H.R. 5652 – Reading Mode

113th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 5652

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 18, 2014

Mr. Ruiz (for himself, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Murphy of Florida, Mr. Swalwell of California, Ms. Sinema, and Mr. Gallego) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To provide for fiscal responsibility by the Federal Government through the use of accountability laws.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Fiscal Responsibility Using Government Accountability Laws Act of 2014 or the FRUGAL Act.

Offshore Tax Policies Enforcement

(a)

Determination of extent of taxpayer compliance in reporting on foreign accounts

(1)

In general

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration shall—

(A)

conduct an analysis designed to measure the extent to which taxpayers are reporting existing foreign accounts and circumventing the 2003 Offshore Voluntary Compliance Initiative, 2009 Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program, 2011 Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative, and 2012 Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Programs and the extent to which taxpayers are properly utilizing offshore voluntary disclosure initiatives, and

(B)

submit a report to Congress based on the analysis.

(2)

Report

The report required by paragraph (1) shall—

(A)

specify the extent to which taxpayers are circumventing offshore voluntary compliance initiatives and the amount of lost revenue as a result of such circumvention, and

(B)

contain such recommendations as the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration considers is necessary or appropriate for closing offshore tax loopholes and increasing revenue collection from offshore sources.

(b)

Increase in educational outreach concerning taxpayer offshore tax obligations

(1)

In general

The Commissioner of Internal Revenue shall—

(A)

improve targeting taxpayers with offshore accounts by determining how taxpayers learned about the offshore voluntary disclosure program and targeting outreach efforts about offshore account reporting requirements to recent immigrants, and

(B)

use data gained from offshore programs—

(i)

to identify taxpayers with unreported foreign accounts, and

(ii)

to educate populations of taxpayers that might not be aware of their tax obligations related to offshore income filing requirements.

(2)

Report

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue shall submit a report to Congress describing how the Internal Revenue Service will close offshore tax loopholes and containing recommendations for closing offshore tax loopholes and increasing revenue collection from offshore sources.

Reverse auctions in Government contracting

(a)

Revision of FAR

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Federal Acquisition Regulation shall be revised to clarify the provisions relating to the use of reverse auctions by Federal agencies.

(b)

Guidelines

The revisions to the Federal Acquisition Regulation shall include guidelines for the most efficient use of reverse auctions, including guidelines for ensuring that reverse auctions uphold high quality standards and that small businesses can continue to participate in the procurement process.

(c)

Reverse auction defined

In this section, the term reverse auction, with respect to a procurement by a Federal agency, means a real-time auction conducted through an electronic medium by a group of offerors that compete against each other by submitting bids for a contract or a task or delivery order, with the ability to submit revised bids throughout the course of the auction, with award made to the offeror that submits the lowest bid.

Coin inventory management plan and report

(a)

Plan required

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System shall develop and implement a plan to reduce spending on coin inventory management.

(b)

Contents of plan

The plan required under subsection (a) shall—

(1)

assess factors that have increased coin management costs;

(2)

establish a process to separately monitor direct and indirect costs, including support costs, of coin management;

(3)

establish goals and performance metrics related to coin management costs; and

(4)

establish a process to systematically track, analyze, and revise forecasting models of coin orders.

(c)

Report

The Board of Governors shall submit to Congress a report on the plan that includes—

(1)

a timeline for implementing each objective of the plan;

(2)

a description of the accuracy of monthly forecasts of coin orders; and

(3)

a description of cost effective coin management practices across Federal reserve banks.