[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2161-S2162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  SENATE RESOLUTION 32--AUTHORIZING EXPENDITURES BY THE COMMITTEE ON 
               HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

  Mr. LIEBERMAN submitted the following resolution; from the Committee 
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; which was referred to 
the Committee on Rules and Administration:

                               S. Res. 32

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL 
                   AFFAIRS.

       (a) General Authority.--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, 2009, through 
     February 28, 2011, 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, 2009.--The 
     expenses of the committee for the period March 1, 2009, 
     through September 30, 2009, under this section shall not 
     exceed $6,742,824, 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 2010 Period.--The expenses of 
     the committee for the period October 1, 2009, through 
     September 30, 2010, under this section shall not exceed 
     $11,856,527, 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, 2011.--For the 
     period October 1, 2010, through February 28, 2011, expenses 
     of the committee under this section shall not exceed 
     $5,049,927, 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).

     SEC. 2. REPORTING LEGISLATION.

       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, 2009.

     SEC. 3. EXPENSES; AGENCY CONTRIBUTIONS; AND INVESTIGATIONS.

       (a) Expenses of the Committee.--
       (1) In general.--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 not required.--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) Agency Contributions.--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, 2009, through September 30, 2009, for the period 
     October 1, 2009, through September 30, 2010, and for the 
     period October 1, 2010, through February 28, 2011, to be paid 
     from the appropriations account for `Expenses of Inquiries 
     and Investigations' of the Senate.
       (c) Investigations.--
       (1) In general.--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) Extent of inquiries.--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.

[[Page S2162]]

       (3) 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 March 1, 2009, through February 28, 2011, 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 committees.--Nothing 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) Subpoena authority.--All subpoenas and related legal 
     processes of the committee and its subcommittee authorized 
     under S. Res. 89, agreed to March 1, 2007 (110th Congress), 
     are authorized to continue.

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