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H.R. 1728 · 116th Congress

COST Act

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IntroducedPassed one chamberPassed both chambersBecame law (gold)Resolution agreed to (full, dark)Failed or vetoed (gray)

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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 116th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

7 cosponsors · 7 R

0 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

This bill requires federal agency financial offices to include multilingual services accounting information in their mandatory annual reports to the agency head and to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Mar 13, 2019

Cost of Services and Translations Act or the COST Act

This bill requires federal agency financial offices to include multilingual services accounting information in their mandatory annual reports to the agency head and to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The bill defines multilingual service to include (1) services provided by interpreters hired by an agency; (2) services resulting in additional expenses which an agency provides to assist its employees or contractors to learn a non-English language; (3) agency preparation, translation, printing, or recordation of materials in a language other than English; and (4) services provided or performed for the federal government by agency employees or contractors that require speaking a non-English language that result in wage differentials or benefits provided by the agency.

The bill requires the annual financial management status report of the OMB to certain congressional committees to contain a Multilingual Services Expenses Report.

The OMB shall issue guidance that an agency financial office must follow in compiling multilingual services accounting information.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: COST Act

Also known as: Cost of Services and Translations Act

Latest action (Mar 13, 2019): Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Policy area: Government Operations and Politics · Origin: House · Introduced: Mar 13, 2019

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.