Overview
Title
An Act To provide that the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995 does not apply to certain reports required to be submitted by the Tennessee Valley Authority, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
H.R. 4693 wants the Tennessee Valley Authority to share some information about what their top employees do and how much they get paid, but it won't tell everything to keep certain details secret.
Summary AI
H.R. 4693 is a bill that aims to prevent the elimination of certain reports required from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), despite the mandates of the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995. It specifically amends the TVA Act of 1933 to require the disclosure of names, salaries, and duties of TVA employees at the management level or above, who earn at least as much as a federal GS-15 grade employee. However, it exempts these salary details from public disclosure requirements under federal law, ensuring that some information remains confidential.
Published
Keywords AI
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Bill Statistics
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AnalysisAI
The bill, titled the "Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act," seeks to amend the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933 to increase transparency regarding the salaries of top-level employees. Specifically, it mandates a report detailing the names, salaries, and duties of employees at the management level or above who earn salaries equal to or greater than what a federal GS-15 employee earns. However, there are provisions to keep these salary details exempt from public disclosure under certain laws.
General Summary of the Bill
This piece of legislation aims to strike a balance between transparency and confidentiality regarding the salary information of high-ranking employees within the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). On one hand, it seeks to ensure that stakeholders are informed about the compensation of management-level employees. On the other hand, it exempts specific details of these salaries from being publicly accessible by circumventing some existing federal transparency laws.
Summary of Significant Issues
One significant issue is the potential reduction in public accountability due to the exemption from disclosure under specified laws, including the Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act. This might diminish the bill's intent to enhance transparency. Additionally, there is ambiguity about which aspects of the compensation report are protected from disclosure, leading to potential inconsistencies in how the information is interpreted and applied.
The language used in the bill is also complex and may obscure its practical implications for those affected. Furthermore, the references to salaries exceeding the GS-15 pay scale could be confusing, given that these pay scales are subject to change, possibly resulting in inconsistent criteria for eligibility.
Impact on the Public and Stakeholders
Broadly speaking, the bill could influence public confidence in the TVA by attempting to deliver a measure of transparency in how the organization manages its compensation for senior employees. However, the exemptions to public disclosure might counteract these efforts, leading to questions about the TVA's overall accountability.
For the Tennessee Valley Authority itself, the impact is twofold. While the requirement of more detailed reporting could promote a degree of organizational transparency, the exemptions could guard sensitive salary information against public scrutiny, potentially protecting competitive or strategic interests.
For TVA employees, especially those in management or executive roles, this bill offers a layer of confidentiality regarding their compensation, which might safeguard privacy and protect them from undue public attention or criticism.
Conclusion
The Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act raises critical questions about the balance between transparency and privacy. While it sets out to enhance the visibility of how compensation is handled within the TVA, the exemptions to certain transparency laws might limit its effectiveness. The complexity and potential ambiguities in the bill could also affect how well it is understood and implemented by the public and stakeholders alike. Ultimately, the bill reflects ongoing challenges in ensuring both accountability and confidentiality in public organizations.
Financial Assessment
The bill, H.R. 4693, primarily addresses financial transparency related to the salaries of certain employees within the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). It involves amending previous legislation to require the disclosure of salaries for those at the management level or above, specifically those earning at or above the maximum rate of basic pay for federal GS-15 grade employees. However, it simultaneously exempts these salary details from public disclosure under certain federal laws.
Financial References
The financial references in this bill revolve around salary transparency at the TVA. By detailing that salaries at the management level or above must be disclosed if they meet or exceed a certain threshold, the bill attempts to increase accountability regarding compensation. The threshold, set at or greater than the pay for a GS-15 grade federal employee, serves as a benchmark for disclosure. This presents a concrete financial reference that aligns with federal salary scales, making it a critical point for evaluating compensation transparency within the TVA.
Relation to Identified Issues
One of the issues raised is the ambiguity surrounding which specific parts of the compensation report are exempt from disclosure due to the bill's language. This ambiguity could indeed lead to confusion. By exempting certain information from disclosure, the amendments may conflict with the objective of transparency concerning employee compensation. The bill's intention seems to be in making management-level salaries more visible, yet the exemptions might contradict this goal by keeping certain financial details confidential.
Further, the use of the term "greater than the maximum rate of basic pay for grade GS-15" necessitates clear guidelines, as federal pay scales can be subject to change. This raises concerns about the bill's effectiveness over time without adjustments for such changes. The lack of specificity regarding how compensation should be reported could lead to variable compliance and enforcement of these financial reporting requirements, potentially undermining transparency efforts.
Conclusion
In summary, while H.R. 4693 emphasizes increased financial disclosures for the TVA, the exemptions it introduces may inadvertently limit the scope of transparency. By requiring the disclosure of names, salaries, and duties of certain high-earning employees, the bill sets a clear expectation for financial accountability within the TVA. However, stakeholders must carefully consider the balance between transparency and confidentiality to ensure the bill effectively meets its objectives without creating loopholes that could diminish public trust in how financial resources are allocated within the Authority.
Issues
The exemption from the Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act (Public Law 117–263) in Section 2 could hinder accountability and public access to information regarding the salaries of employees of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
The ambiguity in Section 2 concerning which parts of the compensation report are exempt from disclosure could lead to inconsistent interpretations and reduce transparency.
The amendment in Section 2 increases transparency of management-level salaries but also creates exemptions under certain laws, which could ultimately diminish the intended transparency.
The language in Section 2 appears overly complex, potentially making it difficult for stakeholders to understand the practical implications of the amendment.
The phrase 'greater than the maximum rate of basic pay for grade GS–15 of the General Schedule' in Section 2 may require specificity regarding the exact eligibility criteria since pay scales can change.
Section 9's lack of specific details about compensation reporting mechanisms could result in ambiguous interpretation, affecting the clarity and enforcement of financial reporting requirements.
The absence of criteria or metrics in Section 9 to evaluate what constitutes acceptable compensation could lead to misinterpretation and inconsistencies in applying the law.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of the Act provides the short title, stating that it may be referred to as the “Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act.”
2. Salary disclosure; exception to report elimination Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933 is being changed to require a report that includes the names, salaries, and duties of top-level employees earning at least as much as a GS-15 in the federal pay scale. However, details about these salaries will not be publicly disclosed and are exempt from certain reporting requirements.
Money References
- Section 9 of the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933 (16 U.S.C. 831h) is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by striking “a financial statement” and all that follows through “$1,500 a year” and inserting “a report of the total number of employees at the management level or above, to include all executives and board members, that shall include the names, salaries, and duties of such employees, that are receiving compensation at or greater than the maximum rate of basic pay for grade GS–15 of the General Schedule”; (2) by striking all that precedes “The Board shall” and inserting the following: “SEC. 9. Financial reporting. “(a) Report on compensation.— “(1) IN GENERAL.—”; and (3) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following: “(2) EXEMPTION.—The information concerning salaries of employees of the Corporation contained in, or filed with, the report described in paragraph (1) is exempt from— “(A) disclosure under section 552(b)(3) of title 5, United States Code; and “(B) the requirements of the Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act (Public Law 117–263).”. ---
9. Financial reporting Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section mandates a report on compensation, outlining the requirement for detailed documentation regarding financial reporting associated with it.