[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 135 (Thursday, September 26, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H11357]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     AUTHORIZING CAPITOL GUIDE SERVICE TO ACCEPT VOLUNTARY SERVICES

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on House Oversight be discharged from further consideration of the 
Senate bill (S. 2085) to authorize the Capitol Guide Service to accept 
voluntary services, and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Reserving the right to object, Mr. Speaker, 
I would ask my colleague, the gentleman from California [Mr. Thomas], 
chairman of the committee, to briefly describe the purpose of his 
request.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FAZIO of California. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, once again I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 2085 would allow the U.S. Capitol Guide Service to 
accept volunteer services. This provision is necessary because without 
such authorization, congressional entities may not use volunteers 
unless they are interns who are participants in a demonstrated 
educational plan.
  A similar provision already is in public law which allows the 
Botanical Garden to accept volunteer services. This would extend it to 
the U.S. Capitol Guide Service.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I concur with that description 
of the resolution, which I support.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the Senate bill, as follows:

                                S. 2085

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,
       That section 441 of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 
     1970 (40 U.S.C. 851) is amended by striking subsection (j) 
     and inserting the following:
       ``(j)(1) Notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United 
     States Code, the Capitol Guide Service is authorized to 
     accept voluntary personal services.
       ``(2) No person shall be permitted to donate personal 
     services under this subsection unless the person has first 
     agreed, in writing, to waive any claim against the United 
     States arising out of or in connection with such services, 
     other than a claim under chapter 81 of title 5, United States 
     Code.
       ``(3) No person donating personal services under this 
     section shall be considered an employee of the United States 
     for any purpose other than for purposes of chapter 81 of 
     title 5, United States Code.
       ``(4) In no case shall the acceptance of personal services 
     under this section result in the reduction of pay or 
     displacement of any employee of the Capitol Guide Service.''.

  The Senate bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the 
third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

                          ____________________