[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3754 Reported in House (RH)]
Union Calendar No. 334
104th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 3754
[Report No. 104-657]
Making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year
ending September 30, 1997, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 8, 1996
Mr. Packard, from the Committee on Appropriations, reported the
following bill; which was committed to the Committee of the Whole House
on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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
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 in January 1997, $950,000, to
be disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate and to remain available
until September 30, 1997: Provided, That such funds shall be available
for payment, on a direct or reimbursable basis, for such purposes
whether incurred on, before, or after, October 1, 1996.
Joint Economic Committee
For salaries and expenses of the Joint Economic Committee,
$3,000,000, 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, $68,392,000, of which $32,927,000 is provided to the Sergeant
at Arms of the House of Representatives, to be disbursed by the Chief
Administrative Officer of the House, and $35,465,000 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, $2,685,000, 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, $24,288,000: 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.
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, $215,007,000, 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.
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. (a) Amounts appropriated for fiscal year 1997 for the
Library of Congress under the headings specified in subsection (b) may
be transferred among such headings, upon approval of the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate.
(b) The headings referred to in subsection (a) are as follows: (1)
in title I, ``Congressional Research Service'', ``salaries and
expenses''; and (2) in this title, ``Salaries and Expenses'';
``Copyright Office'', ``salaries and expenses'', ``Books for the Blind
and Physically Handicapped'', ``salaries and expenses''; and
``Furniture and Furnishings''.
Sec. 209. 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 the Executive 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.
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,
$9,003,000, of which $560,000 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 3,700 workyears: 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 of which 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 a notice describing the statement made in
subsection (a) by the Congress.
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 employees''.
(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.
This Act may be cited as the ``Legislative Branch Appropriations
Act, 1997''.
Union Calendar No. 334
104th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 3754
[Report No. 104-657]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
Making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year
ending September 30, 1997, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
July 8, 1996
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
and ordered to be printed