Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commissions Review Act in plain language
1: Short title
This section would let the Act be called the Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commissions Review Act.
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1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commissions Review Act .
2: Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commissions
This section would require the Comptroller General of the United States (the head of the Government Accountability Office) to begin a review of the Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commissions within 1 year after the Act becomes law. In that review, the Comptroller General would have to review each Commission's ethics policies and practices; review the practices each Commission uses to communicate with the general public; review current federal responsibilities at each Commission, including the types of actions relevant federal agencies take to carry out those responsibilities; describe the level and sources of federal and state funding each Commission receives; identify any duties or responsibilities of each Commission that may duplicate or overlap with other federal authorities; and review each Commission's policies and best practices for reporting on its own activities. After finishing the review, the Comptroller General would have to submit a report to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works containing the review's findings and any recommendations, including recommendations for statutory or administrative changes or changes to ethics policies and practices, to increase transparency or congressional oversight of the Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commissions. Not later than 90 days after the Comptroller General submits that report, and then annually for five more years, each Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commission would have to submit a plan to the same two committees detailing what actions the Commission has taken to comply with the report's recommendations. For purposes of this section, Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commission would mean the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (created by the Susquehanna River Basin Compact, consented to by Public Law 91-575, 84 Stat. 1509), the Delaware River Basin Commission (created by the Delaware River Basin Compact, consented to by Public Law 87-328, 75 Stat. 688), and the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (created by the Potomac River Basin Compact, consented to by Public Law 91-407, 84 Stat. 856).
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2. Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commissions (a) GAO report (1) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall initiate a review of the Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commissions. (2) Requirements In conducting the review under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall— (A) review the ethics policies and practices of each Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commission; (B) review the practices each Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commission uses to communicate with the general public; (C) review current Federal responsibilities at each Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commission, including the types of actions taken by relevant Federal agencies in carrying out such responsibilities; (D) describe the level and sources of Federal and State funding received by each Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commission; (E) identify duties and responsibilities of each Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commission that may be duplicative of, or overlap with, other Federal authorities; and (F) review policies and best practices of each Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commission for reporting activities of the Commission. (3) Report Upon completion of the review conducted under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report containing— (A) the findings of such review; and (B) any recommendations, including any recommendations for statutory or administrative changes or changes to ethics policies and practices, to increase the transparency or congressional oversight of the Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commissions. (b) Plan for compliance Not later than 90 days after the Comptroller General submits the report required under subsection (a)(3), and annually thereafter for five years, each Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commission shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a plan detailing actions such Commission has taken to comply with the recommendations contained in such report. (c) Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commission defined In this section, the term Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commission means— (1) the Susquehanna River Basin Commission created by the Susquehanna River Basin Compact to which consent was given by Public Law 91–575 (84 Stat. 1509); (2) the Delaware River Basin Commission created by the Delaware River Basin Compact to which consent was given by Public Law 87–328 (75 Stat. 688); and (3) the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin created by the Potomac River Basin Compact to which consent was given by Public Law 91–407 (84 Stat. 856).