[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 17620-17621]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  IMPROVING CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS OF THE ARCHITECT OF THE 
                                CAPITOL

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 6399) to improve certain administrative 
operations of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, and for other 
purposes.

[[Page 17621]]

  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6399

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

     SECTION 1. CONSOLIDATION OF STAFF POSITIONS.

       (a) Consolidation.--Section 108 of the Legislative Branch 
     Appropriations Act, 1991 (2 U.S.C. 1849) is amended to read 
     as follows:
       ``Sec. 108.  The Architect of the Capitol may fix the rate 
     of basic pay for not more than 32 positions at a rate not to 
     exceed the highest total rate of pay for the Senior Executive 
     Service under subchapter VIII of chapter 53 of title 5, 
     United States Code, for the locality involved.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1203(e) of the 
     Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2003 (2 U.S.C. 
     1805(e)) is amended by striking paragraph (3).
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply with respect to pay periods beginning on or after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 2. AVAILABILITY OF APPROPRIATED FUNDS TO ACQUIRE 
                   BUILDING.

       (a) Availability.--The amounts described in subsection (b) 
     shall be available to the Architect of the Capitol for the 
     acquisition (through purchase, lease, transfer from another 
     Federal entity, or otherwise) of real property for the use of 
     the Capitol Police.
       (b) Amounts Described.--The amounts described in this 
     subsection are amounts appropriated to, and remaining 
     available for obligation by, the Architect of the Capitol 
     under the heading ``Architect of the Capitol, Capitol Police 
     Buildings and Grounds'' or under the heading ``Architect of 
     the Capitol, Capitol Police Buildings, Grounds and Security'' 
     in any Act making appropriations for the legislative branch 
     for fiscal years 2007 through 2010.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Davis) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Harper) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks and to include extraneous material on the measure now 
under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill does two things: First, over time Congress has 
passed five laws creating three categories of senior management 
positions in the Architect's Office. The five laws specify the number 
of positions in each category, their functions and compensation. The 
creation of multiple categories with different pay caps can yield 
undesirable effects, including the possibility of employees earning 
more than supervisors. This patchwork hinders the Architect's 
flexibility to align senior positions equitably across the agency and 
to make broad organizational changes.
  This bill combines the affected positions into one category for 
administrative purposes capped at a single rate of pay. The Architect 
requested this sensible provision, which solves the problem that 
Congress never intended to create.
  Second, Mr. Speaker, the bill provides the Architect with the 
authority to purchase a vehicle maintenance facility for the U.S. 
Capitol Police. Congress has previously appropriated the money, and 
there is no additional cost.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill. I urge support.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HARPER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Brady for bringing this bill to the 
floor. This bill provides the Architect of the Capitol with two 
administrative remedies in order to provide better management of the 
Capitol complex.
  First, the bill gives the Architect of the Capitol more flexibility 
in his allocation of senior staff positions. Currently there is an 
arbitrary limitation in place.
  Second, the bill authorizes the Architect of the Capitol to purchase 
a building that they have been leasing for some time. The building is 
currently used for United States Capitol Police vehicle maintenance and 
is also used as USCP headquarters for the hazardous device unit.
  This money has already been appropriated, and this resolution 
provides the appropriate authorization needed from our committee of 
jurisdiction.
  I thank Chairman Brady for bringing this bill to the floor, and I am 
pleased to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker I urge an aye vote, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6399.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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