I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5228 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 21, 2019 Mr. DesJarlais introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform A BILL To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study and submit a report on the Federal Government’s ability to hire and retain Chinese-language-capable employees, and for other purposes.

1. Study and report on the Federal Government’s ability to hire and retain Chinese-language-capable employees (a) Study and Report Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study of the Federal Government’s ability to hire Chinese-language-capable employees and submit to Congress a report, which shall include— (1) the process for determining Federal positions that require employees to have Chinese-language-capability; (2) the process for determining whether the employee possesses Chinese-language-capability; (3) the process for hiring Chinese-language-capable employees, including any applicable background and clearance investigations; (4) the extent to which Federal agencies are hiring employees with Chinese-language-capability for Federal positions that require Chinese-language-capability; (5) the effects, if any, on a Federal agency’s ability to perform its mission in areas requiring employees with Chinese-language-capability with their current manpower; and (6) recommendations, if any, on how to address identified shortfalls in the hiring and retaining of Chinese-language-capable employees. (b) Definition For the purpose of this Act, the term Chinese-language-capable means the ability to communicate in any major Chinese dialect.