House-passed bill would require fraud-prevention training for federal staff who oversee payments and programs

The Treasury Secretary and the OMB Director, consulting the Office of Personnel Management, may set up and maintain a government-wide antifraud and improper payment prevention training program. Training would cover spotting fraud risks, using federal fraud-prevention guides, data tools, and Treasury's Do Not Pay system, reporting suspected fraud, and internal controls. The bill says Treasury and OMB 'may' create the program, so it does not require them to. The act takes effect 180 days after enactment. Treasury may issue rules within 180 days after that.

Agency heads must ensure that employees in program, payment, auditing, and grants oversight roles complete the program. It covers program administrators, program officers, financial administrators or managers, disbursement certifying officials, auditing officials, grants managers, and similar oversight staff. The Office of Personnel Management must provide a system to certify completion and keep records. Training is due within 180 days of appointment, or of the effective date for current staff, and at least every 2 years after.

The Treasury Secretary may offer the program at no cost to employees or contractors of states, territories, tribes, and local governments. It covers staff responsible for administering federally funded programs. Treasury may also give technical assistance to help them build the standards into their own systems.

Treasury and OMB, consulting the Office of Personnel Management, must report to the House Oversight and Senate Homeland Security committees on the program. Each report covers how the program is carried out, including participation rates and how well it reduces fraud and improper payments. The first report is due 2 years after enactment, then yearly.