Modernizing Government Travel Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 274) to provide for reimbursement for the use of modern travel services by Federal employees traveling on official Government business, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous remarks on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 274, the Modernizing Government Travel Act, is a bipartisan bill sponsored by Congressman Seth Moulton of Massachusetts. Mr. Will Hurd of Texas and Congressman Mark Meadows of North Carolina have all come together on this bill. It is a good bill.

This bill came up in the 114th Congress. The same bill passed through the committee by regular order, and then in a close vote--much like the Clemson-Alabama game last night--when we voted on this bill last session was 415-0. I think there was a pretty good sense from the past Congress that is a good bill, and it should pass.

Federal employees' current transportation options on official travel are limited. While some agencies allow employees to be reimbursed for the use of sharing economy services, such as Lyft or Uber, not all of them do. As a result, the whole Federal Government does not benefit from the cost savings that can occur while being associated with these services.

The Modernizing Government Travel Act allows the Federal Government to reap the benefits of the sharing economy. The bill ensures that new transportation services as they emerge, Federal employees can quickly take advantage of the efficiencies of the new technologies that may be offered.

By opening up a new market for transportation services, H.R. 274 will also help spur innovation and competition, creating greater cost savings. We have some 2 million Federal employees. So this is an important part and it shouldn't be glanced over. There could be considerable savings along the way.

We must ensure that there is accountability for travel expenditures. Our committee, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and other watchdog groups outside of government are looking at these expenses. We have a duty and obligation to ensure that we are dealing with Federal taxpayer dollars responsibly. This bill mandates that agencies report their travel costs for each type of travel service to the General Services Administration, the GSA. The GSA must publish that data, helping make the Federal Government more transparent and accountable. The GSA will also report to Congress on agency official travel costs in order to make sure that they inform future transportation policy decisions. I urge passage of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hurd), the cosponsor of this bill and someone who has been very involved in this subject.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Moulton, first and foremost, for his service to our country, serving in the armed services. We really do appreciate that. I can't thank him enough for that service. But I also appreciate him bringing forward this bill and his working with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hurd) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Meadows).

I appreciate what Mr. DeSaulnier and our ranking member on our committee, Mr. Cummings, have done, too, to help move this bill forward.

So there was good, broad, bipartisan support, strong support in the 114th Congress, passing unanimously, with 415 votes. I think it is worthy to bring this up early in the Congress and get on with the idea of saving money and taking advantage of technology, as Mr. Hurd said and as Mr. Moulton talked about as well, save some money and tap into the technology that is available to save money for the government and, ultimately, for the taxpayers. It is their money indeed. So I would urge its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from California for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 274, the Modernizing Government Travel Act. This legislation is a bipartisan effort that demonstrates a consensus amongst all of us that the Federal Government has failed to keep pace with the technological advances and innovation that have come to define the 21st century.

Despite the emergence of new technologies designed to improve the way we travel, today, some Federal employees are unable to be reimbursed for using more cost-effective, innovative modes of transportation when traveling on official business.

Innovative ridesharing services supported by mobile apps have dramatically changed how we get from one place to another. Now, with just a few taps on a phone, we can access a variety of new transportation options like rideshare, carshare, and bikeshare that complement rapid transit, take more cars off our congested roads, and reduce fuel emissions. According to a recent study, 52 percent of people using transit for work-related travel chose to use ride-hailing services and other innovative technologies.

While the General Services Administration allows agencies to authorize the use of these transportation options by Federal employees, it has not nor is it required by law to issue comprehensive guidance across the Federal Government.

H.R. 274 would require the General Services Administration to implement regulations to allow Federal employees to use transportation options like rideshare and bikeshare for official travel. The GSA Administrator would be required to submit annual reports to Congress on the implementation of these regulations and the resulting amount of government savings.

I want to thank my friend and colleague, Representative Hurd, for working with me on this legislation, as well as Representatives Swalwell, Issa, Meadows, and Bustos for their support. This is truly a bipartisan effort that will increase the Federal Government's engagement in the sharing economy while saving taxpayer dollars.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I was trying to think of a BYU football analogy to go with the Clemson-Alabama analogy, but I haven't been able to come up with one yet. I will work on it.

I rise in support of H.R. 274, the Modernizing Government Travel Act, as amended. I appreciate the good work of Representatives Moulton, Hurd, Meadows, Bustos, and Swalwell on this bipartisan measure.

H.R. 274 would expand the transportation options for Federal employees on official government travel by allowing them to be reimbursed for the use of ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft. This bill would also allow for the use of future mobility technologies not yet known or available to be covered as by reimbursable travel expenses. The General Services Administration would be directed to issue implementing regulations. The bill would require Federal agencies to submit to GSA detailed information on their travel costs, including breakdowns of costs by transportation type by November 30 of each year.

GSA would be required to submit annual reports to Congress containing an analysis or survey of agencies' travel costs as well as descriptions of new or revised regulations.

H.R. 274 is a commonsense, good government bill, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my colleague from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Mr. Moulton).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it is way past time that our government reconsiders the way that it views technology. Adherence to decades-old policy regarding technology costs our taxpayers billions of dollars, stifles creativity, and needlessly prevents our government from utilizing private sector technologies.

This bill, the Modernizing Government Travel Act, is simple. It will allow Federal employees to utilize the services of innovative companies while on official travel. Last Congress, as the chairman alluded to, this bill passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, 415-0.

Private sector companies have had a tremendous impact on the way that people travel, and we should allow our government to recognize these changes. By widening the scope of reimbursable forms of transportation, we are encouraging the adoption of innovative technologies and promoting competition.

The bill also requires agencies to report what type of transportation their employees are taking while on official travel, and this data will be publicly available, thus increasing transparency and accountability in how taxpayer dollars are being spent.

H.R. 274, as amended, is a sensible piece of legislation that can help modernize our government and ensure that the United States is moving seamlessly into the 21st century.

I want to thank my colleague, Representative Moulton, for his leadership on this important issue, as well as Representatives Meadows, Bustos, and Swalwell for their support for this bill. I ask my colleagues to join me in the support of H.R. 274.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 274, which was introduced by my colleague, Ms. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

This legislation condemns the government of Iran's state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of international covenants on human rights.

Following the Islamic revolution of Iran in 1979, members of the Baha'i Faith, the largest non-Muslim religious minority in the country, have been subjected to relentless persecution. In Iran, no rights or protections are accorded to those who are adherents of religions not recognized under the Iranian constitution.

The Iranian government refuses to recognize the Baha'i Faith as a religion and justifies persecution of the Baha'i under this pretext.

Iran has criminalized ordinary Baha'i religious practices of worship, religious training, and fellowship. It has also denied Baha'i people government pension

benefits, higher education, business licenses in about 2 dozen fields, and even the right of self-defense.

Mr. Speaker, I call on the House to pass H.R. 274 to show that this chamber and our Nation support the Baha'i people and stand with them in the face of Iran's tyranny.