Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1258) to require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to submit to Congress an annual report on projects that are over budget and behind schedule, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: S. 1258

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act of 2023''. SEC. 2. ANNUAL REPORT.

(a) Definitions.--In this section--

(1) the term ``covered agency'' means--

(A) an Executive agency, as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code; and

(B) an independent regulatory agency, as defined in section 3502 of title 44, United States Code;

(2) the term ``covered project'' means a project funded by a covered agency--

(A) that is more than 5 years behind schedule, as measured against the original expected date for completion; or

(B) for which the amount spent on the project is not less than $1,000,000,000 more than the original cost estimate for the project; and

(3) the term ``project'' means a major acquisition, a major defense acquisition program (as defined in section 4201 of title 10, United States Code), a procurement, a construction project, a remediation or clean-up effort, or any other time- limited endeavor, that is not funded through direct spending (as defined in section 250(c) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 900(c))).

(b) Requirement.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall issue guidance requiring covered agencies to include, on an annual basis in a report described in paragraph (2) of section 3516(a) of title 31, United States Code, or a consolidated report described in paragraph (1) of such section, information relating to each covered project of the covered agency, which shall include--

(1) a brief description of the covered project, including--

(A) the purpose of the covered project;

(B) each location in which the covered project is carried out;

(C) the contract or award number of the covered project, where applicable;

(D) the year in which the covered project was initiated;

(E) the Federal share of the total cost of the covered project; and

(F) each primary contractor, subcontractor, grant recipient, and subgrantee recipient of the covered project;

(2) an explanation of any change to the original scope of the covered project, including by the addition or narrowing of the initial requirements of the covered project;

(3) the original expected date for completion of the covered project;

(4) the current expected date for completion of the covered project;

(5) the original cost estimate for the covered project, as adjusted to reflect increases in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics;

(6) the current cost estimate for the covered project, as adjusted to reflect increases in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics;

(7) an explanation for a delay in completion or an increase in the original cost estimate for the covered project, including, where applicable, any impact of insufficient or delayed appropriations; and

(8) the amount of and rationale for any award, incentive fee, or other type of bonus, if any, awarded for the covered project.

(c) Form.--If any information required under subsection (b) is classified, such information may be submitted in the form of a classified annex consistent with the protection of sources and methods.

Mr. Speaker, Congress must ensure that every taxpayer dollar is spent efficiently. Every year, the Government Accountability Office reports government projects that are above cost projections or behind schedule, from Federal IT programs to projects at the National Nuclear Security Administration. However, there are likely additional government projects that fly under the radar, falling years behind schedule or costing billions of dollars over budget.

The Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act would address this by informing policymakers of government-funded projects that are behind schedule or above cost projections. Under the bill, agencies must report to Congress on projects that are more than 5 years behind schedule or have expenditures that are at least $1 billion more than the original cost estimate for the project. Agencies must provide an explanation if there is a delay in completion or an increase in costs for the project.

Congress has a duty to oversee the Federal Government for inefficiency and waste. This bill informs policymakers and allows Congress to address failing government projects before further taxpayer dollars are wasted or misused.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Senator Joni Ernst for her leadership on this issue, and I thank Representative Miller-Meeks for introducing the House companion bill.
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Ms. MACE. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this commonsense bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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