[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 154 Reported in Senate (RS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 154

   Authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Governmental Affairs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 15, 1999

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 October 1, 
1999, through September 30, 2000, and October 1, 2000, through February 
28, 2001, 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 October 1, 
1999, through September 30, 2000, under this resolution shall not 
exceed $5,026,582, 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 (2) not to 
exceed $20,000, 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 October 1, 2000, through February 28, 2001, 
expenses of the committee under this resolution shall not exceed 
$2,144,819, 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 (2) not to 
exceed $20,000 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. 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 29, 2000, 
and February 28, 2001, respectively.
    Sec. 4. 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, or (2) for the payment of telecommunications provided by 
the Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper, United States 
Senate, or (3) for the payment of stationery supplies purchased through 
the Keeper of the Stationery, United States Senate, or (4) for payments 
to the Postmaster, United States Senate, or (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, or (7) for 
payment of franked and mass mail costs by the Sergeant at Arms and 
Doorkeeper, United States Senate.
    Sec. 5. There are authorized such sums as may be necessary for 
agency contributions related to the compensation of employees of the 
committee from October 1, 1999, through September 30, 2000, and October 
1, 2000, through February 28, 2001, to be paid from the Appropriations 
account for ``Expenses of Inquiries and Investigations''.

                             investigations

    Sec. 6. (a) In General.--The committee, or any duly authorized 
subcommittee of the committee, 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 relations 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 activity 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 government;
                    (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 
                reguatlions governing the allocation, conservation, or 
                pricing of energy supplies; and
                    (L) research into the discovery and development of 
                alternative energy supplies; and
            (7) the efficiency and economy of all branches and 
        functions of Government with particular references to the 
        operations and management of Federal regulatory policies and 
        programs.
    (b) Extent of Inquiries.--In carrying out the duties provide in 
paragraph (1), the inquiries of this committee or any subcommittee of 
the committee shall not be construed to be limited to the records, 
functions, and operations of any particular branch of the Government 
and may extend to the records and activities of any persons, 
corporation, or other entity.
    (c) Special Committee Authority.--For the purposes of this 
subsection, the committee, or any duly authorized subcommittee of the 
committee, or its chairman, or any other member of the committee or 
subcommittee designated by the chairman, from October 1, 1999, through 
September 30, 2000, and October 1, 2000, through February 28, 2001, 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) Authority of Other Committees.--Nothing in this subsection 
shall affect or impair the exercise 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.
    (e) Subpoena Authority.--All subpoenas and related legal processes 
of the committee and its subcommittees authorized under S. Res. 49, 
agreed to February 24, 1999 (106th Congress) are authorized to 
continue.
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