[House Report 110-830]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
110th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 110-830
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DIRECTING THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALS WHOSE PAY IS DISBURSED BY THE
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER BY ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER WITH THE
OPTION OF RECEIVING RECEIPTS OF PAY AND WITHHOLDINGS ELECTRONICALLY
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September 8, 2008.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be
printed
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Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, from the Committee on House Administration,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H. Res. 1207]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on House Administration, to whom was referred
the resolution (H. Res. 1207) directing the Chief
Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives to
provide individuals whose pay is disbursed by the Chief
Administrative Officer by electronic funds transfer with the
option of receiving receipts of pay and withholdings
electronically, having considered the same, report favorably
thereon with an amendment and recommend that the resolution be
agreed to.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. PROVIDING INDIVIDUALS PAID BY CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WITH THE OPTION OF
RECEIVING RECEIPTS OF PAY ELECTRONICALLY.
(a) In General.--The Chief Administrative Officer of the House of
Representatives shall take such steps as may be necessary to provide
each individual whose pay is disbursed by the Chief Administrative
Officer by electronic funds transfer with the option of receiving the
receipt of the pay and the accompanying withholdings electronically,
the option of viewing electronically the individual's employee
statement required under section 6051 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, and the option of revising electronically (to the extent
permitted under applicable law and regulations) the individual's number
of deductions and withholdings under that statement and information
relating to the deposit of the individual's funds with the financial
institution to which the electronic funds transfer is made.
(b) Electronic Funds Transfer Defined.--In subsection (a), the term
``electronic funds transfer'' has the meaning given such term by
section 3332 of title 31, United States Code.
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION
H. Res. 1207 would direct the Chief Administrative Officer
of the House of Representatives to provide individuals whose
pay is disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer by
electronic funds transfer with the option of receiving receipts
of pay and withholdings electronically.
RESOLUTION SUMMARY
H. Res. 1207 would require the Chief Administrative Officer
(CAO) to provide electronic pay stubs, rather than pay stubs by
mail, upon request for any employee of the House of
Representatives. The committee supports this resolution as a
common-sense way to modernize the House pay-system.
Electronic pay stubs would offer convenience to members and
staff by simplifying record keeping. H. Res. 1207 would also
make a substantial reduction in paper waste.
COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On July 30, 2008, the Committee considered H. Res. 1207
and, by voice vote, ordered the resolution reported favorably
with an amendment. No recorded votes were taken during the
consideration of the bill.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR H. RES. 1207
Currently, all employees of the House whose pay is
distributed through the Chief Administrative Officer receive
paper pay stubs through the mail. Not only is this an
increasingly outdated practice, it also generates a substantial
amount of unnecessary paper waste. Allowing members and staff
to opt for an electronic pay stub will make it easier to keep
payment records for both the dispersing authority and
recipients. Allowing for electronic stubs will also decrease
the amount of paper waste accrued from mailing receipts of pay,
promoting the Speaker's Green the Capitol initiative.
The Chief Administrative Officer's staff has expressed some
concerns over the responsibility of tracking the receipt
preference, and the preferred e-mail address, of each
individual House employee. If the proposal is adopted, the
Committee on House Administration would work with the CAO staff
to ensure a smooth transition into the new system.
ANALYSIS OF THE RESOLUTION (AS REPORTED)
H. Res. 1207 was introduced by Representative Virginia Foxx
of North Carolina on May 16, 2008. The resolution directs the
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the House of
Representatives to provide individuals whose pay is disbursed
electronically by the CAO with the option of receiving receipts
of pay and withholdings electronically. The resolution was
referred to the Committee on House Administration, which
amended it and ordered it reported on July 30, 2008. The
resolution would make W2 forms available electronically and
allow individuals to change their deductions and withholdings,
and to re-designate the depository institution(s) for
electronic deposits.
The resolution is similar to H.R. 6073, which would require
the Office of Personnel Management to ensure that all executive
branch employees have the option of receiving pay stubs
electronically. H.R. 6073, which was also introduced by
Representative Foxx, was reported by the House Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform on July 16, 2008. The
Congressional Budget Office issued a cost estimate of that bill
on July 21, and it passed the House by voice vote on July 30.
A section by section analysis of the resolution (as amended
and reported) is as follows:
Section 1. Subsection (a) directs the CAO of the House of
Representatives to take such steps as may be necessary to
ensure that any employee who receives pay from the CAO by
electronic funds transfer shall be given the option of
electronically receiving receipt of pay and withholdings,
viewing the employment statement required under the Internal
Revenue Act of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 6051), and revising the
employee's number of deductions and withholdings.
Subsection (b) gives the term ``electronic funds transfer''
the same meaning as in 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3332.
MATTERS REQUIRED UNDER RULES OF THE HOUSE
Committee votes
Clause 3(b) of House Rule XIII requires the results of each
recorded vote on an amendment or motion to report, together
with the names of those voting for and against, to be printed
in the committee report. No recorded votes were taken during
the committee's consideration of H. Res. 1207.
Congressional Budget Office estimate
Clause 3(c)(3) of House Rule XIII requires the report of a
committee on a measure which has been approved by the committee
to include a cost estimate prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 403 of the CBA,
if timely submitted. The Director submitted the following
estimate:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, August 8, 2008.
Hon. Robert A. Brady,
Chairman, Committee on House Administration,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H. Res. 1207, a
resolution directing the Chief Administrative Officer of the
House of Representatives to provide individuals whose pay is
disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer by electronic
funds transfer with the option of receiving receipts of pay and
withholdings electronically.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew
Pickford.
Sincerely,
Robert A. Sunshine
(For Peter R. Orszag, Director).
Enclosure.
H. Res. 1207--A resolution directing the Chief Administrative Officer
of the House of Representatives to provide individuals whose
pay is disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer by
electronic funds transfer with the option of receiving receipts
of pay and withholdings electronically
H. Res. 1207 would require the Chief Administrative Officer
(CAO) of the House of Representatives to take steps to provide
employees who receive their pay through electronic transfer
with the option of receiving their pay stubs electronically.
According to the CAO, the agency intends to offer electronic
pay stubs to all staff in the near future. Thus, CBO estimates
that enacting H. Res. 1207 would have no significant effect on
federal spending and would not affect revenues.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew
Pickford. This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine,
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
Oversight findings
Clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII requires each committee report
to contain oversight findings and recommendations required
pursuant to clause 2(b)(1) of House Rule X. The Committee has
general oversight responsibility for the Chief Administrative
Officer of the House of Representatives. The Committee
recommends the implementation of H. Res. 1207 to proceed with
the goal of modernizing House administrative practices and to
advance the Speaker's Greening the Capitol Initiative.
Statement of general performance goals and objectives
Clause 3(c)(4) of House Rule XIII requires committee
reports to include a statement of general performance goals and
objectives. The Committee finds that H. Res. 1207 will
modernize the House payment system, provide greater flexibility
for staff, and promote the Greening the Capitol initiative.