[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 166 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 166

                 Establishing a House Security Office.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 4, 1993

Mr. Hyde submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                   Committee on House Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
                 Establishing a House Security Office.

    Resolved,

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT.

    (a) There is established, within the Office of the Clerk of the 
House (hereinafter referred to as the ``Clerk''), the Office of House 
Security (hereinafter referred to as the ``Office''), which shall be 
headed by a director of House Security (hereinafter referred to as the 
``Director''). The Office shall be under the policy direction of the 
majority and minority leaders of the House, and shall be under the 
administrative direction and supervision of the Clerk.
    (b)(1) The Director shall be appointed by the Speaker after 
consultation with the minority leader. The Clerk shall fix the 
compensation of the Director. Any appointment under this subsection 
shall be made solely on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of 
the position and without regard to political affiliation.
    (2) The Director, with the approval of the Clerk, and after 
consultation with the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on 
House Administration, may establish such policies and procedures as may 
be necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution. One year 
from the effective date of this resolution, the Director shall submit 
an annual report to the majority and minority leaders and the chairman 
and ranking member of the Committee on House Administration on the 
status of security matters and the handling of classified information 
in the House, and the progress of the Office in achieving the mandates 
of this resolution.

SEC. 2. PERSONNEL AND COMPENSATION.

    (a) The Clerk shall appoint and fix the compensation of such 
personnel as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this 
resolution. The Director, with the approval of the Clerk, shall 
prescribe the duties and responsibilities of such personnel. If a 
Director is not appointed, the Office shall be headed by an Acting 
Director. The Clerk shall appoint and fix the compensation of the 
Acting Director.
    (b) The majority and minority leaders of the House may each 
designate a majority staff assistant and a minority staff assistant to 
serve as their liaisons to the Office. Upon such designation, the Clerk 
shall appoint and fix the compensation of the majority and minority 
liaison assistants.

SEC. 3. RESPONSIBILITIES.

    (a) The Office is authorized to develop, establish, and carry out 
policies and procedures with respect to such matters as--
            (1) the receipt, control, transmission, storage, 
        destruction, or other handling of classified information 
        addressed to the United States House of Representatives, the 
        Speaker of the House, or Members and employees of the House;
            (2) the processing of security clearance requests and 
        renewals for officers and employees of the House;
            (3) establishing and maintaining a current and centralized 
        record of security clearances held by officers and employees of 
        the House, and developing recommendations for reducing the 
        number of clearances held by such employees;
            (4) consulting and presenting briefings on security matters 
        and the handling of classified information for the benefit of 
        Members and employees of the House;
            (5) maintaining an active liaison on behalf of the House, 
        or any committee thereof, with all departments and agencies of 
        the United States on security matters; and
            (6) conducting periodic review of the practices and 
        procedures employed by all offices of the House for the 
        handling of classified information.
    (b) Within 180 days after the Director takes office, he shall 
develop, after consultation with the Clerk, a House Security Manual, to 
be printed and distributed to all House offices. The House Security 
Manual will prescribe the policies and procedures of the Office, and 
set forth regulations for all other House offices for the handling of 
classified information.
    (c) Within 90 days after taking office, the Director shall conduct 
a survey to determine the number of officers and employees of the House 
that have security clearances and report the findings of the survey to 
the Speaker and minority leader and Clerk of the House together with 
recommendations regarding the feasibility of reducing the number of 
employees with such clearances.
    (d) The Office shall have authority--
            (1) to provide appropriate facilities in the United States 
        Capitol for hearings of committees of the House at which 
        restricted data or other classified information is to be 
        presented and discussed; and
            (2) to establish and operate a central repository in the 
        United States Capitol for the safeguarding of classified 
        information for which the Office is responsible; which shall 
        include the classified records, transcripts, and materials of 
        all closed sessions of the House.

SEC. 4. HOUSE PERMANENT SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE EXEMPTION.

    Nothing in this resolution shall apply to the Permanent Select 
Committee on Intelligence.

SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This resolution shall take effect on January 1, 1994.

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