H.Res. 173 — Introduced in House

IV 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 173 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 23, 2013 Mr. Gardner (for himself and Mr. Cramer) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that, in order to make commonsense reforms under sequestration, Federal employees should be encouraged to suggest ways to make more sensible or more efficient budget reductions within their employing department or agency, knowing that they are protected under the whistleblower protection laws. Whereas on March 1, 2013, sequestration took effect, thereby reducing the money available to Federal agencies; Whereas the House of Representatives passed 2 bills that would have made commonsense reforms to reductions in Department of Defense programs and certain domestic programs; Whereas the Government spent $3.538 trillion in the fiscal year that ended in September 2012, and the $85 billion sequester is 2.4 percent of the Federal budget; Whereas the President is implementing several tactics in his discussion of the potential effects of sequestration that needlessly alarm the American people, but there is some flexibility and discretion on how to implement the cuts, and the President must focus on more sensible reductions that can be made within departments and agencies; Whereas given the rising national debt and deficit, the Federal Government must reduce funding to programs, projects, and activities that are wasteful; Whereas the April 2013 Government Accountability Office report to Congress entitled, Actions Needed to Reduce Fragmentation, Overlap, and Duplication and Achieve Other Financial Benefits (and designated as GAO–13–279SP), presents 31 areas in which Government programs would be able to achieve greater efficiencies or become more effective in providing Government services; and Whereas it is the responsibility of the President and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to coordinate with the heads of the relevant departments and agencies to eliminate, consolidate, or streamline Government programs and agencies with duplicative and overlapping missions to save taxpayer dollars, rein in Washington spending, and curb the unnecessary consequences of sequestration: Now, therefore, be it 1. Short title This resolution may be cited as Waste Whistleblower Protection Resolution. 2. Providing suggestions for budget reductions and reminders for whistleblower protection That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that, in order to avoid the unnecessary consequences of sequestration and given their knowledge of and experience with the operations of their respective employing departments or agencies, Federal employees— (1) should be encouraged to submit suggestions for ways to make more sensible or more efficient budget reductions within their employing department or agency; and (2) should be reminded of their protections under the whistleblower protection laws.