S. 1998 (112th): DART Act

S 1998 RS

To obtain an unqualified audit opinion, and improve financial accountability and management at the Department of Homeland Security.

December 15, 2012

Mr. BROWN of Massachusetts (for himself, Mr. CARPER, and Mr. JOHNSON of Wisconsin) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

November 2, 2012

Reported under authority of the order of the Senate of September 22 (legislative day, September 21), 2012, by Mr. LIEBERMAN, with an amendment

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]

To obtain an unqualified audit opinion, and improve financial accountability and management at the Department of Homeland Security.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

[Struck out->] SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] This Act may be cited as the ‘Department of Homeland Security Improved Financial Accountability Act of 2011’. [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] SEC. 2. IMPROVING FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND MANAGEMENT. [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (a) Definitions- In this section-- [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (1) the term ‘Department’ means the Department of Homeland Security; [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (2) the terms ‘qualified opinion’ and ‘unqualified opinion’ mean a qualified opinion and an unqualified opinion, respectively, within the meanings given those terms under generally accepted government auditing standards; and [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (3) the term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Homeland Security. [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (b) Reaching an Unqualified Audit Opinion- In order to ensure compliance with the Department of Homeland Security Financial Accountability Act (Public Law 108-330; 118 Stat. 1275) and the amendments made by that Act, the Secretary shall-- [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (1) take the necessary steps to ensure that the balance sheet of the Department and associated statement of custodial activity for the fiscal years ending September 30, 2012 and September 30, 2013 are ready in a timely manner and in preparation for an audit as part of preparing the performance and accountability reports required under section 3516(f) of title 31, United States Code, including submitting the reports not later than November 15, 2012 and November 15, 2013, respectively, in order to obtain a qualified or unqualified opinion; [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (2) take the necessary steps to ensure that the full set of consolidated financial statements of the Department for the fiscal years ending September 30, 2014 and September 30, 2015 are ready in a timely manner and in preparation for an audit as part of preparing the performance and accountability reports required under section 3516(f) of title 31, United States Code, including submitting the reports not later than November 15, 2014 and November 15, 2015, respectively, in order to obtain a qualified or unqualified opinion; and [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (3) take the necessary steps to ensure that the full set of consolidated financial statements of the Department for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, and each fiscal year thereafter, are ready in a timely manner and in preparation for an audit as part of preparing the performance and accountability reports required under section 3516(f) of title 31, United States Code, including submitting the reports not later than November 15, 2016, and each year thereafter, in order to obtain an unqualified opinion. [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (c) Report to Congress on Progress of Meeting Audit Requirements- Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until an unqualified opinion is submitted under paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (b), and in order to ensure progress in implementing the Department of Homeland Security Financial Accountability Act (Public Law 108-330; 118 Stat. 1275) and the amendments made by that Act, the Chief Financial Officer of the Department shall submit to Congress a report on the plans to obtain an unqualified opinion, which shall discuss plans and resources needed to meet the deadlines under subsection (b). [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (d) Report To Congress on Plans To Modernize Financial Systems- [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and in order to improve financial management at the Department, the Chief Financial Officer of the Department shall submit to Congress and the Comptroller General of the United States a report on the plans of the Department and resources needed to modernize the financial systems of the Department. [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (2) CONTENTS- The report submitted under paragraph (1) shall discuss-- [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (A) the challenges of and opportunities for using existing financial systems of the Department, including an assessment of the feasibility and cost of using an existing financial system; [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (B) the challenges and opportunities of implementing a new financial system and associated financial controls; and [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (C) the lessons learned from the prior attempts of the Department to develop a financial system that will be considered in implementing a new financial system. [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (3) REVIEW- Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Chief Financial Officer of the Department submits the report under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General of the United States shall review the report and submit to Congress a report that provides-- [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (A) an assessment of the status of the financial system modernization by the Department; [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (B) an evaluation of the report; [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (C) an assessment of the plans to modernize, and developments at the Department relating to, the financial system of the Department; and [<-Struck out]

[Struck out->] (D) any recommendations for improving the plans for a new financial system at the Department. [<-Struck out]

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘DHS Audit Requirement Target Act of 2012’ or the ‘DART Act’.

SEC. 2. IMPROVING FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND MANAGEMENT.

(a) Definitions- In this section--

(1) the term ‘Department’ means the Department of Homeland Security;

(2) the term ‘financial management systems’ has the meaning given that term under section 806 of the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996 (31 U.S.C. 3512 note);

(3) the term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Homeland Security; and

(4) the term ‘unqualified opinion’ mean an unqualified opinion within the meaning given that term under generally accepted auditing standards.

(b) Reaching an Unqualified Audit Opinion- In order to ensure compliance with the Department of Homeland Security Financial Accountability Act (Public Law 108-330; 118 Stat. 1275) and the amendments made by that Act, the Secretary shall take the necessary steps to ensure that the full set of consolidated financial statements of the Department for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2013, and each fiscal year thereafter, are ready in a timely manner and in preparation for an audit as part of preparing the performance and accountability reports required under section 3516(f) of title 31, United States Code, (including submitting the reports not later than November 15, 2013, and each year thereafter) in order to obtain an unqualified opinion on the full set of financial statements for the fiscal year.

(c) Report to Congress on Progress of Meeting Audit Requirements- In order to ensure progress in implementing the Department of Homeland Security Financial Accountability Act (Public Law 108-330; 118 Stat. 1275), and the amendments made by that Act, during the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and ending on the date on which an unqualified opinion described in subsection (b) is submitted, each report submitted by the Chief Financial Officer of the Department under section 902(a)(6) of title 31, United States Code, shall include a plan--

(1) to obtain an unqualified opinion on the full set of financial statements, which shall discuss plans and resources needed to meet the deadlines under subsection (b);

(2) that addresses how the Department will eliminate material weaknesses and significant deficiencies in internal controls over financial reporting and provides deadlines for the elimination of such weaknesses and deficiencies; and

(3) to modernize the financial management systems of the Department, including timelines, goals, alternatives, and costs of the plan, which shall include consideration of alternative approaches, including modernizing the existing financial management systems and associated financial controls of the Department and establishing new financial management systems and associated financial controls.

Calendar No. 535

To obtain an unqualified audit opinion, and improve financial accountability and management at the Department of Homeland Security.

November 2, 2012

Loading...