114th Congress Oversight Plan

Oversight Plan

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

U.S. House of Representatives

114th Congress

Rule X, Clause 2(d) of the Rules of the House requires each standing committee of the House to adopt and submit a two-year oversight plan to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on House Administration by February 15 of the first session of each Congress.

The following is the oversight plan for the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and its subcommittees for the 114th Congress. The Committee will conduct oversight and investigations pursuant to its legislative jurisdiction and its broad jurisdiction under House Rule X.

This oversight plan contains a detailed list of matters for oversight and investigation that will advance the Committee's mission to ensure the efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability of the federal government and all its agencies. The list is not exhaustive. The Committee will retain the flexibility to investigate instances of waste, fraud, and abuse as they emerge, and to conduct oversight of other issues as appropriate.

Waste, Fraud, Abuse, and Mismanagement

The Committee will continue its efforts related to oversight of waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement of federal government spending. Although the Government Accountability Office (GAO), inspectors general, and whistleblowers continue to raise concerns about waste in federal spending, the executive branch and Congress often fail to adequately address the issue. The Committee's oversight will cover all federal government departments, agencies, and programs with an eye toward solutions for eliminating wasteful spending. Many of the following sections address specific areas where the Committee has an opportunity to make an immediate difference by addressing wasteful spending. Furthermore, the Committee plans to offer targeted legislative proposals that go to the heart of this issue by proactively addressing the issue of waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement.

Open Government and Transparency

The Committee will continue to advocate for technological solutions to increase transparency throughout the government. Broadly speaking, the Committee will seek to ensure that the federal government's information – with a few well-defined exceptions, such as national security information – is made available online and that it is formatted in ways that facilitate easy access

and analysis. The Committee will evaluate possible legislation to set policy goals for technology-driven transparency for program performance, regulatory materials, and legislative documents. The Committee will also examine public access to information through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), examine the implementation of other open government laws, such as the Presidential Records Act and the Federal Advisory Committees Act, and consider whether any statutory mandates may impede public access to information.

In 2014, the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act) was signed into law. The DATA Act, if effectively implemented, will transform federal spending transparency by providing program and activity level spending information. The Committee will oversee implementation efforts by the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Treasury.

The Committee will continue to investigate the persistent challenges and failures associated with the preservation of presidential and federal records, as required by law. Dating back to the Clinton Administration, changes in technology have challenged each subsequent administration's ability to capture, manage, and preserve the growing and diverse volume of electronic records. Despite new policies intended to improve transparency, concerns have been raised that problems remain. The Committee intends to examine the challenges created by the changing landscape of digital communication, including the use of personal e-mail and social media for government business.

The Committee will focus on executive branch compliance with FOIA. The Committee will monitor implementation of the memorandum issued by the President on January 21, 2009, reinstating a presumption in favor of disclosure. The Committee will also examine implementation of the OPEN Government Act of 2007 and the Electronic FOIA Amendments of 1996.

Homeland Security

The creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) required one of the largest consolidations of federal agencies in history. The Department was ultimately formed by bringing together 22 different government offices, agencies, and components. Though the Department has made progress in integrating these various agencies, there is still room to improve efficiency and responsiveness. The Committee will review the operations, management, and decision-making at DHS. The Committee will evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of homeland security strategy, laws, initiatives, and technology. In particular, the Committee will focus on aviation, rail, port, and transit infrastructure, our northern and southwestern borders, and other facilities at risk, federal funding interaction with local responders, and efforts to strengthen the U.S. public health system.

The Committee will also review the issuance of visas and passports, as well as other border control and security identification issues. The Committee will also examine border and immigration policies and the operations of U.S. consulates.

The Committee will conduct oversight of the federal government's emergency management

capabilities to ensure that lessons learned from previous disasters – such as the need for improved planning and execution, communications operability, and coordination between all levels of government and within the federal government – are part of federal agency reform efforts.

The Committee will also conduct oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to ensure it is prepared to handle domestic emergencies.

National Security and Foreign Operations

The Committee's interagency jurisdiction allows for the examination of the effectiveness, efficiency, and cooperation of all U.S. Government agencies and departments with a role in national security and foreign operations.

The Committee will conduct oversight of policies, procedures, and programs affecting the safety and security of U.S. Government personnel and facilities abroad. The Committee's oversight will include, but not be limited to, U.S. Department of State and U.S Department of Defense efforts to protect embassy personnel and property.

The Committee's oversight of U.S. diplomatic, military, and development efforts within the CENTCOM area of responsibility will include, but not be limited to: investigations of the training and equipping of the Afghan National Security Forces; the efficiency, accountability, and efficacy of a variety of development and reconstruction efforts, including the use of private contractors; the capacity of various U.S. Government agencies and departments to carry on activities in Afghanistan; and the State Department's diplomatic mission in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Committee will identify ways to reform the interagency process and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse among the various U.S. national security agencies, departments, and foreign aid organizations. The Committee's oversight will include, but not be limited to a review of U.S. military combatant commands, especially AFRICOM, SOUTHCOM, U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Institute of Peace, and the State Department. In particular, the Committee will monitor the status of reconstruction efforts in Haiti.

The Committee will conduct oversight of U.S. diplomatic, military, and development efforts to address the issue of global terrorism both in the short-term and long-term. The Committee's oversight will include whether the United States is maximizing the use of all elements of the national security power and how anti-terror efforts, such as the detention and trial of unlawful enemy combatants, are coordinated with other important U.S. national security interests and the rule of law. The Committee's review will include the international standing of the United States, humanitarian assistance, development programs, and public diplomacy efforts.

The Committee will evaluate U.S. vulnerability to global energy supply disruptions. The scope of the Committee's oversight will include the extent to which supply diversification through the production of domestic renewable and non-renewable resources is an adequate and cost-effective solution for the Defense Department's national security objectives.

The Committee will continue oversight of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' care and management of veterans' needs. The Committee will examine the large backlog of veterans' benefit claims and efforts to streamline the claims process, as well as veteran transitional issues.

The Committee will continue to oversee and assess the efforts of the United States to secure and protect human rights and religious freedom throughout the world.

Transportation and Infrastructure

The Committee will examine the country's aging infrastructure. It will address ways to modernize the way Americans move by reviewing the efficiency of national transportation and infrastructure projects and by identifying and preventing waste. Oversight in this area will include highway and airport redevelopment projects, and fixed rail system improvements.

Additionally, the Committee will examine high speed rail developments and concepts throughout the country, as well as overseas, to help determine the most feasible and cost-effective way to improve mass transit.

In addition, the Committee will consider the role technology plays in advancing commercial and private travel. Oversight in this area will include looking into laws, regulations, and policies related to unmanned aerial vehicles and self-driving cars, for example. The Committee will also examine the status of our nation's merchant marine, including the current condition of the ocean-going fleet in the foreign trade.

Transportation Safety and Security

The Committee will examine domestic and international efforts to better track aircraft and identify ways to close existing gaps in global positioning systems caused by the use of outdated technology. Currently, air traffic controllers rely on human pilots to track aircraft in areas where radar does not exist, including over the oceans.

The Committee will closely examine laws, regulations, and policies governing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The Committee's oversight efforts will focus on maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of airport security, including technology, checkpoint screening, perimeter security, workforce requirements for screening agents, information sharing, and private sector solutions for increasing airport security.

The Committee's oversight also will include reviewing the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) to ensure proper standardization of the identification cards to reduce security gaps.

Federal Real Property Disposal

Since 2003, federal real property management has been on the GAO High Risk list. The Government holds thousands of unneeded properties and spends hundreds of millions of dollars

on upkeep and maintenance of those properties. For example, in FY 2013, the government disposed of 21,464 unneeded properties with annual operating costs of $411 million. A June 2010 Presidential Memorandum on property disposal directed OMB to develop guidance that would include agency-specific targets to achieve $3 billion in cost savings. The Committee intends to examine what progress has been made toward this goal, and to consider changes that could be made to the Federal Real Property and Administrative Services Act that would expedite real property disposal.

The Committee will also review the General Services Administration's fleet vehicle leasing and sales programs, as well as look into government ownership of fleets in other modes of transportation.

Public Housing

The Committee will examine overall costs associated with public housing throughout the country and territories, as well as the significant unmet need for public housing in the United States. Addressing management concerns within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) public housing and low-income rental assistance programs is a priority for the Committee.

Technology Policy

Federal agencies spent over $81 billion in fiscal year 2014 buying, operating, and maintaining information technology products, services, and systems. Many of these systems fail to deliver the productivity gains that were expected, or worse, simply fail. The Committee will review the federal government's information technology procurement and management policies to ensure that taxpayers are getting the maximum return for their money. The Committee will closely monitor the executive branch's efforts to stop IT projects that are not on target, streamline those that are wasteful, and work to ensure that inefficient legacy systems are decommissioned.

The Committee will look broadly at ways technology can improve governmental processes.

In particular, the Committee will focus on the need to transition from outdated legacy systems to newer and more efficient systems – such as those that utilize cloud computing and other technologies – to drive savings. The Committee will continue to assess the progress of federal IT investments and shine light on underperforming programs and assets.

Changes in technology present government agencies with new possibilities and new challenges. The Committee will continue to monitor agency misuse of technology and identify oversight failures.

The Committee will also closely follow the implementation of the Federal Information Security Act of 2014 (FISMA), the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) relevant provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (NDAA), and the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (DATA Act).

The Committee will examine and evaluate agency privacy and security practices to ensure protection of confidential data. The Committee will also focus on emerging technologies and the impact they are having, and will have, on our existing laws and institutions.

The Committee will review the impact of federal IT mandates under laws such as the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), the E-Government Act of 2002 and the Clinger-Cohen Act. The Committee will seek input from government employees on the front lines of procurement and implementation to determine whether these mandates have improved data security, public access, and IT enterprise planning – and at what cost.

The Committee will also examine the role of the Federal Government in internet regulation and governance, and the impact of data protection laws on U.S. economic interests. In addition, the Committee will also focus on privacy in a digital age.

Cybersecurity

The Committee intends to conduct oversight of policies, strategies, and role in cybersecurity. This includes examining breaches of government, contractor, and private sector networks as well as the role federal agencies play in cyber incident threat intelligence, management and response, and cybersecurity risks to the private sector.

The Committee will review the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) cybersecurity framework and its impact on the private sector. The Committee will conduct oversight of the Department of Homeland Security's National Cybersecurity Protection System and the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP).

The Committee will monitor and conduct oversight of federal agency information security practices that are required under FISMA and OMB guidelines, as well as the role of DHS and other federal agencies in these activities. The Committee will examine and evaluate the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) and its progress in facilitating private-public information sharing.

Federal Regulation and the Regulatory Process

While many federal regulations are necessary to effectively implement the laws that Congress passes to protect health, consumers, and the environment, federal regulations can also impose significant burdens on regulated industry. The Committee will place special emphasis on oversight of the federal regulatory process to ensure that federal regulators work to minimize unnecessary burdens on small businesses, job creation, economic growth, and competitiveness.

The Committee will evaluate agency rulemakings to ensure that agencies do not exceed their regulatory authority and adhere to the requirements embodied in executive orders and statutes when developing a regulation. Regulators have an obligation to develop rules in an open and transparent manner and provide adequate time for the public to participate in a meaningful way. The Committee will scrutinize practices not subject to typical rulemaking requirements, such as

the issuance of guidance documents, interim final rulemakings, and settlement agreements, as well as the issuance of local, state, or federal taxes, fines, fees, or penalties.

In addition, the Committee will focus on the role of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in agency rulemakings to ensure that it carries out its regulatory duties in a timely and transparent manner.

Finally, the Committee will examine the impact of unfunded mandates on state and local governments, and private entities, and explore ways to potentially enhance the effectiveness of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995.

Health Care and Entitlements

The Committee will identify waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government entitlement programs. The Committee will focus on problems at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in an effort to minimize the amount of taxpayer money misspent through Medicare and Medicaid.

The Committee will conduct oversight related to the budgetary and economic impact of America's entitlement programs as well as options that would increase choice in health care markets and lower the health care cost curve. The Committee will also examine the increase in federal entitlement programs, with a focus on waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement within those programs.

The Committee will continue to conduct oversight of the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Specifically, the Committee will focus on bringing transparency to the federal government's increased role in health care markets, with a focus on determining the impact of policies on consumer choice and insurance premiums. The Committee will continue to closely examine regulations promulgated under new PPACA authorities, and other executive branch actions, to ensure that they are consistent with the law. Furthermore, the Committee will continue to review health care policy, procedures, and practices at the federal, state, and local level.

The Committee will also conduct oversight of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with a focus on ensuring that FDA strikes the right balance between the availability of drugs and medical devices and patient safety. The Committee will examine the causes and effects of critical pharmaceutical drug shortages, recent increases in the price of certain generic drugs, and the policies and procedures in place to protect the public from the outbreak of dangerous or deadly diseases.

Drug Policy and Safety

The Committee will examine specific pressing federal drug policy issues and the federal agencies that play a role in enforcing and overseeing federal drug policy. The Committee's drug policy efforts will be aimed at reducing the volume of illegal drugs available for domestic use, reducing the volume of improper access to and use of otherwise legal drugs, reviewing the

collateral consequences of criminal convictions, and evaluating the agencies and offices that are tasked with handling crucial drug missions and, where necessary, recommending changes. The Committee will also consider reauthorization of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The Government Accountability Office

The Committee will continue to work with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the implementation of government policies and procedures, and whether taxpayer dollars are being spent efficiently.

In February 2015, the Government Accountability Office will issue its biannual High Risk report, which identifies government programs that are particularly vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse. The Committee will provide ongoing oversight of agencies and programs included on the High Risk list by holding hearings, meeting with agency officials responsible for included programs, and monitoring agencies' corrective plans and actions.

Financial Sector and Consumer Protection

The Committee will conduct oversight of the financial sector, focusing on those regulatory agencies whose failures were implicated in the financial crisis and those agencies that were created, or saw their powers expanded, by the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010. The Committee will monitor financial regulators' management, technological initiatives and rulemaking, with a view towards promoting capital formation, predictable and efficient markets, and investor and consumer protection.

The Committee will monitor the work of the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) and the Office of Financial Research (OFR), including the "systemically important financial institution" designation process.

Key topics for oversight include the need for technology-driven transparency in financial regulatory filings so that markets can quickly digest crucial information, management, and communications challenges at key agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act.

The Committee will conduct oversight of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and their regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The Committee will further explore potential risks to taxpayers associated with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and government housing policies, and will work to ensure that additional taxpayer money is spent efficiently and effectively. The Committee will also conduct oversight to ensure that FHFA is implementing policies that protect homeowners from abusive mortgage origination and servicing practices and that maximize assistance to homeowners, in accordance with federal statutes.

The Committee will conduct oversight of the Federal Reserve, including its use of non-traditional quantitative easing techniques, potential financial risks associated with its growing portfolio of assets, and the effectiveness of its regulatory procedures.

The Committee will continue to monitor the SEC's implementation of the JOBS Act and Dodd-Frank Act.

The Committee will continue to conduct oversight of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, focusing on the Bureau's management, budget, operations, rulemakings, enforcement actions, and its success in protecting consumers from improper and abusive financial products.

The Committee will continue to conduct oversight of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and review the actions it took in monitoring financial fraud with respect to third-party payment processors.

The Committee will examine consumer protection efforts across the federal government. As a part of this oversight, the Committee will examine the regulatory and enforcement actions of the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Inspectors General

In fiscal year 2013 alone, the inspector general community identified potential savings in executive branch departments and agencies totaling almost $51.8 billion.

Continuing its work from the previous Congresses, the Committee will send letters to 72 Inspectors General to obtain data associated with open and unimplemented IG recommendations that have the potential to save billions of dollars. The Committee will use this information to identify government-wide trends and to encourage the agencies to implement the recommendations.

The Committee will also monitor and address challenges to access and independence throughout the community of federal inspectors general. The Committee will continue to highlight Congress' intent that inspectors general are entitled to receive unfettered access to information and records from their respective agencies. The Committee will also pursue legislation to make the IGs more effective.

Federal Financial Management

The Committee will examine federal financial management. This review will include compliance with financial management and accounting laws, as well as the security and reliability of federal financial systems. The Committee will also focus on agency efforts to reduce improper payments and achieve a clean government-wide audit.

Financial management reforms in 1990 required all federal agencies to conduct financial audits and for GAO to audit the consolidated financial statements of the federal government. To date, GAO has not been able to issue an audit opinion. In the 2014 statement, GAO identified three reasons: 1) the federal government cannot account for and reconcile intra-governmental financial activity between federal entities, 2) the Department of Treasury has not developed an effective

process for preparing the consolidated statements, and 3) the Department of Defense has yet to produce auditable financial statements.

The size of DOD's budget accounts for a significant portion of the federal government's total spending and, as a result, the United States has never produced an audit of its financial statements. The Committee will focus on overseeing DOD's financial management processes and its progress towards becoming auditable.

The Committee will also continue to investigate improper payments distributed by federal agencies. Under the 2002 Improper Payments Information Act (IPIA), federal agencies are required to annually review all programs and activities to identify those entities susceptible to significant improper payments. For FY 2013, improper payments totaled $105.8 billion.

Government Contracting

Controlling federal government contract spending is critically important. The cost of contract spending more than doubled from FY 2001 ($223 billion) to FY2010 ($540 billion). Contract spending began to decline in FY 2011 ($539 billion) and continued to decline through FY 2013 ($462 billion). Still, the FY 2013 contract spending total was more than double the spending in FY 2001 ($223 billion). Despite the recent overall contracting spending trend (which is largely attributable to the overall budget and the U.S. policy to decrease the U.S. presence in Afghanistan and Iraq), challenges remain in contracting spending. The Committee will seek to ensure that controlling spending does not have a negative impact on contract oversight and administration. To that end, the Committee will investigate waste, fraud, and abuse in federal contracting.

The Committee will monitor the Administration's use of civil and criminal remedies to address wrongdoing. Transparency at the point of contract award and throughout the life cycle of the federal contract can prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. Additionally, the Committee will focus special attention on transparency relating to past performance and contract oversight concerns. The Committee will review federal contractor ethics and disclosure requirements, as well as the proper role of contracting for preferences and set-aside programs for small and disadvantaged businesses.

The Committee will conduct oversight of contracting issues associated with the transition of responsibilities from the Defense Department to the State Department in Iraq, as well as oversight of contracting in Afghanistan to prevent corruption. Finally, the Committee will focus on IT acquisition and oversight issues because far too many federal IT investments fail or incur cost overruns and schedule slippages and do not contribute to mission objectives. The executive branch has launched various initiatives to improve management of approximately $80 billion in IT investments and the Committee will closely monitor these initiatives.

Grant Reform

The Committee intends to examine the efficiency, fairness, and transparency of agency grant-making processes. The Committee will examine federal efforts to reform and streamline the

grant process across multiple federal agencies. The Committee will investigate allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse in the grants process within specific federal agencies and examine efforts to adopt consistent government-wide policies for grants applications and reporting. The Committee will also examine Department of Justice grants and other law enforcement assistance programs, such as the Department of Defense's 1033 program.

Suspension and Debarment

The federal government spends almost $1 trillion on contracts and grants annually. Despite congressional oversight efforts, GAO has determined that there are serious weaknesses in the suspension and debarment programs of numerous agencies. This has resulted in the awarding of federal funds to companies, organizations and individuals which should have been barred from receiving such funds, including those with criminal convictions, federal tax liabilities, or ties to terrorist organizations. The Committee will continue to conduct oversight to promote efficiency, transparency, and accountability related to suspension and debarment, to include improvements to managing the government-wide database of suspended and disbarred contractors.

District of Columbia

The Committee will review the District's use of federal education funds authorized under the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act. As part of a three-sector approach to education reform in D.C., this law authorizes funding for education improvement measures for the city's traditional and charter public schools, as well as provides scholarships to low-income students so they can attend a private school of their choice.

The Committee will examine the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). WMATA has experienced numerous problems relating to customer safety and Metrorail accidents over the past several years. While WMATA has publicly committed itself to taking the necessary steps to address operational and safety deficiencies, routine and rigorous oversight of the agency remains warranted. The Committee will specifically review the January 2015 Metro incident at L'Enfant Plaza, and will monitor WMATA's response.

Census

The Committee will review the process by which the 2020 Decennial Census will be conducted, its level of accuracy, and the appropriateness of the Decennial's overall budget. The successful planning of the 2020 Decennial Census will determine the level of funding in 2018, 2019, and 2020, the years that account for most of the Census Bureau's funding. A particular focus will be placed on the Bureau's ability to successfully utilize technology to significantly reduce costs. The Committee will also review the non-decennial operations of the Census Bureau to identify opportunities for savings by improving efficiency and reducing waste. The Committee will also seek to determine if the Bureau's data collection activities are overly broad and whether they serve legitimate public interests.

National Archives and Federal Records

The Committee will conduct oversight of NARA's management of government records and the procedures NARA is putting in place to handle and archive records generated by new technologies, including social media. The Committee will also examine NARA's recommended procedures and agency adoption of those procedures to ensure the electronic capture and archival of records created electronically.

The Committee will examine the Presidential Library system, specifically looking at the governance of the Presidential Libraries, how the foundations interact with NARA, and how the foundations and NARA coordinate and cooperate to fulfill the mission of the Presidential Library system.

Government Management and the Federal Workforce

Current challenges facing the executive branch, coupled with the deficit, require a new approach to government. The Committee will examine the major structural and organizational issues that cause government waste and redundancy. The Committee will work to modernize the federal personnel system, and better align worker compensation with the private sector. Performance management will be part of the Committee's review. The Committee will also look to ensure the size and composition of the federal workforce is driven by critical needs. The Committee will consider reauthorization of the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Office of Government Ethics.

The Committee will oversee implementation of the Government Performance and Results Act Modernization Act (GPRAMA), with particular focus on program level data. GPRAMA requires OMB to create and publish an inventory of all federal programs and associated data. In a 2014 report on OMB's program inventory, GAO found that many federal programs are not identifiable and the data is not comparable, making the program inventory nearly unusable. Usable program level data is essential for GAO to complete its work and will be necessary for effective implementation of the DATA Act.

United States Postal Service

The United States Postal Service (USPS) lost $5.5 billion in FY 2014 and continues to face systemic liquidity challenges as mail volume continues to decline. Additionally, USPS currently stands in default on $22.4 billion in payments to the U.S. Treasury to fund the costs of retiree health care.

GAO added USPS's financial condition to its high-risk list in 2009 and since then has been a major proponent of reform. GAO believes that major restructuring is necessary and not doing so will increase the risk that taxpayers and the U.S. Treasury will have to provide financial relief.

Since FY 2006, USPS mail volume has declined by more than 27 percent, with the greatest decline in its most profitable product, First-Class Mail. Persistent, ongoing declines in mail

volume are now projected for the foreseeable future as electronic communication increasingly supplants paper based communication. As a result of these mail volume declines, USPS has seen its annual revenue decline by $8 billion from its peak in FY 2008 and USPS is now losing $15 million per day. Additionally, for the first time in its history, USPS reached its statutory debt limit in September 2012.

The Committee will examine actions and plans USPS is taking to preserve universal service, avoid insolvency, improve financial management, and prevent a taxpayer bailout. The Committee will also pursue the enactment of substantive postal reform legislation, building on reform bills the Committee reported during the112th and 113th congresses. To assist in its efforts, the Committee will continue to work with USPS, GAO, and other postal experts.

Energy

The United States has become the world leader in oil and gas production. It is imperative that this administration protect this vital national resource. With this goal in mind, the Committee will examine the state of U.S. energy transportation infrastructure, particularly oil and gas pipelines. Inadequate capacity has created major bottlenecks and forced producers to transport domestic oil and gas via such inefficient means such as rail and truck. Additionally, the pipeline permitting process – involving agencies as varied as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of State, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission – is a contributing factor to network incapacity.

In light of the significant changes in global oil supply, the Committee will review current U.S policy on oil and natural gas exportation. This oversight will focus on the impacts of the current ban on crude exports and the implementation of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) export program.

The Committee will conduct oversight of the Administration's efforts to regulate the practice of hydraulic fracturing, which has been regulated by the states for decades. The Committee will also conduct oversight of EPA's ongoing study of the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and drinking water.

The Committee will examine the Administration's policies toward energy production on federal lands and waters. The Committee will also examine the impacts of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process.

The Committee will also continue its broad investigation of the Department of Energy's portfolio, including, but not limited to, the Department's loan guarantee programs; the Office of Environmental Management; stockpile stewardship; and nuclear safety and disposal.

Environment

The Committee will continue to take an active role in overseeing the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) implementation of the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. The Committee will conduct oversight of these matters with a focus on consumer impact, federal interaction with state management processes, constitutionality, agency process, adequate economic analysis of

proposed rules, and cumulative impact analysis. Further, the Committee will determine the impacts these rules have on the health, safety, and economic well-being of American families, job creation, and electricity generation.

The Committee will also continue to review the EPA's internal controls and workforce management. Specific areas of focus will be on time and attendance fraud, document preservation, and inspector general access.

The Committee will also continue to examine the EPA's implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard and its impact on consumers and businesses.

The Committee will also continue to monitor the Chemical Safety Board, specifically its management, information sharing with other agencies, ability to retain employees, and investigative capabilities.

Public Lands & Public Land Agencies

The federal government owns roughly 28 percent of the 2.27 billion acres of land in the United States, with the vast majority of that federal land concentrated in western states. The Committee will broadly examine federal land management with a focus on maintenance priorities, impact on states, return on investment and the impact of litigation.

The Committee will also conduct oversight on the Department of the Interior's regulatory responsibilities. The focus of this oversight will be the impact of the Department's regulatory and policy agenda and how these environmental laws affect private landowners, small businesses, and all public land users.

The Committee will generally review the public land agencies' permitting and leasing programs to ensure that citizens are being treated fairly and that federal lands are open and inviting for multiple uses. This oversight will focus on energy leasing projects, recreational permits, and the commercial permitting process.

The Committee will examine the Department's implementation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to ensure that listings are made with the goal of recovering species and removing them from the list. This oversight will focus on the ESA litigation process, scientific independence and integrity, cost of ESA compliance, and transparency of the listing process.