[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 39 Reported in Senate (RS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 39

   Authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Governmental Affairs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 30, 1997

Mr. Thompson, from the Committee on Governmental Affairs, reported the 
 following original resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        Rules and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Governmental Affairs.

    Resolved, That, in carrying out its powers, duties, and functions 
under the Standing Rules of the Senate, in accordance with its 
jurisdiction under rule XXV of such rules, including holding hearings, 
reporting such hearings, and making investigations as authorized by 
paragraphs 1 and 8 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
the Committee on Governmental Affairs is authorized from March 1, 1997, 
through February 28, 1998, and March 1, 1998 through February 28, 1999, 
in its discretion: (1) To make expenditures from the contingent fund of 
the Senate, (2) to employ personnel, and (3) with the prior consent of 
the Government department or agency concerned and the Committee on 
Rules and Administration, to use on a reimbursable, or nonreimbursable 
basis the services of personnel of any such department or agency.
    Sec. 2. (a) The expenses of the committee for the period March 1, 
1997, through February 28, 1998, under this resolution shall not exceed 
$11,050,721, of which amount: (1) Not to exceed $375,000 may be 
expended for the procurement of the services of individual consultants, 
or organizations thereof (as authorized by section 202(i) of the 
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946, as amended), and not to exceed 
$2,470 may be expended for the training of the professional staff of 
such committee (under procedures specified by section 202(j) of the 
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946).
    (b) For the period March 1, 1998, through February 28, 1999, 
expenses of the committee under this resolution shall not exceed 
$4,653,386, of which amount: (1) Not to exceed $75,000 may be expended 
for the procurement of the services of individual consultants, or 
organizations thereof (as authorized by section 202(i) of the 
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946, as amended), and not to exceed 
$2,470 may be expended for the training of the professional staff of 
such committee (under procedures specified by section 202(j) of the 
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946).
    Sec. 3. (a) The committee, or any duly authorized subcommittee 
thereof, is authorized to study or investigate--
            (1) the efficiency and economy of operations of all 
        branches of the Government including the possible existence of 
        fraud, misfeasance, malfeasance, collusion, mismanagement, 
        incompetence, corruption, or unethical practices, waste, 
        extravagance, conflicts of interest, and the improper 
        expenditure of Government funds in transactions, contracts, and 
        activities of the Government or of Government officials and 
        employees and any and all such improper practices between 
        Government personnel and corporations, individuals, companies, 
        or persons affiliated therewith, doing business with the 
        Government; and the compliance or noncompliance of such 
        corporations, companies, or individuals or other entities with 
        the rules, regulations, and laws governing the various 
        governmental agencies and its relationships with the public;
            (2) the extent to which criminal or other improper 
        practices or activities are, or have been, engaged in the field 
        of labor-management relationships or in groups or organizations 
        of employees or employers, to the detriment of interests of the 
        public, employers, or employees, and to determine whether any 
        changes are required in the laws of the United States in order 
        to protect such interests against the occurrence of such 
        practices or activities;
            (3) organized criminal activities which may operate in or 
        otherwise utilize the facilities of interstate or international 
        commerce in furtherance of any transactions and the manner and 
        extent to which, and the identity of the persons, firms, or 
        corporations, or other entities by whom such utilization is 
        being made, and further, to study and investigate the manner in 
        which and the extent to which persons engaged in organized 
        criminal activity have infiltrated lawful business enterprise, 
        and to study the adequacy of Federal laws to prevent the 
operations of organized crime in interstate or international commerce; 
and to determine whether any changes are required in the laws of the 
United States in order to protect the public against such practices or 
activities;
            (4) all other aspects of crime and lawlessness within the 
        United States which have an impact upon or affect the national 
        health, welfare, and safety; including but not limited to 
        investment fraud schemes, commodity and security fraud, 
        computer fraud, and the use of offshore banking and corporate 
        facilities to carry out criminal objectives;
            (5) the efficiency and economy of operations of all 
        branches and functions of the Government with particular 
        reference to--
                    (A) the effectiveness of present national security 
                methods, staffing, and processes as tested against the 
                requirements imposed by the rapidly mounting complexity 
                of national security problems;
                    (B) the capacity of present national security 
                staffing, methods, and processes to make full use of 
                the Nation's resources of knowledge and talents;
                    (C) the adequacy of present intergovernmental 
                relations between the United States and international 
                organizations principally concerned with national 
                security of which the United States is a member; and
                    (D) legislative and other proposals to improve 
                these methods, processes, and relationships;
            (6) the efficiency, economy, and effectiveness of all 
        agencies and departments of the Government involved in the 
        control and management of energy shortages including, but not 
        limited to, their performance with respect to--
                    (A) the collection and dissemination of accurate 
                statistics on fuel demand and supply;
                    (B) the implementation of effective energy 
                conservation measures;
                    (C) the pricing of energy in all forms;
                    (D) coordination of energy programs with State and 
                local governments;
                    (E) control of exports of scarce fuels;
                    (F) the management of tax, import, pricing, and 
                other policies affecting energy supplies;
                    (G) maintenance of the independent sector of the 
                petroleum industry as a strong competitive force;
                    (H) the allocation of fuels in short supply by 
                public and private entities;
                    (I) the management of energy supplies owned or 
                controlled by the Government;
                    (J) relations with other oil producing and 
                consuming countries;
                    (K) the monitoring of compliance by governments, 
                corporations, or individuals with the laws and 
                regulations governing the allocation, conservation, or 
                pricing of energy supplies; and
                    (L) research into discovery and development of 
                alternative energy supplies; and
            (7) the efficiency and economy of all branches and 
        functions of government with particular reference to the 
        operations and management of Federal regulatory policies and 
        programs: Provided, That, in carrying out the duties herein set 
        forth, the inquiries of this committee or any subcommittee 
        thereof shall not be deemed limited to the records, functions, 
        and operations of any particular branch of the Government; but 
        may extend to the records and activities of any persons, 
        corporation, or other entity.
    (b) Nothing contained in this section shall affect or impair the 
exercises of any other standing committee of the Senate of any power, 
or the discharge by such committee of any duty, conferred or imposed 
upon it by the Standing Rules of the Senate or by the Legislative 
Reorganization Act of 1946, as amended.
    (c) For the purpose of this section the committee, or any duly 
authorized subcommittee thereof, or its chairman, or any other member 
of the committee or subcommittee designated by the chairman, from March 
1, 1997, through February 28, 1998, and March 1, 1998, through February 
28, 1999, is authorized, in its, his, or their discretion: (1) To 
require by subpoena or otherwise the attendance of witnesses and 
production of correspondence, books, papers, and documents, (2) to hold 
hearings, (3) to sit and act at any time or place during the sessions, 
recess, and adjournment periods of the Senate, (4) to administer oaths, 
and (5) to take testimony, either orally or by sworn statement, or, in 
the case of staff members of the committee and the Permanent 
Subcommittee on Investigations, by deposition in accordance with the 
Committee Rules of Procedure.
    (d) All subpoenas and related legal processes of the committee and 
its subcommittees authorized under S. Res. 71 of the One Hundredth 
Third Congress, second session, are authorized to continue.
    Sec. 4. The committee shall report its findings, together with such 
recommendations for legislation as it deems advisable, to the Senate at 
the earliest practicable date, but not later than February 28, 1995, 
and February 28, 1996, respectively.
    Sec. 5. Expenses of the committee under this resolution shall be 
paid from the contingent fund of the Senate upon vouchers approved by 
the chairman of the committee, except that vouchers shall not be 
required: (1) For the disbursement of salaries of employees paid at an 
annual rate, (2) the payment of telecommunications provided by the 
Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper, United States Senate, 
(3) for the payment of stationery supplies purchased through the Keeper 
of the Stationery, United States Senate, (4) for payments to the 
Postmaster, United States Senate, (5) for the payment of metered 
charges on copying equipment provided by the Office of the Sergeant at 
Arms and Doorkeeper, United States Senate, or (6) for the payment of 
Senate Recording and Photographic Services.
    Sec. 6. There are authorized such sums as may be necessary for 
agency contributions related to the compensation of employees of the 
committee from March 1, 1997, through February 28, 1998, and March 1, 
1998, through February 28, 1999, to be paid from the Appropriations 
account for ``Expenses of Inquiries and Investigations''.
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