1.Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs
(a)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 and S. Res. 445 (108th Congress), 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 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (referred to in this
resolution as the committee
) is authorized from March 1, 2011,
through February 28, 2013, 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.
(b)Expenses for
period ending September 30, 2011The expenses of the committee
for the period March 1, 2011, through September 30, 2011, under this section
shall not exceed $6,902,759, 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 (2 U.S.C. 72a(i))); and
(2)not to exceed
$20,000, may be expended for the training of the professional staff of the
committee (under procedures specified by section 202(j) of that Act).
(c)Expenses for
fiscal year 2012 periodThe expenses of the committee for the
period October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2012, under this section shall
not exceed $11,833,302, 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 (2 U.S.C. 72a(i))); and
(2)not to exceed
$20,000, may be expended for the training of the professional staff of the
committee (under procedures specified by section 202(j) of that Act).
(d)Expenses for
period ending February 28, 2013For the period October 1, 2012,
through February 28, 2013, expenses of the committee under this section shall
not exceed $4,930,543, 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); and
(2)not to exceed
$20,000, may be expended for the training of the professional staff of the
committee (under procedures specified by section 202(j) of that Act).
2.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, 2013.
3.Expenses; agency
contributions; and investigations
(a)Expenses of the
committee
(1)Except as provided in paragraph (2), any 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.
(2)Vouchers shall not be required for—
(A)the disbursement
of salaries of employees of the committee who are paid at an annual
rate;
(B)the payment of
telecommunications expenses provided by the Office of the Sergeant at Arms and
Doorkeeper;
(C)the payment of
stationery supplies purchased through the Keeper of Stationery;
(D)payments to the
Postmaster of the Senate;
(E)the payment of
metered charges on copying equipment provided by the Office of the Sergeant at
Arms and Doorkeeper;
(F)the payment of
Senate Recording and Photographic Services; or
(G)for payment of
franked and mass mail costs by the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper, United
States Senate.
(b)There are authorized such sums as may be necessary
for agency contributions related to the compensation of employees of the
committee for the period March 1, 2011, through September 30, 2011, for the
period October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2012, and for the period October
1, 2012, through February 28, 2013, to be paid from the appropriations account
for `Expenses of Inquiries and Investigations' of the Senate.
(c)
(1)The committee, or any duly authorized subcommittee of the
committee, is authorized to study or investigate—
(A)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;
(B)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;
(C)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;
(D)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;
(E)the efficiency
and economy of operations of all branches and functions of the Government with
particular reference to—
(i)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;
(ii)the capacity of
present national security staffing, methods, and processes to make full use of
the Nation's resources of knowledge and talents;
(iii)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
(iv)legislative and
other proposals to improve these methods, processes, and relationships;
(F)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—
(i)the
collection and dissemination of accurate statistics on fuel demand and
supply;
(ii)the
implementation of effective energy conservation measures;
(iii)the pricing of
energy in all forms;
(iv)coordination of
energy programs with State and local government;
(v)control of
exports of scarce fuels;
(vi)the management
of tax, import, pricing, and other policies affecting energy supplies;
(vii)maintenance of
the independent sector of the petroleum industry as a strong competitive
force;
(viii)the allocation
of fuels in short supply by public and private entities;
(ix)the management
of energy supplies owned or controlled by the Government;
(x)relations with
other oil producing and consuming countries;
(xi)the monitoring
of compliance by governments, corporations, or individuals with the laws and
regulations governing the allocation, conservation, or pricing of energy
supplies; and
(xii)research into
the discovery and development of alternative energy supplies; and
(G)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.
(2)In carrying out the duties provided 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.
(3)Special
committee authorityFor 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 March 1, 2011, through February 28, 2013, is authorized, in
its, his, her, or their discretion—
(A)to require by
subpoena or otherwise the attendance of witnesses and production of
correspondence, books, papers, and documents;
(B)to hold
hearings;
(C)to sit and act at
any time or place during the sessions, recess, and adjournment periods of the
Senate;
(D)to administer
oaths; and
(E)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.
(4)Authority of
other committeesNothing contained 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.
(5)All subpoenas and related legal processes of the
committee and its subcommittees authorized under S. Res. 73, agreed to March
10, 2009 (111th Congress), are authorized to continue.