5 percent disclosure
threshold required by section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act. The Committee encourages the Commission to take steps so
that investors may not use derivatives to conceal their true
voting or investment power, to the extent the Commission
currently has jurisdiction over such derivatives. Similarly,
the Committee advises the Commission to take steps so that
groups of investors are not allowed to avoid disclosure by
breaking investments into smaller pieces that are under five
percent.
Cybersecurity Disclosure.--The Committee appreciates the
effort made by the Commission to provide clarity through its
most recent interpretive guidance to assist public companies in
preparing disclosures about cybersecurity risks and incidents.
In particular, the Committee commends the Commission for
recognizing that disclosures regarding ``how the board of
directors engages with management on cybersecurity issues allow
investors to assess how a board of directors is discharging its
risk oversight responsibility in this increasingly important
area.'' Still, the Committee encourages the Commission to build
on this effort, for example, by carefully monitoring the
disclosures provided by public companies after the Commission's
statement and interpretative guidance and by working to ensure
that cybersecurity risks are being appropriately disclosed so
that investors may have the material information necessary to
make reasonable investment decisions.
Registered Investment Professionals.--The Committee
recognizes the distinct roles of firms registered under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and of those solely registered
under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The Committee
encourages the Commission to be mindful of these differences in
its pending rulemaking actions, as well as in any future
rulemakings that the Commission conducts.
Selective Service System
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $22,900,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 26,400,000
Committee recommendation................................ 26,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Selective Service System is an independent Federal
agency, operating with permanent authorization under the
Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 451 et seq.).
The agency is not part of the Department of Defense, but its
basic mission is to be prepared to supply manpower to the Armed
Forces adequate to ensure the security of the United States
during a time of national emergency. Since 1973, the Armed
Forces have relied on volunteers to fill military manpower
requirements. However, the Selective Service System remains the
primary vehicle by which personnel will be brought into the
military if Congress and the President should authorize a
return to the draft.
In December 1987, Selective Service was tasked by law
(Public Law 100-180) to develop plans for a postmobilization
healthcare personnel delivery system capable of providing the
necessary critically skilled healthcare personnel to the Armed
Forces in time of emergency. An automated system capable of
handling mass registration and inductions is now complete,
together with necessary draft legislation, a draft Presidential
proclamation, prototype forms and letters, and other products.
These products will be available should the need arise. The
development of supplemental standby products, such as a
compliance system for healthcare personnel, continues using
very limited existing resources.
committee recommendation
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $26,000,000
for the Selective Service System.
Small Business Administration
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $700,840,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 678,928,000
Committee recommendation................................ 699,270,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Small Business Administration [SBA] provides American
entrepreneurs access to capital, Federal contracting
opportunities, and entrepreneurial education in order to grow
businesses and create jobs. The SBA also provides disaster
assistance for businesses of all sizes, non-profit
organizations, homeowners, and renters.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommendation provides $699,270,000 for the
Small Business Administration. Funding is distributed among the
SBA appropriation accounts as described below.
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $268,500,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 265,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 267,500,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Salaries and Expenses appropriation provides for the
overall operating expenses of the SBA, including compensation
and benefits for staff located at headquarters, regional, and
district offices, rent and other agency-wide costs, and
operating costs for program offices, including the Office of
Capital Access, Office of Credit Risk Management, Office of
Entrepreneurial Development, Office of Investments and
Innovation, Office of Government Contracting and Business
Development, Office of International Trade, Office of
Management and Administration, and for other program and
supporting offices.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommendation provides $267,500,000 for
salaries and expenses of the SBA.
The Committee recommends at least $12,000,000 for the SBA's
Office of Credit Risk Management [OCRM] for lender oversight
and risk-based reviews. Funding for the Office of General
Counsel has been provided separately from this total. In
support of its mission to analyze and manage the risk of the
SBA's loan portfolio, OCRM performs performance analytics to
identify and understand lender performance trends and assess
the quality of the overall loan portfolio. The Committee finds
that OCRM must play a key role in eliminating waste, fraud, and
abuse in the SBA lending programs and protecting taxpayer
losses on loans by ensuring lenders comply with procedures that
mitigate the risk of loss under the SBA's loan programs.
The Committee is concerned about the quality of lender
oversight activities at the SBA, particularly considering the
magnitude of the SBA's loan portfolio, and notes that the SBA's
OIG continues to identify weaknesses in the SBA's lender
oversight process. The 7(a) loan program alone has grown over
50 percent in the past three fiscal years, and the Committee
strongly believes the SBA must conduct robust oversight and
enforcement efforts to ensure the integrity of all lending
programs. The SBA loan programs rely on numerous outside
parties (e.g., private lenders, local economic development
organizations, nonprofit community lenders, and venture capital
investors) to complete loan transactions, and many of the SBA's
loans are made by lenders to whom the SBA has delegated loan-
making authority. GAO recently found that the SBA does not
routinely collect or analyze information on the criteria used
by lenders for borrowers who cannot obtain conventional credit
at reasonable terms elsewhere (GAO-18-421). GAO recommended
specific steps to improve the SBA's monitoring efforts. The
SBA's Inspector General also recently found that certain 7(a)
loans to poultry farmers did not meet regulatory and SBA
requirements for eligibility (OIG Report 18-13). The Committee
agrees with GAO and the SBA OIG recommendations and urges the
SBA to implement controls to reinforce general program
soundness and manage overall risk.
NAICS Code.--The SBA has three exceptions to the North
American Industry Classification System [NAICS] Code 541712.
These exceptions, due to their similarity, have created
confusion in the procurement process and unnecessarily limited
opportunities for small businesses. Therefore, the Committee
directs the SBA to consolidate the three current exceptions
into one single exception, with an employee cap of 1,500. The
methodology for determining employee size for NAICS Codes
should also be revised to use a 36 month rolling average
computation in lieu of a 12 month rolling average.
SBIC Licensing.--The Committee would like to see an
expedited and streamlined licensing process for known, repeat
Small Business Investment Companies [SBICs] that have the same
management teams and a proven track record in the SBIC Program.
A fast-track process for repeat licensees should be completed
no longer than 60-90 days after an application is submitted to
the SBA, which will allow the SBA to properly redirect their
licensing resources to more first-time funds. The SBA should
improve their ``green light letter,'' so that it clearly
outlines the needed benchmarks for license approval. The SBA
should not reduce the amount or type of SBIC program data it
has reported for years and should make that data available no
less than 10 business days after the end of the quarter.
SBIC Concentration.--The Committee is concerned about the
geographic concentration of SBICs. Seventy-two percent of all
SBICs are located in 10 states, and seventeen states do not
have a single SBIC. Regardless of the geographic spread of
investments being made in small businesses by SBICs, there is
great economic value for firms receiving SBIC financing to have
increased proximity to their investors, as well as economic
value for regions that contain SBICs. The Committee looks
forward to receiving a report as directed in the Joint
Explanatory Statement of the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2018 directing the SBA to develop a plan to increase the
geographic dispersion of SBICs and the number of SBICs in
states that currently do not have them. The Committee further
directs the SBIC program to include in its annual report
progress on this plan as part of the authorizing statute's
direction to detail ``the Administration's plans to insure the
provision of small business investment company financing to all
areas of the country.'' The Committee also encourages the SBA
to conduct Investment Committee interviews on-site or as close
to the applicant's physical location as possible.
SBIC Collaboration.--The SBA is directed to continue its
collaborative effort with the SEC to ensure effective oversight
of SBICs and the protection of SBIC investors.
Federal and State Technology Partnership Program.--The
Committee recommends $3,000,000 for the Federal and State
Technology [FAST] Partnership Program in fiscal year 2019. The
Committee supports the FAST program's efforts to reach
innovative, technology-driven small businesses and to leverage
the Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR] and Small
Business Technology Transfer [STTR] program to stimulate
economic development. The FAST program is particularly
important in States that are seeking to build high technology
industries but are underrepresented in the SBIR/STTR programs.
The Committee recognizes that Small Business and Technology
Development Centers [SBTDCs] serve small businesses in these
fields and are accredited to provide intellectual property and
technology commercialization assistance to businesses in high
technology industries. Of the amount provided, $1,000,000 shall
be for FAST awards to SBTDCs fully accredited for technology
designation as of December 31, 2018.
Interagency Committee for Women's Business Enterprise.--The
Committee recognizes the efforts of the SBA, along with the
National Women's Business Council, in leading current efforts
at the Federal level to assist women-owned businesses and
entrepreneurs. The Committee encourages the SBA to examine the
re-establishment of the Interagency Committee for Women's
Business Enterprise in order to improve the ability of the
Federal Government to better coordinate Federal resources
assisting women business owners and eliminate redundancies
among Federal agencies.
ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $247,100,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 192,450,000
Committee recommendation................................ 241,600,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The SBA's Entrepreneurial Development Programs support non-
credit business assistance to entrepreneurs. The appropriation
includes funding for a vast network of resource partners
located throughout the Nation, including Small Business
Development Centers, Women's Business Centers, SCORE
(previously Service Corps of Retired Executives) chapters, and
Veterans Business Outreach centers. This resource network and
several other SBA programs provide training, counseling, and
technical assistance to entrepreneurs.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommendation provides $241,600,000 for the
SBA Entrepreneurial Development Programs.
The Committee recommendations, by program, are displayed in
the following table:
ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
[In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee
recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
7(j) Technical Assistance............................... 2,800
Entrepreneurship Education.............................. 2,000
Growth Accelerators..................................... 2,000
HUBZone Program......................................... 3,000
Microloan Technical Assistance.......................... 31,000
National Women's Business Council....................... 1,500
Native American Outreach................................ 2,000
Regional Innovation Clusters............................ 5,000
SCORE................................................... 11,500
Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs).............. 130,000
State Trade Expansion Promotion (STEP).................. 18,000
Veterans Outreach....................................... 12,300
PRIME Technical Assistance.............................. 2,500
Women's Business Centers (WBC).......................... 18,000
---------------
Total, Entrepreneurial Development Programs....... 241,600
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Committee directs that the amounts provided for SBA's
Entrepreneurial Development Programs, as specified in the table
above, shall be administered in the same manner as previous
years and shall not be reduced, reallocated, or reprogrammed to
provide additional funds for other programs, initiatives, or
activities.
Small Business Development Centers.--The Committee
continues to support the Small Business Development Center
[SBDC] Program and recommends $130,000,000 for fiscal year
2019. SBDCs play an integral role in the SBA resource partner
network that supports 1,200,000 small business owners and
aspiring entrepreneurs each year. Through more than 900 service
centers, SBDCs provide management and technical assistance in
key areas to small business clients throughout the Nation. The
SBDC program is the largest grant program in the SBA's
portfolio. The OIG has identified problems with co-mingling
SBDC grant funds with private- enterprise contributions and
accounting for required matching funds. Some SBDCs are also co-
located with WBC's, which makes it difficult to determine what
services are associated with each grant program. In addition,
having two grant programs delivering similar services increases
the risk of duplicating services and contributes to government
waste. A recent OIG review determined that an SBDC's subcenters
did not adequately document employees' time and effort on the
grant (Report 16-06). The Committee urges the SBA to conduct
comprehensive credit risk management through its loan and
lender monitoring system and focused reviews of SBA lending
partners to identify both performance and compliance risk
behaviors. These tools and updated processes will enhance risk
mitigation in a cost-effective manner. Multi-stage portfolio
monitoring and targeted levels of assessments will allow SBA
staff to determine the potential risk of each lending partner
and what level and scope of review is most applicable. The
Committee stresses the importance of improving its oversight
and controls of grants for entrepreneurial development.
The Committee directs that, subject to the availability of
funds, the Administrator of the SBA shall, to the extent
practicable, ensure that a small business development center is
appropriately reimbursed within the same fiscal year in which
the expenses are submitted for reimbursement for any and all
legitimate expenses incurred in carrying out activities under
section 21(a)(1) et seq. of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
648(a)(1) et seq.).
SCORE.--The Committee recommends $11,500,000 for the SCORE
Program (formerly known as the Service Corps of Retired
Executives). The SCORE program is a national volunteer
organization which provides management and technical assistance
training to small business owners and prospective owners. SCORE
counselors are volunteers who assist clients virtually and in-
person through 350 SCORE chapter offices, SBA's 68 district
offices, and other establishments. The program is authorized to
solicit cash and in-kind contributions from the private sector
to be used to carry out its functions and provides services at
no charge or very low cost. The Committee understands that the
cooperative agreement to SCORE funds volunteer recruitment,
training and support, equipment and leases, technology,
management systems, evaluations, marketing materials, and
course development necessary for a successful volunteer
provider network. The Committee directs the SBA to provide to
the Committee within 60 days of enactment a cost break-out of
direct costs including grants and contracts and compensation
and benefits as well as agency-wide costs such as rent.
Further, the Committee directs SBA to provide performance
metrics on the program including how the program will meet its
target of serving 600,000 clients each year and how the program
determines the number of small businesses created by SCORE.
Women's Business Centers.--The Committee recommends
$18,000,000 for WBCs. The WBC program funds more than 100
nonprofit organizations that provide quality advising and
training services to women entrepreneurs in socially or
economically disadvantaged communities in an effort to help
women start their own businesses. Participating organizations
must match the Federal funding with one non-Federal dollar for
every two Federal dollars during the first 2 years and on a
one-to-one basis thereafter. The Committee recommends that the
SBA refine and share its quarterly dashboard of performance
goals with all WBCs for transparency and coordinate services
with other business assistance programs to avoid duplication.
Veterans Programs.--The Committee supports funding for
veterans programs and provides $12,300,000 for veterans
outreach, which includes funding for Veterans Business Outreach
Centers, Boots to Business, Veteran-Women Igniting the Spirit
of Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans
with Disabilities, and Boots to Business Reboot. The
recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2018 enacted level
and above the budget request.
Native American Outreach.--The SBA's Office of Native
American Affairs works to ensure that American Indians, Alaska
Natives, and Native Hawaiians seeking to create, develop, and
expand small businesses have full access to SBA's
entrepreneurial development, lending, and procurement programs.
The Committee recommends $2,000,000 for SBA's Native American
Outreach program. The recommendation is equal to the fiscal
year 2018 enacted level and above the budget request. The
Committee encourages the SBA to coordinate the Native American
Outreach program to ensure there is no duplication or overlap
and that these programs operate at the highest quality level.
HUBZone.--The Historically Underutilized Business Zones
[HUBZone] program helps small businesses in urban and rural
communities gain preferential access to Federal procurement
opportunities. The Committee recommends $3,000,000 for the
HUBZone program. This program is a critical resource for
distressed communities, especially those surrounding military
bases closed under the Base Realignment and Closure process.
Regional Innovation Clusters.--The Committee recommends
$5,000,000 for the SBA's regional innovation clusters. The
Committee encourages the SBA to support nonprofit organizations
that provide business development services designed to
accelerate industry sectors built on regional assets under the
initiative. The Committee encourages the SBA to support
initiatives that promote a culture of innovative
entrepreneurship and provide services and support directly to
early-stage and high-tech innovation opportunities.
State Trade and Expansion Promotion [STEP].--The Committee
recommends $18,000,000 for STEP for fiscal year 2018. STEP
provides grants to states to supplement their export promotion
programs with the goal of increasing the number of small
businesses that are exporting and raising the value of exports
for small businesses that are already exporting. States provide
matching funds for STEP grants and have used funds to support
trade missions, international marketing efforts, export
counseling, and export trade show exhibits.
The SBA's Inspector General recently reported on the extent
to which STEP recipients measured program activity performance
and overall management and effectiveness of STEP (Report 18-
11). The OIG found that the SBA made significant progress in
improving the overall management and effectiveness of STEP
since 2012 but that the SBA needs to improve its performance
measures and program oversight. Specifically, the SBA relied on
unverified return on investment measurements instead of other
performance measures and did not ensure program recipients
achieved program goals. The Committee urges the SBA to
implement the OIG's recommendations to improve the overall
management and effectiveness of STEP.
Entrepreneurial Education.--The Committee recommends
$2,000,000 for the entrepreneurial education program. The
recommendation will allow the SBA to support its
entrepreneurial education initiative to provide intensive
training to small business owners with existing small
businesses that have completed the ``start up'' phase and are
facing common, solvable challenges to sustain and grow their
businesses.
Growth Accelerators.--The Committee recommends $2,000,000
for growth accelerators--organizations that help entrepreneurs
start and scale their business--which provide awards in the
amount of $50,000. Within amounts provided for growth
accelerators, the SBA shall prioritize funding to applications
from States that have not previously received an award.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $19,900,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 21,900,000
Committee recommendation................................ 21,900,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The SBA Office of Inspector General conducts audits to
identify wasteful expenditures and program mismanagement,
investigates fraud and other wrongdoing, and takes other
actions to deter and detect waste, fraud, abuse, and
inefficiencies in SBA programs and operations.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommendation provides $21,900,000 for the
OIG.
The Committee directs the OIG to continue routine analysis
and reporting on the SBA's oversight of the 7(a) loan program;
effective management of counseling and training services
offered by partner organizations; and the SBA's management of
the Disaster Assistance Program.
OFFICE OF ADVOCACY
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $9,120,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 9,120,000
Committee recommendation................................ 9,120,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Office of Advocacy, an independent office within the
SBA, solicits and represents the views, concerns, and interests
of small businesses before Congress, the White House, Federal
agencies, Federal courts, and State policymakers.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommendation provides $9,120,000 for the
Office of Advocacy.
BUSINESS LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $156,220,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 4,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 159,150,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The SBA administers a variety of loan programs to expand
entrepreneurs' access to capital to start and grow small
businesses. The 7(a) loan program is the Federal Government's
primary business loan program to assist small businesses in
obtaining financing when they do not qualify for traditional
credit. Under 7(a), the SBA guarantees a portion (typically 75
to 90 percent) of loans made by private lenders. Under the 504
program, the SBA supports loans to small businesses for
financing major fixed assets such as real estate and major
equipment. The 504 program combines SBA guaranteed loans made
by nonprofit Certified Development Companies with loans from
private lenders to provide financing for small businesses.
Under the Small Business Investment Company [SBIC] program,
the SBA partners with professionally managed investment funds,
called SBICs. The SBICs combine their own capital with funds
borrowed with an SBA guarantee to make investments in small
businesses.
Finally, under the Microloan program, the SBA provides
funds to specialized nonprofit, community-based intermediary
lenders which provide small loans for working capital,
inventory, and other operating expenses. The maximum microloan
is $50,000 and the average loan made under the program is
approximately $13,000.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommendation provides $159,150,000 for the
Business Loans Program Account for fiscal year 2019.
The recommendation provides $155,150,000 for administrative
expenses, which may be transferred to and merged with SBA
salaries and expenses to cover the common overhead expenses
associated with the business loans programs.
The recommendation provides $4,000,000 for the Microloan
direct loan program to support lending volume estimated at
$42,000,000. An additional amount of $31,000,000 is recommended
under the heading ``Entrepreneurial Development Programs'' for
technical assistance grants to Microlending intermediaries.
DISASTER LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018....................................................
Budget estimate, 2019................................... $186,458,000
Committee recommendation................................................
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The SBA provides low-interest, long-term loans to
businesses of all sizes, homeowners, renters, and nonprofit
organizations affected by disasters. The SBA disaster loans are
the primary form of Federal assistance for the repair and
rebuilding of non-farm, private sector disaster losses. The SBA
makes two types of disaster loans. Physical disaster loans are
for permanent rebuilding and replacement of uninsured or
underinsured disaster-damaged privately owned real and/or
personal property and are available to businesses of all sizes,
nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters. Economic
Injury Disaster Loans provide necessary working capital for
small businesses and nonprofit organizations until normal
operations resume after a disaster.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The bill provides no funding for the administrative costs
of the Disaster Loans Program. The Disaster Loans Program
Administration account received $225,000,000 in supplemental
funding in Public Law 115-56 and $618,000,000 in Public Law
115-123. As of May 31, 2018, the SBA had $580,000,000 available
in unobligated no-year administrative funds. However, the
Committee will continue to monitor the SBA's staffing needs and
its response to prior and future disaster events and
declarations.
SBA Disaster Loan Duplication of Assistance.--The Committee
is concerned that some disaster victims are penalized with
disaster relief benefit reductions if they apply for SBA
disaster loans but wind up not taking the loan when other
federal assistance is awarded. The Committee urges the SBA to
continue working with the Department of Housing and Urban
Development on the consideration of whether an applicant for
assistance from the grantee applied and was approved for, but
declined, assistance related to the major disaster from the
administration under section 7(b) of the Small Business Act.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
(INCLUDING RESCISSION AND TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Section 530 continues a provision concerning transfer
authority and availability of funds.
Section 531 includes a provision concerning 7(a) loan level
authority.
United States Postal Service
PAYMENT TO THE POSTAL SERVICE FUND
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $58,118,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 55,235,000
Committee recommendation................................ 55,235,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The United States Postal Service does not depend upon
taxpayer subsidies through discretionary appropriations for its
operations but generates nearly all of its more than
$65,000,000,000 in annual gross operating revenue by charging
users of the mail for the costs of postage, products, and
services. Funds provided to the Postal Service in the Payment
to the Postal Service Fund include appropriations for revenue
forgone including providing free mail for the blind, and for
overseas absentee voting.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends appropriations totaling
$55,235,000 for payment to the Postal Service Fund to
compensate for revenue forgone on free mail for the blind and
for overseas voters.
The Committee includes provisions in the bill to ensure
that mail for overseas voting and mail for the blind shall
continue to be free; that 6-day delivery and rural delivery of
mail shall continue without reduction; and that none of the
funds provided be used to consolidate or close small rural and
other small post offices in fiscal year 2019.
Multinational Species Conservation Fund Semi-Postal
Stamp.--The Committee supports the Multinational Species
Conservation Fund Semi-Postal Stamp. The Committee understands
that more than 40 million copies of the original printing of
the stamp remain. As the law permits the US. Postal Service to
continue to sell the stamp and it can be done at no additional
cost to the taxpayer, the Committee directs the US. Postal
Service to continue to offer the stamp for sale to the public
through fiscal year 2020.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $245,000,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 234,650,000
Committee recommendation................................ 250,000,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The United States Postal Service OIG is an independent
organization established in 1996 and charged with reporting to
Congress on the overall efficiency, effectiveness, and economy
of Postal Service programs and operations.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation, out of the
Postal Fund, of $250,000,000 for the United States Postal
Service OIG. The amount is $5,000,000 above the fiscal year
2018 enacted level to address the growing concern of narcotics
trafficking through the mail system.
United States Tax Court
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 2018.................................... $50,740,000
Budget estimate, 2019................................... 55,563,000
Committee recommendation................................ 51,515,000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The U.S. Tax Court is an independent judicial body in the
legislative branch established in 1969 under Article I of the
Constitution of the United States. The Court was created to
provide a national forum for the resolution of disputes between
taxpayers and the Internal Revenue Service, to resolve cases
expeditiously while giving careful consideration to the merits
of each matter, and to ensure the uniform interpretation of the
Internal Revenue Code.
The Tax Court is one of three courts in which taxpayers can
bring suit to contest IRS liability determinations, and the
only one in which taxpayers can do so without prepaying any
portion of the disputed taxes. The matters over which the Court
has jurisdiction are set forth in various sections of title 26
of the United States Code.
The Court is composed of 19 judges, one of whom the judges
elect as chief judge. Tax Court judges are appointed to 15-year
terms by the President with the advice and consent of the
Senate. In their judicial duties the judges are assisted by
senior judges, who participate in the adjudication of regular
cases, and by special trial judges, who hear small tax cases
and certain regular cases assigned to them by the chief judge.
The Court is headquartered in Washington, DC, and conducts
trial sessions in 74 cities throughout the United States,
including Hawaii and Alaska. Decisions by the Court are
reviewable by the U.S. Courts of Appeals and, if certiorari is
granted, by the Supreme Court.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $51,515,000
for the U.S. Tax Court.
STATEMENT CONCERNING GENERAL PROVISIONS
The Financial Services and General Government
appropriations bill includes general provisions which govern
both the activities of the agencies covered by the bill, and,
in some cases, activities of agencies, programs, and general
government activities that are not specifically covered by the
bill.
The bill contains a number of general provisions that have
been carried in this bill for many years and which are routine
in nature and scope. General provisions in the bill are
explained under this section of the report. Those general
provisions that deal with a single agency only are shown as
administrative provisions immediately following that particular
agency's or department's appropriation accounts in the bill.
Those provisions that address activities or directives
affecting all of the agencies covered in this bill are
contained in title VI. General provisions that are
Governmentwide in scope are specified in title VII of this
bill. General provisions applicable to the District of Columbia
are set forth in title VIII of this bill.
TITLE VI
GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS ACT
Section 601 continues the provision prohibiting pay and
other expenses of non-Federal parties intervening in regulatory
or adjudicatory proceedings funded in this act.
Section 602 continues the provision prohibiting obligations
beyond the current fiscal year and prohibits transfers of funds
unless expressly provided.
Section 603 continues the provision limiting expenditures
for any consulting service through procurement contracts where
such expenditures are a matter of public record and available
for public inspection.
Section 604 continues the provision prohibiting funds in
this act from being transferred without express authority.
Section 605 continues the provision prohibiting the use of
funds to engage in activities that would prohibit the
enforcement of section 307 of the 1930 Tariff Act (46 Stat.
590).
Section 606 continues the provision prohibiting the use of
funds unless the recipient agrees to comply with the Buy
American Act.
Section 607 continues the provision prohibiting funding for
any person or entity convicted of violating the Buy American
Act.
Section 608 continues the provision authorizing the
reprogramming of funds and specifies the reprogramming
procedures for agencies funded by this act.
Section 609 continues the provision ensuring that 50
percent of unobligated balances may remain available for
certain purposes.
Section 610 continues the provision restricting the use of
funds for the Executive Office of the President to request
official background reports from the Federal Bureau of
Investigation without the written consent of the individual who
is the subject of the report.
Section 611 continues the provision ensuring that the cost
accounting standards shall not apply with respect to a contract
under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
Section 612 continues the provision allowing use of certain
funds relating to nonforeign area cost of living allowances.
Section 613 continues the provision prohibiting the
expenditure of funds for abortions under the Federal Employees
Health Benefits Program.
Section 614 continues the provision providing an exemption
from section 613 if the life of the mother is in danger or the
pregnancy is a result of an act of rape or incest.
Section 615 continues the provision waiving restrictions on
the purchase of nondomestic articles, materials, and supplies
in the case of acquisition by the Federal Government of
information technology.
Section 616 continues a provision on the acceptance by
agencies or commissions funded by this act, or by their
officers or employees, of payment or reimbursement for travel,
subsistence, or related expenses from any person or entity (or
their representative) that engages in activities regulated by
such agencies or commissions.
Section 617 continues a provision permitting the Securities
and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission to fund a joint advisory committee to advise on
emerging regulatory issues, notwithstanding section 708 of this
act.
Section 618 continues the provision requiring agencies
covered by this act with independent leasing authority to
consult with the General Services Administration before seeking
new office space or making alterations to existing office
space.
Section 619 provides for several appropriated mandatory
accounts, where authorizing language requires the payment of
funds for Compensation of the President, the Judicial
Retirement Funds (Judicial Officers' Retirement Fund, Judicial
Survivors' Annuities Fund, and the United States Court of
Federal Claims Judges' Retirement Fund), the Government Payment
for Annuitants for Employee Health Benefits and Employee Life
Insurance, and the Payment to the Civil Service Retirement and
Disability Fund. In addition, language is included for certain
retirement, healthcare and survivor benefits required by 3
U.S.C. 102 note.
Section 620 is a provision allowing the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board to obligate amounts collected from
monetary penalties for the purpose of funding scholarships for
accounting students, as authorized by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002 (Public Law 107-204).
Section 621 continues the provision prohibiting funds for
the Federal Trade Commission to complete the draft report on
food marketed to children unless certain requirements are met.
Section 622 continues a provision addressing conflicts of
interest by preventing contractor security clearance-related
background investigators from undertaking final Federal reviews
of their own work.
Section 623 continues the provision providing authority for
Chief Information Officers over information technology
spending.
Section 624 continues the provision prohibiting funds from
being used in contravention of the Federal Records Act.
Section 625 continues the provision related to electronic
communications.
Section 626 continues the provision relating to Universal
Service Fund payments for wireless providers.
Section 627 continues the provision relating to inspectors
general.
Section 628 continues the provision relating to pornography
and computer networks.
Section 629 continues the provision relating to the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
Section 630 is a new provision to prohibit funds to pay for
award or incentive fees for contractors with below satisfactory
performance.
Section 631 is a new provision relating to conference
expenditures.
Section 632 is a new provision to prohibit acquisition of
certain telecommunications equipment.
Section 633 is a new provision relating to Federal travel.
TITLE VII
GENERAL PROVISIONS--GOVERNMENTWIDE
Departments, Agencies, and Corporations
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Section 701 continues the provision requiring agencies to
administer a policy designed to ensure that all of its
workplaces are free from the illegal use of controlled
substances.
Section 702 continues the provision setting specific limits
on the cost of passenger vehicles purchased by the Federal
Government with exceptions for police, heavy duty, electric
hybrid, and clean fuels vehicles with an exception for
commercial vehicles that operate on emerging motor vehicle
technology.
Section 703 continues the provision allowing funds made
available to agencies for travel to also be used for quarters
allowances and cost-of-living allowances.
Section 704 continues the provision prohibiting the
Government, with certain specified exceptions, from employing
non-U.S. citizens whose posts of duty would be in the
continental United States.
Section 705 continues the provision ensuring that agencies
will have authority to pay the General Services Administration
for space renovation and other services.
Section 706 continues the provision allowing agencies to
use receipts from the sale of materials for acquisition, waste
reduction and prevention, environmental management programs,
and other Federal employee programs.
Section 707 continues the provision providing that funds
for administrative expenses may be used to pay rent and other
service costs in the District of Columbia.
Section 708 continues the provision precluding interagency
financing of groups absent prior statutory approval.
Section 709 continues the provision prohibiting the use of
appropriated funds for enforcing regulations disapproved in
accordance with the applicable law of the United States.
Section 710 continues the provision limiting the amount
that can be used for redecoration of offices under certain
circumstances.
Section 711 continues the provision that permits
interagency funding of national security and emergency
preparedness telecommunications initiatives, which benefit
multiple Federal departments, agencies, and entities.
Section 712 continues the provision requiring agencies to
certify that a schedule C appointment was not created solely or
primarily to detail the employee to the White House.
Section 713 continues the provision prohibiting the use of
funds to prevent Federal employees from communicating with
Congress or to take disciplinary or personnel actions against
employees for such communication.
Section 714 continues the provision prohibiting Federal
training not directly related to the performance of official
duties.
Section 715 continues the provision prohibiting the use of
appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda designed to
support or defeat legislation pending before Congress.
Section 716 continues the provision prohibiting the use of
appropriated funds by an agency to provide home addresses of
Federal employees to labor organizations, absent employee
authorization, or court order.
Section 717 continues the provision prohibiting the use of
appropriated funds to provide nonpublic information such as
mailing or telephone lists to any person or organization
outside of the Government without approval of the Committees on
Appropriations.
Section 718 continues the provision prohibiting the use of
appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda purposes within
the United States not authorized by Congress.
Section 719 continues the provision directing agencies'
employees to use official time in an honest effort to perform
official duties.
Section 720 continues the provision authorizing the use of
current fiscal year funds to finance an appropriate share of
the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board administrative
costs.
Section 721 continues a provision authorizing the transfer
of funds to the General Services Administration to finance an
appropriate share of various Governmentwide boards and councils
under certain conditions.
Section 722 continues the provision authorizing
breastfeeding at any location in a Federal building or on
Federal property.
Section 723 continues the provision permitting interagency
funding of the National Science and Technology Council, and
requiring an OMB report on the budget and resources of the
Council.
Section 724 continues the provision requiring
identification of the Federal agencies providing Federal funds
and the amount provided for all proposals, solicitations, grant
applications, forms, notifications, press releases, or other
publications related to the distribution of funding to a State.
Section 725 continues the provision prohibiting the use of
funds to monitor personal information relating to the use of
Federal Internet sites.
Section 726 continues the provision regarding contraceptive
coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan.
Section 727 continues the provision recognizing that the
United States is committed to ensuring the health of the
Olympic, Pan American and Paralympic athletes, and supports the
strict adherence to antidoping in sport activities.
Section 728 continues the provision allowing departments
and agencies to use official travel funds to participate in the
fractional aircraft ownership pilot programs.
Section 729 continues the provision prohibiting funds for
implementation of OPM regulations limiting detailees to the
legislative branch and placing certain limitations on the Coast
Guard Congressional Fellowship program.
Section 730 continues the provision prohibiting the
expenditure of funds for the acquisition of certain additional
Federal law enforcement training facilities.
Section 731 continues a provision that prohibits executive
branch agencies from creating or funding prepackaged news
stories that are broadcast or distributed in the United States
unless specific notification conditions are met.
Section 732 continues a provision prohibiting funds used in
contravention of the Privacy Act, section 552a of title 5,
United States Code or section 522.224 of title 48 of the Code
of Federal Regulations.
Section 733 continues a provision prohibiting funds in this
or any other act from being used for Federal contracts with
inverted domestic corporations or other corporations using
similar inverted structures, unless the contract preceded this
act or the Secretary grants a waiver in the interest of
national security.
Section 734 continues a provision requiring agencies to
remit to the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund an
amount equal to the Office of Personnel Management's average
unit cost of processing a retirement claim for the preceding
fiscal year to be available to the Office of Personnel
Management for the cost of processing retirements of employees
who separate under Voluntary Early Retirement Authority or who
receive Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments.
Section 735 continues a provision prohibiting funds to
require any entity submitting an offer for a Federal contract
to disclose political contributions.
Section 736 continues a provision prohibiting funds for the
painting of a portrait of an employee of the Federal Government
including the President, the Vice President, a Member of
Congress, the head of an executive branch agency, of the head
of an office of the legislative branch.
Section 737 continues a provision limiting the pay
increases of certain prevailing rate employees.
Section 738 continues a provision eliminating automatic
statutory pay increases for the Vice President, political
appointees paid under the executive schedule, ambassadors who
are not career members of the Foreign Service, politically
appointed (noncareer) Senior Executive Service employees, and
any other senior political appointee paid at or above level IV
of the executive schedule.
Section 739 continues a provision requiring reports to
Inspectors General concerning expenditures for agency
conferences.
Section 740 continues a provision prohibiting the use of
funds to increase, eliminate, or reduce a program or project
unless such change is made pursuant to reprogramming or
transfer provisions.
Section 741 continues a provision prohibiting the Office of
Personnel Management or any other agency from using funds to
implement regulations changing the competitive areas under
reductions-in-force for Federal employees.
Section 742 continues a provision that prohibits the use of
funds to begin or announce a study or a public-private
competition regarding the conversion to contractor performance
of any function performed by civilian Federal employees
pursuant to Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76 or
any other administrative regulation, directive, or policy.
Section 743 continues a provision that ensures that
contractors are not prevented from reporting waste, fraud, or
abuse by signing confidentiality agreements that would prohibit
such disclosure.
Section 744 continues a provision prohibiting funds to any
corporation with certain unpaid Federal tax liabilities unless
an agency has considered suspension or debarment of the
corporation and made a determination that this further action
is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government.
Section 745 continues a provision prohibiting funds to any
corporation that was convicted of a felony criminal violation
within the preceding 24 months unless an agency has considered
suspension or debarment of the corporation and has made a
determination that this further action is not necessary to
protect the interests of the Government.
Section 746 continues a provision prohibiting the
expenditure of funds for the implementation of agreements in
certain nondisclosure policies unless certain provisions are
included in the policies.
Section 747 continues a provision relating to the Bureau of
Consumer Financial Protection.
Given the need for transparency and accountability in the
Federal budgeting process, the Committee directs the Bureau to
provide a briefing at least annually before the relevant
Appropriations subcommittee on the Bureau's finances and
expenditures.
Section 748 continues a provision that addresses possible
technical scorekeeping differences for fiscal year 2018 between
the Office of Management and Budget and the Congressional
Budget Office.
Section 749 is a provision to provide a pay increase for
Federal employees.
Section 750 continues a provision declaring the
inapplicability of these general provisions to title IV and
title VIII.
TITLE VIII
GENERAL PROVISIONS--DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Section 801 continues the provision that allows the use of
local funds for refunding overpayments of taxes collected and
for paying settlements and judgments against the District of
Columbia government.
Section 802 continues the provision that prohibits the use
of Federal funds for publicity or propaganda designed to
support or defeat legislation before Congress or any State
legislature.
Section 803 continues the provision that establishes
notification requirements for certain reprogramming and
transfer requirements with respect to funds and specifies a
timeframe for approval and execution of requests to reprogram
and transfer local funds.
Section 804 continues the provision that prohibits the use
of Federal funds for salaries, expenses, or other costs
associated with the offices of U.S. Senator or Representative
under section 4(d) of the D.C. Statehood Constitutional
Convention Initiatives of 1979.
Section 805 continues, with a modification, the provision
that restricts the use of official District of Columbia
government vehicles to official duties and not between a
residence and workplace, except under certain circumstances.
Section 806 continues the provision that prohibits the use
of Federal funds by the District of Columbia Attorney General
or any other officer or entity of the District government to
provide assistance for any petition drive or civil action which
seeks to require Congress to provide for voting representation
in Congress for the District of Columbia.
Section 807 continues the provision that prohibits the use
of Federal funds in this act to distribute, for the purpose of
preventing the spread of blood borne pathogens, sterile needles
or syringes in any location that has been determined by local
public health officials or local law enforcement authorities to
be inappropriate for such distribution.
Section 808 continues the provision that includes a
``conscience clause'' on legislation that pertains to
contraceptive coverage by health insurance plans.
Section 809 continues the provision that prohibits the use
of funds to legalize or reduce penalties associated with any
schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act.
Section 810 continues the provision that prohibits the use
of funds for abortion, with certain exceptions.
Section 811 continues the provision requiring the CFO to
submit a revised operating budget for agencies the CFO
certifies as requiring a reallocation to address unanticipated
program needs.
Section 812 continues the provision requiring the CFO to
submit a revised appropriated funds budget for the District of
Columbia Schools that aligns the schools' budgets to actual
enrollment.
Section 813 continues the provision authorizing the
transfer of local funds between operating funds and capital and
enterprise funds.
Section 814 continues the provision prohibiting obligations
beyond the current fiscal year and prohibits transfers of funds
unless expressly provided.
Section 815 continues the provision that ensures that 50
percent of unobligated balances may remain available for
certain purposes.
Section 816 continues a provision that appropriates local
funds during fiscal year 2019 if there is an absence of a
continuing resolution or regular appropriation for the District
of Columbia. Funds are provided under the same authorities and
conditions and in the same manner and extent as provided for
fiscal year 2018.
Section 817 continues the provision which limits references
to ``this act'' in this title or title IV as referring to only
this title and title IV.
COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7, RULE XVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE
Paragraph 7 of rule XVI requires that Committee reports on
general appropriations bills identify each Committee amendment
to the House bill ``which proposes an item of appropriation
which is not made to carry out the provisions of an existing
law, a treaty stipulation, or an act or resolution previously
passed by the Senate during that session.''
The Committee is filing an original bill, which is not
covered under this rule, but reports this information in the
spirit of full disclosure.
Items providing funding for fiscal year 2019 which lack
authorization are as follows:
Department of the Treasury
Departmental Offices
Department-wide Systems and Capital Investments
Office of the Inspector General
Inspector General for Tax Administration
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
Fiscal Service
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund
Internal Revenue Service:
Taxpayer Services
Enforcement
Operations Support
Business Systems Modernization
Executive Office of the President
Office of Management and Budget
Office of National Drug Control Policy
District of Columbia
Federal Payment for Resident Tuition Support
Federal Payment for the District of Columbia Water and
Sewer Authority
Federal Payment for Judicial Commissions
Federal Payment for the D.C. National Guard
Independent Agencies
Administrative Conference of the United States
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Election Assistance Commission
Federal Communications Commission
Federal Election Commission
Federal Trade Commission
General Services Administration:
Federal Buildings Fund\1\
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\1\Deposits into the Federal Buildings Fund are available for real
property management and related activities in the amounts specified in
annual appropriations laws, as provided by 40 U.S.C. 592.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Merit Systems Protection Board
National Archives and Records Administration, National
Historical Publications and Records Commission
National Credit Union Administration: Community Development
Revolving Loan Fund
Office of Government Ethics
Office of Special Counsel
COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7(c), RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE
Pursuant to paragraph 7(c) of rule XXVI, on June 21, 2018,
the Committee ordered favorably reported an original bill (S.
3107) making appropriations for financial services and general
government for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and
for other purposes, provided that the bill be subject to
amendment and that the bill be consistent with its budget
allocation, and provided that the Chairman of the Committee or
his designee be authorized to offer the substance of the
original bill as a Committee amendment in the nature of a
substitute to the House companion measure, by a recorded vote
of 31-0, a quorum being present. The vote was as follows:
Yeas Nays
Chairman Shelby
Mr. McConnell
Mr. Alexander
Ms. Collins
Ms. Murkowski
Mr. Graham
Mr. Blunt
Mr. Moran
Mr. Hoeven
Mr. Boozman
Mrs. Capito
Mr. Lankford
Mr. Daines
Mr. Kennedy
Mr. Rubio
Mrs. Hyde-Smith
Mr. Leahy
Mrs. Murray
Mrs. Feinstein
Mr. Durbin
Mr. Reed
Mr. Tester
Mr. Udall
Mrs. Shaheen
Mr. Merkley
Mr. Coons
Mr. Schatz
Ms. Baldwin
Mr. Murphy
Mr. Manchin
Mr. Van Hollen
COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 12, RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE
Paragraph 12 of rule XXVI requires that Committee reports
on a bill or joint resolution repealing or amending any statute
or part of any statute include ``(a) the text of the statute or
part thereof which is proposed to be repealed; and (b) a
comparative print of that part of the bill or joint resolution
making the amendment and of the statute or part thereof
proposed to be amended, showing by stricken-through type and
italics, parallel columns, or other appropriate typographical
devices the omissions and insertions which would be made by the
bill or joint resolution if enacted in the form recommended by
the Committee.''
In compliance with this rule, changes in existing law
proposed to be made by the bill are shown as follows: existing
law to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets; new matter is
printed in italic; and existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman.
JUDICIAL IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 1990,
PUBLIC LAW 101-650
SEC. 203. APPOINTMENT AND NUMBER OF DISTRICT JUDGES.
(a) In General.--* * *
* * * * * * *
(c) Temporary Judgeships.--The President shall appoint, by
and with the advice and consent of the Senate--
(1) 1 additional district judge for the eastern
district of California;
* * * * * * *
(12) 1 additional district judge for the eastern
district of Virginia.
Except with respect to the district of Kansas, the western
district of Michigan, the eastern district of Pennsylvania, the
district of Hawaii, and the northern district of Ohio, the
first vacancy in the office of district judge in each of the
judicial districts named in this subsection, occurring 10 years
or more after the confirmation date of the judge named to fill
the temporary judgeship created by this subsection, shall not
be filled. The first vacancy in the office of district judge in
the district of Kansas occurring [27 years and 6 months] 28
years and 6 months or more after the confirmation date of the
judge named to fill the temporary judgeship created for such
district under this subsection, shall not be filled. The first
vacancy in the office of district judge in the western district
of Michigan, occurring after December 1, 1995, shall not be
filled. The first vacancy in the office of district judge in
the eastern district of Pennsylvania, occurring 5 years or more
after the confirmation date of the judge named to fill the
temporary judgeship created for such district under this
subsection, shall not be filled. The first vacancy in the
office of district judge in the northern district of Ohio
occurring 19 years or more after the confirmation date of the
judge named to fill the temporary judgeship created under this
subsection shall not be filled. The first vacancy in the office
of the district judge in the district of Hawaii occurring [24
years and 6 months] 25 years and 6 months or more after the
confirmation date of the judge named to fill the temporary
judgeship created under this subsection shall not be filled.
For districts named in this subsection for which multiple
judgeships are created by this Act, the last of those
judgeships filled shall be the judgeships created under this
section.
------
21ST CENTURY DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE APPROPRIATIONS AUTHORIZATON ACT,
PUBLIC LAW 107-273
SEC. 312. ADDITIONAL FEDERAL JUDGESHIPS.
(a) Permanent District Judges for the District Courts.--
* * * * * * *
(c) Temporary Judgeships.--
(1) In general.* * *
* * * * * * *
(2) Vacancies not filled.--The first vacancy in the
office of district judge in each of the offices of
district judge authorized by this subsection, except in
the case of the central district of California and the
western district of North Carolina, occurring [16
years] 17 years or more after the confirmation date of
the judge named to fill the temporary district
judgeship created in the applicable district by this
subsection, shall not be filled. The first vacancy in
the office of district judge in the central district of
California occurring [15 years and 6 months] 16 years
and 6 months or more after the confirmation date of the
judge named to fill the temporary district judgeship
created in that district by this subsection, shall not
be filled. The first vacancy in the office of district
judge in the western district of North Carolina
occurring [14 years] 15 years or more after the
confirmation date of the judge named to fill the
temporary district judgeship created in that district
by this subsection, shall not be filled.
------
TRANSPORTATION, TREASURY, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THE JUDICIARY,
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT,
2006, PUBLIC LAW 109-115
TITLE IV
THE JUDICIARY
Administrative Provisions--The Judiciary
Sec. 406. The existing judgeship for the eastern district
of Missouri authorized by section 203(c) of the Judicial
Improvements Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-650, 104 Stat. 5089)
as amended by Public Law 105-53, as of the effective date of
this Act, shall be extended. The first vacancy in the office of
district judge in this district occurring [25 years and 6
months] 26 years and 6 months or more after the confirmation
date of the judge named to fill the temporary judgeship created
by section 203(c) shall not be filled.
BUDGETARY IMPACT OF BILL
PREPARED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE PURSUANT TO SEC. 308(a), PUBLIC LAW 93-344, AS
AMENDED
[In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget authority Outlays
---------------------------------------------------
Committee Amount in Committee Amount in
allocation bill allocation bill
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comparison of amounts in the bill with the subcommittee
allocation for 2019: Subcommittee on Financial Services and
General Government:
Mandatory............................................... 22,406 22,406 22,398 \1\22,398
Discretionary........................................... 23,688 23,688 23,201 \1\23,138
Security............................................ 31 31 NA NA
Nonsecurity......................................... 23,657 23,657 NA NA
Projection of outlays associated with the recommendation:
2019.................................................... ........... ........... ........... \2\39,212
2020.................................................... ........... ........... ........... 4,229
2021.................................................... ........... ........... ........... 1,056
2022.................................................... ........... ........... ........... 699
2023 and future years................................... ........... ........... ........... 521
Financial assistance to State and local governments for 2019 NA 679 NA \2\180
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Includes outlays from prior-year budget authority.
\2\Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.
NA: Not applicable.
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018 AND BUDGET ESTIMATES AND AMOUNTS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL FOR FISCAL
YEAR 2019
[In thousands of dollars]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Senate Committee recommendation
compared with (+ or -)
Item 2018 Budget estimate Committee -----------------------------------
appropriation recommendation 2019
appropriation Budget estimate
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Departmental Offices
Salaries and expenses......................................... 201,751 201,751 208,751 +7,000 +7,000
Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence................ 141,778 159,000 159,000 +17,222 ................
Cybersecurity Enhancement Account............................. 24,000 25,208 25,208 +1,208 ................
Department-wide Systems and Capital Investments Programs...... 4,426 4,000 4,000 -426 ................
Office of Inspector General................................... 37,044 36,000 37,044 ................ +1,044
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration............. 169,634 161,113 169,634 ................ +8,521
Special Inspector General for TARP............................ 34,000 17,500 17,500 -16,500 ................
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.......................... 115,003 117,800 117,800 +2,797 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Departmental Offices.......................... 727,636 722,372 738,937 +11,301 +16,565
Treasury Forfeiture Fund (rescission)......................... -702,000 ................ ................ +702,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Departmental Offices............................. 25,636 722,372 738,937 +713,301 +16,565
=========================================================================================
Bureau of the Fiscal Service.................................. 338,280 330,837 338,280 ................ +7,443
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau...................... 111,439 114,427 111,439 ................ -2,988
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund Program 250,000 14,000 250,000 ................ +236,000
Account......................................................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Department of the Treasury, non-IRS.............. 725,355 1,181,636 1,438,656 +713,301 +257,020
=========================================================================================
Internal Revenue Service
Taxpayer Services............................................. 2,506,554 2,241,000 2,506,554 ................ +265,554
Enforcement................................................... 4,860,000 4,628,000 4,860,000 ................ +232,000
Program Integrity......................................... ................ 204,643 ................ ................ -204,643
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 4,860,000 4,832,643 4,860,000 ................ +27,357
Operations Support............................................ 3,634,000 4,155,796 3,709,000 +75,000 -446,796
Program Integrity......................................... ................ 156,928 ................ ................ -156,928
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 3,634,000 4,312,724 3,709,000 +75,000 -603,724
Business systems modernization................................ 110,000 110,000 110,000 ................ ................
General provision (sec. 113).................................. 320,000 ................ 77,000 -243,000 +77,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Internal Revenue Service......................... 11,430,554 11,496,367 11,262,554 -168,000 -233,813
=========================================================================================
Total, title I, Department of the Treasury.............. 12,155,909 12,678,003 12,701,210 +545,301 +23,207
Appropriations...................................... (12,857,909) (12,316,432) (12,701,210) (-156,699) (+384,778)
Rescissions......................................... (-702,000) ................ ................ (+702,000) ................
=========================================================================================
TITLE II--EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AND FUNDS
APPROPRIATED TO THE PRESIDENT
The White House
Salaries and expenses......................................... 55,000 55,000 55,000 ................ ................
Executive Residence at the White House:
Operating expenses........................................ 12,917 13,081 13,081 +164 ................
White House repair and restoration........................ 750 750 750 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 13,667 13,831 13,831 +164 ................
Council of Economic Advisers.................................. 4,187 4,187 4,187 ................ ................
National Security Council and Homeland Security Council....... 11,800 13,500 11,800 ................ -1,700
Office of Administration...................................... 100,000 100,000 100,000 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, The White House.................................. 184,654 186,518 184,818 +164 -1,700
=========================================================================================
Office of Management and Budget............................... 101,000 103,000 103,000 +2,000 ................
Office of National Drug Control Policy
Salaries and expenses......................................... 18,400 17,400 18,400 ................ +1,000
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program................. 280,000 ................ 280,000 ................ +280,000
Other Federal Drug Control Programs........................... 117,093 11,843 117,327 +234 +105,484
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Office of National Drug Control Policy........... 415,493 29,243 415,727 +234 +386,484
=========================================================================================
Unanticipated needs........................................... 798 1,000 1,000 +202 ................
Information Technology Oversight and Reform................... 19,000 25,000 19,000 ................ -6,000
Special Assistance to the President and Official Residence of
the Vice President:
Salaries and expenses..................................... 4,288 4,288 4,288 ................ ................
Operating expenses........................................ 302 302 302 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 4,590 4,590 4,590 ................ ................
=========================================================================================
Total, title II, Executive Office of the President and 725,535 349,351 728,135 +2,600 +378,784
Funds Appropriated to the President....................
=========================================================================================
TITLE III--THE JUDICIARY
Supreme Court of the United States
Salaries and expenses:
Salaries of Justices...................................... 3,000 3,000 3,000 ................ ................
Other salaries and expenses............................... 82,028 84,359 84,703 +2,675 +344
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 85,028 87,359 87,703 +2,675 +344
Care of the Building and Grounds.............................. 16,153 15,999 15,999 -154 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Supreme Court of the United States............... 101,181 103,358 103,702 +2,521 +344
=========================================================================================
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Salaries and expenses:
Salaries of judges........................................ 3,000 4,000 4,000 +1,000 ................
Other salaries and expenses............................... 31,291 31,274 32,016 +725 +742
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal 34,291 35,274 36,016 +1,725 +742
Circuit................................................
=========================================================================================
United States Court of International Trade
Salaries and expenses:
Salaries of judges........................................ 1,000 2,000 2,000 +1,000 ................
Other salaries and expenses............................... 18,889 19,070 19,450 +561 +380
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, U.S. Court of International Trade................ 19,889 21,070 21,450 +1,561 +380
=========================================================================================
Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and Other Judicial
Services
Salaries and expenses:
Salaries of judges and bankruptcy judges.................. 435,000 429,000 429,000 -6,000 ................
Other salaries and expenses............................... 5,099,061 5,132,543 5,154,461 +55,400 +21,918
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 5,534,061 5,561,543 5,583,461 +49,400 +21,918
Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund........................ 8,230 8,475 8,475 +245 ................
Defender services............................................. 1,078,713 1,141,489 1,140,846 +62,133 -643
Fees of jurors and commissioners.............................. 50,944 51,233 49,750 -1,194 -1,483
Court security................................................ 586,999 602,309 604,460 +17,461 +2,151
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and Other 7,258,947 7,365,049 7,386,992 +128,045 +21,943
Judicial Services......................................
=========================================================================================
Administrative Office of the United States Courts
Salaries and expenses......................................... 90,423 89,867 92,413 +1,990 +2,546
Federal Judicial Center
Salaries and expenses......................................... 29,265 29,064 29,819 +554 +755
United States Sentencing Commission
Salaries and expenses......................................... 18,699 18,548 18,548 -151 ................
=========================================================================================
Total, title III, the Judiciary......................... 7,552,695 7,662,230 7,688,940 +136,245 +26,710
=========================================================================================
TITLE IV--DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Federal Payment for Resident Tuition Support.................. 40,000 ................ 30,000 -10,000 +30,000
Federal Payment for Emergency Planning and Security Costs in 13,000 12,000 12,000 -1,000 ................
the District of Columbia.....................................
Federal Payment to the District of Columbia Courts............ 265,400 244,939 244,939 -20,461 ................
Federal Payment for Defender Services in District of Columbia 49,890 46,005 46,005 -3,885 ................
Courts.......................................................
Federal Payment to the Court Services and Offender Supervision 244,298 256,724 256,724 +12,426 ................
Agency for the District of Columbia..........................
Federal Payment to the District of Columbia Public Defender 41,829 45,858 45,858 +4,029 ................
Service......................................................
Federal Payment to the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.. 2,000 1,900 2,150 +150 +250
Federal Payment for Judicial Commissions...................... 565 565 565 ................ ................
Federal Payment for School Improvement........................ 45,000 45,000 52,500 +7,500 +7,500
Federal Payment for the D.C. National Guard................... 435 435 435 ................ ................
Federal Payment for Testing and Treatment of HIV/AIDS......... 5,000 5,000 2,000 -3,000 -3,000
Federal Payment to the District of Columbia Water and Sewer 14,000 ................ 10,000 -4,000 +10,000
Authority....................................................
=========================================================================================
Total, Title IV, District of Columbia................... 721,417 658,426 703,176 -18,241 +44,750
=========================================================================================
TITLE V--OTHER INDEPENDENT AGENCIES
Administrative Conference of the United States................ 3,100 3,100 3,100 ................ ................
Commodity Futures Trading Commission.......................... 249,000 250,000 281,500 +32,500 +31,500
CFTC Fee Spending (legislative proposal).................. ................ 31,500 ................ ................ -31,500
Consumer Product Safety Commission............................ 126,000 123,450 126,000 ................ +2,550
Election Assistance Commission................................ 10,100 9,200 9,200 -900 ................
Election Reform Program................................... 380,000 ................ ................ -380,000 ................
Federal Communications Commission
Salaries and expenses......................................... 322,035 333,118 333,118 +11,083 ................
Offsetting fee collections.................................... -322,035 -333,118 -333,118 -11,083 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Direct appropriation.................................... ................ ................ ................ ................ ................
General provision (sec. 511).................................. 600,000 ................ ................ -600,000 ................
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Office of Inspector General (by transfer)..................... (39,136) (42,982) (42,982) (+3,846) ................
Deposit Insurance Fund (transfer)............................. (-39,136) (-42,982) (-42,982) (-3,846) ................
Federal Election Commission................................... 71,250 71,250 71,250 ................ ................
Federal Labor Relations Authority............................. 26,200 26,200 26,200 ................ ................
Federal Trade Commission
Salaries and expenses......................................... 306,317 309,700 309,700 +3,383 ................
Offsetting fee collections (mergers).......................... -126,000 -136,000 -136,000 -10,000 ................
Offsetting fee collections (telephone)........................ -16,000 -17,000 -17,000 -1,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Direct appropriation.................................... 164,317 156,700 156,700 -7,617 ................
=========================================================================================
General Services Administration
Federal Buildings Fund
Limitations on availability of revenue:
Construction and acquisition of facilities................ 692,069 1,338,387 1,080,068 +387,999 -258,319
Repairs and alterations................................... 666,335 909,746 890,419 +224,084 -19,327
Rental of space........................................... 5,493,768 5,430,345 5,418,845 -74,923 -11,500
Building operations....................................... 2,221,766 2,253,195 2,244,118 +22,352 -9,077
Installment acquisition payments.......................... ................ 200,000 ................ ................ -200,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Limitations on Availability of Revenue........ 9,073,938 10,131,673 9,633,450 +559,512 -498,223
Rental income to fund......................................... -9,950,519 -10,131,673 -10,131,673 -181,154 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Federal Buildings Fund........................... -876,581 ................ -498,223 +378,358 -498,223
=========================================================================================
Government-wide policy........................................ 53,499 65,835 58,499 +5,000 -7,336
Operating expenses............................................ 45,645 49,440 49,440 +3,795 ................
Civilian Board of Contract Appeals............................ 8,795 9,301 9,301 +506 ................
Office of Inspector General................................... 65,000 67,000 67,000 +2,000 ................
Allowances and office staff for former Presidents............. 4,754 4,796 4,796 +42 ................
Federal Citizen Services Fund................................. 50,000 58,400 55,000 +5,000 -3,400
Technology Modernization Fund................................. 100,000 210,000 ................ -100,000 -210,000
Asset Proceeds and Space Management Fund...................... 5,000 31,000 15,500 +10,500 -15,500
Environmental Review Improvement Fund......................... 1,000 6,070 6,070 +5,070 ................
GSA--President's Management Council Workforce Fund............ ................ 50,000 ................ ................ -50,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, General Services Administration.................. -542,888 551,842 -232,617 +310,271 -784,459
=========================================================================================
Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation......................... 1,000 ................ 1,000 ................ +1,000
Merit Systems Protection Board
Salaries and expenses......................................... 44,490 42,145 44,490 ................ +2,345
Limitation on administrative expenses......................... 2,345 2,345 2,345 ................ ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Merit Systems Protection Board................... 46,835 44,490 46,835 ................ +2,345
=========================================================================================
Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation
Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund............... 1,975 1,875 1,875 -100 ................
Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund......................... 3,366 3,200 3,200 -166 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Morris K. Udall and Stewart L Udall Foundation... 5,341 5,075 5,075 -266 ................
=========================================================================================
National Archives and Records Administration
Operating expenses............................................ 384,911 365,105 375,105 -9,806 +10,000
Reduction of debt......................................... -25,050 -27,224 -27,224 -2,174 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 359,861 337,881 347,881 -11,980 +10,000
Office of Inspector General................................... 4,801 4,241 4,801 ................ +560
Repairs and restoration....................................... 7,500 7,500 7,500 ................ ................
National Historical Publications and Records Commission Grants 6,000 ................ 6,000 ................ +6,000
Program......................................................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, National Archives and Records Administration..... 378,162 349,622 366,182 -11,980 +16,560
=========================================================================================
NCUA Community Development Revolving Loan Fund................ 2,000 ................ 2,000 ................ +2,000
Office of Government Ethics................................... 16,439 16,294 16,439 ................ +145
Office of Personnel Management
Salaries and expenses......................................... 129,341 132,172 132,172 +2,831 ................
Limitation on administrative expenses..................... 131,414 133,483 133,483 +2,069 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Salaries and expenses......................... 260,755 265,655 265,655 +4,900 ................
Office of Inspector General................................... 5,000 5,000 5,000 ................ ................
Limitation on administrative expenses..................... 25,000 25,265 25,265 +265 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Office of Inspector General................... 30,000 30,265 30,265 +265 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Office of Personnel Management................... 290,755 295,920 295,920 +5,165 ................
=========================================================================================
Office of Special Counsel..................................... 26,535 26,252 26,535 ................ +283
Postal Regulatory Commission.................................. 15,200 15,100 15,200 ................ +100
Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board................... 8,000 5,000 5,000 -3,000 ................
Public Buildings Reform Board................................. 5,000 2,000 ................ -5,000 -2,000
Securities and Exchange Commission
Salaries and expenses......................................... 1,652,000 1,658,302 1,658,302 +6,302 ................
SEC NYC Regional Office................................... ................ 40,750 37,189 +37,189 -3,561
Headquarters lease............................................ 244,507 ................ ................ -244,507 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Securities and Exchange Commission............ 1,896,507 1,699,052 1,695,491 -201,016 -3,561
SEC fees.................................................. -1,896,507 -1,699,050 -1,695,491 +201,016 +3,559
SEC Reserve Fund (rescission)............................. ................ -25,000 ................ ................ +25,000
Selective Service System...................................... 22,900 26,400 26,000 +3,100 -400
Small Business Administration
Salaries and expenses......................................... 268,500 265,000 267,500 -1,000 +2,500
Entrepreneurial Development Programs.......................... 247,100 192,450 241,600 -5,500 +49,150
Office of Inspector General................................... 19,900 21,900 21,900 +2,000 ................
Office of Advocacy............................................ 9,120 9,120 9,120 ................ ................
Business Loans Program Account:
Direct loans subsidy...................................... 3,438 4,000 4,000 +562 ................
Guaranteed loan subsidy................................... ................ -155,150 ................ ................ +155,150
Administrative expenses................................... 152,782 155,150 155,150 +2,368 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Business loans program account................... 156,220 4,000 159,150 +2,930 +155,150
=========================================================================================
Disaster Loans Program Account:
Administrative expenses................................... ................ 186,458 ................ ................ -186,458
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Small Business Administration.................... 700,840 678,928 699,270 -1,570 +20,342
=========================================================================================
United States Postal Service
Payment to the Postal Service Fund............................ 58,118 55,235 55,235 -2,883 ................
Office of Inspector General................................... 245,000 234,650 250,000 +5,000 +15,350
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, United States Postal Service..................... 303,118 289,885 305,235 +2,117 +15,350
=========================================================================================
United States Tax Court....................................... 50,740 55,563 51,515 +775 -4,048
=========================================================================================
Total, title V, Independent Agencies.................... 2,959,944 3,008,773 2,303,539 -656,405 -705,234
Appropriations...................................... (2,959,944) (3,033,773) (2,303,539) (-656,405) (-730,234)
Rescissions......................................... ................ (-25,000) ................ ................ (+25,000)
(By transfer)........................................... (39,136) (42,982) (42,982) (+3,846) ................
=========================================================================================
TITLE VI--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Mandatory appropriations (sec. 619)........................... 21,800,000 21,818,000 21,818,000 +18,000 ................
PCA Oversight Board scholarships (sec. 620)................... 1,000 ................ 1,000 ................ +1,000
SBA 503 Unobligated balances (sec. 620)....................... -2,600 -50,000 ................ +2,600 +50,000
Government-wide transfers (sec. 737).......................... ................ 3,000,000 ................ ................ -3,000,000
=========================================================================================
Total, title VI, General Provisions..................... 21,798,400 24,768,000 21,819,000 +20,600 -2,949,000
=========================================================================================
OTHER APPROPRIATIONS
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DISASTER RELIEF REQUIREMENTS
(P.L. 115-56)
SBA, Disaster Loans Progam Account............................ 450,000 ................ ................ -450,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief 450,000 ................ ................ -450,000 ................
Requirements (P.L. 115-56).............................
=========================================================================================
BIPARTISAN BUDGET ACT OF 2018 (P.L. 115-123)
GSA, Federal Buildings Fund (emergency)....................... 126,951 ................ ................ -126,951 ................
SBA, Office of Inspector General (emergency).................. 7,000 ................ ................ -7,000 ................
SBA, Disaster Loans Program Account (emergency)............... 1,652,000 ................ ................ -1,652,000 ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-123)..... 1,785,951 ................ ................ -1,785,951 ................
=========================================================================================
Total, Other Appropriations............................. 2,235,951 ................ ................ -2,235,951 ................
(Emergency)......................................... 2,235,951 ................ ................ -2,235,951 ................
=========================================================================================
Grand total............................................. 48,149,851 49,124,783 45,944,000 -2,205,851 -3,180,783
Appropriations...................................... (46,618,500) (48,838,212) (45,944,000) (-674,500) (-2,894,212)
Rescissions......................................... (-704,600) (-75,000) ................ (+704,600) (+75,000)
Emergency........................................... (2,235,951) ................ ................ (-2,235,951) ................
(By transfer)........................................... (39,136) (42,982) (42,982) (+3,846) ................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[all]
