,i #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dgj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #d1 #bjac ,mr4 ,connolly introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,oversight and ,government ,reform ,a ,,bill ,to improve the efficiency of ,federal ,executive ,boards to enhance the coordination1 economy1 and effectiveness of ,federal agency activities1 including emergency preparedness and continuity of operations1 in geographic areas outside the ,washington1 ,,dc1 metropolitan area4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,federal ,executive ,board ,efficiency ,act4 #b4 ,federal executive boards 7a7 ,in general ,chapter #aa of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #aajf4 ,federal executive boards 7a7 ,purposes ,the purposes of this section are to-- 7#a7 strengthen the coordination of ,government activities2 7#b7 facilitate interagency collaboration to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of ,federal programs2 7#c7 facilitate communication and collaboration on ,federal emergency preparedness and continuity of operations for the ,federal workforce in applicable geographic areas2 and 7#d7 provide stable funding for ,federal ,executive ,boards4 7b7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,agency ,the term agency-- 7,a7 means an ,executive agency as defined under section #aje2 and 7,b7 shall not include the ,government ,accountability ,office4 7#b7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,director of the ,office of ,personnel ,management4 7#c7 ,federal executive board ,the term ,federal ,executive ,board means an interagency entity established by the ,director1 in consultation with the headquarters of appropriate agencies1 in a geographic area with a high concentration of ,federal employees outside the ,washington1 ,,dc1 metropolitan area to strengthen the management and administration of agency activities and coordination among local ,federal officers to implement national initiatives in that geographic area4 7c7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director shall establish ,federal ,executive ,boards in geographic areas outside the ,washington1 ,,dc1 metropolitan area4 ,before establishing ,federal ,executive ,boards that are not in existence on the date of enactment of this section1 the ,director shall consult with the headquarters of appropriate agencies to determine the number and location of the ,federal ,executive ,boards4 7#b7 ,membership ,each ,federal ,executive ,board for a geographic area shall consist of an appropriate senior officer for each agency in that geographic area4 ,the appropriate senior officer may designate1 by title of office1 an alternate representative who shall attend meetings and otherwise represent the agency on the ,federal ,executive ,board in the absence of the appropriate senior officer4 ,an alternate representative shall be a senior officer in the agency4 7#c7 ,location of federal executive boards ,in determining the location for the establishment of ,federal ,executive ,boards1 the ,director shall consider-- 7,a7 whether a ,federal ,executive ,board exists in a geographic area on the date of enactment of this section2 7,b7 whether a geographic area has a strong1 viable1 and active ,federal ,executive ,association2 7,c7 whether the ,federal ,executive ,association of a geographic area petitions the ,director to become a ,federal ,executive ,board2 and 7,d7 such other factors as the ,director and the headquarters of appropriate agencies consider relevant4 7d7 ,administration and oversight 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director shall provide for the administration and oversight of ,federal ,executive ,boards1 including-- 7,a7 establishing staffing policies in consultation with the headquarters of agencies participating in ,federal ,executive ,boards2 7,b7 designating an agency to staff each ,federal ,executive ,board based on recommendations from that ,federal ,executive ,board2 7,c7 establishing communications policies for the dissemination of information to agencies2 7,d7 in consultation with the headquarters of appropriate agencies1 establishing performance standards for the ,federal ,executive ,board staff2 7,e7 developing accountability initiatives to ensure ,federal ,executive ,boards are meeting performance standards2 and 7,f7 administering ,federal ,executive ,board funding through the fund established in subsection 7f74 7#b7 ,staffing ,in making designations under paragraph 7#a77;,b71 the ,director shall give preference to agencies staffing ,federal ,executive ,boards4 7e7 ,governance and activities 7#a7 ,in general ,each ,federal ,executive ,board shall-- 7,a7 subject to the approval of the ,director1 adopt by-laws or other rules for the internal governance of the ,federal ,executive ,board2 7,b7 elect a ,chairperson from among the members of the ,federal ,executive ,board1 who shall serve for a set term2 7,c7 serve as an instrument of outreach for the national headquarters of agencies relating to agency activities in the geographic area2 7,d7 provide a forum for the exchange of information relating to programs and management methods and problems-- 7i7 between the national headquarters of agencies and the field2 and 7ii7 among field elements in the geographic area2 7,e7 develop local coordinated approaches to the development and operation of programs that have common characteristics2 7,f7 communicate management initiatives and other concerns from ,federal officers and employees in the ,washington1 ,,dc1 area to ,federal officers and employees in the geographic area to achieve better mutual understanding and support2 7,g7 develop relationships with ,state and local governments and nongovernmental organizations to help fulfill the roles and responsibilities of that ,board2 7,h7 in coordination with appropriate agencies and consistent with any relevant memoranda of understanding between the ,office of ,personnel ,management and such agencies1 facilitate communication1 collaboration1 and training to prepare the ,federal workforce for emergencies and continuity of operations2 and 7,i7 take other actions as agreed to by the ,federal ,executive ,board and the ,director4 7#b7 ,coordination of certain activities ,the facilitation of communication1 collaboration1 and training described under paragraph 7#a77;,h7 shall1 when appropriate1 be coordinated and defined through memoranda of understanding entered into between the ,director and headquarters of appropriate agencies4 7f7 ,funding 7#a7 ,establishment of fund ,the ,director shall establish a fund within the ,office of ,personnel ,management for financing essential ,federal ,executive ,board functions-- 7,a7 including basic staffing and operating expenses2 and 7,b7 excluding the costs of the ,office of ,personnel ,management relating to administrative and oversight activities conducted under subsection 7d74 7#b7 ,deposits ,there shall be deposited in the fund established under paragraph 7#a7 contributions from the headquarters of each agency participating in ,federal ,executive ,boards1 in an amount determined by a formula established by the ,director1 in consultation with the headquarters of such agencies and the ,office of ,management and ,budget4 7#c7 ,contributions 7,a7 ,formula ,the formula for contributions established by the ,director shall consider the number of employees in each agency in all geographic areas served by ,federal ,executive ,boards4 ,the contribution of the headquarters of each agency to the fund shall be recalculated at least every #b years4 7,b7 ,in-kind contributions ,at the sole discretion of the ,director1 the headquarters of an agency may provide in-kind contributions instead of providing monetary contributions to the fund4 7#d7 ,use of excess amounts ,any unobligated and unexpended balances in the fund which the ,director determines to be in excess of amounts needed for essential ,federal ,executive ,board functions shall be allocated by the ,director1 in consultation with the headquarters of agencies participating in ,federal ,executive ,boards1 among the ,federal ,executive ,boards for the activities under subsection 7e7 and other priorities1 such as conducting training4 7#e7 ,administrative and oversight costs ,the ,office of ,personnel ,management shall pay for costs relating to administrative and oversight activities conducted under subsection 7d7 from appropriations made available to the ,office of ,personnel ,management4 7g7 ,reports ,the ,director shall submit annual reports to ,congress and agencies on ,federal ,executive ,board program outcomes and budget matters4 7h7 ,regulations ,the ,director shall prescribe regulations necessary to carry out this section4 4 7b7 ,report ,not later than #fj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,office of ,personnel ,management shall submit a report to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,oversight and ,government ,reform of the ,house of ,representatives that includes-- 7#a7 a description of essential ,federal ,executive ,board functions2 7#b7 details of basic staffing requirements for each ,federal ,executive ,board2 7#c7 estimates of basic staffing and operating expenses for each ,federal ,executive ,board2 and 7#d7 a comparison of basic staffing and operating expenses for ,federal ,executive ,boards operating before the date of enactment of this ,act and such expenses for ,federal ,executive ,boards after the implementation of this ,act4 7c7 ,technical and conforming amendments ,the table of sections for chapter #aa of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #aaje the following3 #aajf4 ,federal ,executive ,boards4 4