[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 109th Congress]
[109th Congress]
[House Document 108-241]
[House And Congressional Offices]
[Pages 965-973]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 965]]
 

                     HOUSE AND CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES


                               __________


Sec. 1113. House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards. Members may send through the mails, under their frank, certain documents and materials as provided by 39 U.S.C. 3210, subject to the limitations prescribed in rule XXIV, supra. The House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards, composed of six Members of the House, provides advice in connection with the mailing of franked mail (sec. 5, P.L. 93-191).
Sec. 1114. House Office Building Commission. Rooms in the House Office Buildings are assigned to Members pursuant to the law of May 28, 1908 (2 U.S.C. 2004) and pursuant to regulations of the House Office Building Commission (see regulations promulgated Oct. 7, 1996). The commission also issues regulations governing the House Office Buildings, House garages, and the Capitol Power Plant (see regulations promulgated December, 1995). The commission is composed of the Speaker and two Members of the House (traditionally the Majority and Minority Leaders) (2 U.S.C. 2001).
Sec. 1115. Government Accountability Office. The preparation, utilization, and distribution (to committees and Members) of reports by the Government Accountability Office, and its authority to assign its employees to duty with congressional committees, are regulated by the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, Sec. Sec. 231- 236 (84 Stat. 1140; 31 U.S.C. 711-720). This office was formerly known as the General Accounting Office (31 U.S.C. 702 note).
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Sec. 1116. Office of Compliance. The Office of Compliance was established by the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1381). The office is composed of five individuals appointed jointly by the Speaker, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Leaders of the House and the Senate. The office has regulatory, enforcement, and educational responsibilities under the Act. The office replaced the Review Panel of the Office of Fair Employment Practices at the beginning of the 105th Congress (see Sec. 1101, supra). However, the review panel was reconstituted in the same form as at the end of the 104th Congress to provide for the completion of ongoing proceedings in the 105th Congress (Feb. 25, 1997, p. 2439). Section 1382 provides for a General Counsel to be appointed by the Chair of the Compliance Board to exercise the authorities of the Office of Compliance.
Sec. 1117. Congressional Research Service. The organization of the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress and its responsibilities to assist Members and committees were provided in the Legislative Reorganization Acts of 1946 and 1970 (60 Stat. 836; 84 Stat. 1140; 2 U.S.C. 166).
Sec. 1118. Legislative Counsel. The Office of the Legislative Counsel of the House of Representatives evolved from a single Legislative Drafting Service established for the Congress by the Act of February 24, 1919 (40 Stat. 1057, 1141). The currently applicable provisions of law setting forth the purpose and functions of the Office and providing for its administration are contained in title V of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-510; 2 U.S.C. 281) as amended by the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1972 (P.L. 92-51). As stated in section 502 of such title V, the purpose of the Office is to advise and assist the House of Representatives, and its committees and Members, in the achievement of a clear, faithful, and coherent expression of legislative policies.
Sec. 1119. Congressional Budget Office. The Congressional Budget Office was established by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 601). The office is headed by a director, who is appointed by the Speaker and the President pro tempore. Section 202 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 602) outlines the functions of the office, which include providing assistance to the House and Senate Committees on the Budget and Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance in the discharge of matters within their jurisdiction and to other committees to assist them in complying with the provisions of the Act.
Sec. 1120. Law Revision Counsel. The Office of the Law Revision Counsel, to develop a codification of the laws of the United States, was authorized in the 93d Congress by the Committee Reform Amendments of 1974 (sec. 205, H. Res. 988, Oct. 8, 1974, p. 34470, made permanent law by P.L. 93-544 (2 U.S.C. 285)).
Sec. 1121. Technology Assessment. The Office of Technology Assessment, to assist the Congress in indicating the beneficial and adverse impacts of the application of technology, was authorized by the Technology Assessment Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 472). The office received funding for 1996 to conduct an orderly shutdown (tit. I, P.L. 104-53) and has not received any funding since then.
[[Page 967]] tion of the precedents of the House of Representatives were authorized in the 93d Congress by the Committee Reform Amendments of 1974 (sec. 208, H. Res. 988, Oct. 8, 1974, p. 34470, made permanent law by P.L. 93- 554, 2 U.S.C. 28a), and the printing and distribution of the precedents were authorized by Public Law 94-551 (2 U.S.C. 28b-e). See also 2 U.S.C. 28, 29.
Sec. 1122. Office of the Parliamentarian. A Parliamentarian has been appointed by the Speaker in every Congress since 1927. Before 1927 the ``Clerk at the Speaker's Table'' performed the function of the Parliamentarian. In the 95th Congress the House formally and permanently established an Office of the Parliamentarian to be managed, supervised, and administered by a nonpartisan Parliamentarian appointed by the Speaker (H. Res. 502, Apr. 20, 1977, p. 11415, made permanent law by sec. 115 of P.L. 95-94; see 2 U.S.C. 287). The compilation and prepara
Sec. 1123. Office of Floor Assistants. At its organization the 104th Congress established an office to assist the Speaker in the management of legislative activity on the floor of the House (Sec. 223(b), H. Res. 6, 104th Cong., Jan. 4, 1995, p. 469, enacted into permanent law by the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1996 (sec. 103, P.L. 104-53)).
Sec. 1124. Office of Interparliamentary Affairs. This Office is responsible for responding to inquiries from, and coordinating visits with, foreign legislative bodies; providing assistance to delegations of Members on official visits to foreign nations; coordinating the activities and responsibilities of the House in connection with participation in various interparliamentary exchanges and organizations; and enabling the House to host meetings with senior government officials and other dignitaries in order to discuss matters relevant to United States relations with other nations (2 U.S.C. 130-2).
Sec. 1125. House Recording Studio. The House Recording Studio was established by the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1957 (2 U.S.C. 123b) and provides Members with audio and video recording services. The studio is under the direction and control of the Committee on the House Recording Studio, which consists of three members appointed by the Speaker (2 U.S.C. 123b(c)).
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Sec. 1125a. United States Capitol Preservation Commission. The United States Capitol Preservation Commission was established in 1988 (2 U.S.C. 2081) to provide improvements in, preservation of, and acquisitions for the Capitol and to provide works of fine art and other property for display in the Capitol. In the 106th Congress the Commission was given responsibility for the planning, engineering, design, and construction of the Capitol Visitor Center (sec. 310, Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2000). Membership on the Commission consists of the Speaker, the President pro tempore (co- chairmen), the chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Committee on the Library, the chairmen and ranking minority members of the Committee on Rules and Administration and the Committee on House Administration, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the House and Senate, the chairmen of the Commission on the Bicentennial of the Senate and the Commission of the House of Representatives Bicentenary, two Members of the Senate, and two Members of the House.
Sec. 1125b. Office of General Counsel. The General Counsel appointed under clause 8 of rule II is authorized by law to appear in any proceeding before a State or Federal court (except the United States Supreme Court) without compliance with admission requirements of such court (2 U.S.C. 130f(a)). Furthermore, the law requires the Attorney General to notify the General Counsel of its determination not to appeal a court decision affecting the constitutionality of an Act (2 U.S.C 130f(b)).
Sec. 1125c. Office of Emergency Planning, Preparedness, and Operations. This Office is responsible for mitigation and preparedness operations, crisis management and response, resource services, and recovery operations (2 U.S.C. 130i). The Speaker, in consultation with the Minority Leader, provides policy direction for, and oversight of, the Office. The Speaker may request the head of any Federal department or agency to detail to the Office, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of the department or agency. The day-to-day operations of the Office are carried out by the Director, under the supervision of a Board, known as the House of Representatives Continuity of Operations Board, comprising the Clerk, the Sergeant-at-Arms, and the Chief Administrative Officer. The Clerk is the Chairman of the Board.
Sec. 1125d. Office of Attending Physician. This Office was established in the 70th Congress when the House requested the Secretary of the Navy to detail a medical officer to be in attendance at the Hall of the House during sessions of the House (H. Res. 253, Dec. 5, 1928, p. ----). Currently, the Office provides primary care and emergency, environmental, and occupational health services in direct support of Members of Congress and the Supreme Court, staff, pages, visiting dignitaries, and tourists (Office of Attending Physician in the U.S. Congress, CRS, Dec. 12, 2001).
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Sec. 1125e. Office of Architect of the Capitol. This Office , which dates from 1793, operates and maintains the buildings and grounds of the Capitol complex. For a detailed explanation of the current duties and statutory evolution of the office, see Architect of the Capitol: Appointment, Duties, and Operations, CRS, March 17, 2005.
EARLY ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSE [from the committee reform amendments of 1974, made permanent law in 2 __________ u.s.c. 29a]
Sec. 1126. December caucuses. (a)(1) The majority leader or minority leader of the House of Representatives after consultation with the Speaker may at any time during any even-numbered year call a caucus or conference, to begin on or after the first day of December and conclude on or before the twentieth day of December in such year and to be attended by all incumbent Members of his or her political party who have been reelected to the ensuing Congress and all other Members-elect of such party, for the purpose of taking all steps necessary to achieve the prompt organization of the Members and Members-elect of such party for the ensuing Congress.
(2) If the majority leader or minority leader calls an organizational caucus or conference under paragraph (1), he or she shall file with the Clerk of the House a written notice designating the date upon which the caucus or conference is to convene. As soon as possible after the election of Members to the ensuing Congress, the Clerk shall furnish each Member-elect of the party involved with appropriate written notification of the caucus or conference. (3) If a vacancy occurs in the office of majority leader or minority leader during any even-numbered year (and has not been filled), the chairman of the caucus or conference of the party involved for the current Congress may call an organizational caucus or conference under paragraph (1) by filing written notice thereof as provided by paragraph (2). [[Page 970]] of residence in the district which he or she represents and Washington, District of Columbia, for the purpose of attending such caucus or conference. Payment shall be made through the issuance of a transportation request form to each such Member-elect or incumbent Member by the Finance Office of the House before such caucus or conference. (b)(1)(A) Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under subsection (a), and each incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress who attends any such caucus or conference convening after the adjournment sine die of the Congress in the year involved, shall be paid for one round trip between his or her place (B) Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under subsection (a) shall in addition be reimbursed on a per diem or other basis for expenses incurred in connection with his or her attendance at such caucus or conference for a period not to exceed the shorter of the following-- (i) the period beginning with the day before the designated date upon which such caucus or conference is to convene and ending with the day after the date of the final adjournment of such caucus or conference; or (ii) fourteen days. (2) Payments and reimbursements to Members-elect under paragraph (1) shall be made as provided (with respect to Members) in the regulations prescribed by the Committee on House Administration with respect to travel and other expenses of committees and Members. Reimbursements shall be paid on special voucher forms prescribed by the Committee on House Administration. (c) The contingent fund of the House is made available to carry out the purposes of this section. [from h. res. 10, 94th congress, made permanent law in 2 u.s.c. 29a] [[Page 971]] Resolved, That (a) each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under section 202(a) of House Resolution 988, 93d Congress, and each incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress who attends any such caucus or conference convening after the adjournment sine die of the Congress in the year involved, shall be entitled to designate one staff person to be paid for one round trip between that person's place of residence, provided such place of residence is in the district which the Member-elect or incumbent Member represents, and Washington, District of Columbia, for the purpose of accompanying that Member-elect or incumbent Member to such caucus or conference. (b) Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under such section 202(a) shall be entitled to designate one staff person who shall in addition be reimbursed on a per diem or other basis for expenses incurred in accompanying the Member-elect at the time of such caucus or conference for a period not to exceed the shorter of the following-- (i) the period beginning with the day before the designated date upon which such caucus or conference is to convene and ending with the day after the date of the final adjournment of such caucus or conference; or (ii) fourteen days. Sec. 2. (a) Payments and reimbursements to staff persons under the first section of this resolution shall be made as provided (with respect to staff) in the regulations prescribed by the Committee on House Administration with respect to travel and other expenses of staff. Reimbursements shall be paid on special voucher forms prescribed by the Committee on House Administration. (b) Additional funds, if any, for staff allowances and office space for use by Members-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress) shall be authorized by the Committee on House Administration. [[Page 973]] In recent practice, the House has adopted resolutions providing for the convening of an organizational caucus or conference in November (e.g., H. Res. 666, 106th Cong., Nov. 3, 2000, p. 25993; H. Res. 590, 107th Cong., Oct. 16, 2002, p. ----; H. Res. 824, 108th Cong., Oct. 6, 2004, p. ----).