American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 -
Oversight Requirements
| Subtitle A - Transparency and Oversight Requirements -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SEC. 1511. CERTIFICATIONS. With respect to covered funds made available to State or local governments for infrastructure investments, the Governor, mayor, or other chief executive, as appropriate, shall certify that the infrastructure investment has received the full review and vetting required by law and that the chief executive accepts responsibility that the infrastructure investment is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars. Such certification shall include a description of the investment, the estimated total cost, and the amount of covered funds to be used, and shall be posted on a website and linked to the website established by section 1526. A State or local agency may not receive infrastructure investment funding from funds made available in this Act unless this certification is made and posted. |
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(a)
SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the ‘‘Jobs Accountability Act’’.
(b)
DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
(1)
RECIPIENT.—The term ‘‘recipient’’—
(A)
means any entity that receives recovery funds directly from the Federal Government (including recovery funds received through grant, loan, or contract) other than an individual; and
(B) includes a State that receives recovery funds.
(2)
RECOVERY FUNDS.—The term ‘‘recovery funds’’ means any funds that are made available from appropriations made under this Act.
(c)
RECIPIENT REPORTS.—Not later than 10 days after the end of each calendar quarter, each recipient that received recovery funds from a Federal agency shall submit a report to that agency that contains—
(1)
the total amount of recovery funds received from that agency;
(2)
the amount of recovery funds received that were expended or obligated to projects or activities; and
(3)
a detailed list of all projects or activities for which recovery funds were expended or obligated, including—
(A)
the name of the project or activity;
(B)
a description of the project or activity;
(C)
an evaluation of the completion status of the project or activity; H. R. 1—174
(D)
an estimate of the number of jobs created and the number of jobs retained by the project or activity; and
(E)
for infrastructure investments made by State and local governments, the purpose, total cost, and rationale of the agency for funding the infrastructure investment with funds made available under this Act, and name of the person to contact at the agency if there are concerns with the infrastructure investment.
(4)
Detailed information on any subcontracts or sub-grants awarded by the recipient to include the data elements required to comply with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–282), allowing aggregate reporting on awards below $25,000 or to individuals, as prescribed by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(d)
AGENCY REPORTS.—Not later than 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter, each agency that made recovery funds available to any recipient shall make the information in reports submitted under subsection (c) publicly available by posting the information on a website.
(e)
OTHER REPORTS.—The Congressional Budget Office and the Government Accountability Office shall comment on the information described in subsection (c)(3)(D) for any reports submitted under subsection (c). Such comments shall be due within 45 days after such reports are submitted.
(f)
COMPLIANCE.—Within 180 days of enactment, as a condition of receipt of funds under this Act, Federal agencies shall require any recipient of such funds to provide the information required under subsection (c).
(g)
GUIDANCE.—Federal agencies, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, shall provide for user-friendly means for recipients of covered funds to meet the requirements of this section.
(h)
REGISTRATION.—Funding recipients required to report information per subsection (c)(4) must register with the Central Contractor Registration database or complete other registration requirements as determined by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
SEC. 1513. REPORTS OF THE COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—In consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Secretary of the Treasury, the Chairperson of the Council of Economic Advisers shall submit quarterly reports to the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and House of Representatives that detail the impact of programs funded through covered funds on employment, estimated economic growth, and other key economic indicators.
(b)
SUBMISSION OF REPORTS.—
(1)
FIRST REPORT.—The first report submitted under subsection (a) shall be submitted not later than 45 days after the end of the first full quarter following the date of enactment of this Act.
(2)
LAST REPORT.—The last report required to be submitted under subsection (a) shall apply to the quarter in which the Board terminates under section 1530.
H. R. 1—175
SEC. 1514. INSPECTOR GENERAL REVIEWS.
(a) REVIEWS.—Any inspector general of a Federal department or executive agency shall review, as appropriate, any concerns raised by the public about specific investments using funds made available in this Act. Any findings of such reviews not related to an ongoing criminal proceeding shall be relayed immediately to the head of the department or agency concerned. In addition, the findings of such reviews, along with any audits conducted by any inspector general of funds made available in this Act, shall be posted on the inspector general’s website and linked to the website established by section 1526, except that portions of reports may be redacted to the extent the portions would disclose information that is protected from public disclosure under sections 552 and 552a of title 5, United States Code.
SEC. 1515. ACCESS OF OFFICES OF INSPECTOR GENERAL TO CERTAIN RECORDS AND EMPLOYEES.
(a)
ACCESS.—With respect to each contract or grant awarded using covered funds, any representative of an appropriate inspector general appointed under section 3 or 8G of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), is authorized—
(1)
to examine any records of the contractor or grantee, any of its subcontractors or sub-grantees, or any State or local agency administering such contract, that pertain to, and involve transactions relating to, the contract, subcontract, grant, or sub-grant; and
(2)
to interview any officer or employee of the contractor, grantee, sub-grantee, or agency regarding such transactions.
(b)
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING AUTHORITY.—Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to limit or restrict in any way any existing authority of an inspector general.
