109 HR 6216 IH: To establish the Daniel Webster Congressional Fellowship U.S. House of Representatives 2006-09-27 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 109th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6216 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 27, 2006 Mr. Daniel E. Lungren of California (for himself and Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration A BILL To establish the Daniel Webster Congressional Fellowship Program for qualified graduates of law schools to serve in temporary positions in offices of the House of Representatives and Senate, and for other purposes.

1.

Short Title

This Act may be cited as the Daniel Webster Congressional Fellowship Act.

2.

Daniel Webster Congressional Fellowship Program

(a)

Establishment

There is hereby established the Daniel Webster Congressional Fellowship Program (hereafter referred to as the Program), under which up to 40 eligible law school graduates shall be selected as Daniel Webster Congressional Fellows (hereafter referred to as Fellows) for each Congress. (b)

Selection by Joint Congressional Leadership

The Fellows for a Congress shall be selected jointly from among eligible individuals by the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, or their designees. (c)

Employment With Participating Office

(1)

In general

An individual selected as a Fellow shall be appointed to serve as an employee in a participating office of the House of Representatives or Senate during the Congress for which the Fellow is selected. (2)

Compensation

Notwithstanding any other authority regarding the salaries of employees of the House of Representatives or Senate, for each session of a Congress during which a Fellow is employed in a participating office under the Program, the individual shall receive compensation at an annual rate established by the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, except that the rate established by the Committees may not be less than the average annual rate of compensation for pay periods during that session for judicial clerks of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

3.

Criteria for Eligibility

(a)

In General

An individual is eligible to serve as a Fellow under the Program if the individual— (1)meets the criteria for eligibility described in subsection (b); and (2)submits the application materials described in subsection (c) at such time and in such form as the Committees on House Administration of the House of Representatives and Rules and Administration of the Senate may require. (b)

Criteria Specified

An individual meets the criteria described in this subsection if— (1)the individual received a juris doctor degree from an accredited law school; (2)the individual provides evidence of a record of exceptional academic achievement in law school; (3)the individual demonstrates a commitment to public service and a strong interest in public policy; (4)the individual possesses the professional knowledge and skills necessary to contribute successfully to the legislative process; and (5)the individual meets such other criteria as the Committees referred to in subsection (a)(2) may establish. (c)

Application materials

The application materials described in this subsection are as follows: (1)A Program application prepared by the Committees referred to in subsection (a)(2). (2)A resume highlighting academic, professional, and personal achievements. (3)2 writing samples. (4)A brief essay describing why the individual seeks to become a Fellow. (5)Such other materials as the Committees may require.

4.

Assignment of Fellows to Participating Offices

(a)

Assignment

(1)

In general

The Committees on House Administration of the House of Representatives and Rules and Administration of the Senate shall assign the individuals selected as Fellows to be appointed as employees with participating offices of the House and Senate on the basis of such criteria as the Committees shall establish, taking into consideration the background and interest of each Fellow and the needs of the participating office, except that— (A)the number of Fellows assigned to offices of the House of Representatives may not be less than the number of Fellows assigned to offices of the Senate; and (B)the number of Fellows assigned to offices of a House of Congress which are affiliated with the majority political party of that House shall be equal to the number of Fellows assigned to offices of that House of Congress which are affiliated with the minority political party of that House. (2)

Treatment of committees

For purposes of paragraph (1)— (A)a Fellow who is assigned to a joint committee of the Congress shall be considered to be assigned both to an office of the House and an office of the Senate; and (B)a Fellow who is assigned to a committee shall be considered to be assigned to an office affiliated with the majority political party, except that if the assignment specifies that the Fellow is to work under the direction of the ranking minority member of the committee, the Fellow shall be considered to be assigned to an office affiliated with the minority political party. (b)

Participating Offices

For purposes of this Act, a participating office of the House of Representatives or Senate is any office of the House or Senate, including the office of a Member, committee, joint committee, or any other entity, which enters into an agreement with the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate (as the case may be) to participate in the Program.

5.

No effect on number of employees or allowance for participating offices

The employment of a Fellow by an office of the House of Representatives or Senate during a year, and the payment of a salary to such a Fellow by an office during a year, shall be in addition to all personnel and allowances otherwise made available to the office during the year under other provisions of law, rule, or other authority.

6.

Administration; Regulations

The Program shall be operated and administered jointly by the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, and each such Committee is authorized to promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the Program.

7.

Authorization of Appropriations

(a)

Authorization

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the Program such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007 and each succeeding fiscal year. (b)

Availability of Funds

Amounts appropriated in any fiscal year pursuant to the authorization under this section shall remain available until expended.