[Senate Report 113-41]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
113th Congress Report
SENATE
1st Session 113-41
======================================================================
AUTHORIZING EXPENDITURES BY COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE
_______
June 13, 2013.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Schumer, from the Committee on Rules and Administration, submitted
the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. Res. 64]
The Committee on Rules and Administration, having
considered an original resolution (S. Res. 64) authorizing
expenditures by committees of the Senate for the period of
March 1, 2013, through September 30, 2013, reports it favorably
without amendment and recommends that the resolution pass.
Chairman's Statement
Since the 101st Congress, the Rules Committee has favorably
reported out and the Senate has agreed to an omnibus biennial
committee funding authorization for the standing, special, and
select committees of the Senate. This procedure has
consistently received strong support from committee chairmen
and ranking members.
At the beginning of the 113th Congress, the Rules Committee
determined that it would report out an omnibus Committee
funding resolution for only the 7-month period from March 1,
2013, through September 30 2013, because of the high level of
uncertainty regarding appropriations available to committees
for the full 2-year period. Subsequent authorizing resolutions
will be required for the 12-month and 5-month periods.
S. Res. 64 represents a reduction in committee funding
authorizations of 12 percent below the level of S. Res. 81 in
the 112th Congress. The Rules Committee notified committees
that it would issue ``expenditure guidance'' as necessary to
bring actual committee spending into closer alignment with
available appropriations as necessary during the 113th
Congress.
During the 1990s, pursuant to Rule XXVII, most committees
allocated their funding two-thirds for the majority and one-
third for the minority. During the past decade, starting with
the 107th Congress, biennial negotiations over the allocation
ratios for committee funding produced Leadership guidance,
which the Rules Committee used to develop committee budget
guidelines. The 109th Congress Leadership colloquy of January
6, 2005, set a minimum for the minority of 40 percent of
personnel funds after allocations for non-designated
administrative and clerical staff. The minority leader stated
in the colloquy that he hoped never in the future would it be
any lower, no matter which party is in control of the Senate.
In the 112th Congress, on February 3, 2011, the Leadership
agreed on a new funding approach to be used in the 112th and
stated their intention that it be used in future Congresses in
place of biennial negotiations. That funding approach is based
on the party division of the Senate but recognizes the
majority's need for resources commensurate with its
responsibilities in administering the committee. The Leadership
agreed that 10 percent of the total majority and minority
baseline salary amount, after allocations for administrative
expenses and non-designated staff, would be set aside for the
majority. The remaining 90 percent would be divided according
to the party division of the Senate. For the 113th Congress,
the party division for funding purposes is 55 for the majority,
45 for the minority.
Committee office space follows the same approach, with 10
percent of the total majority and minority (excluding non-
designated staff) space set aside for the majority, and the
remaining 90 percent divided according to the party division of
the Senate. The Leadership colloquy further specified that
regardless of the party division of the Senate, however, the
minority share would never be less than 40 percent, and the
majority would never exceed 60 percent including the 10 percent
set aside for the majority. When Senate party ratios change,
this approach provides greater stability than the earlier
division of two-thirds for the majority and one-third for the
minority.
The chairman and ranking member of any committee may, by
mutual agreement, modify the apportionment of committee funding
and office space.
The January 24, 2013, Joint Leadership colloquy and letter,
submitted by the majority leader and the minority leader, are
included below for informational purposes.
Colloquy
Mr. Reid. Mr. President, two years ago my friend the
Republican leader and I expressed our intention that the
funding allocation adopted for the 112th Congress would serve
for that and future Congresses. Over the prior 20 years, the
apportionment of committee funding had gone from a straight
two-thirds for majority and one-third for minority during the
1990s, regardless of the size of the majority and minority, to
biennial negotiations during the past decade. The new funding
allocation for Senate committees was based on the party
division of the Senate, with 10 percent of the total majority
and minority salary baseline going to the majority for
administrative expenses. However, regardless of the party
division of the Senate, the minority share of the majority and
minority salary baseline will never be less than 40 percent,
and the majority share will never exceed 60 percent. This
approach met our needs for the last Congress, and I would like
to see it continue.
Mr. McConnell. Mr. President, I, too, would like to
continue this approach for the 113th and future Congresses. It
serves the interest of the Senate and the public by helping to
retain core committee staff with institutional knowledge,
regardless of which party is in the majority. We made a
transition in the last Congress to restore special reserves to
its historic purpose, but appropriations cuts prevented special
reserves from being funded. To the extent possible, we should
try to fund special reserves in order to be able to assist
committees that face urgent, unanticipated, non-recurring
needs. We know that we will continue to face tight budgets for
the foreseeable future, and we have to bring funding
authorizations more in line with our actual resources while
ensuring that committees are able to fulfill their
responsibilities. I look forward to continuing to work with my
friend the majority leader to accomplish this.
Mr. Reid. I thank my friend, the Republican leader, and ask
unanimous consent that a joint leadership letter be printed in
the Record.
Joint Leadership Letter
We mutually commit to the following for the 113th Congress:
The budgets of the committees of the Senate, including
joint and special committees, and all other subgroups, shall be
apportioned to reflect the ratio of the Senate as of this date,
including an additional ten percent (10%) from the majority and
minority salary baseline to be allocated to the chairman for
administrative expenses, to be determined by the Rules
Committee.
Special Reserves has been restored to its historic purpose.
Requests for funding will only be considered when submitted by
a committee chairman and ranking member for unanticipated, non-
recurring needs. Such requests shall be granted only upon the
approval of the chairman and ranking member of the Rules
Committee.
Funds for committee expenses shall be available to each
chairman consistent with Senate rules and practices of the
112th Congress.
The chairman and ranking member of any committee may, by
mutual agreement, modify the apportionment of committee funding
and office space.
The division of committee office space shall be
commensurate with this funding agreement.
Background
Beginning in the 106th Congress, the biennial committee
funding cycle was divided into three segments: the 7-month
period from March 1 through September 30 of the first calendar
year of the Congress; the 12-month period from October 1 of the
first calendar year through September 30 of the second calendar
year; and the 5-month period from October 1 of the second
calendar year through the last day of February of the third
calendar year.
For the 113th Congress, S. Res. 64 authorizes committee
funding for only the 7-month period from March 1, 2013 through
September 30, 2013. Additional authorization will be needed for
the 12-month and 5-month period.
S. Res. 64, the omnibus committee funding resolution for
the 113th Congress, was reported in lieu of Senate Resolutions
38, 39, 40, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55,
and 59, which were reported by the Senate committees in
conformance with paragraph 9 of Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules
of the Senate and referred to the Committee on Rules and
Administration. An original resolution, S. Res. 43, authorizing
expenditures by the Committee on Rules and Administration, is
on the Senate calendar (Order No. 17) and is obviated by
passage of S. Res. 64, since funding for the Rules Committee's
expenditures in the 113th Congress is included in the omnibus
funding resolution.
The funding will be allocated according to the ratios in
the Leadership colloquy. There are no amounts authorized for
COLAs in the 113th Congress for fiscal year 2013. Therefore,
committees were advised not to include COLAs in their budgets.
As stated in the Joint Leadership letter, the special
reserves fund is being restored to its historic purpose.
Requests for funding from special reserves will be considered
only when submitted by a committee chairman and ranking member
for unanticipated, non-recurring needs and to the extent that
appropriated funds are available for special reserves. The
request must be approved by the chairman and ranking member of
the Rules Committee.
Similar to procedures used during the previous five
Congresses, the Rules Committee offered committees the
opportunity to streamline the authorization process. Committees
whose budget requests were within guidelines specified by the
Joint Leadership agreement and whose questionnaires were
jointly signed by the chairman and ranking member were not
required to testify on their funding resolution before the
Rules Committee. All committees funded by S. Res. 64 submitted
budgets and questionnaires that conformed to the guidelines.
For the 113th Congress, the Rules Committee prepared an
original funding resolution incorporating a budget amount at
the guidelines level for every committee included in the
resolution. The Senate passed S. Res. 64, on March 5, 2013, by
unanimous consent and without amendment.
TEXT OF S. RES. 64
Sec. 1. Aggregate Authorization.
(a) In General.--For purposes of carrying out the powers,
duties, and functions under the Standing Rules of the Senate,
and under the appropriate authorizing resolutions of the Senate
there is authorized for the period March 1, 2013, through
September 30, 2013, in the aggregate of $62,295,795, in
accordance with the provisions of this resolution, for standing
committees of the Senate, the Special Committee on Aging, the
Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Indian
Affairs.
Sec. 2. Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $2,400,634
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... ..................................
Training............................ ..................................
Official Mail....................... 5,321
Administrative Expenses............. 58,114
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 2,464,069
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 3. Committee on Armed Services
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $4,111,321
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 14,583
Training............................ 4,667
Official Mail....................... 4,083
Administrative Expenses............. 45,231
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 4,179,885
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 4. Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $3,697,764
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 10,267
Training............................ 616
Official Mail....................... 1,232
Administrative Expenses............. 77,806
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 3,787,685
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 5. Committee on the Budget
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $3,900,668
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 0
Training............................ 0
Official Mail....................... 9,454
Administrative Expenses............. 40,410
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 3,950,532
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 6. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $3,992,079
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 0
Training............................ 0
Official Mail....................... 10,500
Administrative Expenses............. 77,482
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 4,080,061
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 7. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $3,385,366
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 0
Training............................ 0
Official Mail....................... 8,033
Administrative Expenses............. 59,984
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 3,453,383
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 8. Committee on Environment and Public Works
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $3,062,534
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 4,667
Training............................ 1,166
Official Mail....................... 8,416
Administrative Expenses............. 102,121
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 3,178,904
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 9. Committee on Finance
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $4,567,382
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 17,500
Training............................ 5,833
Official Mail....................... 10,480
Administrative Expenses............. 92,556
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 4,693,751
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 10. Committee on Foreign Relations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $3,774,721
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 0
Training............................ 0
Official Mail....................... 9,380
Administrative Expenses............. 82,094
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 3,866,195
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 11. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $5,272,435
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 0
Training............................ 0
Official Mail....................... 11,505
Administrative Expenses............. 97,535
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 5,381,475
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 12. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $5,956,573
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 0
Training............................ 0
Official Mail....................... 13,806
Administrative Expenses............. 104,050
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 6,074,429
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 13. Committee on the Judiciary
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $5,797,835
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 0
Training............................ 0
Official Mail....................... 15,097
Administrative Expenses............. 69,199
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 5,882,131
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 14. Committee on Rules and Administration
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $1,601,005
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 0
Training............................ 0
Official Mail....................... 4,634
Administrative Expenses............. 14,192
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 1,619,831
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 15. Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $1,475,571
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 0
Training............................ 0
Official Mail....................... 3,303
Administrative Expenses............. 46,043
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 1,524,917
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 16. Committee on Veterans' Affairs
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $1,195,694
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 30,000
Training............................ 10,000
Official Mail....................... 3,888
Administrative Expenses............. 170,388
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 1,409,970
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 17. Special Committee on Aging
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $1,264,823
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 0
Training............................ 95,000
Official Mail....................... 3,500
Administrative Expenses............. 341,338
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 1,704,661
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 18. Select Committee on Intelligence
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $3,671,736
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 10,000
Training............................ 0
Official Mail....................... 7,317
Administrative Expenses............. 50,167
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 3,739,220
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 19. Committee on Indian Affairs
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2013 (7 mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................... $1,230,006
2013 COLA........................... ..................................
Consultants......................... 0
Training............................ 0
Official Mail....................... 3,959
Administrative Expenses............. 70,731
-----------------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress..... 1,304,696
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overtime
Committees have been advised that any overtime costs
mandated by the Congressional Accountability Act must be
absorbed within salary baselines funded in S. Res. 64.
Cost-of-Living Adjustments
There are no amounts authorized for COLAs in the 113th
Congress for fiscal year 2013. Therefore, committees were
advised not to include COLAs in their budgets. It is the intent
of the Rules Committee that amounts for COLAs shall only be
available to the extent they are authorized by the order of the
President pro tempore of the Senate pursuant to 2 U.S.C.
section 60a-1, and provided sufficient funds are appropriated
to pay for such expenses.
Certification of Committee Expenses
Vouchers are not required for certain types of official
expenses which instead are certified as owed to Senate support
agencies providing such goods and services to Senate
committees. Examples of certifiable expenses include, but are
not limited to, telecommunications, stationery supplies,
official mail, and expenses for Senate recording and
photographic services. The certified expenses are submitted by
the Senate support agencies to the Rules Committee for
approval.
Section 1 of the FY 1994 Legislative Branch Appropriations
Bill provided permanent language in statute addressing this
issue (2 U.S.C. 68-8). Therefore, the specific authorization
for certifications is no longer required in committee biennial
funding resolutions and the language in section 1 of S. Res. 54
(107th Congress) has been modified by deleting section 1(b)(2)
with the heading, VOUCHERS NOT REQUIRED.
Printing and Binding
Committee expenditures for printing and binding include the
costs of preparation and publishing of documents in electronic
and/or print format by GPO personnel. Although printing and
binding funds are not included in individual committee budgets,
the Committee on Rules and Administration advises all
committees to be judicious in the use of these funds.
Printing and binding costs for committees authorized in S.
Res. 81 decreased from the end of the 111th Congress to the end
of the 112th Congress by $2,518,426.00.
The Committee reminds all Senate committees to adhere
strictly to the provisions of Title 44 governing the printing
and binding of documents.
A committee may not procure more than 300 copies of a
hearing or other relevant documents except as authorized by 44
U.S.C. 703. Section 703 provides that extra copies not
exceeding $700 in cost may be obtained upon an order of the
Joint Committee on Printing; extra copies at a cost of $700 to
$1,200 must be authorized by simple resolution of the Senate;
and a cost exceeding $1,200 requires approval of both houses of
Congress by concurrent or joint resolution. Such resolutions
requesting printing are referred to the Committee on Rules and
Administration.
``Extra copies'' means additional numbers ordered at the
time of original printing. Reprinting a document at a later
time must be treated as a new publication.
Charges incurred by committees authorized by S. Res. 64 for
GPO employees detailed as printers increased 12% from the 111th
to the 112th Congress. The cost of GPO employees detailed as
printers to the Appropriations Committee was $360,264.00 in
2011 and $366,263.00 in 2012. The Rules Committee encourages
committees to reduce costs associated with GPO detailees while
still receiving the services and support they need. Effective
with the 112th Congress, committees wishing to obtain or
continue the services of a GPO detailee are required to obtain
prior approval in writing from the Committee on Rules and
Administration. No detailee shall be approved for more than one
year.
Every effort should be made to control costs by limiting
the overtime of detailees. Committees that incur overtime
charges on a recurring basis are advised to evaluate their
printing operation and minimize a printer's overtime except on
a temporary basis when the extraordinary cost can be justified
by the need for timely delivery of the committee's legislative
papers.
Cost of Government Printing Office Employees Detailed as Printers To
Committees Authorized by S. Res. 64
112th CONGRESS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2011 2012
------------------------------------------------------------------------
S. Aging.......................... $45,445.00 .................
S. Agriculture.................... 105,864.00 90,720.00
S. Banking........................ 190,955.00 155,763.00
S. Budget......................... 90,526.00 64,368.00
S. Commerce....................... 110,757.00 107,172.00
S. Energy......................... 186,132.00 192,024.00
S. Environment.................... 185,220.00 169,398.00
S. Finance........................ 201,808.00 178,146.00
S. Foreign Relations.............. 174,044.00 166,266.00
S. Health, Educ., Labor........... 94,993.00 65,682.00
S. Homeland Sec. and Gov't Affairs 106,548.00 92,286.00
S. Indian Affairs................. 95,388.00 88,128.00
S. Judiciary...................... 83,406.00 92,826.00
S. Veterans' Affairs.............. 98,554.00 96,984.00
-------------------------------------
Total....................... 1,769,640.00 1,559,763.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Employees Detailed From Other Agencies
Sections 2 through 19 of the omnibus resolution include
specific authorizing language on the use of detailed employees
on either a reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis. This
language, which has been included in biennial funding
resolutions since 1989, continues the practice of permitting
the detail or assignment of personnel from departments or
agencies of the Federal government to the staff of a committee
with or without reimbursement of that person's salary.
Pursuant to Standing Rule XXVII, paragraph 4,
``No committee shall appoint to its staff any experts or
other personnel detailed or assigned from any department or
agency of the Government, except with the written permission of
the Committee on Rules and Administration.''
The Committee on Rules and Administration may monitor
expenditures associated with the use of detailed employees in
order to evaluate overall committee spending.
Special Reserves
For the 113th Congress, S. Res. 64 authorizes a special
reserve fund within the appropriations account, ``Expenses of
Inquiries and Investigations.'' Requests for funding will be
considered only when submitted by a committee chairman and
ranking member for unanticipated, non-recurring needs and to
the extent that appropriated funds are available for special
reserves. Such requests shall be granted only upon the approval
of the chairman and ranking member of the Rules Committee.
History of Special Reserves. When biennial funding cycles
began in 1989, the Rules Committee authorized the use of
unexpended funds from one authorization to the next. The
Committee in 1991 informed all Senate committees in Senate
Report 102-15, and during the debate on S. Res. 62 (102nd
Congress), that committees could retain 50 percent of their
funds unexpended as of February 28, 1993, to cover non-
recurring needs that enhanced efficiency in the committee. When
S. Res. 71, the omnibus committee funding resolution for the
103rd Congress, was considered by the Senate, it was amended to
contain language that no committee of the Senate was permitted
to carry forward unexpended balances beyond March 1, 1995.
While S. Res. 54 (105th Congress) did not permit committees to
carry forward funds, it did continue to provide a special
reserve into which the unexpended balances of the committees
were transferred, after obligations incurred during the prior
funding period were paid.
In order to preserve the flexibility of the Committee on
Rules and Administration to meet the unforeseen needs of Senate
committees, S. Res. 49 and S. Res. 189 in the 106th Congress
continued the practice of making special reserve funding
available for unanticipated, non-recurring needs of committees
when necessary.
In the colloquy of January 12, 2007, the Senate Leadership
agreed for the 110th Congress that, under the circumstances of
a continuing resolution for FY 07, to provide each ranking
member, if requested, an allocation equal to 49 percent of the
10 percent administrative funds that were available to the
committee chairman in the 109th Congress. A total of $4,794,387
was requested and authorized in the 110th Congress to fulfill
the colloquy. This funding was added to the budget baselines of
the respective committees for the 111th Congress.
In the Joint Leadership letter of January 15, 2009, the
Leadership agreed that for the 111th Congress, 89 percent of
special reserves would be available to each chair/ranking
member for administrative expenses, if requested, to be
allocated at a 60 percent to 40 percent ratio, majority/
minority respectively. This allowed individual minority
committee funding levels to remain unchanged, if special
reserves were requested. Therefore, no committee budget was
allocated to reduce the minority committee budget below that of
FY 08.
The special reserves fund for the 111th Congress was almost
entirely dedicated to fulfilling the guidance of the Joint
Leadership letter and colloquy of January 15, 2009. Therefore,
contrary to circumstances in previous Congresses, the Rules
Committee had little flexibility with regard to additional
requests from the special reserves fund. The Rules Committee
determined that an additional 5 percent of special reserves may
have been required to satisfy the intent of the colloquy and
authorized use of those funds.
In the 111th Congress, S. Res. 73, which was agreed to on
March 10, 2009, provided special reserves to be available to
meet unpaid obligations which a committee may incur above the
amount authorized.
In FY 09, for the period March 1, 2009, through September
30, 2009, $4,375,000 was originally made available. However,
under the Leadership colloquy of January 15, 2009, $4,132,668
or 94 percent of the special reserves for FY 09 was committed
from these funds to supplement the original authorization
provided to each committee by each section of S. Res. 73 and
therefore leaving only $242,332 in available funds for any
committee to request.
On May 20, 2009, the Committee on the Judiciary wrote to
the chair and ranking member of the Rules Committee and
requested $600,000 to meet the unanticipated expenses it
expected to incur following the announcement that Justice David
Souter was resigning from the Supreme Court. This required the
passage of S. Res. 152, agreed to May 19, 2009, which amended
section 20(a)(1) of S. Res. 73 and increased by $500,000 to
$4,875,000 the amount of special reserves available in FY 09.
On May 21, 2009, the chairman and ranking member of the Rules
Committee approved the request from the Judiciary Committee.
On April 23, 2010, the Committee on the Judiciary again
wrote to the Rules Committee and requested $300,000 to meet the
unanticipated expenses it expected to incur following the
announcement that Justice John Paul Stevens was retiring from
the Supreme Court. Sufficient funds were available for FY 10
and on April 29, 2010, the chairman and ranking member of the
Rules Committee approved the request from the Judiciary
Committee.
In the 112th Congress, no requests were granted for special
reserves.
Legislative Report by Senate Committees
Rule XXVI, section 8b of the Standing Rules of the Senate
requires that, in each odd-numbered year, each committee shall
submit to the Senate, not later than March 31st, a report on
the activities of that committee during the Congress ending at
noon on January 3rd of such year.
Policy on Committee Work and Housing for Committee Staff
Pursuant to each committee's authorizing resolution, funds
are made available from the Contingent Fund of the Senate to
assist a committee in carrying out its powers, duties, and
functions under the Standing Rules of the Senate. These
responsibilities include holding hearings, reporting such
hearings, and making investigations as authorized by paragraphs
1 and 8 of Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate.
Therefore, committee staff may not engage in work other than
committee business.
In addition, it remains the policy of the Rules Committee
that all staff paid by committee funds will be housed in
committee space.
Space allocations will be strictly tied to authorized
committee staff and detailed employees approved by the
Committee on Rules and Administration.
Committee Office Automation Resources
The Senate Sergeant at Arms (SAA) will fund office
automation needs for committees on a per capita basis, which
includes authorized staff and detailed employees identified in
the committee budget submission. This fund is referred to as
the Economic Allocation Fund (EAF). Upon submission and
approval by the Committee on Rules and Administration of
staffing levels, committees will be able to purchase items to
meet their business requirements from the standard, approved
products available from the SAA. Non-standard hardware or
software requests will be at committee expense and must include
costs for maintenance, service, and support. Any non-standard
purchases in excess of $500 must be approved in advance by the
Rules Committee.
A committee chairman shall ensure that each full-time
employee and full-time, authorized detailed employee on the
committee be provided with a workstation and have appropriate
access to related office equipment.
The funding levels provided will be sufficient to provide
for regular replacement of hardware, as well as purchases of
software updates. Any computers in excess of authorized levels
must be returned to the SAA.
A committee that requests funding above and beyond the per
capita basis is required to submit a complete office automation
plan based on its business requirements and the level of
authorized staff and detailed employees identified in the
committee budget submission. To assist the Rules Committee and
the SAA in accurately projecting computer services funding
(acquisition, installation, maintenance, and support), a
committee must complete the Information Technology Resources
Worksheet to accompany its budget submissions. Upon review of
these documents, the Rules Committee will notify the committee
of the approved funding level.
In the use of these funds, the Rules Committee and SAA
recommend all committee chairmen adopt energy-efficient office
equipment, including virtual servers available through the SAA.
These servers save space and reduce noise and heat in the
office, support all critical continuity requirements of an
office, and cost less than physical servers.
Committee Office Automation Resources
ECONOMIC ALLOCATION FUND--113th CONGRESS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee Allocation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aging................................................... $80,000.00
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.................... 112,000.00
Appropriations.......................................... 400,000.00
Armed Services.......................................... 198,400.00
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs..................... 208,000.00
Budget.................................................. 214,400.00
Commerce, Science, and Transportation................... 268,800.00
Energy and Natural Resources............................ 185,600.00
Environment and Public Works............................ 198,400.00
Ethics.................................................. 41,600.00
Finance................................................. 368,000.00
Foreign Relations....................................... 249,600.00
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.................. 358,400.00
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.............. 406,400.00
Indian Affairs.......................................... 80,000.00
Intelligence............................................ 140,800.00
Joint Economic.......................................... 153,600.00
Judiciary............................................... 441,600.00
Rules and Administration................................ 89,600.00
Small Business.......................................... 121,600.00
Veterans' Affairs....................................... 105,600.00
---------------
Total............................................. 4,422,400.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Consultants
S. Res. 64 specifies the funding available for committees
to hire consultants, as otherwise authorized by statute.
Committee Legislative Assistance
It is the position of the Committee on Rules and
Administration that funds are already incorporated into
Members' personal office accounts for the purpose of providing
legislative assistance with committee duties.
The legislative assistance allowance was established in the
94th Congress by passage of S. Res. 60, agreed to on June 12,
1975. It authorized each Senator serving on a committee to hire
staff to assist with committee work. This new authorization was
preserved and continued in S. Res. 4 in the 95th Congress, when
the Senate reorganized the committee system by passing
amendments to the Standing Rules of the Senate regarding the
jurisdiction and size of committees.
Later in the 95th Congress, the legislative assistance
allowance was made permanent and codified into law by section
111 of P.L. 95-94. This provision, as amended by P.L. 100-137
and P.L. 102-392, currently provides funding for three
positions in each Senator's office at an annual rate of
$171,315 each for a total of $513,945 per office, or
$51,394,500 for all 100 Senators in FY 13.
These funds may be adjusted each fiscal year by the
authorized cost of living adjustment for Senate offices by the
order of the President pro tempore.
Archiving
Under Senate Rule XXVI(10)(a) and 2 U.S.C. 72(a)(d),
committee records are the property of the Senate. At the end of
each Congress, non-current committee records are transferred to
the Archives in accordance with Senate Rule XI(1) and 44 U.S.C.
2118. To ensure the preservation of the Senate's permanently
valuable records, the Rules Committee requests that each
committee submit to the Rules Committee their National Archives
Records Transfer Report. It is recommended that committees
consult with the Senate Archivist on the proper preparation of
electronic and paper records for permanent archive storage.