Government Accountability Office Act of 2008

To make certain reforms with respect to the Government Accountability Office, and for other purposes.

9/22/2008--Public Law. (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on August 1, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Government Accountability Office Act of 2008 -
(Sec. 2) Requires:
(1) the Comptroller General to provide for a pay increase to covered Government Accountability Office (GAO) officers and employees if the increase that would otherwise take effect would be less than the required minimum percentage (equal to the total annual pay adjustment for General Schedule positions within a pay locality); and
(2) nonpermanent merit pay to a such an officer or employee to be decreased by an amount equal to the portion of such person's basic pay that is attributable to the increase provided by this Act.
Defines a "covered officer or employee" to mean a Government Accountability Office (GAO) officer or employee whose performance is at least at a satisfactory level and who is not a member of the Senior Executive Service, a Federal Wage System employee, or an employee who is in GAO's entry-level developmental programs.

(Sec. 3) Requires the Comptroller General, within six months, to pay to a GAO employee who did not receive a permanent base pay increase in 2006 and 2007 a lump sum payment. Requires the lump sum payment to be:
(1) applied prospectively; and
(2) treated as basic pay for purposes of any determination of the average pay.
Requires the GAO to deduct and withhold from such lump-sum payments employee contributions to, and to pay the applicable agency contribution to, the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund.
Provides for an exclusive remedy for individuals with claims that they are owed any money denied to them in the form of pay increases for 2006 or 2007.

(Sec. 4) Requires the Comptroller General to pay each qualified individual a lump-sum payment equal to the amount of performance-based compensation such individual was denied for 2006. Defines "qualified individual" to mean an individual who is:
(1) a GAO officer or employee, excluding members of the Senior Executive Service, Federal Wage System employees, and employees in GAO's entry-level developmental programs; and
(2) a Band I staff member with a salary above the Band I cap, a Band IIA staff member with a salary above the Band IIA cap, or an administrative professional or support staff member with a salary above the cap for that individual's pay band.

(Sec. 5) Establishes an Office of the Inspector General in GAO to:
(1) conduct and supervise audits and investigations relating to GAO;
(2) provide leadership and coordination and recommend policies to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in GAO; and
(3) keep the Comptroller General and Congress informed concerning fraud and other serious problems, abuses, and deficiencies relating to the administration of GAO programs and operations.
Authorizes the Inspector General to receive and investigate complaints or information from GAO employees concerning the possible existence of an activity constituting a violation of law, mismanagement, or a gross waste of funds. Requires the Inspector General to refer complaints or information concerning violations of personnel law to established investigative and adjudicative GAO entities.
Prohibits the Inspector General from disclosing the identity of an employee who submitted a complaint or information without the employee's consent, unless such disclosure is unavoidable during the course of the investigation.
Prohibits employees who have authority for personnel actions from taking or threatening action against employees as a reprisal for making a complaint or disclosing information, unless the complaint or disclosure was made with the knowledge that it was false or with willful disregard for its truth or falsity.
Requires the Inspector General to report semiannually to the Comptroller General on the Office's activities. Requires the Comptroller General's annual report to Congress to assess the overall degree of federal agency cooperation with GAO audits.
Prohibits the Comptroller General from preventing the Inspector General from carrying out any his or her responsibilities under this Act.

(Sec. 6) Requires any executive agency that prepares an audited financial statement to reimburse GAO for the cost of any GAO audit of such statement if GAO audited the statement or schedule of such agency for fiscal year 2007. Requires the GAO to consult with the relevant executive agency and the Inspector General of such agency prior to the initiation of the audit on the scope, terms, and cost of such audit.

(Sec. 7) Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to revise the coverage of certain GAO officers and employees under its financial disclosure requirements.

(Sec. 8) Revises the highest basic pay rate for GAO personnel from GS-15 to Executive Level III.
Increases from 15 to 20 the number of experts and consultants whose services the Comptroller General may procure for renewable three-year terms at rates up to level IV of the Executive Schedule.
Makes funds appropriated to GAO for salaries and expenses also available for recruitment-related meals and entertainment.


... morehide bill summarySee Full Bill Text

Sponsor

• Rep. Danny Davis [D, IL-7]
• and 8 Co-Sponsors
  • Rep. Donna Christensen [D, VI-0]
  • Rep. Chaka Fattah [D, PA-2]
  • Rep. Bob Filner [D, CA-51]
  • Rep. Alcee Hastings [D, FL-23]
  • Rep. Stephanie Jones [D, OH-11]
  • Rep. Eleanor Norton [D, DC-0]
  • Rep. Henry Waxman [D, CA-30]
  • Rep. Albert Wynn [D, MD-4]
  close

Committees

• Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
• 2 more
  • House Oversight and Government Reform
  • House Oversight and Government Reform
  close

Amendments

This bill has 1 amendments. See All AmendmentsHide All Amendments

Amendments to H.R.5683

Number	Status	Purpose
S.Amdt.5264	Pass	To make certain reforms with respect to the Government Accountability Office, and for other purposes.

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by House		Voted on by Senate		Considered By President		This Bill Has Become Law
April 02, 2008		June 09, 2008		August 01, 2008		September 22, 2008		September 22, 2008

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All Bill Actions

• Enacted on Sep 22, 2008. Became Public Law No: 110-323.
• Signed on Sep 22, 2008.
• Sep 11, 2008. Presented to President.
• Sep 09, 2008: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
• Sep 09, 2008: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment to H.R. 5683.
• Sep 09, 2008: Mr. Davis (IL) moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
• Sep 09, 2008. Cleared for White House.
• Aug 01, 2008: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
• Passed by Unanimous Consent in the Senate on Aug 01, 2008. Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
• Aug 01, 2008: The committee amendments were withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
• Aug 01, 2008: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
• Added to calendar on Jul 26, 2008: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 901..
• Jul 26, 2008: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with amendments. Without written report.
• Added to calendar on Jun 25, 2008: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably..
• Jun 25, 2008: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
• Jun 10, 2008: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
• Passed by voice vote in the House on Jun 09, 2008. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
• Jun 09, 2008: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5683.
• Jun 09, 2008: Considered under suspension of the rules.
• Jun 09, 2008: Mr. Davis (IL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
• Added to calendar on May 22, 2008: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 422..
• May 22, 2008: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government. H. Rept. 110-671.
• Added to calendar on May 01, 2008: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote..
• May 01, 2008: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
• Added to calendar on May 01, 2008: Ordered to be Reported Without Recommendation (Amended) by Voice Vote..
• Apr 03, 2008: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
• Apr 03, 2008: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
• Apr 02, 2008: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Post Office, and the District of Columbia.
• Apr 02, 2008: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
• Apr 02, 2008: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E477)
• Introduced on Apr 02, 2008.

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Related Bills:

• H.R.3268
• S.2564

Related Issue Areas:

• Whistle blowing
• Waste in government spending
• Financial statements
• Finance
• 34 more
• Cost of living adjustments
• Appropriations
• Wage restitution
• Severance pay
• Salaries
• Recruiting of employees
• Recreation
• Public contracts
• Politics and government
• Pensions
• Oaths
• Inspectors general
• Government procurement
• Government ethics
• Government employees
• Government Accountability Office (GAO)
• Food
• Financial disclosure
• Federal officials
• Federal employees
• Expense accounts
• Executive departments
• Executive compensation
• Consultants
• Congressional-executive relations
• Congressional reporting requirements
• Congressional reorganization
• Congressional investigations
• Congressional agencies
• Collection of accounts
• Civil service retirement
• Budgets
• Auditing
• Congress

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In the News

September 09, 2008 House sends GAO pay bill to President Bush

The bill (HR 5683) would grant back pay to more than 300 GAO analysts whose salaries stayed level under a pay system that began in 2005, even though they ...

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Source: GovExec.com, DC

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April 07, 2008 Panel approves bill to restore back raises to GAO employees

The legislation, HR 5683, was introduced by Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., chairman of the subcommittee. The bill will move to the full committee on Wednesday, ...

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Blog Coverage

November 06, 2008 Here is a short list of Current Legislation which seeks to break ...

HR5683 ‘To preserve the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial in San Diego, California, by providing for the immediate acquisition of the memorial by the United States.’ HR4364 ‘To require everyone to pay all elected and appointed officials to ...

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Source: Life in West Tennessee

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October 30, 2008 Re: Dole's Truthiness

HR 5683 is legislation to acquire a giant Christian Cross on public land in California. It is objectable to those of us who are not Christians for our government to use its funds to discriminate against those of us who do not want our ...

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October 05, 2008 GOP Congressman Retires Because GOP Is Corrupt

Speaker, I rise to speak on HR 5683, the Government Accountability Office Act of 2008.” After a couple of minutes, Davis was back in the cloakroom, plopping down in a chair, propping his feet up on a coffee table and popping open a Diet ...

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