,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ddg ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #ae1 #bjbe,ms4 ,perez 7for herself and ,mr4 ,newhouse7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to provide compensation flexibility to address retention and hiring issues at the ,bonneville ,power ,administration4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,reliability for ,ratepayers ,act4 #b4 ,compensation flexibility to address retention and hiring issues at the ,bonneville ,power ,administration ,section #aj of the ,act of ,august #bj1 #aicg 7commonly known as the ,bonneville ,project ,act of #aicg7 7#ej ,stat4 #gcf1 chapter #gbj2 #af ,u4,s4,c4 #hcb;i71 is amended by striking the section designation and subsections 7a7 and 7b7 and inserting the following3 #aj4 ,employment of personnel 7a7 ,employee compensation program 7#a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding any other law1 rule1 regulation1 or directive relating to the payment of ,federal employees 7other than chapter #hc of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code71 the administrator shall develop1 implement1 and1 as appropriate1 update1 based on the results of an annual review under paragraph 7#d71 a compensation plan that specifies and fixes the compensation 7including salary or any other pay1 bonuses1 benefits1 incentives1 and any other form of remuneration7 for employees of the administrator1 including members of the ,senior ,executive ,service 7as defined in section #baja;a of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code74 7#b7 ,initial compensation plan 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of the ,reliability for ,ratepayers ,act1 the administrator shall1 in consultation with the ,director of the ,office of ,personnel ,management1 and subject to confirmation and approval by the ,secretary of ,energy1 which shall not be unreasonably withheld1 develop an initial compensation plan under paragraph 7#a74 7,b7 ,implementation ,not later than #a year after the date on which the initial compensation plan is developed under subparagraph 7,a71 the administrator shall implement the initial compensation plan4 7#c7 ,requirements ,a compensation plan developed under paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 be based on an annual survey of the prevailing compensation for similar positions in the public sectors of the electric industry2 7,b7 be consistent with the approved annual general and administrative budget of the administrator and encourage the widest diversified use of electric power at the lowest possible rates to consumers consistent with sound business principles2 7,c7 provide that education1 experience1 level of responsibility1 geographic differences1 and retention and recruitment needs are to be taken into account in determining the compensation of employees of the administrator2 and 7,d7 provide that the individual total compensation of the administrator and any employee of the administrator shall be comparable to and competitive with similar positions among consumer-owned utilities in the ,western ,interconnection4 7#d7 ,annual review 7,a7 ,in general ,annually1 the administrator shall review and update1 as appropriate1 the compensation plan developed under paragraph 7#a74 7,b7 ,compensation of the ,administrator ,notwithstanding any other law1 rule1 regulation1 or directive relating to the payment of the administrator 7other than chapter #hc of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code71 the ,secretary shall periodically review and update1 as appropriate1 the compensation of the administrator consistent with paragraph 7#c77;,d74 7,c7 ,publication of information ,the administrator shall include in the quarterly public business review of the administrator or any other appropriate public review of the operations and finances of the administrator information on the applicable annual compensation plan review under subparagraph 7,a71 including information on the amount of salaries of any employees whose annual salaries would exceed the annual rate payable for positions at ,level ,,iv of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecae of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#e7 ,annual publication ,annually1 the administrator shall publish the compensation plan developed under paragraph 7#a7 or updated under paragraph 7#d71 as applicable4 7b7 ,appointment2 employment 7#a7 ,in general ,the administrator may1 as the administrator determines to be necessary to carry out this ,act1 subject to applicable civil service laws-- 7,a7 appoint any officers and employees2 7,b7 employ laborers1 mechanics1 and workers for construction work or the operation and maintenance of electrical facilities2 and 7,c7 fix the compensation of individuals appointed under subparagraph 7,a7 or 7,b71 respectively1 consistent with the applicable compensation plan developed under subsection 7a77#a74 7#b7 ,exemption from certain civil service laws ,in carrying out the authority provided by paragraph 7#a71 the administrator shall be exempt from chapters #cd1 #dc1 #ea1 #ec1 #eg1 and #ei of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#c7 ,application of merit system principles ,employees of the administrator are subject to the application of the merit system principles set forth in section #bcja of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 to the extent that the principles apply to a wholly owned ,government corporation4 7#d7 ,employment of physicians ,the administrator may employ physicians1 without regard to the civil service laws 7including regulations71 to perform physical examinations of employees of the administrator or prospective employees of the administrator who are or may become laborers1 mechanics1 and workers described in paragraph 7#a77;,b74 7#e7 ,employment of experts ,the administrator may appoint1 without regard to the civil service laws 7including regulations71 any experts that the administrator determines to be necessary to carry out the functions of the administrator under this ,act4 4