Bonuses for Cost-Cutters and Fraud Preventers Act of 2026

Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann

Republican · TN · Representative

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

• Ed Case (D-HI-1)· 2026-04-09
• Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-4)· 2026-06-04

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

2026-06-09

Source: Congress.gov

Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act of 2025 This bill expands the awards program for cost-saving identifications by federal employees of fraud, waste, or mismanagement to include identifications of certain operational expenses that are wasteful (i.e., that are identified as wasteful by an employee and that an agency determines are not required for the purposes for which the amounts were made available). An agency must propose any identified wasteful expenses for rescission. The bill also doubles the maximum cash award that may be made under the program.

Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 428 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 428 To amend title 5, United States Code, to enhance the authority under which Federal agencies may pay cash awards to employees for making cost saving disclosures, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 15, 2025 Mr. Fleischmann introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend title 5, United States Code, to enhance the authority under which Federal agencies may pay cash awards to employees for making cost saving disclosures, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. COST SAVINGS ENHANCEMENTS. (a) Definitions.--Section 4511 of title 5, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in the section heading, by striking ``Definition'' and inserting ``Definitions''; and (2) in subsection (a)-- (A) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; (B) by striking ``this subchapter, the term'' and inserting the following: ``this subchapter-- ``(1) the term''; and (C) by adding at the end the following: ``(2) the term `wasteful expenses' means amounts made available for salaries and expenses accounts, operations and maintenance accounts, or other equivalent accounts-- ``(A) that are identified by an employee of the agency under section 4512(a) as wasteful; and ``(B) that the Chief Financial Officer of the agency determines are not required for the purpose for which the amounts were made available.''. (b) Authority.--Section 4512 of title 5, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)-- (A) by inserting ``The head of an agency may pay a cash award to any employee of such agency whose identification of wasteful expenses to the Chief Financial Officer of the agency has resulted in cost savings for the agency.'' after the first sentence; (B) in paragraph (1) by striking ``$10,000'' and inserting ``$20,000''; (C) in paragraph (2)-- (i) by inserting ``Chief Financial Officer,'' after ``Inspector General,''; (ii) by striking ``employee designated under subsection (b)'' and inserting ``designated employee''; and (iii) by inserting ``or identification'' after ``disclosure''; and (D) in the matter following paragraph (2)-- (i) by inserting ``, Chief Financial Officer,'' after ``Inspector General''; and (ii) by inserting ``or identification'' after ``disclosure''; (2) in subsection (b) by striking ``awards permitted under this section'' and inserting ``awards for the disclosure of fraud, waste, or mismanagement under this section''; and (3) by adding at the end the following: ``(c)(1) If the Chief Financial Officer of the agency determines that potential wasteful expenses identified by an employee meet the requirements of section 4511(a)(2)(B), the head of the agency shall notify the President for purposes of proposing the expenses for rescission under title X of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 681 et seq.). ``(2) In the case of an agency for which there is no Chief Financial Officer, the head of the agency shall designate an agency employee who shall have the authority to make the determinations for identification of wasteful expenses under this section. ``(d) The head of each agency shall make available, along with, and in the same manner and form as, the provision of information required under section 1116 of title 31, information on disclosures of wasteful expenses under this section, including-- ``(1) a description of each disclosure of possible wasteful expenses identified by an employee and determined by the…

agency to have merit; and ``(2) the number and amount of cash awards provided by the agency under subsection (a). ``(e) An individual may not receive a cash award under this subchapter if the individual is-- ``(1) an officer or employee of the Office of the Inspector General of an agency; or ``(2) ineligible for a cash award under section 4509. ``(f) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall-- ``(1) ensure that the cash award program of each agency complies with this section; and ``(2) submit to Congress an annual certification indicating whether the cash award program of each agency complies with this section. ``(g) Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of the Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act of 2025, and every 3 years thereafter for 6 years, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the operation of the cost savings and awards program under this section, including any recommendations for legislative changes.''. (c) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for subchapter II of chapter 45 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 4511 and inserting the following: ``4511. Definitions and general provisions.''. <all>

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