[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 111 (Tuesday, July 27, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H6097-H6098]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IMPROVING CERTAIN LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 5681) to improve certain administrative 
operations of the Library of Congress, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5681

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. PERMITTING USE OF PROCEEDS FROM DISPOSITION OF 
                   SURPLUS OR OBSOLETE PERSONAL PROPERTY.

       (a) Disposition of Property.--Within the limits of 
     available appropriations, the Librarian of Congress may 
     dispose of surplus or obsolete personal property of the 
     Library of Congress by interagency transfer, donation, sale, 
     trade-in, or other appropriate method.
       (b) Use of Proceeds.--Any amounts received by the Librarian 
     of Congress from the disposition of property under subsection 
     (a) shall be credited to the funds available for the 
     operations of the Library of Congress, and shall be available 
     to acquire the same or similar property during the fiscal 
     year in which the amounts are received and the following 
     fiscal year.
       (c) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect 
     to fiscal year 2011 and each succeeding fiscal year.

     SEC. 2. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT 
                   PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYEES.

       (a) Availability of Funds Without Regard to Source of 
     Employee Salary.--Amounts appropriated or otherwise made 
     available to the Librarian of Congress for a fiscal year for 
     salaries and expenses of employees of the Library of Congress 
     may be used by the Librarian to make payments under the 
     student loan repayment program under section 5379 of title 5, 
     United States

[[Page H6098]]

     Code, on behalf of an employee of the Library without regard 
     to the source of the funds used to pay the employee's salary.
       (b) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect 
     to fiscal year 2011 and each succeeding fiscal year.

     SEC. 3. USE OF UNOBLIGATED APPROPRIATIONS TO MAKE 
                   CONTRIBUTIONS TO WORKERS COMPENSATION FUND.

       (a) Use of Funds.--Unobligated balances of expired 
     appropriations made to the Library of Congress for fiscal 
     years beginning with fiscal year 2011 shall be available to 
     the Librarian of Congress to make the deposit to the credit 
     of the Employees' Compensation Fund required by subsection 
     8147(b) of title 5, United States Code.
       (b) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect 
     to fiscal year 2011 and each succeeding fiscal year.

     SEC. 4. PAYGO COMPLIANCE.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Daniel 
E. Lungren) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
in the Record and include extraneous matters on this legislation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I sponsored this legislation to make improvements to the 
Library of Congress in three important areas. The bill was reported by 
the Committee on House Administration on July 22, 2010.
  First, H.R. 5681 would allow the Librarian of Congress to dispose of 
surplus or obsolete personal property and to use the proceeds from 
these transactions, if any, to buy similar but updated property. 
Congress has previously granted such authority to the Capitol Police 
and other agencies. This provision will allow the Library to replace 
dated equipment while it still has value and keep costs down. This is 
especially useful with respect to computers and other technology.
  Second, the bill would also improve administration of the Library's 
student-loan repayment program. Currently, each service must draw from 
its operating budget for loan repayments for its participating 
employees. H.R. 5681 would create a common fund to support loan 
repayment agencywide.
  Finally, the bill would make available expired but unobligated 
appropriations balances to pay the Library's annual deposits due to the 
Labor Department's workers compensation fund. This provision will help 
address a timing problem faced by the Library and avoid the need for 
new appropriations.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill has the Library's full support. I know of no 
controversy, and I urge support of this legislation.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as was stated by the chairman of our committee, this is 
a sensible bill to improve administrative operations at the Library of 
Congress, and I'm pleased to support it.
  The bill improves operations at the Library of Congress related to 
surplus or obsolete property, the student loan repayment program, and 
the workers' compensation payment program. These are reasonable and 
sound changes. We discussed them at our committee markup. I support 
them.
  I thank my colleague and the staff for their hard work, and I urge my 
colleagues to support H.R. 5681.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  July 27, 2010 on Page H6098 the following appeared: Mr. BRADY of 
Texas. Mr. Speaker, I
  
  The online version should be corrected to read: Mr. BRADY of 
Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5681, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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