Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 144
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Passed House
- Latest Action
- 2025-01-16: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-10T20:38:23Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 144: Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act
Purpose
This legislation aims to enhance transparency in the compensation of high-level employees at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a federal corporation, by requiring detailed reports on their salaries and roles to be submitted to Congress. It also ensures that this sensitive information is protected from public disclosure under certain federal laws, while exempting TVA's required reports from automatic elimination under the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995.
Key Provisions
- Reporting Requirement: TVA must submit an annual report to Congress detailing the total number of employees at the management level or above (including executives and board members). This report includes the names, salaries, and duties of those earning compensation at or above the maximum rate of basic pay for grade GS-15 of the General Schedule (a federal pay scale for government employees, typically around $150,000–$180,000 annually depending on location).
- Exemption from Public Disclosure:
- Salary information in the report is exempt from release under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), specifically under exemption (b)(3) of 5 U.S.C. § 552, which protects information specifically exempted by other statutes.
- The report is also exempt from the Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act (Public Law 117-263), which generally requires certain federal reports to be made publicly available online.
- Short Title: The Act is titled the "Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act."
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Section 9 of the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933 (16 U.S.C. § 831h), which previously required TVA to submit a basic financial statement covering only employees earning over $1,500 annually (an outdated threshold from the 1930s).
- Replaces the old, minimal financial reporting with a more detailed, modern compensation-focused report targeted at senior personnel.
- Explicitly states that the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995 (which sunsets or eliminates certain federal reporting requirements after 2007 or 2012) does not apply to these TVA compensation reports, ensuring their ongoing submission.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The TVA will face new administrative requirements to compile and submit detailed personnel data annually, potentially increasing workload for its human resources and legal teams. However, the exemptions protect the agency from FOIA requests, reducing litigation risks related to employee privacy.
- On Citizens: The public gains no direct access to the salary details, as they are shielded from FOIA and online publication. This limits transparency for taxpayers but prioritizes employee privacy. Congress, however, receives the information for oversight purposes.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic federal operations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA): Primary entity responsible for compliance, including compiling and submitting reports.
- TVA Executives and Board Members: Their personal compensation details become subject to congressional review, though protected from public exposure.
- U.S. Congress: Gains access to detailed salary data for oversight of TVA operations and spending.
- Federal Oversight Bodies: Entities like the Government Accountability Office may indirectly benefit from enhanced congressional reporting.
- General Public and Taxpayers: Affected through limited transparency on how federal funds support high-level TVA pay, without ability to request the details via FOIA.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: Strengthens statutory protections for executive compensation data under FOIA, potentially setting a precedent for similar exemptions in other federal agencies. It balances congressional oversight with privacy rights, avoiding conflicts with broader open-government laws.
- Constitutional Implications: Aligns with Congress's constitutional authority (under Article I) to oversee federal entities like the TVA, a New Deal-era corporation. No apparent challenges to free speech or due process, as the exemptions apply only to specific disclosures.
- Political Implications: Promotes accountability for TVA's use of federal resources by mandating salary reporting to lawmakers, while the exemptions reflect concerns over executive privacy in a politically charged environment. This could influence debates on federal employee pay equity and transparency without fully opening records to public scrutiny.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-01-16: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 2025-01-15: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 2025-01-15: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 423 - 0 (Roll no. 14). (text: 1/13/2025 CR H105) (Roll call 14)
- 2025-01-15: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 423 - 0 (Roll no. 14). (text: 1/13/2025 CR H105) (Roll call 14)
- 2025-01-15: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H169-170)
- 2025-01-13: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- 2025-01-13: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 144.
- 2025-01-13: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H105-106)
- 2025-01-13: Mr. Graves moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 2025-01-04: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
- 2025-01-03: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2025-01-03: Introduced in House
- 2025-01-03: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act — issued 2025-01-15 — PDF (4 pages)
- Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act — issued 2025-01-03 — PDF (3 pages)
- Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act — issued 2025-01-16 — PDF (3 pages)