Title 45 — Railroads
Chapter 8 — Railway Labor
§ 165. Evaluation and audit of Mediation Board
Statutory text
Evaluation and audit of Mediation Board
In general
In order to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the administration of the programs, operations, and activities of the Mediation Board, the Comptroller General of the United States shall evaluate and audit the programs and expenditures of the Mediation Board. Such an evaluation and audit shall be conducted not less frequently than every 2 years, but may be conducted as determined necessary by the Comptroller General or the appropriate congressional committees.
Responsibility of Comptroller General
In carrying out the evaluation and audit required under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall evaluate and audit the programs, operations, and activities of the Mediation Board, including, at a minimum—
information management and security, including privacy protection of personally identifiable information;
resource management;
workforce development;
procurement and contracting planning, practices, and policies;
the extent to which the Mediation Board follows leading practices in selected management areas; and
the processes the Mediation Board follows to address challenges in—
initial investigations of applications requesting that an organization or individual be certified as the representative of any craft or class of employees;
determining and certifying representatives of employees; and
ensuring that the process occurs without interference, influence, or coercion.
Immediate review of certification procedures
Not later than 180 days after , the Comptroller General shall review the processes applied by the Mediation Board to certify or decertify representation of employees by a labor organization and make recommendations to the Board and appropriate congressional committees regarding actions that may be taken by the Board or Congress to ensure that the processes are fair and reasonable for all parties. Such review shall be conducted separately from any evaluation and audit under subsection (a) and shall include, at a minimum—
an evaluation of the existing processes and changes to such processes that have occurred since the establishment of the Mediation Board and whether those changes are consistent with congressional intent; and
a description of the extent to which such processes are consistent with similar processes applied to other Federal or State agencies with jurisdiction over labor relations, and an evaluation of any justifications for any discrepancies between the processes of the Mediation Board and such similar Federal or State processes.
Appropriate congressional committee defined
In this section, the term “appropriate congressional committees” means the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012
Pub. L. 112–95 title X § 1004 · 126 Stat. 11
Enacted · 45 U.S.C. § 165
(May 20, 1926, ch. 347, § 15, as added Pub. L. 112–95, title X, § 1004, Feb. 14, 2012, 126 Stat. 147.)
Source evidence
Code source credit
(May 20, 1926, ch. 347, § 15, as added Pub. L. 112–95, title X, § 1004, Feb. 14, 2012, 126 Stat. 147.)Enacted provision · exact public law section
SEC. 1004. OVERSIGHT. Title I of the Railway Labor Act (45 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: “SEC. 15. EVALUATION AND AUDIT OF MEDIATION BOARD. “(a) Evaluation and Audit of Mediation Board.— “(1) In general.— In order to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the administration of the programs, operations, and activities of the Mediation Board, the Comptroller General of the United States shall evaluate and audit the programs and expenditures of the Mediation Board. Time period. Such an evaluation and audit shall be conducted not less frequently than every 2 years, but may be conducted as determined necessary by the Comptroller General or the appropriate congressional committees. “(2) Responsibility of comptroller general.— In carrying out the evaluation and audit required under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall evaluate and audit the programs, operations, and activities of the Mediation Board, including, at a minimum— “(A) information management and security, including privacy protection of personally identifiable information; “(B) resource management; “(C) workforce development; “(D) procurement and contracting planning, practices, and policies; “(E) the extent to which the Mediation Board follows leading practices in selected management areas; and “(F) the processes the Mediation Board follows to address challenges in— “(i) initial investigations of applications requesting that an organization or individual be certified as the representative of any craft or class of employees; “(ii) determining and certifying representatives of employees; and “(iii) ensuring that the process occurs without interference, influence, or coercion. “(b) Immediate Review of Certification Procedures.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall review the processes applied by the Mediation Board to certify or decertify representation of employees by a labor organization and make recommendations to the Board and appropriate congressional committees regarding actions that may be taken by the Board or Congress to ensure that the processes are fair and reasonable for all parties. Such review shall be conducted separately from any evaluation and audit under subsection (a) and shall include, at a minimum— “(1) an evaluation of the existing processes and changes to such processes that have occurred since the establishment of the Mediation Board and whether those changes are consistent with congressional intent; and “(2) a description of the extent to which such processes are consistent with similar processes applied to other Federal or State agencies with jurisdiction over labor relations, and an evaluation of any justifications for any discrepancies between the processes of the Mediation Board and such similar Federal or State processes. “(c) Appropriate Congressional Committee Defined.— In this section, the term ‘appropriate congressional committees’ means the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.” .
1 of 1 references resolved to an enrolled provision
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Biannual GAO Audit
Pub. L. 118–63, title II, § 218(o), , 138 Stat. 1057, provided that: “Any provision of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–95) [see Short Title of 2012 Amendment note set out under section 40101 of Title 49, Transportation], including any amendment made by such Act, that requires the Comptroller General [of the United States] to conduct an audit (including a recurring audit) shall have no force or effect.”
Credits
(May 20, 1926, ch. 347, § 15, as added Pub. L. 112–95, title X, § 1004, , 126 Stat. 147.)