[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 10, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H1567-H1574]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




MOVING OUR DEMOCRACY AND CONGRESSIONAL OPERATIONS TOWARDS MODERNIZATION 
                               RESOLUTION

  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 756) implementing recommendations adopted by 
the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 756

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This resolution may be cited as the 
     ``Moving Our Democracy and Congressional Operations Towards 
     Modernization Resolution''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this 
     resolution is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.

         TITLE I--STREAMLINING AND REORGANIZING HUMAN RESOURCES

Sec. 101. Centralized human resources program.
Sec. 102. Reports on operation of Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
Sec. 103. Examining feasibility of updating staff payroll system.
Sec. 104. Examining feasibility of adjusting the statutory limitation 
              on number of employees of Member offices.
Sec. 105. Employee orientation and separation processes.

    TITLE II--IMPROVING ORIENTATION FOR MEMBERS-ELECT AND PROVIDING 
        IMPROVED CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS

Sec. 201. Plan for providing for designated staff to prepare for 
              operation of offices of new Members-elect.
Sec. 202. Improving the orientation experience of new Members.
Sec. 203. Exploring the feasibility of establishing a Congressional 
              Leadership Academy.
Sec. 204. Requiring annual cybersecurity training for Members and 
              employees.

           TITLE III--MODERNIZING AND REVITALIZING TECHNOLOGY

Sec. 301. Reforming House Information Resources.
Sec. 302. Providing technologies to improve constituent engagement.
Sec. 303. Streamlined approval process for outside technology vendors.
Sec. 304. Enabling early adoption of new technologies and applications 
              by offices.
Sec. 305. Improving Member feedback regarding outside vendors and HIR 
              services.
Sec. 306. Leveraging bulk purchasing power of the House.
Sec. 307. Requiring Congressional Research Service to provide rapid 
              response short fact sheets.
Sec. 308. Establishing nonpartisan constituent engagement and services 
              page on HouseNet.

              TITLE IV--MAKING THE HOUSE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

Sec. 401. Ensuring accessibility of House websites.
Sec. 402. Close captioning of proceedings; captioning service for 
              videos created by House offices.
Sec. 403. Comprehensive review of accessibility.

        TITLE V--IMPROVING ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS AND PUBLICATIONS

Sec. 501. Adopting standardized format for legislative documents.
Sec. 502. Legislation comparison project.
Sec. 503. Database of information on expiration of authorizations of 
              programs.
Sec. 504. Database of votes taken in committees.
Sec. 505. Assignment of unique identifiers for reports filed by 
              registered lobbyists.
Sec. 506. Public availability of reports.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this resolution, the following definitions apply:
       (1) The term ``Chief Administrative Officer'' means the 
     Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives.
       (2) The term ``Clerk'' means the Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (3) The term ``HIR'' means the Office of House Information 
     Resources.
       (4) The term ``Member'' means a Member of the House of 
     Representatives and a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to 
     the Congress.

         TITLE I--STREAMLINING AND REORGANIZING HUMAN RESOURCES

     SEC. 101. CENTRALIZED HUMAN RESOURCES PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment and Operation of Program.--In order to 
     improve recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce, 
     develop best human resources practices, and take steps to 
     improve competitive compensation and benefits for employees, 
     the Chief Administrative Officer shall establish and operate 
     a centralized human resources program to assist Member, 
     committee, and leadership office staff.
       (b) Features of Program.--The program established under 
     this section shall provide the following services:
       (1) Developing a centralized repository of practices 
     collected from internal and external sources that have proven 
     to be successful in hiring, promoting, and managing staff, 
     updated from time to time.
       (2) Improving diversity recruitment by implementing and 
     promoting best practices for actively seeking out candidates 
     of various backgrounds, experiences, and talents, including 
     through outreach to under-represented colleges and 
     universities, community colleges, historically black colleges 
     and universities, and organizations for individuals with 
     disabilities, and compiling a list of such candidates into 
     the House resume portal.
       (3) Reevaluating current Member, committee, and leadership 
     office employee benefits (including the evaluation of the 
     capacity and costs of the House child care center and student 
     loan repayment program) and submitting to the Committee on 
     House Administration on a regular and ongoing basis 
     recommendations for additions or improvements to such 
     benefits which will improve recruitment and retention, 
     exploring options such as telework, flex schedules, 
     returnship programs, and sabbaticals.
       (4) Conducting a biennial staff survey as well as offering 
     an optional exit survey to Member, committee, and leadership 
     office staff.
       (5) Making improvements to the House resume portal, 
     including making such portal into a user-friendly, searchable 
     tool for Member, committee, and leadership offices to 
     identify talent based on unique criteria, and including ways 
     to promote and publicize the existence and availability of 
     such portal to internal and external users.
       (6) Providing Members-elect with information on the full 
     range of services offered to their staff in an easily 
     understandable and organized format immediately following the 
     certification of their election results.
       (c) Operation of Program.--
       (1) Staff.--The Chief Administrative Officer shall 
     designate an employee of the Office of the Chief 
     Administrative Officer who shall be responsible for the 
     operation of the program established under this section, 
     using existing staff and resources of the Office.
       (2) Location; availability of services online.--The program 
     shall be located in a physical location which is easily 
     accessible to the offices using the resources of the program, 
     and shall provide an online portal through which offices may 
     obtain these services.
       (d) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations and take any other steps as may be required 
     to carry out this section.

     SEC. 102. REPORTS ON OPERATION OF OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND 
                   INCLUSION.

       In accordance with House Resolution 6 (agreed to January 9, 
     2019), the Office of Diversity and Inclusion of the House of 
     Representatives shall submit the following plans and reports:
       (1) Not later than 60 days after the appointment of the 
     Director of the Office, the Office shall submit to the 
     Committee on House Administration an operational plan for the 
     Office that shall include, consistent with applicable House 
     rules, regulations, and law, a plan for appointing and 
     establishing duties for staff of the Office which shall set 
     forth a proposed maximum number of staff.
       (2) Not later than 90 days after submitting the operational 
     plan under paragraph (1), the Office shall submit a diversity 
     plan to the Committee on House Administration for the 
     Committee's review and approval, and shall include in the 
     plan the following:
       (A) Policies to direct and guide House employing offices to 
     recruit, hire, train, develop, advance, promote, and retain a 
     diverse workforce, consistent with applicable House rules, 
     regulations, and law.
       (B) The development of a survey, in consultation with the 
     Committee on House Administration, to evaluate diversity in 
     House employing offices. The Office shall develop, conduct, 
     and report the results of the survey in a bipartisan manner.
       (C) A framework for the annual diversity report required 
     under paragraph (3).
       (D) A proposal for the composition of an Advisory Council 
     that shall, as necessary, inform the work of the Office.
       (E) Any additional components as determined by the 
     Committee on House Administration.
       (3) At the end of each session of Congress, the Office 
     shall submit a House of Representatives diversity report to 
     the Speaker, the

[[Page H1568]]

     Majority Leader and Minority Leader, the chair and ranking 
     minority member of the Committee on House Administration, and 
     the chair and ranking minority member of the Subcommittee on 
     the Legislative Branch of the Committee on Appropriations. 
     The Office shall ensure that the contents of each such report 
     are presented in a bipartisan manner.

     SEC. 103. EXAMINING FEASIBILITY OF UPDATING STAFF PAYROLL 
                   SYSTEM.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     adoption of this resolution, the Chief Administrative Officer 
     shall submit to the Committee on House Administration a 
     report on the feasibility of updating the employee payroll 
     system in order to address considerations of younger and 
     lower-paid employees, as well as issues experienced generally 
     by some employees regarding the current monthly pay schedule.
       (b) Contents.--The report submitted under subsection (a) 
     shall include the following:
       (1) The results of any employee surveys regarding the 
     desirability of changing the employee payroll system or 
     providing both a monthly or bimonthly system. The report 
     shall present such results in a bipartisan manner.
       (2) An analysis of any costs associated with making changes 
     to the current employee payroll system, including providing 
     additional options for the schedule of payments.
       (3) An analysis of any impediments or concerns with making 
     any changes to the current staff payroll system.
       (c) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations to carry out any recommendations made in 
     the report required under subsection (a) or take any other 
     steps as may be required to carry out this section.

     SEC. 104. EXAMINING FEASIBILITY OF ADJUSTING THE STATUTORY 
                   LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OF MEMBER 
                   OFFICES.

       (a) Requirement.--The Chief Administrative Officer shall 
     enter into a contract with an outside entity under which the 
     entity shall work with the Chief Administrative Officer to 
     prepare and submit a report examining the feasibility of 
     adjusting the statutory limitation established in 1975 on the 
     number of employees who may be employed in the office of a 
     Member.
       (b) Contents of Report.--The report described in subsection 
     (a) shall include the following:
       (1) Information regarding the size and demographic makeup 
     of each congressional district, including the number and 
     coverage area of each district office.
       (2) The average number of employees for each district 
     office, including common tasks by position.
       (3) Recommendations regarding the optimal number of 
     employees in both offices located in House office buildings 
     and district offices to address common office workflows and 
     constituent requests, including changes in technology that 
     have occurred recently and are expected to occur in the near 
     future that would have an effect on such number.
       (4) Recommendations regarding employee salaries and costs, 
     including recommendations for necessary changes to the 
     Members' Representational Allowance that would be necessary 
     to carry out such recommendations.
       (c) Deadlines.--
       (1) Provision of draft solicitation for contract.--Not 
     later than 60 days after the date of adoption of this 
     resolution, the Chief Administrative Officer shall provide a 
     draft of the solicitation for the contract described in 
     subsection (a) to the Committee of House Administration.
       (2) Submission of report.--Under the contract entered into 
     pursuant to this section, the entity shall submit the report 
     not later than 180 days after the signing of the contract.

     SEC. 105. EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION AND SEPARATION PROCESSES.

       (a) Establishment of Processes.--The Committee on House 
     Administration shall design and implement--
       (1) a comprehensive and uniform orientation process for new 
     employees (including interns) of the House to complete within 
     a designated period of time after appointment; and
       (2) a comprehensive and uniform separation process for 
     employees (including interns) of the House to complete within 
     a designated period of time prior to termination.
       (b) Applicability.--The processes under subsection (a) 
     shall apply only to employees and interns who have access to 
     the House Network.
       (c) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations or take any other steps as may be required 
     to carry out this section.

    TITLE II--IMPROVING ORIENTATION FOR MEMBERS-ELECT AND PROVIDING 
        IMPROVED CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS

     SEC. 201. PLAN FOR PROVIDING FOR DESIGNATED STAFF TO PREPARE 
                   FOR OPERATION OF OFFICES OF NEW MEMBERS-ELECT.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the adoption of this resolution, the Chief Administrative 
     Officer shall submit a report to the Committee on House 
     Administration that contains a detailed plan for establishing 
     a program under which, upon the recommendation of an 
     individual by a Member-elect (other than a Member elected to 
     fill a vacancy), the Chief Administrative Officer shall 
     appoint the individual for a limited period of time to assist 
     such Member-elect with administrative and other 
     responsibilities pertaining to the preparation of the 
     Member's congressional office for operation, and shall 
     include in the plan a timetable for implementation, an 
     estimate of expected costs, and the identification of any 
     statutory or regulatory obstacles to the implementation of 
     such a program.
       (b) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations to carry out any recommendations made in 
     the report required under subsection (a) or take any other 
     steps as may be required to carry out this section.

     SEC. 202. IMPROVING THE ORIENTATION EXPERIENCE OF NEW 
                   MEMBERS.

       (a) In General.--In providing orientation services for new 
     Members, including in-person courses and sessions, the 
     Committee on House Administration shall carry out the 
     following:
       (1) The Committee shall work to ensure that orientation 
     services are made available to all new Members, including 
     Members elected in a special election during a Congress.
       (2) The Committee shall work to ensure that courses on the 
     Rules of the House, decorum and debate, and other such 
     courses on practices to promote civility and respect are made 
     available to Members.
       (3) The Committee shall work to ensure that archived audio 
     and visual recordings of orientation sessions are made 
     available for reference.
       (4) The Committee shall work to provide a range of House 
     training programs and support services, including courses to 
     promote civility and encourage decorum, for new Members and 
     the senior staff of new Members throughout the Members' first 
     term.
       (5) To the extent the Committee considers appropriate, the 
     Committee shall examine the feasibility of providing a ``just 
     in time'' approach to orientation sessions under which 
     information is provided at the time at which it will be most 
     useful to the Members.
       (b) Providing Services in Nonpartisan Manner.--To the 
     greatest extent practicable, the Committee on House 
     Administration shall ensure that the orientation services 
     provided to new Members, including in-person courses and 
     sessions, are provided in a nonpartisan manner.
       (c) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations or take any other steps as may be required 
     to carry out this section.

     SEC. 203. EXPLORING THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A 
                   CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.

       (a) Survey of Members.--The Chief Administrative Officer 
     shall conduct a survey of Members to determine the level of 
     interest in establishing a Congressional Leadership Academy 
     to provide online and in-person continuing education 
     opportunities that will promote professional development and 
     institutional training, including the feasibility of setting 
     up a pilot program to establish such an Academy.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
     adoption of this resolution, the Chief Administrative Officer 
     shall submit a report to the Committee on House 
     Administration on the results of the survey conducted under 
     subsection (a), and shall include in the estimates of costs 
     of establishing and operating a Congressional Leadership 
     Academy as well as any impediments to establishing such an 
     Academy, including impediments relating to technology, 
     security, or content.

     SEC. 204. REQUIRING ANNUAL CYBERSECURITY TRAINING FOR MEMBERS 
                   AND EMPLOYEES.

       (a) Requirement for Training.--The Chief Administrative 
     Officer shall carry out a cybersecurity training program 
     under which each individual who has access to the House 
     Network (including each Member, officer, employee, intern, 
     and vendor of the House) annually receives an appropriate 
     amount of cybersecurity training.
       (b) Deadlines for Individuals Not Having Prior Access to 
     Network.--An individual described in subsection (a) who has 
     not previously had access to the House Network shall complete 
     the cybersecurity training program under such subsection not 
     later than 30 days after the individual first has access to 
     the House Network.
       (c) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations or take any other steps as may be required 
     to carry out this section.

           TITLE III--MODERNIZING AND REVITALIZING TECHNOLOGY

     SEC. 301. REFORMING HOUSE INFORMATION RESOURCES.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the adoption of this resolution, the Chief Administrative 
     Officer shall submit a report to the Committee on House 
     Administration on the operations of the Office of House 
     Information Resources. Such report shall include--
       (1) the identification of solutions to address the 
     challenges HIR faces in balancing the needs between network 
     security and making available emerging technologies in a 
     timely manner to satisfy the operational needs of Member 
     offices, including a detailed marketing and communications 
     plan to address gaps and disruptions that exist in the 
     seamless delivery of services between HIR and the offices it 
     supports;
       (2) recommendations to improve the quality of HIR services, 
     such as web design and information technology support;

[[Page H1569]]

       (3) recommendations for changes to HIR's mission to better 
     align it with the needs of Member offices;
       (4) methods to reduce duplicative spending on information 
     technology services; and
       (5) the identification of steps and actions necessary to 
     ensure that HIR establishes a single point-of-contact within 
     HIR for each office of the House so that such point-of-
     contact is responsible for responding to requests from the 
     office and coordinating the delivery of products and services 
     to the office, as well as an analysis of the advantages and 
     disadvantages of the use of a single point-of-contact for 
     such purposes.
       (b) Conducting Outside Review.--The Committee on House 
     Administration may direct the Chief Administrative Officer to 
     enter into a contract with an outside entity to provide the 
     Committee with an independent review of the operations of HIR 
     and to provide independent recommendations to the Committee 
     regarding strategies and steps for reforming HIR's 
     operations.
       (c) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations or take any other steps as may be required 
     to address the report submitted by the Chief Administrative 
     Officer under subsection (a) and, if applicable, the 
     recommendations provided by an outside entity pursuant to the 
     contract entered into under subsection (b).

     SEC. 302. PROVIDING TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE CONSTITUENT 
                   ENGAGEMENT.

       The Committee on House Administration may issue regulations 
     or take any other steps as may be required to ensure that 
     Member offices have the necessary technology and software to 
     improve the efficiency and operation of Member offices and to 
     improve constituent engagement, including, as soon as 
     practicable after the date of the adoption of this 
     resolution, the implementation of the following:
       (1) The ability of House offices to conduct video calls and 
     video conferences.
       (2) The ability of Members to sign legislation, 
     correspondence, and constituent consent forms using 
     electronic signatures, in accordance with guidance developed 
     in coordination with the Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (3) The ability of Members and employees to securely and 
     seamlessly access the House Network from any place and at any 
     time.
       (4) A plan and timetable to improve the correspondence 
     management tools available to Member offices, including 
     improving the ability of the constituents of a Member to 
     upload requests for casework directly to the Member's 
     official public website.

     SEC. 303. STREAMLINED APPROVAL PROCESS FOR OUTSIDE TECHNOLOGY 
                   VENDORS.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the adoption of this resolution, HIR shall submit a report to 
     the Committee on House Administration describing the steps 
     necessary to create a streamlined process for the approval of 
     outside technology, including a discussion of unique legal, 
     statutory, or other considerations relating to the House 
     environment, costs, obstacles to creating and operating such 
     an approval process, and security or other issues relating to 
     such a process.
       (b) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations to carry out any recommendations made in 
     the report required under subsection (a) or take any other 
     steps as may be required to carry out this section.

     SEC. 304. ENABLING EARLY ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND 
                   APPLICATIONS BY OFFICES.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later that 120 days after the date of 
     the adoption of this resolution, HIR shall submit a report to 
     the Committee on House Administration on establishing a 
     program under which Member, committee, and leadership offices 
     may elect to participate in the early adoption of 
     technologies or applications developed by an outside vendor 
     prior to the final approval by the House of the use of such 
     technology or application for such offices, and shall include 
     in the report a description of the steps necessary to set up 
     such a program, the operation of such program, the 
     identification of additional costs that may be incurred by 
     such a program, and the identification of the steps necessary 
     to ensure security and steps necessary to protect against 
     jeopardizing the House enterprise.
       (b) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations to carry out any recommendations made in 
     the report required under subsection (a) or take any other 
     steps as may be required to carry out this section.

     SEC. 305. IMPROVING MEMBER FEEDBACK REGARDING OUTSIDE VENDORS 
                   AND HIR SERVICES.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the adoption of this resolution, HIR shall submit a report to 
     the Committee on House Administration on the steps necessary 
     to--
       (1) in compliance with applicable Rules of the House of 
     Representatives and other regulations and standards of the 
     House, create an internal customer satisfaction portal on 
     HouseNet that allows Members and employees to rate and review 
     outside vendors and HIR services;
       (2) annually survey district-level staff and district-
     specific technology concerns; and
       (3) survey Members and employees on what technologies they 
     would like to use.
       (b) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations to carry out any recommendations made in 
     the report required under subsection (a) or take any other 
     steps as may be required to carry out this section.

     SEC. 306. LEVERAGING BULK PURCHASING POWER OF THE HOUSE.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the adoption of this resolution, the Chief Administrative 
     Officer shall submit a report to the Committee on House 
     Administration on the steps necessary to provide a standard 
     suite of information technology (as described in subsection 
     (b)) for the use of offices of Members of the House, 
     including various packages and options, and shall include in 
     the report an analysis of alternative methods for funding the 
     purchase of such a suite, including increasing the Members' 
     Representational Allowances or creating additional accounts. 
     The report shall also include a detailed marketing and 
     communications plan, including strategies to disseminate 
     information regarding the standard suite to Member offices.
       (b) Contents of Standard Suite.--The standard suite of 
     information technology described in this subsection consists 
     of the following, in such quantity and with such features as 
     the Chief Administrative Officer determines to be appropriate 
     to enable offices of Members of the House to quickly and 
     effectively carry out their operations in a cost-effective 
     manner:
       (1) Desktop and portable computers, including hardware, 
     software, and related equipment and supplies.
       (2) Mobile and stationary telephones, including related 
     equipment and supplies.
       (3) Printers, including hardware, software, and related 
     equipment and supplies.
       (4) Internet products and services, including website 
     development and administration services.
       (5) Related information technology and telecommunications 
     services, including technical support and customer service.
       (6) Subscriptions and subscription services.
       (c) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations to carry out any recommendations made in 
     the report required under subsection (a) or take any other 
     steps as may be required to carry out this section.

     SEC. 307. REQUIRING CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE TO PROVIDE 
                   RAPID RESPONSE SHORT FACT SHEETS.

       The Committee on House Administration shall work closely 
     with the Congressional Research Service to ensure that the 
     Service has the capability to rapidly provide short, 
     nonpartisan fact sheets which may be disseminated by Member 
     offices.

     SEC. 308. ESTABLISHING NONPARTISAN CONSTITUENT ENGAGEMENT AND 
                   SERVICES PAGE ON HOUSENET.

       The Committee on House Administration may issue 
     regulations, or take any other steps as may be required, to 
     establish a nonpartisan constituent engagement and services 
     page on HouseNet which will better disseminate best practices 
     and ideas regarding ways to optimize and improve constituent 
     engagement and service.

              TITLE IV--MAKING THE HOUSE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

     SEC. 401. ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY OF HOUSE WEBSITES.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the adoption of this resolution, the Chief Administrative 
     Officer shall submit a report to the Committee on House 
     Administration detailing a plan to ensure that all House 
     websites and applications are accessible. Such report shall 
     include--
       (1) a schedule for analyzing all House websites and 
     applications to determine the accessibility level of each 
     such website and application;
       (2) an analysis of the resources and assistance necessary 
     to ensure all relevant systems are compatible with common 
     programs used by major disability groups; and
       (3) a plan to ensure that all updates to such websites and 
     applications, as well as new websites and applications, are 
     accessible.
       (b) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations to carry out any recommendations made in 
     the report required under subsection (a) or take any other 
     steps as may be required to carry out this section.

     SEC. 402. CLOSE CAPTIONING OF PROCEEDINGS; CAPTIONING SERVICE 
                   FOR VIDEOS CREATED BY HOUSE OFFICES.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the adoption of this resolution, the Chief Administrative 
     Officer and the Clerk shall submit a report to the Committee 
     on House Administration detailing a plan to ensure that all 
     House proceedings that are broadcast on television or 
     streamed on the Internet provide closed caption services, and 
     provide a free captioning service for all web videos created 
     by Member, committee, and leadership offices, as well as the 
     Office of the Chief Administrative Officer and the Office of 
     the Clerk. Such report shall include--
       (1) a statement of the estimated costs of providing close 
     captioning services for all such proceedings;
       (2) a statement of the estimated costs of providing 
     captioning service for all such web videos;
       (3) an estimated timeline for carrying out the plan; and
       (4) a discussion of any barriers to carrying out the plan, 
     including statutory or regulatory impediments.

[[Page H1570]]

       (b) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations to carry out any recommendations made in 
     the report required under subsection (a) or take any other 
     steps as may be required to carry out this section.

     SEC. 403. COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF ACCESSIBILITY.

       (a) Report on Accessibility of United States Capitol 
     Buildings and Grounds.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of the adoption of this resolution, the Architect of the 
     Capitol, the Sergeant at Arms of the House of 
     Representatives, and the Executive Director of the Office of 
     Congressional Workplace Rights, shall provide a joint report 
     to the Committee on House Administration identifying areas of 
     the Capitol buildings and the United States Capitol Grounds 
     that are not currently accessible, the estimated costs of 
     making such areas accessible, including a timetable and plan 
     for making accessibility modifications, and a discussion of 
     future challenges to ensuring full accessibility.
       (b) Report on Accessibility of Practices and Programming.--
     Not later than 180 days after the date of the adoption of 
     this resolution, the Chief Administrative Officer, in 
     consultation with the Director of the Office of Congressional 
     Accessibility Services and the Librarian of Congress, shall 
     submit a report to the Committee on House Administration 
     evaluating the accessibility of the practices and programming 
     used by offices of the legislative branch to serve the needs 
     of individuals with disabilities.
       (c) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations to carry out any recommendations made in 
     the report required under subsection (a) or take any other 
     steps as may be required to carry out this section.

        TITLE V--IMPROVING ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS AND PUBLICATIONS

     SEC. 501. ADOPTING STANDARDIZED FORMAT FOR LEGISLATIVE 
                   DOCUMENTS.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     the adoption of this resolution, the Clerk shall submit a 
     report to the Committee on House Administration regarding the 
     status of the overall implementation and adoption of a 
     standardized format for drafting, viewing, and publishing 
     legislation to improve transparency and efficiency throughout 
     the lawmaking process, specifically including the status of 
     the overall implementation of the Extensible Markup Language, 
     or XML, schema known as United States Legislative Markup.
       (b) Initial Report.--The report required under subsection 
     (a) shall include a detailed plan for completing the overall 
     implementation and adoption of the format described in such 
     subsection, including a timeline, a statement of the costs 
     incurred as of the date of such report, and a statement of 
     the expected costs anticipated to be incurred in the future.
       (c) Quarterly Reports.--Not later than 15 days after the 
     last day of each calendar quarter that begins after the 
     submission of the report under subsection (a), the Clerk 
     shall submit to the Committee on House Administration a 
     status report on the progress made during that quarter 
     regarding the overall implementation and adoption of the 
     format described in such subsection, including any updates to 
     the timeline and to the costs incurred during that quarter 
     and expected to be incurred in the future, and a detailed 
     account of actions taken to implement and adopt the format 
     during the quarter covered by the report.
       (d) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations to carry out any recommendations made in 
     the report required under subsection (a) or take any other 
     steps as may be required to carry out this section.

     SEC. 502. LEGISLATION COMPARISON PROJECT.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the adoption of this resolution, the Clerk shall submit a 
     report to the Committee on House Administration regarding the 
     status of the completion of the legislative comparison 
     project required by clause 12 of rule XXI of the Rules of the 
     House of Representatives
       (b) Initial Report.--The report required in under 
     subsection (a) shall include a detailed plan for completing 
     the legislative comparison project, including a timeline, a 
     statement of the costs incurred as of the date of the report, 
     and a statement of the expected costs anticipated to be 
     incurred in the future.
       (c) Quarterly Reports.--Not later than 15 days after the 
     last day of each calendar quarter that begins after the 
     submission of the report under subsection (a), the Clerk 
     shall submit to the Committee on House Administration a 
     status report on the progress made during that quarter 
     regarding the completion of the legislative comparison 
     project, including any updates to the timeline and to the 
     costs incurred during that quarter and expected to be 
     incurred in the future, and a detailed account of actions 
     taken to complete the legislative comparison project during 
     the quarter covered by the report.
       (d) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations to carry out any recommendations made in 
     the report required under subsection (a) or take any other 
     steps as may be required to carry out this section.

     SEC. 503. DATABASE OF INFORMATION ON EXPIRATION OF 
                   AUTHORIZATIONS OF PROGRAMS.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     the adoption of this resolution, the Clerk shall submit a 
     report to the Committee on House Administration regarding the 
     establishment and maintenance, on its public website, of an 
     up-to-date database that is searchable, sortable, and 
     downloadable of the expiration dates of all Federal programs 
     and the primary committee of subject matter jurisdiction over 
     each such program.
       (b) Initial Report.--The report required under subsection 
     (a) shall include a detailed plan for the completion and 
     implementation of such database, including a timeline and a 
     statement of ongoing and expected costs of development and 
     implementation, any necessary legal or legislative 
     authorities, as well as any barriers or difficulties 
     identified regarding the completion and operation of the 
     database. Such report shall also include a discussion and 
     recommendations on ensuring that such database--
       (1) is updated on a continual and ongoing basis, including 
     requiring that the Clerk posts all relevant all information 
     not later than 30 days after receipt; and
       (2) includes information provided by standing and select 
     committees (except the Committee on Appropriations, the 
     Committee on Ethics, the Committee on Rules, and the 
     Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence), as well as 
     recommendations to ensure that such committees provide the 
     required information on a timely and regular basis.
       (c) Annual Reports.--Not later than 15 days after the last 
     day of each calendar year that begins after the submission of 
     the report under subsection (a), the Clerk shall submit to 
     the Committee on House Administration a report regarding the 
     progress made regarding the establishment and maintenance of 
     the database described in such subsection, including any 
     updates to the timeline and to the costs incurred or expected 
     to be incurred (as required under subsection (b)), and a 
     detailed account of actions taken to establish and maintain 
     the database during the year covered by the report.
       (d) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations to carry out any recommendations made in 
     the report required under subsection (a) or take any other 
     steps as may be required to carry out this section.

     SEC. 504. DATABASE OF VOTES TAKEN IN COMMITTEES.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     the adoption of this resolution, the Clerk shall submit a 
     report to the Committee on House Administration regarding the 
     establishment and maintenance, on its public website, of a 
     separate database for the 116th Congress and each subsequent 
     Congress of all recorded votes in committees (except for 
     recorded votes taken by any committee in executive session or 
     recorded votes which, under applicable rules of the 
     committee, are not required to be made publicly available) 
     that is sortable, up-to-date, and downloadable.
       (b) Initial Report.--The report required under subsection 
     (a) shall include a detailed plan for completion and 
     implementation of the database described in such subsection, 
     including a timeline and a statement of the ongoing and 
     expected costs of development and implementation, any 
     necessary legal or legislative authorities, as well as any 
     barriers or difficulties identified regarding the completion 
     and operation of the database. Such report shall also include 
     a discussion and recommendations on ensuring that such 
     database--
       (1) is updated on a continual and ongoing basis; and
       (2) requires each standing and select committee to provide 
     to the Clerk with information respecting recorded votes taken 
     in that committee (excluding votes which are not required to 
     be included in the database) within 72 hours of such vote, to 
     include a brief description of the matter on which the 
     recorded vote was taken, the name of each Member of the 
     committee voting on that matter, whether the vote was in the 
     affirmative or the negative, and the total tally of the 
     votes.
       (c) Quarterly Reports.--Not later than 15 days after the 
     last day of each calendar quarter that begins after the 
     submission of the report under subsection (a), the Clerk 
     shall submit to the Committee on House Administration a 
     report regarding the progress made regarding the 
     establishment and maintenance of the database described in 
     such subsection, including any updates to the detailed 
     timeline and to the costs incurred or expected to be incurred 
     (as required under subsection (b)), and a detailed account of 
     actions taken to establish and maintain the database during 
     for the quarter covered by the report.
       (d) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations to carry out any recommendations made in 
     the report required under subsection (a) or take any other 
     steps as may be required to carry out this section.

     SEC. 505. ASSIGNMENT OF UNIQUE IDENTIFIERS FOR REPORTS FILED 
                   BY REGISTERED LOBBYISTS.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     the adoption of this resolution, the Clerk shall submit a 
     report to the Committee on House Administration regarding the 
     status of assigning a unique identification number with 
     respect to each person who files a registration statement or 
     other report required to be filed with the Clerk

[[Page H1571]]

     under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1601 et 
     seq.), to be used for all purposes under such Act (including 
     the public availability of such statements and reports) with 
     respect to each statement or report required to be filed by 
     that person with the Clerk.
       (b) Initial Report.--The report required under subsection 
     (a) shall include a detailed plan for assigning the unique 
     identification numbers described in such subsection, 
     including a timeline, a statement of the ongoing and expected 
     costs of carrying out such plan, and a description of any 
     obstacles to carrying out the plan (including obstacles 
     relating to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 or other 
     laws).
       (c) Quarterly Reports.--Not later than 15 days after the 
     last day of each calendar quarter that begins after the 
     submission of the report under subsection (a), the Clerk 
     shall submit to the Committee on House Administration a 
     report regarding the progress made regarding the overall 
     implementation of the assignment of the unique identification 
     numbers described in such subsection, including any updates 
     to the timeline and to the costs incurred or expected to be 
     incurred as required under subsection (b) and a detailed 
     account of actions taken to carry out the assignment of such 
     unique identification numbers during for the quarter covered 
     by the report.
       (d) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may 
     issue regulations to carry out any recommendations made in 
     the report required under subsection (a) or take any other 
     steps as may be required to carry out this section.

     SEC. 506. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF REPORTS.

       The Committee on House Administration shall take all steps 
     practicable to make any report required under this resolution 
     publicly available on the official public website of the 
     Committee or in some other manner.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Lofgren) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. 
Newhouse) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H. Res. 756.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress was created by 
Speaker Nancy Pelosi on January 4, 2019, when the House adopted title 
II of H. Res. 6, the House Rules package.
  The House voted an overwhelming 418-12 to create the committee. The 
Speaker was insistent that the committee's membership contains a 
diverse set of views, which is why its membership is evenly divided 
between Republicans and Democrats and is required to have two first-
term Members among its ranks.
  I am proud to serve on the Select Committee on the Modernization of 
Congress, a committee whose guiding principle, in the words of Chairman 
Derek Kilmer, is to ``make Congress work better so that the institution 
and its Members can better serve the American people.''
  During its first year of work, the committee has heard from former 
Members, discussed making legislative information more transparent, and 
focused on cultivating diversity and improving retention among 
congressional staff. The committee has also worked to promote civility 
and collaboration and listened carefully to Members about the 
congressional schedule.
  The committee is already having an effect. Shortly after a hearing on 
congressional mailing standards, the Franking Commission moved quickly 
to modernize their rules so Members could communicate with their 
constituents more directly.
  The committee's success is the very reason that the Speaker decided 
to extend the life of the committee. Originally scheduled to conclude 
its work after the first session, the House agreed to extend its work 
for the balance of the 116th Congress.
  I was pleased to work with the ranking member of the House 
Administration Committee to make sure that the select committee has the 
resources it needs to do its work.
  H. Res. 756 incorporates the first two sets of recommendations made 
by the select committee. These recommendations focus on increasing 
transparency, improving human resources practices on the Hill, 
improving the onboarding process for new Members, addressing needed IT 
improvements, and making the proceedings and functions of the House 
more accessible to all Americans.
  It has been a pleasure to work with Chairman Kilmer, Vice Chairman 
Graves, and the ranking member on the Committee on House Administration 
as we have worked to translate recommendations into legislation.
  Successful reform efforts in Congress are rare. For the most part, 
these efforts fade away and are forgotten. I am glad that this reform 
effort, spearheaded by the bipartisan work of the select committee, is 
moving forward and that we will all see tangible results in how the 
Congress operates as a result of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis) controls the time and is recognized.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 756, the Moving Our 
Democracy and Congressional Operations Towards Modernization 
Resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, this bipartisan resolution is an important one that I 
believe will improve the day-to-day operations of the House.
  I first want to thank Chairman Kilmer and Vice Chair Graves for their 
impressive leadership of the Select Committee on Modernization.
  I also want to give a special moment of silence in honor of Vice 
Chair Graves' son, who was in a bad accident on a bicycle. If Members 
could bear with me to honor Mr. Graves and have a moment of silence to 
pray for his son's recovery.
  Mr. Speaker, the tone that has been set at the Select Committee on 
the Modernization of Congress has been a refreshing reminder that there 
is still a way to work in a truly bipartisan manner, respecting 
differing opinions across the aisle. Six Members of Congress from each 
party came together to work toward a common goal: to make this 
institution better.
  Americans deserve an efficient and effective legislature. A 
modernized Congress will increase our ability to respond to the needs 
of communities; save taxpayer dollars; erase layers of bureaucracy; 
further professionalize the institution; and revitalize a transparent, 
understandable, and efficient legislative process.
  H. Res. 756 is a package of 29 bipartisan recommendations from the 
select committee's findings on ways to improve Congress. These 
recommendations will increase public accessibility, modernize the 
information technology that offices use, streamline human resources, 
improve training offerings, enhance the ways we can communicate with 
our constituents, and create more transparency and access to public 
documents, among other necessary advancements.
  Mr. Speaker, I am a proud member of the Select Committee on the 
Modernization of Congress, and as the ranking member at the Committee 
on House Administration, I look forward to working toward implementing 
these vital recommendations.
  While the passage of H. Res. 756 is crucial for improving how the 
House operates, I know the work is not done. I look forward to being a 
part of moving additional pieces of legislation the select committee 
puts forward.

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Kilmer) who chairs the Select Committee on the 
Modernization of Congress.
  Mr. KILMER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chair Lofgren and Ranking Member 
Davis for their support in bringing this resolution to the floor.
  H. Res. 756, the MODCOM Resolution, is the product of a bipartisan 
desire to make Congress work better for the American people.
  Over the past year, the Select Committee on the Modernization of 
Congress has taken a hard look at the many challenges this institution 
faces. Select committee members have listened closely to what their 
colleagues and staff have to say about how to improve Congress and 
listened to the American people.

[[Page H1572]]

  Through a collaborative, bipartisan process, the select committee has 
so far passed 45 recommendations to make Congress work better so that 
Members can better serve their constituents.
  Making recommendations to improve Congress is one thing, but making 
sure those recommendations are carried out is quite another.
  The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress is the first 
reform committee in recent history to turn its recommendations into 
legislation. The MODCOM Resolution ensures that the select committee's 
initial recommendations are implemented by the House of 
Representatives.
  These recommendations cover a broad range of issues but share a 
common goal: making Congress work better for the American people.
  Article I of the Constitution established Congress as the first among 
coequal branches of government. Our Founding Fathers envisioned a 
strong legislative branch, but Congress' capacity to uphold its 
constitutional powers has been weakened. This resolution is a first 
step toward restoring capacity and strengthening Congress.
  The resolution improves transparency so that the American people can 
easily access basic information about Congress, including following the 
bill through the process, seeing how Members vote in committee and on 
the floor, and tracking what bills Members sponsor.
  The MODCOM Resolution also contains recommendations focused on 
attracting and retaining a diverse and highly qualified workforce, 
again, working on behalf of the American people. The resolution creates 
a one-stop HR shop to help Members and staff with questions about 
recruitment, retention, diversity, legal counsel, training, and 
benefits.
  The select committee has heard a lot about how new Member orientation 
should do more to encourage civility and bipartisan collaboration. This 
resolution will overhaul the onboarding process for new Members and 
provide continuing education opportunities for all Members.
  Select committee members also agree that trying to solve 21st century 
problems with 20th century technologies is a disservice to the American 
people, who rightfully expect timely action from their Representatives. 
This resolution will modernize House technologies and, ultimately, save 
taxpayer dollars.

                              {time}  1245

  Modernizing Congress also means making the proceedings and functions 
of the House accessible to all Americans. The MODCOM resolution 
addresses the equal access challenges that persons with disabilities 
face when working for, visiting, or interacting with Congress.
  The bottom line is this: All Members want Congress to work better for 
the American people, and the MODCOM resolution serves that goal.
  I am proud to lead this effort, but I want to emphasize that this is 
an entirely collaborative effort. Congressman   Tom Graves, the select 
committee's vice chair, has been a great partner, and I want to thank 
him for his leadership, his partnership, and his commitment to the 
committee's success.
  I thank the gentleman from Illinois for wishing Tom and his family 
well and wishing his son a speedy recovery.
  Mr. Speaker, the experience and perspective of Chair Lofgren and of 
Ranking Member Davis they have shared with the select committee has 
also been invaluable. I want to thank them and the Committee on House 
Administration and their staff for their help and their guidance and 
for their work in bringing this resolution to the floor today.
  I also want to thank all of my colleagues on the select committee. We 
serve with such thoughtful and dedicated Members, and I look forward to 
our continued collaboration.
  The CAO's office and the House Clerk's office have also been 
instrumental in this effort, and I want to thank the many people in 
both offices who have given of their time and expertise in working 
through a lot of these issues with the select committee.
  This is the first step in trying to make Congress function better on 
behalf of the American people. There is more to come. The committee has 
additional recommendations that we hope to move forward.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support passage of H. Res. 756.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse), my good friend and another 
member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress.
  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend, Mr. Davis, 
for yielding and thank him also for all of his hard work bringing this 
resolution to the floor. I also want to thank him for being here in 
person himself to help us argue the good points of this resolution and 
its bipartisan nature.
  Mr. Speaker, for over a year, the bipartisan Select Committee on the 
Modernization of Congress has worked together to discuss how Congress, 
as an institution, conducts business on behalf of the American people.
  From broad subjects, like government transparency and congressional 
office payroll, to narrower topics, like formatting legislative 
documents, our goal is to bring Congress into the same century as the 
constituents whom we serve.
  This resolution is a great first step in accomplishing that goal. It 
requires our technology offices to streamline the approval process for 
new and innovative technologies. It takes steps towards Housewide bulk 
purchasing of technology products and services and will save every 
Member money out of their MRAs.
  Additionally, the resolution examines expanding or eliminating the 
cap on the number of employees for Member offices. Many Members, 
particularly in rural areas like my district in central Washington, 
have multiple district offices, and Members should be able to staff 
their offices as they see fit.
  Empowering Members to adequately staff both district and D.C. offices 
can improve retention, but, more importantly, it can improve 
communication with our constituents.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to again thank Chairman Kilmer 
and Ranking Member Graves for their leadership and their work in 
bringing this resolution to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues, all Members, to 
support the adoption of this resolution.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 
minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks), another member 
of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress.
  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my fellow 
colleagues on the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress in 
support of H. Res. 756.
  Over these past many months, under the incredible leadership of 
Representative Kilmer and Representative Graves, the members of the 
Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress have worked 
diligently to address many, many issues that we believe in a bipartisan 
way have negatively impacted the ability of Congress to work 
effectively and efficiently for all Americans.
  Throughout my time in Congress, I have heard time after time many 
concerns from my constituents who believe that Congress has become too 
mired in gridlock, that our current political process has devolved into 
a system that rewards bitter partisan divide rather than an effective, 
for-the-people governance. I think my constituents would be so pleased, 
and all of our constituents would be so pleased, to see how this 
committee has worked and how we have plodded together through many 
difficult subjects.
  In the process of creating 2\1/2\ dozen recommendations, including 
this resolution, I think a couple of the most important the committee 
is focused on are how to foster that more civil discourse, beginning 
with new Member orientation.
  I want to applaud the chair and the ranking member of the Committee 
on House Administration for being so open-minded about any ideas that 
our committee put forward, willing to make changes to many programs, 
beginning with new Member orientation; also, efforts to create a 
congressional workforce more representative of our country's diverse 
population through initiatives like making permanent the Office of 
Diversity and Inclusion, and focusing on issues such as streamlining

[[Page H1573]]

and reorganizing human resource services for the House 
of Representatives.

  We often operate as 435 different offices, but we can learn so much 
from each other. We can find, with collaboration and with a stronger 
H.R. office, better expertise in communications policies and 
constituent services.
  So it is my firm belief that the recommendations being voted on will 
be an integral step in moving Congress forward in a direction that not 
only produces a more productive workforce and workplace, but a more 
productive legislative branch.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Timmons), our freshman Member on our 
side of the aisle on the Select Committee on the Modernization of 
Congress.
  Mr. TIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 
756, legislation implementing recommendations from the Select Committee 
on the Modernization of Congress.
  The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, the only truly 
bipartisan committee in Congress, has worked diligently since it was 
created to produce recommendations that will make Congress more 
efficient, accountable, and transparent to the American people.
  This resolution includes nearly 30 of the recommendations passed out 
of the committee. The legislation includes reforms in five areas, which 
are:
  Streamlining and reorganizing human resources;
  Improving orientation for freshman Members;
  Modernizing and revitalizing technology;
  Making the House accessible to all; and
  Improving access to documents and publications for the American 
people.
  When I first arrived in Washington for new Member orientation, I 
remember having to get on a bus with only Republicans. I was shocked 
that new Members would not be briefed together, that this kind of 
partisanship was encouraged from the very start.
  Now, I understand that a majority of the time Members will be meeting 
with their respective party, but to encourage this divide from the 
beginning was something I was not expecting--and I was really 
disappointed.
  This contributes to the brokenness and lack of civility in Congress. 
This was a concern I heard from several Members from both sides of the 
aisle, including fellow colleagues on the Select Committee on the 
Modernization of Congress.
  I am proud that we are able to work together on this committee as 
both Republicans and Democrats to come to a solution that encourages 
more bipartisanship in these partisan and incredibly divided times.
  I am truly thankful for Chair Kilmer's and Vice Chair Graves' 
leadership on the committee, and I look forward to continuing to work 
with them and my colleagues on the committee on other ways we can make 
Congress more efficient, such as addressing the House calendar and 
schedule, as well as the budget process.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues in the House to support H. 
Res. 756.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, at this point, while he 
meanders up to the microphone, I would like to say this is our last 
speaker, but another valued member of the Select Committee on the 
Modernization of Congress, somebody whom not only the committee is 
going to miss when he leaves this institution after this term, but this 
institution is going to miss him.
  I yield as much time as he would like to consume to the gentleman 
from Georgia (Mr. Woodall).
  Mr. WOODALL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Illinois for 
yielding. I have so many things that I want to say now in light of 
that.
  The truth is, Mr. Speaker, I just came over, had to walk out on some 
constituents to be here.
  Hunter Pruett is in town. He is advocating on behalf of the Juvenile 
Arthritis Foundation, and he has been meeting with me every year for 
the 10 years I have been in Congress.
  I said: Hunter, I am sorry. I have got to go to the floor. This is 
our bill today. I will see you back home.
  He said: I just want to tell you one thing, Rob.
  He said: Whatever is going on in politics, just forget it. What I 
want you to do for your next 9 months in Congress is just go and do the 
right thing for the right reasons, and we will be with you.
  That is a pretty common message that we get, but our committee 
process doesn't always allow that to happen, and I want to thank the 
chairman for leading a process that has allowed exactly that to happen.
  Mr. Speaker, I don't know if it has been mentioned, but I am looking 
at the chairman of the Select Committee on the Modernization of 
Congress sitting beside the chairwoman of the House Administration 
Committee.
  Now, as you look through these 30 recommendations today, you will see 
that a lot of them have to do with House Administration jurisdiction. I 
am standing right beside the ranking member of the House Administration 
Committee.
  It is extraordinary in this institution for a chairwoman and her 
ranking member to allow another committee to have any sort of input on 
what goes on, much less delegate some of that conversation and 
thinking. The lack of self-interest that has gone into this committee 
is something I haven't gotten to see much in the 10 years I have been 
here.
  You won't see in these recommendations, Mr. Speaker, a recommendation 
to turn all of the committees into the exact same bipartisan 50/50 
committee that we have had the pleasure of working on. I don't think 
you will see that in the next round either.
  But I will tell you that one of the favorite stories I get to tell 
back home to folks who feel like politics has taken over this town, for 
folks who feel like MSNBC and FOX News run this institution these days, 
that think Twitter is the be-all and end-all of in-depth political 
thought, I have gotten a chance to work with Members who have, time 
after time after time, put the institution first with one goal in mind.
  Mr. Speaker, I am certain it has been said already, how can we serve 
our constituency better, every single conversation, how can we serve 
our constituency better; what can we do to better serve the American 
people; how is the institution broken, not so that it is not serving 
Members, but so that Members are not serving their constituents.

  I know this isn't the most glamorous of topics, modernization of 
Congress, but I would just say to all of my colleagues, if you are 
feeling down, if you are feeling beaten by a political season, if you 
think that this is the time of the electoral cycle where folks are 
fussing with each other, more likely to tear each other down than build 
each other up, read these 30 recommendations.
  Tune in to the next Select Committee on the Modernization of 
Congress, Mr. Speaker, because what you are going to see is exactly 
what every single one of us wanted to see when we ran for Congress, and 
that is serious men and women sitting down in a collaborative way, 
putting the American people first.
  It couldn't happen without the leadership of our chairman. It 
wouldn't happen without the chairwoman of the House Administration 
Committee and her willingness to be such a productive partner. It 
couldn't happen without Ranking Member Davis and his willingness to be 
so involved and so collaborative.
  There should be recommendation No. 31, Mr. Speaker, and that is, 
let's do this again.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I can't add 
anything to what my good friend Robert ``Frank'' Woodall said, so I am 
going to yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to again acknowledge the 
bipartisan work of the Select Committee on the Modernization of 
Congress.
  As a body, we haven't focused on the need for internal reforms to 
improve our work for the American people, and the Select Committee on 
the Modernization of Congress has enabled us to focus on reforms and 
improvements that are necessary to better serve our constituents.
  It may be true, if you read the reports, some of this is boring. 
Boring is good. To get these things done in a very thoughtful, 
collaborative way so the system works better, so we can serve our 
constituents better, it has

[[Page H1574]]

been a pleasure to work here, both as a member of the Select Committee 
and certainly as chair of the House Administration Committee charged 
with implementing many of these recommendations.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge that all of us support H. Res. 756, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as Vice Chair of the Select 
Committee on the Modernization of Congress, I want to express my strong 
support for H. Res. 756, the Moving our Democracy and Congressional 
Operations Towards Modernization Resolution.
  This resolution is the result of bipartisan collaboration and hard 
work by our committee members, who are committed to making Congress 
work better for the American people.
  H. Res. 756 marks the first time in recent history a select committee 
like ours has turned recommendations into legislative action. This is a 
testament to the hard work of our members, and the support from our 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle has been instrumental throughout 
this process.
  In the last year, the Select Committee has passed nearly four dozen 
recommendations crafted to make Congress more effective, efficient and 
transparent. Through conversations with our colleagues and listening 
sessions with congressional staff, we've worked to address everything 
from staff retention and recruitment to boosting bipartisanship and 
civility throughout the U.S. House of Representatives.
  Today's resolution addresses five key sections of reform: 
streamlining and reorganizing human resources; improving orientation 
for Members-elect and providing improved continuing education 
opportunities for Members; modernizing and revitalizing technology, 
making the House accessible to all; and improving access to documents 
and publications. These sections include 29 recommendations that were 
unanimously passed by our committee on a rolling basis throughout last 
year--another first for a committee like ours.
  We're committed to pushing boundaries and breaking the mold with our 
approach and the solutions we propose. Our chair, Rep. Derek Kilmer, 
has been a strong leader and bipartisan partner throughout this 
process. When the Select Committee first started, we chose to work 
together and combine our resources as one team, instead of separating 
the staff and office space by party line. This unique opportunity and 
approach has created a bond of trust unlike anything I've experienced 
in Congress.
  We have more work to do before the year is over, and I can think of 
no better capstone to my career in public service than to leave 
Congress in better shape for the next generation of leaders. Together 
we are giving the House a roadmap for a brighter future.
  I look forward to continuing our work as a bipartisan team and am 
grateful for the opportunity to help make a little history here in the 
House.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 756, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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