The House has passed the bipartisan Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act (H.R. 378) introduced by Rep. Chuck Fleischmann. The bill, co-sponsored by fellow Tennessee Congressman Jim Cooper (TN-05), will enhance the existing program for federal employees who identify frivolous spending of taxpayer dollars by doubling the previous maximum bonus.
Rep.
Fleischmann said, “Good deeds deserve to be rewarded, and that is the purpose of my bill. Federal agencies exhibit a common trend of wasteful spending as the end of a fiscal year approaches. This bill is designed to stop this trend and benefit deserving employees. This legislation is structured after the private sector model where employees receive a reward for identifying unnecessary spending, therefore saving the organization, and in this case the federal government, money.”
“Most importantly, my bill gives people the power to act as administrative agents of their own taxpayer dollars. This ensures taxpayer dollars are spent wisely while simultaneously motivating employee attention toward spending abuse and fraud.”
“I hate government waste, and all it takes is commonsense ideas like this to help root it out,” Rep. Cooper said. “I have always believed in pay for performance. If federal employees step up and help us save money, why not reward them for their good work?”
H.R. 378 passed the House with a voice vote.