IRS Improper Payments Act

IRS Improper Payments Act

This bill directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Justice (DOJ), executive agencies, and inspectors general to take specified steps to reduce improper payments and eliminate waste in federal programs.

Specifically, the OMB must (1) establish annual targets for reducing improper payments, (2) issue government-wide guidance on this bill's implementation, and (3) establish various working groups. The OMB must also develop policy recommendations, including potential legislative proposals, designed to reduce improper payments.

The Department of the Treasury, in coordination with DOJ and the OMB, must (1) publish information about improper payments under programs identified as having the highest dollar value or majority of improper payments (i.e., high priority programs); and (2) establish a central internet-based method to collect from the public information relating to suspected incidents of waste, fraud, and abuse.

Each agency that administers a high priority program shall designate a Senate-confirmed official to be accountable for meeting agency program reduction targets.

The bill requires an agency that fails to meet high priority program reduction targets of the agency, or fails to implement the plans for not less than two consecutive years, to submit a report that describes the likely causes of the failure and proposes a remedial plan.

The Chief Financial Officers Council must take specified actions.

The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council must recommend to the President actions designed to enhance contractor accountability for improper payments.