DHS Paid Administrative Leave Accountability Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1633, the ``DHS Paid Administrative Leave Accountability Act of 2015.''

This bill makes needed improvements relating to the tracking and reporting of employees of the Department of Homeland Security including administrative leave, or any other type of paid non-duty status without charge to leave, and personal matters, and for other purposes.

I support this bipartisan legislation, which amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the head of each component of the Department of Homeland Security to submit on a quarterly basis two reports to the Chief Human Capital Officer of DHS.

Mr. Speaker, Title I of Homeland Security Act would be amended by adding Section 104 which provides for the improvement of internal tracking and reporting for administrative leave.

First, this bill directs that the number of employees who had been on administrative leave, or any other type of paid non-duty status without charge to leave, for personnel matters for six consecutive months or longer be reported.

Second, DHS agency heads must report the total cost to the component associated with such leave and paid non-duty status for that quarter.

The Chief Human Capital Officer is responsible for determining appropriate actions to be taken by DHS to resolve any personnel matter expeditiously or to eliminate or reduce the use of such leave and paid non-duty status in addressing any personnel matter.

The Chief HCO is also to develop and implement a department-wide policy in accordance with existing federal guidance specifically related to the use of such leave of paid non-duty status for personnel matters.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1633 enhances transparency and allows for more fiscally conservative policy in regards to the costs associated with paid administrative leave.

However, it may be more difficult to accomplish this level of transparency in regards to how data for leave is extracted and recorded.

These are time sensitive additions which will require that within 90 days of the enactment of this Act, and quarterly thereafter, the department heads are required to submit their reports to the Chief Officer.

In that same time span the Chief HC Officer is to promulgate a department-wide policy in accordance with existing Federal guidance specifically related to the use of administrative leave.

I join my colleagues in working to strengthen efficiency in all areas of government and supporting fiscally conservative methods to achieve this goal.

I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting the passage of H.R. 1633.

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