Kaptur amendment to Agriculture Appropriations Act

On page 3, line 25, of the Committee print, insert the following before the period:

"Provided, That no funds made available by this appropriation may be obligated for FAIR Act or Circular A-76 activities until the Secretary has submitted to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a report on the Department's contracting out policies, including agency budgets for contracting out"

On page 6 of the Committee print, insert the following new report language after the first two paragraphs:

"In the reports accompanying its fiscal year 2001, 2002 and 2003 bills, the Committee addressed the issue of contracting out. The Committee noted its concerns about the potential cost benefit impact of contracting out and about the needs of customers in programs such as those of the Rural Development Services and the Farm Service Agency.

The Committee also directed the Department each year to submit a report concurrent with the Department's annual budget submission for the following fiscal year, "on its contracting out policies, including agency budgets for contracting out." The Department has failed to comply with this directive for three years.

The Committee intends its directives to be carried out by the Department. The reports it requested are essential to the Committee conducting its oversight responsibilities. Because of the Department's failure to comply with the Committee's directives and the importance of this information to the performance of the Committee's oversight responsibilities, the Committee has included bill language requiring the submission of a report on contracting out policies and agency budgets, prior to the use of any funds appropriated to the Office of the Chief Financial Officer for FAIR Act or Circular A-76 activities.