WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a business meeting to consider nominations and legislation pending before the Committee. The Committee approved three nominations, two pieces of legislation and two postal naming bills, all by voice vote. The items now go to the full Senate for consideration.
The Committee voted en bloc on the following items:
Nominations:
The Nomination of William W. Nooter to be an Associate Judge, Superior Court of the District of Columbia
The Committee reported out the nomination of William W. Nooter to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
The Nomination of Hon. Tony Hammond to be a Commissioner, Postal Regulatory Commission
The Committee reported out the nomination of Hon. Tony Hammond to be a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission.
The Nomination of Hon. Nanci E. Langley to be a Commissioner, Postal Regulatory Commission
The Committee reported out the nomination of Hon. Nanci E. Langley to be a Commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission.
Legislation:
S. 994, Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2013
The Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2013, also known as the DATA Act, was introduced by Senator Warner and Senator Portman in May 2013. At today’s business meeting, Chairman Carper introduced a substitute amendment to the original legislation that was co-sponsored by Ranking Member Coburn, and Senators Portman, McCain, Enzi, Ayotte, and Johnson. This legislation requires the reporting of spending data for all federal funds by appropriation, federal agency, account, and program activity. It also requires the Treasury Department to set government-wide financial data standards and for the Office of Management and Budget to review the information reported by contract and grant recipients. The legislation also requires Inspectors General and the Government Accountability Office to audit the data on the USASpending website to ensure that agencies are publishing accurate data. Passage of this bill will take an important step forward in improving transparency of federal spending.
S. 1611, Federal Data Center Consolidation Act of 2013
The Federal Data Center Consolidation Act of 2013 was introduced by Senator Bennet, Ranking Member Coburn, and Senator Ayotte. At today’s business meeting, Chairman Carper introduced a substitute amendment to the original legislation that was co-sponsored by Ranking Member Coburn and Senator Ayotte. The legislation builds off the Office of Management and Budget’s Federal Data Center Consolidation Initiative to assist agencies in identifying how many data centers they have and in formulating detailed consolidation plans. The legislation requires the 24 agencies included in the original initiative to submit comprehensive inventories of existing data center to OMB, as well as multi-year strategies to consolidate and optimize their data centers. Agencies would identify their estimated cost savings from consolidation and OMB is then required to summarize progress on the initiative to Congress on an annual basis.
S. 1499
This bill names a postal facility in Chadron, Nebraska after Cory Mracek, a former member of the United States Army. Sergeant Mracek lost his life in an enemy attack in January 2004, while on his first tour of duty in Iraq.
S. 1512
This bill names a postal facility in Rochester, New York, after Theodore Matthew Glende, a former member of the United States Army. In July 2012, while on his first tour of duty in Afghanistan, Specialist Glende lost his life to an enemy attack.