[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3754 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.3754

                       One Hundred Fourth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

         Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
   the third day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-six


                                 An Act


 
  Making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year 
           ending September 30, 1997, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums 
are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise 
appropriated, for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 1997, and for other purposes, namely:

                   TITLE I--CONGRESSIONAL OPERATIONS

                                 SENATE

                           expense allowances

    For expense allowances of the Vice President, $10,000; the 
President Pro Tempore of the Senate, $10,000; Majority Leader of the 
Senate, $10,000; Minority Leader of the Senate, $10,000; Majority Whip 
of the Senate, $5,000; Minority Whip of the Senate, $5,000; and 
Chairmen of the Majority and Minority Conference Committees, $3,000 for 
each Chairman; in all, $56,000.

    representation allowances for the majority and minority leaders

    For representation allowances of the Majority and Minority Leaders 
of the Senate, $15,000 for each such Leader; in all, $30,000.

                    Salaries, Officers and Employees

    For compensation of officers, employees, and others as authorized 
by law, including agency contributions, $74,615,000, which shall be 
paid from this appropriation without regard to the below limitations, 
as follows:

                      office of the vice president

    For the Office of the Vice President, $1,513,000.

                  office of the president pro tempore

    For the Office of the President Pro Tempore, $325,000.

              offices of the majority and minority leaders

    For Offices of the Majority and Minority Leaders, $2,195,000.

               offices of the majority and minority whips

    For Offices of the Majority and Minority Whips, $1,156,000.

                         conference committees

    For the Conference of the Majority and the Conference of the 
Minority, at rates of compensation to be fixed by the Chairman of each 
such committee, $996,000 for each such committee; in all, $1,992,000.

 offices of the secretaries of the conference of the majority and the 
                       conference of the minority

    For Offices of the Secretaries of the Conference of the Majority 
and the Conference of the Minority, $384,000.

                           policy committees

    For salaries of the Majority Policy Committee and the Minority 
Policy Committee, $965,000 for each such committee, in all, $1,930,000.

                         office of the chaplain

    For Office of the Chaplain, $234,000.

                        office of the secretary

    For Office of the Secretary, $12,714,000.

             office of the sergeant at arms and doorkeeper

    For Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper, $34,037,000.

        offices of the secretaries for the majority and minority

    For Offices of the Secretary for the Majority and the Secretary for 
the Minority, $1,135,000.

               agency contributions and related expenses

    For agency contributions for employee benefits, as authorized by 
law, and related expenses, $17,000,000.

            Office of the Legislative Counsel of the Senate

    For salaries and expenses of the Office of the Legislative Counsel 
of the Senate, $3,447,000.

                     Office of Senate Legal Counsel

    For salaries and expenses of the Office of Senate Legal Counsel, 
$936,000.

Expense Allowances of the Secretary of the Senate, Sergeant at Arms and 
Doorkeeper of the Senate, and Secretaries for the Majority and Minority 
                             of the Senate

    For expense allowances of the Secretary of the Senate, $3,000; 
Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate, $3,000; Secretary for 
the Majority of the Senate, $3,000; Secretary for the Minority of the 
Senate, $3,000; in all, $12,000.

                   Contingent Expenses of the Senate

                      inquiries and investigations

    For expenses of inquiries and investigations ordered by the Senate, 
or conducted pursuant to section 134(a) of Public Law 601, Seventy-
ninth Congress, as amended, section 112 of Public Law 96-304 and Senate 
Resolution 281, agreed to March 11, 1980, $69,561,000.


      Expenses of the United States Senate Caucus on International 
                           Narcotics Control

    For expenses of the United States Senate Caucus on International 
Narcotics Control, $305,000.

                        secretary of the senate

    For expenses of the Office of the Secretary of the Senate, 
$1,511,000.

             sergeant at arms and doorkeeper of the senate

    For expenses of the Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper 
of the Senate, $65,931,000.

                          miscellaneous items

    For miscellaneous items, $6,791,000.

        senators' official personnel and office expense account

    For Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account, 
$208,000,000.

                      stationery (revolving fund)

    For stationery for the President of the Senate, $4,500, for 
officers of the Senate and the Conference of the Majority and 
Conference of the Minority of the Senate, $8,500; in all, $13,000.

                          official mail costs

    For expenses necessary for official mail costs of the Senate, 
$10,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 1998.

                       administrative provisions

    Section 1. Section 195(a) of chapter IX of title I of the 
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1985 (Public Law 99-88; 2 U.S.C. 61g-
7(a)) is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting ``or 
with respect to the administration of the affairs of the committee.''.
    Sec. 2. Section 105(d)(1) of chapter VI of title I of the Second 
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1978 (Public Law 95-355; 2 U.S.C. 
43d(d)(1)) is amended by striking ``and telephone services'' and 
inserting ``, telephone services, and stationery''.
    Sec. 3. Section 3(f)(1) under the heading ``administrative 
provisions'' in the appropriation for the Senate in the Legislative 
Branch Appropriation Act, 1975 (2 U.S.C. 59(e)(1)) is amended in the 
second sentence by striking ``one year'' and inserting ``3 years''.
    Sec. 4. (a) Section 5 under the heading ``administrative 
provisions'' in the appropriation for the Senate in the Legislative 
Branch Appropriations Act, 1996 (2 U.S.C. 58a note) is amended--
        (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``by the Sergeant at Arms 
    and Doorkeeper of the Senate''; and
        (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) As used in subsection (a), the term `user' means a Senator, 
an Officer of the Senate, and any office, committee, or other entity 
the funds of which are disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate.''.
    (b) The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on 
October 1, 1996, and shall apply to all paymentsmade on or after such 
date for local and long distance telecommunications service.
    Sec. 5. (a) The Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate may 
directly, or through the General Services Administration, transfer 
title to excess or surplus educationally useful equipment to a public 
school. Any such transfer shall be completed at the lowest possible 
cost to the public school and the Senate.
    (b) The Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate shall 
prescribe regulations to carry out the provisions of this section.
    (c) Receipts from reimbursements for the costs of transfer of 
excess or surplus educationally useful equipment under this section, 
shall be deposited in the United States Treasury for credit to the 
account for the ``Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate'' 
within the contingent fund of the Senate.
    (d) For the purposes of this section:
        (1) The term ``public school'' means a public elementary or 
    secondary school as such terms are defined in section 14101 of the 
    Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801).
        (2) The term ``educationally useful equipment'' means computers 
    and related peripheral tools, including printers, modems, routers, 
    servers, computer keyboards, scanners, and other telecommunications 
    and research equipment, that are appropriate for use in public 
    school education.
    (e) This section shall take effect beginning with fiscal year 1997 
and shall be effective each fiscal year thereafter.
    Sec. 6. (a) Notwithstanding section 1345 of title 31, United States 
Code, the Secretary of the Senate may reimburse any individual employed 
by the Senate day care center for the cost of training classes and 
conferences in connection with the provision of child care services and 
for travel, transportation, and subsistence expenses incurred in 
connection with the training classes and conferences.
    (b) The Senate day care center shall certify and provide 
appropriate documentation to the Secretary of the Senate with respect 
to any reimbursement under this section. Reimbursements under this 
section shall be made from the appropriations account ``MISCELLANEOUS 
ITEMS'' within the contingent fund of the Senate on vouchers approved 
by the Secretary of the Senate.
    (c) Reimbursements under this section shall be subject to the 
regulations and limitations prescribed by the Committee on Rules and 
Administration of the Senate for travel and related expenses for which 
payment is authorized to be made from the contingent fund of the 
Senate.
    (d) This section shall be effective on and after October 1, 1996.
    Sec. 7. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any funds 
received during fiscal year 1996 by the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper 
of the Senate in settlement of a contract claim or dispute, but not to 
exceed $1,450,000, shall be deposited into the appropriation account 
for fiscal year 1997 for the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the 
Senate within the contingent fund of the Senate and shall be available 
in a like manner and for the same purposes as are the other funds in 
that account.
    Sec. 8. (a) The Secretary of the Senate, with the oversight and 
approval of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, 
shall oversee the development and implementation of a comprehensive 
Senate legislative information system.
    (b) In carrying out this section, the Secretary of the Senate shall 
consult and work with officers and employees of the House of 
Representatives. Legislative branch agencies and departments and 
agencies of the executive branch shall provide cooperation, 
consultation, and assistance as requested by the Secretary of the 
Senate to carry out this section.
    (c) Any funds that were appropriated under the heading ``Secretary 
of the Senate'' for expenses of the Office of the Secretary of the 
Senate by the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1995, to remain 
available until September 30, 1998, and that the Secretary determines 
are not needed for development of a financial management system for the 
Senate may, with the approval of the Committee on Appropriations of the 
Senate, be used to carry out the provisions of this section, and such 
funds shall be available through September 30, 2000.
    (d) The Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate may 
prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the 
provisions of this section.
    (e) This section shall be effective for fiscal years beginning on 
or after October 1, 1996.
    Sec. 9. Payment for Unaccrued Leave.--
    (a) In General.--The Financial Clerk of the Senate is authorized to 
accept from an individual whose pay is disbursed by the Secretary of 
Senate a payment representing pay for any period of unaccrued annual 
leave used by that individual, as certified by the head of the 
employing office of the individual making the payment.
    (b) Withholding.--The Financial Clerk of the Senate is authorized 
to withhold the amount referred to in subsection (a) from any amount 
which is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate and which is due to 
or on behalf of the individual described in subsection (a).
    (c) Deposit.--Any payment accepted under this section shall be 
deposited in the general fund of the Treasury as miscellaneous 
receipts.
    (d) Definition.--As used in this section, the term ``head of the 
employing office'' means any person with the final authority to 
appoint, hire, discharge, and set the terms, conditions, or privileges 
of the employment of an individual whose pay is disbursed by the 
Secretary of the Senate.
    (e) Applicability.--This section shall apply to fiscal year 1996 
and each fiscal year thereafter.

                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                         Salaries and Expenses

    For salaries and expenses of the House of Representatives, 
$683,831,000, as follows:

                        house leadership offices

    For salaries and expenses, as authorized by law, $11,592,000, 
including: Office of the Speaker, $1,535,000, including $25,000 for 
official expenses of the Speaker; Office of the Majority Floor Leader, 
$1,526,000, including $10,000 for official expenses of the Majority 
Leader; Office of the Minority Floor Leader, $1,534,000, including 
$10,000 for official expenses of the Minority Leader; Office of the 
Majority Whip, including the Chief Deputy Majority Whip, $957,000, 
including $5,000 for official expenses of the Majority Whip; Office of 
the Minority Whip, including the Chief Deputy Minority Whip, $949,000, 
including $5,000 for official expenses of the Minority Whip; Speaker's 
Office for Legislative Floor Activities, $376,000; Republican Steering 
Committee, $664,000; Republican Conference, $1,130,000; Democratic 
Steering and Policy Committee, $1,191,000; Democratic Caucus, $603,000; 
and nine minority employees, $1,127,000.


                   MEMBERS' REPRESENTATIONAL ALLOWANCES

    Including Members' Clerk Hire, Official Expenses of Members, and 
                             Official Mail

    For Members' representational allowances, including Members' clerk 
hire, official expenses, and official mail, $363,313,000.


                           Committee Employees

                 standing committees, special and select

    For salaries and expenses of standing committees, special and 
select, authorized by House resolutions, $80,222,000.

                      committee on appropriations

    For salaries and expenses of the Committee on Appropriations, 
$17,580,000, including studies and examinations of executive agencies 
and temporary personal services for such committee, to be expended in 
accordance with section 202(b) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 
1946 and to be available for reimbursement to agencies for services 
performed.


                     salaries, officers and employees

    For compensation and expenses of officers and employees, as 
authorized by law, $86,259,000, including: for salaries and expenses of 
the Office of the Clerk, including not more than $3,500, of which not 
more than $2,500 is for the Family Room, for official representation 
and reception expenses, $15,074,000; for salaries and expenses of the 
Office of the Sergeant at Arms, including the position of 
Superintendent of Garages, and including not more than $750 for 
official representation and reception expenses, $3,638,000; for 
salaries and expenses of the Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, $55,209,000, including salaries, expenses and temporary 
personal services of House Information Resources, $22,577,000, of which 
$16,577,000 is provided herein: Provided, That House Information 
Resources is authorized to receive reimbursement from Members of the 
House of Representatives and other governmental entities for services 
provided and such reimbursement shall be deposited in the Treasury for 
credit to this account; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
Inspector General, $3,954,000; Office of the Chaplain, $126,000; for 
salaries and expenses of the Office of the Parliamentarian, including 
the Parliamentarian and $2,000 for preparing the Digest of Rules, 
$1,036,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Law Revision 
Counsel of the House, $1,767,000; for salaries and expenses of the 
Office of the Legislative Counsel of the House, $4,687,000; and other 
authorized employees, $768,000.

                        allowances and expenses

    For allowances and expenses as authorized by House resolution or 
law, $124,865,000, including: supplies, materials, administrative costs 
and Federal tort claims, $2,374,000; official mail for committees, 
leadership offices, and administrative offices of the House, 
$1,000,000; reemployed annuitants reimbursement, $71,000; Government 
contributions for health, retirement, Social Security, and other 
applicable employee benefits, $120,779,000; and miscellaneous items 
including purchase, exchange, maintenance, repair and operation of 
House motor vehicles, interparliamentary receptions, and gratuities to 
heirs of deceased employees of the House, $641,000.

                           child care center

    For salaries and expenses of the House of Representatives Child 
Care Center, such amounts as are deposited in the account established 
by section 312(d)(1) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1992 
(40 U.S.C. 184g(d)(1)), subject to the level specified in the budget of 
the Center, as submitted to the Committee on Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives.

                       Administrative Provisions

    Sec. 101. (a) Section 107A of the Legislative Branch Appropriations 
Act, 1996 (109 Stat. 522) is amended--
        (1) by striking out ``For fiscal year 1996, subject'' and 
    inserting in lieu thereof ``(a) Subject'';
        (2) by striking out ``of the total amount'' and all that 
    follows through ``cost of inventory'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
    the following: ``the amounts deposited in the account specified in 
    subsection (b) from vending operations of the House of 
    Representatives Restaurant System shall be available to pay the 
    cost of goods sold''; and
        (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(b) The account referred to in subsection (a) is the special 
deposit account established for the House of Representatives Restaurant 
by section 208 of the First Supplemental Civil Functions Appropriation 
Act, 1941 (40 U.S.C. 174k note).''.
    (b) The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect 
to fiscal years beginning after September 30, 1996.
    Sec. 102. (a) Section 3210(a)(6)(A) of title 39, United States 
Code, is amended--
        (1) in clause (i), by inserting ``(or, in the case of a Member 
    of the House, fewer than 90 days)'' after ``60 days''; and
        (2) in clause (ii), by striking out ``60 days'' and inserting 
    in lieu thereof ``90 days''.
    (b) The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on 
October 1, 1996, and shall apply with respect to any mailing postmarked 
on or after that date.

                              JOINT ITEMS

    For Joint Committees, as follows:

            Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies of 1997

    For construction of platform and seating stands and for salaries 
and expenses of conducting the inaugural ceremonies of the President 
and Vice President of the United States, January 20, 1997, in 
accordance with such program as may be adopted by the joint committee 
authorized by Senate Concurrent Resolution 47, One Hundred Fourth 
Congress, agreed to March 20, 1996, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 
48, One Hundred Fourth Congress, agreed to March 20, 1996, $950,000 to 
be disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate and to remain available 
until September 30, 1997. Such funds shall be available for payment, on 
a direct or reimbursable basis, whether incurred on, before, or after, 
October 1, 1996: Provided, That the compensation of any employee of the 
Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate who has been 
designated to perform service for the Joint Congressional Committee on 
Inaugural Ceremonies shall continue to be paid by the Committee on 
Rules and Administration, but the account from which such staff member 
is paid may be reimbursed for the services of the staff member 
(including agency contributions when appropriate) out of funds made 
available under this heading.

                        Joint Economic Committee

    For salaries and expenses of the Joint Economic Committee, 
$2,750,000, to be disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate.

                      Joint Committee on Printing

    For salaries and expenses of the Joint Committee on Printing, 
$777,000, to be disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate.

                      Joint Committee on Taxation

    For salaries and expenses of the Joint Committee on Taxation, 
$5,470,000, to be disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer of the 
House.
    For other joint items, as follows:

                   Office of the Attending Physician

    For medical supplies, equipment, and contingent expenses of the 
emergency rooms, and for the Attending Physician and his assistants, 
including (1) an allowance of $1,500 per month to the Attending 
Physician; (2) an allowance of $500 per month each to two medical 
officers while on duty in the Attending Physician's office; (3) an 
allowance of $500 per month to one assistant and $400 per month each to 
not to exceed nine assistants on the basis heretofore provided for such 
assistance; and (4) $867,000 for reimbursement to the Department of the 
Navy for expenses incurred for staff and equipment assigned to the 
Office of the Attending Physician, which shall be advanced and credited 
to the applicable appropriation or appropriations from which such 
salaries, allowances, and other expenses are payable and shall be 
available for all the purposes thereof, $1,225,000, to be disbursed by 
the Chief Administrative Officer of the House.

                          Capitol Police Board

                             Capitol Police


                                 salaries

    For the Capitol Police Board for salaries of officers, members, and 
employees of the Capitol Police, including overtime, hazardous duty pay 
differential, clothing allowance of not more than $600 each for members 
required to wear civilian attire, and Government contributions for 
health, retirement, Social Security, and other applicable employee 
benefits, $69,356,000, of which $33,437,000 is provided to the Sergeant 
at Arms of the House of Representatives, to be disbursed by the Chief 
Administrative Officer of the House, and $35,919,000 is provided to the 
Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate, to be disbursed by the 
Secretary of the Senate: Provided, That, of the amounts appropriated 
under this heading, such amounts as may be necessary may be transferred 
between the Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives and the 
Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate, upon approval of the 
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

                            general expenses

    For the Capitol Police Board for necessary expenses of the Capitol 
Police, including motor vehicles, communications and other equipment, 
security equipment and installation, uniforms, weapons, supplies, 
materials, training, medical services, forensic services, stenographic 
services, personal and professional services,  the employee assistance 
program, not more than $2,000 for the awards program, postage, 
telephone service, travel advances, relocation of instructor and 
liaison personnel for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, and 
$85 per month for extra services performed for the Capitol Police Board 
by an employee of the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate or the House of 
Representatives designated by the Chairman of the Board, $2,782,000, to 
be disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of 
Representatives: Provided, That, notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, the cost of basic training for the Capitol Police at the Federal 
Law Enforcement Training Center for fiscal year 1997 shall be paid by 
the Secretary of the Treasury from funds available to the Department of 
the Treasury.

                        Administrative Provision

    Sec. 103. Amounts appropriated for fiscal year 1997 for the Capitol 
Police Board for the Capitol Police may be transferred between the 
headings ``salaries'' and ``general expenses'' upon the approval of--
        (1) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
    Representatives, in the case of amounts transferred from the 
    appropriation provided to the Sergeant at Arms of the House of 
    Representatives under the heading ``salaries'';
        (2) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, in the case 
    of amounts transferred from the appropriation provided to the 
    Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate under the heading 
    ``salaries''; and
        (3) the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the 
    House of Representatives, in the case of other transfers.

           Capitol Guide Service and Special Services Office

    For salaries and expenses of the Capitol Guide Service and Special 
Services Office, $1,991,000, to be disbursed by the Secretary of the 
Senate: Provided, That no part of such amount may be used to employ 
more than forty individuals: Provided further, That the Capitol Guide 
Board is authorized, during emergencies, to employ not more than two 
additional individuals for not more than one hundred twenty days each, 
and not more than ten additional individuals for not more than six 
months each, for the Capitol Guide Service.

                      Statements of Appropriations

    For the preparation, under the direction of the Committees on 
Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives, of the 
statements for the second session of the One Hundred Fourth Congress, 
showing appropriations made, indefinite appropriations, and contracts 
authorized, together with a chronological history of the regular 
appropriations bills as required by law, $30,000, to be paid to the 
persons designated by the chairmen of such committees to supervise the 
work.

                          OFFICE OF COMPLIANCE

                         Salaries and Expenses

    For salaries and expenses of the Office of Compliance, as 
authorized by section 305 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 
1995 (2 U.S.C. 1385), $2,609,000.

                      CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE

                         Salaries and Expenses

    For salaries and expenses necessary to carry out the provisions of 
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), including not 
more than $2,500 to be expended on the certification of the Director of 
the Congressional Budget Office in connection with official 
representation and reception expenses, $24,532,000: Provided, That no 
part of such amount may be used for the purchase or hire of a passenger 
motor vehicle.

                       Administrative Provisions

    Sec. 104. (a) Any sale or lease of property, supplies, or services 
to the Congressional Budget Office shall be deemed to be a sale or 
lease to the Congress subject to section 903 of the Supplemental 
Appropriations Act, 1983 (2 U.S.C. 111b).
    (b) Subsection (a) shall apply with respect to fiscal years 
beginning after September 30, 1996.
    Sec. 105. (a) The Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall 
have the authority, within the limits of available appropriations, to 
dispose of surplus or obsolete personal property by inter-agency 
transfer, donation, or discarding.
    (b) Subsection (a) shall apply with respect to fiscal years 
beginning after September 30, 1996.
    Sec. 106. (a) The Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall 
have the authority to make lump-sum payments to separated employees of 
the Congressional Budget Office for unused annual leave.
    (b) Subsection (a) shall apply with respect to fiscal years 
beginning after September 30, 1996.

                        ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL

                 Office of the Architect of the Capitol


                                 salaries

    For the Architect of the Capitol, the Assistant Architect of the 
Capitol, and other personal services, at rates of pay provided by law, 
$8,454,000.


                                  travel

    Appropriations under the control of the Architect of the Capitol 
shall be available for expenses of travel on official business not to 
exceed in the aggregate under all funds the sum of $20,000.

                          Contingent Expenses

    To enable the Architect of the Capitol to make surveys and studies, 
and to meet unforeseen expenses in connection with activities under his 
care, $100,000.

                     Capitol Buildings and Grounds

                           capitol buildings

    For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and operation 
of the Capitol and electrical substations of the Senate and House 
office buildings under the jurisdiction of the Architect of the 
Capitol, including furnishings and office equipment; including not more 
than $1,000 for official reception and representation expenses, to be 
expended as the Architect of the Capitol may approve; purchase or 
exchange, maintenance and operation of a passenger motor vehicle; and 
attendance, when specifically authorized by the Architect of the 
Capitol, at meetings or conventions in connection with subjects related 
to work under the Architect of the Capitol, $23,255,000, of which 
$2,950,000 shall remain available until expended.


                             capitol grounds

    For all necessary expenses for care and improvement of grounds 
surrounding the Capitol, the Senate and House office buildings, and the 
Capitol Power Plant, $5,020,000, of which $25,000 shall remain 
available until expended.

                        senate office buildings

    For all necessary expenses for maintenance, care and operation of 
Senate Office Buildings; and furniture and furnishings to be expended 
under the control and supervision of the Architect of the Capitol, 
$39,640,000, of which $3,200,000 shall remain available until expended.

                         house office buildings

    For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and operation 
of the House office buildings, $32,556,000, of which $4,825,000 shall 
remain available until expended.

                          capitol power plant

    For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and operation 
of the Capitol Power Plant; lighting, heating, power (including the 
purchase of electrical energy) and water and sewer services for the 
Capitol, Senate and House office buildings, Library of Congress 
buildings, and the grounds about the same, Botanic Garden, Senate 
garage, and air conditioning refrigeration not supplied from plants in 
any of such buildings; heating the Government Printing Office and 
Washington City Post Office, and heating and chilled water for air 
conditioning for the Supreme Court Building, Union Station complex, 
Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building and the Folger Shakespeare 
Library, expenses for which shall be advanced or reimbursed upon 
request of the Architect of the Capitol and amounts so received shall 
be deposited into the Treasury to the credit of this appropriation, 
$30,749,000: Provided, That not more than $4,000,000 of the funds 
credited or to be reimbursed to this appropriation as herein provided 
shall be available for obligation during fiscal year 1997.

                          LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

                     Congressional Research Service

                         salaries and expenses

    For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of section 203 
of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 166) and to 
revise and extend the Annotated Constitution of the United States of 
America, $62,641,000: Provided, That no part of such amount may be used 
to pay any salary or expense in connection with any publication, or 
preparation of material therefor (except the Digest of Public General 
Bills), to be issued by the Library of Congress unless such publication 
has obtained prior approval of either the Committee on House Oversight 
of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Rules and 
Administration of the Senate: Provided further, That, notwithstanding 
any other provision of law, the compensation of the Director of the 
Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, shall be at an 
annual rate which is equal to the annual rate of basic pay for 
positions at level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of 
title 5, United States Code.

                       GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

                   Congressional Printing and Binding

    For authorized printing and binding for the Congress and the 
distribution of Congressional information in any format; printing and 
binding for the Architect of the Capitol; expenses necessary for 
preparing the semimonthly and session index to the Congressional 
Record, as authorized by law (44 U.S.C. 902); printing and binding of 
Government publications authorized by law to be distributed to Members 
of Congress; and printing, binding, and distribution of Government 
publications authorized by law to be distributed without charge to the 
recipient, $81,669,000: Provided, That this appropriation shall not be 
available for paper copies of the permanent edition of the 
Congressional Record for individual Representatives, Resident 
Commissioners or Delegates authorized under 44 U.S.C. 906: Provided 
further, That this appropriation shall be available for the payment of 
obligations incurred under the appropriations for similar purposes for 
preceding fiscal years.
    This title may be cited as the ``Congressional Operations 
Appropriations Act, 1997''.

                        TITLE II--OTHER AGENCIES

                             BOTANIC GARDEN

                         Salaries and Expenses

    For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and operation 
of the Botanic Garden and the nurseries, buildings, grounds, and 
collections; and purchase and exchange, maintenance, repair, and 
operation of a passenger motor vehicle; all under the direction of the 
Joint Committee on the Library, $2,902,000.

                          LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

                         Salaries and Expenses

    For necessary expenses of the Library of Congress not otherwise 
provided for, including development and maintenance of the Union 
Catalogs; custody and custodial care of the Library buildings; special 
clothing; cleaning, laundering and repair of uniforms; preservation of 
motion pictures in the custody of the Library; preparation and 
distribution of catalog cards and other publications of the Library; 
hire or purchase of one passenger motor vehicle; and expenses of the 
Library of Congress Trust Fund Board not properly chargeable to the 
income of any trust fund held by the Board, $216,007,000, of which not 
more than $7,869,000 shall be derived from collections credited to this 
appropriation during fiscal year 1997, and shall remain available until 
expended, under the Act of June 28, 1902 (chapter 1301; 32 Stat. 480; 2 
U.S.C. 150): Provided, That the Library of Congress may not obligate or 
expend any funds derived from collections under the Act of June 28, 
1902, in excess of the amount authorized for obligation or expenditure 
in appropriations Acts: Provided further, That the total amount 
available for obligation shall be reduced by the amount by which 
collections are less than the $7,869,000: Provided further, That of the 
total amount appropriated, $8,458,000 is to remain available until 
expended for acquisition of books, periodicals, and newspapers, and all 
other materials including subscriptions for bibliographic services for 
the Library, including $40,000 to be available solely for the purchase, 
when specifically approved by the Librarian, of special and unique 
materials for additions to the collections: Provided further, That of 
the total amount appropriated, $928,800 shall be for the operation and 
maintenance of the American Folklife Center in the Library.

                            Copyright Office

                         salaries and expenses

    For necessary expenses of the Copyright Office, including 
publication of the decisions of the United States courts involving 
copyrights, $33,402,000, of which not more than $17,340,000 shall be 
derived from collections credited to this appropriation during fiscal 
year 1997 under 17 U.S.C. 708(d), and not more than $4,929,000 shall be 
derived from collections during fiscal year 1997 under 17 U.S.C. 
111(d)(2), 119(b)(2), 802(h), and 1005: Provided, That the total amount 
available for obligation shall be reduced by the amount by which 
collections are less than $22,269,000: Provided further, That not more 
than $100,000 of the amount appropriated is available for the 
maintenance of an ``International Copyright Institute'' in the 
Copyright Office of the Library of Congress for the purpose of training 
nationals of developing countries in intellectual property laws and 
policies: Provided further, That not more than $2,250 may be expended, 
on the certification of the Librarian of Congress, in connection with 
official representation and reception expenses for activities of the 
International Copyright Institute.

             Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped


                          salaries and expenses

    For salaries and expenses to carry out the Act of March 3, 1931 
(chapter 400; 46 Stat. 1487; 2 U.S.C. 135a), $44,964,000, of which 
$11,694,000 shall remain available until expended.

                       Furniture and Furnishings

    For necessary expenses for the purchase and repair of furniture, 
furnishings, office and library equipment, $4,882,000.

                       Administrative Provisions

    Sec. 201. Appropriations in this Act available to the Library of 
Congress shall be available, in an amount of not more than $194,290, of 
which $58,100 is for the Congressional Research Service, when 
specifically authorized by the Librarian, for attendance at meetings 
concerned with the function or activity for which the appropriation is 
made.
    Sec. 202. (a) No part of the funds appropriated in this Act shall 
be used by the Library of Congress to administer any flexible or 
compressed work schedule which--
        (1) applies to any manager or supervisor in a position the 
    grade or level of which is equal to or higher than GS-15; and
        (2) grants such manager or supervisor the right to not be at 
    work for all or a portion of a workday because of time worked by 
    the manager or supervisor on another workday.
    (b) For purposes of this section, the term ``manager or 
supervisor'' means any management official or supervisor, as such terms 
are defined in section 7103(a) (10) and (11) of title 5, United States 
Code.
    Sec. 203. Appropriated funds received by the Library of Congress 
from other Federal agencies to cover general and administrative 
overhead costs generated by performing reimbursable work for other 
agencies under the authority of 31 U.S.C. 1535 and 1536 shall not be 
used to employ more than 65 employees and may be expended or 
obligated--
        (1) in the case of a reimbursement, only to such extent or in 
    such amounts as are provided in appropriations Acts; or
        (2) in the case of an advance payment, only--
            (A) to pay for such general or administrative overhead 
        costs as are attributable to the work performed for such 
        agency; or
            (B) to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in 
        appropriations Acts, with respect to any purpose not allowable 
        under subparagraph (A).
    Sec. 204. Of the amounts appropriated to the Library of Congress in 
this Act, not more than $5,000 may be expended, on the certification of 
the Librarian of Congress, in connection with official representation 
and reception expenses for the incentive awards program.
    Sec. 205. Of the amount appropriated to the Library of Congress in 
this Act, not more than $12,000 may be expended, on the certification 
of the Librarian of Congress, in connection with official 
representation and reception expenses for the Overseas Field Offices.
    Sec. 206. (a) For fiscal year 1997, the obligational authority of 
the Library of Congress for the activities described in subsection (b) 
may not exceed $108,275,000.
    (b) The activities referred to in subsection (a) are reimbursable 
and revolving fund activities that are funded from sources other than 
appropriations to the Library in appropriations Acts for the 
legislative branch.
    Sec. 207. (a)(1) Subject to subsection (b), for fiscal year 1997, 
the obligational authority of the Library of Congress for the 
activities described in paragraph (2) may not exceed $2,000,000.
    (2) The activities referred to in paragraph (1) are non-expenditure 
transfer activities in support of parliamentary development that are 
funded from sources other than appropriations to the Library in 
appropriations Acts for the legislative branch.
    (b) The obligational authority under subsection (a)--
        (1) shall be available only with respect to Russia, Ukraine, 
    Albania, Slovakia, and Romania; and
        (2) shall expire on December 31, 1996.
    Sec. 208. From and after October 1, 1996, the Disbursing Officer of 
the Library of Congress is authorized to disburse funds appropriated 
for the Office of Compliance, and the Library of Congress shall provide 
financial management support to the Office of Compliance as may be 
required and mutually agreed to by the Librarian of Congress and the 
Executive Director of the Office of Compliance. The Library of Congress 
is further authorized to compute and disburse the basic pay of all 
personnel of the Office of Compliance pursuant to the provisions of 
section 5504 of title 5.
    All vouchers certified for payment by duly authorized certifying 
officers of the Library of Congress shall be supported with a 
certification by an officer or employee of the Office of Compliance 
duly authorized in writing by theExecutive Director of the Office of 
Compliance to certify payments from appropriations of the Office of 
Compliance. The Office of Compliance certifying officers shall (1) be 
held responsible for the existence and correctness of the facts recited 
in the certificate or otherwise stated on the voucher or its supporting 
paper and the legality of the proposed payment under the appropriation 
or fund involved, (2) be held responsible and accountable for the 
correctness of the computations of certifications made, and (3) be held 
accountable for and required to make good to the United States the 
amount of any illegal, improper, or incorrect payment resulting from 
any false, inaccurate, or misleading certificate made by them, as well 
as for any payment prohibited by law which did not represent a legal 
obligation under the appropriation or fund involved: Provided, That the 
Comptroller General of the United States may, at his discretion, 
relieve such certifying officer or employee of liability for any 
payment otherwise proper whenever he finds (1) that the certification 
was based on official records and that such certifying officer or 
employee did not know, and by reasonable diligence and inquiry could 
not have ascertained the actual facts, or (2) that the obligation was 
incurred in good faith, that the payment was not contrary to any 
statutory provision specifically prohibiting payments of the character 
involved, and the United States has received value for such payment: 
Provided further, That the Comptroller General shall relieve such 
certifying officer or employee of liability for an overpayment for 
transportation services made to any common carrier covered by section 
3726 of title 31, whenever he finds that the overpayment occurred 
solely because the administrative examination made prior to payment of 
the transportation bill did not include a verification of 
transportation rates, freight classifications, or land grant 
deductions.
    The Disbursing Officer of the Library of Congress shall not be held 
accountable or responsible for any illegal, improper, or incorrect 
payment resulting from any false, inaccurate, or misleading 
certificate, the responsibility for which is imposed upon a certifying 
officer or employee of the Office of Compliance.
    Sec. 209. Section 8 of the American Folklife Preservation Act (20 
U.S.C. 2107) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to the Center to carry 
out this Act such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 
1997 and 1998.''.

                        ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL

                     Library Buildings and Grounds


                      structural and mechanical care

    For all necessary expenses for the mechanical and structural 
maintenance, care and operation of the Library buildings and grounds, 
$9,753,000, of which $1,310,000 shall remain available until expended.

                       GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

                 Office of Superintendent of Documents


                          salaries and expenses

    For expenses of the Office of Superintendent of Documents necessary 
to provide for the cataloging and indexing of Government publications 
and their distribution to the public, Members of Congress, other 
Government agencies, and designated depository and international 
exchange libraries as authorized by law, $29,077,000: Provided, That 
travel expenses, including travel expenses of the Depository Library 
Council to the Public Printer, shall not exceed $150,000: Provided 
further, That amounts of not more than $2,000,000, from current year 
appropriations are authorized for producing and disseminating 
Congressional serial sets and other related publications for 1995 and 
1996 to depository and other designated libraries.

               Government Printing Office Revolving Fund

    The Government Printing Office is hereby authorized to make such 
expenditures, within the limits of funds available and in accord with 
the law, and to make such contracts and commitments without regard to 
fiscal year limitations as provided by section 9104 of title 31, United 
States Code, as may be necessary in carrying out the programs and 
purposes set forth in the budget for the current fiscal year for the 
Government Printing Office revolving fund: Provided, That not more than 
$2,500 may be expended on the certification of the Public Printer in 
connection with official representation and reception expenses: 
Provided further, That the revolving fund shall be available for the 
hire or purchase of not more than twelve passenger motor vehicles: 
Provided further, That expenditures in connection with travel expenses 
of the advisory councils to the Public Printer shall be deemed 
necessary to carry out the provisions of title 44, United States Code: 
Provided further, That the revolving fund shall be available for 
temporary or intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, 
United States Code, but at rates for individuals not more than the 
daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for level V of the 
Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title: Provided further, 
That the revolving fund and the funds provided under the headings 
``Office of Superintendent of Documents'' and ``salaries and expenses'' 
together may not be available for the full-time equivalent employment 
of more than 3,600 workyears by the end of fiscal year 1997: Provided 
further, That activities financed through the revolving fund may 
provide information in any format: Provided further, That the revolving 
fund shall not be used to administer any flexible or compressed work 
schedule which applies to any manager or supervisor in a position the 
grade or level ofwhich is equal to or higher than GS-15: Provided 
further, That expenses for attendance at meetings shall not exceed 
$75,000.

                       GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE

                         Salaries and Expenses

    For necessary expenses of the General Accounting Office, including 
not more than $7,000 to be expended on the certification of the 
Comptroller General of the United States in connection with official 
representation and reception expenses; temporary or intermittent 
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at 
rates for individuals not more than the daily equivalent of the annual 
rate of basic pay for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 
5315 of such title; hire of one passenger motor vehicle; advance 
payments in foreign countries in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3324; 
benefits comparable to those payable under sections 901(5), 901(6) and 
901(8) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4081(5), 4081(6) 
and 4081(8)); and under regulations prescribed by the Comptroller 
General of the United States, rental of living quarters in foreign 
countries; $332,520,000: Provided, That not more than $100,000 of 
reimbursements received incident to the operation of the General 
Accounting Office Building shall be available for use in fiscal year 
1997: Provided further, That notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 9105 hereafter 
amounts reimbursed to the Comptroller General pursuant to that section 
shall be deposited to the appropriation of the General Accounting 
Office then available and remain available until expended, and not more 
than $5,805,000 of such funds shall be available for use in fiscal year 
1997: Provided further, That this appropriation and appropriations for 
administrative expenses of any other department or agency which is a 
member of the Joint Financial Management Improvement Program (JFMIP) 
shall be available to finance an appropriate share of JFMIP costs as 
determined by the JFMIP, including the salary of the Executive Director 
and secretarial support: Provided further, That this appropriation and 
appropriations for administrative expenses of any other department or 
agency which is a member of the National Intergovernmental Audit Forum 
or a Regional Intergovernmental Audit Forum shall be available to 
finance an appropriate share of Forum costs as determined by the Forum, 
including necessary travel expenses of non-Federal participants. 
Payments hereunder to either the Forum or the JFMIP may be credited as 
reimbursements to any appropriation from which costs involved are 
initially financed: Provided further, That to the extent that funds are 
otherwise available for obligation, agreements or contracts for the 
removal of asbestos, and renovation of the building and building 
systems (including the heating, ventilation and air conditioning 
system, electrical system and other major building systems) of the 
General Accounting Office Building may be made for periods not 
exceeding five years: Provided further, That this appropriation and 
appropriations for administrative expenses of any other department or 
agency which is a member of the American Consortium on International 
Public Administration (ACIPA) shall be available to finance an 
appropriate share of ACIPA costs as determined by the ACIPA, including 
any expenses attributable to membership of ACIPA in the International 
Institute of Administrative Sciences.

                     TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS

    Sec. 301. No part of the funds appropriated in this Act shall be 
used for the maintenance or care of private vehicles, except for 
emergency assistance and cleaning as may be provided under regulations 
relating to parking facilities for the House of Representatives issued 
by the Committee on House Oversight and for the Senate issued by the 
Committee on Rules and Administration.
    Sec. 302. No part of the funds appropriated in this Act shall 
remain available for obligation beyond fiscal year 1997 unless 
expressly so provided in this Act.
    Sec. 303. Whenever in this Act any office or position not 
specifically established by the Legislative Pay Act of 1929 is 
appropriated for or the rate of compensation or designation of any 
office or position appropriated for is different from that specifically 
established by such Act, the rate of compensation and the designation 
in this Act shall be the permanent law with respect thereto: Provided, 
That the provisions in this Act for the various items of official 
expenses of Members, officers, and committees of the Senate and House 
of Representatives, and clerk hire for Senators and Members of the 
House of Representatives shall be the permanent law with respect 
thereto.
    Sec. 304. The expenditure of any appropriation under this Act for 
any consulting service through procurement contract, pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 3109, shall be limited to those contracts where such 
expenditures are a matter of public record and available for public 
inspection, except where otherwise provided under existing law, or 
under existing Executive order issued pursuant to existing law.
    Sec. 305. (a) It is the sense of the Congress that, to the greatest 
extent practicable, all equipment and products purchased with funds 
made available in this Act should be American-made.
    (b) In providing financial assistance to, or entering into any 
contract with, any entity using funds made available in this Act, the 
head of each Federal agency, to the greatest extent practicable, shall 
provide to such entity anotice describing the statement made in 
subsection (a) by the Congress.
    (c) If it has been finally determined by a court or Federal agency 
that any person intentionally affixed a label bearing a ``Made in 
America'' inscription, or any inscription with the same meaning, to any 
product sold in or shipped to the United States that is not made in the 
United States, such person shall be ineligible to receive any contract 
or subcontract made with funds provided pursuant to this Act, pursuant 
to the debarment, suspension, and ineligibility procedures described in 
section 9.400 through 9.409 of title 48, Code of Federal Regulations.
    Sec. 306. During fiscal year 1997 and fiscal years thereafter, 
amounts appropriated to the Architect of the Capitol (including amounts 
relating to the Botanic Garden) may be transferred among accounts 
available to the Architect of the Capitol upon the approval of--
        (1) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
    Representatives, in the case of amounts transferred from the 
    appropriation for Capitol buildings and grounds under the heading 
    ``house office buildings'';
        (2) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, in the case 
    of amounts transferred from the appropriation for Capitol buildings 
    and grounds under the heading ``senate office buildings''; and
        (3) the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the 
    House of Representatives, in the case of amounts transferred from 
    any other appropriation.
    Sec. 307. (a) Upon approval of the Committee on Appropriations of 
the House of Representatives, and in accordance with conditions 
determined by the Committee on House Oversight, positions in connection 
with House public address sound system activities and related funding 
shall be transferred from the appropriation for the Architect of the 
Capitol for Capitol buildings and grounds under the heading ``capitol 
buildings'' to the appropriation for salaries and expenses of the House 
of Representatives for the Office of the Clerk under the heading 
``salaries, officers and em- ployees''.
    (b) For purposes of section 8339(m) of title 5, United States Code, 
the days of unused sick leave to the credit of any such employee as of 
the date such employee is transferred under subsection (a) shall be 
included in the total service of such employee in connection with the 
computation of any annuity under subsections (a) through (e) and (o) of 
such section.
    (c) In the case of days of annual leave to the credit of any such 
employee as of the date such employee is transferred under subsection 
(a), the Architect of the Capitol is authorized to make a lump sum 
payment to each such employee for that annual leave. No such payment 
shall be considered a payment or compensation within the meaning of any 
law relating to dual compensation.
    Sec. 308. (a) Effective October 1, 1996, the responsibility for 
maintenance of security systems for the Capitol buildings and grounds 
is transferred from the Architect of the Capitol to the Capitol Police 
Board. Such maintenance shall be carried out under the direction of the 
Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate. On and after 
October 1, 1996, any alteration to a structural, mechanical, or 
architectural feature of the Capitol buildings and grounds that is 
required for security system maintenance under the preceding sentence 
may be carried out only with the approval of the Architect of the 
Capitol.
    (b)(1) Effective October 1, 1996, all positions specified in 
paragraph (2) and each individual holding any such position (on a 
permanent basis) immediately before that date, as identified by the 
Architect of the Capitol, shall be transferred to the Capitol Police.
    (2) The positions referred to in paragraph (1) are those positions 
which, immediately before October 1, 1996, are--
        (A) under the Architect of the Capitol;
        (B) within the Electronics Engineering Division of the Office 
    of the Architect of the Capitol; and
        (C) related to the maintenance of security systems for the 
    Capitol buildings and grounds.
    (3) All annual leave and sick leave standing to the credit of an 
individual immediately before such individual is transferred under 
paragraph (1) shall be credited to such individual, without adjustment, 
in the new position of the individual.
    Sec. 309. Such sums as may be necessary are appropriated to the 
account described in subsection (a) of section 415 of Public Law 104-1 
to pay awards and settlements as authorized under such subsection.
    Sec. 310. Any amount appropriated in this Act for ``HOUSE OF 
REPRESENTATIVES--Salaries and Expenses--Members' Representational 
Allowances'' shall be available only for fiscal year 1997. Any amount 
remaining after all payments are made under such allowances for such 
fiscal year shall be deposited in the Treasury, to be used for deficit 
reduction.
    Sec. 311. (a) Each mass mailing sent by a Member of the House of 
Representatives shall bear in a prominent place on its face, or on the 
envelope or outside cover or wrapper in which the mail matter is sent, 
the following notice: ``this mailing was prepared, published, and 
mailed at taxpayer expense.'', or a notice to the same effect in words 
which may be prescribed under subsection (c). The notice shall be 
printed in a type size not smaller than 7-point.
    (b)(1) There shall be published in the itemized report of 
disbursements of the House of Representatives as required by law, a 
summary tabulation setting forth, for the office of each Member of the 
House of Representatives, the total number of pieces of mass mail 
mailed during the period involved and the total cost of those mass 
mailings.
    (2) Each such tabulation shall also include--
        (A) the total cost (as referred to in paragraph (1)) divided by 
    the number (as determined by the Postmaster General) of addresses 
    (other than business possible delivery stops) in the Congressional 
    district from which the Member was elected (as such addresses are 
    described in section 3210(d)(7)(B) of title 39, United States 
    Code); and
        (B) the total number of pieces of mass mail (as referred to in 
    paragraph (1)) divided by the number (as determined by the 
    Postmaster General) of addresses (other than business possible 
    delivery stops) in the Congressional district from which the Member 
    was elected (as such addresses are described in section 
    3210(d)(7)(B) of title 39, United States Code).
    (c) The Committee on House Oversight shall prescribe such rules and 
regulations and shall take such other action as the Committee considers 
necessary and proper for Members to conform to the provisions of this 
subsection and applicable rules and regulations.
    (d) For purposes of this section--
        (1) the term ``Member of the House of Representatives'' means a 
    Representative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the 
    Congress; and
        (2) the term ``mass mailing'' has the meaning given such term 
    by section 3210(a)(6)(E) of title 39, United States Code.
    (e) This section shall apply with respect to sessions of Congress 
beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    Sec. 312. (a) Section 203(a)(3) of Public Law 104-1 (2 U.S.C. 
1313(a)(3)) is amended by inserting ``and in subsection (c)(4)'' after 
``(c)(3)''.
    (b) Section 203(c) of Public Law 104-1 (2 U.S.C. 1313(c)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following paragraph:
        ``(4) Law enforcement.--Law enforcement personnel of the 
    Capitol Police who are subject to the exemption under section 7(k) 
    of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 207(k)) may 
    elect to receive compensatory time off in lieu of overtime 
    compensation for hours worked in excess of the maximum for their 
    work period.''.
    Sec. 313. Section 316 of Public Law 101-302 is amended in the first 
sentence of subsection (a) by striking ``1996'' and inserting ``1997''.
    Sec. 314. (a) Upon enactment into law of this Act, there shall be 
established a program for providing the widest possible exchange of 
information among legislative branch agencies with the long-range goal 
of improving information technology planning and evaluation. The 
Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate are requested to 
determine the structure and operation of this program and to provide 
appropriate oversight. All of the appropriate offices and agencies of 
the legislative branch as defined below shall participate in this 
program for information exchange, and shall report annually on the 
extent and nature of their participation in their budget submissions to 
the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
    (b) As used in this section--
        (1) the term ``offices and agencies of the legislative branch'' 
    means,the office of the Clerk of the House, the office of the 
Secretary of the Senate, the office of the Architect of the Capitol, 
the General Accounting Office, the Government Printing Office, the 
Library of Congress, the Congressional Research Service, the 
Congressional Budget Office, the Chief Administrative Officer of the 
House of Representatives, and the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate; and
        (2) the term ``technology'' refers to any form of computer 
    hardware and software; computer-based systems, services, and 
    support for the creation, processing, exchange, and delivery of 
    information; and telecommunications systems, and the associated 
    hardware and software, that provide for voice, data, or image 
    communication.


   Prohibitions Against Political Recommendations Relating to Federal 
                               Employment

    Sec. 315. (a) In General.--Section 3303 of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended to read as follows:

``Sec. 3303. Competitive service; recommendations of Senators or 
            Representatives

    ``An individual concerned in examining an applicant for or 
appointing him in the competitive service may not receive or consider a 
recommendation of the applicant by a Senator or Representative, except 
as to the character or residence of the applicant.''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--(1) The table of sections 
for chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by amending 
the item relating to section 3303 to read as follows:

``3303. Competitive service; recommendations of Senators or 
          Representatives.''.

    (2) Section 2302(b)(2) of title 5, United States Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
        ``(2) solicit or consider any recommendation or statement, oral 
    or written, with respect to any individual who requests or is under 
    consideration for any personnel action unless such recommendation 
    or statement is based on the personal knowledge or records of the 
    person furnishing it and consists of--
            ``(A) an evaluation of the work performance, ability, 
        aptitude, or general qualifications of such individual; or
            ``(B) an evaluation of the character, loyalty, or 
        suitability of such individual;''.
    (c) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect 30 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.
    Sec. 316. Limitation on Exclusive Copyrights for Literary Works in 
Specialized Format for the Blind and Disabled.--
    (a) In General.--Chapter 1 of title 17, United States Code, is 
amended by adding after section 120 the following new section:

``Sec. 121. Limitations on exclusive rights: reproduction for blind or 
            other people with disabilities

    ``(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 710, it is 
not an infringement of copyright for an authorized entity to reproduce 
or to distribute copies or phonorecords of a previously published, 
nondramatic literary work if such copies or phonorecords are 
reproducedor distributed in specialized formats exclusively for use by 
blind or other persons with disabilities.
    ``(b)(1) Copies or phonorecords to which this section applies 
shall--
        ``(A) not be reproduced or distributed in a format other than a 
    specialized format exclusively for use by blind or other persons 
    with disabilities;
        ``(B) bear a notice that any further reproduction or 
    distribution in a format other than a specialized format is an 
    infringement; and
        ``(C) include a copyright notice identifying the copyright 
    owner and the date of the original publication.
    ``(2) The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to 
standardized, secure, or norm-referenced tests and related testing 
material, or to computer programs, except the portions thereof that are 
in conventional human language (including descriptions of pictorial 
works) and displayed to users in the ordinary course of using the 
computer programs.
    ``(c) For purposes of this section, the term--
        ``(1) `authorized entity' means a nonprofit organization or a 
    governmental agency that has a primary mission to provide 
    specialized services relating to training, education, or adaptive 
    reading or information access needs of blind or other persons with 
    disabilities;
        ``(2) `blind or other persons with disabilities' means 
    individuals who are eligible or who may qualify in accordance with 
    the Act entitled ``An Act to provide books for the adult blind'', 
    approved March 3, 1931 (2 U.S.C. 135a; 46 Stat. 1487) to receive 
    books and other publications produced in specialized formats; and
        ``(3) `specialized formats' means braille, audio, or digital 
    text which is exclusively for use by blind or other persons with 
    disabilities.''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for 
chapter 1 of title 17, United States Code, is amended by adding after 
the item relating to section 120 the following:

``121. Limitations on exclusive rights: reproduction for blind or other 
          people with disabilities.''.

    Sec. 317. For payment to Jo Ann Emerson, widow of Bill Emerson, 
late a Representative from the State of Missouri, $133,600.
    This Act may be cited as the ``Legislative Branch Appropriations 
Act, 1997''.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.