Federal Program Sunset Review Act of 1998

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Federal Program Review by Congress

Title II: Schedule of Sunset Review of Federal Programs

Title III: Program Inventory

Title IV: Miscellaneous

Federal Program Sunset Review Act of 1998 - Title I: Federal Program Review By Congress - Establishes a Joint Committee on Sunset Review of Federal Programs (Joint Committee) to review in each year the programs having review dates occurring on September 30 of the following year, to determine (using specified criteria) if such programs should be reauthorized or terminated. Requires the Joint Committee, upon completion of its review of a program, to submit to the appropriate legislative committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate, a recommendation for the extension or termination of the program.

Requires legislative committees each year to review the programs within their jurisdiction subject to review for that year. Requires such committees to: (1) consider the recommendations of the Joint Committee with respect to programs reviewed; and (2) with respect to any program recommended for termination by the Joint Committee, report legislation terminating or reauthorizing the program.

Sets forth requirements for special requests for termination of a program from: (1) Members of Congress; and (2) U.S. citizens who are of voting age.

(Sec. 102) Prohibits congressional consideration of the provision of new budget authority for a program for any fiscal year after any review date applicable to such program, if the program was recommended for termination by the Joint Committee and was not reauthorized, unless the provision of such new budget authority is specifically authorized by a law that constitutes a required authorization for such program.

(Sec. 103) Requires each executive branch department or agency responsible for the administration of a program subject to reexamination, to submit to the Joint Committee a report of its findings, recommendations, and justifications with respect to the matters set forth in the Joint Committee's recommendation.

Title II: Schedule of Sunset Review of Federal Programs - Requires the review of each Federal program, with exceptions, at least once during each sunset review cycle during the Congress in which the review date applicable to such program occurs. States that the first review date applicable to a Federal program is the date specified in the table provided, and each subsequent review date applicable to a program is five years.

(Sec. 202) Exempts specified programs from such review.

Title III: Program Inventory - Directs the Comptroller General and the Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), in cooperation with the Director of the Congressional Research Service (CRS), to prepare an inventory of Federal programs (the program inventory) to advise and assist the Congress in carrying out the requirements of this Act. Requires the Comptroller General, after consultation with the CBO Director, CRS Director, and each committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives, to submit the program inventory to the Senate and the House.

(Sec. 302) Requires the General Accounting Office (GAO), CRS, and CBO to permit the mutual exchange of available information in their possession that would aid in the compilation of the program inventory.

(Sec. 303) Directs the Office of Management and Budget and the executive agencies to provide GAO with assistance requested by the Comptroller General in the compilation of the program inventory.

(Sec. 304) Directs the Comptroller General, after the close of each session of the Congress, to review and revise the program inventory and report the revisions to the Senate and the House.

Title IV: Miscellaneous - Amends Federal law to permit an officer or employee of an agency to submit to the Congress or a congressional committee an appropriation request at the request of either a House or Senate committee or of the Joint Committee on Sunset Review of Federal Programs after the day on which the President transmits the budget to the Congress for the fiscal year.

(Sec. 404) Directs the head of an agency, when requested, in order to assist in the review or reexamination of a program, to provide to each House and Senate committee having legislative jurisdiction over such program, or to the Joint Committee, such studies, information, analyses, reports, and assistance as the committee may request.

(Sec. 405) Directs the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the House Committee on Rules to review the operation of the procedures established by this Act, and to submit a report not later than December 31, 2002, and each five years thereafter, setting forth their findings and recommendations.