H.R. 4230: the Appropriations Compliance and Training Act

This bill, known as the Appropriations Compliance and Training Act, aims to enhance the understanding of appropriations law among certain government employees. It mandates that all employees in specified positions within the executive branch complete annual training on appropriations law. This training is designed to ensure that employees understand the rules and regulations governing the obligation and expenditure of federal funds.

Key Provisions

Mandatory Training

The bill requires the heads of federal agencies to ensure that employees in covered positions complete an annual appropriations law training course. A covered position includes:

• Any position classified at or above grade 11 of the General Schedule.
• Any political position as defined by current laws.
• Any Senior Executive Service position.

The training must be completed within one year for existing employees and within 60 days for new hires. The bill outlines that the training can be provided through various means, including:

• A training course offered by the Government Accountability Office.
• Training created within the agency.
• Courses from other agencies or contractors, pending approval from regulatory authorities.

Course Requirements

The training must cover a variety of topics relevant to appropriations law, including but not limited to:

• The constitutional and statutory framework for the obligations of appropriated funds.
• The Purpose Statute.
• Relevant sections of the Antideficiency Act.
• The bona fide needs rule and related statutes.
• Consequences of violating appropriations laws.

Compliance and Reporting

Agency heads are responsible for tracking and reporting the training completion status of employees to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Employees who fail to comply with training requirements face several penalties:

• After 45 days of non-compliance, employees lose authority over budget-related decisions and may lose performance bonuses or pay raises.
• After 60 days of non-compliance, employees may be barred from accessing agency systems until the training is completed.

Annual compliance statistics must be published on each agency's public website.

Implementation Timeline

The Office of Personnel Management, along with the Comptroller General, is tasked with issuing guidance on this training within 90 days of the bill's enactment. Each agency must submit an implementation plan to the OMB within 120 days.

Relevant Companies

None found