Oversight Committee Passes Bills to Root out Waste, Fraud, and Abuse, Improve Federal Government Efficiency - United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability

WASHINGTON—Today, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) held a markup of several bills aimed at reforming government spending, addressing regulatory burdens, and improving cybersecurity. Chairman Comer released the following statement after passage of these bills:

“The American people deserve a government that is transparent, efficient, and effective. These bills bring solutions to modernize our government, root out inefficiencies, target waste, fraud, and abuse, and hold the Biden Administration accountable for overreach. I am encouraged to see our colleagues coming together on many of these bipartisan bills to improve our government. The American people deserve accountability.”

Federal Government Cybersecurity, AI, and IT Improvements:

The Modernizing the Acquisition of Cybersecurity Experts Act (H.R. 4502)

Sponsored by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), co-sponsored by Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.)

Limits the use of educational requirements in hiring for federal cybersecurity positions.
Lifts unnecessary degree barriers and ensures that the federal government can hire any qualified cybersecurity professional with the knowledge and skills.
“There is a shortage of over 700,000 cybersecurity professionals in the public and private sector. People who don’t attend or finish college are often barred from consideration for jobs in this field, when really, they shouldn’t be,” Rep. Mace said during the markup.
Supported by: Alliance for Digital Innovation

The AI Training Expansion Act (H.R. 4503)

Sponsored by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), co-sponsored by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.)

Amends the artificial intelligence training in the AI Training Act (P.L. 117-207) to expand AI training within the executive branch of the federal government.
Provides training access to more federal employees and updates training topics.
“The AI Training Expansion Act is a substantial bipartisan bill to help our federal workforce win the race for AI,” said Rep. Mace. “The AI Training Act, which passed last Congress, established AI training requirements for some federal employees. This bill simply expands the availability of that training to even more federal employees.”

The Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets (SAMOSA) Act (H.R. 1695)

Sponsored by Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.), co-sponsored by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.)

and Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas)

Improves the visibility, accountability, and oversight of agency software asset management practices.
Improves government software purchasing and requires agencies to develop a plan for addressing costly, unnecessary licenses, and requires agencies to update and expand software inventory.
Reduces wasteful spending and improves government efficiency.
“Federal agencies spend billions of dollars a year on software licenses without a full understanding of what they’re purchasing and how it compares to what they’re already paying for. The result is wasteful spending on duplicative or unnecessary software licenses. As amended by my bipartisan and bicameral amendment in the nature of a substitute, this legislation will provide Congress better insight into how our federal agencies purchase and use software,” said Chairman Comer during the markup.
Supported by: Coalition for Fair Software Licensing, NetChoice, and the Alliance for Digital Innovation

Prohibiting the Biden Administration’s Regulatory Overreach:

The Fair and Open Competition (FOCA) Act (H.R. 1209)

Sponsored by Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.)

Preserves open competition and federal government neutrality towards the labor relations of federal government contractors on federal and federally funded construction projects.
“As our nation continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and as tax dollars are used to fund infrastructure projects across the land, one thing should be clear: Every construction worker in every state should have a fair chance to work on any construction project funded by American tax dollars,” said Chairman Comer. “Biden’s regulation will raise taxpayer costs and prevent non-union workers from working on federal projects.”
Supported by: American Concrete Pumping Association, American Fire Sprinkler Association, American Pipeline Contractors Association, American Road and Transportation Builders Association, Associated Builders and Contractors, Associated General Contractors, Business Coalition for Fair Competition, Construction leadership Council, Construction Industry Round Table, Electronic Security Association, HR Policy Association, Independent Electrical Contractors, National Association of Home Builders, National Black Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Business, National Precast Concrete Association, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, National Utility Contractors Association, Plastics Pipe Institute, Power and Communication Contractors Association, Precast/Prestressed Concrete Association, Security Industry Association, Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce, National Taxpayers Union
Read More: Comer Introduces Bill to Prevent Biden Admin from Discriminating Based on Labor Affiliation

The Mission Not Emissions Act (H.R. 3358)

Sponsored by Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas)

Prohibits any requirement for recipients of federal contracts to disclose greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related financial risk.
Supported by: National Association of Manufacturers, the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, and Competitive Enterprise Institute

Regulatory Reform:

The Guidance Out of Darkness (GOOD) Act (H.R. 890)

Sponsored by Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.)

Requires online access to agency guidance documents.
“Regulated entities and the public should be able to know what an agency has said and agency guidance about the laws and programs that affect it. Here’s the problem: Agency guidance documents are not easy to find,” said Chairman Comer. “It’s time the GOOD Act becomes law and agencies are required to publish their regulatory guidance in a single, easily accessible location.”
Supported by: National Federation of Independent Business, Competitive Enterprise Institute, National Taxpayers Union

Addressing Radical District of Columbia Policy:

H.R. 192, To prohibit individuals who are not citizens of the United States from voting in elections in the District of Columbia

Sponsored by Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas)

Prohibits an individual who is not a citizen of the United States from voting in an election for public office in the District of Columbia or in any ballot initiative or referendum in the District of Columbia.
Read More: Hearing Wrap Up: Americans Should Be Confident that Elections are Safe and Secure

Government Spending Reform and Congressional Oversight:

Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act (H.R. 4435)

Sponsored by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.)

“According to the Congressional Budget Office, the federal government spent $510 billion on programs with expired authorizations in fiscal year 2023. About half of these programs expired more than a decade ago. This is unacceptable,” said Chairman Comer.
Supported by: Heritage Action, Americans for Prosperity, National Taxpayers Union, Americans for Tax Reform, Independent Women’s Voice, and the R Street Institute

The Unfunded Mandates Accountability and Transparency (UMATA) Act (H.R. 3230)

Sponsored by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.)

Amends the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 to provide for regulatory impact analyses for major rules.
Ensures agencies will better analyze the potential costs of newly proposed mandates.
“We need to stop adding to the regulatory burden that threatens to choke off innovation and economic growth in this country,” said Rep. Foxx during the markup. “This bill will strengthen Congress’s ability to stop federal regulators from loading up the private sector and state and local governments with costly new unfunded mandates.”
Supported by: Competitive Enterprise Institute, National Taxpayers Union

CLICK HERE to watch the full markup.