[Senate Report 116-111] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] Calendar No. 211 116th Congress } { Report SENATE 1st Session } { 116-111 ====================================================================== FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2020 _______ September 19, 2019.--Ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Kennedy of Louisiana, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 2524] The Committee on Appropriations reports an original bill (S. 2524) making appropriations for financial services and general government for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, and for other purposes, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. Amounts of new budget (obligational) authority for fiscal year 2020 Total of bill as reported to the Senate................. $46,675,888,000 Amount of 2019 appropriations........................... 45,770,200,000 Amount of 2020 budget estimate.......................... 47,101,106,000 Bill as recommended to Senate compared to-- 2019 appropriations................................. +905,688,000 2020 budget estimate................................ -425,218,000 CONTENTS ---------- Page Overview and Summary of the Bill................................. 5 Program, Project, and Activity................................... 5 Reprogramming Guidelines......................................... 5 Relationship With Budget Offices................................. 6 Congressional Budget Justifications.............................. 7 Agency Reports................................................... 7 Antideficiency Act Violations.................................... 8 Other Matters and Directives..................................... 8 Title I: Department of the Treasury: Departmental Offices..................................... 9 Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States Fund 12 Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence........... 12 Cybersecurity Enhancement Account........................ 14 Department-wide Systems and Capital Investments Programs. 14 Office of Inspector General.............................. 14 Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration........ 14 Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program................................................ 17 Financial Crimes Enforcement Network......................... 17 Treasury Forfeiture Fund..................................... 19 Bureau of the Fiscal Service................................. 19 Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau..................... 20 United States Mint........................................... 21 Community Development Financial Institutions Fund............ 22 Bureau of Engraving and Printing............................. 24 Internal Revenue Service..................................... 24 Taxpayer Services........................................ 27 Enforcement.............................................. 28 Operations Support....................................... 30 Business Systems Modernization........................... 32 Administrative Provisions--Internal Revenue Service...... 33 Administrative Provisions--Department of the Treasury........ 33 Title II: Executive Office of the President and Funds Appropriated to the President: The White House.............................................. 35 Executive Residence at the White House....................... 35 White House Repair and Restoration........................... 36 Council of Economic Advisers................................. 36 National Security Council and Homeland Security Council...... 36 Office of Administration..................................... 37 Office of Management and Budget.............................. 37 Office of National Drug Control Policy....................... 39 Federal Drug Control Programs: High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program............ 40 Other Federal Drug Control Programs...................... 40 Unanticipated Needs.......................................... 42 Intellectual Property Enforccement Coordinator............... 42 Information Technology Oversight and Reform.................. 42 Special Assistance to the President.......................... 43 Official Residence of the Vice President..................... 43 Administrative Provisions--Executive Office of the President and Funds Appropriated to the President.................... 44 Title III: The Judiciary: Supreme Court of the United States........................... 45 Care of the Building and Grounds......................... 46 United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit....... 46 United States Court of International Trade................... 47 Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and Other Judicial Services................................................... 47 Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund................... 47 Defender Services........................................ 48 Fees of Jurors and Commissioners......................... 48 Court Security........................................... 49 Administrative Office of the United States Courts............ 49 Federal Judicial Center...................................... 49 United States Sentencing Commission.......................... 50 Administrative Provisions--The Judiciary..................... 50 Title IV--District of Columbia: Federal Payments: Federal Funds............................................ 52 Federal Payment for Resident Tuition Support............. 52 Federal Payment for Emergency Planning and Security Costs in the District of Columbia............................ 53 Federal Payment to the District of Columbia Courts....... 53 Federal Payment for Defender Services in District of Columbia Courts........................................ 53 Federal Payment to the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia........ 54 Federal Payment to the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia................................... 54 Federal Payment to the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council................................................ 55 Federal Payment for Judicial Commissions................. 55 Federal Payment for School Improvement................... 56 Federal Payment for the D.C. National Guard.............. 56 Federal Payment for HIV/AIDS Prevention.................. 57 Federal Payment to the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority........................................ 57 District of Columbia Funds................................... 58 Title V--Independent Agencies: Administrative Conference of the United States............... 59 Commodity Futures Trading Commission......................... 59 Consumer Product Safety Commission........................... 60 Election Assistance Commission............................... 62 Federal Communications Commission............................ 63 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation: Office of the Inspector General.......................................... 67 Federal Election Commission.................................. 67 Federal Labor Relations Authority............................ 68 Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council.............. 68 Federal Trade Commission..................................... 69 General Services Administration.............................. 72 Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation........................ 82 Merit Systems Protection Board............................... 82 Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation.............. 83 National Archives and Records Administration................. 84 Office of Government Ethics.................................. 87 Office of Personnel Management............................... 87 Office of Special Counsel.................................... 91 Postal Regulatory Commission................................. 91 Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.................. 92 Public Buildings Reform Board................................ 93 Securities and Exchange Commission........................... 93 Selective Service System..................................... 95 Small Business Administration................................ 96 United States Postal Service................................. 105 United States Tax Court...................................... 106 Statement Concerning General Provisions.......................... 107 Title VI--General Provisions--This Act........................... 108 Title VII--General Provisions--Governmentwide.................... 110 Title VIII--General Provisions--District of Columbia............. 114 Compliance With Paragraph 7, Rule XVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate......................................................... 116 Compliance With Paragraph 7(c), Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate.................................................. 117 Compliance With Paragraph 12, Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate..................................................... 118 Budgetary Impact of Bill......................................... 120 Comparative Statement of New Budget Authority.................... 121 OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY OF THE BILL The Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill provides funding for the Department of the Treasury, including the Internal Revenue Service; the Executive Office of the President; the Judiciary; the District of Columbia; and more than two dozen independent Federal agencies. The Committee recommends $46,829,888,000 in discretionary and mandatory appropriations. This represents an increase of $1,000,888,000 above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level, and a decrease of $425,218,000 below the budget request. Of the total, $24,346,888 is provided in discretionary appropriations, including $150,888,000 for the Small Business Administration Disaster Loans Program Account designated by Congress as disaster relief pursuant to Public Law 112-25. Mandatory appropriations less scorekeeping adjustments total $22,329,000,000. PROGRAM, PROJECT, AND ACTIVITY During fiscal year 2020, for the purposes of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-177), as amended, with respect to appropriations contained in the accompanying bill, the terms ``program, project, and activity'' [PPA] shall mean any item for which a dollar amount is contained in appropriations acts (including joint resolutions providing continuing appropriations) or accompanying reports of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, or accompanying conference reports and joint explanatory statements of the committee of conference. REPROGRAMMING GUIDELINES The Committee includes a provision (section 608) establishing the authority of agencies to reprogram funds and the limitation on that authority. The provision specifically requires the advance approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations of any proposal to reprogram funds that: (1) creates a new program; (2) eliminates a program, project, or activity; (3) increases funds or personnel for any PPA for which funds have been denied or restricted by the Congress; (4) proposes to redirect funds that were directed in such reports for a specific activity to a different purpose; (5) augments an existing PPA in excess of $5,000,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less; (6) reduces an existing PPA by $5,000,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less; or (7) creates, reorganizes, or restructures offices differently than the congressional budget justifications or the table at the end of the Committee report, whichever is more detailed. The Committee retains the requirement that each agency submit an operating plan to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations not later than 60 days after enactment of this act to establish the baseline for application of reprogramming and transfer authorities provided in this act. Specifically, each agency should provide a table for each appropriation with columns displaying the budget request; adjustments made by Congress; adjustments for rescissions, if appropriate; and the fiscal year enacted level. The table shall delineate the appropriation both by object class and by PPA. The report must also identify items of special congressional interest. The Committee expects the agencies and bureaus to submit reprogramming requests in a timely manner and to provide a thorough explanation of the proposed reallocations, including a detailed justification of increases and reductions and the specific impact the proposed changes will have on the budget request for the following fiscal year. Except in emergency situations, reprogramming requests should be submitted no later than June 30. The Committee expects each agency to manage its programs and activities within the amounts appropriated by Congress. The Committee reminds agencies that reprogramming requests should be submitted only in the case of an unforeseeable emergency or a situation that could not have been anticipated when formulating the budget request for the current fiscal year. Further, the Committee notes that when a department or agency submits a reprogramming or transfer request to the Committees on Appropriations and does not receive identical responses from the House and the Senate, it is the responsibility of the department or agency to reconcile the House and the Senate differences before proceeding, and if reconciliation is not possible, to consider the request to reprogram funds unapproved. RELATIONSHIP WITH BUDGET OFFICES Through the years, the Committee has channeled most of its inquiries and requests for information and assistance through the budget offices of the various departments, agencies, offices, and commissions. The Committee has often pointed to the natural affinity and relationship between the budget offices and the Committee which makes such a relationship workable. The Committee reiterates its longstanding position that while the Committee reserves the right to call upon any office or officer in the departments, agencies, and commissions, the primary conjunction between the Committee and these entities must be through the budget offices. To help ensure the Committee's ability to perform its responsibilities, the Committee insists on having direct, unobstructed, and timely access to the budget offices and expects to be able to receive forthright and complete responses from those offices and their employees. The Committee expects timely agency compliance with mandated reporting requirements. The Committee directs all agencies from which reports are required to allow sufficient time to secure any necessary internal and external clearances of reports in order to satisfy congressional deadlines. The Committee strongly urges agencies to alert the Committee as far as possible in advance of any expected slippage in meeting a report delivery due date. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET JUSTIFICATIONS Budget justifications are prepared not for the use of the agency, but instead are the primary tool used by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations to evaluate the resource requirements and fiscal needs of agencies. The Committee is aware that the format and presentation of budget materials is largely left to the agency within presentation objectives set forth by the Office of Management and Budget. However, the Committee expects agencies to consult with the Committees on Appropriations in advance regarding any plans to modify the format of agency budget documents to ensure that the data needed to make appropriate and meaningful funding decisions is provided. The Committee directs that justifications submitted with the fiscal year 2021 budget requests by agencies funded under this act must contain the customary level of detailed data and explanatory statements to support the appropriations requests at the level of detail contained in the funding table included at the end of the report. Among other items, agencies shall provide a detailed discussion of proposed new initiatives, proposed changes in the agency's financial plan from prior year enactment, and detailed data on all programs and comprehensive information on any office or agency restructurings. At a minimum, each agency must also provide adequate justification for funding and staffing changes for each individual office. Explanatory materials should compare programs, projects, and activities that are proposed for fiscal year 2021 to the fiscal year 2020 enacted level. The Committee is aware that the analytical materials required for review by the Committee are unique to each agency in this act. Therefore, the Committee expects that each agency will coordinate with the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in advance on its planned presentation for its budget justification materials in support of the fiscal year 2021 budget request. AGENCY REPORTS As a measure to reduce costs and conserve paper, the Committee reminds agencies funded by this act that currently provide separate copies of periodic reports (such as Performance and Accountability Reports) and correspondence to the chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and Subcommittees on Financial Services and General Government, and also to the ranking members of the committees and subcommittees, to use a single cover letter jointly addressed to the chairs and ranking members of the Committee and subcommittee of both the House and the Senate. To the greatest extent feasible, agencies should include in the cover letter a reference or hyperlink to facilitate electronic access to the report and provide the documents by electronic mail delivery. Consolidating addressees and remitting a copy of the letter and attachments to each recipient should expedite agency processing. This should also help ensure that consistent information is conveyed concurrently to the majority and minority committee offices of both chambers of Congress. ANTIDEFICIENCY ACT VIOLATIONS The Antideficiency Act is a cornerstone of Federal fiscal law. It forbids agencies from exceeding an appropriation, apportionment, or allotment; from obligating funds before Congress has appropriated them; and from accepting voluntary services or employing personal services exceeding that authorized by law. These prohibitions ensure that agencies operate within amounts that Congress has appropriated and, therefore, that agency activities are carried out in accordance with the will of the people as expressed through Congress. The Antideficiency Act requires agencies to immediately report violations of the act to Congress and to the President and to transmit a copy of each report to the Comptroller General. These reports must include all relevant facts pertaining to the violation and a statement of action taken. These reports provide information essential to the Committee as it performs oversight and as it considers agency funding levels. Therefore, the Committee directs any agency funded by this Act to concurrently transmit to the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government a copy of any Antideficiency Act violation report submitted pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1351 or 31 U.S.C. 1517(b). OTHER MATTERS AND DIRECTIVES Foreign adversaries are seeking to lay the groundwork for the cyber battles of the future by embedding their technologies in systems we depend on. The United States should take proactive steps to deny foreign government access to our networks, sensitive data, and the personal information of the American people. In particular, the Committee remains concerned about the growing national security threat posed by Chinese telecommunications components embedded in networks, systems, and devices that we rely on for critical infrastructure and our daily lives. Therefore, the Committee continues to support the ban included in section 889 of Public Law 115-232 that prohibits government agencies from buying certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or equipment. TITLE I DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Departmental Offices SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $214,576,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 235,973,000 Committee recommendation................................ 223,373,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Secretary of the Treasury has the primary role in formulating and managing the domestic and international tax and financial policies of the Federal Government. The Secretary's responsibilities funded by the Departmental Offices [DO] Salaries and Expenses appropriation include: recommending and implementing U.S. domestic and international economic and tax policy; formulating fiscal policy; governing the fiscal operations of the Government; managing the public debt; managing international development policy; representing the United States on international monetary, trade, and investment issues; overseeing Department of the Treasury overseas operations; and directing the administrative operations of the Department of the Treasury. The majority of the Salaries and Expenses appropriation provides resources for policy formulation and implementation in the areas of domestic and international finance, tax, economic, trade, financial operations and general fiscal policy. This appropriation also provides resources to support the Secretary, policy components, and departmental administrative policies in financial and personnel management, procurement operations, and information systems and telecommunications. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $223,373,000 for the DO account of the Department of the Treasury for fiscal year 2020. The recommendation is $8,797,000 above the enacted level to support information technology investments and increase staffing in key Department priority areas, including support for Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States activities, economic analysis of tax regulatory actions, and the Office of Domestic Finance. Wildlife Trafficking.--The Committee directs the Department to use available resources to pursue and enforce money laundering and other related laws as related to wildlife trafficking and the illegal ivory trade. The Department shall report to the Committee semiannually during fiscal year 2020 on such enforcement actions and other steps taken to carry out the Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016 (Public Law 114-231) during this fiscal year. Ivory Poaching.--Militias, armed groups, insurgents, and even terrorist groups are using profits from illegal ivory poaching and trafficking to further violence in Africa and elsewhere. Often the sales are to China and involve organized crime, shell companies, and arms traffickers. Accordingly, the Committee directs the Department to use available resources to pursue and enforce money laundering and other related laws as related to the illegal ivory trade, particularly in Africa. The Department shall report to the Committee every 6 months during the fiscal year on such enforcement actions taken during the fiscal year. Puerto Rico.--The Committee encourages the Department to provide technical assistance to Puerto Rico on stabilizing and strengthening public financial management and financial management systems. The Committee directs the Department to submit a report within 90 days of the end of the fiscal year to the Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate providing detailed descriptions of any technical assistance that has been provided, including: what activities have been undertaken by Treasury employees in the provision of technical assistance; timeframes within which the activities have occurred; number of full-time-equivalent hours devoted to provision of the activities; and documentation that the activities have occurred. Savings Bonds.--The Committee is concerned to learn that approximately $24,000,000,000 in matured U.S. savings bonds are presently left unclaimed in the U.S. Treasury. Further, the Treasury Department has not taken sufficient action to reunite bondholders or to provide the appropriate State agencies with the necessary information for owners to redeem their unclaimed bonds. Treasury must take all possible action and facilitate collaboration with relevant State agencies to address this issue. It is the Committee's understanding that claims filed after 6 years of maturity of a savings bond are entertained only if the claimant supplies the serial number of a bond. However, in many cases the Treasury is the sole holder of that information. Within 90 days of enactment of this act, the Secretary is directed to provide all necessary information (including but not limited to the name, last known address, and bond serial number) to any State which has or will obtain title to bonds in order to facilitate bond owners' receipt of funds for unclaimed U.S. Savings Bonds. This information must be sufficient so that the owner may receive funds from their matured bond even if those bonds are lost, stolen, destroyed, or the physical bond is otherwise not available, without constraints on age of the matured bond. The Committee is aware that many savings bonds registration records are currently stored on microfilm. The Department has averred that in 2014, the Bureau of the Fiscal Service worked with vendors to identify scanning techniques that would result in an ``accurate, indexable, searchable electronic record,'' but that ``[n]one of the vendors were able to provide a technological solution that would create an accurate searchable record.'' The Committee is incredulous of such an assertion, in light of extensive commentary by e-discovery experts on the relative simplicity of digitization techniques and the Committee's own experience with digitization efforts at the National Archives and Records Administration. Further, it is the Committee's understanding that claims filed after 6 years of maturity of a savings bond are entertained only if the claimant supplies the serial number of a bond. As such, the Committee directs the Department to publish in the Federal Register, not later than 30 days after the enactment of this act, a request for public comment on all matters related to converting registration records into an accurate, indexable, and searchable electronic record. The Department is further directed to complete, within 1 year of enactment of this act, the digitization of registration records--an activity for which the Committee has provided additional resources in an administrative provision. Further, the Committee directs the Department to ensure that the administrators of State unclaimed property funds are provided full access to the digitized records, in support of their mission to return any monies to Americans that are duly owed to those Americans. The Committee directs the Department to initiate any new rulemaking that may be necessary to implement these provisions and to fully accommodate State escheatment processes. Such rules shall be constructed by the Department such that the ownership of matured, unredeemed savings bonds may be transferred pursuant to a valid judgment of escheatment vesting a State with title to one or more such bonds, that no Federal law or regulation creates an impediment to state law providing for or governing the escheatment of matured, unredeemed savings bonds, and that the six-year limitation on claims may begin only after Treasury has provided the aforementioned digitized information. Financial Literacy.--The Committee is concerned about the low level of financial literacy and numeracy skills among the adult population of the United States, as one in seven adults do not have the basic financial literacy skills to succeed in all but the most rudimentary financial literacy tasks. The Committee encourages the Department to explore the degree to which current Federal financial literacy programs benefit those individuals with less than basic literacy skills and to develop measurable goals and objectives for the Financial Literacy and Education Commission that address the needs of this population. Finally, the Committee urges the Department to explore opportunities to work with rural community-based adult and family literacy organizations to promote and implement future financial literacy initiatives. Current Expected Credit Loss.--The Committee is aware of concerns regarding the potential adverse effects on the U.S. economy from the Financial Accounting Standards Board's Current Expected Credit Loss [CECL] standard, especially during times of recession or economic crisis. The Committee directs the Department of the Treasury, in consultation with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the National Credit Union Administration, to conduct a study on the need, if any, for changes to regulatory capital requirements necessitated by CECL, and to submit the study to the Committee within 270 days of the date of enactment of this act. Treasury Forfeiture Fund.--The Committee directs the Department to submit to the Committee a detailed table every month reporting the interest earned, forfeiture revenue collected, unobligated balances, recoveries, expenses to date, and expenses estimated for the remainder of the fiscal year. COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES FUND Appropriations, 2019.................................................... Budget estimate, 2020................................... $20,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 20,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 [FIRRMA] (Public Law 115-232) greatly expanded the jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States [CFIUS] to address growing national security concerns over foreign utilization of certain investment structures that had fallen outside of the jurisdiction of CFIUS. FIRRMA also established the CFIUS Fund, to be administered by the Secretary of the Treasury, to accept appropriated funds for these expanded functions and responsibilities and to collect filing fees. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $20,000,000 to address increased responsibilities facing the Department and other CFIUS agencies pursuant to FIRRMA. This appropriation will be partially offset by filing fees collected upon finalization of forthcoming regulation. The Department is expected to keep the Committee fully apprised of the Department's development of regulations to fully implement FIRRMA as well as any additional information technology infrastructure requirements. Spending Plan.--The Committee directs the Department to provide a detailed accounting of planned expenditures of the Department and member agencies prior to obligating or transferring amounts available in the CFIUS fund. OFFICE OF TERRORISM AND FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $159,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 166,712,000 Committee recommendation................................ 167,712,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Economic and trade sanctions issued and enforced by the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence's [TFI] Office of Foreign Assets Control safeguard financial systems against illicit use and combat rogue nations, terrorist facilitators, money launderers, proliferators of weapons of mass destruction, and other national security threats. In addition, TFI produces vital analysis with regard to foreign intelligence and counterintelligence across all elements of the national security community. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $167,712,000. The Committee strongly supports TFI's mission to strengthen national security by using targeted financial measures to combat threats and protect the integrity of the financial system, and the Committee notes that this funding level would result in an increase to TFI of more than 35 percent since fiscal year 2017. In light of the heightened resources provided to TFI in recent years, the Committee encourages the Department to hire additional investigators to bolster capacity for investigations and sanctions focused on Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic. The Committee recommendation is $1,000,000 more than the budget request, and the bill requires that not less than $1,000,000 be dedicated to addressing human rights and corruption, including through activities authorized by the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Economic Sanctions and Divestments.--The Department is expected to continue to issue and enforce economic and trade sanctions consistent with national security and foreign policy goals. These sanctions are a key tool for asserting U.S. policy toward countries and entities under sanction. The Committee directs the Department to fully implement all sanctions and divestment measures, particularly those applicable to WMD proliferation, terrorism, transnational organized crime, human rights abuses, drug trafficking, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Burma, and designated rebel groups operating in and around the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Committee directs the Department to promptly notify the Committee of any resource constraints that adversely impact the implementation of any sanctions program. Synthetic Opioids.--A major concession by China in U.S.- China trade negotiations was China's commitment to schedule all variants of the opioid fentanyl as controlled substances. On April 1, 2019, Chinese regulators moved to schedule all variants of the opioid fentanyl as controlled substances. Given China's track record of broken commitments to the U.S. and past failed efforts to control the flow of illicit synthetic opioids trafficked to the U.S., the Administration must remain vigilant in its efforts to monitor China's implementation and enforcement of this commitment. The Committee recommendation includes funds for TFI to continue to investigate the illicit trade of synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl, originating from China, in order to verify that China is upholding its commitments. National Security and Higher Education.--National security officials are increasingly concerned that foreign adversaries are targeting perceived vulnerabilities in the U.S. higher education system. Recent testimony specifically warned of the development of ``Confucius Institutes''--funded by the Chinese government--on U.S. campuses, and the current National Security Strategy notes the economic threats posed by ``non-traditional intelligence collectors,'' including science, technology, engineering, and math students who work with the most sensitive and advanced technologies. The Department's Office of Intelligence and Analysis is responsible for producing all- source intelligence analysis that identifies threats to and vulnerabilities within the international financial system, and plays a critical role to address these threats. The Department is directed to submit a report, in a classified or unclassified format, to the Committee within 180 days of enactment of this act on its efforts to address these threats. CYBERSECURITY ENHANCEMENT ACCOUNT Appropriations, 2019.................................... $25,208,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 18,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 18,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Cybersecurity Enhancement Account is a dedicated account designed to bolster the Department's cybersecurity posture and mitigate cybersecurity threats to the U.S. financial infrastructure. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $18,000,000, which is equal to the budget request. DEPARTMENT-WIDE SYSTEMS AND CAPITAL INVESTMENTS PROGRAMS (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Appropriations, 2019.................................... $4,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 6,118,000 Committee recommendation................................ 6,118,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Department-wide Systems and Capital Investments Program [DSCIP] account provides a mechanism for Treasury to fund capital investments and projects that span several fiscal years. Through this account, the Department has been able to fund the continual repair and restoration of the Main Treasury Building, which is the oldest departmental building and the third oldest federally occupied building in Washington, preceded only by the Capitol and the White House. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $6,118,000. The Committee notes that the DSCIP account has been utilized to fund a wide variety of multiyear information technology initiatives and renovation projects. Given the complexity of these initiatives, the bill includes an administrative provision directing the Department of the Treasury to submit an annual Capital Investment Plan to the Committees on Appropriations within 30 days after the President's budget submission. OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $37,044,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 37,044,000 Committee recommendation................................ 38,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION As a result of the 1988 amendments to the Inspector General Act, the Secretary of the Treasury established the Office of Inspector General [OIG] in 1989. The OIG conducts and supervises audits, evaluations, and investigations designed to: (1) promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in departmental programs and operations; and (2) keep the Secretary and Congress fully and currently informed of problems and deficiencies in the administration of departmental programs and operations. The audit function provides program audit, contract audit, and financial statement audit services. Contract audits provide professional advice to agency contracting officials on accounting and financial matters relative to negotiation, award, administration, repricing, and settlement of contracts. Program audits review and audit all facets of agency operations. Financial statement audits assess whether financial statements fairly present the agency's financial condition and results of operations, the adequacy of accounting controls, and compliance with laws and regulations. These audits contribute significantly to improved financial management by helping Treasury managers identify improvements needed in their accounting and internal control systems. The evaluations function reviews program performance and issues critical to the mission of the Department. The investigative function provides for the detection and investigation of improper and illegal activities involving programs, personnel, and operations. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $38,000,000 for salaries and expenses of the Office of Inspector General. This amount is $956,000 above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The Committee directs the Inspector General to utilize funds provided to meet mandated audit requirements such as information security in addition to other prioritized work including Treasury's responsibilities as they relate to combatting terrorist financing and money laundering. The Committee remains concerned about cyber-based threats as Treasury's information systems are critical to the core functions of government and the Nation's financial infrastructure. The Committee encourages the Inspector General to conduct oversight work on the potential vulnerability of Treasury's networks and systems including its physical security, continuous monitoring, and strong authentication. TREASURY INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR TAX ADMINISTRATION SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $170,250,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 166,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 166,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration [TIGTA] was established by the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-206). TIGTA was created to provide independent audit and investigative services necessary to improve the quality and credibility of oversight of the Internal Revenue Service [IRS] and ensure that the IRS is held to a high level of accountability. TIGTA conducts audits, investigations, and inspections and evaluations to assess the operations and programs of the IRS and related entities, the IRS Oversight Board, and the Office of Chief Counsel to (1) promote the economic, efficient, and effective administration of the Nation's tax laws and to detect and deter fraud and abuse in IRS programs and operations; and (2) recommend actions to resolve fraud and other serious problems, abuses, and deficiencies in these programs and operations, and keep the Secretary and Congress fully and currently informed of these issues and the progress made in resolving them. The audit function provides program audit, limited contract audit, and financial audit services. Program audits review and audit all facets of the IRS and related entities in an effort to improve IRS systems and operations, while ensuring fair and equitable treatment of taxpayers. Contract audits focus on invoices/vouchers submitted to the IRS to determine whether charges are valid and to identify erroneous and improper payments. The investigative function provides for the detection and investigation of improper and illegal activities involving IRS programs and operations and protects the IRS and related entities against external attempts to corrupt or threaten the administration of the tax laws. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $166,000,000 for TIGTA, which is equal to the budget request. The Committee appreciates TIGTA's efforts to promote the security of taxpayer data, to improve implementation of tax law changes, to combat identity theft and impersonation fraud, to ensure efficient and economical investments in information technology modernization, and to address all of the management and performance challenges confronting the IRS. The Committees observes that during the first half of fiscal year 2019, TIGTA recovered, protected, and identified monetary benefits totaling more than $1,400,000,000. Improper Payments.--An improper payment is any payment that should not have been made or that was made in an incorrect amount under statutory, contractual, administrative, or other legally applicable requirements. By virtue of its substantial procurement budget and the issuance of tax refunds and refundable credits, the IRS faces significant risks of improper payments. The Committee strongly supports TIGTA's efforts to identify and eliminate improper payments at the IRS. The Committee is particularly pleased that TIGTA's draft audit plan for fiscal year 2020 contemplates substantial work to address improper payments, including audits to determine whether the IRS complied with annual improper payment reporting requirements for fiscal year 2019; to assess processes to identify contractors registered in the System for Award Management with delinquent Federal tax liabilities and contracts with Federal agencies; to evaluate the IRS's process to identify and prevent potentially fraudulent individual international tax returns; and to assess the effectiveness of controls over employee domestic travel claims. Combatting IRS Impersonation Scams.--According to TIGTA, as of April 2019, more than 2.5 million Americans have been targeted by an IRS impersonation scam. Additionally, more than 15,500 Americans have lost more than $76,000,000 to IRS impersonation scams. Given the ubiquitous nature of this scam, the Committee commends the work that TIGTA has done thus far to combat these scams, encourages TIGTA to continue to prioritize working with the IRS to increase awareness of this scam, and urges TIGTA to continue to aggressively pursue the criminals perpetrating this fraud. SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR THE TROUBLED ASSET RELIEF PROGRAM SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $23,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 17,500,000 Committee recommendation................................ 15,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (Public Law 110- 343) established the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program [SIGTARP] to perform audits and investigations of the Troubled Asset Relief Program [TARP]. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $15,000,000 for SIGTARP for fiscal year 2020. The Committee notes that less than 1 percent of TARP investments remain outstanding, the application periods for the Federal Housing Administration Refinance program and Making Home Affordable initiative have ended, and approximately 90 percent of housing finance agency Hardest Hit Fund disbursements have occurred. The Committee notes SIGTARP has found fraud, waste, and abuse in TARP programs that have disbursed funds. The Committee expects SIGTARP to continue winding down its operations as disbursements under TARP housing programs are paid out and SIGTARP approaches its sunset date. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $117,800,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 124,700,000 Committee recommendation................................ 126,700,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network [FinCEN], a bureau within the Treasury Department's Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, is the largest overt collector of financial intelligence in the United States. FinCEN's mission is to safeguard the financial system from the abuses of financial crime, including terrorist financing, money laundering, and other illicit activity. FinCEN accomplishes its mission by administering the Bank Secrecy Act, a collection of statutes that form the Nation's antimoney laundering/ counterterrorist financing regulatory regime. As the delegated administrator of the Bank Secrecy Act, FinCEN is responsible for the development and implementation of regulations, rules, and guidance issued under the Bank Secrecy Act. FinCEN also oversees the work of eight Federal agencies with delegated responsibility to examine various sectors of the financial industry for compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act's requirements. FinCEN is responsible for collecting, maintaining, and disseminating the information reported by financial institutions under the Bank Secrecy Act through a Governmentwide access service. FinCEN is the United States' Financial Intelligence Unit [FIU] and a founding member of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units. As the United States' FIU, FinCEN routinely shares information and cooperates with other FIUs around the world to address the global problems of terrorist financing, money laundering, and other illicit activity. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $126,700,000 for FinCEN. The amount is $8,900,000 above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level to enhance FinCEN's national security capacity and combat cybercrime and cryptocurrency threats. Money Laundering of Cybercrime Proceeds.--The Committee recognizes that major data security breaches are becoming more common and are often orchestrated by sophisticated cybercriminal enterprises who then monetize the data and launder it through U.S. financial institutions. The Committee notes FinCEN's history of supporting law enforcement cases that combat cybercrime, and emphasizes the importance of continuing this effort as part of the bureau's broader mission to detect and disrupt all forms of financial crime. In addition to analyzing financial flows for this important effort in the course of ongoing strategic operations, to the extent that FinCEN has vetted, releasable and relevant information, it should use this data to ensure reporting institutions remain vigilant in detecting the laundering of cybercriminal proceeds by considering issuing an advisory on filing suspicious activity reports regarding specific cybercriminal activities. The Committee notes that FinCEN has issued two cyber-related advisories to financial institutions concerning, respectively, cyber-events and cyber-enabled crime generally and on business e-mail compromise more specifically. The advisories assisted financial institutions in understanding how to identify and report suspicious cyber-related activity. The Committee encourages FinCEN to continue to issue cyber-related advisories or other publications, as appropriate, to keep financial institutions apprised of the trends, typologies, red flag indicators, and other information that may assist financial institutions in reporting cyber-related suspicious activities. Geographic Targeting Orders [GTOs].--The committee is encouraged by the Department's ongoing efforts to expand the use and scope of GTOs, an important tool that enables the collection of shell corporations' beneficial ownership information to prevent illegal money from terrorism, sex trafficking, money laundering, and other illegal activities from being hidden in real estate transactions. The Committee expects FinCEN to continue to keep the Committee apprised of the Department's efforts to identify money laundering schemes through GTOs. Trade-Based Money Laundering.--The United States has robust anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regulations in place, yet transnational criminal organizations and terror organizations continue to fund their illicit operations. Rather than utilizing the formal financial system, many of these entities fund their organizations and operations through the use of trade transactions, known as trade-based money laundering [TBML]. TBML disguises proceeds of crime by moving value through trade transactions. It is very hard to identify and investigate, which is why the use of trade to launder money has become such an attractive option to criminal and terrorist organizations. The Federal Government achieves an impressive level of success in identifying, investigating, and prosecuting money laundering offenses that occur through the formal financial system, yet TBML has been a challenge for U.S. agencies given the fluid nature of trade. Given that criminal and terrorist organizations use trade to finance their operations, it is necessary for the United States to understand the full breadth of risks posed by trade-based money laundering and other forms of illicit finance. The Committee recommendation includes $2,000,000 for FinCEN to contract with an external vendor that will thoroughly assess the risk that TBML and other forms of illicit finance pose to our national security. E-mail Compromise Fraud.--The Committee is aware of e-mail fraud schemes in real estate in which the e-mail accounts of victims are compromised to send fraudulent wire transfer instructions to financial institutions in order to misappropriate funds. Since 2013, there have been reported cases of business e-mail compromise and e-mail account compromise involving more than $3,000,000,000. FinCEN is directed to brief the Committee within 60 days of enactment of this act on its efforts to help financial institutions identify and prevent such e-mail fraud schemes. Treasury Forfeiture Fund (RESCISSION) The Committee recommends a permanent rescission of $60,000,000 of unobligated balances in the Treasury Forfeiture Fund. Bureau of the Fiscal Service SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $338,280,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 340,337,000 Committee recommendation................................ 340,337,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The mission of the Fiscal Service is to promote the financial integrity and operational efficiency of the U.S. Government through accounting, borrowing, collections, payments, and shared services. The Fiscal Service provides central payment services to Federal agencies and operates the Federal Government's collections and deposit systems in addition to providing governmentwide accounting and reporting services, managing the collection of delinquent debt owed to the Federal Government, borrowing on behalf of the Federal Government, and providing support services for other Federal agencies on a reimbursable basis. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $340,337,000. This amount is equal to the budget request. Judgment Fund Transparency.--The Judgment Fund is a permanent, indefinite appropriation available to pay final money judgments and awards against the United States pursuant to section 1304 of title 31 of the United States Code. The Judgment Fund is also available to pay compromise settlements entered into by the U.S. Department of Justice related to actual or imminent litigation. Transparency and accountability are essential and reasonable expectations of American taxpayers, yet the Committee remains concerned with the lack of transparency with these taxpayer funded payments. The Judgment Fund Section in the Bureau of the Fiscal Service administers the Judgment Fund, and the Committee directs the Department to issue the 2019 report within 60 days of enactment of this act, and directs that the report include all judgment fund payments since 2017, unless the disclosure of such information is otherwise prohibited by law or court order. With respect to each payment made from the Judgement Fund, the report shall consist of: (1) the name of the plaintiff or claimant; (2) the name of the counsel for the plaintiff or claimant; (3) the name of the agency that submitted the claim; (4) a brief description of the facts that gave rise to the claim; and (5) the amount paid representing principal, attorney fees, and interest, if applicable. In addition, if a payment is made to a foreign state, the Department shall include a description of the payment method, the currency denomination used for the payment, and the name and location of the financial institution to which the payment was disbursed if it is owned or controlled by a foreign state. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $119,600,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 115,427,000 Committee recommendation................................ 115,427,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau [TTB] is charged with collecting revenue and protecting the public and is responsible for enforcement of certain Federal laws and regulations relating to alcohol and tobacco. TTB works directly and in cooperation with others to maintain a sound revenue management and collection system that continues to reduce the regulatory burden, improve service, collect the revenue due, and prevent tax evasion and other criminal conduct. TTB is also responsible for preventing consumer deception, ensuring that regulated products comply with Federal commodity, safety, and distribution requirements, and providing customer service. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $115,427,000 for TTB. The Committee recommendation includes $5,000,000 for TTB's enforcement efforts for industry trade practice violations. Enforcement of trade practices functions, as required under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act (Public Law 74-401), is critical to ensuring a competitive, fair, and safe marketplace. The Committee will continue to monitor enforcement efforts for industry trade practice violations and the process for securing basic label and formula approvals under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act. The Committee is deeply concerned about a number of the provisions in the TTB proposed rule Modernization of the Labeling and Advertising Regulations for Wine, Distilled Spirits, and Malt Beverages (83 Fed. Reg. 60562). While the proposed rule purports to simplify and clarify regulatory standards, the Committee is aware of widespread concerns that many of these provisions will impose unnecessary labeling requirements and force costly label changes that provide limited benefits to consumers. The Committee urges TTB to withdraw its proposal and instead work to craft a commonsense alternative that protects consumers without imposing onerous regulatory burdens. United States Mint UNITED STATES MINT PUBLIC ENTERPRISE FUND PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The United States Mint manufactures coins, sells numismatic and investment products, and provides for security and asset protection. Public Law 104-52 established the U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund [the Fund]. The Fund encompasses the previous Salaries and Expenses, Coinage Profit Fund, Coinage Metal Fund, and the Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund. The Mint submits annual audited business-type financial statements to the Secretary of the Treasury and to Congress in support of the operations of the revolving fund. The operations of the Mint are divided into two major activities: manufacturing and sales (including circulating coinage and numismatic and investment products); and protection. The Mint is credited with receipts from its circulating coinage operations, equal to the full cost of producing and distributing coins that are put into circulation, including depreciation of the Mint's plant and equipment on the basis of current replacement value. Those receipts pay for the costs of the Mint's operations, which include the costs of production and distribution. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a spending level of $30,000,000 for circulating coinage and protective service capital investments for the Mint. Community Development Financial Institutions Fund COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT Appropriations, 2019.................................... $250,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 14,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 251,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund makes investments in the form of grants, loans, equity investments, deposits, and technical assistance grants to new and existing community development financial institutions [CDFIs] through the CDFI program. CDFIs include community development banks, credit unions, venture capital funds, revolving loan funds, and microloan funds, among others. Recipient institutions engage in lending and investment for affordable housing, small business, and community development within underserved communities. The CDFI Fund administers the Bank Enterprise Award Program, which provides a financial incentive to insured depository institutions to undertake community development financing activities. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $251,000,000 for the CDFI Fund. Of the amounts provided, $161,000,000 is for financial and technical assistance grants, of which up to $3,000,000 may be used to provide technical and financial assistance to CDFIs that fund projects to help individuals with disabilities; $16,000,000 is for Native initiatives; $25,000,000 is for the Bank Enterprise Award program; $22,000,000 is for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative; and $27,000,000 is for the administrative expenses for all programs. The Committee notes the CDFI Fund's ability to leverage private sector investment in community development projects such as affordable housing, retail development, and community centers, as well as lending to small businesses. However, the Committee remains concerned about an overall lack of transparency into many of the CDFI Fund's programs and nominal ability to verify investment impacts. The Committee strongly believes it is important to ensure that CDFIs are delivering investments to the borrowers and communities that need it most. The Committee notes the steps the CDFI Fund has taken to facilitate better data collection, integration, and management through its Awards Management Information System [AMIS]. The Committee provides $1,000,000 for the ongoing maintenance and operations of AMIS and the development of risk management tools, to better measure and assess CDFI investment performance, improve data quality, and conduct compliance reporting. The Committee urges the CDFI Fund to prioritize completion of such tools in fiscal year 2020. In addition, the Committee directs the Secretary to report to the Appropriations Committees within 90 days of enactment of this act on the impact fiscal year 2018 CDFI Fund Awardees are having in the communities they serve; the overall risk to which the Fund's portfolio is exposed; and a description of awardees that are at risk of noncompliance. The CDFI Fund is expected to ensure funding is not allocated to entities that support activities in contradiction of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.) and report to the Committee on any CDFI award recipient who uses Federal funds in contradiction of the Controlled Substances Act. Economic Mobility Corps.--The Committee recommendation for the Core Program includes $1,000,000 for the CDFI Fund to fund an interagency agreement with the Corporation for National and Community Service to place national service members at certified CDFIs. The program should strengthen the capacity of CDFIs to perform activities relating to financial literacy, financial planning, budgeting, saving, and other financial counseling activities. Priority should be given to positions in rural areas and to veterans. The Committee directs the CDFI Fund to submit a report no later than December 31, 2020, to the Committee that describes activities outlined in the agreement, a description of the process utilized to place national service members into CDFIs, and a list of CDFIs receiving funding for the placement of national services members. Bond Guarantee Program.--The Committee includes a provision enabling the Secretary of the Treasury to guarantee up to $500,000,000 in bonds until December 31, 2020. The bond guarantees will not result in a cost to the taxpayer. The bonds are intended to support CDFI lending and investment activities in underserved communities by providing a source of long-term capital, and the funds raised through the bonds will be used to capitalize new loans or refinance existing loans. Non-Metropolitan and Rural Areas.--The Committee directs Treasury to take into consideration the unique conditions, challenges, and scale of non-metropolitan and rural areas when designing and administering programs to address economic revitalization and community development and when making CDFI award decisions. The Committee notes that the CDFI Fund is required by 12 U.S.C. 4706(b) to seek to fund a geographically diverse group of award recipients, including those from non- metropolitan and rural areas. In addition, the Committee directs funding to be used in each program for projects that serve populations living in persistent poverty counties in accordance with this act. The Committee directs the Secretary to report to the Appropriations Committees within 90 days of enactment of this act detailing how the fiscal year 2020 CDFI Program recipients intend to serve non-metropolitan and rural areas and populations living in persistent poverty counties. Bureau of Engraving and Printing PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Bureau of Engraving and Printing [BEP] has been the sole manufacturer of U.S. paper currency for almost 150 years. The origin of the BEP is traced to an Act of Congress passed on February 25, 1862, 12 Stat. 345, authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to issue a new currency--United States notes. While this law was the cornerstone authority for the operations of the engraving and printing division of the Treasury for many years, it was not until an Act of June 20, 1874, 18 Stat. 100, that the Congress first referred to this division as the ``Bureau of Engraving and Printing.'' The Bureau's status as a distinct bureau within the Department of the Treasury was solidified by section 1 of the Act of June 4, 1897, 30 Stat. 18, which placed all of the business of the BEP under the immediate control of a director, subject to the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury. The 1897 law is now codified in 31 U.S.C. 303. The BEP designs, manufactures, and supplies Federal Reserve notes and other security documents issued by the Federal Government. The operations of the BEP are currently financed by means of a revolving fund, which requires the BEP to be reimbursed by customer agencies for all costs of manufacturing products and services performed. The BEP is also authorized to assess amounts to acquire capital equipment and provide for working capital needs. Internal Revenue Service PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Internal Revenue Service [IRS] collects the revenue that funds the Government and administers the Nation's tax laws. During 2018, the IRS processed 253 million tax forms and collected $3,500,000,000,000 in taxes (gross receipts before tax refunds), totaling 95 percent of Federal Government receipts. The IRS taxpayer service program assists millions of taxpayers in understanding and meeting their tax obligations. The IRS tax enforcement and compliance program deters taxpayers inclined to evade their responsibilities while pursuing those who violate tax laws. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a total of $11,413,554,000 for the Internal Revenue Service for fiscal year 2020. Tax Gap.--The vast majority of Americans voluntarily pay their fair share of taxes, yet there is still a ``tax gap.'' The tax gap is the shortfall between the amount of tax voluntarily and timely paid by taxpayers and the actual tax liability of taxpayers. In April 2016, IRS estimated that the average annual gross tax gap was $458,000,000,000 for tax years 2008-2010. However, IRS estimates that through late payments and enforcement actions it eventually will collect an additional $52,000,000,000 on average for those years, leaving the average net tax gap at $406,000,000,000 for tax years 2008- 2010. The Committee directs the IRS to continue to assess and implement all outstanding recommendations from Government Accountability Office and TIGTA concerning efforts to reduce the tax gap. The Committee further directs the IRS to submit, within 1 month of the enactment of this act, a new study on the tax gap covering tax years 2011-2013. The 2019 Tax Filing Season.--The 2019 filing season was the first to account for changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act [TCJA] (Public Law 115-97)--the most substantial and wide- ranging tax reform in over 30 years. Implementation of the TCJA required the IRS to issue numerous regulations and guidance, to update countless forms and publications, and to complete a major overhaul of IT systems. Notwithstanding the enormity of the task and dire predictions to the contrary, the 2019 filing season was largely a success, opening on time and with most taxpayers receiving a timely refund. The Committee commends the IRS and its employees for the extraordinary efforts that went into implementation of the TCJA. User Fees.--The IRS is authorized to charge user fees to recover the cost of providing certain services to the public that confer a special benefit to the recipient. In its congressional budget justification, IRS estimates it will collect $460,900,000 in user fees in fiscal year 2020. The Committee directs the IRS to submit a user fee spend plan, within 60 days of enactment of this act, detailing planned spending on its four appropriations accounts--Taxpayer Services, Enforcement, Operations Support, and Business Modernization Systems. Specifically, the Committee would like to see how programs, investments, and initiatives funded through each appropriations account are supported by user fees. Cybersecurity.--The IRS is responsible for safeguarding a vast amount of sensitive financial and personal data, processing returns that contain confidential information for over 300 million taxpayers. Persistent information security weaknesses put the IRS at risk of disruption, fraud, or inappropriate disclosure of sensitive information. TIGTA stated that the security over taxpayer data and protection of the IRS resources was the top priority in its list of top ten management challenges for the IRS for fiscal year 2019. GAO has reported that numerous deficiencies in the IRS's controls increases the risk that the IRS's network devices and systems could be compromised and used by unauthorized individuals to access sensitive taxpayer data (GAO-18-165). Given the recent breaches to individuals' data, it is clear the IRS cannot afford to have taxpayer information misused, improperly disclosed, or destroyed. Securing the IRS's systems and protecting taxpayers' information should be a top priority for the IRS. The IRS should specifically consider the recommendations of TIGTA and GAO and to report back to the Committee on Appropriations within 180 days of enactment of this act describing the IRS's disposition of recommendations from audits completed prior to enactment of this law, as well as related plans and the status for work that will contribute to addressing known security weaknesses and deficiencies. The IRS should also consider any recommendations from the National Taxpayer Advocate. Direct Primary Care Services.--The Committee recognizes that consumers who enroll in a direct primary care service arrangement have not enrolled in a health insurance plan, and these arrangements should not be recognized as insurance under 26 U.S.C. 223(d)(2)(B) and 26 U.S.C. 213(d)(1)(D). Pursuant to Executive Order 13877, the Committee encourages the IRS to issue regulations that treat expenses related to certain types of arrangements, particularly including direct primary care arrangements, as eligible medical expenses under 26 U.S.C. 213(d). The IRS is directed to provide a report on the progress made addressing these issues to the Committee no later than 180 days after enactment of this act. Information on Charitable Giving.--Charitable donations are a critical source of support for the countless houses of worship and nonprofit organizations that form the fabric of our religious, social, and civic life. The IRS possesses some of the most reliable and expansive data on charitable giving in the United States. The Committee directs the IRS to submit a report, no later than 6 months after the enactment of this act, analyzing charitable giving in tax years 2017 to 2018, including a breakdown by income level. Unrelated Business Income Tax.--The Committee is concerned about the impact of the new Unrelated Business Income Tax [UBIT] on employee benefits offered by tax exempt organizations. The Committee directs the IRS to submit a report, no later than 3 months after enactment of this act, on the impact of the UBIT on tax exempt organizations. The report should include the number of tax exempt organizations paying UBIT for tax years 2017 and 2018, total revenue, average amount paid, and number of first-time filers. Opportunity Zones.--The Committee encourages the IRS to collect and make public data on the location, amount, and project purpose of any Qualified Opportunity Zone investments by a Qualified Opportunity Fund, as well as indicate those projects that are owned by or employ residents of an Opportunity Zone. Reconciling Income Guidelines for Disabled Veterans.--There are 4,700,000 veterans with disabilities and 1,500,000 veterans living in poverty in the United States. However, connecting veterans to affordable housing opportunities based on their disability and/or income status can be difficult. Many multifamily affordable housing developments are financed with a combination of the Department of Housing and Urban Development's [HUD] HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds and the Low Income Housing Tax Credits [LIHTC]. However, the income guidelines for HUD's HOME program and the LIHTC vary, and reconciling the two program's requirements can be challenging. As such, the Committee urges the IRS to work with HUD to examine ways to better align HUD and LIHTC guidelines. Improper Payments.--An improper payment is any payment that should not have been made or that was made in an incorrect amount under statutory, contractual, administrative, or other legally applicable requirements. By virtue of its substantial procurement budget and the issuance of tax refunds and refundable credits, the IRS faces significant risks of improper payments. The Committee directs the IRS to make the elimination of improper payments an utmost priority. The IRS is further directed to implement, within 270 days of enactment of this act, all open and unimplemented recommendations from TIGTA and GAO that address improper payments, or report to the Committee on impediments to implementation of each open recommendation. This report shall include the dollar value of improper payments, as estimated by TIGTA or GAO, that would be avoided through implementation of each recommendation. TAXPAYER SERVICES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $2,491,554,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 2,402,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 2,481,554,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Taxpayer Services appropriation provides for taxpayer services, including forms and publications; processing tax returns and related documents; filing and account services; taxpayer advocacy services; and assisting taxpayers to understand their tax obligations, correctly file their returns, and pay taxes due in a timely manner. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $2,481,554,000 for Taxpayer Services. Bill language is included providing not less than $9,890,000 for the Tax Counseling for the Elderly Program, not less than $12,000,000 for low-income taxpayer clinic grants, not less than $25,000,000, to be available for 2 years, for the Community Volunteer Income Tax Assistance [VITA] Matching Grants Program for tax return preparation assistance, and not less than $207,000,000 for the Taxpayer Advocate Service. Rural Service Delivery Issues.--The IRS has been plagued by significant wait times and deteriorating rate of response for assistance provided through the national toll-free line. It is more imperative than ever that the IRS offer personal and local assistance to American taxpayers. The Committee notes with concern that both the overall number of Taxpayer Assistance Center [TACs] has declined and the number of TACs currently staffed with only one employee has increased in recent years, often resulting in the effective closures of the sites. While the IRS has created virtual customer service sites in some locations, the technical and financial requirements of these sites have not been made widely available. The Committee is concerned that the actions taken by the IRS and the proposed ``Future State'' of service leave rural taxpayers reliant on paid preparers or unable to obtain timely and accurate assistance with pre- and post-filing questions. The Committee continues to believe that the IRS must do more to address the needs of rural taxpayers by ensuring that they have the ability to reach local taxpayer assistance services. Taxpayer Services in Alaska and Hawaii.--Given the remote distance of Alaska and Hawaii from the U.S. mainland and the difficulty experienced by Alaska and Hawaii taxpayers in receiving needed tax assistance by the national toll-free line, it is imperative that Taxpayer Assistance Centers [TACs] and offices of the Taxpayer Advocate Service [TAS] in these States are appropriately staffed and capable of resolving taxpayer problems of the most complex nature. The Committee directs the IRS to continue to staff each TAS office in each of these States with a Collection Technical Advisor and an Examination Technical Advisor in addition to the current complement of office staff. The Committee further directs the IRS to report, within 180 days of enactment of this act, on the current face- to-face taxpayer services offered in Alaska and Hawaii, and the feasibility and cost of various options to improve service availability, including an evaluation of opening at least one additional TAC in both Alaska and Hawaii. The Committee agrees with the National Taxpayer Advocate that the elimination of a regular walk-in option for taxpayers raises significant concerns about access to IRS services, and the report should also consider the delivery service benefits of appointment versus walk-in service, including an evaluation of the costs and benefits of reinstituting walk-in services at least 2 days a week at existing TACs nationwide. Identity Protection Personal Identification Number [IP PIN] Expansion.--In 2018, the IRS received 199,000 reports of identity theft. Taxpayers who have their refunds hijacked by fraudsters often have to wait years to get the refunds to which they are legally entitled. In preparation for the 2019 Filing Season, the IRS issued 3.6 million IP PINs to taxpayers, up from 759,000 in 2013. According to the IRS, as of February 28, 2019, it had rejected approximately 3,741 fraudulent tax returns and prevented the issuance of $16,700,000 in fraudulent tax refunds related to identity theft. The Committee recognizes the IP PIN pilot program as an important tool in saving taxpayer money and commends the IRS for expanding the pilot program to seven additional States, and encourages further expansion as soon as possible. Single Point of Contact for Victims of Identity Theft.--The Taxpayer First Act of 2019 codified longstanding recommendations from this Committee and the National Taxpayer Advocate that the IRS provide victims of identity theft with a single point of contact. The single point of contact is required to work across IRS functions and offices and shall be accountable for handling the case until its resolution. The Committee directs the IRS to submit a report, within 9 months of the enactment of this act, on the implementation of this provision and on the full cycle time for resolving identity theft cases. ENFORCEMENT Appropriations, 2019.................................... $4,860,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 4,705,368,000 Committee recommendation................................ 5,060,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Enforcement appropriation provides for the examination of tax returns, both domestic and international; the administrative and judicial settlement of taxpayer appeals of examination findings; technical rulings; monitoring employee pension plans; determining qualifications of organizations seeking tax-exempt status; examining tax returns of exempt organizations; enforcing statutes relating to detection and investigation of criminal violations of the 31 internal revenue laws; identifying underreporting of tax obligations; securing unfiled tax returns; and collecting unpaid accounts. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $5,060,000,000 for enforcement activities for fiscal year 2020. This amount is $200,000,000 above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. Bill language is included providing that, of the recommended amount, no less than $635,000,000 is for the Criminal Investigation Division. Facilitating Small Appeals.--The Taxpayer First Act of 2019 (Public Law 116-25) introduced critical reforms to protect taxpayers and improve customer service, including codification of the IRS Independent Office of Appeals. The IRS could further improve the taxpayer experience by allowing for appeals to be submitted and processed online, rather than through ``snail mail'' or after extended holds on the phone. The Committee directs the IRS to submit a report, no later than 3 months after enactment of this act, detailing the feasibility and projected cost of a pilot program that would allow taxpayers with small-value disputes to pursue their appeal, and conduct the entire appeal process, through web-based digital interaction. Refund Fraud Involving Decedents.--The IRS relies on weekly receipt of the Social Security Administration's Death Master File [DMF] to prevent identity theft tax return filings using the Taxpayer Identification Number of a deceased individual. Using this information, as of May 2017 IRS had ``locked'' approximately 33.9 million tax accounts of deceased individuals. However, in December 2018, TIGTA observed that the IRS's efforts to detect and prevent tax-related identity theft using deceased individuals' identities may be substantially incomplete as a result of incomplete DMF data (TIGTA Report No. 2019-40-012). TIGTA's analysis of tax returns filed in processing years 2015 through 2018 found millions of dollars in refunds paid to decedents. The Committee directs the IRS to consult with the Social Security Administration on all potential data limitations in the DMF. The Committee further directs the IRS to provide a briefing, no later than 6 months after enactment of this act, on the impact of data limitations in the DMF on IRS's ability to eliminate fraudulent refunds to decedents. IRS Private Debt Collection.--According to the National Taxpayer Advocate, out of the more than 4,100 taxpayers who made payments after their debts were assigned to a private debt collector [PDC], 44 percent had incomes below 250 percent of the Federal poverty level, and 169 should not have been assigned to a PDC in the first place because they were receiving Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income benefits. The Committee is concerned that the IRS did not honor its commitment to exclude these taxpayers' debts from assignment to PDCs. Therefore, the IRS should use available IRS data to exclude the debts of Social Security Disability Insurance recipients from assignment to PDCs. Processing of Applications for Tax-Exempt Status.--The Committee strongly believes that meaningful, transparent, and sustained corrective action is warranted to restore any erosion of public trust in the IRS, strengthen the agency, and prevent any recurrence of the circumstances that led to the use of inappropriate case screening criteria in the handling of applications for certain tax-exempt groups based on their political beliefs. In March 2015, TIGTA assessed the IRS's actions in response to its 2013 recommendations to improve the identification and processing of applications for tax-exempt status involving political campaign intervention. TIGTA's report found that the IRS implemented significant changes to the process for reviewing applications for tax-exempt status. The Committee notes language was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (Public Law 116-6) restricting the use of Federal funds to develop new IRS regulations covering section 501(c)(4) and that the same language is continued in this act. Preventing Misclassification of Contractors.--The Committee believes that the IRS SS-8 Program is critical to ensuring that workers are classified correctly, identifying leads for employment tax exams and criminal investigations, and combating the underreporting of employment taxes that contributes significantly to the tax gap. The Committee believes it is crucial that the IRS maintain sufficient staffing at all SS-8 processing locations. The Committee directs the IRS to notify the House Appropriations Committee, the Senate Appropriations Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, and the Senate Finance Committee prior to making any staffing reductions or reallocations within the SS-8 processing program. Enforcement Efforts and Money Laundering Investigations.-- While tax crimes are considered predicate offenses to money laundering in many countries, they are not specified unlawful activities under U.S. money laundering law. However, the Committee recognizes that tax crimes and money laundering are closely related. As such, the Committee urges the IRS to increase the number of special agents in the Criminal Investigations unit responsible for investigating money laundering, violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, and criminal violations of the tax code, to provide the necessary law enforcement personnel to solidify U.S. efforts to combat money laundering. Additional Resources for the Criminal Investigation Division.--IRS Criminal Investigation [IRS-CI] is the criminal law enforcement arm of the IRS, and is charged with investigating potential criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code and related financial crimes in a manner that fosters confidence in the tax system and compliance with the law. According to its Annual Report 2018, IRS-CI employs 2,019 special agents--a decline of almost 40 percent from the historical high. The Committee strongly supports the mission of IRS-CI, and recognizes the significant ``return on investment'' of every dollar dedicated to the division. Accordingly, the bill includes new language within the Enforcement appropriation providing dedicated funding for IRS-CI. OPERATIONS SUPPORT Appropriations, 2019.................................... $3,724,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 4,075,021,000 Committee recommendation................................ 3,722,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Operations Support appropriation provides resources for overall planning, direction, operations, and critical infrastructure activities for the IRS. These activities include IT and cybersecurity that keep tax systems running and protect taxpayer data, the financial management activities that ensure effective stewardship of the Nation's revenues, and the physical infrastructure and security that help IRS employees serve customers in office, campus, and Taxpayer Assistance Center sites. Telecommunications, human resource, and communications infrastructure are also critical components of this appropriation and are vital to maintaining adequate levels of customer service and the post-filing processes necessary for the tax system to function. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $3,722,000,000 for Operations Support for fiscal year 2020. The Committee remains concerned that the IRS continues to supplement this appropriations account with the vast majority of its user fees. Information Technology Reports.--The Committee directs the IRS to submit quarterly reports on particular major project activities to the Committees on Appropriations and the GAO, no later than 30 days following the end of each calendar quarter in fiscal year 2020. The Committee expects the reports to include detailed, plain English explanations of the cumulative expenditures and schedule performance to date, specified by fiscal year; the costs and schedules for the previous 3 months; the anticipated costs and schedules for the upcoming 3 months; and the total expected costs to complete the major information technology project activities. In addition, the quarterly report should clearly explain when the project was started; the expected date of completion; the percentage of work completed as compared to planned work; the current and expected state of functionality; any changes in schedule; and current risks unrelated to funding amounts and mitigation strategies. The Committee directs the Department of the Treasury to conduct a semi-annual review of the IRS's IT investments to ensure the cost, schedule, and scope goals of the projects are transparent. The Committee further directs GAO to review and provide an annual report to the Committees evaluating the cost and schedule of activities of all major IRS information technology projects for the year, with particular focus on the projects about which the IRS is submitting quarterly reports to the Committee. Federal Contractor Tax Check System.--Since fiscal year 2015, the Financial Services and General Government appropriations acts have included a government-wide provision prohibiting Federal agencies from using appropriated funds to enter into contracts with entities that have qualifying Federal tax debts unless certain circumstances are met. This provision effectuates the straightforward proposition that contractors that ignore their Federal tax liabilities should not be allowed to enrich themselves with taxpayer dollars. Unfortunately, the Committee has serious concerns about agencies' compliance with this provision. In an April 2019 study, GAO reported widespread noncompliance, and potential violations of the Antideficiency Act, at some of the largest Federal agencies (GAO-19-243). In order to better effectuate the government-wide provision, the Committee recommendation provides that, of the amounts appropriated to the IRS for Operations Support, not less than $10,000,000 shall be available for the development of a vendor tax check application. The application should be capable of producing an authenticated electronic certification stating that the entity does or does not have a tax debt (1) which has been assessed; (2) which is greater than $52,000; and (3) with respect to which a notice of lien has been filed pursuant to section 6323 and the administrative rights under section 6320 with respect to such filing have been exhausted or have lapsed, or a levy is made pursuant to section 6331. Consistent with exemptions in the existing government-wide appropriations provision, the certification should not report a debt that is being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement to which the entity is a party under section 6159 or 7122, or a debt with respect to which collection is suspended with respect to the entity because a due process hearing under section 6330 is requested or pending. The IRS is directed to provide the Committee a quarterly update on the status of the tax check application. Taxpayer Correspondence Delivery Tracking.--Letters mailed by the IRS and returned as undeliverable-as-addressed cost millions of dollars each year in wasted postage and employee handling time. The Committee understands the IRS is in the initial stages of the Taxpayer Correspondence Delivery Tracking initiative, aligning IRS IT systems with free services offered by the U.S. Postal Service. The modest investment in this initiative will produce substantial savings over time, and the Committee encourages the IRS to continue to implement this common sense reform. BUSINESS SYSTEMS MODERNIZATION Appropriations, 2019.................................... $150,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 290,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 150,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Business Systems Modernization appropriation provides resources for the planning and capital asset acquisition of information technology to modernize the IRS business systems. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $150,000,000 for Business Systems Modernization for fiscal year 2020. This amount is equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The Committee expects the IRS to continue to submit quarterly reports to the Committees and GAO during fiscal year 2020, no later than 30 days following the end of each calendar quarter. These reports should include detailed, plain English explanations of the cumulative expenditures and schedule performance to date, specified by fiscal year; the costs and schedules for the previous 3 months; the anticipated costs and schedules for the upcoming 3 months; and the total expected costs to complete major IT investments. In addition, the quarterly report should clearly explain when the project was started; the expected date of completion; the percentage of work completed as compared to planned work; the current and expected state of functionality; any changes in schedule; and current risks unrelated to funding amounts and mitigation strategies. The Committee directs the Department of the Treasury to conduct a semi-annual review of major IT investments to ensure the cost, schedule, and scope goals of the projects are transparent. The Committee further directs GAO to review and provide an annual report to the Committee evaluating the cost and schedule of major IT investments for the year, as well as an assessment of the functionality achieved. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) The Committee includes 11 administrative provisions as follows: Section 101 continues a provision allowing the IRS to transfer certain percentages of appropriations made available to the agency in fiscal year 2019 to any other IRS appropriation, upon the advance approval of the Committees on Appropriations. Section 102 continues a provision maintaining a training program in taxpayers' rights and cross-cultural relations. Section 103 continues a provision requiring the IRS to institute and enforce policies and procedures, which will safeguard the confidentiality of taxpayer information and protect taxpayers against identity theft. Section 104 continues a provision directing that funds shall be available for improved facilities and increased staffing to support sufficient and effective 1-800 help line services for taxpayers including enhanced response time to taxpayer communications, particularly for victims of tax- related crimes. Section 105 continues a provision requiring the IRS to issue notices to employers of any address change request and to give special consideration to offers in compromise for taxpayers who have been victims of payroll tax preparer fraud. Section 106 continues a provision that prohibits the use of funds by the IRS to target United States citizens for exercising any right guaranteed under the First Amendment to the Constitution. Section 107 continues a provision that prohibits the use of funds by the IRS to target groups for regulatory scrutiny based on their ideological beliefs. Section 108 continues a provision that requires the IRS to comply with procedures on conference spending as recommended by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Section 109 continues provision that prohibits the use of funds to give bonuses or hire former employees without consideration of conduct and compliance with Federal tax laws. Section 110 continues a provision that prohibits the use of funds to violate the confidentiality of tax returns. Section 111 continues a provision which prohibits funds for pre-populated returns. Administrative Provisions--Department of the Treasury (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) The Committee includes 14 administrative provisions, as follows: Section 112 authorizes certain basic services within the Treasury Department in fiscal year 2020, including purchase of uniforms; maintenance, repairs, and cleaning; purchase of insurance for official motor vehicles operated in foreign countries; and contracting with the Department of State for health and medical services to employees and their dependents serving in foreign countries. Section 113 authorizes transfers, up to 2 percent, between Departmental Offices, Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Office of Inspector General, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, and Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, appropriations under certain circumstances. Section 114 authorizes transfers, up to 2 percent, between the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration under certain circumstances. Section 115 prohibits the Department of the Treasury and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing from redesigning the $1 Federal Reserve Note. Section 116 authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer funds from Salaries and Expenses, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, to the Debt Collection Fund as necessary to cover the costs of debt collection. Such amounts shall be reimbursed to the Salaries and Expenses account from debt collections received in the Debt Collection Fund. Section 117 requires prior approval for the construction and operation of a museum by the United States Mint. Section 118 prohibits the merger of the United States Mint and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing without prior approval of the committees of jurisdiction. Section 119 authorizes the Department's intelligence activities. Section 120 permits the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to use not to exceed $5,000 from the Industrial Revolving Fund for reception and representation expenses. Section 121 requires the Secretary of the Treasury to develop an annual Capital Investment Plan. Section 122 continues a provision that requires a report on the Department's Franchise Fund. Section 123 continues a provision which prohibits the Department from finalizing any regulation related to the standards used to determine the tax-exempt status of a 501(c)(4) organization. Section 124 continues a provision that requires quarterly reports of the Office of Financial Research and Office of Financial Stability. Section 125 is a new provision that provides funding for the digitization of unclaimed U.S. savings bonds. TITLE II EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AND FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE PRESIDENT The White House SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $55,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 55,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 55,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The ``Salaries and Expenses'' account of The White House provides staff assistance and administrative services for the direct support of the President. The White House also serves as the President's representative before the media. In accordance with 3 U.S.C. 105, The White House office also supports and assists the activities of the spouse of the President. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $55,000,000 for The White House, Salaries and Expenses. The recommendation is equal to the budget request. American Grown Flowers.--The Committee encourages the White House to adopt an American-grown policy for cut flowers and greens displayed at the White House to support American farmers, retailers, wholesalers, florists, and their employees who rely on the American-grown cut flower industry. Executive Residence at the White House OPERATING EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $13,081,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 13,081,000 Committee recommendation................................ 13,081,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION These funds provide for the care, maintenance, and operating expenses of the Executive Residence at the White House and the official and ceremonial functions of the President. The Executive Residence includes the White House and grounds, used as the home of the President and the President's family. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $13,081,000 for the Executive Residence at the White House. The Committee recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2020 request. The bill also continues certain restrictions on reimbursable expenses for use of the Executive Residence. White House Repair and Restoration Appropriations, 2019.................................... $750,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 750,000 Committee recommendation................................ 750,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This account funds the repair, alteration, and improvement of the Executive Residence at the White House, including resolution of health and safety issues, required maintenance, and continued preventative maintenance. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $750,000 for White House Repair and Restoration, equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and the budget request. Council of Economic Advisers SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $4,187,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 4,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 4,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Council of Economic Advisers analyzes the national economy and its various segments, advises the President on economic developments, recommends policies for economic growth and stability, appraises economic programs and policies of the Federal Government, and assists in the preparation of the annual Economic Report of the President to Congress. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $4,000,000 for salaries and expenses of the Council of Economic Advisers. This amount is equal to the budget request. National Security Council and Homeland Security Council SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $12,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 11,500,000 Committee recommendation................................ 11,500,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The National Security Council advises the President in integrating domestic, foreign, and military policies related to national security, and the Homeland Security Council advises the President in coordinating homeland security-related policies across the Government. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $11,500,000 for the salaries and expenses of the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council. This amount is equal to the budget request. Office of Administration SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $100,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 94,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 94,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Office of Administration provides administrative services to the Executive Office of the President [EOP]. These services, defined by Executive Order 12028 of 1977, include financial, personnel, library and records services, information management systems support, and general office services. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $94,000,000 for the Office of Administration for fiscal year 2020. This amount is equal to the budget request. The Committee's recommendation includes not to exceed $12,800,000 to remain available until expended for modernization of the information technology infrastructure within the Executive Office of the President. Office of Management and Budget SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $103,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 101,600,000 Committee recommendation................................ 101,600,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Office of Management and Budget [OMB] assists the President in the discharge of his budgetary, management, and other executive responsibilities. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $101,600,000 for OMB. The Committee expects OMB to utilize its resources to respond in a timely and complete manner to requests from Congress, in particular requests related to program funding and operations. Apportionment.--The Committee supports an apportionment process that deters agencies from spending at a rate that would exhaust program resources before the end of the fiscal year. In addition, the Committee recognizes that, on occasion, there may be valid programmatic reasons for delays in apportionment. However, in an increasing number of situations, the Committee has observed OMB imposing apportionment restrictions that exceed such reasonable circumstances and needlessly delay or obstruct agency obligation of appropriated funds. Therefore, the Committee expects OMB to promptly apportion appropriated funds or to make the Committee aware of any situation that warrants a delay in apportionment. Government-Wide Provisions.--The bill includes a variety of general provisions that apply to all Federal agencies that receive funds through the appropriations process. These provisions address a number of issues, including workplace policies on illegal drug use, limitations on use of funds for office renovations or the purchase of passenger motor vehicles, improper Internet use, and limitations on funding for conferences. The Committee agrees that the responsibility to enforce these provisions lies primarily with the individual agencies. However, the Committee believes that OMB should be responsible for ensuring that all agencies are aware of these government-wide provisions, as well as any bill-wide provisions that may be applicable, and that agencies have the necessary policies and procedures in place to comply with these requirements. The bill includes an administration provision that addresses awareness of and compliance with these provisions. Congressional Budget Justifications.--The Committee encourages OMB to utilize a central online repository that makes the congressional budget justifications for all departments and agencies publicly available and published in machine readable formats. Agency Network Security.--The Committee has made significant investments in network security at departments and agencies across the government through the National Cybersecurity Protection System [NCPS] and the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation [CDM] Program. These programs enhance the security posture of the Federal Government and provide departments and agencies the capability to assess vulnerabilities and threats to their networks. OMB Memorandum M-19-02 provides agency guidance on CDM implementation to enhance the overall security posture of the Federal Government. As responsibilities for funding certain aspects of NCPS and CDM shift from the Department of Homeland Security to Federal agencies, it is important for agencies to prioritize these responsibilities and for the Committee to be aware of these resource requirements. Within 60 days of enactment of this act, OMB is directed to provide a report of fiscal year 2021 resource requirements delineated by department and agency relating to NCPS, CDM, and any related systems or programs associated with Federal network security. This report shall also include the unobligated balance of funds to be carried over from the prior fiscal year to the budget year, the unobligated balance of funds to be carried over from the budget year to the budget year plus 1, and the total amount that has been previously obligated or will be required for such systems and programs for all prior years, the current year, and the budget year. Biodefense Activities.--The Committee again directs OMB to conduct a detailed analysis of the Administration's budget for biodefense activities as part of the annual budget process. Such analysis should display all funds requested for biodefense activities, both mandatory and discretionary, by agency and categorized by biodefense enterprise element (threat awareness, prevention, deterrence, preparedness, surveillance and detection, response, attribution, recovery, and mitigation), and bioforensic capabilities. Funding identified by this analysis should be accompanied by detailed explanations of how they align with long-term biodefense goals (as identified by the strategy described under section 104 of title 6, United States Code). This detailed analysis should be submitted to Congress concurrently with the President's budget request. Conferences.--The Committee continues a provision in title VII of the bill requiring agencies to report annually to their inspector general or senior ethics officer on conferences costing more than $100,000 and to notify the same official of conferences costing more than $20,000 within 15 days of a conference. The provision also prohibits funding for any travel and conference activities that are not in compliance with OMB Memorandum M-12-12 or any subsequent revisions to that memorandum. This memorandum requires agencies to report conference expenditures in excess of $100,000 on agency websites. Office of National Drug Control Policy SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $18,400,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 16,400,000 Committee recommendation................................ 16,400,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Office of National Drug Control Policy [ONDCP], established by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, and reauthorized by Public Law 115-271, is charged with developing policies, objectives, and priorities for the National Drug Control Program. In addition, ONDCP administers the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program, the Drug-Free Communities Support Program, and several other related initiatives. This account provides funding for personnel compensation, travel, and other basic operations of the Office, and for general policy research to support the formulation of the National Drug Control Strategy. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $16,400,000 for ONDCP's salaries and expenses. The Committee rejects proposals to transfer the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas [HIDTA] and Drug-Free Communities programs to the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, respectively. National Drug Control Strategy and the SUPPORT Act.--The Committee notes that ONDCP did not submit a National Drug Control Strategy in 2017 or 2018, and was delayed in submitting one for 2019, and that some information therein was lacking. As a result, the Committee is concerned about ONDCP's plans to meet new requirements under the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities [SUPPORT] Act (Public Law 115-271), enacted in October 2018, and in particular, the requirements related to the drug control Data Dashboard. The Committee urges ONDCP to provide quarterly written updates to the Committee on the status of implementation of the Data Dashboard authorized by the SUPPORT Act. FEDERAL DRUG CONTROL PROGRAMS HIGH INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING AREAS PROGRAM (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) Appropriations, 2019.................................... $280,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................................... Committee recommendation................................ 280,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The HIDTA program was established by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-690) to provide assistance to Federal, State, and local law enforcement entities operating in those areas most adversely affected by drug trafficking. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $280,000,000 for the HIDTA program. The Committee directs that funding shall be provided for the existing HIDTAs at no less than the fiscal year 2019 level. ONDCP is directed to consult with the HIDTAs in advance of deciding programmatic spending allocations for discretionary (supplemental) funding, taking particular note of areas with the highest rates of overdose deaths. The Committee recommendation specifies that up to $2,700,000 may be used for auditing services and associated activities. Opioid Addiction.--As prescription drug monitoring programs reduce illicit access to prescription drugs, those struggling with substance abuse disorders who are no longer able to obtain or afford prescription opioids often turn to heroin and other opioids. The Committee recognizes the prevalence of opioid addiction and the resultant increase in trafficking of and addiction to heroin and other emergent threats such as fentanyl. The Committee encourages ONDCP, in consultation with the HIDTA Directors, to prioritize discretionary funds to aid States that have identified heroin and opioid addiction as an emergent threat, and have developed and implemented community responses to combat addiction to heroin and other opioids. ONDCP and HIDTAs enable necessary coordination of law enforcement efforts and support for State and local law enforcement, and must continue to play a significant role in the eradication of heroin and prescription drug diversion. OTHER FEDERAL DRUG CONTROL PROGRAMS (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) Appropriations, 2019.................................... $118,327,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 12,101,000 Committee recommendation................................ 118,970,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This account is for other drug control activities authorized by the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998, as amended through Public Law 115- 271. The funds appropriated to the program support high- priority drug control programs and may be transferred to drug control agencies. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $118,970,000 for Other Federal Drug Control Programs. Within this amount, the Committee provides the following funding levels: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Amount ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Drug-Free Communities Support Program................. $100,000,000 National Community Anti-Drug Coalition training... 2,000,000 Drug court training, including standards training, and 2,000,000 technical assistance................................. Anti-doping activities................................ 10,000,000 World Anti-Doping Agency [WADA]....................... 2,720,000 Model Acts Program.................................... 1,250,000 Activities authorized by Public Law 114-198, section 3,000,000 103.................................................. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Drug-Free Communities Support Program.--The Drug-Free Communities [DFC] Support Program provides dollar-for-dollar matching grants of up to $125,000 to local coalitions that mobilize their communities to prevent youth alcohol, tobacco, illicit drug, and inhalant abuse. Such grants support coalitions of youth; parents; media; law enforcement; school officials; faith-based organizations; fraternal organizations; State, local, and tribal government agencies; healthcare professionals; and other community representatives. The DFC Support Program enables these coalitions to strengthen their coordination and prevention efforts, encourage citizen participation in substance abuse reduction efforts, and disseminate information about effective programs. The Committee provides $100,000,000 for the continuation of the DFC Support Program. The Committee is aware that ONDCP has considered new Federal partners in co-administration of the DFC Support Program. Such relationships are not immutable, and new participants may promote innovation. However, any changes should be planned well in advance, with early notice to all stakeholders, so as to mitigate any negative impacts to DFC coalitions. The Committee is concerned that the maximum number of grants based on funding provided may not be awarded. The Committee expects ONDCP to work with the administrating agency that can award the most grants in fiscal year 2020. The Committee includes a provision in the bill directing ONDCP to provide $2,000,000 of DFC Support Program funds for training and related purposes as authorized by section 4 of Public Law 107-82, as amended by section 8204 of Public Law 115-271. World Anti-Doping Agency Governance.--Recent actions by the World Anti-Doping Agency [WADA] have raised serious questions about its credibility, independence, and accountability to athletes. The Committee supports ONDPC's efforts to improve WADA's effectiveness and urges it to continue working with domestic and international partners to protect clean athletes. The Committee directs ONDCP to report to the Committee, within 180 days of the enactment of this act, on the implementation of WADA governance reforms necessary to enhance the role of athletes in WADA decision-making, increase the independence and transparency of its operations, and restore confidence in clean competition. This report will inform the Committee's consideration of future appropriations for U.S. membership fees. Unanticipated Needs Appropriations, 2019.................................... $1,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 1,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 1,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION These funds enable the President to meet unanticipated exigencies in support of the national interest, security, or defense. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $1,000,000, which is the same as the request. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Appropriations, 2019.................................................... Budget estimate, 2020................................... $1,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 1,300,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Office of the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator [IPEC] is focused on promoting and protecting the Nation's innovative economy. The Office coordinates and develops the United States' overall intellectual property policy and strategy, to promote innovation and creativity, and to ensure effective intellectual property protection and enforcement domestically and abroad. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $1,300,000, which is $300,000 more than the request. The Committee continues to strongly support the IPEC, including its important work promoting private sector efforts to reduce online copyright infringement. IPEC has previously been funded from the appropriation for OMB. The Committee supports a separate appropriation for IPEC in fiscal year 2020. Information Technology Oversight and Reform (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) Appropriations, 2019.................................... $28,500,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 15,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 15,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The goal of the Information Technology Oversight and Reform [ITOR] program is to drive value in Federal IT investments by making smarter investment decisions and reducing waste, duplication, and inefficient uses of IT through data-driven investment management, deliver digital services to 25 Federal agencies, and protect IT assets and information by improving oversight of Federal cybersecurity practices. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $15,000,000 for the ITOR program, which is equal to the budget request. This amount is equal to the budget request. Special Assistance to the President SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $4,288,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 4,288,000 Committee recommendation................................ 4,288,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This appropriation provides for staff and expenses to enable the Vice President to provide assistance to the President in connection with the performance of executive duties and responsibilities. These funds also support the official activities of the spouse of the Vice President. The Vice President also has a staff funded by the Senate to assist him in the performance of his legislative duties. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $4,288,000 for special assistance to the President. This amount is equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and the budget request. Official Residence of the Vice President OPERATING EXPENSES (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Appropriations, 2019.................................... $302,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 302,000 Committee recommendation................................ 302,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This account supports the care and operation of the Vice President's residence on the grounds of the Naval Observatory. These funds specifically support equipment, furnishings, dining facilities, and services required to perform and discharge the Vice President's official duties, functions, and obligations. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $302,000 for the official residence of the Vice President. This amount is equal to the budget request and the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. Administrative Provisions--Executive Office of the President and Funds Appropriated to the President (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Section 201 continues a provision that provides flexibility in the use of funds in accounts under the EOP. Section 202 requires the Director of the OMB to include a statement of budgetary impact with any Executive order issued during fiscal year 2020. Section 203 requires the Director of the OMB to issue a memorandum relating to compliance with title VII of this act. TITLE III THE JUDICIARY PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Established under Article III of the Constitution, the judicial branch of the Federal Government is a separate but equal branch. The Federal judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, United States Courts of Appeals, District Courts, Bankruptcy Courts, Court of International Trade, Court of Federal Claims, and several other entities and programs. The organization of the judiciary, the district and circuit boundaries, the places of holding court, and the number of Federal judges are legislated by the Congress and signed into law by the President. The Committee's recommended funding levels support the Federal judiciary's role of providing equal justice under the law and include sufficient funds to support this critical mission. The recommended funding level includes the salaries of judges and support staff and the operation and security of our Nation's courts. The judicial branch is subject to the same funding constraints facing the executive and legislative branches. It is imperative that the Federal judiciary devote its resources primarily to the retention of staff. Further, it is also important that the judiciary contain controllable costs such as travel, construction, and other expenses. Supreme Court of the United States SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $84,703,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 87,699,000 Committee recommendation................................ 87,699,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The United States Supreme Court consists of nine justices appointed under Article III of the Constitution of the United States, one of whom is appointed as Chief Justice of the United States. The Supreme Court acts as the final arbiter in the Federal court system. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $87,699,000 for the salaries and expenses of personnel, and the costs of operating the Supreme Court, excluding the care of the building and grounds. The Committee's recommendation is equal to the budget request. CARE OF THE BUILDING AND GROUNDS Appropriations, 2019.................................... $15,999,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 16,390,000 Committee recommendation................................ 16,390,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Care of the Building and Grounds, for expenditure by the Architect of the Capitol, provides for the structural and mechanical care of the United States Supreme Court Building and Grounds, including maintenance and operation of mechanical, electrical, and electronic equipment. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $16,390,000 for personnel and other services related to the Supreme Court building and grounds, which is supervised by the Architect of the Capitol. United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $32,016,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 32,983,000 Committee recommendation................................ 32,683,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit was established on October 1, 1982, under Article III of the Constitution. The court was formed by the merger of the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals and the appellate division of the United States Court of Claims. The court consists of 12 judges who are appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate. Judges are appointed to the court under Article III of the Constitution of the United States. The Federal Circuit has nationwide jurisdiction in a variety of subjects, including international trade, Government contracts, patents, certain claims for money from the United States Government, Federal personnel, and veterans' benefits. Appeals to the court come from all Federal district courts, the United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States Court of International Trade, and the United States Court of Veterans Appeals. The court also takes appeals of certain administrative agencies' decisions, including the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Board of Contract Appeals, the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, and the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board. Decisions of the United States International Trade Commission, the Office of Compliance of the United States Congress, and the Government Accountability Office Personnel Appeals Board are also reviewable by the court. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $32,683,000. United States Court of International Trade SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $18,882,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 19,930,000 Committee recommendation................................ 19,187,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The United States Court of International Trade, located in New York City, consists of nine Article III judges. The Court has exclusive nationwide jurisdiction over civil actions brought against the United States, its agencies and officers, and certain civil actions brought by the United States, arising out of import transactions and the administration and enforcement of the Federal customs and international trade laws. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $19,187,000. Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and Other Judicial Services SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $5,144,383,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 5,383,970,000 Committee recommendation................................ 5,182,654,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Salaries and Expenses is one of four accounts that provide total funding for the Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and Other Judicial Services. In addition to funding the salaries of judges and support staff, this account also funds the operating costs of appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts, the Court of Federal Claims, and probation and pretrial services offices. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $5,182,654,000 for salaries and expenses. VACCINE INJURY COMPENSATION TRUST FUND Appropriations, 2019.................................... $8,475,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 9,012,000 Committee recommendation................................ 9,070,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Enacted by the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-660), the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is a Federal no-fault program designed to resolve a perceived crisis in vaccine tort liability claims that threatened the continued availability of childhood vaccines nationwide. The statute's primary intention is the creation of a more efficient adjudicatory mechanism that ensures a no-fault compensation result for those allegedly injured or killed by certain covered vaccines. This program protects the availability of vaccines in the United States by diverting a substantial number of claims from the tort arena. Not only did this act create a special fund to pay judgments awarded under the act, but it also created the Office of Special Masters within the United States Court of Federal Claims to hear vaccine injury cases. The act stipulates that up to eight special masters may be appointed for this purpose. The special masters' expenditures are reimbursed to the judiciary for vaccine injury cases from a special fund set up under the act. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $9,070,000. The recommendation is consistent with the Judiciary's reestimate of its request. DEFENDER SERVICES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $1,150,450,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 1,234,574,000 Committee recommendation................................ 1,234,574,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Defender Services program ensures the right to counsel guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the Criminal Justice Act (18 U.S.C. 3006A(e)), and other congressional mandates for those who cannot afford to retain counsel and other necessary defense services. The Criminal Justice Act provides that courts appoint counsel from Federal public and community defender organizations or from a panel of private attorneys established by the court. The Defender Services program helps to maintain public confidence in the Nation's commitment to equal justice under the law and ensures the successful operation of the constitutionally based adversary system of justice by which Federal criminal laws and federally guaranteed rights are enforced. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,234,574,000. FEES OF JURORS AND COMMISSIONERS Appropriations, 2019.................................... $49,750,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 51,851,000 Committee recommendation................................ 50,745,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This account provides for the statutory fees and allowances of grand and petit jurors and for the compensation of jury and land commissioners. Budgetary requirements depend primarily upon the volume and the length of jury trials demanded by parties to both civil and criminal actions and the number of grand juries being convened by the courts at the request of the United States Attorneys. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $50,745,000. COURT SECURITY (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) Appropriations, 2019.................................... $607,110,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 641,273,000 Committee recommendation................................ 641,108,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Court Security appropriation was established in 1983 and funds the necessary expenses incident to the provision of protective guard services, and the procurement, installation, and maintenance of security systems and equipment for United States courthouses and other facilities housing Federal court operations, including building access control, inspection of mail and packages, directed security patrols, perimeter security provided by the Federal Protective Service, and other similar activities as authorized by section 1010 of the Judicial Improvement and Access to Justice Act (Public Law 100- 702). COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $641,108,000. The recommendation is $33,998,000 above the fiscal year 2019 funding level and consistent with Judiciary's reestimate of its request. Administrative Office of the United States Courts SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $92,413,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 96,945,000 Committee recommendation................................ 94,261,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Administrative Office [AO] of the United States Courts was created in 1939 by an Act of Congress. It serves the Federal judiciary in carrying out its constitutional mission to provide equal justice under the law. Beyond providing numerous services to the Federal courts, the AO provides support and staff counsel to the Judicial Conference of the United States and its committees, and implements Judicial Conference policies as well as applicable Federal statutes and regulations. The AO is the focal point for communication and coordination within the Federal judiciary and with Congress, the executive branch, and the public on behalf of the judiciary. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $94,261,000. Federal Judicial Center SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $29,819,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 30,736,000 Committee recommendation................................ 30,436,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Federal Judicial Center, located in Washington, DC, improves the management of Federal judicial dockets and court administration through education for judges and staff, and research, evaluation, and planning assistance for the courts and the Judicial Conference. The Center's responsibilities include educating judges and other judicial branch personnel about legal developments, efficient litigation management, and court administration. Additionally, the Center analyzes the efficacy of case and court management procedures and ensures the Federal judiciary is aware of the methods of best practice. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $30,436,000. United States Sentencing Commission SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $18,953,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 19,265,000 Committee recommendation................................ 19,670,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The United States Sentencing Commission establishes, reviews, and revises sentencing guidelines, policies, and practices for the Federal criminal justice system. The Commission is also required to monitor the operation of the guidelines and to identify and report necessary changes to the Congress. Victim Notification.--The U.S. Sentencing Commission's Office of General Counsel, in its January 2019 paper on the rights of victims of crime, observed that ``[a]n essential component of the Crime Victims' Rights Act is its provision affording crime victims the `right to reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of any public court proceeding, or any parole proceeding, involving the crime or of any release or escape of the accused.''' The Committee strongly supports the statutory rights of the victims of crime, particularly with respect to notification. The Committee directs the Commission to consider strengthening its sentencing guidelines for the judicial branch relating to victim notification and to brief the Committee, within 3 months of the enactment of this act, on how its guidelines, policy statements, and official commentaries effectuate the victim notification requirements required by law. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $19,670,000. The recommendation is consistent with the Judiciary's reestimate of its request. Administrative Provisions--The Judiciary (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) The Committee recommends the following administrative provisions for the judiciary: Section 301 allows the judiciary to expend funds for the employment of experts and consultative services. Section 302 allows the judiciary, subject to the Committee's reprogramming procedures, to transfer up to 5 percent between appropriations, but limits to 10 percent the amount that may be transferred into any one appropriation. Section 303 limits official reception and representation expenses incurred by the Judicial Conference of the United States to no more than $11,000. Section 304 grants the judicial branch the same tenant alteration authorities as the executive branch. Section 305 provides continued authority for a court security pilot program. Section 306 extends for 1 year the authorization of a temporary judgeship in Kansas, Missouri, Alabama, Arizona, Florida, New Mexico, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Hawaii. TITLE IV DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Federal Payments FEDERAL FUNDS The Appropriations Committees have a special relationship with the District of Columbia that is unlike any other city in the country. Under the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-33), the Federal Government is required to fund the court operations of the District of Columbia, offender and defendant supervision, and defendant representation. Title IV of this act provides Federal payments to meet these statutory obligations. Title IV also includes other Federal payments to fund initiatives in areas including education and security. Death with Dignity.--Congress has expressly forbidden the use of Federal funding for purposes related to assisted suicide under the Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-12). The Committee remains concerned that the Death with Dignity Act of 2016 (D.C. Law 21-182) puts our Nation's most vulnerable--people who are elderly, disabled, or fighting mental illness--at risk. As such, the Chief Financial Officer for the District of Columbia shall submit a report to the Committee to certify that no Federal funds are used to implement D.C. Law 21-182 in the District of Columbia in contravention of existing law. The District shall also report to the Committees on Appropriations on the number of lethal prescriptions prescribed during the fiscal year, the number of patients that actually consumed the medication and the cause of death that was listed on the death certificate. FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR RESIDENT TUITION SUPPORT Appropriations, 2019.................................... $40,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................................... Committee recommendation................................ 15,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Resident Tuition Support program was created by the District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 (Public Law 106-98). The program provides grants of up to $10,000 annually for undergraduate District students to attend eligible public 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities nationwide. The grants are applied toward the cost of the difference between in-State and out-of-State tuition. Grants of up to $2,500 are provided for students to attend private institutions in the D.C. metropolitan area and private historically Black colleges and universities nationwide. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $15,000,000 for the resident tuition support program. In addition to accessing unobligated balances available to the program, the District of Columbia can contribute local funds to this program for District residents. FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR EMERGENCY PLANNING AND SECURITY COSTS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Appropriations, 2019.................................... $12,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 11,400,000 Committee recommendation................................ 18,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This Federal payment provides funds for emergency planning and security costs related to the presence of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and surrounding jurisdictions. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $18,000,000, for emergency planning and security costs. FEDERAL PAYMENT TO THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS Appropriations, 2019.................................... $258,394,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 270,703,000 Committee recommendation................................ 233,394,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Pursuant to the National Capital Revitalization and Self- Government Improvement Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-33, title XI), the Federal Government provides funding for the District of Columbia Courts, the judicial branch of the District of Columbia government. This Federal payment to the District of Columbia Courts funds the operations of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, Superior Court, the Court System, and the Capital Improvement Program. By law, the annual budget includes estimates of the expenditures for the operations of the Courts prepared by the Joint Committee on Judicial Administration, the Court's policy-making body, as well as the President's recommendation for funding the Courts' operations. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a Federal payment to the District of Columbia Courts of $233,394,000. This amount includes $14,094,000 for the Court of Appeals, $122,400,000 for the Superior Court, $73,900,000 for the Court System, and $23,000,000 for capital improvements to courthouse facilities. FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR DEFENDER SERVICES IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS Appropriations, 2019.................................... $46,005,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 46,005,000 Committee recommendation................................ 46,005,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The District of Columbia Courts appoint and compensate attorneys to represent persons who are financially unable to obtain such representation. The Defender Services programs provide counsel for indigent persons who are charged with criminal offenses, for family proceedings involving child abuse, neglect, and termination of parental rights, and for guardianship proceedings for protection of mentally incapacitated individuals and minors whose parents are deceased. In addition to legal representation, these programs provide indigent persons with services such as transcripts of court proceedings, expert witness testimony, foreign and sign language interpretation, and investigations and genetic testing. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $46,005,000 for Defender Services in the District of Columbia Courts, the same as the budget request. FEDERAL PAYMENT TO THE COURT SERVICES AND OFFENDER SUPERVISION AGENCY FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Appropriations, 2019.................................... $256,724,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 248,524,000 Committee recommendation................................ 242,524,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency [CSOSA] for the District of Columbia is an independent Federal agency created by the National Capital Revitalization and Self- Government Improvement Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-33, title XI). CSOSA acquired the operational responsibilities for the former District agencies in charge of probation and parole, and houses the Pretrial Services Agency within its framework. The mission of CSOSA is to increase public safety, prevent crime, reduce recidivism, and support the fair administration of justice in close collaboration with the community. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $242,524,000, which is the same as the request. Of this amount, $65,459,000 is designated for the Pretrial Services Agency and $177,065,000 is designated for the Community Supervision Program. FEDERAL PAYMENT TO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICE FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Appropriations, 2019.................................... $45,858,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 42,404,000 Committee recommendation................................ 44,011,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, an independent organization established by a District of Columbia statute (16 D.C. Code 2-1601-1608), has a distinct mission to provide and promote quality legal representation services within the District of Columbia justice system. PDS provides legal representation to indigent adults and children facing loss of liberty and provides support in the form of training, consultation, and legal reference services to members of the local bar appointed as counsel in criminal, juvenile, and mental health cases involving indigent individuals. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $44,011,000 for the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. While this amount is $1,847,000 below the enacted level, it represents a 5 percent increase to the organization's base appropriation as the fiscal year 2019 appropriation included $4,471,000 in non-recurring expenses associated with the headquarters move. This amount is $1,607,000 more than the budget request. FEDERAL PAYMENT TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL Appropriations, 2019.................................... $2,150,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 1,805,000 Committee recommendation................................ 1,805,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council [CJCC] provides a forum for District of Columbia and Federal law enforcement to identify criminal justice issues and solutions, and improve the coordination of their efforts. In addition, the CJCC developed and maintains the Justice Information System [JUSTIS], which provides for the sharing of information with Federal and local law enforcement. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $1,805,000 to CJCC. The Committee acknowledges the importance of coordinating criminal justice policy and information among Federal and local partners operating within the District of Columbia. The Committee recognizes the importance of JUSTIS to facilitate the sharing of critical information with neighboring jurisdictions and regional partners by utilizing a consolidated data exchange system to provide real time information to multi-jurisdictional public safety and law enforcement agencies. The Committee recognizes that integrated technology is an indispensable tool employed by law enforcement, judicial, correctional, and supervising agencies and therefore supports increased funding for JUSTIS. FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR JUDICIAL COMMISSIONS Appropriations, 2019.................................... $565,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 536,000 Committee recommendation................................ 532,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Judicial Nomination Commission [JNC] recommends a panel of three candidates to the President for each judicial vacancy in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and Superior Court. From the panel selected by the JNC, the President nominates a person for each vacancy and submits his or her name for confirmation to the Senate. The Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure [CJDT] has jurisdiction over all judges of the Court of Appeals and Superior Court and makes determinations as to whether a judge's conduct warrants disciplinary action and whether involuntary retirement of a judge for health reasons is warranted. In addition, the CJDT conducts evaluations of judges seeking reappointment and judges who retire and wish to continue service as a senior judge. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $532,000 as a Federal payment for the judicial commissions, of which $254,000 is designated for the Judicial Nomination Commission and $278,000 is designated for the Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure. This amount is the same as the budget request. Funds shall remain available until September 30, 2021. FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT Appropriations, 2019.................................... $52,500,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 90,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 60,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION As authorized by Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act and as part of a three-part comprehensive funding strategy, the District of Columbia receives funds for District of Columbia Public Schools [DCPS], public charter schools, and Opportunity Scholarships. The intent of this comprehensive funding approach was to ensure progress and improvement of DCPS and public charter schools, while ensuring continued funding to support the Opportunity Scholarship Program for students to attend private schools. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $60,000,000 for school improvement. These funds are allocated as follows: $20,000,000 for District of Columbia Public Schools, $20,000,000 for Public Charter Schools, and $20,000,000 for Opportunity Scholarships. FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR THE D.C. NATIONAL GUARD Appropriations, 2019.................................... $435,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 413,000 Committee recommendation................................ 413,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program provides tuition assistance for nonresident District of Columbia National Guard members. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $413,000 for the D.C. National Guard designated for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program. This amount is the same as the budget request. FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR HIV/AIDS PREVENTION Appropriations, 2019.................................... $3,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 4,750,000 Committee recommendation................................ 3,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION There are approximately 15,000 people living with HIV in the District of Columbia. This appropriation supports the District's efforts to end the HIV epidemic. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommendation includes a Federal payment of $3,000,000 to support testing and treatment of HIV/AIDS. FEDERAL PAYMENT TO THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY Appropriations, 2019.................................... $8,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................................... Committee recommendation................................ 8,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Approximately one-third of the District of Columbia is served by a combined sewer system, constructed by the Federal Government in 1890, in which both sanitary waste and storm water flow through the same pipes. When the collection system or the Blue Plains treatment plant reach capacity, typically during periods of heavy rainfall, the system is designed to overflow the excess water. This mixture of sewage and storm water runoff is discharged to the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers, Rock Creek, and tributary waters between 60 and 75 times each year. Under a judicial consent decree entered on March 23, 2005, the Water and Sewer Authority is undertaking a 20-year, $2,600,000,000 sewer construction program to reduce combined sewer overflows [CSO]. The Clean Rivers Project includes deep underground storage tunnels, side tunnels to reduce flooding, pump station rehabilitation, and the elimination of over a dozen CSO outfalls along the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers and Rock Creek. When completed in 2025, this project is expected to vastly improve water quality and significantly reduce contaminated discharges into and debris in our Nation's capital waterways as well as improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a Federal payment of $8,000,000 to be matched by at least $8,000,000 provided by the Water and Sewer Authority, to continue implementation of the Long-Term Combined Sewer Overflow Control Plan. District of Columbia Funds The Committee recommends, for the operating expenses of the District of Columbia, the amount as set forth in District of Columbia Bill 23-208, as may be amended. Budget Autonomy.--The Founding Fathers recognized the importance of establishing a seat for the Federal Government. Accordingly, article I, section 8 of the Constitution provides that Congress exercises ``exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever'' in the District of Columbia. The Supreme Court has held in the case of Palmore v. United States that this clause vests Congress with ``plenary'' authority to exercise powers to legislate for all matters in the District. Pursuant to this Constitutional power, Congress enacted the District of Columbia Home Rule Act in 1973. The District government holds only the powers that Congress granted it through the Home Rule Act. Though that act granted the District substantial powers of local self-government, it expressly preserved Congressional authority to review and affirmatively approve all District obligations and expenditures. The Home Rule Act did not grant the Government of the District of Columbia authority to change the longstanding process through which the District Government transmits its budget request to the President for submission to Congress; all amounts--local or otherwise--becoming available for obligation or expenditure only in accordance with an act of Congress. Indeed, section 603 of the Home Rule Act explicitly provided that the act made ``no change in existing law, regulation, or basic procedure and practice relating to the respective roles of the Congress, the President, the Federal Office of Management and Budget, and the Comptroller General of the United States in the preparation, review, submission, examination, authorization, and appropriation of the total budget of the District of Columbia Government.'' Because section 603 is not part of the District Charter, it cannot be amended by the District Council or voters. Only an act of Congress may change the District's budget process. Furthermore, the Budget Autonomy Act had no effect on the applicability of the Antideficiency Act (31 U.S.C. 1341), which bars ``an officer or employee of the United States Government or of the District of Columbia government'' from incurring obligations or making expenditures that exceed the amount appropriated by law. TITLE V INDEPENDENT AGENCIES Administrative Conference of the United States SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $3,100,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 3,100,000 Committee recommendation................................ 3,250,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Administrative Conference of the United States [ACUS] is an independent agency and advisory committee created to study administrative processes in order to recommend improvements to Congress and agencies. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $3,250,000 for ACUS for fiscal year 2020. The recommendation provides $150,000 above the budget request for activities required by section 4201 of Public Law 116-9, enacted on March 12, 2019. Commodity Futures Trading Commission SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $268,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 315,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 305,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Commodity Futures Trading Commission [CFTC] was established as an independent agency by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Act of 1974 (88 Stat. 1389; 7 U.S.C. 4a). The Commission administers the Commodity Exchange Act, 7 U.S.C. section 1, et seq. The CFTC oversees our Nation's futures, options, and swaps markets. The Commission's mission is to foster transparent, open, competitive and financially sound derivatives markets. Effective oversight by the CFTC protects market participants from fraud, manipulation, and abusive practices, and protects the public and our economy from systemic risk related to derivatives. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $274,000,000 for operating expenses of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which is $6,000,000 above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level for these activities. The Committee recommendation includes increased funding to boost the CFTC's analytical expertise, cybersecurity capabilities, and financial technology to maximize the Commission's ability to oversee our Nation's swaps, futures, and options markets. The Committee recommendation also includes $3,200,000 for the Office of the Inspector General. In addition, the Committee provides $31,000,000 for move and replication costs associated with replacement leases for the Commission's Chicago, Kansas City, and New York regional offices. User Fees.--The Committee supports the Administration's proposal to collect user fees to fund a portion of the Commission's activities and reduce the amount of taxpayer resources necessary to support the CFTC. Pursuant to the Administration's request, the fees should be designed in a way that supports market access, liquidity, and the efficiency of the Nation's derivatives markets. Market for Renewable Identification Numbers.--A Renewable Identification Number [RIN] is a serial number attached to a batch of biofuel to track its production, use, and trading. In 2016, the CFTC and the Environmental Protection Agency signed a memorandum of understanding to share confidential information relating to the RIN market. The CFTC is directed to collect additional data on RIN market behavior and report to the Committee within 180 days on potential changes to the market that could promote a stable and low price environment. Consumer Product Safety Commission SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $127,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 127,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 127,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Consumer Product Safety Commission [CPSC] is an independent regulatory agency that was established on May 14, 1973, and is responsible for protecting the public against unreasonable risks of injury from consumer products; assisting consumers to evaluate the comparative safety of consumer products; developing uniform safety standards for consumer products and minimizing conflicting State and local regulations; and promoting research and investigation into the causes and prevention of product-related deaths, illnesses, and injuries. In carrying out its mandate, the CPSC establishes mandatory product safety standards, where appropriate, to reduce the unreasonable risk of injury to consumers from consumer products; helps industry develop voluntary safety standards; bans unsafe products if it finds that a safety standard is not feasible; monitors recalls of defective products; informs and educates consumers about product hazards; conducts research and develops test methods; collects and publishes injury and hazard data; and promotes uniform product regulations by governmental units. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $127,000,000 for the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. Furniture Flammability Standards.--As the Commission considers upholstered furniture flammability standards, the Committee encourages the Commission to take steps to adopt as a national mandatory flammability standard for residential upholstered furniture the performance standards and test methods prescribed in California Technical Bulletin 117-2013, a standard that does not lead to the use of flame retardant chemicals. In 2012, the Commission released a study that indicates that flame retardant chemicals, as currently used in upholstered furniture foam, have no practical impact on flammability. Organohalogen Flame Retardants.--The Commission should consider the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's report regarding a scoping plan for addressing organohalogen flame retardants in response to the petition to adopt mandatory standards under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act to protect consumers from health hazards caused by the use of non-polymeric, additive form, organohalogen flame retardants in children's products, furniture, mattresses, and the casings surrounding electronics, including proposals to consider certain subcategories when determining any safe, allowable uses. Furniture Tip-Overs.--Furniture tip-overs, particularly those involving televisions, remain a serious risk to children and consumers. According to a 2014 CPSC study, between 2011 and 2013 an estimated annual average of 38,000 people were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments for product instability or tip-over injuries related to televisions, furniture, and appliances. The same study reported that between 2000 and 2013 there were 430 tip-over fatalities, 84 percent of which were suffered by children younger than age 18. The Committee encourages the Commission to support proposed changes to the voluntary standard to strengthen it by increasing the testing weight and including additional storage units covered by the regulations. Youth Sports Concussions.--The Committee is concerned with the growth of diagnosed traumatic brain injuries for children participating in various sports. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2012, 329,290 children were treated for sports and recreation-related injuries that included a diagnosis of a concussion. The Committee notes that research supported by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment is expected to inform the standards development process for football helmets, including youth helmets. The Committee expects the Commission to monitor the standards development process and provide support to expedite the development of safer standards that will reduce the risk of youth sports concussions. Data Analytics.--The Commission collects and analyzes a wide range of data from a variety of sources for factual basis to identify hazards to consumers. The Committee supports the Commission's efforts to develop an agency-wide data management and analytics strategy and hiring or designating a Chief Data Officer or Chief Technologist within the enacted full-time equivalent level. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION--CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION Section 501 continues a prohibition of funds to finalize, implement, or enforce the proposed rule on recreational off- highway vehicles until a study is completed by the National Academy of Sciences. Election Assistance Commission SALARIES AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Appropriations, 2019.................................... $9,200,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 11,995,000 Committee recommendation................................ 11,995,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Election Assistance Commission [EAC] was created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 [HAVA] (Public Law 107-252) and is charged with implementing provisions of that act relating to the reform of Federal election administration. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $11,995,000 for EAC's salaries and expenses, of which $2,400,000 is for the relocation of the agency. The Committee bill requires that $1,500,000 of these funds be transferred to the National Institute for Standards and Technology [NIST] for technical assistance related to the development of voluntary State voting systems guidelines. Within 30 days of the transfer, the Director of NIST (or designee) shall provide to the Executive Director (or Acting) of the EAC and the Committee an expenditure plan for the funds that includes: (1) the number and position title and office of each staff person doing work and amount of time each staff person spends on that work; (2) the specific tasks accomplished including length of time needed to accomplish the task; (3) an explanation of expenditures, including contracts and grants, and use of the EAC funding transferred to NIST (including enumeration of funds); and (4) an explanation of how the work accomplished relates to mandated activities under HAVA. Finally, the Executive Director (or Acting) of the EAC and Director of NIST (or designee) shall work together to set priorities for the work outlined in order to meet timelines. ELECTION SECURITY GRANTS Appropriations, 2019.................................................... Budget estimate, 2020................................................... Committee recommendation................................ 250,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This appropriation provides grants for programs authorized by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-252) and for related grant programs to improve the administration of elections. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $250,000,000 for election security grants. Federal Communications Commission SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $339,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 335,660,000 Committee recommendation................................ 339,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Federal Communications Commission [FCC] is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. The FCC is also charged with promoting the safety of life and property through wire and radio communications. The mandate of the FCC under the Communications Act is to make available to all people of the United States a rapid, efficient, nationwide, and worldwide wire and radio communication service. The FCC performs five major functions to fulfill this charge: (1) spectrum allocation; (2) creating rules to promote fair competition and protect consumers where required by market conditions; (3) authorization of service; (4) enhancing public safety and homeland security; and (5) enforcement. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $339,000,000 for the salaries and expenses of the FCC for fiscal year 2020, which will be derived from offsetting collections. The Committee also recommends that up to $132,539,000 be retained from spectrum auction activities to fund the administrative expenses of conducting such auctions. Robocalls.--The Committee recognizes the pervasiveness of abusive and illegal robocalls that are disrupting and harming Americans every day, especially older Americans, and that seek to swindle them out of their hard-earned life savings. While the Committee appreciates the current efforts the FCC and the Federal Trade Commission [FTC] to enforce existing laws and work alongside industry to address this problem, it is clear that more focus needs to be dedicated to solving this increasingly prevalent issue. The Committee directs the FCC to prioritize resources to combat illegal robocalling and caller ID spoofing within the Enforcement Bureau's Telecommunications Consumers Division and to expeditiously follow through on issues raised in the Commission's June 7 rulemaking. The Committee further directs the FCC and the FTC to continue to collaborate with each other and with industry to encourage full implementation of Secure Telephony Identity Revisited/ Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using toKENs, or ``STIR/SHAKEN,'' technology, as well as education and outreach efforts to assist consumers in stopping and avoiding scam calls and unwanted calls. Universal Service Reform.--The Committee remains concerned that far too many Americans living in rural areas lack access to broadband at speeds necessary to fully participate in the Internet age. The Committee is also concerned regarding fraud, waste, and abuse within the Universal Service Fund [USF] programs that would otherwise be able to support USF programs. The Committee urges the FCC to prioritize unserved areas in all USF programs. The Committee supports the Lifeline program's mission of making basic communications services affordable to low-income Americans, and shares the Commission's objective of minimizing waste, fraud, and abuse in the program. The Committee urges the Commission to ensure that the measures already adopted to combat waste, fraud, and abuse, such as the National Verifier, are implemented. However, the Committee is aware of concerns that the National Verifier sometimes does not have full access to state databases for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program or Medicaid. The Committee requests a briefing from the FCC on progress made to connect the National Verifier to state databases. Mobility Fund Phase II.--The Committee is aware that the FCC has suspended the challenge process pending the conclusion of an investigation into potential violations of Mobility Fund Phase II mapping rules. Upon completion of the investigation, the FCC is directed to report to the Committee on the Enforcement Bureau's findings and conclusions. Agency Coordination.--The Committee recognizes the FCC's vital role in preserving and advancing universal communications services. The Committee encourages the FCC to coordinate efforts with the Rural Utility Service to optimize the use of limited resources and promote broadband deployment in rural America. Contraband Cell Phones.--The Committee continues to remain concerned regarding the exploitation of contraband cell phones in prisons and jails nationwide. Contraband cell phones enable the continuation and facilitation of criminal activity, threatening the safety of correctional officers and staff, other inmates, and public safety generally. The Committee recognizes that the Bureau of Prisons and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in conjunction with the wireless industry have worked over the past decade to find solutions to combat criminal activity and enhance public safety, but there is still work that must be done. Given the growing threats from these activities, including the financial scams and sextortion of innocent citizens by inmates from within these facilities, additional solutions are required sooner rather than later. The Committee expects the FCC to work with all relevant stakeholders to effectively address this urgent problem. Managed Access Evolved.--The June 2019 Contraband Phone Task Force status report to the Committee identified ``MAS Evolved'' as a developing approach to combatting contraband wireless devices. The FCC is directed to report in writing within 120 days to the Committee on coordination between the Contraband Phone Task Force, managed access system vendors, and wireless providers on ``MAS Evolved'' developments. The report is directed to cover the advancements on the use of small cells for managed access, deployment costs, and timeline on any testing in state correctional facilities. Contributions Reform.--In recognition of the ongoing rapidly changing communications industry landscape, the Committee encourages the Federal State Joint Board on Universal Service to identify and provide Universal Service Fund contributions reform recommendations to the FCC pursuant to the August 2014 FCC referral. The Committee encourages the FCC to respond to the recommendations in a timely manner. Terrain Factor.--The Committee is aware that the FCC committed to including a terrain factor within the Mobility Fund Phase II reverse auction, and the Committee encourages the FCC to follow through with this commitment to assist rural areas with mountainous terrain that face higher buildout costs. 911 Fees.--The New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008 [NET 911 Act] requires the Commission to submit an annual report to Congress on the collection and distribution of 911 and Enhanced 911 [E911] fees and charges by States. As part of the annual review, the NET 911 Act requires the Commission to report whether 911 fees and charges collected by States are being used for any purpose other than to support 911 and E911 services. The Committee encourages the FCC to work with State partners to better clarify the definition of fee diversion. C-Band.--The Committee encourages the FCC to prioritize resources toward exploring opportunities for spectrum to help accelerate the deployment of 5G to rural communities. The mid- band spectrum, specifically the C-band, is particularly well- suited for 5G services. However, the Committee remains concerned by proposals that entail limited FCC oversight and public input, and contain no guarantee that taxpayers and the U.S. Treasury benefit from revenues generated by the sale of 5G licenses. The airwaves are a public resource, and the Federal Government has a responsibility to exercise appropriate oversight of its allocation. Therefore, the Committee encourages the FCC to conduct a public auction of the C-band spectrum that is fair, open, and transparent. 6 Gigahertz.--As the FCC considers allowing unlicensed use of the 6 Gigahertz band, the Committee expects the Commission to ensure its plan does not result in harmful interference to incumbent users or impact critical infrastructure communications systems. The Committee is particularly concerned about the potential effects on the reliability of the electric transmission and distribution system. The Committee expects the FCC to ensure any mitigation technologies are rigorously tested in coordination with relevant sector specific agencies, and found to be effective in order to protect the electric transmission system. Broadband Connectivity on Tribal Lands.--The Committee remains concerned about the lack of access to broadband services on Tribal lands given the FCC has recently reported additional work remains to increase deployment to certain Tribal areas to reach the Commission's goal of closing the digital divide. The Committee urges the FCC to responsibly and efficiently take action to increase access to broadband on Tribal lands and supports consultation with federally recognized Indian Tribes, Alaska Native villages and corporations, and entities related to Hawaiian home lands. The FCC is encouraged to use all available resources with the goal of spending $300,000 to support consultation with federally recognized Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, and entities related to Hawaiian home lands. Any action by the FCC to address broadband services on Tribal lands should be done in a manner that takes into account duplication of Federal programs, grants, funding streams, and overbuilding of networks. The FCC should consult with Federal stakeholders and agencies who have a role in deploying broadband when assessing duplication. Performance Measures Testing.--The Committee is concerned that the Commission's requirements for all recipients of USF High Cost support to test their broadband networks for speed and latency and report the results to the Commission will impose proportionally greater costs and implementation difficulties upon rate-of-return Internet service providers. The Committee is aware that the Commission delayed the requirement to begin testing and reporting of speed and latency results until the first quarter of 2020. The Committee encourages the Commission to develop more reasonable and practicable testing procedures for rate-of-return High-Cost support recipients before initiating testing. The Committee encourages the Commission to consider the availability of compatible testing equipment before levying penalties for non- compliance. National Radio Quiet Zone.--The Committee recognizes that that National Radio Quiet Zone plays an important role in minimizing interference to National Radio Astronomy Observatory [NRAO] facilities within the quiet zone. The Committee encourages the FCC to coordinate with Federal partners on increasing broadband deployment for residents in and around the region without interfering with the important work of the NRAO. Information Technology Modernization.--The FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System [ECFS] serves as the repository for official records in the FCC's docketed proceedings and rulemakings from 1992 to the present. The FCC's information technology [IT] infrastructure should be resilient and keep paces with the changes in the field that it regulates. The Committee commends the prioritization of these efforts by the FCC and encourages the FCC to report on the progress of the modernization of the ECFS and other IT systems. Geographic Information Systems Capabilities in Rural, Underserved Areas.--While the Committee supports ongoing efforts within the FCC to incorporate public feedback into the broadband mapping process, it remains concerned about the ability of State and local governments to participate in that process. Of the 50 State governments, 573 tribal nations, and nearly 40,000 local governments that were eligible to participate in the Mobility Fund II Challenge Process, only 62 had the resources they needed to even initiate a challenge, and only a fraction of those were able to successfully submit valid challenges. Therefore, the Committee encourages the FCC to provide technical assistance to States, local entities, and regional planning organizations to assist them providing feedback into the mapping process. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Section 510 continues a provision relating to Universal Service Fund payments for wireless providers. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL Appropriations, 2019.................................... $42,982,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 42,982,000 Committee recommendation................................ 42,982,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation [FDIC] Office of the Inspector General [OIG] conducts audits, investigations, and other reviews to assist and augment the FDIC's contribution to the stability of, and public confidence in, the Nation's financial system. A separate appropriation more effectively ensures the OIG's independence consistent with the Inspector General Act of 1978 and other legislation. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $42,982,000 for the FDIC OIG, the same as the budget request and the enacted level. Funds are to be derived from the Deposit Insurance Fund and the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation Resolution Fund. Federal Election Commission SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $71,250,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 70,537,500 Committee recommendation................................ 70,537,500 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Federal Election Commission [FEC] was created through the 1974 Amendments to the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (Public Law 93-443). Consistent with its duty of executing our Nation's Federal campaign finance laws, and in pursuit of its mission of maintaining public faith in the integrity of the Federal campaign finance system, the FEC conducts three major regulatory programs: (1) providing public disclosure of funds raised and spent to influence Federal elections; (2) enforcing compliance with restrictions on contributions and expenditures made to influence Federal elections; and (3) administering public financing of Presidential campaigns. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $70,537,500 for the Federal Election Commission. Foreign Influence in Online Campaign Advertising.-- Safeguarding the integrity of U.S. elections is an essential priority for the country. Online campaign advertising has been a central part of the last several election cycles. Investigations conducted over the last 2 years by the Intelligence Community and congressional committees have revealed instances of illegal foreign influence in such advertising. The Committee requests the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the FEC provide a report on: (1) the steps taken by online platforms since 2016 to detect instances of foreign nationals illegally purchasing online campaign advertising to influence the 2020 Federal elections; and (2) how those measures have complemented efforts by the Federal Government to enforce existing prohibitions on foreign national participation in campaign activities. Federal Labor Relations Authority SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $26,200,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 24,890,000 Committee recommendation................................ 24,890,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Federal Labor Relations Authority [FLRA] is an independent administrative Federal agency created by title VII of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-454) with a mission to carry out five statutory responsibilities in relation to the Federal workforce: (1) determining the appropriateness of units for labor organization representation; (2) resolving complaints of unfair labor practices; (3) adjudicating exceptions to arbitrator's awards; (4) adjudicating legal issues relating to the duty to bargain; and (5) resolving impasses during negotiations. The FLRA's authority is divided by law and by delegation among a three-member authority and an Office of General Counsel, appointed by the President and subject to Senate confirmation; and the Federal Service Impasses Panel, which consists of seven part-time members appointed by the President. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $24,890,000 for the Federal Labor Relations Authority. Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IMPROVEMENT FUND Appropriations, 2019.................................................... Budget estimate, 2020................................................... Committee recommendation................................ $9,100,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This appropriation supports the authorized activities of the Environmental Review Improvement Fund and the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council. The Council will lead on-going government-wide efforts to modernize the Federal permitting and review process for major infrastructure projects and work with Federal agency partners to implement and oversee adherence to the statutory requirements set forth in the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act of 2015. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $9,100,000. The Council was previously funded as an internal component of the General Services Administration [GSA]. Consistent with GSA Order ADM 5440.724, funding for the Council as an independent agency is provided under this heading. Federal Trade Commission SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $309,700,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 312,300,000 Committee recommendation................................ 312,300,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Federal Trade Commission [FTC] administers a variety of Federal antitrust and consumer protection laws. Activities in the antitrust area include detection and elimination of illegal collusion, anticompetitive mergers, unlawful single-firm conduct, and injurious vertical agreements. The FTC enforces consumer protection laws involving advertising, marketing, and financial practices; fights consumer fraud; and addresses privacy and identity protection concerns. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommendation provides $312,300,000 for the salaries and expenses of the FTC for fiscal year 2020. The Congressional Budget Office estimates $141,000,000 of collections from Hart-Scott-Rodino premerger filing fees and $18,000,000 of collections from Do-Not-Call fees will partially offset the appropriation requirement for this account. The total amount of direct appropriations for this account is therefore estimated at $153,300,000. Consumer Privacy and Data Security.--The Committee encourages the FTC to use its current authorities to deter unfair and deceptive conduct in consumer privacy and data security matters. Specifically, the Committee encourages the FTC to utilize its Section 5 unfairness authority to distinguish between privacy practices that provide benefits to consumers, and those that are harmful; between those that are fair, and those that are unfair. The Commission is directed to submit a report to the Committee, within 180 days of enactment, on the ways it utilizes its current authorities, including Section 5 unfairness authority, to deter unfair and deceptive conduct in consumer privacy and data security matters. Sports Concussions.--According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that can occur in any sport or recreation activity. Given the potential for real injury to children, the Committee urges the FTC to remain vigilant in its enforcement efforts against potential unfair and deceptive practices related to sports concussions. The FTC should review any National Academies' report on sports-related concussions in youth for any matter that may inform efforts to protect consumers from unfair or deceptive practices in or affecting commerce. The FTC should also be vigilant of and, if necessary, take steps to prevent anticompetitive conduct related to the development and use of industry standards that could reduce competition and innovation in protective sports equipment. This is especially important as more and more retail moves online and consumers may not be as capable of determining the actual amount of protection available from the equipment being sold. Contact Lenses.--The Committee is encouraged by the FTC's acknowledgement of certain patient safety concerns in its most recent draft Contact Lens Rule. While the Committee is pleased the FTC has proposed some improvements to previous drafts related to prescription release, electronic delivery, and illegal substitution, the Committee remains concerned that the FTC has not sufficiently addressed the need for the prescription verification process to be modernized to provide for adequate enforcement of the law. Therefore, the Committee urges the FTC to reevaluate its definition of direct communication and consider eliminating the use of automated telephone verification messages, to ensure an effective prescription verification process exists to allow the FTC to properly enforce the rule. Credit Card Skimmers.--The Committee appreciates the FTC's efforts to warn Americans travelling abroad to be alert for credit card skimmers placed by thieves inside automatic teller machines and gas pumps. However, the Committee is aware that such credit card information theft increasingly occurs within the United States and thus urges the FTC to work with the Department of Justice and State attorneys general to prevent such consumer scams. Consolidation and Competition in Health Care.--The Committee is concerned that consolidation among providers and insurers in the healthcare sector is leading to higher prices for American families and taxpayers. Peer reviewed analysis has shown that hospital prices in monopoly markets are 15.3 percent higher than those in markets with four or more hospitals. The Government Accountability Office has reported that the three largest issuers held 80 percent of the market or more in at least 37 of 50 States, and the District of Columbia. The Committee encourages the Commission to review, investigate and challenge, where appropriate, mergers in the healthcare sector. The Committee encourages the Commission to conduct retrospective reviews of past mergers to determine the impacts those mergers have had on prices paid by American families and American taxpayers through the Federal Government's subsidization of healthcare. The Committee also encourages the Commission to study barriers to entry for new providers and insurers. Social Media Bots and Deceptive Advertising.--The Committee remains concerned by the increased use of social media bots for advertising purposes and whether their use constitutes a deceptive practice. Bots are becoming increasingly sophisticated, including applying cognitive science techniques to manipulate users into developing trust relationships. Bots are also rapidly expanding in scale, with individuals now able to purchase thousands of bots or fake ``followers'' to artificially increase their social media standing and potential revenue from advertisements. To assist Congress in better understanding the impact of these advertising practices on consumers, the Committee directs the Commission to submit a report, not later than 9 months after enactment of this act, describing the growing social media bot market as well as the use of social media bots in online advertising. The report shall include a discussion of how their use might constitute a deceptive practice. Social Media and Algorithmic Bias.--Social media has fundamentally democratized Americans' ability to participate in civic discourse. However, while individuals are responsible for the creation of social media content, complex algorithms often determine the distribution, promotion, and placement of that content. This gives rise to the risk that any political biases in these algorithms--whether implicit or explicit; intentional or unintentional--leave social media users with a false understanding of the context of the information they receive. The Committee directs the FTC to submit a report, not later than 9 months after enactment of this act, describing the use of algorithms in the distribution of social media content, including an assessment of whether such algorithms are subject to political biases. The report shall include a discussion of how their use might constitute a deceptive practice. Robocalls.--The Committee is concerned by a significant increase in robocalls nationally, with more than 26,300,000,000 robocalls placed in 2018, an increase of more than 8,300,000,000 calls since 2017. According to the FTC, from April 2018 to March 2019, consumers reported losses of $19,000,000 from social security scams alone. The Committee encourages the Federal Communications Commission and FTC to continue to engage with industry, consumer groups, and the public to reduce the number of robocalls nationwide and help protect consumers from fraudulent calls and scammers. These engagement efforts should include encouraging full implementation of Secure Telephony Identity Revisited/ Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using toKENs [STIR/SHAKEN] technology, as well as education and outreach efforts to assist consumers in stopping and avoiding scam calls and unwanted calls. Technical Expertise.--The Committee is concerned that the FTC lacks sufficient technical expertise to enforce consumer protection in the digital domain. The Committee encourages the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection to hire additional technologists to work across the five law enforcement areas (Privacy and Identity Protection, Financial Practices, Marketing Practices, Advertising Practices, and Enforcement). These technologists should have an academic or professional background in computer science, cybersecurity, software engineering or other related field. ``Made in USA'' Standard.--The Committee is concerned that, for companies that brazenly violate the FTC Act's prohibition on deception by falsely labeling wholly imported products as ``Made in USA,'' the FTC often settles charges without requiring the company to disgorge its ill-gotten gains or admit liability. The Committee recommends that the FTC seek more aggressive remedies with ``Made in USA'' violators, including through tougher settlements, use of its power under section 5(m) of the FTC Act, and rulemaking in this area. Resources for Data Privacy and Security.--The Committee urges the FTC to conduct a comprehensive internal assessment measuring the agency's current efforts related to data privacy and security while separately identifying all resource-based needs of the FTC to improve in these areas. The Committee also urges the FTC to provide a report describing the assessment's findings to the Committee within 180 days of enactment. Credit Report Accuracy.--The accuracy of information in a credit report is critical to both consumer protection and the integrity of a creditor's decision-making process. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, consumer reporting agencies must (1) maintain reasonable procedures to ensure the ``maximum possible accuracy'' of consumer reports and (2) maintain procedures through which consumers can dispute and correct inaccurate information in their consumer reports. The FTC is directed to report to the Committee, within 180 days of the enactment of this act, on its consumer education efforts with respect to disputing and correcting information in a credit report, as well as its enforcement efforts related to dispute processes and the correction of inaccurate and incomplete information. Deceptive Online Marketing.--The Committee urges the FTC to share with state attorneys general materials to help educate consumers about online booking scams, including the use of websites and call centers to mislead consumers into believing that they are dealing directly with hotels. The Committee also encourages the FTC to continue to ensure that state attorneys general are aware of its recent enforcement action against Reservation Counter, LLC, and its owners. General Services Administration PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The General Services Administration [GSA] was established by the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (Public Law 81-152) when Congress mandated the consolidation of the Federal Government's real property and administrative services. GSA is organized into the Public Buildings Service, the Federal Acquisition Service, the Office of Governmentwide Policy, and the Office of Citizen Services. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION Federal Contractor Tax Check System.--Since fiscal year 2015, the Financial Services and General Government appropriations acts have included a governmentwide provision prohibiting Federal agencies from using appropriated funds to enter into contracts with entities that have qualifying Federal tax debts unless certain circumstances are met. This provision effectuates the straightforward proposition that contractors that ignore their Federal tax liabilities should not be allowed to enrich themselves with taxpayer dollars. Unfortunately, the Committee has serious concerns about agencies' compliance with this provision. In an April 2019 study, GAO reported widespread noncompliance, and potential violations of the Antideficiency Act, at some of the largest Federal agencies [GAO-19-243). In order to better effectuate the governmentwide provision, an administrative provision provides an additional $3,000,000 for the Administrator of General Services to require entities registering in the System for Award Management to submit an authenticated certification from the Internal Revenue Service. Federal Fleet.--The Committee directs GSA to report to the Committee within 120 days on its efforts to analyze the impact that emerging fleet management trends may have on the Federal Fleet. In addition, the Committee encourages GSA to consider the inclusion of advanced technology to prevent drunk driving in future fleet vehicle purchasing requirements. The Committee directs GSA to report 180 days after enactment of this act on the feasibility of including such components in its vehicle inventory. FBI Headquarters.--Due to concerns about the FBI Headquarters Revised Nationally-Focused Consolidation Plan, which was submitted to Congress by GSA on February 12, 2018, the Consolidated Appropriations Acts of 2018 and 2019 included no funding for this project. No funds were requested for the project for fiscal year 2020 and no funds are provided in this bill. The Committee continues to be reluctant to appropriate any additional funds for this project due to the unanswered questions regarding the new plan, including the revision of longstanding mission and security requirements. The Committee encourages GSA to work with the FBI to submit a prospectus for a new, fully-consolidated headquarters building, including at one of the three previously vetted sites, that complies with prior Congressional directives and actions and meets Interagency Security Committee Level V security standards. Dirksen Courthouse.--The Dirksen Courthouse in Chicago is adjacent to Federal buildings in critical disrepair that are undergoing the disposal process. Concerns continue to be raised about the security of the Court and other Federal agencies in the courthouse. GSA is expected to include in any sale or lease agreement as part of the disposal process of the State Street properties in Chicago the security measures as outlined in the GSA report to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees dated October 29, 2018. The Committee expects GSA to utilize all remedies available to ensure compliance of the agreed-upon terms (including the security measures) included in any sale or lease agreement. White Oak Expansion.--The Committee is aware that the Food and Drug Administration's [FDA's] growing staff will require leasing additional office locations until the 2018 Federal Research Center Master Plan for the White Oak Campus expansion can be fully implemented. To determine the lowest cost technically acceptable for a prospectus lease, GSA should consider the effect of local travel on FDA staff productivity, adjacency to existing FDA leases, and the cost of lost productivity when evaluating the costs of lease proposals. Flood Resiliency.--The Committee is concerned with the condition and resiliency of Federal buildings located in flood prone areas that were constructed prior to the creation of Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps. Flooding can severely damage Federal facilities and impact an agency's operations and ability to fulfill its mission, and buildings that were built before the first flood maps are particularly vulnerable. Federal buildings that are located in high risk areas can require special mitigation measures, such as structure elevation, building system and cabling placement, and additional envelope protection. Given GSA's repair backlog, extreme weather events present significant risks to the Federal real estate portfolio and failure to mitigate these risks could result in even costlier expenditures following a natural disaster. GSA is directed to provide a report to the Committee within 90 days of enactment on Federal facilities built before flood maps were created in flood prone areas that require Federal investment to restore or maintain acceptable conditions. The report should include details on flood vulnerabilities for buildings, estimated flood mitigation project costs, and timeframe for project execution. Energy Efficiency.--The Committee encourages greater use of Energy Savings Performance Contracts [ESPCs] in GSA's portfolio to help reduce the building repair backlog, including upgrades that can help improve resiliency and cybersecurity. The use of ESPCs, which retrofit buildings at no net cost to the taxpayer, will allow scarce, appropriated dollars to be extended. GSA should consider the use of ESPCs when formulating future budget requests for repair projects. Department of Veterans Affairs Leases.--The Committee urges GSA to expedite lease procurement projects authorized by the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017. The Committee directs GSA to provide a report to the Committee within 90 days on the status of its work. Premium Class Travel.--The Committee remains concerned by excessive spending on premium-class airline tickets for government employees. Independent watchdogs, including the Government Accountability Office and inspectors general, have long warned of serious breakdowns in internal controls and the potential for hundreds of millions of dollars in improper purchases. The Federal Travel Regulation generally prohibits Federal employees from using first-class and business-class airline travel, with certain limited exceptions, to promote the economy and efficiency of our government and to protect taxpayer dollars. GSA is directed to provide to the Committee the department and agency travel data compiled pursuant to 41 C.F.R. Part 300-70, Subpart B. Shared Services.--The Committee is aware of the Administration's and GSA's Unified Shared Services Management and Strategy Initiatives and GSA's initial proposals for its Payroll Shared Services Initiative--NewPay. The Committee understands that one of the key goals of NewPay is to help bring commercial technology solutions to Federal agencies and have industry teams work with existing Federal shared services providers to improve and modernize payroll human resources management solutions for Federal agencies. While GSA has been pre-designated by the Office of Management and Budget to serve as the quality service management office for civilian human resource management services, the Committee understands that current GSA capacity is totally inadequate to help Federal agencies move to more modern and cost efficient technologies for common mission support services such as payroll and other human resources services. As currently structured, the Committee is also concerned that NewPay only addresses a very small percentage of the actual Federal payroll services currently provided to Federal employees by shared services providers. In addition, the Committee is concerned about the lack of transparency and details thus far on any return on investment analysis regarding NewPay's implementation cost impacts to current agency customers as well as the migration costs that Federal agencies and departments might incur to transition current payroll and related systems to NewPay or other more modern systems. To address these concerns, to avoid establishing duplicative agency offices and expertize, and to ensure that millions of Federal employees pay and human resources services are not interrupted or adversely impacted during transition to NewPay or other shared services modernization efforts envisioned under GSA's Unified Shared Services Management Initiative, the Committee directs the GSA to team with the largest Federal civilian payroll and human resource management shared services provider for program management and implementation efforts associated with NewPay and related shared services initiatives. Given the lengthy process and timelines of GSA's NewPay and Unified Shared Services Management initiatives, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of current common mission shared services, and to avoid duplication of these efforts across other Federal agencies and departments, the Committee directs GSA to allow its shared services providers to actively market their current payroll, financial or other human resource management services to other Federal agencies and departments. FEDERAL BUILDINGS FUND--LIMITATIONS ON AVAILABILITY OF REVENUE (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Limitation on availability of revenue: Limitation on availability, 2019.................... $9,285,082,000 Limitation on availability, budget estimate, 2020... 10,203,596,000 Committee recommendation................................ 9,581,079,000 The Federal Buildings Fund [FBF] finances the activities of the Public Buildings Service, which provides space and services for Federal agencies in a relationship similar to that of landlord and tenant. The FBF, established in 1975, replaces direct appropriations by using income derived from rent assessments, which approximate commercial rates for comparable space and services. The Committee makes funds available through a process of placing limitations on obligations from the FBF as a way of allocating funds for various FBF activities. CONSTRUCTION AND ACQUISITION Limitation on availability, 2019........................ $958,900,000 Limitation on availability, budget estimate, 2020....... 649,290,000 Committee recommendation................................ 350,517,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The construction and acquisition fund finances the site, design, construction, management, and inspection costs of new Federal facilities. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a limitation of $350,517,000 for construction and acquisition: --$152,432,000 for the San Luis I Land Port of Entry in San Luis, Arizona --$8,975,000 for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Field Office in St. Louis, Missouri --$189,110,000 for the United States Courthouse in Chattanooga, Tennessee. REPAIRS AND ALTERATIONS Limitation on availability, 2019........................ $663,219,000 Limitation on availability, budget estimate, 2020....... 1,662,410,000 Committee recommendation................................ 1,365,721,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Under this activity, GSA executes its responsibility for repairs and alterations of both Government-owned and -leased facilities under the control of GSA. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a limitation of $1,365,721,000 for repairs and alterations in fiscal year 2020, including $908,664,000 for major repairs and alterations projects, $382,057,000 for Basic Repairs and Alterations, and $75,000,000 for Consolidation Activities. RENTAL OF SPACE Limitation on availability, 2019........................ $5,418,845,000 Limitation on availability, budget estimate, 2020....... 5,508,390,000 Committee recommendation................................ 5,497,297,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The rental of space program funds lease payments made to privately owned buildings, temporary space for Federal employees during major repair and alteration projects, and relocations from Federal buildings due to forced moves and relocations as a result of health and safety conditions. GSA is responsible for leasing general purpose space and land incident thereto for Federal agencies, except in cases where GSA has delegated its leasing authority. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a limitation of $5,497,297,000 for rental of space. BUILDING OPERATIONS Limitation on availability, 2019........................ $2,244,118,000 Limitation on availability, budget estimate, 2020....... 2,383,506,000 Committee recommendation................................ 2,367,544,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This activity provides for the operation of all Government- owned facilities under the jurisdiction of GSA and building services in GSA-leased space where the terms of the lease do not require the lessor to furnish such services. Services included in building operations are cleaning, protection, maintenance, payments for utilities and fuel, grounds maintenance, and elevator operations. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a limitation of $2,367,544,000 for building operations. GOVERNMENTWIDE POLICY Appropriations, 2019.................................... $60,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 65,843,000 Committee recommendation................................ 64,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Office of Governmentwide Policy [OGP], working cooperatively with other agencies, provides the leadership needed to develop and evaluate policies associated with high- performance green buildings and real property, acquisition policy, personal property, travel and transportation management, vehicles and aircraft, committee and regulations management, and management of Federal spending data. OGP collaborates with partner agencies and other stakeholders to improve public access to policy information and support data, and improve transparency in Government. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $64,000,000 for Governmentwide Policy. Limiting Purchasing of Products that Contain Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances [PFAs].--The Administrator of GSA is encouraged to assist the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency: (1) in updating EPA's Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing to identify and recommend as appropriate private sector standards and ecolabels that identify products that do not contain PFAs; and (2) in developing and recommending specifications for government-wide use with a goal to encourage the use of safer alternatives. DotGov Program.--The ``.gov'' domain, managed by GSA, was established to make it easy to identify U.S. government websites on the Internet. Use of this domain signifies trust and credibility, and there are security benefits associated with a ``.gov'' domain, such as two factor authentication. The Committee is supportive of GSA's efforts to help ensure that citizens are interacting with official government websites. GSA is directed to report to the Committee no later than 120 days after enactment of this act on additional steps that could be taken to increase adoption of ``.gov'' domains for State and local governments. City Pair Program.--The City Pair Program was developed to provide discounted airfare and flexibility for Federal Government travelers. The Committee is aware of concerns among some participants regarding certain city pair awards, but the Committee recognizes that GSA's administration of the program is consistent with existing law. The Committee encourages GSA to continue to administer the program in a manner that delivers best value airfares and ensures that Federal participants are able to effectively and efficiently fulfill their agency's mission. OPERATING EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $49,440,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 49,440,000 Committee recommendation................................ 49,440,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Operating Expenses supports a variety of operational activities which are not feasible or appropriate for a user fee arrangement. Major programs include the personal property utilization and donation activities of the Federal Acquisition Service; the real property utilization and disposal activities of the Public Buildings Service; and the Management and Administration activities, including support of Governmentwide emergency response and recovery activities, and top-level agency-wide management, administration, and communications activities. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $49,440,000 for Operating Expenses. CIVILIAN BOARD OF CONTRACT APPEALS Appropriations, 2019.................................... $9,301,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 9,301,000 Committee recommendation................................ 9,301,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals is responsible for resolving contract disputes between government contractors and Federal agencies. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $9,301,000 for the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals. OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL Appropriations, 2019.................................... $65,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 68,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 66,500,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This appropriation provides agency-wide audit and investigative functions to identify and correct management and administrative deficiencies within GSA, which create conditions for existing or potential instances of fraud, waste, and mismanagement. The audit function provides internal audit and contract audit services. Contract audits provide professional advice to GSA contracting officials on accounting and financial matters relative to the negotiation, award, administration, repricing, and settlement of contracts. Internal audits review and evaluate all facets of GSA operations and programs, test internal control systems, and develop information to improve operating efficiencies and enhance customer services. The investigative function provides for the detection and investigation of improper and illegal activities involving GSA programs, personnel, and operations. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $66,500,000 for the Office of Inspector General. ALLOWANCES AND OFFICE STAFF FOR FORMER PRESIDENTS Appropriations, 2019.................................... $4,796,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 3,851,112 Committee recommendation................................ 3,851,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This appropriation currently provides pensions, office staffs, and related expenses for former Presidents Jimmy Carter, William Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $3,851,000 for allowances and office staff for former Presidents. FEDERAL CITIZEN SERVICES FUND Appropriations, 2019.................................... $55,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 58,400,000 Committee recommendation................................ 55,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Federal Citizen Services Fund provides for the salaries and expenses of the Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies [OCSIT]. OCSIT provides the means for citizens, businesses, other governments, and the media to obtain information and services easily from the Government via the Web, email, printed media, and telephone. OCSIT leads several interagency groups to share best practices and develop strategies for improving the way Government provides services to the American public. The Federal Citizen Services [FCS] Fund is financed from annual appropriations to pay for the salaries and expenses of OCSIT staff and Citizens Services programs. Reimbursements from Federal agencies pay for the direct costs of information services OCSIT provides on their behalf. The FCS Fund also receives funding from user fees for publications ordered by the public, payments from private entities for services rendered, and gifts from the public. All income is available without regard to fiscal year limitations, but is subject to an annual aggregate expenditure limit as set forth in appropriation acts. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $55,000,000 for the Federal Citizen Services Fund. Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act.--The Committee encourages GSA to make progress on the government- wide implementation of title II (the OPEN Government Data Act) of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act (Public Law 115-435) to improve the public's information about the data the government holds. TECHNOLOGY MODERNIZATION FUND Appropriation, 2019..................................... $25,000,000 Budget estimates, 2020.................................. 150,000,000 Committee recommendation................................................ The Technology Modernization Fund [TMF] is designed to be a full cost recovery fund that finances the transition of Federal agencies from antiquated legacy IT systems to modern IT platforms. The Fund is administered by GSA in accordance with recommendations made by an inter-agency TMF Board established by the Modernizing Government Technology Act. The Fund was established to provide upfront funding for modernization investments, which agencies are required to repay over a period of up to 5 years. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $0 for the TMF. PRE-ELECTION PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION Appropriations, 2019.................................................... Budget estimate, 2020................................... $9,620,000 Committee recommendation................................ 9,620,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION In accordance with the Pre-Election Transition Act of 2010, this appropriation will enable GSA to provide transition services to eligible major party candidates before the general election. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $9,620,000 for pre-election presidential transition. ASSET PROCEEDS AND SPACE MANAGEMENT FUND Appropriation, 2019..................................... $25,000,000 Budget estimates, 2020.................................. 31,000,000 Committee recommendation................................................ This account provides appropriations for the purposes of carrying out actions pursuant to the recommendations of the Public Buildings Reform Board focusing on civilian real property. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $0 for the Asset Proceeds and Space Management Fund. The Committee continues to strongly support the Public Buildings Reform Board and efforts to reduce Federal real property costs by consolidating and selling underutilized and vacant Federal buildings and other civilian real property. However, there have been significant delays in standing up the Public Buildings Reform Board, and none of the funds that have been appropriated to the Fund since fiscal year 2018 have been obligated. The Committee will continue to monitor steps being taken to stand up the Public Buildings Reform Board to ensure sufficient resources are available to meet program needs. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IMPROVEMENT FUND Appropriations, 2019.................................... $6,070,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 7,100,000 Committee recommendation................................................ PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This appropriation supports the authorized activities of the Environmental Review Improvement Fund and the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council. The Council will lead on-going government-wide efforts to modernize the Federal permitting and review process for major infrastructure projects and work with Federal agency partners to implement and oversee adherence to the statutory requirements set forth in the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act of 2015. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION Consistent with GSA Order ADM 5440.724, funding for the Council as an independent agency is provided elsewhere in this title. WORKING CAPITAL FUND Appropriations, 2019.................................................... Budget estimate, 2020................................... $50,000,000 Committee recommendation................................................ PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Working Capital Fund is a revolving fund that finances GSA's administrative services. These include, but are not limited to IT management, budget and financial management, legal services, human resources, equal employment opportunity services, procurement and contracting oversight, emergency planning and response, and facilities management of GSA- occupied space. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends no direct appropriation for the Working Capital Fund. The fiscal year 2020 request for the Working Capital Fund relates costs incurred transitioning Office of Personnel Management functions to GSA and for costs relating to modernizing, upgrading, or replacing the Office of Personnel Management's information technology. Should authorizing legislation be enacted that transfers these functions to GSA, the Committee stands ready to provide sufficient resources to GSA to facilitate an orderly transition. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) Section 520 authorizes GSA to use funds for the hire of passenger motor vehicles. Section 521 authorizes GSA to transfer funds within the Federal buildings fund to meet program requirements. Section 522 requires that the fiscal year 2021 budget request meet certain standards. Section 523 provides that no funds may be used to increase the amount of occupiable square feet, provide cleaning services, security enhancements, or any other service usually provided, to any agency which does not pay the requested rate. Section 524 continues the provision that permits GSA to pay small claims less than $250,000 made against the Government. Section 525 provides that certain lease agreements must conform to an approved prospectus. Section 526 requires a GSA spending plan for certain accounts and programs. Section 527 provides $3,000,000 for a Federal contractor tax check system. Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $1,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................................... Committee recommendation................................ 1,670,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation is an independent agency established by Congress in 1975 (Public Law 93-642) to encourage exceptional college students to pursue careers in public service through the Truman Scholarship program. The Truman Scholarship is a merit-based award available to college juniors who plan to pursue careers in government or elsewhere in public service. The Foundation Trust Fund was established with a one-time $30,000,000 appropriation in 1976. The authorizing legislation directed that this endowment be invested solely in U.S. Treasury securities, the interest from which has funded the Foundation's operating budget. With the decline in interest rates, the annual yield from the trust fund has declined by nearly 80 percent since 2002. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,670,000 for the Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation. Merit Systems Protection Board SALARIES AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Appropriations, 2019.................................... $46,835,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 42,265,500 Committee recommendation................................ 42,265,500 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Merit Systems Protection Board [MSPB] was established by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. MSPB is an independent quasi-judicial agency manifested to protect Federal merit systems against partisan political and other prohibited personnel practices and to ensure adequate protection for employees against abuses by agency management. MSPB assists Federal agencies in running a merit-based civil service system. This is accomplished on a case-by-case basis through hearing and deciding employee appeals and on a systemic basis by reviewing significant actions and regulations of the Office of Personnel Management [OPM] and conducting studies of the civil service and other merit systems. The intended results of MSPB's efforts are to assure that personnel actions taken against employees are processed within the law and that actions taken by OPM and other agencies support and enhance Federal merit principles. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $42,265,500 for the MSPB. The recommendation includes not more than $2,345,000 for adjudicating retirement appeals through an appropriation from the trust fund consistent with past practice. Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation MORRIS K. UDALL AND STEWART L. UDALL TRUST FUND Appropriations, 2019.................................... $1,875,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 1,800,000 Committee recommendation................................ 1,725,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The General Fund payment to the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund is invested in Treasury securities with maturities suitable to the needs of the Fund. Interest earnings from the investments are used to carry out the activities of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation. The Foundation awards scholarships, fellowships, and grants, and funds activities of the Udall Center. The Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation also supports training programs for professionals in healthcare policy and public policy, such as the Native Nations Institute [NNI]. NNI, based at the University of Arizona, provides Native Americans with leadership and management training, and analyzes policies relevant to tribes. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,725,000 for the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund. Previous annual appropriations provided that $200,000 shall be transferred to the Office of Inspector General of the Department of the Interior to conduct annual audits and investigations of the Foundation. As a substantial portion of previously transferred amounts remain available for such purposes, the Committee recommends discontinuance of the transfer. Accordingly, the appropriation of $1,725,000 to the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund effectively provides $50,000 above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. ENVIRONMENTAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION FUND Appropriations, 2019.................................... $3,200,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 3,200,000 Committee recommendation................................ 3,200,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution is a Federal program established by Public Law 105-156 to assist parties in resolving environmental, natural resource, and public lands conflicts. The Institute is part of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation and serves as an impartial, nonpartisan institution providing professional expertise, services, and resources to all parties involved in such disputes. The Institute helps parties determine whether collaborative problem solving is appropriate for specific environmental conflicts, how and when to bring all the parties together for discussion, and whether a third-party facilitator or mediator might be helpful in assisting the parties in their efforts to reach consensus or to resolve the conflict. In addition, the Institute maintains a roster of qualified facilitators and mediators with substantial experience in environmental conflict resolution and can help parties in selecting an appropriate neutral professional. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,200,000 for the Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund. National Archives and Records Administration The National Archives and Records Administration [NARA] is the national recordkeeper, managing the Government's archives and records, and operating the Presidential libraries. NARA is an independent agency created by statute in 1934 and tasked with the unique mission to identify, access, protect, preserve, and make available for use the important documents and records of all three branches of the Federal Government. NARA administers the Information Security Oversight Office and is the publisher of the Federal Register. In addition, NARA is charged with additional responsibilities including mediating Freedom of Information Act disputes and coordinating controlled unclassified information. OPERATING EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $373,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 345,609,000 Committee recommendation................................ 363,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This account provides for basic operations dealing with management of the Federal Government's archives and records, operation of Presidential libraries, review for declassification of classified security information, and other duties. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $363,000,000 for operating expenses of the National Archives and Records Administration for fiscal year 2020. The recommendation includes $22,000,000 for the repair and alteration of the National Archives facility in College Park, Maryland and related improvements necessary to enhance the Federal Government's ability to electronically preserve, manage, and store Government records. The recommendation also includes $1,000,000 for activities required by section 3 of Public Law 115-426. The Committee's recommendation supports initiatives to strengthen NARA's record management leadership role; address archival storage needs; continue to develop, build, and expand the IT infrastructure to conduct the business of the National Declassification Center established in Executive Order 13526; operate and maintain the Electronic Records Archive; and improve research room holdings protection. Digitization of Records.--The Committee continues to encourage NARA to digitize and post on-line, on its own website, archival records that are relocated as a result of a facility closure. The Committee directs NARA to report, within 90 days of enactment, on its progress to digitize and preserve physical access to archival records that have been or will be relocated to another State by any facility closure occurring during fiscal years 2014 to 2019 or planned for fiscal year 2020. The report shall: (1) describe the progress that has been made to digitize and post online such records that have been moved; (2) describe NARA's digitization priorities for 2020 pertaining to any relocated archival records; and (3) include a timeline for completing the digitization and posting on-line process. The Committee further directs NARA to provide, on its Alaska Records Digitization Project website, links to all images that have been digitized by NARA and by other entities. The Committee further directs NARA to maintain as part of its digitization plan those records identified by stakeholders from the date the records were originally relocated to the present, inclusive, except for those individual documents that size, condition, or content with personally identifiable information make impossible to digitize or post online at this time. The Committee further directs NARA to give due consideration and appropriate adjudication, within the limits of the Federal Records Act and all applicable laws, of any request to review archival records that are relocated as a result of a facility closure, to determine whether those records continue to require permanent preservation in the National Archives. Recordkeeping.--The Committee remains concerned about the ability of Federal agencies to effectively manage email and other electronic Federal records so that essential records are available when required by Congress in order to fulfill its oversight responsibilities. The executive branch must assure the American public that records documenting Government decisions and actions are retained for the appropriate time period and can be retrieved and provided to Congress in a timely manner and as required by law. The Presidential and Federal Records Act Amendments of 2014 (Public Law 113-187) modernized the Federal records management statutes to include emails and electronic records and to reinforce that the executive branch must manage these records with greater care and stewardship than what has been observed in recent months and years. The Committee notes that NARA has made significant progress in issuing guidance directing executive branch agencies to manage electronic Federal records, including email records, as required by law. The Committee expects NARA to incorporate email recordkeeping standards into its inspections of other agencies' records management programs, with special emphasis on personal and alias email accounts used for conducting official business. The Committee also notes that NARA has received additional resources to increase oversight over executive branch compliance with Federal recordkeeping laws. The Committee directs NARA to continue to place a high priority on its recordkeeping oversight mission and to report to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs any instances of substantial non-compliance by executive agencies or significant risk to Federal records that are identified in the course of NARA oversight activities. OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL Appropriations, 2019.................................... $4,823,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 4,801,000 Committee recommendation................................ 4,823,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The mission of the Office of Inspector General is to ensure that NARA safeguards and preserves the records of our Government while providing the American people with access to the essential documentation of their rights and the actions of their Government. The OIG accomplishes this by combating fraud, waste, and abuse through high-quality objective audits and investigations covering all aspects of agency operations at facilities nationwide. The OIG also serves as an independent, internal advocate for the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of NARA and its operations. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $4,823,000 for the OIG. The Committee supports a distinct account for the OIG in order to clearly identify the resources necessary to staff and operate the expanding mission-critical oversight and accountability functions performed by the OIG to ensure responsible NARA stewardship over public records. REPAIRS AND RESTORATION Appropriations, 2019.................................... $7,500,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 7,500,000 Committee recommendation................................ 7,500,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This account provides for the repair, alteration, and improvement of Archives facilities and Presidential libraries nationwide, and provides adequate storage for holdings. Funding made available will better enable NARA to maintain its facilities in proper condition for public visitors, researchers, and NARA employees, and also maintain the structural integrity of the buildings. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $7,500,000 for the repairs and restoration account. This amount is equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and equal to the budget request. Office of Government Ethics SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $17,019,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 17,430,000 Committee recommendation................................ 17,019,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Office of Government Ethics [OGE], a separate agency within the executive branch, was established by the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-521). The OGE is charged by law to provide overall direction of executive branch policies designed to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure high ethical standards for executive branch employers. The OGE carries out these responsibilities by promulgating and maintaining enforceable standards of ethical conduct for nearly 2.7 million civilian employees in more than 130 executive branch agencies and the White House; overseeing a financial disclosure system that reaches 26,000 public and over 380,000 confidential financial disclosure report filers; ensuring that executive branch ethics programs are in compliance with applicable ethics laws and regulations; providing direct education and training products to more than 4,500 ethics officials executive branch-wide; conducting outreach to the general public, the private sector, and civil society; and providing technical assistance to, State, local, and foreign governments, and international organizations. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $17,019,000 for salaries and expenses of the OGE in fiscal year 2020. Office of Personnel Management SALARIES AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF TRUST FUNDS) Appropriations, 2019.................................... $132,172,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................................... Committee recommendation................................ 148,668,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Office of Personnel Management was established by Public Law 95-454, the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, enacted on October 13, 1978. OPM is responsible for management of Federal human resources policy and oversight of the merit civil service system. Although individual agencies are largely responsible for personnel operations, OPM provides a Governmentwide framework for human resources policy, advises and assists agencies (often on a reimbursable basis) with workforce planning and personnel matters, and ensures that agency operations are consistent with requirements of law on issues such as veterans' preference and merit system compliance. OPM oversees examination of applicants for employment in the competitive service; issues regulations and policies on recruitment, hiring, classification and pay, training, and other aspects of personnel management. OPM is also responsible for administering the retirement, health benefits, and life insurance programs affecting most Federal employees, retired Federal employees, and their families and survivors. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a general fund appropriation of $148,668,000 for the salaries and expenses of OPM. The fiscal year 2020 budget request proposes to consolidate and fund OPM functions within GSA. Should authorizing legislation be enacted that transfers these functions to GSA, the Committee stands ready to provide sufficient resources to GSA to facilitate an orderly transition. IT Modernization.--Since fiscal year 2017 the Committee has provided OPM $46,000,000 to improve IT security and infrastructure. However, the Committee remains concerned about OPM's overall IT posture and directs OPM to implement the recommendations of Government Accountability Office [GAO] reports and IG reports to improve information security. The Committee continues a prior directive for OPM to provide quarterly briefings to the Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate outlining progress on its IT Transformation and Cybersecurity Strategy. Federal Telework.--The Committee notes that OPM's fiscal year 2017 report to Congress on the Status of Telework in the Federal Government found that from fiscal years 2016 to 2017, telework participation decreased slightly from 22 percent to 21 percent of all employees and from 51 to 48 percent of eligible employees. The Committee encourages OPM to work with agencies to continue to improve data collection methods and provide training for employees and managers to be effective teleworkers. The Committee further encourages OPM to work with agencies on establishing outcome goals for telework and to assess progress towards achieving those goals. Retirement Processing.--The Committee is aware that financial hardships can occur when retirement processing does not occur in a timely way. In some cases, employees who have recently retired can wait months for their pensions and as a result, may be at risk of losing a home, vehicle, or other essential assets. A May 2019 GAO report found that OPM did not meet its goal of processing 90 percent of retirement applications within 60 days. The Committee understands that OPM's new goal as of April 2018 is to reduce the average wait time to answer phone calls to 5 minutes or less and to achieve an average case processing time of 60 days or less. The Committee notes that OPM fully concurred with only one of GAO's six recommendations; for the remaining five, OPM only partially concurred. OPM is directed to brief the Committee approximately 120 days after enactment of this act on efforts to implement GAO's recommendations. The Committee supports OPM's modernization efforts to reduce the backlog including implementation of an electronic retirement record to replace the current paper-based individual retirement record and construction of an online retirement application so that Federal employees can apply for retirement benefits online; however, progress has been slow. OPM should examine ways to reduce the complexity of calculating the FERS annuity supplement, including software improvements. Funding should be prioritized, and should be requested in future years, to continue and expand these efforts. In addition, OPM shall provide to the Committee biannual briefings on efforts to accelerate, modernize, and strengthen retirement processing. Federal Recruitment and Hiring.--Long delays in the hiring and interview process can discourage top candidates from applying for or accepting Federal positions. The Committee is aware of an emerging class of technology called Cross- Enterprise Artificial Intelligence [AI] that could make the Federal hiring process more efficient and effective. Cross- Enterprise AI connects the power of AI to existing data silos and systems to augment decision-making and drive better outcomes with little or no workflow or IT transformation. These cloud-based, commercial products have the potential to produce results using configurable AI models to bring together data regardless of source or format for existing enterprise systems. OPM is directed to report to the Committee no later than 90 days after the enactment of this act on the feasibility of utilizing Cross-Enterprise AI solutions for furthering career development and retention of current Federal employees, reducing barriers to Federal employment, lessening delays in the hiring process, and outlining any other steps to improve the overall Federal recruitment and hiring process. Enhancing the Utility of the FedScope Database.--The Committee notes that FedScope, a publicly-accessible database maintained by OPM, is a valuable source of information about Federal employees and agencies. FedScope provides national- level and state-level data about the number of Federal employees, the agencies that employ them, and selected characteristics of those employees. To enhance its utility to Congress and the public, the Committee urges OPM to provide information about the number of Federal employees employed in each county in the United States, or the functional equivalent in the case of U.S. States and territories that do not use the county system. Within 120 days of enactment of this act, OPM is directed to provide a report to the Committee on the feasibility and expected timeline of publishing this information. LIMITATION (TRANSFER OF TRUST FUNDS) Limitation, 2019........................................ $133,483,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................................... Committee recommendation................................ 160,398,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION These funds will be transferred from the appropriate trust funds of the Office of Personnel Management to cover administrative expenses for the retirement and insurance programs. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a limitation of $160,398,000 for administrative expenses. OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL SALARIES AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF TRUST FUNDS) Appropriations, 2019.................................... $5,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................................... Committee recommendation................................ 5,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Office of Inspector General is charged with establishing policies for conducting and coordinating efforts which promote economy, efficiency, and integrity in the Office of Personnel Management's activities which prevent and detect fraud, waste, and mismanagement in the agency's programs. Contract audits provide professional advice to agency contracting officials on accounting and financial matters regarding the negotiation, award, administration, repricing, and settlement of contracts. Internal agency audits review and evaluate all facets of agency operations, including financial statements. Evaluation and inspection services provide detailed technical evaluations of agency operations. Insurance audits review the operations of health and life insurance carriers, healthcare providers, and insurance subscribers. The investigative function provides for the detection and investigation of improper and illegal activities involving programs, personnel, and operations. Administrative sanctions debar from participation in the health insurance program those healthcare providers whose conduct may pose a threat to the financial integrity of the program itself or to the well-being of insurance program enrollees. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $5,000,000 for salaries and expenses of the Office of Inspector General in fiscal year 2020. Semiannual Report to Congress.--The Committee encourages the OIG to include in its Semiannual Reports to Congress a discussion of: (1) OPM's efforts to improve and address cybersecurity challenges including steps taken to prevent, mitigate, and respond to data breaches involving sensitive personnel records and information; (2) OPM's cybersecurity policies and procedures in place, including policies and procedures relating to IT best practices such as data encryption, multifactor authentication, and continuous monitoring; (3) OPM's oversight of contractors providing IT services; and (4) OPM's compliance with government-wide initiatives to improve cybersecurity. (LIMITATION ON TRANSFER FROM TRUST FUNDS) Limitation, 2019........................................ $25,265,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................................... Committee recommendation................................ 25,265,000 COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a limitation on transfers from the trust funds in support of the OIG activities totaling $25,265,000 for fiscal year 2020. Office of Special Counsel SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $26,535,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 26,252,000 Committee recommendation................................ 26,535,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The U.S. Office of Special Counsel [OSC] provides a safe channel for Federal employees to report waste, fraud, abuse, and threats to public health and safety. The OSC was first established on January 1, 1979. From 1979 until 1989, it operated as an autonomous investigative and prosecutorial arm of the Merit Systems Protection Board. In 1989, Congress enacted the Whistleblower Protection Act (Public Law 101-12), which made OSC an independent agency within the executive branch. In 1994, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (Public Law 103-353) became law. It defined employment-related rights of persons in connection with military service, prohibited discrimination against them because of that service, and gave OSC new authority to pursue remedies for violations by Federal agencies. Enactment of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act (Public Law 112-199) in November 2012 significantly expanded the jurisdiction of the OSC and the types of cases the OSC is required by law to investigate. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $26,535,000 for OSC, which is $283,000 above the budget request and equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. Postal Regulatory Commission SALARIES AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Appropriations, 2019.................................... $15,200,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 16,615,000 Committee recommendation................................ 16,615,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Postal Regulatory Commission [PRC] is an independent agency that has exercised regulatory oversight over the United States Postal Service since its creation by the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970. For over 3 decades, that oversight consisted primarily of conducting public, on-the-record hearings concerning proposed rates, mail classification, and major service changes, and recommended decisions for action to the Postal Service Board of Governors. The mission of the PRC is to ensure transparency and accountability of the United States Postal Service and foster a vital and efficient universal mail system. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (Public Law 109-435) assigned significant responsibilities to the PRC. These enhanced authorities include providing regulatory oversight of the pricing of Postal Service products and services, ensuring Postal Service transparency and accountability, consulting on delivery service standards and performance measures, consulting on international postal policies, preventing cross-subsidization or other anticompetitive postal practices, and serving as a forum to act on complaints with postal products and services. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation, out of the Postal Fund, of $16,615,000 for the PRC. Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $5,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 8,500,000 Committee recommendation................................ 8,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board [PCLOB] is an independent agency within the executive branch established by the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-53). The Board is the successor to the Board created within the Executive Office of the President under the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-458) as recommended in the July 22, 2004 report of the National Commission on Terrorist Acts Upon the United States (the 9/11 Commission). The Board's purpose is to review and analyze actions the executive branch takes to protect the Nation from terrorism, ensuring the need for such actions is balanced with the need to protect privacy and civil liberties; and to ensure that liberty concerns are appropriately considered in the development and implementation of laws, regulations, and policies related to efforts to protect the Nation against terrorism. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $8,000,000 for the PCLOB. In addition, the Board has access to unobligated balances to fund current expenses. Public Buildings Reform Board SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................................... Budget estimate, 2020................................... $3,500,000 Committee recommendation................................ 1,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Public Buildings Reform Board was created under the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act of 2016 to identify opportunities for the Government to significantly reduce its inventory of civilian real property and reduce cost to the Government. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $1,000,000 for the Public Buildings Reform Board. The Committee continues to strongly support the Board and efforts to reduce Federal real property costs by consolidating and selling underutilized and vacant Federal buildings and other civilian real property. However, there have been delays in standing up the Board, and significant funds remain from the appropriation the Board received in fiscal year 2018. The Committee will continue to monitor the progress and expenditures of the Board to ensure sufficient resources are available to meet program needs. Securities and Exchange Commission SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $1,712,091,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 1,756,479,104 Committee recommendation................................ 1,766,525,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC] is an independent agency responsible for administering many of the Nation's laws regulating the areas of securities and finance. The mission of the SEC is to administer and enforce Federal securities laws in order to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and promote capital formation. This includes ensuring full disclosure of appropriate financial information, regulating the Nation's securities markets, and preventing and policing fraud and malpractice in the securities and financial markets. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends a total budget (obligational) authority of $1,756,000,000 for the salaries and expenses of the SEC, to be fully derived from fee collections. The Committee also provides $10,525,000 for move, replication, and related costs associated with a replacement lease for the Commission's New York Regional Office facilities, should such a new building be the winning alternative in a competitive procurement process to be conducted by the GSA. The Committee expects the Commission to work closely with GSA to keep the Committee informed of progress on the replacement lease. Fee Offset Nature of Account.--Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, transaction fees receipts are treated as offsetting collections equal to the amount of the appropriation. Reserve Fund Notifications.--The Committee appreciates the SEC's adherence to its obligation to notify Congress of the date, amount, and purpose of any obligation from the Fund within 10 days of such obligation. The Committee directs the SEC, in its written notifications to Congress required by 15 U.S.C. 78d(i)(3) regarding amounts obligated from the SEC Reserve Fund, to specify: (1) the balance in the fund remaining available after the obligation is deducted; (2) the estimated total cost of the project for which amounts are being deducted; (3) the total amount for all projects that have withdrawn funding from the Reserve Fund since fiscal year 2012; and (4) the estimated amount, per project, that will be required to complete all ongoing projects which use funding derived from the Reserve Fund. Spending Plan.--The Committee directs the SEC to submit, within 30 days of enactment, a detailed spending plan for the allocation of appropriated funds displayed by discrete program, project, and activity, including staffing projections, specifying both FTEs and contractors, and planned investments in information technology. The Committee also directs the SEC to submit, within 30 days of enactment, a detailed spending plan for the allocation of expenditures from the Reserve Fund. Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.--Municipal securities, as instruments of public finance, are indelibly linked to the core principles of fiscal responsibility and economy. In this context, the Committee is deeply concerned by apparent profligacy at the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board [MSRB]--a ``self-regulatory organization'' established by Congress and overseen by the SEC. Salaries for senior MSRB executives average almost half a million dollars, and board members, including those who concurrently serve in State and local public office, receive almost $50,000 in compensation. The Committee includes a new administrative provision requiring the SEC to submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees, within 1 year of enactment, concerning the board member selection process and board member and executive staff compensation. Share Class Selection Disclosure [SCSD] Initiative.-- Announced in February 2018, the SCSD Initiative is intended to incentivize investment advisers to self-report violations of the Investment Advisers Act, promptly compensate investors, and review and correct fee disclosures. The Committee strongly supports the Commission's efforts to protect retail investors, including through such programs as the new Retail Strategy Task Force in the Division of Enforcement. However, the Committee is also aware of concerns that, due to a lack of detailed guidance and rules, regulated entities may not have had proper notice of what constitutes impermissible practices. The Committee directs the Commission and its staff to take every reasonable opportunity to clarify its expectations for regulated entities. Recoveries for Victims of Fraud.--2019 marks 10 years since the collapse of a massive Ponzi scheme perpetrated by R. Allen Stanford. Many of Stanford's victims were Main Street investors, including teachers, nurses, and public servants. The Committee urges the Commission to exercise all authorities that may facilitate recovery for these investors, but recognizes that disgorgement remedies have been constrained by a recent Supreme Court decision. The Committee further encourages the SEC to consider all options--including the submission of petitions in Federal court--to ensure that the receiver returns as much as possible of any recoveries to the victims of fraud. Protection of Personally-Identifiable Information.-- Pursuant to SEC Rule 613, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority [FINRA] and the national securities exchanges are in the process of standing up the Consolidated Audit Trail [CAT]. A surveillance mechanism intended to enable regulators to oversee the securities markets on a consolidated basis, the CAT will collect and store significant amounts of data--including investors' personally-identifiable information [PII]. While the CAT Plan developed by FINRA and the national securities exchanges requires encryption of PII and all other CAT data, there are significant concerns that the collection and storage of sensitive PII will still present serious risks to U.S. investors. The Committee urges the Commission to reassess the CAT's approach to PII and to determine whether it appropriately manages these substantial risks. Negative Net Equity Issuance.--The Division of Economic and Risk Analysis is directed to submit, not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this act, to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report regarding the recent growth of negative net equity issuances with respect to non-financial issuers, which shall include the history and effects of those issuers repurchasing their own securities, including the effects of those repurchases on investment, corporate leverage, and economic growth. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this act, the Division is directed to submit to the committees an update regarding the progress of the Division in carrying out this requirement. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION--SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Section 530 requires the SEC to submit a report regarding the MSRB. Selective Service System SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $26,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 25,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 26,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Selective Service System is an independent Federal agency, operating with permanent authorization under the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 451 et seq.). The agency is not part of the Department of Defense, but its basic mission is to be prepared to supply manpower to the Armed Forces adequate to ensure the security of the United States during a time of national emergency. Since 1973, the Armed Forces have relied on volunteers to fill military manpower requirements. However, the Selective Service System remains the primary vehicle by which personnel will be brought into the military if Congress and the President should authorize a return to the draft. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $26,000,000 for the Selective Service System. The Committee strongly supports ongoing efforts to protect the personally-identifiable information of Selective Service registrants. The recommendation provides $1,000,000 above the budget request for critical cybersecurity enhancements and the modernization of legacy IT systems. Small Business Administration Appropriations, 2019.................................... $715,370,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 820,113,000 Committee recommendation................................ 875,506,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Small Business Administration [SBA] provides American entrepreneurs access to capital, Federal contracting opportunities, and entrepreneurial education in order to grow businesses and create jobs. The SBA also provides disaster assistance for businesses of all sizes, non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommendation provides $875,506,000 for the Small Business Administration. Funding is distributed among the SBA appropriation accounts as described below. SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $267,500,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 272,157,000 Committee recommendation................................ 265,500,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Salaries and Expenses appropriation provides for the overall operating expenses of the SBA, including compensation and benefits for staff located at headquarters, regional, and district offices, rent and other agency-wide costs, and operating costs for program offices, including the Office of Capital Access, Office of Credit Risk Management, Office of Entrepreneurial Development, Office of Investments and Innovation, Office of Government Contracting and Business Development, Office of International Trade, Office of Management and Administration, and for other program and supporting offices. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommendation provides $265,500,000 for salaries and expenses of the SBA. The Committee recommends at least $14,000,000 for the SBA's Office of Credit Risk Management [OCRM] for lender oversight and risk-based reviews. Funding for the Office of General Counsel has been provided separately from this total. In support of its mission to analyze and manage the risk of the SBA's loan portfolio, OCRM performs performance analytics to identify and understand lender performance trends and assess the quality of the overall loan portfolio. The Committee finds that OCRM must play a key role in eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in the SBA lending programs and protecting taxpayer losses on loans by ensuring lenders comply with procedures that mitigate the risk of loss under the SBA's loan programs. North American Industry Classification System Code Updates.--The SBA has primarily used two measures of business size for its size standards--receipts and number of employees. SBA establishes its size standards for industries using the latest North American Industry Classification System [NAICS] industry definitions. The SBA is directed to report to the Committee within 120 days on the feasibility of using the preceding 5 years of employee size to determine the average for purposes of size determination, instead of the current 3 years. The Committee is concerned about restrictive size standards for wildland firefighting and fuels management contracts. As the SBA conducts its review of size standards, the Committee encourages the SBA to work with the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service to address size standards for NAICS code 115310 to ensure that the standard reflects the increase in costs associated with forest fighting. 504 Loan Program Data.--The Committee directs SBA to publish 504 program data at the end of fiscal year 2020 to include but not limited to loan default rates by sector, and number of jobs created or retained under the project. Fiscal Year 2021 Budget.--The Committee directs SBA to provide to Congress no later than 30 days after the release of the President's budget a summary of the model subsidy assumptions or inputs that most significantly impact the model outputs. Small Business Investment Company Concentration.--The Committee is concerned about the geographic concentration of Small Business Investment Companies [SBICs]. Seventy-two percent of all SBICs are located in 10 States, and 17 States do not have a single SBIC. Regardless of the geographic spread of investments being made in small businesses by SBICs, there is great economic value for firms receiving SBIC financing to have increased proximity to their investors, as well as economic value for regions that contain SBICs. Public Law 115-333 gives priority to SBIC applicants from underlicensed and under- financed States, allows exemptions from full capital requirements for applicants in underlicensed States, and directs the Administrator to include additional information on small business investment activities in the SBA's annual report to Congress. The Committee supports the inclusion of additional reporting requirements on small business investment activities and further encourages the SBA to conduct Investment Committee interviews on-site or as close to the applicant's physical location as possible. SBIC Licensing.--The Committee is concerned regarding the low volume of SBIC license approvals and the duration of the review process by the SBA. The Committee would like to see an expedited and streamlined licensing process for known, repeat SBICs that have the same management teams and a proven track record in the SBIC Program. A fast-track process for repeat licensees should be completed no longer than 60-90 days after an application is submitted to the SBA, which will allow the SBA to properly redirect their licensing resources to more first-time funds. The SBA should improve their ``green light letter,'' so that it clearly outlines the needed benchmarks for license approval. In addition, the Committee encourages the SBA to approve or disapprove new SBIC applicants within 240 days and bank-owned applicants within 45 days. The Committee directs the Office of Investment and Innovation to provide quarterly updates to the House and Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and the House Committee on Small Business on increases to SBIC approval rates. SBIC Collaboration.--The SBA is directed to continue its collaborative effort with the SEC to ensure effective oversight of SBICs and the protection of SBIC investors. Study of Loan Programs.--The Committee encourages the SBA to refrain from implementing any rulemaking or other substantive administrative action applicable to its loan programs, until the agency has a Senate-confirmed Administrator in place and the agency conducts a study of the economic impact of any rulemaking or administrative action. If, after conclusion of the study, the agency decides to move forward with a rule, the Committee encourages the agency to do so in new administrative action, subject to public notice and comment. Federal and State Technology Partnership Program.--The Committee recommends $3,000,000 for the Federal and State Technology [FAST] Partnership Program in fiscal year 2020. The Committee supports the FAST program's efforts to reach innovative, technology-driven small businesses and to leverage the Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR] and Small Business Technology Transfer [STTR] program to stimulate economic development. The FAST program is particularly important in States that are seeking to build high technology industries but are underrepresented in the SBIR/STTR programs. The Committee recognizes that Small Business and Technology Development Centers [SBTDCs] serve small businesses in these fields and are accredited to provide intellectual property and technology commercialization assistance to businesses in high technology industries. Of the amount provided, $1,000,000 shall be for FAST awards to SBTDCs fully accredited for technology designation as of December 31, 2019. ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS Appropriations, 2019.................................... $247,700,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 180,650,000 Committee recommendation................................ 242,700,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The SBA's Entrepreneurial Development Programs support non- credit business assistance to entrepreneurs. The appropriation includes funding for a vast network of resource partners located throughout the Nation, including Small Business Development Centers, Women's Business Centers, SCORE (previously Service Corps of Retired Executives) chapters, and Veterans Business Outreach centers. This resource network and several other SBA programs provide training, counseling, and technical assistance to entrepreneurs. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommendation provides $242,700,000 for the SBA Entrepreneurial Development Programs. The Committee recommendations, by program, are displayed in the following table: ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS [In thousands of dollars] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Committee recommendation ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7(j) Technical Assistance............................... 2,800 Entrepreneurship Education.............................. 2,500 Growth Accelerators..................................... 2,000 HUBZone Program......................................... 2,500 Microloan Technical Assistance.......................... 31,000 National Women's Business Council....................... 1,500 Native American Outreach................................ 2,000 Regional Innovation Clusters............................ 5,000 SCORE................................................... 11,700 Small Business Development Centers [SBDCs].............. 131,000 State Trade Expansion Promotion [STEP].................. 18,000 Veterans Outreach....................................... 14,200 Women's Business Centers [WBC].......................... 18,500 --------------- Total, Entrepreneurial Development Programs....... 242,700 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Committee directs that the amounts provided for SBA's Entrepreneurial Development Programs, as specified in the table above, shall be administered in the same manner as previous years and shall not be reduced, reallocated, or reprogrammed to provide additional funds for other programs, initiatives, or activities without advance approval from the Committee. The Committee is concerned by the OIG's findings of systemic issues with SBA's financial and performance oversight across its multiple grant programs (Report Number 19-02). The Committee urges the SBA to conduct comprehensive credit risk management through its loan and lender monitoring system and focused reviews of SBA lending partners to identify both performance and compliance risk behaviors. The Committee stresses the importance of improving its oversight and controls of grants for entrepreneurial development and directs the SBA to provide a report within 30 days of enactment on the implementation of a new grants management system and the timeline for completion. Small Business Development Centers.--The Committee recommends $131,000,000 for the Small Business Development Center [SBDC] Program for fiscal year 2020. SBDCs play an integral role in the SBA resource partner network that supports 1.2 million small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs each year. Through more than 900 service centers, SBDCs provide management and technical assistance in key areas to small business clients throughout the Nation. The SBDC program is the largest grant program in the SBA's portfolio. The Committee directs that, subject to the availability of funds, the Administrator of the SBA shall, to the extent practicable, ensure that a small business development center is appropriately reimbursed within the same fiscal year in which the expenses are submitted for reimbursement for any and all legitimate expenses incurred in carrying out activities under section 21(a)(1) et seq. of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648(a)(1) et seq.). SCORE.--The Committee recommends $11,700,000 for the SCORE Program (formerly known as the Service Corps of Retired Executives). The Committee is concerned by the SBA Inspector General's recent findings that SCORE program officials need to make major improvements to ensure effective oversight of the SCORE program. Among its 11 recommendations for the program, the Inspector General recommended that SBA recover $696,743 for unallowable and unallocable expenses for improperly awarded contracts, excessive executive compensation, Foundation costs, alcohol, excessive local mileage reimbursements, out-of-period costs and program income, and prohibited solicited donations. The Committee notes that no funds received via Federal appropriations to support SCORE should be used to repay any sums owed to the SBA, including amounts owed relating to misuse of grant funds for unallowable expenses. The Committee urges the SBA to demonstrate that it has implemented corrective actions to address the recommendations made by the Inspector General. Women's Business Centers.--The Committee recommends $18,500,000 for Women's Business Centers [WBCs]. The WBC program funds more than 100 nonprofit organizations that provide quality advising and training services to women entrepreneurs in socially or economically disadvantaged communities in an effort to help women start their own businesses. Participating organizations must match the Federal funding with one non-Federal dollar for every two Federal dollars during the first 2 years and on a one-to-one basis thereafter. The Committee recommends that the SBA refine and share its quarterly dashboard of performance goals with all WBCs for transparency and coordinate services with other business assistance programs to avoid duplication. Veterans Outreach Programs.--The Committee supports funding for veterans programs and provides $14,200,000 for veterans outreach, which includes funding for Veterans Business Outreach Centers, Boots to Business, Veteran-Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities, and Boots to Business Reboot. Growth Accelerators.--The Committee recommends $2,000,000 for growth accelerators--organizations that help entrepreneurs start and scale their business--which provide awards in the amount of $50,000. Within amounts provided for growth accelerators, the SBA shall prioritize funding to applications from rural areas that have not previously received an award. Veteran Entrepreneur Pilot Program.--Of the amount provided for Veterans Outreach programs, the Committee recommendation includes $1,500,000 for the SBA to implement a 3-year pilot program to assess the feasibility of expanding GI Bill benefits to include access to capital for veterans. The Committee directs the SBA to commence the pilot program within 180 days of enactment by contracting with a non-profit organization that will administer the program as a competitive and installment- based business grant. The grants provided to veteran entrepreneurs should utilize the methodology equivalent to the GI Bill maximum amount of 36 months of educational assistance at the rate in effect for each veteran through GI Bill programs. The SBA is directed report to Congress annually on the pilot program, including a survey of the veterans who received grants under the pilot program, findings on the GI Bill benefit methodology, and recommendations on the feasibility of utilizing GI Bill benefits to support veteran entrepreneur business financing. The pilot program is solely intended to test the viability of utilizing GI benefits for business creation, and the program shall be dissolved following completion of the study. Native American Outreach.--The SBA's Office of Native American Affairs works to ensure that American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians seeking to create, develop, and expand small businesses have full access to SBA's entrepreneurial development, lending, and procurement programs. The Committee recommends $2,000,000 for SBA's Native American Outreach program. The recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and above the budget request. The Committee encourages the SBA to coordinate the Native American Outreach program to ensure there is no duplication or overlap and that these programs operate at the highest quality level. HUBZone.--The Historically Underutilized Business Zones [HUBZone] program helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to Federal procurement opportunities. The Committee recommends $2,500,000 for the HUBZone program. The Committee is concerned by the SBA Inspector General's recent findings that the SBA Program Office's oversight did not ensure that it certified only eligible firms into the HUBZone program due to weakness in the certification process. The Committee encourages the SBA to update and implement HUBZone guidance, as well as implement a plan to mitigate information technology issues affecting the HUBZone certification process. OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL Appropriations, 2019.................................... $21,900,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 21,900,000 Committee recommendation................................ 21,900,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The SBA Office of Inspector General conducts audits to identify wasteful expenditures and program mismanagement, investigates fraud and other wrongdoing, and takes other actions to deter and detect waste, fraud, abuse, and inefficiencies in SBA programs and operations. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommendation provides $21,900,000 for the OIG. The Committee encourages the OIG to continue routine analysis and reporting on the SBA's oversight of the 7(a) loan program; effective management of counseling and training services offered by partner organizations; and the SBA's management of the Disaster Assistance Program. OFFICE OF ADVOCACY Appropriations, 2019.................................... $9,120,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 9,120,000 Committee recommendation................................ 9,120,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Office of Advocacy, an independent office within the SBA, solicits and represents the views, concerns, and interests of small businesses before Congress, the White House, Federal agencies, Federal courts, and State policymakers. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommendation provides $9,120,000 for the Office of Advocacy. Official Travel.--The Committee is concerned regarding extensive travel costs incurred by employees of the Office of Advocacy. Advocacy is directed to provide a report to the House and Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and the House Committee on Small Business within 45 days of the end of the fiscal year on all trips taken by Advocacy employees that did not entail conducting a roundtable, or similar small business forum, related to regulations that impose a potentially significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. This report should include a justification for the travel, dates of travel, list of activities, and total cost to the agency. BUSINESS LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Appropriations, 2019.................................... $159,150,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 159,150,000 Committee recommendation................................ 159,150,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The SBA administers a variety of loan programs to expand entrepreneurs' access to capital to start and grow small businesses. The 7(a) loan program is the Federal Government's primary business loan program to assist small businesses in obtaining financing when they do not qualify for traditional credit. Under 7(a), the SBA guarantees a portion (typically 75 to 90 percent) of loans made by private lenders. Under the 504 program, the SBA supports loans to small businesses for financing major fixed assets such as real estate and major equipment. The 504 program combines SBA guaranteed loans made by nonprofit Certified Development Companies with loans from private lenders to provide financing for small businesses. Under the SBIC program, the SBA partners with professionally managed investment funds, called SBICs. The SBICs combine their own capital with funds borrowed with an SBA guarantee to make investments in small businesses. Under the Microloan program, the SBA provides funds to specialized nonprofit, community-based intermediary lenders which provide small loans for working capital, inventory, and other operating expenses. The maximum microloan is $50,000 and the average loan made under the program is approximately $13,000. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommendation provides $159,150,000 for the Business Loans Program Account for fiscal year 2020. The recommendation provides $155,150,000 for administrative expenses, which may be transferred to and merged with SBA salaries and expenses to cover the common overhead expenses associated with the business loans programs. The recommendation also provides $4,000,000 for the Microloan direct loan program to support lending volume estimated at $40,000,000. An additional amount of $31,000,000 is recommended under the heading ``Entrepreneurial Development Programs'' for technical assistance grants to Microlending intermediaries. 7(a) Loan Guaranty Program.--The 7(a) Loan Guaranty program is considered the agency's flagship program by which the SBA guarantees a portion of each loan that participating lenders make to eligible small businesses. The program was designed to generate sufficient revenue through fee collections and recoveries on defaulted loans to operate at no cost to taxpayers. However, as a result of cyclical changes to long- term economic assumptions, the SBA will be unable to maintain zero subsidy for the program in fiscal year 2020 unless there are statutory modifications to the program. Furthermore, pursuant to the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, failure to enact modifications to the 7(a) fee structure would result in the program shutting down absent an appropriation to subsidize the program. The Committee appreciates the Administration submitting an authorizing proposal that would allow the program to continue operating at zero cost to taxpayers in fiscal year 2020 and beyond. The Committee believes that the authorizing committee is best positioned to address changes to the SBA's fee structure, and, if necessary, the Committee stands ready to enact fee modifications that would allow the SBA to continue to operate the 7(a) program at zero subsidy. DISASTER LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) Appropriations, 2019.................................... $10,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 177,136,000 Committee recommendation................................ 177,136,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The SBA provides low-interest, long-term loans to businesses of all sizes, homeowners, renters, and nonprofit organizations affected by disasters. The SBA disaster loans are the primary form of Federal assistance for the repair and rebuilding of non-farm, private sector disaster losses. The SBA makes two types of disaster loans. Physical disaster loans are for permanent rebuilding and replacement of uninsured or underinsured disaster-damaged privately owned real and/or personal property and are available to businesses of all sizes, nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters. Economic Injury Disaster Loans provide necessary working capital for small businesses and nonprofit organizations until normal operations resume after a disaster. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends $177,136,000 for the administrative costs of the Disaster Loans program. This amount is equal to the budget request. Of the total recommendation, $150,888,000 is designated by Congress as disaster relief pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended. Oversight of Disaster Lending.--Disasters have increased in recent years, which has also increased the amount of funds needed across the Federal Government for families and communities to rebuild. However, the improper payment rate for the Disaster Direct Loan Program remains above the threshold set in the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act, according to the October 2018 SBA OIG Report on the Most Serious Management and Performance Challenges Facing the Small Business Administration in Fiscal Year 2019. The quick disbursal times needed during disasters, and the increase of workforce needed, has been identified as causing the rise in improper payments. In 2017, the Office of Disaster Assistance [ODA] increased trained staff from 800 to 5,094 to respond to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. SBA previously saw an increase in its reported improper payment rate because of the need to mobilize a new workforce to respond to large-scale disasters. SBA's improper payment rate for the Disaster Direct Loan Program increased from $18,400,000 in fiscal year 2016 to $123,380,000 in fiscal year 2018, according to the SBA OIG. While it is understandable that fast turnaround times are needed during a disaster, the increase of improper payments raises a bigger concern of the oversight mechanisms in place to track these dollars. The Committee directs SBA within 90 days of enactment to provide the Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate a report on oversight mechanisms in place to address improper payments. The Committee also acknowledges and appreciates the steps ODA has taken to create a Training Plan Development Team to improve employee training practices. The Committee further directs the SBA within 90 days of enactment to provide the Committee with a report on the effectiveness of the plan including associated successes and weaknesses. SBA Disaster Loan Duplication of Assistance.--The Committee is concerned that some disaster victims are penalized with disaster relief benefit reductions if they apply for SBA disaster loans but wind up not taking the loan when other Federal assistance is awarded. The Committee urges the SBA to continue working with the Department of Housing and Urban Development on the consideration of whether an applicant for assistance from the grantee applied and was approved for, but declined, assistance related to the major disaster from the administration under section 7(b) of the Small Business Act. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS--SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (INCLUDING RESCISSION AND TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) Section 540 continues a provision concerning transfer authority and availability of funds. Section 541 continues a provision concerning the SBA Information Technology System Modernization and Working Capital Fund. Section 542 rescinds $16,369,000 in prior year unobligated balances from the Small Business Administration--Business Loans Program account. United States Postal Service PAYMENT TO THE POSTAL SERVICE FUND Appropriations, 2019.................................... $55,235,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 56,711,000 Committee recommendation................................ 56,711,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The United States Postal Service does not depend upon taxpayer subsidies through discretionary appropriations for its operations but generates nearly all of its more than $70,000,000,000 in annual gross operating revenue by charging users of the mail for the costs of postage, products, and services. Funds provided to the Postal Service in the Payment to the Postal Service Fund include appropriations for revenue forgone including providing free mail for the blind, and for overseas absentee voting. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends appropriations totaling $56,711,000 for payment to the Postal Service Fund to compensate for revenue forgone on free mail for the blind and for overseas voters. The Committee includes provisions in the bill to ensure that mail for overseas voting and mail for the blind shall continue to be free; that 6-day delivery and rural delivery of mail shall continue without reduction; and that none of the funds provided be used to consolidate or close small rural and other small post offices in fiscal year 2020. Multinational Species Conservation Fund Semi-Postal Stamp.--The Committee supports the Multinational Species Conservation Fund Semi-Postal Stamp. The Committee understands that more than 30 million copies of the original printing of the stamp remain. As the law permits the U.S. Postal Service to continue to sell the stamp and it can be done at no additional cost to the taxpayer, the Committee directs the U.S. Postal Service to continue to offer the stamp for sale to the public as long as copies remain. Alzheimer's Semi-Postal Fundraising Stamp.--The Committee supports the Alzheimer's Semi-postal Fundraising Stamp. The Committee understands that millions of copies of the original printing of the stamp remain. As the law permits the U.S. Postal Service to continue to sell the stamp and as it can be done at no additional cost to the taxpayer, and in recognition of the value the stamp provides in raising funds for Alzheimer's research at the National Institutes of Health, the Committee directs the U.S. Postal Service to continue to offer the stamp for sale to the public as long as copies remain. OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL SALARIES AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Appropriations, 2019.................................... $250,000,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 250,000,000 Committee recommendation................................ 250,000,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General is an independent organization established in 1996 and charged with reporting to Congress on the overall efficiency, effectiveness, and economy of Postal Service programs and operations. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation, out of the Postal Fund, of $250,000,000, which is equal to the enacted level and the budget request. United States Tax Court SALARIES AND EXPENSES Appropriations, 2019.................................... $51,515,000 Budget estimate, 2020................................... 55,550,000 Committee recommendation................................ 54,515,000 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The U.S. Tax Court is an independent judicial body in the legislative branch established in 1969 under Article I of the Constitution of the United States. The Court was created to provide a national forum for the resolution of disputes between taxpayers and the Internal Revenue Service, to resolve cases expeditiously while giving careful consideration to the merits of each matter, and to ensure the uniform interpretation of the Internal Revenue Code. The Tax Court is one of three courts in which taxpayers can bring suit to contest IRS liability determinations, and the only one in which taxpayers can do so without prepaying any portion of the disputed taxes. The matters over which the Court has jurisdiction are set forth in various sections of title 26 of the United States Code. The Court is composed of 19 judges, one of whom the judges elect as chief judge. Tax Court judges are appointed to 15-year terms by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. In their judicial duties the judges are assisted by senior judges, who participate in the adjudication of regular cases, and by special trial judges, who hear small tax cases and certain regular cases assigned to them by the chief judge. The Court is headquartered in Washington, DC, and conducts trial sessions in 74 cities throughout the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska. Decisions by the Court are reviewable by the U.S. Courts of Appeals and, if certiorari is granted, by the Supreme Court. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION The Committee recommends an appropriation of $54,515,000 for the U.S. Tax Court. STATEMENT CONCERNING GENERAL PROVISIONS The Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill includes general provisions which govern both the activities of the agencies covered by the bill, and, in some cases, activities of agencies, programs, and general government activities that are not specifically covered by the bill. General provisions that address activities or directives affecting agencies covered in this bill are contained in title VI. General provisions that are Governmentwide in scope are specified in title VII of this bill. General provisions applicable to the District of Columbia are set forth in title VIII of this bill. TITLE VI GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS ACT Section 601 continues the provision prohibiting pay and other expenses of non-Federal parties intervening in regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings funded in this act. Section 602 continues the provision prohibiting obligations beyond the current fiscal year and prohibits transfers of funds unless expressly provided. Section 603 continues the provision limiting expenditures for any consulting service through procurement contracts where such expenditures are a matter of public record and available for public inspection. Section 604 continues the provision prohibiting funds in this act from being transferred without express authority. Section 605 continues the provision prohibiting the use of funds to engage in activities that would prohibit the enforcement of section 307 of the 1930 Tariff Act (46 Stat. 590). Section 606 continues the provision prohibiting the use of funds unless the recipient agrees to comply with the Buy American Act. Section 607 continues the provision prohibiting funding for any person or entity convicted of violating the Buy American Act. Section 608 continues the provision authorizing the reprogramming of funds and specifies the reprogramming procedures for agencies funded by this act. Section 609 continues the provision ensuring that 50 percent of unobligated balances may remain available for certain purposes. Section 610 continues the provision restricting the use of funds for the Executive Office of the President to request official background reports from the Federal Bureau of Investigation without the written consent of the individual who is the subject of the report. Section 611 continues the provision ensuring that the cost accounting standards shall not apply with respect to a contract under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Section 612 continues the provision allowing use of certain funds relating to nonforeign area cost of living allowances. Section 613 continues the provision prohibiting the expenditure of funds for abortions under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Section 614 continues the provision providing an exemption from section 613 if the life of the mother is in danger or the pregnancy is a result of an act of rape or incest. Section 615 continues the provision waiving restrictions on the purchase of nondomestic articles, materials, and supplies in the case of acquisition by the Federal Government of information technology. Section 616 continues a provision on the acceptance by agencies or commissions funded by this act, or by their officers or employees, of payment or reimbursement for travel, subsistence, or related expenses from any person or entity (or their representative) that engages in activities regulated by such agencies or commissions. Section 617 continues the provision requiring agencies covered by this act with independent leasing authority to consult with the General Services Administration before seeking new office space or making alterations to existing office space. Section 618 provides for several appropriated mandatory accounts, where authorizing language requires the payment of funds for Compensation of the President, the Judicial Retirement Funds (Judicial Officers' Retirement Fund, Judicial Survivors' Annuities Fund, and the United States Court of Federal Claims Judges' Retirement Fund), the Government Payment for Annuitants for Employee Health Benefits and Employee Life Insurance, and the Payment to the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund. In addition, language is included for certain retirement, healthcare and survivor benefits required by 3 U.S.C. 102 note. Section 619 is a provision allowing the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to obligate amounts collected from monetary penalties for the purpose of funding scholarships for accounting students, as authorized by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-204). Section 620 continues the provision prohibiting funds for the Federal Trade Commission to complete the draft report on food marketed to children unless certain requirements are met. Section 621 continues the provision providing authority for Chief Information Officers over information technology spending. Section 622 continues the provision prohibiting funds from being used in contravention of the Federal Records Act. Section 623 continues the provision related to electronic communications. Section 624 continues the provision relating to inspectors general. Section 625 continues the provision relating to pornography and computer networks. Section 626 continues the provision relating to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Section 627 continues the provision to prohibit funds to pay for award or incentive fees for contractors with below satisfactory performance. Section 628 continues the provision relating to conference expenditures. Section 629 continues the provision relating to Federal travel. Section 630 provides $1,000,000 for www.oversight.gov. Section 631 is a new provision relating to disclosure of advertising. Section 632 is a new provision relating to contracts for public relations services. TITLE VII GENERAL PROVISIONS--GOVERNMENTWIDE Departments, Agencies, and Corporations (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Section 701 continues the provision requiring agencies to administer a policy designed to ensure that all of its workplaces are free from the illegal use of controlled substances. Section 702 continues the provision setting specific limits on the cost of passenger vehicles purchased by the Federal Government with exceptions for police, heavy duty, electric hybrid, and clean fuels vehicles with an exception for commercial vehicles that operate on emerging motor vehicle technology. Section 703 continues the provision allowing funds made available to agencies for travel to also be used for quarters allowances and cost-of-living allowances. Section 704 continues the provision prohibiting the Government, with certain specified exceptions, from employing non-U.S. citizens whose posts of duty would be in the continental United States. Section 705 continues the provision ensuring that agencies will have authority to pay the General Services Administration for space renovation and other services. Section 706 continues the provision allowing agencies to use receipts from the sale of materials for acquisition, waste reduction and prevention, environmental management programs, and other Federal employee programs. Section 707 continues the provision providing that funds for administrative expenses may be used to pay rent and other service costs in the District of Columbia. Section 708 continues the provision precluding interagency financing of groups absent prior statutory approval. Section 709 continues the provision prohibiting the use of appropriated funds for enforcing regulations disapproved in accordance with the applicable law of the United States. Section 710 continues the provision limiting the amount that can be used for redecoration of offices under certain circumstances. Section 711 continues the provision that permits interagency funding of national security and emergency preparedness telecommunications initiatives, which benefit multiple Federal departments, agencies, and entities. Section 712 continues the provision requiring agencies to certify that a schedule C appointment was not created solely or primarily to detail the employee to the White House. Section 713 continues the provision prohibiting the use of funds to prevent Federal employees from communicating with Congress or to take disciplinary or personnel actions against employees for such communication. Section 714 continues the provision prohibiting Federal training not directly related to the performance of official duties. Section 715 continues the provision prohibiting the use of appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda designed to support or defeat legislation pending before Congress. Section 716 continues the provision prohibiting the use of appropriated funds by an agency to provide home addresses of Federal employees to labor organizations, absent employee authorization, or court order. Section 717 continues the provision prohibiting the use of appropriated funds to provide nonpublic information such as mailing or telephone lists to any person or organization outside of the Government without approval of the Committees on Appropriations. Section 718 continues the provision prohibiting the use of appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States not authorized by Congress. Section 719 continues the provision directing agencies' employees to use official time in an honest effort to perform official duties. Section 720 continues the provision authorizing the use of current fiscal year funds to finance an appropriate share of the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board administrative costs. Section 721 continues a provision authorizing the transfer of funds to the General Services Administration to finance an appropriate share of various Governmentwide boards and councils under certain conditions. Section 722 continues the provision authorizing breastfeeding at any location in a Federal building or on Federal property. Section 723 continues the provision permitting interagency funding of the National Science and Technology Council, and requiring an OMB report on the budget and resources of the Council. Section 724 continues the provision requiring identification of the Federal agencies providing Federal funds and the amount provided for all proposals, solicitations, grant applications, forms, notifications, press releases, or other publications related to the distribution of funding to a State. Section 725 continues the provision prohibiting the use of funds to monitor personal information relating to the use of Federal Internet sites. Section 726 continues the provision regarding contraceptive coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan. Section 727 continues the provision recognizing that the United States is committed to ensuring the health of the Olympic, Pan American and Paralympic athletes, and supports the strict adherence to antidoping in sport activities. Section 728 continues the provision allowing departments and agencies to use official travel funds to participate in the fractional aircraft ownership pilot programs. Section 729 continues the provision prohibiting funds for implementation of OPM regulations limiting detailees to the legislative branch and placing certain limitations on the Coast Guard Congressional Fellowship program. Section 730 continues the provision prohibiting the expenditure of funds for the acquisition of certain additional Federal law enforcement training facilities. Section 731 continues a provision that prohibits executive branch agencies from creating or funding prepackaged news stories that are broadcast or distributed in the United States unless specific notification conditions are met. Section 732 continues a provision prohibiting funds used in contravention of the Privacy Act, section 552a of title 5, United States Code or section 522.224 of title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Section 733 continues a provision prohibiting funds in this or any other act from being used for Federal contracts with inverted domestic corporations or other corporations using similar inverted structures, unless the contract preceded this act or the Secretary grants a waiver in the interest of national security. Section 734 continues a provision requiring agencies to remit to the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund an amount equal to the Office of Personnel Management's average unit cost of processing a retirement claim for the preceding fiscal year to be available to the Office of Personnel Management for the cost of processing retirements of employees who separate under Voluntary Early Retirement Authority or who receive Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments. Section 735 continues a provision prohibiting funds to require any entity submitting an offer for a Federal contract to disclose political contributions. Section 736 continues a provision prohibiting funds for the painting of a portrait of an employee of the Federal Government including the President, the Vice President, a Member of Congress, the head of an executive branch agency, of the head of an office of the legislative branch. Section 737 continues a provision limiting the pay increases of certain prevailing rate employees. Section 738 continues a provision requiring reports to Inspectors General concerning expenditures for agency conferences. Section 739 continues a provision prohibiting the use of funds to increase, eliminate, or reduce a program or project unless such change is made pursuant to reprogramming or transfer provisions. Section 740 continues a provision prohibiting the Office of Personnel Management or any other agency from using funds to implement regulations changing the competitive areas under reductions-in-force for Federal employees. Section 741 continues a provision that prohibits the use of funds to begin or announce a study or a public-private competition regarding the conversion to contractor performance of any function performed by civilian Federal employees pursuant to Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76 or any other administrative regulation, directive, or policy. Section 742 continues a provision that ensures that contractors are not prevented from reporting waste, fraud, or abuse by signing confidentiality agreements that would prohibit such disclosure. Section 743 continues a provision prohibiting the expenditure of funds for the implementation of agreements in certain nondisclosure policies unless certain provisions are included in the policies. Section 744 continues a provision prohibiting funds to any corporation with certain unpaid Federal tax liabilities unless an agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government. Section 745 continues a provision prohibiting funds to any corporation that was convicted of a felony criminal violation within the preceding 24 months unless an agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and has made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government. Section 746 continues a provision relating to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. Given the need for transparency and accountability in the Federal budgeting process, the Committee directs the Bureau to provide a briefing at least annually before the relevant Appropriations subcommittee on the Bureau's finances and expenditures. Section 747 continues a provision that addresses possible technical scorekeeping differences for fiscal year 2020 between the Office of Management and Budget and the Congressional Budget Office. Section 748 is a provision that maintains pay levels for the Vice President, political appointees paid under the executive schedule, ambassadors who are not career members of the Foreign Service, politically appointed (noncareer) Senior Executive Service employees, and any other senior political appointee paid at or above level IV of the executive schedule. Section 749 continues a provision declaring the inapplicability of these general provisions to title IV and title VIII. TITLE VIII GENERAL PROVISIONS--DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) Section 801 continues the provision that allows the use of local funds for refunding overpayments of taxes collected and for paying settlements and judgments against the District of Columbia government. Section 802 continues the provision that prohibits the use of Federal funds for publicity or propaganda designed to support or defeat legislation before Congress or any State legislature. Section 803 continues the provision that establishes notification requirements for certain reprogramming and transfer requirements with respect to funds and specifies a timeframe for approval and execution of requests to reprogram and transfer local funds. Section 804 continues the provision that prohibits the use of Federal funds for salaries, expenses, or other costs associated with the offices of U.S. Senator or Representative under section 4(d) of the D.C. Statehood Constitutional Convention Initiatives of 1979. Section 805 continues, with a modification, the provision that restricts the use of official District of Columbia government vehicles to official duties and not between a residence and workplace, except under certain circumstances. Section 806 continues the provision that prohibits the use of Federal funds by the District of Columbia Attorney General or any other officer or entity of the District government to provide assistance for any petition drive or civil action which seeks to require Congress to provide for voting representation in Congress for the District of Columbia. Section 807 continues the provision that prohibits the use of Federal funds in this act to distribute, for the purpose of preventing the spread of blood borne pathogens, sterile needles or syringes in any location that has been determined by local public health officials or local law enforcement authorities to be inappropriate for such distribution. Section 808 continues the provision that includes a ``conscience clause'' on legislation that pertains to contraceptive coverage by health insurance plans. Section 809 continues the provision that prohibits the use of funds to legalize or reduce penalties associated with any schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Section 810 continues the provision that prohibits the use of funds for abortion, with certain exceptions. Section 811 continues the provision requiring the CFO to submit a revised operating budget for agencies the CFO certifies as requiring a reallocation to address unanticipated program needs. Section 812 continues the provision requiring the CFO to submit a revised appropriated funds budget for the District of Columbia Schools that aligns the schools' budgets to actual enrollment. Section 813 continues the provision authorizing the transfer of local funds between operating funds and capital and enterprise funds. Section 814 continues the provision prohibiting obligations beyond the current fiscal year and prohibits transfers of funds unless expressly provided. Section 815 continues the provision that ensures that 50 percent of unobligated balances may remain available for certain purposes. Section 816 continues a provision that appropriates local funds during fiscal year 2020 if there is an absence of a continuing resolution or regular appropriation for the District of Columbia. Funds are provided under the same authorities and conditions and in the same manner and extent as provided for fiscal year 2019. Section 817 continues the provision which limits references to ``this act'' in this title or title IV as referring to only this title and title IV. COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7, RULE XVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE SENATE Paragraph 7 of rule XVI requires that Committee reports on general appropriations bills identify each Committee amendment to the House bill ``which proposes an item of appropriation which is not made to carry out the provisions of an existing law, a treaty stipulation, or an act or resolution previously passed by the Senate during that session.'' Items providing funding for fiscal year 2020 which lack authorization are as follows: Department of the Treasury Departmental Offices Department-wide Systems and Capital Investments Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Cybersecurity Enhancement Account Office of the Inspector General Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Fiscal Service Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau Community Development Financial Institutions Fund Internal Revenue Service Executive Office of the President Office of Management and Budget District of Columbia Federal Payment for Resident Tuition Support Federal Payment for the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority Federal Payment for Judicial Commissions Federal Payment for School Improvement Federal Payment for the D.C. National Guard Independent Agencies Administrative Conference of the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission Consumer Product Safety Commission Election Assistance Commission Federal Election Commission Federal Trade Commission General Services Administration: Merit Systems Protection Board Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation, Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund Office of Government Ethics Securities and Exchange Commission Small Business Administration COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7(c), RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE SENATE Pursuant to paragraph 7(c) of rule XXVI, on September 19, 2019, the Committee ordered favorably reported an original bill (S. 2524) making appropriations for financial services and general government for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, and for other purposes, provided, that the bill be subject to amendment and that the bill be consistent with its budget allocation, and provided that the Chairman of the Committee or his designee be authorized to offer the substance of the original bill as a Committee amendment in the nature of a substitute to the House companion measure, by a recorded vote of 31-0, a quorum being present. The vote was as follows: Yeas Nays Chairman Shelby Mr. McConnell Mr. Alexander Ms. Collins Ms. Murkowski Mr. Graham Mr. Blunt Mr. Moran Mr. Hoeven Mr. Boozman Mrs. Capito Mr. Kennedy Mrs. Hyde-Smith Mr. Daines Mr. Rubio Mr. Lankford Mr. Leahy Mrs. Murray Mrs. Feinstein Mr. Durbin Mr. Reed Mr. Tester Mr. Udall Mrs. Shaheen Mr. Merkley Mr. Coons Mr. Schatz Ms. Baldwin Mr. Murphy Mr. Manchin Mr. Van Hollen COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 12, RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE SENATE Paragraph 12 of rule XXVI requires that Committee reports on a bill or joint resolution repealing or amending any statute or part of any statute include ``(a) the text of the statute or part thereof which is proposed to be repealed; and (b) a comparative print of that part of the bill or joint resolution making the amendment and of the statute or part thereof proposed to be amended, showing by stricken-through type and italics, parallel columns, or other appropriate typographical devices the omissions and insertions which would be made by the bill or joint resolution if enacted in the form recommended by the Committee.'' In compliance with this rule, changes in existing law proposed to be made by the bill are shown as follows: existing law to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets; new matter is printed in italic; and existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman. JUDICIAL IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 1990, PUBLIC LAW 101-650 SEC. 203. APPOINTMENT AND NUMBER OF DISTRICT JUDGES. (a) In General.--* * * * * * * * * * (c) Temporary Judgeships.--The President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate-- (1) 1 additional district judge for the eastern district of California; * * * * * * * (12) 1 additional district judge for the eastern district of Virginia. Except with respect to the district of Kansas, the western district of Michigan, the eastern district of Pennsylvania, the district of Hawaii, and the northern district of Ohio, the first vacancy in the office of district judge in each of the judicial districts named in this subsection, occurring 10 years or more after the confirmation date of the judge named to fill the temporary judgeship created by this subsection, shall not be filled. The first vacancy in the office of district judge in the district of Kansas occurring [28 years and 6 months] 29 years and 6 months or more after the confirmation date of the judge named to fill the temporary judgeship created for such district under this subsection, shall not be filled. The first vacancy in the office of district judge in the western district of Michigan, occurring after December 1, 1995, shall not be filled. The first vacancy in the office of district judge in the eastern district of Pennsylvania, occurring 5 years or more after the confirmation date of the judge named to fill the temporary judgeship created for such district under this subsection, shall not be filled. The first vacancy in the office of district judge in the northern district of Ohio occurring 19 years or more after the confirmation date of the judge named to fill the temporary judgeship created under this subsection shall not be filled. The first vacancy in the office of the district judge in the district of Hawaii occurring [25 years and 6 months] 26 years and 6 months or more after the confirmation date of the judge named to fill the temporary judgeship created under this subsection shall not be filled. For districts named in this subsection for which multiple judgeships are created by this Act, the last of those judgeships filled shall be the judgeships created under this section. ------ 21ST CENTURY DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE APPROPRIATIONS AUTHORIZATON ACT, PUBLIC LAW 107-273 SEC. 312. ADDITIONAL FEDERAL JUDGESHIPS. (a) Permanent District Judges for the District Courts.-- * * * * * * * (c) Temporary Judgeships.-- (1) In general.* * * * * * * * * * (2) Vacancies not filled.--The first vacancy in the office of district judge in each of the offices of district judge authorized by this subsection, except in the case of the central district of California and the western district of North Carolina, occurring [17 years] 18 years or more after the confirmation date of the judge named to fill the temporary district judgeship created in the applicable district by this subsection, shall not be filled. The first vacancy in the office of district judge in the central district of California occurring [16 years and 6 months] 17 years and 6 months or more after the confirmation date of the judge named to fill the temporary district judgeship created in that district by this subsection, shall not be filled. The first vacancy in the office of district judge in the western district of North Carolina occurring [15 years] 16 years or more after the confirmation date of the judge named to fill the temporary district judgeship created in that district by this subsection, shall not be filled. ------ TRANSPORTATION, TREASURY, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THE JUDICIARY, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006, PUBLIC LAW 109-115 TITLE IV THE JUDICIARY Administrative Provisions--The Judiciary Sec. 406. The existing judgeship for the eastern district of Missouri authorized by section 203(c) of the Judicial Improvements Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-650, 104 Stat. 5089) as amended by Public Law 105-53, as of the effective date of this Act, shall be extended. The first vacancy in the office of district judge in this district occurring [26 years and 6 months] 27 years and 6 months or more after the confirmation date of the judge named to fill the temporary judgeship created by section 203(c) shall not be filled. BUDGETARY IMPACT OF BILL PREPARED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE PURSUANT TO SEC. 308(a), PUBLIC LAW 93-344, AS AMENDED [In millions of dollars] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Budget authority Outlays ------------------------------------------------------- Committee Amount in Committee Amount in allocation bill allocation bill ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comparison of amounts in the bill with the subcommittee allocation for 2020: Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government: Mandatory........................................... 22,483 22,483 22,475 \1\22,475 Discretionary....................................... 24,196 24,347 23,876 \1\23,992 Security........................................ 34 34 NA NA Nonsecurity..................................... 24,162 24,313 NA NA Projection of outlays associated with the recommendation: 2020................................................ ............ ............ ............ \2\40,782 2021................................................ ............ ............ ............ 4,403 2022................................................ ............ ............ ............ 1,059 2023................................................ ............ ............ ............ 251 2024 and future years............................... ............ ............ ............ 124 Financial assistance to State and local governments for NA 646 NA \2\168 P2020.................................................. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\Includes outlays from prior-year budget authority. \2\Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority. NA: Not applicable. NOTE.--Consistent with the funding recommended in the bill for disaster relief and in accordance with subparagraph (D) of section 251(b)(2) of the BBEDCA of 1985, the Committee anticipates that the Budget Committee will provide a revised 302(a) allocation for the Committee on Appropriations reflecting an upward adjustment of $151,000,000 in budget authority plus associated outlays. COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 AND BUDGET ESTIMATES AND AMOUNTS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020 [In thousands of dollars] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Senate Committee recommendation compared with (+ or -) Item 2019 Budget Committee --------------------------------- appropriation estimate recommendation 2019 Budget appropriation estimate -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Departmental Offices Salaries and expenses.............................................. 214,576 235,973 223,373 +8,797 -12,600 Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States Fund.......... ............... 20,000 20,000 +20,000 ............... Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence..................... 159,000 166,712 167,712 +8,712 +1,000 Cybersecurity Enhancement Account.................................. 25,208 18,000 18,000 -7,208 ............... Department-wide Systems and Capital Investments Programs........... 4,000 6,118 6,118 +2,118 ............... Office of Inspector General........................................ 37,044 37,044 38,000 +956 +956 Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.................. 170,250 166,000 166,000 -4,250 ............... Special Inspector General for TARP................................. 23,000 17,500 15,000 -8,000 -2,500 Treasury Forfeiture Fund (rescission).............................. ............... ............... -60,000 -60,000 -60,000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Departmental Offices.................................. 633,078 667,347 594,203 -38,875 -73,144 ==================================================================================== Financial Crimes Enforcement Network............................... 117,800 124,700 126,700 +8,900 +2,000 Bureau of the Fiscal Service....................................... 338,280 340,337 340,337 +2,057 ............... Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau........................... 119,600 115,427 115,427 -4,173 ............... Community Development Financial Institutions Fund Program Account.. 250,000 14,000 251,000 +1,000 +237,000 (CDFI--Bank Enterprise Award (rescission))................... ............... -25,000 ............... ............... +25,000 Administrative Provision Digitalization of savings bonds (Sec. 125)......................... ............... ............... 25,000 +25,000 +25,000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Department of the Treasury, non-IRS................... 1,458,758 1,236,811 1,452,667 -6,091 +215,856 ==================================================================================== Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Services.................................................. 2,491,554 2,402,000 2,481,554 -10,000 +79,554 Enforcement........................................................ 4,860,000 4,705,368 5,060,000 +200,000 +354,632 Program integrity initiatives.................................. ............... 199,886 ............... ............... -199,886 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subtotal..................................................... 4,860,000 4,905,254 5,060,000 +200,000 +154,746 Operations Support................................................. 3,724,000 4,075,021 3,722,000 -2,000 -353,021 Program integrity initiatives.................................. ............... 161,685 ............... ............... -161,685 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subtotal..................................................... 3,724,000 4,236,706 3,722,000 -2,000 -514,706 Business Systems Modernization..................................... 150,000 290,000 150,000 ............... -140,000 Administrative Provision Tax Reform Implementation (Sec. 112)............................... 77,000 ............... ............... -77,000 ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Internal Revenue Service.............................. 11,302,554 11,833,960 11,413,554 +111,000 -420,406 ==================================================================================== Total, title I, Department of the Treasury................... 12,761,312 13,070,771 12,866,221 +104,909 -204,550 Appropriations........................................... (12,761,312) (12,734,200) (12,926,221) (+164,909) (+192,021) Rescissions.............................................. ............... (-25,000) (-60,000) (-60,000) (-35,000) Program integrity initiatives............................ ............... (361,571) ............... ............... (-361,571) Total, title I, Department of the Treasury (excluding program 12,761,312 12,709,200 12,866,221 +104,909 +157,021 initiatives)................................................ ==================================================================================== TITLE II--EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AND FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE PRESIDENT The White House Salaries and expenses.............................................. 55,000 55,000 55,000 ............... ............... Executive Residence at the White House: Operating expenses............................................. 13,081 13,081 13,081 ............... ............... White House Repair and Restoration............................. 750 750 750 ............... ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subtotal..................................................... 13,831 13,831 13,831 ............... ............... Council of Economic Advisers....................................... 4,187 4,000 4,000 -187 ............... National Security Council and Homeland Security Council............ 12,000 11,500 11,500 -500 ............... Office of Administration........................................... 100,000 94,000 94,000 -6,000 ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, The White House....................................... 185,018 178,331 178,331 -6,687 ............... ==================================================================================== Office of Management and Budget.................................... 103,000 101,600 101,600 -1,400 ............... Government-wide personnel policy (legislative proposal)........ ............... 400 ............... ............... -400 Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator...................... ............... 1,000 1,300 +1,300 +300 Office of National Drug Control Policy Salaries and expenses.............................................. 18,400 16,400 16,400 -2,000 ............... High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program...................... 280,000 ............... 280,000 ............... +280,000 Other Federal Drug Control Programs................................ 118,327 12,101 118,970 +643 +106,869 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Office of National Drug Control Policy................ 416,727 28,501 415,370 -1,357 +386,869 ==================================================================================== Unanticipated Needs................................................ 1,000 1,000 1,000 ............... ............... Information Technology Oversight and Reform........................ 28,500 15,000 15,000 -13,500 ............... Special Assistance to the President and Official Residence of the Vice President: Salaries and expenses.......................................... 4,288 4,288 4,288 ............... ............... Operating expenses............................................. 302 302 302 ............... ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subtotal..................................................... 4,590 4,590 4,590 ............... ............... ==================================================================================== Total, title II, Executive Office of the President and Funds 738,835 330,422 717,191 -21,644 +386,769 Appropriated to the President............................... ==================================================================================== TITLE III--THE JUDICIARY Supreme Court of the United States Salaries and Expenses: Salaries of Justices........................................... 3,000 2,000 2,000 -1,000 ............... Other salaries and expenses.................................... 84,703 87,699 87,699 +2,996 ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subtotal..................................................... 87,703 89,699 89,699 +1,996 ............... Care of the Building and Grounds................................... 15,999 16,390 16,390 +391 ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Supreme Court of the United States.................... 103,702 106,089 106,089 +2,387 ............... ==================================================================================== United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Salaries and Expenses: Salaries of judges............................................. 4,000 3,000 3,000 -1,000 ............... Other salaries and expenses.................................... 32,016 32,983 32,683 +667 -300 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit 36,016 35,983 35,683 -333 -300 ==================================================================================== United States Court of International Trade Salaries and expenses: Salaries of judges............................................. 2,000 2,000 2,000 ............... ............... Other salaries and expenses.................................... 18,882 19,930 19,187 +305 -743 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, U.S. Court of International Trade..................... 20,882 21,930 21,187 +305 -743 ==================================================================================== Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and Other Judicial Services Salaries and expenses: Salaries of judges and bankruptcy judges....................... 429,000 411,000 411,000 -18,000 ............... Other salaries and expenses.................................... 5,144,383 5,383,970 5,182,654 +38,271 -201,316 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subtotal..................................................... 5,573,383 5,794,970 5,593,654 +20,271 -201,316 Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund............................. 8,475 9,012 9,070 +595 +58 Defender Services.................................................. 1,150,450 1,234,574 1,234,574 +84,124 ............... Fees of Jurors and Commissioners................................... 49,750 51,851 50,745 +995 -1,106 Court Security..................................................... 607,110 641,273 641,108 +33,998 -165 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and Other Judicial 7,389,168 7,731,680 7,529,151 +139,983 -202,529 Services.................................................... ==================================================================================== Administrative Office of the United States Courts Salaries and expenses.............................................. 92,413 96,945 94,261 +1,848 -2,684 Federal Judicial Center Salaries and expenses.............................................. 29,819 30,736 30,436 +617 -300 United States Sentencing Commission Salaries and expenses.............................................. 18,953 19,265 19,670 +717 +405 ==================================================================================== Total, title III, the Judiciary.............................. 7,690,953 8,042,628 7,836,477 +145,524 -206,151 ==================================================================================== TITLE IV--DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Federal Payment for Resident Tuition Support....................... 40,000 ............... 15,000 -25,000 +15,000 Federal Payment for Emergency Planning and Security Costs in the 12,000 11,400 18,000 +6,000 +6,600 District of Columbia.............................................. Federal Payment to the District of Columbia Courts................. 258,394 270,703 233,394 -25,000 -37,309 Federal Payment for Defender Services in District of Columbia 46,005 46,005 46,005 ............... ............... Courts............................................................ Federal Payment to the Court Services and Offender Supervision 256,724 248,524 242,524 -14,200 -6,000 Agency for the District of Columbia............................... Federal Payment to the District of Columbia Public Defender Service 45,858 42,404 44,011 -1,847 +1,607 Federal Payment to the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council....... 2,150 1,805 1,805 -345 ............... Federal Payment for Judicial Commissions........................... 565 536 532 -33 -4 Federal Payment for School Improvement............................. 52,500 90,000 60,000 +7,500 -30,000 Federal Payment for the D.C. National Guard........................ 435 413 413 -22 ............... Federal Payment for Testing and Treatment of HIV/AIDS.............. 3,000 4,750 3,000 ............... -1,750 Federal Payment to the District of Columbia Water and Sewer 8,000 ............... 8,000 ............... +8,000 Authority......................................................... ==================================================================================== Total, title IV, District of Columbia........................ 725,631 716,540 672,684 -52,947 -43,856 ==================================================================================== TITLE V--OTHER INDEPENDENT AGENCIES Administrative Conference of the United States..................... 3,100 3,100 3,250 +150 +150 Commodity Futures Trading Commission............................... 268,000 250,000 305,000 +37,000 +55,000 CFTC Fee Spending (legislative proposal)\1\.................... ............... 65,000 ............... ............... -65,000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Commodity Futures Trading Commission.................. 268,000 315,000 305,000 +37,000 -10,000 ==================================================================================== Consumer Product Safety Commission................................. 127,000 127,000 127,000 ............... ............... Election Assistance Commission Salaries and expenses.............................................. 9,200 11,995 11,995 +2,795 ............... Election Security Grants........................................... ............... ............... 250,000 +250,000 +250,000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Election Assistance Commission........................ 9,200 11,995 261,995 +252,795 +250,000 ==================================================================================== Federal Communications Commission Salaries and expenses.............................................. 339,000 335,660 339,000 ............... +3,340 Offsetting fee collections......................................... -339,000 -335,660 -339,000 ............... -3,340 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Direct appropriation......................................... ............... ............... ............... ............... ............... Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (by transfer).......................... (42,982) (42,982) (42,982) ............... ............... Deposit Insurance Fund (transfer).................................. (-42,982) (-42,982) (-42,982) ............... ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation................. ............... ............... ............... ............... ............... ==================================================================================== Federal Election Commission........................................ 71,250 70,538 70,538 -712 ............... Federal Labor Relations Authority.................................. 26,200 24,890 24,890 -1,310 ............... Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council.................... ............... ............... 9,100 +9,100 +9,100 Federal Trade Commission Salaries and expenses.............................................. 309,700 312,300 312,300 +2,600 ............... Offsetting fee collections (mergers)............................... -136,000 -141,000 -141,000 -5,000 ............... Offsetting fee collections (telephone)............................. -17,000 -18,000 -18,000 -1,000 ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Direct appropriation........................................... 156,700 153,300 153,300 -3,400 ............... ==================================================================================== General Services Administration Federal Buildings Fund Limitations on Availability of Revenue: Construction and acquisition of facilities..................... 958,900 649,290 350,517 -608,383 -298,773 Repairs and alterations: Major repairs and alterations.............................. 276,837 1,127,153 905,464 +628,627 -221,689 Basic repairs and alterations.............................. 356,382 382,057 382,057 +25,675 ............... Repair and alteration design............................... ............... 3,200 3,200 +3,200 ............... Special emphasis programs.................................. 30,000 150,000 75,000 +45,000 -75,000 Rental of space................................................ 5,418,845 5,508,390 5,497,297 +78,452 -11,093 Building operations............................................ 2,244,118 2,383,506 2,367,544 +123,426 -15,962 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subtotal, Limitations on Availability of Revenue............. 9,285,082 10,203,596 9,581,079 +295,997 -622,517 Rental income to fund.............................................. -10,131,673 -10,203,596 -10,203,596 -71,923 ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Federal Buildings Fund................................ -846,591 ............... -622,517 +224,074 -622,517 ==================================================================================== Government-wide Policy............................................. 60,000 65,843 64,000 +4,000 -1,843 Operating expenses................................................. 49,440 49,440 49,440 ............... ............... Civilian Board of Contract Appeals................................. 9,301 9,301 9,301 ............... ............... Office of Inspector General........................................ 65,000 68,000 66,500 +1,500 -1,500 OPM Office of Inspector General (legislative proposal)......... ............... 5,000 ............... ............... -5,000 Limitation on administrative expenses (legislative proposal)... ............... 25,265 ............... ............... -25,265 Allowances and Office Staff for Former Presidents.................. 4,796 3,851 3,851 -945 ............... Federal Citizen Services Fund...................................... 55,000 58,400 55,000 ............... -3,400 Pre-Election Presidential Transition............................... ............... 9,620 9,620 +9,620 ............... Technology Modernization Fund...................................... 25,000 150,000 ............... -25,000 -150,000 Asset Proceeds and Space Management Fund........................... 25,000 31,000 ............... -25,000 -31,000 Environmental Review Improvement Fund.............................. 6,070 7,100 ............... -6,070 -7,100 Working capital fund............................................... ............... 50,000 ............... ............... -50,000 Administrative Provision Tax Delinquency Contractor Provision (Sec. 527).................... ............... ............... 3,000 +3,000 +3,000 Office of Personnel Management P(legislative proposal) Salaries and expenses.............................................. ............... 132,809 ............... ............... -132,809 Limitation on administrative expenses.......................... ............... 132,446 ............... ............... -132,446 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subtotal, Salaries and expenses.............................. ............... 265,255 ............... ............... -265,255 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, General Services Administration....................... -546,984 798,075 -361,805 +185,179 -1,159,880 ==================================================================================== Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation.............................. 1,000 ............... 1,670 +670 +1,670 Merit Systems Protection Board Salaries and expenses.............................................. 44,490 39,921 39,921 -4,569 ............... Limitation on administrative expenses.............................. 2,345 2,345 2,345 ............... ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Merit Systems Protection Board........................ 46,835 42,266 42,266 -4,569 ............... ==================================================================================== Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund.................... 1,875 1,800 1,725 -150 -75 Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund.............................. 3,200 3,200 3,200 ............... ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation....... 5,075 5,000 4,925 -150 -75 ==================================================================================== National Archives and Records Administration Operating expenses................................................. 373,000 345,609 363,000 -10,000 +17,391 Reduction of debt.............................................. -27,224 ............... ............... +27,224 ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subtotal..................................................... 345,776 345,609 363,000 +17,224 +17,391 Office of Inspector General........................................ 4,823 4,801 4,823 ............... +22 Repairs and Restoration............................................ 7,500 7,500 7,500 ............... ............... National Historical Publications and Records Commission Grants 6,000 ............... ............... -6,000 ............... Program........................................................... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, National Archives and Records Administration.......... 364,099 357,910 375,323 +11,224 +17,413 ==================================================================================== NCUA Community Development Revolving Loan Fund..................... 2,000 ............... ............... -2,000 ............... Office of Government Ethics........................................ 17,019 17,430 17,019 ............... -411 Office of Personnel Management Salaries and expenses.............................................. 132,172 ............... 148,668 +16,496 +148,668 Limitation on administrative expenses.......................... 133,483 ............... 160,398 +26,915 +160,398 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subtotal, Salaries and Expenses.............................. 265,655 ............... 309,066 +43,411 +309,066 Office of Inspector General........................................ 5,000 ............... 5,000 ............... +5,000 Limitation on administrative expenses.......................... 25,265 ............... 25,265 ............... +25,265 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subtotal, Office of Inspector General........................ 30,265 ............... 30,265 ............... +30,265 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Office of Personnel Management........................ 295,920 ............... 339,331 +43,411 +339,331 ==================================================================================== Office of Special Counsel.......................................... 26,535 26,252 26,535 ............... +283 Postal Regulatory Commission....................................... 15,200 16,615 16,615 +1,415 ............... Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board........................ 5,000 8,500 8,000 +3,000 -500 Public Buildings Reform Board...................................... ............... 3,500 1,000 +1,000 -2,500 Securities and Exchange Commission Salaries and Expenses.............................................. 1,674,902 1,745,954 1,756,000 +81,098 +10,046 SEC NYC Regional Office........................................ 37,189 10,525 10,525 -26,664 ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subtotal, Securities and Exchange Commission................. 1,712,091 1,756,479 1,766,525 +54,434 +10,046 SEC fees........................................................... -1,712,091 -1,756,479 -1,766,525 -54,434 -10,046 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Securities and Exchange Commission.................... ............... ............... ............... ............... ............... ==================================================================================== Selective Service System........................................... 26,000 25,000 26,000 ............... +1,000 Small Business Administration Salaries and expenses.............................................. 267,500 272,157 265,500 -2,000 -6,657 Entrepreneurial Development Programs............................... 247,700 180,650 242,700 -5,000 +62,050 Office of Inspector General........................................ 21,900 21,900 21,900 ............... ............... Office of Advocacy................................................. 9,120 9,120 9,120 ............... ............... Business Loans Program Account: Direct loans subsidy........................................... 4,000 4,000 4,000 ............... ............... Administrative expenses........................................ 155,150 155,150 155,150 ............... ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Business loans program account........................ 159,150 159,150 159,150 ............... ............... ==================================================================================== Disaster Loans Program Account: Administrative expenses........................................ 10,000 177,136 26,248 +16,248 -150,888 Disaster relief category................................... ............... ............... 150,888 +150,888 +150,888 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Disaster loans program account.................... 10,000 177,136 177,136 +167,136 ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subtotal, Small Business Administration.................. 715,370 820,113 875,506 +160,136 +55,393 Administrative Provisions Negative subsidy receipts (Sec. 528) (legislative proposal)........ ............... -152,000 ............... ............... +152,000 Unobligated balances (rescission).................................. -50,000 ............... -16,369 +33,631 -16,369 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, Small Business Administration......................... 665,370 668,113 859,137 +193,767 +191,024 ==================================================================================== United States Postal Service Payment to the Postal Service Fund................................. 55,235 56,711 56,711 +1,476 ............... Office of Inspector General........................................ 250,000 250,000 250,000 ............... ............... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total, United States Postal Service.......................... 305,235 306,711 306,711 +1,476 ............... ==================================================================================== United States Tax Court............................................ 51,515 55,550 54,515 +3,000 -1,035 ==================================================================================== Total, title V, Independent Agencies......................... 1,941,269 3,036,745 2,672,315 +731,046 -364,430 Appropriations........................................... (1,991,269) (3,036,745) (2,537,796) (+546,527) (-498,949) Rescissions.............................................. (-50,000) ............... (-16,369) (+33,631) (-16,369) Disaster relief category................................. ............... ............... (150,888) (+150,888) (+150,888) (By transfer)................................................ (42,982) (42,982) (42,982) ............... ............... ==================================================================================== TITLE VI--GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS ACT Mandatory appropriations (sec. 619)................................ 21,818,000 21,911,000 21,911,000 +93,000 ............... PCA Oversight Board scholarships................................... 1,000 ............... 2,000 +1,000 +2,000 Offsetting collections......................................... ............... -1,000 -1,000 -1,000 ............... Rescission..................................................... ............... -4,000 ............... ............... +4,000 Oversight.gov Website Enhancements................................. 2,000 ............... 1,000 -1,000 +1,000 ==================================================================================== Total, title VI, General Provisions.......................... 21,821,000 21,906,000 21,913,000 +92,000 +7,000 ==================================================================================== TITLE VII--GENERAL PROVISIONS--GOVERNMENT-WIDE Civil Service Retirement and Disability Funds (Sec. 734)........... ............... -2,000 -2,000 -2,000 ............... OTHER APPROPRIATIONS ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DISASTER RELIEF ACT, 2019 Major Repairs and Alterations (emergency).......................... 91,200 ............... ............... -91,200 ............... ==================================================================================== Grand total.................................................. 45,770,200 47,101,106 46,675,888 +905,688 -425,218 Appropriations........................................... (45,729,000) (46,768,535) (46,601,369) (+872,369) (-167,166) Rescissions.............................................. (-50,000) (-29,000) (-76,369) (-26,369) (-47,369) Emergency appropriations................................. (91,200) ............... ............... (-91,200) ............... Disaster relief category................................. ............... ............... (150,888) (+150,888) (+150,888) Program Integrity Initiatives............................ ............... (361,571) ............... ............... (-361,571) (By transfer)............................................ (42,982) (42,982) (42,982) ............... ............... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [all]