Overview

Title

An Act To extend the authority to provide employees of the United States Secret Service with overtime pay beyond other statutory limitations, and for other purposes.

ELI5 AI

The "Overtime Pay for Protective Services Act of 2023" lets U.S. Secret Service workers get extra pay for working more hours until 2028, even more than normal rules allow. It also says some office tasks don’t count as protective work, and the Secret Service has to tell Congress each year how they plan to use overtime.

Summary AI

S. 3427, also known as the "Overtime Pay for Protective Services Act of 2023," extends the time frame for which U.S. Secret Service employees can receive overtime pay beyond existing statutory limits until 2028. The bill excludes routine administrative tasks from being classified as "protective services." It also requires the Director of the Secret Service to report back to Congress on plans to minimize overtime use and to submit annual and quarterly updates on overtime projections and actual figures through 2029. If enacted after the end of 2023, the bill’s provisions will retroactively take effect from December 31, 2023.

Published

2024-01-31
Congress: 118
Session: 2
Chamber: SENATE
Status: Enrolled Bill
Date: 2024-01-31
Package ID: BILLS-118s3427enr

Keywords AI

overtime pay united states secret service protective services federal budget government spending retroactive application administrative burden staffing needs 2028 extension cost control

Sources

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
2
Words:
1,214
Pages:
3
Sentences:
18

Language

Nouns: 354
Verbs: 68
Adjectives: 45
Adverbs: 6
Numbers: 65
Entities: 93

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.18
Average Sentence Length:
67.44
Token Entropy:
4.83
Readability (ARI):
35.40

AnalysisAI

General Summary of the Bill

The proposed legislation, identified as S. 3427, is designed to address overtime pay for employees of the United States Secret Service by extending specific exceptions beyond typical statutory limitations. Specifically, the bill seeks to continue an exception for overtime pay originally established by the Overtime Pay for Protective Services Act of 2016, extending its application from the previous end date in 2023 to 2028. With this, the bill also introduces a revised definition of "protective services" and imposes various reporting requirements intended to enhance transparency and accountability regarding overtime usage.

Summary of Significant Issues

Several significant issues are associated with the proposed legislation:

  1. Increased Government Spending: Extending the exception for overtime pay through 2028 could lead to increased spending without clear cost-control mechanisms. This raises concerns about the potential fiscal impact on the federal budget, particularly in an era where budgetary constraints are prevalent.

  2. Ambiguities in Definitions: The legislation refines the definition of "protective services" to exclude certain roles. This could create ambiguities about which Secret Service employees qualify for overtime pay exceptions, potentially leading to legal disputes and confusion over eligibility.

  3. Administrative Burden: The bill mandates detailed and recurring reporting from the Director of the United States Secret Service to Congress. While intended to improve accountability, this could place an undue administrative burden on the agency, diverting resources away from its primary operational tasks.

  4. Retroactive Provisions: The act includes retroactive provisions effective if it is enacted after December 31, 2023. This could complicate budgeting and financial planning, introducing uncertainty for agencies tasked with adjusting to past fiscal conditions.

  5. Lack of Spending Cap: The absence of a specified cap on overtime expenses could permit unchecked government spending, potentially leading to fiscal irresponsibility without robust oversight.

Impact on the General Public

The implications of this bill might extend to the public primarily through financial aspects. Higher government spending on overtime pay could influence federal budget allocations, potentially affecting funding for other public services and initiatives. While the bill aims to ensure that the Secret Service has the resources necessary to fulfill its protective duties, the broader impact on government spending could manifest in future budgetary challenges.

Impact on Specific Stakeholders

United States Secret Service

This bill is poised to have a direct impact on the Secret Service by providing relief from the constraints of existing overtime pay limitations. By extending the timeline for these exceptions, the agency may more effectively meet the increasing demands of its protective services, enhancing its operational capacity without immediate financial hindrances. However, the responsibility for submitting detailed reports could strain resources and focus.

Government Accountability and Oversight Bodies

The detailed reporting requirements stipulated in the bill are intended to bolster transparency and accountability. However, the complexity and frequency of these reports can strain the Secret Service's administrative functions and require additional oversight resources, potentially affecting the efficiency of both the agency and related Congressional committees.

Secret Service Personnel

Employees within the Secret Service stand to benefit directly from the extended overtime pay exceptions, as it allows for compensation aligned with the demands of their roles—a critical factor in recruitment and retention especially given the pressures associated with protective services. Yet, the exclusions within the definition of "protective services" might create disparities among employees regarding eligibility for overtime benefits, leading to discontent or morale issues among those whose roles are deemed ineligible.

Overall, the bill presents a mix of positive enhancements and potential challenges, with its success hinging on effectively balancing resource allocation, accountability, and operational needs within the United States Secret Service.

Issues

  • The extension of the overtime pay exception through 2028 (Section 2) may result in increased government spending without a clear mechanism to control costs, which could have significant financial implications for the federal budget.

  • The exclusion of certain roles from the definition of 'protective services' in Section 2 could lead to ambiguity regarding who qualifies for overtime pay exceptions, potentially leading to legal confusion and disputes.

  • The requirement for detailed and repeated reporting (Section 2(c)) places a significant administrative burden on the Director of the United States Secret Service, potentially diverting resources from operational tasks and impacting the agency's efficiency.

  • The retroactive application of the Act's amendments if enacted after December 31, 2023, as outlined in Section 2(b), could complicate budgeting and financial planning for affected services, potentially causing funding uncertainties.

  • Lack of a specific cap or limit on overtime expenses (Section 2), which might result in unchecked and potentially excessive government spending, raising concerns about financial oversight.

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

This section gives the short title of the legislation as the “Overtime Pay for Protective Services Act of 2023.”

2. Extension of overtime pay exception through 2028 for protective services Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section extends the exception for overtime pay for protective services from 2023 to 2028 and introduces new definitions and adjustments to the Act. It requires the Director of the United States Secret Service to submit various reports to Congress, detailing efforts to decrease overtime and projecting future staffing needs and operational demands.