[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8433-8454]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


              LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2017


                             General Leave

  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5325, and that I may 
include tabular material on the same.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 771 and rule 
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House 
on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 5325.
  The Chair appoints the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves) to 
preside over the Committee of the Whole.

                              {time}  1828

                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 5325) making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2017, and for other purposes, with Mr. 
Graves of Louisiana in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The CHAIR. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the 
first time.
  The gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Graves) and the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  The overarching goal of the bill we are considering here today is to 
ensure that we continue to preserve the beauty, enhance the security, 
and improve the institutions of the United States Capitol complex. I am 
glad to report that we have accomplished our mission, and we have done 
it in a way that respects taxpayers. By making tough choices, this bill 
demonstrates the great work that Congress can do even during a time of 
lean budgets.
  The American people will be proud to know that this bill continues to 
use a zero-based budgeting approach. That means each legislative branch 
agency was required to justify its budget from scratch. This practice 
curbs wasteful spending and safeguards taxpayer dollars.
  Another part of our effort to respect taxpayers was the orderly 
shutdown of the Open World Leadership Center, which is outdated, and a 
multimillion-dollar-a-year program that no longer will exist.
  Additionally, we continue the freeze on Members' pay. Now, this was a 
simple decision for me. If our constituents aren't getting a raise in 
this economy, then we shouldn't either.
  Now, it is also worth noting that the Capitol Dome Restoration 
project is on time and it is under budget. In fact, my office has had a 
little fun with this, posting pictures each day on social media of the 
progress of the scaffolding coming off the dome, using the hashtag 
``Free the Dome.''
  We also have a family-themed bill this year. We have worked with 
Members on both sides of the aisle to make certain that baby-changing 
stations are available throughout all the House office buildings and in 
the Capitol. Visiting the Capitol with a new baby can be difficult 
enough. Young mothers and fathers traveling with their children in tow 
should have the appropriate facilities available to them, and now they 
will.

                              {time}  1830

  Additionally, with so many mothers-to-be working for the House of 
Representatives through their pregnancies, the committee wants to 
ensure that these working moms have access to convenient parking.
  Of course, we have also carried on the new tradition of sledding on 
Capitol Hill. Again this winter, children and adults alike living in 
the area can sled on the west front of the Capitol--something that, 
unfortunately, was banned before we changed it last year.
  Simply put, this bill makes the Capitol more inviting and accessible 
to young families.
  I would, of course, like to thank the ranking member for her role 
throughout the process of writing this bill and all the members of our 
committee for their hard work and their valuable contributions. In 
seeing this bill through the committee process, a good bill was made 
even better. Together, we have received and worked through more than 
200 submissions from Republicans and Democrats, appropriators and 
nonappropriators, many of which we have included in this legislation.
  We continued conversations with Members of both the majority and the 
minority up to and through full committee markup, and saw an amendment 
process that incorporated proposals from both sides of the aisle, 
including additional resources to better serve our constituents, 
increased savings dedicated to the Historic Buildings Revitalization 
Trust Fund, and support for efforts to enhance the security of the 
Capitol campus.
  I would also like to thank all of the staff on both sides of the 
aisle who have worked on the bill this year. In particular, I am 
appreciative of the hard work Liz Dawson, Tim Monahan and Shalanda 
Young, and, of course, Jenny Panone who really stepped up to the plate 
after we lost our good friend, Chuck Turner.
  As a longtime professional staff member of this subcommittee, Chuck 
has been missed this appropriations season. The appropriations family 
just isn't the same without him, and I want to express my continued 
sympathies to his family, his friends, and those he worked so closely 
with all these years.
  I would also like to thank Jason Murphy and John Donnelly in my 
personal office, as well Sarah Arkin and Rosalyn Kumar from Ranking 
Member Wasserman Schultz's office.

[[Page 8434]]

  Finally, I would like to note the important contributions that 
Congressman Sam Farr and Congressman Scott Rigell both have made to our 
subcommittee. Their hard work and dedication has been extremely 
valuable, and they will be dearly missed by our subcommittee and by 
this body.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

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[[Page 8438]]



[[Page 8439]]


  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill is a total 
of $3.481 billion--$72 million above the fiscal year 2016 enacted bill.
  I thank our full committee chairman, Mr. Rogers of Kentucky, for 
understanding the challenges posed by years of cuts and providing an 
allocation to begin rebuilding the capacity of Congress to do the 
people's work.
  Chairman Graves funded critical investments with the additional 
allocation. He knows that if we were only discussing funding today, I 
would be with him in protecting the good work of the subcommittee.
  Specifically, I am pleased with the critical investments in the 
Copyright Modernization Project and the Historic Buildings 
Revitalization Trust Fund.
  The bill provides the Copyright Modernization Project with a 17 
percent increase. This critical funding will enable the Copyright 
Office to hire the necessary staff to begin to make technological 
advancements to improve the way they do business. It is unacceptable in 
the year 2016 that copyright users have to make certain requests via 
paper in the 21st century. That is inefficient and a drag on commerce 
that is dependent on the copyright system.
  There is also report language included that makes it clear that the 
Library of Congress shall continue to defer to the Register of 
Copyrights on all copyright-related issues. While the Copyright Office 
is within the Library of Congress, it has unique functions that make it 
necessary to have a strong leader that can answer to Congress and the 
copyright community when issues arise. The Register of Copyrights 
should have the freedom to make decisions and be responsive to the 
copyright community.
  I am also happy to see increased funding for the Historic Buildings 
Revitalization Trust Fund. This is the same fund that we used to save 
for the downpayment on the Cannon Building Restoration.
  This bill provides $17 million for the fund, which is $7 million 
above fiscal year 2016 funding. I thank the chairman for working with 
me to sustain this important program.
  We started the trust fund after the construction of the Capitol 
Visitor Center. That project was over budget by fourfold, and its 
management was, frankly, an embarrassment. It was an example of 
ballooning government projects that pull resources away from other 
worthy initiatives.
  The trust fund was created to avoid the pitfalls of the CVC project 
by creating a reserve of funds that can be used for future large-scale 
projects. We must put on our forward-thinking caps and look 10 to 20 
years down the road so that we save appropriately for large-scale 
projects. This long-term thinking will ensure that our smallest 
appropriations bill--the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill--does 
not have to absorb such large projects to the detriment of other worthy 
programs.
  While there are many positives in this bill, Mr. Chairman, there are 
also issues that must be addressed as we move through the process. One 
particularly troublesome issue is that the report accompanying this 
bill includes language seeking to influence the Library of Congress' 
process to change its subject headings related to immigration.
  The Library of Congress decided in March of this year to begin using 
the terms ``noncitizens'' and ``unauthorized immigration'' for 
cataloging purposes. They did so after being petitioned by Dartmouth 
College in 2014--a petition they turned down initially--and then again 
by the American Library Association earlier this year.
  In January of this year, the American Library Association adopted a 
resolution calling on the Library of Congress to change the heading 
``illegal aliens'' to ``undocumented immigrants.''
  Now, these are search terms. The Library of Congress uses subject 
headings to help researchers be able to find topics based on what they 
are appropriately to be called. The Library did not adopt the term 
``undocumented immigrants'' but chose to begin to use the two phrases 
``noncitizens'' and ``unauthorized immigration.'' These new subject 
headings are still in the process of being considered, as the public 
will have 60 days to comment on them.
  The fact that this project is ongoing makes the inclusion of report 
language even more problematic.
  How can the Library of Congress be expected to go through a fair and 
open comment period with this language included in the report 
accompanying the appropriations bill?
  My side of the aisle could have certainly pushed to have the Library 
of Congress reconsider its decision after the Dartmouth petition was 
turned down in 2014 because many Democrats and Republicans believe that 
the term ``illegal alien'' labels a group of people based on a 
misconception that an immigrant's presence in our Nation is a criminal 
violation, but we allowed the process to work because the Library of 
Congress is in the business of language and nomenclature and should be 
free to make these decisions without political interference. Congress 
should not be setting ourselves up as the word police.
  Let's be clear: this puts the Library of Congress front and center on 
one of our Nation's most contentious and emotional political issues. 
Over the years, as ranking member, this is certainly not the first time 
I find myself in disagreement with the chairman on a particular issue. 
However, I have been able to work closely with the chairman of this 
subcommittee to move the bill and the process forward.
  And though I have been committed as always to resolving our policy 
differences, the politicization of the Library of Congress in order to 
perpetuate a misconception about immigrants in our country is simply an 
issue on which my principles will not allow me to bend an inch.
  This language is not necessary, it is not appropriate, and it 
jeopardizes the work of our Nation's oldest Federal cultural 
institution and the research arm of this body.
  The Library of Congress makes thousands of changes to its subject 
headings every year. At one time, ``Negro'' was a subject heading, but 
when it became pejorative, they changed it to ``Afro American,'' and 
eventually the term used today, ``African American.''
  The chairman and other Republican members emphasize that they are the 
Library of Congress--emphasis on Congress--and we should dictate to 
them what terms they use in their subject headings.
  Well, I ran for Congress, not word police. We should leave search 
terms for researchers to the experts and not politicize this bill that 
simply funds the legislative branch.
  I am also concerned that under this bill, the Capitol Police budget 
increases by $325.3 million. This would increase funding for the 
Capitol Police by 5 percent, above the 8 percent increase they received 
in the current fiscal year.
  We value and respect the officers on staff, but I think many Members 
will join me in raising a skeptical eye when they realize this bill 
would add 72 new officers and bring the total number of officers to 
close to 1,900.
  Just as mayors and city councils across the country have to balance 
law enforcement with other city services like repairing aging 
infrastructure, so must Congress. In the near future, the congressional 
leadership and committees of jurisdiction will need to have a serious 
discussion about the appropriate size of the Capitol Police. The 
officers I speak to don't complain about not having enough officers, 
but, rather, about decisions on how the officers they do have are 
deployed by police leadership. It is fiscally irresponsible to grow the 
police at this rate.
  Also, as Member and committee budgets have been cut, Congress has had 
to rely on support agencies to fill the gaps in staff expertise. One of 
those agencies, Mr. Chairman, is the Congressional Research Service, or 
CRS.
  CRS was funded in the bill at $107.9 million, $1 million above the 
fiscal year 2016 enacted level. At the level included in the bill, CRS 
remains $4.6 million below the fiscal year 2010 levels. According to 
CRS, recent funding

[[Page 8440]]

levels have led to a loss of 13 percent of its purchasing power since 
2010.
  The $1 million increase provided by this bill will not cover 
mandatory pay for CRS' current staff. CRS' budget request sought to 
rebuild the agency. They asked for two defense policy staff, five 
health policy staff, three education policy staff, two budget and 
appropriation staff, four technology policy staff, and two data 
management and analysis staff. None of those staffs will be funded 
under the bill before us, therefore, denying Congress of an unbiased 
analysis of these critical policy areas.
  Before concluding, Mr. Chairman, I also want to join the chairman in 
acknowledging the loss of our beloved Chuck Turner. I had the privilege 
of working with Chuck when I was the chairman of this committee, and he 
has served both sides of the aisle with integrity, commitment, and love 
of this institution. His loss was tremendous for the entire 
appropriations family, and he will be greatly missed on both sides of 
the aisle.
  I also want to issue a big thanks to Liz Dawson, the majority clerk 
and her staff, Jenny Panone and Tim Monahan. Many thanks as well to 
Jason Murphy with Chairman Graves' personal office. Thank you to my 
team, Shalanda Young on the committee's minority staff who has worked 
tirelessly on those issues. Last, but certainly not least, thank you to 
my personal staff, Rosalyn Kumar and Sarah Arkin.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the chairman of 
the full Committee on Appropriations.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise today to support the Legislative Branch 
Appropriations bill that is before us. This is the third of the 12 
bills to make it to the floor. We have passed eight of the bills 
through the full committee, and 10 of them through the subcommittees. 
But this bill provides the important funding that Congress needs to do 
our work on behalf of the American people.
  From maintaining the hallowed halls of this very building, to 
providing services for our constituents, to funding the agencies that 
keep us informed and in check, the $3.48 billion in this bill supports 
the largest and freest democracy the world has ever known.
  In total, our funding is increased slightly--$73 million above 
current levels. That increase is directed to essential health and 
safety improvements to aging or damaged facilities as well as to the 
Capitol Police to protect Members, staff, and our visitors.
  At the same time, this bill keeps the belt tight, continuing our 
trajectory of trimming funding for the House of Representatives by 13.2 
percent since 2011 and extending the pay freeze for Members of 
Congress. The funds provided for House operations will allow Members of 
Congress to continue serving the American people to the fullest extent 
and representing their voices in Washington, D.C.
  For the thousands and thousands of people who enter this Capitol 
complex each day--be it visitors, staff, or Members themselves--safety 
is of the utmost importance.
  As we have seen recently, the brave men and women of the Capitol 
Police force must remain vigilant and well-equipped to secure the 
Capitol complex. The bill funds the Capitol Police at $391.3 million--
that is $16.3 million above current levels--to enhance security and 
maintain public access to this complex.
  To ensure the safety of the buildings in the Capitol complex, which, 
as we know, has historic but aging facilities, the legislation provides 
$551 million for the Architect of the Capitol. That includes ongoing 
rehab projects as well as deferred maintenance.
  In addition, the bill provides funding for the congressional support 
agencies that we rely on each day to do our jobs. That includes $533 
million for the Government Accountability Office, which provides 
Congress with accurate reporting on how tax dollars are spent, and $629 
million for the Library of Congress.

                              {time}  1845

  Mr. Chairman, this is a good bill that targets funds to critical 
operations while keeping a close eye on every tax dollar spent.
  I want to thank Chairman Graves for his hard work to ensure that 
every dollar in this bill helps make the people's House run efficiently 
and productively. I also want to thank Ranking Member Wasserman 
Schultz, and all of the subcommittee members and staff for their 
efforts that brought this bill to the floor. Finally, I do want to 
specify a thanks to our staff for their knowledge and expertise and 
passion for this place throughout this process.
  As we continue our important work on the 2017 appropriations bills, I 
am proud to support good bills like this one, bills that fulfill their 
mission in a responsible, targeted way.
  I urge all Members to support this bill as well.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, first of all, I want to 
acknowledge the presence of Chairman Graves' lovely daughter, because 
it is always nice as a parent to have your children with you while you 
are doing your work. So welcome to the House of Representatives.
  I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New York 
(Mrs. Lowey), our ranking member of the full Appropriations Committee.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz. 
And I thank Chairman Graves and Chairman Rogers. It is a pleasure for 
me to work here with all of them.
  However, in the fiscal year 2017 Legislative Branch Appropriations 
bill, the House majority has put its political interests first with a 
process that limits amendments based on a fear of another embarrassing 
failure, like the Energy and Water Appropriations bill, which the House 
rejected 2 weeks ago.
  The legislative branch bill contains a number of important services 
that allow the public to safely visit the U.S. Capitol and for Members 
to respond to the needs of their constituents. The bill would provide 
modest increases for the first time in years, including more funding 
for the Library of Congress, Capitol Police, Architect of the Capitol, 
and the Members' Representational Allowance.
  These increases are badly needed. The legislative branch bill has 
remained essentially flat for several years, despite the steadily 
growing needs of this institution, including staff shortages, enhanced 
security, repairs to aging buildings and infrastructure, and 
preservation at the Library of Congress, among others.
  Unfortunately, rather than focus on these institutions' value to the 
public, House Republicans went out of their way to include provisions 
that ignore these issues, and instead push a partisan agenda that 
wastes taxpayer dollars.
  First of all, House Republicans inserted language meant to appease 
the most extreme members of their conference by directing the Library 
of Congress to use the term ``illegal alien'' in its subject headings 
for searches rather than the Library's preferred ``noncitizens'' or 
``unauthorized immigration.'' This unnecessary interference into the 
routine work of the Library of Congress politicizes a change meant to 
help provide the most up-to-date, thorough information.
  The inclusion of such language is sadly nothing new for the 
subcommittee. In the past few years, the majority has spent close to $7 
million on a partisan, political Benghazi investigation; $2.3 million 
defending the Defense of Marriage Act; and is now engaging in shameful, 
unprecedented attacks on biomedical researchers and women's health.
  Frankly, I am outraged at how the majority on the Select 
Investigative Panel is conducting its business. The majority's witch 
hunt of researchers, including scientists, physicians, and even 
graduate students, will have real consequences that harm medical 
advances, and are nothing more than a political charade and waste of 
taxpayer money. Their request for information and subpoenas without any 
assertion of wrongdoing are an abuse of authority,

[[Page 8441]]

a violation of House oversight practices, and a page out of the 
McCarthy-era bullying tactics that are a stain on our legislative 
process. The panel should be disbanded immediately.
  It is unacceptable that we cannot move appropriation bills forward in 
a bipartisan manner because Republicans would rather play partisan 
politics with taxpayer dollars than deal with the pressing challenges 
facing this institution and this country.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Before I recognize my friend from Illinois, I have the deepest 
respect for the ranking member of the full committee, Mrs. Lowey. I 
know that she represents what she believes very well and eloquently.
  But I must point out for clarification, for the Record, really what 
the report language says. I think that is important. I think words are 
important. I listened very intently to what was shared a minute ago 
that this committee is directing the Library of Congress to use certain 
words. She even used certain terms that she said we are prescribing 
them to use, such as ``illegal alien'' or ``illegal immigrant.'' In 
fact, this is what the committee passed in subcommittee and full 
committee.
  It says:
  ``To the extent practicable, the committee instructs the Library to 
maintain certain subject headings that reflect terminology used in 
title 8, United States Code.''
  Now, I read it several times and I saw it in committee, but nowhere 
in there do I see any specific terms used. It just says can you be 
consistent with U.S. Code.
  I will point out that we are Congress, and they are the Library of 
Congress. We write laws, and it is important that the Library of 
Congress reference and refer to the laws that we have written.
  I will also note that the gentlewoman is also a Member of Congress 
and has the full ability--and since the subcommittee meeting when we 
had this first discussion, I have yet to see the bill she has 
introduced to change any terminology in the U.S. Code. I have not seen 
it. I don't know, Mr. Chairman, if you have seen it. I have not seen 
it, and I look forward to seeing it.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I thank the gentleman.
  Will the gentleman point out to the House of Representatives what is 
referenced in the U.S. Code to which the report refers?
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Title 8 of the U.S. Code has a lot of 
terminology in there.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. What is the term that is referenced in that 
section?
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. There is not one single term that is used in 
that Code. In fact, there are multiple terms. I would ask, and maybe 
encourage, the gentlewoman to read that.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I have, and it refers specifically to the term 
``illegal alien.'' That is how it is referenced in the United States 
Code.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. In addition to other terms.
  Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, I just want to make sure that the 
committee understands that the report language just directs the Library 
of Congress to be consistent with the laws of this land when they have 
subject headings. That is not too much to ask.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Rodney Davis), my good friend.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I really would like to 
thank Chairman Graves for his leadership on this issue.
  I think the debate this evening shows us what part of the problem is 
when we try and follow our Forefathers' constitutional appropriations 
process to spend money wisely that the taxpayers send to Washington, 
D.C., to spend it wisely on their behalf.
  It is tertiary issues that bog down the debate, instead of talking 
about doing what is right for the upwards of 5 million families that 
tour our Capitol Grounds each and every year. It becomes a political 
debate, rather than a debate on how to effectively use taxpayer dollars 
to ensure that one of the most popular destinations for families, 
hardworking families, to spend their money to vacation right here in 
the Capitol, to make sure we spend that wisely so that they have better 
facilities. That is exactly what this bill does, Mr. Chairman.
  I want to, again, thank all of those who served on this subcommittee 
from both sides of the aisle, because we have to get back to the vision 
that our Forefathers have put forth on how we should spend money in 
this House, and how we regain the power of the purse.
  As I said, upwards of 5 million families from across the Nation come 
see their government at work each year. I am pleased this bill contains 
report language that will make it easier for families with infants and 
small children to visit the Capitol, House and Senate office buildings 
by implementing additional changing stations and other family-friendly 
improvements throughout this Capitol Hill complex.
  Mr. Chairman, I say this as the father of twin boys. Trust me, 
changing stations when they were younger were very, very important. We 
should make it as easy as possible for families with young children to 
visit and explore Capitol Hill and our complexes. Minor improvements 
and changes along these lines can make a huge difference in improving 
the experience for visitors.
  I look forward to working with the Architect of the Capitol in my 
capacity as a member of the Committee on House Administration to 
complete these important changes. I will continue to look for ways to 
work in a bipartisan manner to make our Capitol family-friendly.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge passage of this bill.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I will point out that title 8 of the U.S. Code specifically 
references the term ``illegal aliens.'' The purpose of referencing it 
that way in this legislation is specifically so that the majority can 
require the Library of Congress to continue to use the term ``illegal 
alien'' in their subject heading. We are being a little too cute by 
half here, and we are simply not going to let the majority get away 
with it.
  I will also point out that Congressman Joaquin Castro is the sponsor 
of legislation that would do exactly what the chairman just suggested. 
He has legislation that would change the term ``illegal alien'' in 
title 8 of the U.S. Code.
  Instead of dealing with a political issue in the midst of an 
unrelated appropriations bill, we should allow the legislative process 
to work under regular order and have that bill move through the 
process.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I want to follow up on that just for a moment.
  I am glad to hear there is legislation to address their concerns. I 
think that is the appropriate way. What better way to make that 
legislation more applicable than to identify here in this report 
language that whatever is referenced in title 8 could be used. I think 
that is the right way to go forward.
  But to suggest that asking the Library of Congress to use terms that 
are consistent with the laws of this land that this body has voted on, 
that the Senate has voted on, and that the President of the United 
States has signed into law is, in some way, pejorative; words that have 
been used by the Supreme Court just in recent weeks are pejorative, 
inflammatory, and dehumanizing, I would suggest to the minority that 
even some of the most liberal justices have used the term ``illegal 
alien'' or ``illegal immigrant'' just in the last couple of weeks and 
they are not racist, they are not using negative terms, they are not 
dehumanizing any individual, they are using U.S. law terminology.
  I can understand the disagreement with the terms, I can respect that, 
but that is the law. I have yet to see or hear what their proper 
terminology would be for somebody who does not

[[Page 8442]]

abide by the laws of the land and what that would be.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I will point out that it is not a criminal act to be in the United 
States as an immigrant. The suggestion in the 21st century that the 
term ``illegal alien'' is an appropriate one is similar to suggesting 
that we continue to use the term ``Negro.''
  We evolve in this country, and it is understandable that someone who 
was not a member of a group of immigrants wouldn't understand that that 
term could feel pejorative. So we, as a responsible body, should evolve 
as society evolves.
  To continue to insist that the Library of Congress by law use a 
pejorative term that they have been petitioned to change by the 
American Library Association so that researchers can search for the 
appropriate term when they are doing research is truly unbelievable. To 
be so committed to racist and bigoted terms that really have no place 
in the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill is outrageous.
  That is why this language should have been deleted. I think it is 
truly unfortunate that the majority did not have at least the courage 
to allow my amendment and Congressman Castro's amendment to be made in 
order so that we could have a proper debate on this subject on the 
floor of the House of Representatives.

                              {time}  1900

  I will point out and remind the chairman that my amendment that would 
have done just that only was defeated in the Appropriations Committee 
by one vote. So this is not a slam dunk when it comes to your side of 
the aisle either. It would have been nice to give your colleagues an 
opportunity to have had that discussion.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  The CHAIR. Members are reminded to direct their remarks to the Chair.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  If I heard the ranking member correctly, she said that somebody who 
is undocumented in this country, who is not from this country, is not 
here illegally. I thought I heard that, and I hope I heard that 
incorrectly.
  I will point out that the Immigration and Nationality Act, section 
237(a)(1)(b) reads, in fact--and this is law that was voted on by this 
body and that was signed into law by the President of the United 
States, who was elected by the people--that aliens who are present in 
the U.S. in violation of immigration code are breaking the law and are 
deportable. That is U.S. law. That is not the majority's opinion; that 
is not a party's opinion; that is not an individual's opinion. That is 
the law of this land. Now, you can disagree with those laws, and you 
can disagree with the terminology, but that is the law.
  That is the law, in fact, to the point that, in Arizona v. United 
States, in 2012, Justice Sotomayor asked:

       So how--where do they get the records that show that this 
     person is an illegal alien that is not authorized to be here?

  Was she being racist? pejorative? demeaning? dehumanizing? I don't 
think so. I don't agree with all of her decisions, but I don't believe 
that that was her intent when she broached that question there.
  I will point out this provision--maybe I should read it again. I will 
read it again for the ranking member.

       To the extent practicable, the committee instructs the 
     Library to maintain certain subject headings that reflect 
     terminology used in title VIII of the United States Code.

  That is all it says. It is right here. There is nothing so demeaning 
about that. This provision, in fact, was created in consultation, Mr. 
Chair, with the Library of Congress. Imagine that. In working with the 
Library of Congress, we were able to come up with that language. 
Existing subject headings, including the term ``illegal alien,'' have 
been used for years and have been enshrined in law for 100 years. This 
is nothing new. Supreme Court Justices, as I have pointed out, have 
used it time and time and time again.
  Now, if the Library of Congress adopted the practice of responding to 
every instance in which there is a perceived offensive phrase, it would 
impact their ability to prioritize the quality of service they provide 
to patrons every day. We are, actually, helping the Library here. We 
are not telling them what words to use. We are just saying, hey, be 
consistent with U.S. law. That keeps it pretty simple, I believe.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Before we passed the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act in 
the 1960s and when we had the Jim Crow laws, which were an unfortunate 
stain on our history, there were plenty of people who said that the 
laws that were in place were doing a favor to Negroes, which is the way 
they were referred to at the time. For the chairman to suggest that we 
are doing the Library of Congress a favor by requiring them to continue 
to use a term that they have been petitioned to stop using, ``illegal 
alien,'' is insensitive, inappropriate, outdated, and political.
  This is the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. We are supposed 
to be discussing how to fund the functions of the legislative branch, 
and we have just spent an extraordinary amount of time debating the 
immigration debate that has been raging in this country for far too 
long.
  I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the majority believes that we 
should continue to label people as ``illegal.'' People aren't illegal. 
Acts that are committed are illegal, but people are not illegal, Mr. 
Chair. That is, simply, why the American Library Association, the 
umbrella policy organization for libraries across this country, has 
petitioned the Library of Congress to change the use of the term 
``illegal alien.''
  What the majority is doing here, as I said, is setting Congress up as 
the word police. Where are we going to stop? There are thousands of 
subject headings that they change at the Library of Congress every 
year. I can't imagine how many pages this bill will be when we start 
referencing and spending time arguing over what they call each of 
those. It is inappropriate; it is unacceptable; it is a complete waste 
of time. It injects politics into a bill that usually and, most often, 
doesn't have it.
  It is unfortunate that the funding of the Planned Parenthood select 
committee and that the funding of the Benghazi Select Committee have 
continued to politicize a bill that should, simply, be an effort for us 
to make sure that we can sustain the most significant beacon of 
democracy that the world has ever seen.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  It is remarkable that we are actually spending so much time on this; 
but we must point out to the constituency who is watching that we have 
had 7\1/2\ years of an executive who wants to ignore our laws. We have 
had 7\1/2\ years of overreach by the executive branch, of its totally 
ignoring the laws that have been passed by this body, and just poking 
us in the eye, saying, I don't care about the legislative branch. I 
don't care about that legislative body. I don't care about the laws of 
the land. In fact, I will ignore them, and I will instruct my agencies 
to do something different.
  Yet, I hear it again from the minority that they want to ignore the 
words, the terms, the identifications, the definitions of the very laws 
of this land. What message does that send to the youth of our country? 
What message does that send to law-abiding citizens in our country, 
that there is a party in Washington, D.C., that, for whatever reason, 
wants to pick and choose which laws they want to uphold and defend, or 
which laws or words or terms or definitions in the laws that they will 
acknowledge or not acknowledge?

[[Page 8443]]

  We are a Nation of laws. Whether we agree with the laws or we don't, 
whether we agree with the terminology or we don't, we have all been 
elected by 700,000-plus constituency districts in which we can change 
those laws if we choose. This is the opportunity to do it for the 
minority party if they like. In fact, throughout our laws, these terms 
are used. Whether they are agreeable terms or not by the minority, 
those are the words that are in our laws.
  I think we can all agree that the term ``illegal alien'' does not 
mean the human being is illegal. This is not an effort to demean 
anyone. We don't even identify what terms the Library must use. We just 
say, Hey, please be consistent with U.S. Code. That is it. The simple 
fact is that immigrants, if they have entered this country illegally, 
are, in fact, illegal immigrants. According to U.S. Code, U.S. laws, 
they have committed a crime. It is not the job of this committee's to 
create an alternate reality whatsoever. The laws are the laws.
  Thankfully, the Supreme Court sees it the same way. We have Justice 
Sotomayor as using the term ``illegal alien'' a half a dozen times and 
the published opinion written by Justice Kennedy, and he joined the 
Court's more liberal block as well, using it a number of times. It is 
very consistent.
  I recall it was, maybe, a year or two that the ranking member, on a 
different occasion, disagreed with me on another term. It was 
``ObamaCare.'' We were having a debate about policies, Mr. Chair, and I 
used the term ``ObamaCare.'' She found it offensive, pejorative maybe, 
very negative, demeaning, used in a negative light. I believe she tried 
to strike my words during that time. So, if anybody is trying to be 
word police in this body, maybe it is the ranking member, who has a 
history of it.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.


                         Parliamentary Inquiry

  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chair, I have a parliamentary inquiry.
  The CHAIR. The gentlewoman will state her parliamentary inquiry.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Is it not appropriate for the ranking member 
and the chairman, when we are debating, to go through the Chair when we 
are having that debate?
  The CHAIR. Members are reminded to direct their remarks to the Chair.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. I would ask that you remind the chairman to do 
so, please.
  The CHAIR. Members have been reminded to direct their remarks to the 
Chair.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I would point out that the gentleman from Georgia is absolutely 
correct. I did raise that concern, and I thought it was appropriate to 
raise the concern that the way the majority meant the term 
``ObamaCare,'' as applied at the time, was intended to be pejorative. 
Then President Obama embraced the term; so we evolved because President 
Obama decided that he liked that his name would be associated with 
making sure that 20 million people who now have health insurance but 
who didn't before would be associated with his name.
  That is all that the American Library Association and the Library of 
Congress are asking with regard to the people who are labeled as 
``illegal aliens.'' The gentleman from Georgia, it would be understood, 
is not someone who is labeled that way, so, perhaps, it is 
understandable that he would not understand why that was offensive. The 
American Library Association and the Library of Congress have 
recognized that the evolution beyond using a term that has been 
determined to be pejorative is essential. That is called progress. That 
is called tolerance.
  Unfortunately, the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill, through 
the reference to title VIII in the United States Code, requires, in 
this bill, the Library of Congress to continue to use the term 
``illegal alien.'' It is inappropriate, unfortunate, and it should be 
deleted. We should have had an opportunity to debate an amendment to 
have allowed that to happen.
  The majority chooses to hide the fact. I mean, I wish they would have 
just owned up to it. Mr. Chair, they should have just put it right up 
in the bill. I don't know why they didn't. If they think it is the 
right thing to do, they should have just put that term right in the 
bill and spelled out that they expect the Library of Congress to 
continue to use it. Hiding behind title VIII of the U.S. Code shows 
that they don't have, necessarily, the courage of their convictions to 
stand up for that term. Why? Because there are a whole lot of people in 
this country who think it is offensive, including me and the Members of 
my party.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I am sorry this is taking so long tonight to reach the admission by 
the ranking member that this term does not exist in this bill. I mean, 
she just said it: Why didn't they just be more explicit? Why didn't he 
just use the term? In fact, they are hiding behind U.S. Code. That is 
what I just heard from the ranking member.
  As Americans, we don't hide behind the U.S. Code. The U.S. Code is 
our defense; it is our shield. The laws of this land are what protect 
us from one from another; so to suggest that one is hiding behind it 
when, in fact, we are defended by it is really amazing to hear tonight.
  I am pleased to hear, though, that the ranking member has 
acknowledged that nowhere in this legislation do we direct the Library 
of Congress to use any term other than what is found in and is 
consistent with the U.S. Code.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  What I suggested was that, because the majority realizes that the 
term ``illegal alien'' is not something that is appropriate to continue 
to use as a subject heading, if they had spelled it straight out in the 
bill rather than hiding what their true intention was behind the 
reference to the U.S. Code, they probably would have had to have 
answered a little bit more closely to the fact that they were making 
this effort.
  Now we have been able to at least have this discussion, and I am 
intentionally using most of my time to be able to shine a spotlight on 
the fact that the majority wishes to continue to label people as 
``illegal,'' wishes to continue to politicize the legislative branch 
appropriations bill to inject the immigration debate into the funding 
of the legislative branch, and to set themselves up as the word police 
with regard to subject headings.
  This is what we need our colleagues to wrap their minds around, Mr. 
Chair--requiring the Library to continue to use an offensive term in 
their subject headings so that researchers can't use the term that the 
American Library Association has deemed more appropriate and not 
offensive. Instead, they insist on continuing to use an offensive term.

                              {time}  1915

  That is unacceptable. It is inappropriate. We are going to continue 
to insist, and I will not be able to support this legislation as a 
result of the insistence of the majority on labeling an entire group of 
people ``illegal'' and politicizing this bill when the Library of 
Congress should be allowed to let the process work that works for 
thousands of other changes to their subject headings.
  I will also point out, Mr. Chairman, that we do embrace evolution of 
terminology here. Just in May, a few weeks ago, we finally deleted the 
last vestiges of the terms ``Oriental'' and ``Negro'' from the United 
States Code. So we do have a process by which we take legislation like 
that that has been introduced by Congressman Joaquin Castro, and we 
allow it to move through the process. That is the appropriate way that 
we deal with discussion about changes in terminology in the code. We 
don't do it in the legislative branch bill. And that is exactly what 
the majority is doing by insisting that the Library of Congress 
continue to use that offensive term ``illegal alien.''

[[Page 8444]]

  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I recognize this has been an 
exciting and tantalizing debate this evening.
  Whenever the gentlewoman from Florida is ready to close, I will be 
ready as well.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chair, how much time do I have remaining?
  The CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Florida has 7 minutes remaining.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my 
time to close.
  I think it is unfortunate that myself and my colleagues on our side 
of the aisle don't feel that we can lend our support to this 
legislation for a variety of reasons. First, there has been an 
overwhelming injection of politics into what should be an otherwise 
solid piece of legislation in which we have done a lot of good work to 
make sure that the functions of the legislative branch are able to make 
sure that we can exercise our roles and responsibilities as Members of 
the legislative branch.
  Unfortunately, due to the funding of the select committee on Planned 
Parenthood, which continues the witch hunt into an organization that 
simply exists to provide millions of women access to quality health 
care, in which there has been absolutely no evidence whatsoever that 
there was any wrongdoing, the majority continues to insist on funding 
the witch hunt that is designed to prevent women from getting access to 
quality, affordable health care.
  It also continues funding for the Select Committee on Benghazi, an 
investigation in which the majority has actually admitted that they 
found absolutely no wrongdoing. Yet they have not disbanded the 
committee, and they continue to provide funding for it in this bill.
  Lastly, as we have been able to spend a few minutes debating here on 
the floor, this bill tragically sets the legislative branch up as the 
word police and Members of Congress as the watchful sentries over the 
uses of the terms and subject headings at the Library of Congress. I am 
glad that we are really carefully protecting the card catalog in the 
Library of Congress to make sure that we can continue to use offensive 
terms when researchers look them up in the Library of Congress, like 
``illegal alien.''
  This bill makes sure that, instead of evolving, instead of moving 
forward, instead of letting professionals who work in libraries decide 
what terms should be used in their subject headings, Congress is going 
to establish ourselves as the word police, politicize something where 
we should not inject politics, and label people as ``illegal.''
  Again, I will reiterate that there should have been an opportunity 
for us to debate this issue separately. I am glad we have had an 
opportunity to discuss it here and to expose the majority for wanting 
to continue a bigoted, offensive term as the subject heading in the 
Library of Congress.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my 
time to close.
  We have heard a lot tonight about why the minority is opposed to this 
bill. They are opposed to this bill because of what is not in it. Do 
you notice that? It is because of what is not in it.
  They have yet to talk about the great things, the good things, and 
what this bill really is about. In fact, they are going to oppose this 
bill, as they did last year, just because of things that don't exist, 
that are absent.
  I will point out, and I want to remind the chairman and the 
committee, that this is really a good piece of legislation. It is very 
family friendly, which is one of our major focuses. We have thousands 
and thousands of visitors each year that come and visit this place, 
this Capitol Building, this historic beacon of hope for our country and 
for the world. Visitors come and visit our offices and tour the 
facilities, and we want it to be family friendly, safe and secure, and 
a welcoming environment. That is what this bill achieves.
  It does that by providing something that is unique, something that I 
was very passionate about in my days in the State of Georgia, and that 
is doing zero-based budgeting, something very unique. It is not done in 
all the other appropriations bills, but it is done in this one, where 
every agency starts from zero and justifies each expense forward. That 
is what our constituents expect.
  It even does it by eliminating the Open World Center, zeroing out, 
winding down, and eliminating a program that was well-intended back in 
the 1980s when it was first founded. But it is time to wind it down, 
move on, and use those dollars for something else, changing priorities. 
That is what this committee was focused on.
  It continues the Member pay freeze. As I stated earlier, when our 
constituents aren't getting a raise in this economy, the Obama economy, 
then I don't believe we should be getting a raise either. It eliminates 
that. It freezes that.
  We do this by also cutting the House budget by 13.2 percent since 
Republicans took the majority. That is something we don't share enough 
of. The House has taken the necessary steps to lead by example in 
cutting our budgets by 13.2 percent since taking the majority in 2010. 
I can't say the same about the Senate. I can't say the same about the 
executive branch, nor the judicial. But we can say that about our side, 
because we are leading by example.
  Then it has a strong focus on constituent services. We were able to 
provide additional resources for all Members, Republican and Democrat 
alike, from all corners of this country and from all the territories to 
make sure that they have the resources necessary to meet the needs of 
their constituents, because that is really one of our number one 
priorities back in our districts and from our offices here is to 
provide the services to our constituency.
  We have heard a lot tonight about the Library of Congress. Look, the 
Library of Congress has a great history, a great heritage, and provides 
a tremendous service. It has a history of providing law services to 
this body and to the Senate over the years as well as constituencies 
that come and do research. It does a great job.
  All we have done in this bill is say, as you do your subject 
headings, just make sure it is consistent with the U.S. Code, be 
consistent with the laws of this land. That way, those who are 
searching topics are searching topics that are consistent with what is 
being debated in the Supreme Court, what is being debated in other 
courts throughout the country because they are using the laws of this 
land as they try various cases. So why not just use terminology that is 
consistent with the Code that this body and that the Senate and that a 
President has signed into law at some point.
  Mr. Chair, I want to commend to this body and to the committee the 
Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. It is a good bill to be 
supported and to be proud of and to know that you are going to be able 
to take care of your constituents better. And we have got a great 
family-friendly, safe, and secure environment for them to come and 
visit.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chair, I rise today in reluctant opposition to 
H.R. 5325, Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2017.
  Although I support most of the programs and services this bill helps 
to fund including the Capitol Police, the independent budgetary and 
economic analysis of the Congressional Budget Office and the 
nonpartisan oversight work of the Government Accountability Office, as 
well as the language to stop this year's COLA for Congress, I must 
oppose the bill on the grounds that it has become a vehicle for the 
House Majority to advance an ideological agenda.
  Funding in the bill has been used to finance the Benghazi Committee, 
to defend the misnamed ``Defense of Marriage Act,'' to sue the 
President over the Affordable Care Act and to fund the witch hunt 
against Planned Parenthood. Now the Majority wants to use this 
appropriations bill to order the Library of Congress to use politically 
charged terminology to refer to classes of people in the United States.
  It is unfortunate that the Majority has chosen to play politics with 
this appropriations bill instead of devoting the time to shaping 
policies that actually serve the country.

[[Page 8445]]

  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Byrne). All time for general debate has 
expired.
  Pursuant to the rule, the bill shall be considered for amendment 
under the 5-minute rule. The bill shall be considered as read.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5325

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the 
     Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the Legislative 
     Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2017, and for 
     other purposes, namely:

                                TITLE I

                           LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                         Salaries and Expenses

       For salaries and expenses of the House of Representatives, 
     $1,189,050,766, as follows:

                        House Leadership Offices

       For salaries and expenses, as authorized by law, 
     $22,278,891, including: Office of the Speaker, $6,645,417, 
     including $25,000 for official expenses of the Speaker; 
     Office of the Majority Floor Leader, $2,180,048, including 
     $10,000 for official expenses of the Majority Leader; Office 
     of the Minority Floor Leader, $7,114,471, including $10,000 
     for official expenses of the Minority Leader; Office of the 
     Majority Whip, including the Chief Deputy Majority Whip, 
     $1,886,632, including $5,000 for official expenses of the 
     Majority Whip; Office of the Minority Whip, including the 
     Chief Deputy Minority Whip, $1,459,639, including $5,000 for 
     official expenses of the Minority Whip; Republican 
     Conference, $1,505,426; Democratic Caucus, $1,487,258: 
     Provided, That such amount for salaries and expenses shall 
     remain available from January 3, 2017 until January 2, 2018.

  Members' Representational Allowances Including Members' Clerk Hire, 
            Official Expenses of Members, and Official Mail

       For Members' representational allowances, including 
     Members' clerk hire, official expenses, and official mail, 
     $562,632,498.

                          Committee Employees

                Standing Committees, Special and Select

       For salaries and expenses of standing committees, special 
     and select, authorized by House resolutions, $127,053,373: 
     Provided, That such amount shall remain available for such 
     salaries and expenses until December 31, 2018, except that 
     $3,150,200 of such amount shall remain available until 
     expended for committee room upgrading.

                      Committee on Appropriations

       For salaries and expenses of the Committee on 
     Appropriations, $23,271,004, including studies and 
     examinations of executive agencies and temporary personal 
     services for such committee, to be expended in accordance 
     with section 202(b) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 
     1946 and to be available for reimbursement to agencies for 
     services performed: Provided, That such amount shall remain 
     available for such salaries and expenses until December 31, 
     2018.

                    Salaries, Officers and Employees

       For compensation and expenses of officers and employees, as 
     authorized by law, $181,487,000, including: for salaries and 
     expenses of the Office of the Clerk, including the positions 
     of the Chaplain and the Historian, and including not more 
     than $25,000 for official representation and reception 
     expenses, of which not more than $20,000 is for the Family 
     Room and not more than $2,000 is for the Office of the 
     Chaplain, $26,268,000; for salaries and expenses of the 
     Office of the Sergeant at Arms, including the position of 
     Superintendent of Garages and the Office of Emergency 
     Management, and including not more than $3,000 for official 
     representation and reception expenses, $15,505,000, of which 
     $5,618,902 shall remain available until expended; for 
     salaries and expenses of the Office of the Chief 
     Administrative Officer including not more than $3,000 for 
     official representation and reception expenses, $117,165,000, 
     of which $2,120,000 shall remain available until expended; 
     for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Inspector 
     General, $4,963,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office 
     of the General Counsel, $1,444,000; for salaries and expenses 
     of the Office of the Parliamentarian, including the 
     Parliamentarian, $2,000 for preparing the Digest of Rules, 
     and not more than $1,000 for official representation and 
     reception expenses, $1,999,000; for salaries and expenses of 
     the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the House, 
     $3,167,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Legislative Counsel of the House, $8,979,000; for salaries 
     and expenses of the Office of Interparliamentary Affairs, 
     $814,000; and for other authorized employees, $1,183,000.

                        Allowances and Expenses

       For allowances and expenses as authorized by House 
     resolution or law, $272,328,000, including: supplies, 
     materials, administrative costs and Federal tort claims, 
     $3,625,000; official mail for committees, leadership offices, 
     and administrative offices of the House, $190,000; Government 
     contributions for health, retirement, Social Security, and 
     other applicable employee benefits, $245,334,000, to remain 
     available until March 31, 2018; Business Continuity and 
     Disaster Recovery, $16,217,000, of which $5,000,000 shall 
     remain available until expended; transition activities for 
     new Members and staff $2,084,000, to remain available until 
     expended; Wounded Warrior Program $2,500,000, to remain 
     available until expended; Office of Congressional Ethics, 
     $1,658,000; and miscellaneous items including purchase, 
     exchange, maintenance, repair and operation of House motor 
     vehicles, interparliamentary receptions, and gratuities to 
     heirs of deceased employees of the House, $720,000.

                       Administrative Provisions

requiring amounts remaining in members' representational allowances to 
      be used for deficit reduction or to reduce the federal debt

       Sec. 101. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     any amounts appropriated under this Act for ``HOUSE OF 
     REPRESENTATIVES--Salaries and Expenses--Members' 
     Representational Allowances'' shall be available only for 
     fiscal year 2017. Any amount remaining after all payments are 
     made under such allowances for fiscal year 2017 shall be 
     deposited in the Treasury and used for deficit reduction (or, 
     if there is no Federal budget deficit after all such payments 
     have been made, for reducing the Federal debt, in such manner 
     as the Secretary of the Treasury considers appropriate).
       (b) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration of 
     the House of Representatives shall have authority to 
     prescribe regulations to carry out this section.
       (c) Definition.--As used in this section, the term ``Member 
     of the House of Representatives'' means a Representative in, 
     or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.

                   delivery of bills and resolutions

       Sec. 102.  None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be used to deliver a printed copy of a bill, joint 
     resolution, or resolution to the office of a Member of the 
     House of Representatives (including a Delegate or Resident 
     Commissioner to the Congress) unless the Member requests a 
     copy.

                    delivery of congressional record

       Sec. 103.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to deliver a printed copy of any version of the 
     Congressional Record to the office of a Member of the House 
     of Representatives (including a Delegate or Resident 
     Commissioner to the Congress).

            limitation on amount available to lease vehicles

       Sec. 104.  None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be used by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of 
     Representatives to make any payments from any Members' 
     Representational Allowance for the leasing of a vehicle, 
     excluding mobile district offices, in an aggregate amount 
     that exceeds $1,000 for the vehicle in any month.

           limitation on printed copies of u.s. code to house

       Sec. 105.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to provide an aggregate number of more than 50 
     printed copies of any edition of the United States Code to 
     all offices of the House of Representatives.

                  delivery of reports of disbursements

       Sec. 106.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to deliver a printed copy of the report of 
     disbursements for the operations of the House of 
     Representatives under section 106 of the House of 
     Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections 
     Act (2 U.S.C. 5535) to the office of a Member of the House of 
     Representatives (including a Delegate or Resident 
     Commissioner to the Congress).

                       delivery of daily calendar

       Sec. 107.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to deliver to the office of a Member of the House of 
     Representatives (including a Delegate or Resident 
     Commissioner to the Congress) a printed copy of the Daily 
     Calendar of the House of Representatives which is prepared by 
     the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

             delivery of congressional pictorial directory

       Sec. 108.  None of the funds made available by this Act may 
     be used to deliver a printed copy of the Congressional 
     Pictorial Directory to the office of a Member of the House of 
     Representatives (including a Delegate or Resident 
     Commissioner to the Congress).

                       adjustments to compensation

       Sec. 109.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no 
     adjustment shall be made under section 601(a) of the 
     Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4501) 
     (relating to cost of living adjustments for Members of 
     Congress) during fiscal year 2017.

        overseas travel to accompany members of house leadership

       Sec. 110. (a) Travel Authorized.--
       (1) In general.--A member of the Capitol Police may travel 
     outside of the United States for official duty if--
       (A) that travel is with, or in preparation for, travel of a 
     Member of the House of Representatives who holds a position 
     in a House Leadership Office, including travel of the Member 
     as part of a congressional delegation; and

[[Page 8446]]

       (B) the Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives 
     gives prior approval to the travel of the member of the 
     Capitol Police.
       (2) Definitions.--In this subsection--
       (A) the term ``House Leadership office'' means an office of 
     the House of Representatives for which the appropriation for 
     salaries and expenses of the office for the year involved is 
     provided under the heading ``House Leadership Offices'' in 
     the act making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for 
     the fiscal year involved;
       (B) the term ``Member of the House of Representatives'' 
     includes a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress; 
     and
       (C) the term ``United States'' means each of the several 
     States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and 
     the territories and possessions of the United States.
       (b) Reimbursement From Sergeant at Arms.--
       (1) In general.--From amounts made available for salaries 
     and expenses of the Office of the Sergeant at Arms of the 
     House of Representatives, the Sergeant at Arms of the House 
     of Representatives shall reimburse the Capitol Police for the 
     overtime pay, travel, and related expenses of any member of 
     the Capitol Police who travels under the authority of this 
     section.
       (2) Use of amounts received.--Any amounts received by the 
     Capitol Police for reimbursements under paragraph (1) shall 
     be credited to the accounts established for the general 
     expenses or salaries of the Capitol Police, and shall be 
     available to carry out the purposes of such accounts 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 2017 and each succeeding fiscal year.

                              JOINT ITEMS

       For Joint Committees, as follows:

                        Joint Economic Committee

       For salaries and expenses of the Joint Economic Committee, 
     $4,203,000, to be disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate.

                      Joint Committee on Taxation

       For salaries and expenses of the Joint Committee on 
     Taxation, $10,095,000, to be disbursed by the Chief 
     Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives.
       For other joint items, as follows:

                   Office of the Attending Physician

       For medical supplies, equipment, and contingent expenses of 
     the emergency rooms, and for the Attending Physician and his 
     assistants, including:
       (1) an allowance of $2,175 per month to the Attending 
     Physician;
       (2) an allowance of $1,300 per month to the Senior Medical 
     Officer;
       (3) an allowance of $725 per month each to three medical 
     officers while on duty in the Office of the Attending 
     Physician;
       (4) an allowance of $725 per month to 2 assistants and $580 
     per month each not to exceed 11 assistants on the basis 
     heretofore provided for such assistants; and
       (5) $2,780,000 for reimbursement to the Department of the 
     Navy for expenses incurred for staff and equipment assigned 
     to the Office of the Attending Physician, which shall be 
     advanced and credited to the applicable appropriation or 
     appropriations from which such salaries, allowances, and 
     other expenses are payable and shall be available for all the 
     purposes thereof, $3,838,000, to be disbursed by the Chief 
     Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives.

             Office of Congressional Accessibility Services

                         Salaries and Expenses

       For salaries and expenses of the Office of Congressional 
     Accessibility Services, $1,429,000, to be disbursed by the 
     Secretary of the Senate.

                             CAPITOL POLICE

                                Salaries

       For salaries of employees of the Capitol Police, including 
     overtime, hazardous duty pay, and Government contributions 
     for health, retirement, social security, professional 
     liability insurance, and other applicable employee benefits, 
     $325,300,000 of which overtime shall not exceed $35,305,000 
     unless the Committee on Appropriations of the House and 
     Senate are notified, to be disbursed by the Chief of the 
     Capitol Police or his designee.

                            General Expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Capitol Police, including 
     motor vehicles, communications and other equipment, security 
     equipment and installation, uniforms, weapons, supplies, 
     materials, training, medical services, forensic services, 
     stenographic services, personal and professional services, 
     the employee assistance program, the awards program, postage, 
     communication services, travel advances, relocation of 
     instructor and liaison personnel for the Federal Law 
     Enforcement Training Center, and not more than $5,000 to be 
     expended on the certification of the Chief of the Capitol 
     Police in connection with official representation and 
     reception expenses, $66,000,000, to be disbursed by the Chief 
     of the Capitol Police or his designee: Provided, That, 
     notwithstanding any other provision of law, the cost of basic 
     training for the Capitol Police at the Federal Law 
     Enforcement Training Center for fiscal year 2017 shall be 
     paid by the Secretary of Homeland Security from funds 
     available to the Department of Homeland Security.

                        Administrative Provision


authority to dispose of forfeited and abandoned property and to accept 
     surplus or obsolete property offered by other federal agencies

       Sec. 1001.  (a) Section 1003(a) of the Legislative Branch 
     Appropriations Act, 2003 (2 U.S.C. 1906(a)) is amended by 
     striking ``surplus or obsolete property of the Capitol 
     Police'' and inserting the following: ``surplus or obsolete 
     property of the Capitol Police, and property which is in the 
     possession of the Capitol Police because it has been 
     disposed, forfeited, voluntarily abandoned, or unclaimed,''.
       (b) Upon notifying the Committees of Appropriations of the 
     House of Representatives and Senate, the United States 
     Capitol Police may accept surplus or obsolete property 
     offered by another Federal department, agency, or office.
       (c) This section and the amendment made by this section 
     shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2017 and each 
     succeeding fiscal year.

                          OFFICE OF COMPLIANCE

                         Salaries and Expenses

       For salaries and expenses of the Office of Compliance, as 
     authorized by section 305 of the Congressional Accountability 
     Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1385), $3,959,000, of which $450,000 
     shall remain available until September 30, 2018: Provided, 
     That not more than $500 may be expended on the certification 
     of the Executive Director of the Office of Compliance in 
     connection with official representation and reception 
     expenses.

                      CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE

                         Salaries and Expenses

       For salaries and expenses necessary for operation of the 
     Congressional Budget Office, including not more than $6,000 
     to be expended on the certification of the Director of the 
     Congressional Budget Office in connection with official 
     representation and reception expenses, $46,500,000.

                        Administrative Provision


                establishment of senior level positions

       Sec. 1101.  (a) Notwithstanding the fourth sentence of 
     section 201(b) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment 
     Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 601(b)), the Director of the 
     Congressional Budget Office may establish and fix the 
     compensation of senior level positions in the Congressional 
     Budget Office to meet critical scientific, technical, 
     professional, or executive needs of the Office.
       (b) Limitation on Compensation.--The annual rate of pay for 
     any position established under this section may not exceed 
     the annual rate of pay for level II of the Executive 
     Schedule.
       (c) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect 
     to fiscal year 2017 and each succeeding fiscal year.

                        ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL

                  Capital Construction and Operations

       For salaries for the Architect of the Capitol, and other 
     personal services, at rates of pay provided by law; for all 
     necessary expenses for surveys and studies, construction, 
     operation, and general and administrative support in 
     connection with facilities and activities under the care of 
     the Architect of the Capitol including the Botanic Garden; 
     electrical substations of the Capitol, Senate and House 
     office buildings, and other facilities under the jurisdiction 
     of the Architect of the Capitol; including furnishings and 
     office equipment; including not more than $5,000 for official 
     reception and representation expenses, to be expended as the 
     Architect of the Capitol may approve; for purchase or 
     exchange, maintenance, and operation of a passenger motor 
     vehicle, $88,542,234, of which $5,268,000 shall remain 
     available until September 30, 2021.

                            Capitol Building

       For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and 
     operation of the Capitol, $33,005,499, of which $9,005,499 
     shall remain available until September 30, 2021.

                            Capitol Grounds

       For all necessary expenses for care and improvement of 
     grounds surrounding the Capitol, the Senate and House office 
     buildings, and the Capitol Power Plant, $12,826,000, of which 
     $2,946,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2021.

                         House Office Buildings

       For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and 
     operation of the House office buildings, $187,481,000, of 
     which $61,404,000 shall remain available until September 30, 
     2021, and of which $62,000,000 shall remain available until 
     expended for the restoration and renovation of the Cannon 
     House Office Building.
       In addition, for a payment to the House Historic Buildings 
     Revitalization Trust Fund, $17,000,000, to remain available 
     until expended.

                          Capitol Power Plant

       For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and 
     operation of the Capitol

[[Page 8447]]

     Power Plant; lighting, heating, power (including the purchase 
     of electrical energy) and water and sewer services for the 
     Capitol, Senate and House office buildings, Library of 
     Congress buildings, and the grounds about the same, Botanic 
     Garden, Senate garage, and air conditioning refrigeration not 
     supplied from plants in any of such buildings; heating the 
     Government Publishing Office and Washington City Post Office, 
     and heating and chilled water for air conditioning for the 
     Supreme Court Building, the Union Station complex, the 
     Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building and the Folger 
     Shakespeare Library, expenses for which shall be advanced or 
     reimbursed upon request of the Architect of the Capitol and 
     amounts so received shall be deposited into the Treasury to 
     the credit of this appropriation, $104,480,000, of which 
     $27,339,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2021: 
     Provided, That not more than $9,000,000 of the funds credited 
     or to be reimbursed to this appropriation as herein provided 
     shall be available for obligation during fiscal year 2017.

                     Library Buildings and Grounds

       For all necessary expenses for the mechanical and 
     structural maintenance, care and operation of the Library 
     buildings and grounds, $47,080,000, of which $22,137,000 
     shall remain available until September 30, 2021.

             Capitol Police Buildings, Grounds and Security

       For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and 
     operation of buildings, grounds and security enhancements of 
     the United States Capitol Police, wherever located, the 
     Alternate Computing Facility, and Architect of the Capitol 
     security operations, $26,697,000, of which $9,164,000 shall 
     remain available until September 30, 2021.

                             Botanic Garden

       For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and 
     operation of the Botanic Garden and the nurseries, buildings, 
     grounds, and collections; and purchase and exchange, 
     maintenance, repair, and operation of a passenger motor 
     vehicle; all under the direction of the Joint Committee on 
     the Library, $14,067,000; of which $4,054,000 shall remain 
     available until September 30, 2021:  Provided, That of the 
     amount made available under this heading, the Architect may 
     obligate and expend such sums as may be necessary for the 
     maintenance, care and operation of the National Garden 
     established under section 307E of the Legislative Branch 
     Appropriations Act, 1989 (2 U.S.C. 2146), upon vouchers 
     approved by the Architect of the Capitol or a duly authorized 
     designee.

                         Capitol Visitor Center

       For all necessary expenses for the operation of the Capitol 
     Visitor Center, $20,557,000.

                       Administrative Provisions

       no bonuses for contractors behind schedule or over budget

       Sec. 1201.  None of the funds made available in this Act 
     for the Architect of the Capitol may be used to make 
     incentive or award payments to contractors for work on 
     contracts or programs for which the contractor is behind 
     schedule or over budget, unless the Architect of the Capitol, 
     or agency-employed designee, determines that any such 
     deviations are due to unforeseeable events, government-driven 
     scope changes, or are not significant within the overall 
     scope of the project and/or program.

                                 scrims

       Sec. 1202.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used for scrims containing photographs of building 
     facades during restoration or construction projects performed 
     by the Architect of the Capitol.

                          working capital fund

       Sec. 1203. (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established 
     in the Treasury of the United States a working capital fund 
     (hereafter in this section referred to as the ``Fund'') for 
     the Architect of the Capitol.
       (b) Availability of Amounts.--Amounts in the Fund shall be 
     available to the Architect of the Capitol for such common 
     agency services, activities, and equipment, such as 
     construction, capital repairs, renovations, rehabilitation, 
     maintenance of real property, and similar agency expenses, on 
     a reimbursable basis within the Architect of the Capitol as 
     the Architect determines to be appropriate, efficient, and 
     economical.
       (c) Contents.--The capital of the Fund consists of--
       (1) amounts appropriated to the Fund;
       (2) the reasonable value of stocks of supplies, equipment, 
     and other assets and inventories on order that the Architect 
     transfers to the fund, less related liabilities and unpaid 
     obligations;
       (3) receipts from the sale or exchange of property held in 
     the Fund;
       (4) all miscellaneous receipts compensating the Architect 
     of the Capitol for loss or damage to any Government property 
     under the Architect's jurisdiction or care, including but not 
     limited to the United States Botanic Garden;
       (5) reimbursements pursuant to subsection (d); and
       (6) amounts transferred to the Fund pursuant to subsection 
     (e).
       (d) Reimbursement.--The Fund shall be reimbursed from 
     available accounts of the Architect of the Capitol for 
     supplies, materials, services, and related expenses, at rates 
     which will approximate the full cost of operations, 
     including--
       (1) accrual of employee leave and benefits;
       (2) depreciation of plant, property, and equipment; and
       (3) overhead.
       (e) Transfers From Other Accounts.--The Architect is 
     authorized to transfer amounts from other available Architect 
     of the Capitol accounts to the Fund in this and each 
     succeeding fiscal year as the Architect determines to be 
     appropriate, efficient, and economical, subject to the 
     approval of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, 
     the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives, or both (as the case may be), in accordance 
     with section 306 of the Legislative Branch Appropriations 
     Act, 1997 (2 U.S.C. 1862).
       (f) Continuing Availability of Funds.--Amounts in the Fund 
     are available without regard to fiscal year limitation.
       (g) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect 
     to fiscal year 2017 and each succeeding fiscal year.

             authority for a house office buildings shuttle

       Sec. 1204. (a) The proviso in the item relating to 
     ``Capitol Grounds'' in title VI of the Legislative Branch 
     Appropriations Act, 1977 (90 Stat. 1453; 2 U.S.C. 2163) is 
     amended by striking ``appropriated under this heading'' and 
     inserting ``appropriated for any available account of the 
     Architect of the Capitol''.
       (b) The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with 
     respect to fiscal year 2017 and each succeeding fiscal year.

      use of expired funds for unemployment compensation payments

       Sec. 1205. (a) Available balances of expired Architect of 
     the Capitol appropriations shall be available to the 
     Architect of the Capitol for reimbursing the Secretary of 
     Labor for any amounts paid with respect to unemployment 
     compensation payments for former employees of the Architect 
     of the Capitol, not withstanding any other provision of law, 
     without regard to the fiscal year for which the obligation to 
     make such payments is incurred.
       (b) This section shall apply with respect to fiscal year 
     2017 and each succeeding fiscal year.


                       flag office revolving fund

       Sec. 1206.  (a) Establishment.--There is established in the 
     Treasury of the United States a revolving fund to be known as 
     the ``Flag Office Revolving Fund'' (in this section referred 
     to as the ``Fund'') for services provided by the Flag Office 
     of the Architect of the Capitol (in this section referred to 
     as the ``Flag Office'').
       (b) Deposit of Fees.--The Architect of the Capitol shall 
     deposit any fees charged for services described in subsection 
     (a) into the Fund.
       (c) Contents of Fund.--The Fund shall consist of the 
     following amounts:
       (1) Amounts deposited by the Architect of the Capitol under 
     subsection (b).
       (2) Any other amounts received by the Architect of the 
     Capitol which are attributable to services provided by the 
     Flag Office.
       (3) Such other amounts as may be appropriated under law.
       (d) Use of Amounts in Fund.--Amounts in the Fund shall be 
     available for disbursement by the Architect of the Capitol, 
     without fiscal year limitation, for expenses in connection 
     with the services provided by the Flag Office, including--
       (1) supplies, inventories, equipment, and other expenses; 
     and
       (2) the reimbursement of any applicable appropriations 
     account for amounts used from such appropriations account to 
     pay the salaries of employees of the Flag Office.

                          LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

                         Salaries and Expenses

       For all necessary expenses of the Library of Congress not 
     otherwise provided for, including development and maintenance 
     of the Library's catalogs; custody and custodial care of the 
     Library buildings; special clothing; cleaning, laundering and 
     repair of uniforms; preservation of motion pictures in the 
     custody of the Library; operation and maintenance of the 
     American Folklife Center in the Library; preparation and 
     distribution of catalog records and other publications of the 
     Library; hire or purchase of one passenger motor vehicle; and 
     expenses of the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board not 
     properly chargeable to the income of any trust fund held by 
     the Board, $449,971,000, of which not more than $6,000,000 
     shall be derived from collections credited to this 
     appropriation during fiscal year 2017, and shall remain 
     available until expended, under the Act of June 28, 1902 
     (chapter 1301; 32 Stat. 480; 2 U.S.C. 150) and not more than 
     $350,000 shall be derived from collections during fiscal year 
     2017 and shall remain available until expended for the 
     development and maintenance of an international legal 
     information database and activities related thereto: 
     Provided, That the Library of Congress may not obligate or 
     expend any funds derived from collections under the Act of 
     June 28, 1902, in excess of the amount authorized for 
     obligation or expenditure in appropriations Acts: Provided 
     further, That the total amount available for obligation shall 
     be reduced by the amount by which collections are less than

[[Page 8448]]

     $6,350,000: Provided further, That of the total amount 
     appropriated, not more than $12,000 may be expended, on the 
     certification of the Librarian of Congress, in connection 
     with official representation and reception expenses for the 
     Overseas Field Offices: Provided further, That of the total 
     amount appropriated, $8,444,000 shall remain available until 
     expended for the digital collections and educational 
     curricula program:  Provided further, That of the total 
     amount appropriated, $1,300,000 shall remain available until 
     expended for upgrade of the Legislative Branch Financial 
     Management System: Provided further, That of the total amount 
     appropriated, $4,039,000 shall remain available until 
     September 30, 2019 to complete the first of three phases of 
     the shelving replacement in the Law Library's collection 
     storage areas: Provided further, That of the total amount 
     appropriated, $24,000,000 shall remain available until 
     September 30, 2019 to migrate the Library's Primary Computing 
     Facility (PCF) in the James Madison Building to an alternate 
     PCF.

                            Copyright Office

                         salaries and expenses

       For all necessary expenses of the Copyright Office, 
     $68,827,000, of which not more than $31,269,000, to remain 
     available until expended, shall be derived from collections 
     credited to this appropriation during fiscal year 2017 under 
     section 708(d) of title 17, United States Code: Provided, 
     That the Copyright Office may not obligate or expend any 
     funds derived from collections under such section, in excess 
     of the amount authorized for obligation or expenditure in 
     appropriations Acts: Provided further, That not more than 
     $5,929,000 shall be derived from collections during fiscal 
     year 2017 under sections 111(d)(2), 119(b)(3), 803(e), 1005, 
     and 1316 of such title: Provided further, That the total 
     amount available for obligation shall be reduced by the 
     amount by which collections are less than $37,198,000: 
     Provided further, That $4,531,000 shall be derived from prior 
     year unobligated balances: Provided further, That not more 
     than $100,000 of the amount appropriated is available for the 
     maintenance of an ``International Copyright Institute'' in 
     the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress for the 
     purpose of training nationals of developing countries in 
     intellectual property laws and policies: Provided further, 
     That not more than $6,500 may be expended, on the 
     certification of the Librarian of Congress, in connection 
     with official representation and reception expenses for 
     activities of the International Copyright Institute and for 
     copyright delegations, visitors, and seminars: Provided 
     further, That notwithstanding any provision of chapter 8 of 
     title 17, United States Code, any amounts made available 
     under this heading which are attributable to royalty fees and 
     payments received by the Copyright Office pursuant to 
     sections 111, 119, and chapter 10 of such title may be used 
     for the costs incurred in the administration of the Copyright 
     Royalty Judges program, with the exception of the costs of 
     salaries and benefits for the Copyright Royalty Judges and 
     staff under section 802(e).

                     Congressional Research Service

                         salaries and expenses

       For all necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of 
     section 203 of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 
     U.S.C. 166) and to revise and extend the Annotated 
     Constitution of the United States of America, $107,945,000: 
     Provided, That no part of such amount may be used to pay any 
     salary or expense in connection with any publication, or 
     preparation of material therefor (except the Digest of Public 
     General Bills), to be issued by the Library of Congress 
     unless such publication has obtained prior approval of either 
     the Committee on House Administration of the House of 
     Representatives or the Committee on Rules and Administration 
     of the Senate.

             Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped

                         salaries and expenses

       For all necessary expenses to carry out the Act of March 3, 
     1931 (chapter 400; 46 Stat. 1487; 2 U.S.C. 135a), 
     $50,248,000: Provided, That of the total amount appropriated, 
     $650,000 shall be available to contract to provide newspapers 
     to blind and physically handicapped residents at no cost to 
     the individual.

                       Administrative Provisions

               reimbursable and revolving fund activities

       Sec. 1301. (a) In General.--For fiscal year 2017, the 
     obligational authority of the Library of Congress for the 
     activities described in subsection (b) may not exceed 
     $188,188,000.
       (b) Activities.--The activities referred to in subsection 
     (a) are reimbursable and revolving fund activities that are 
     funded from sources other than appropriations to the Library 
     in appropriations Acts for the legislative branch.


        library of congress national collection stewardship fund

       Sec. 1302.  (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established 
     in the Treasury of the United States, as an account for the 
     Librarian of Congress, the ``Library of Congress National 
     Collection Stewardship Fund'' (hereafter in this section 
     referred to as the ``Fund'').
       (b) Contents of Fund.--The Fund shall consist of the 
     following amounts:
       (1) Such amounts as may be transferred by the Librarian 
     from available amounts appropriated for any fiscal year for 
     the Library of Congress under the heading ``Salaries and 
     Expenses''.
       (2) Such amounts as may be appropriated to the Fund under 
     law.
       (c) Use of Amounts.--Amounts in the Fund may be used by the 
     Librarian as follows:
       (1) The Librarian may use amounts directly for the purpose 
     of preparing collection materials of the Library of Congress 
     for long-term storage.
       (2) The Librarian may transfer amounts to the Architect of 
     the Capitol for the purpose of designing, constructing, 
     altering, upgrading, and equipping collections preservation 
     and storage facilities for the Library of Congress, or for 
     the purpose of acquiring real property by lease for the 
     preservation and storage of Library of Congress collections 
     in accordance with section 1102 of the Legislative Branch 
     Appropriations Act, 2009 (2 U.S.C. 1823a).
       (d) Continuing Availability of Funds.--Any amounts in the 
     Fund shall remain available until expended.
       (e) Annual Report.--Not later than 180 days after the end 
     of each fiscal year, the Librarian shall submit a joint 
     report on the Fund to the Joint Committee on the Library and 
     the Committees on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives and Senate.
       (f) Initial 5-Year Plan.--Not later than 6 months after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Librarian shall submit 
     to the Joint Committee on the Library and the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives and Senate a 
     report providing a plan for expenditures from the Fund for 
     the first 5 fiscal years of the Fund's operation.
       (g) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect 
     to fiscal year 2017 and each succeeding fiscal year.


                       film preservation programs

       Sec. 1303.  (a) National Film Preservation Board.--
       (1) Reauthorization.--Section 112 of the National Film 
     Preservation Act of 1996 (2 U.S.C. 179v) is amended by 
     striking ``through fiscal year 2016'' and inserting ``through 
     fiscal year 2026''.
       (2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) 
     shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the 
     National Film Preservation Act of 1996.
       (b) National Film Preservation Foundation.--Section 
     151711(a)(1)(C) of title 36, United States Code, is amended 
     by striking ``through 2016'' and inserting ``through 2026''.


                 sound recording preservation programs

       Sec. 1304.  (a) National Recording Preservation Board.--
     Section 133 of the National Recording Preservation Act of 
     2000 (2 U.S.C. 1743) is amended by striking ``through fiscal 
     year 2016'' and inserting ``through fiscal year 2026''.
       (b) National Recording Preservation Foundation.--
       (1) Authorization of appropriations.--Section 152411(a) of 
     title 36, United States Code, is amended by striking 
     ``through fiscal year 2016'' and inserting ``through fiscal 
     year 2026''.
       (2) Number of members of board of directors.--Section 
     152403(b)(2)(A) of such title is amended by striking ``nine 
     directors'' and inserting ``12 directors''.

                      GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

                        Congressional Publishing

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For authorized publishing of congressional information and 
     the distribution of congressional information in any format; 
     expenses necessary for preparing the semimonthly and session 
     index to the Congressional Record, as authorized by law 
     (section 902 of title 44, United States Code); publishing of 
     Government publications authorized by law to be distributed 
     to Members of Congress; and publishing, and distribution of 
     Government publications authorized by law to be distributed 
     without charge to the recipient, $79,736,000: Provided, That 
     this appropriation shall not be available for paper copies of 
     the permanent edition of the Congressional Record for 
     individual Representatives, Resident Commissioners or 
     Delegates authorized under section 906 of title 44, United 
     States Code: Provided further, That this appropriation shall 
     be available for the payment of obligations incurred under 
     the appropriations for similar purposes for preceding fiscal 
     years: Provided further, That notwithstanding the 2-year 
     limitation under section 718 of title 44, United States Code, 
     none of the funds appropriated or made available under this 
     Act or any other Act for printing and binding and related 
     services provided to Congress under chapter 7 of title 44, 
     United States Code, may be expended to print a document, 
     report, or publication after the 27-month period beginning on 
     the date that such document, report, or publication is 
     authorized by Congress to be printed, unless Congress 
     reauthorizes such printing in accordance with section 718 of 
     title 44, United States Code: Provided further, That any 
     unobligated or unexpended balances in this account or 
     accounts for similar

[[Page 8449]]

     purposes for preceding fiscal years may be transferred to the 
     Government Publishing Office Business Operations Revolving 
     Fund for carrying out the purposes of this heading, subject 
     to the approval of the Committees on Appropriations of the 
     House of Representatives and Senate: Provided further, That 
     notwithstanding sections 901, 902, and 906 of title 44, 
     United States Code, this appropriation may be used to prepare 
     indexes to the Congressional Record on only a monthly and 
     session basis.

     Public Information Programs of the Superintendent of Documents

                         salaries and expenses

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For expenses of the public information programs of the 
     Office of Superintendent of Documents necessary to provide 
     for the cataloging and indexing of Government publications 
     and their distribution to the public, Members of Congress, 
     other Government agencies, and designated depository and 
     international exchange libraries as authorized by law, 
     $29,500,000: Provided, That amounts of not more than 
     $2,000,000 from current year appropriations are authorized 
     for producing and disseminating Congressional serial sets and 
     other related publications for fiscal years 2015 and 2016 to 
     depository and other designated libraries: Provided further, 
     That any unobligated or unexpended balances in this account 
     or accounts for similar purposes for preceding fiscal years 
     may be transferred to the Government Publishing Office 
     Business Operations Revolving Fund for carrying out the 
     purposes of this heading, subject to the approval of the 
     Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 
     and Senate.

    Government Publishing Office Business Operations Revolving Fund

       For payment to the Government Publishing Office Business 
     Operations Revolving Fund, $7,832,000, to remain available 
     until expended, for information technology development and 
     facilities repair: Provided, That the Government Publishing 
     Office is hereby authorized to make such expenditures, within 
     the limits of funds available and in accordance with law, and 
     to make such contracts and commitments without regard to 
     fiscal year limitations as provided by section 9104 of title 
     31, United States Code, as may be necessary in carrying out 
     the programs and purposes set forth in the budget for the 
     current fiscal year for the Government Publishing Office 
     Business Operations Revolving Fund: Provided further, That 
     not more than $7,500 may be expended on the certification of 
     the Director of the Government Publishing Office in 
     connection with official representation and reception 
     expenses: Provided further, That the Business Operations 
     Revolving Fund shall be available for the hire or purchase of 
     not more than 12 passenger motor vehicles: Provided further, 
     That expenditures in connection with travel expenses of the 
     advisory councils to the Director of the Government 
     Publishing Office shall be deemed necessary to carry out the 
     provisions of title 44, United States Code: Provided further, 
     That the Business Operations Revolving Fund shall be 
     available for temporary or intermittent services under 
     section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates 
     for individuals not more than the daily equivalent of the 
     annual rate of basic pay for level V of the Executive 
     Schedule under section 5316 of such title: Provided further, 
     That activities financed through the Business Operations 
     Revolving Fund may provide information in any format: 
     Provided further, That the Business Operations Revolving Fund 
     and the funds provided under the heading ``Public Information 
     Programs of the Superintendent of Documents'' may not be used 
     for contracted security services at Government Publishing 
     Office's passport facility in the District of Columbia.

                    GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE

                         Salaries and Expenses

       For necessary expenses of the Government Accountability 
     Office, including not more than $12,500 to be expended on the 
     certification of the Comptroller General of the United States 
     in connection with official representation and reception 
     expenses; temporary or intermittent services under section 
     3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for 
     individuals not more than the daily equivalent of the annual 
     rate of basic pay for level IV of the Executive Schedule 
     under section 5315 of such title; hire of one passenger motor 
     vehicle; advance payments in foreign countries in accordance 
     with section 3324 of title 31, United States Code; benefits 
     comparable to those payable under sections 901(5), (6), and 
     (8) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4081(5), 
     (6), and (8)); and under regulations prescribed by the 
     Comptroller General of the United States, rental of living 
     quarters in foreign countries, $533,100,000: Provided, That, 
     in addition, $23,350,000 of payments received under sections 
     782, 791, 3521, and 9105 of title 31, United States Code, 
     shall be available without fiscal year limitation: Provided 
     further, That this appropriation and appropriations for 
     administrative expenses of any other department or agency 
     which is a member of the National Intergovernmental Audit 
     Forum or a Regional Intergovernmental Audit Forum shall be 
     available to finance an appropriate share of either Forum's 
     costs as determined by the respective Forum, including 
     necessary travel expenses of non-Federal participants: 
     Provided further, That payments hereunder to the Forum may be 
     credited as reimbursements to any appropriation from which 
     costs involved are initially financed.

                OPEN WORLD LEADERSHIP CENTER TRUST FUND

       For a payment to the Open World Leadership Center Trust 
     Fund for financing activities of the Open World Leadership 
     Center under section 313 of the Legislative Branch 
     Appropriations Act, 2001 (2 U.S.C. 1151), $1,000,000.

   JOHN C. STENNIS CENTER FOR PUBLIC SERVICE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

       For payment to the John C. Stennis Center for Public 
     Service Development Trust Fund established under section 116 
     of the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and 
     Development Act (2 U.S.C. 1105), $430,000.

                                TITLE II

                           GENERAL PROVISIONS

                maintenance and care of private vehicles

       Sec. 201.  No part of the funds appropriated in this Act 
     shall be used for the maintenance or care of private 
     vehicles, except for emergency assistance and cleaning as may 
     be provided under regulations relating to parking facilities 
     for the House of Representatives issued by the Committee on 
     House Administration and for the Senate issued by the 
     Committee on Rules and Administration.

                         fiscal year limitation

       Sec. 202.  No part of the funds appropriated in this Act 
     shall remain available for obligation beyond fiscal year 2017 
     unless expressly so provided in this Act.

                 rates of compensation and designation

       Sec. 203.  Whenever in this Act any office or position not 
     specifically established by the Legislative Pay Act of 1929 
     (46 Stat. 32 et seq.) is appropriated for or the rate of 
     compensation or designation of any office or position 
     appropriated for is different from that specifically 
     established by such Act, the rate of compensation and the 
     designation in this Act shall be the permanent law with 
     respect thereto: Provided, That the provisions in this Act 
     for the various items of official expenses of Members, 
     officers, and committees of the Senate and House of 
     Representatives, and clerk hire for Senators and Members of 
     the House of Representatives shall be the permanent law with 
     respect thereto.

                          consulting services

       Sec. 204.  The expenditure of any appropriation under this 
     Act for any consulting service through procurement contract, 
     under section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, shall be 
     limited to those contracts where such expenditures are a 
     matter of public record and available for public inspection, 
     except where otherwise provided under existing law, or under 
     existing Executive order issued under existing law.

                             costs of lbfmc

       Sec. 205.  Amounts available for administrative expenses of 
     any legislative branch entity which participates in the 
     Legislative Branch Financial Managers Council (LBFMC) 
     established by charter on March 26, 1996, shall be available 
     to finance an appropriate share of LBFMC costs as determined 
     by the LBFMC, except that the total LBFMC costs to be shared 
     among all participating legislative branch entities (in such 
     allocations among the entities as the entities may determine) 
     may not exceed $2,000.

                        limitation on transfers

       Sec. 206.  None of the funds made available in this Act may 
     be transferred to any department, agency, or instrumentality 
     of the United States Government, except pursuant to a 
     transfer made by, or transfer authority provided in, this Act 
     or any other appropriation Act.

                      guided tours of the capitol

       Sec. 207. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), none of 
     the funds made available to the Architect of the Capitol in 
     this Act may be used to eliminate or restrict guided tours of 
     the United States Capitol which are led by employees and 
     interns of offices of Members of Congress and other offices 
     of the House of Representatives and Senate.
       (b) At the direction of the Capitol Police Board, or at the 
     direction of the Architect of the Capitol with the approval 
     of the Capitol Police Board, guided tours of the United 
     States Capitol which are led by employees and interns 
     described in subsection (a) may be suspended temporarily or 
     otherwise subject to restriction for security or related 
     reasons to the same extent as guided tours of the United 
     States Capitol which are led by the Architect of the Capitol.

                       computer network activity

       Sec. 208. (a) None of the funds made available in this Act 
     may be used to maintain or establish a computer network 
     unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and 
     exchanging of pornography.
       (b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall limit the use of funds 
     necessary for any Federal, State, tribal, or local law 
     enforcement agency or any other entity to carry out criminal 
     or Congressional investigations, prosecution, or adjudication 
     activities.

[[Page 8450]]



                       spending reduction account

       Sec. 209.  The amount by which the applicable allocation of 
     new budget authority made by the Committee on Appropriations 
     of the House of Representatives under section 302(b) of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974, excluding Senate items, 
     exceeds the amount of proposed new budget authority is $0.
        This Act may be cited as the ``Legislative Branch 
     Appropriations Act, 2017''.

  The Acting CHAIR. No amendment to the bill shall be in order except 
those printed in House Report 114-611. Each such amendment may be 
offered only in the order printed in the report, by a Member designated 
in the report, shall be considered read, shall be debatable for the 
time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the 
proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall 
not be subject to a demand for division of the question.
  It is now order to consider amendment No. 1 printed in House Report 
114-611.


                 Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Ellison

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 2 
printed in House Report 114-611.
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:
       Page 4, line 22, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000) (increased by $1,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 771, the gentleman 
from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Chairman, we can raise living standards for working 
families across this country if we use Federal dollars to create good 
jobs.
  My amendment would reprogram funds to create an office of good jobs 
within the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer. This office 
would help ensure that the House's procurement and contracting 
decisions encourage the creation of decently paid jobs, support 
collective bargaining rights, and encourage responsible employment 
practices. Our amendment does nothing to alter existing procurement, 
debarment, or contracting processes.
  Right now, the U.S. Government is America's leading low-wage job 
creator, funding over 2 million poverty jobs through contracts, loans, 
and grants in corporate America. That is more than the total number of 
low-wage workers employed by Walmart and McDonald's combined.
  Mr. Chairman, at this point, the Federal Government is leading the 
race to the bottom through its processes and its failure to capitalize 
on the procurement process. U.S. contract workers earn so little that 
nearly 40 percent use public assistance programs like food stamps and 
Section 8 to feed their families.
  In other words, Mr. Chairman, because these jobs are paid so low that 
are funded by the Federal contracts, Uncle Sam has to subsidize these 
people, working people, because they are not getting paid enough by the 
Federal contractors that employ them.
  To add insult to injury, many of these low-wage U.S. contract workers 
are driven deeper into poverty because their employers steal their 
wages and break other Federal labor laws. Treating the people who work 
with us here at the Capitol with dignity and respect is absolutely 
essential.
  It is intended that the appropriation for the Office of the Chief 
Administrative Officer be used to establish an Office of Good Jobs 
aimed at ensuring that the Chief Administrative Officer's procurement 
decisions encourage the creation of decently paid jobs, collective 
bargaining rights, and responsible employment practices. The office's 
structure shall be substantially similar to the Centers for Faith-Based 
and Neighborhood Partnerships located within the Department of 
Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of 
Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, Department 
of Labor, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department 
of Veterans Affairs, Department of State, Small Business 
Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Corporation for 
National and Community Service, and U.S. Agency for International 
Development.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I know Mr. Ellison is well-intended 
in his amendment. In fact, his amendment was offered during the House 
debate on the Energy and Water Appropriations bill just recently, and 
it was rejected by an overwhelming majority on a bipartisan basis. In 
fact, the vote was 174-245. I know his intentions are well-meaning, and 
he speaks well of the topic, but this amendment is no more appropriate 
in this context than it was previously. It ignores the fact that 
Congress operates an entirely different procurement system than other 
Federal agencies.
  The House has an established procurement process that is in place to 
ensure that all procurements are executed in a fair and a competitive 
manner. The function of this amendment would only add additional time 
to an already sound procurement process.
  I oppose the amendment.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chair, I support my colleague's amendment.
  The aim of this amendment is to create an office of good jobs for the 
House within the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer. This 
office would help ensure that the House makes contracting and 
employment decisions, encouraging the creation of decently paid jobs, 
implementation of fair labor practices, and responsible employment 
practices.
  As the legislative branch, we ought to be setting an example for the 
Nation when it comes to contracting decisions. Members of Congress who 
are committed to creating good-paying jobs and supporting workers have 
a chance with this amendment to see those values reflected right where 
we work.
  This office will help guide the legislative branch in making 
responsible contracting and employment decisions and do right by the 
countless men and women who help us perform the people's business each 
and every day.
  I urge my colleagues to support the amendment by voting ``yes.''
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Minnesota has 2 minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I think this is a great example 
to show the openness of this process. In fact, this amendment was 
offered recently with the Energy and Water Appropriations bill and is 
applicable to be offered even here today. While I rise in opposition to 
the gentleman's amendment, I think it is just a good example of 
bipartisanship and this open process, of an orderly structured process 
to get our job done here.
  However, this amendment doesn't achieve what we would hope it would, 
and that is why I have to rise in opposition.
  I mean, it is clear that vendors that do business with the House are 
already reviewed against the GSA's excluding parties list, which 
includes businesses that are then precluded from doing business with 
the Federal Government for and, among other things, violating 
employees' legal employment rights.

                              {time}  1930

  As written, this amendment fails to do really much of anything. It 
has no legislative effect. It fails to define what the office should 
examine, where in the House of Representatives organizational structure 
the office would reside, and what recourse, if any, a Member would have 
if he or she disagreed with a finding of the office.
  Again, with that, I have to oppose the gentleman's amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Chairman, it is long past time, given this economy 
that we have, for the Congress of the

[[Page 8451]]

United States to prioritize good jobs. The fact is that, if we have an 
agency, an office of good jobs making sure that everyone who we do 
business with is making sure that workers are paid fairly, that they 
get every penny that they earn, and that we are making sure that we 
prioritize good employers over the bad ones, this is exactly what we 
should be doing. We live in a time of 40 years of wage stagnation, and 
the Federal Government is deeply implicated in this wage stagnation. 
The Federal Government, the U.S. Congress should do something about it.
  Mr. Chairman, let me tell you about a friend of mine named Vee. Vee 
has been a catering worker here at the House of Representatives for 27 
years. She is 67 years old. She says she has next to nothing for 
retirement. She jokes that she will be working until half an hour 
before her funeral. In Vee's own words: We aren't looking for a 
handout; we are looking for a hand up.
  No one who works for decades should be left without a secure 
retirement. Retirement insecurity isn't the only trouble she and her 
colleagues face. Some of them don't get healthcare benefits from their 
employer. Of the 50 catering workers serving Members and visitors to 
the Hill, only about half have access to year-round health care.
  We need to make it clear to current and future contractors that we 
want them to put taxpayers' dollars in their contracts to use, taking 
care of Americans who are working for them. This will help raise living 
standards for all workers.
  Let me tell you this, Mr. Chairman, when we see the Federal 
Government and we see State governments make good jobs the issue, the 
private sector falls in line. We have seen the Gap, even Walmart, 
talking about raising issues. Why? Because President Obama signed an 
executive order to say that anyone who works for a Federal contractor 
has to get paid at least $10.10 an hour. That kind of leadership is 
what makes the Federal Government not the leader in the race to the 
bottom but the leader in the race to the top.
  Vote ``yes'' on my amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I am grateful for the 
gentleman's time tonight and taking time on this late evening to 
express his passion and zeal for workers all across this country. 
However, with that, because of his amendment and, as I mentioned, the 
impact that it, in effect, really wouldn't have, I would have to oppose 
the gentleman's amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Minnesota 
will be postponed.


               Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. Blumenauer

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 3 
printed in House Report 114-611.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 17, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $100,000) (increased by $100,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 771, the gentleman 
from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chairman, there is a bike share revolution that 
is spreading across America. Over 70 systems are now operating in 104 
cities, including, next month, my hometown of Portland, Oregon. 
Atlanta's system opened today. This is an opportunity to provide the 
bicycle in a more convenient form, where people can rent by the half 
hour, by the hour, by the day.
  We find that research shows that the bike share is safer than regular 
bicycles. There have been no fatalities recorded in more than 35 
million trips around the country so far. It is cheaper. It is a 
healthier form of transit. Low-cost memberships are available for low-
income populations, for example, in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia 
and Chicago.
  The Nation's Capital is a model for bike share. Launched in 2010, 
there are now over 350 stations around the D.C. area. Daily ridership 
is over 9,000. Bike share members report annual savings of $700 to $800 
a year due to riding the bike share.
  My amendment suggests that it is time for the Architect of the 
Capitol to have the Capitol Grounds included in this process, requiring 
a feasibility study on the installation and operation of bike share 
stations on the Capitol Grounds.
  Right now, the nearest station to House Office Buildings is at the 
bottom of Capitol Hill, between the busy Independence Avenue and 
freeway on-ramps. It is not convenient to our staff. It is not 
convenient to the millions of visitors that come to Capitol Hill every 
year. Thinking for a moment about the problems we have got now with the 
Metro maintenance, every person that takes a bike share is one more 
person who is not on the road ahead of you or crowded into overcrowded 
facilities.
  I respectfully suggest that this amendment be adopted, that we have 
$100,000 within the Architect of the Capitol's budget to undertake this 
feasibility study to improve the quality of life, the health, and 
mobility in and around this vital area of our Nation's Capital. It is 
unfortunate that this intense area of activity is underserved. This 
amendment would help remedy that.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim 
the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I don't claim the time in 
opposition to speak against it. In fact, I am supportive of the 
gentleman's amendment, and I appreciate him bringing this forward. As a 
cyclist myself, I can tell you, I understand the importance of making 
sure, on a campus such as this or in a town such as this or an area 
such as this, that there is plenty of availability, and the bike share 
facilities and locations are certainly around here, but we understand 
that there are some absences or vacancies in spaces near to this 
campus.
  Saying all that, I do respect the Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol 
Police and some of their concerns that they have expressed, and I would 
hope that, as the Architect moves forward with a study such as this, 
that they would take those considerations into effect as well as they 
put their study together.
  I thank the gentleman for his amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Beyer).
  Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Blumenauer 
amendment to request a feasibility study on the installation and 
operation of Capital Bikeshare stations on the Capitol Grounds. I would 
like to thank Mr. Blumenauer for his bike-partisan leadership over the 
years and for his work on this issue specifically. His passion for 
cycling is known to and appreciated by so many of us.
  Mr. Chairman, Capital Bikeshare opened in 2010 in the District of 
Columbia and in Arlington, Virginia, which I am proud to represent. 
Since then, the system has grown steadily to include more than 350 
stations. It has changed the way many people in this region travel. The 
U.S. Capitol receives millions of visitors every year, and millions 
more visit our offices to talk about their issues and concerns. These 
people are friends, families, and constituents. There are also guests 
of the

[[Page 8452]]

United States from all over the world. Capital Bikeshare has been 
successful precisely because many of these visitors want to see our 
city up close, from the seat of a bicycle.
  Expanding this very successful program to the Capitol Grounds is a 
great way to give tourists, local commuters, and our staffs an 
excellent transportation alternative, not to mention the benefits the 
bicycle has on the environment, individual health, and traffic 
congestion.
  This need is especially great right now as the D.C.'s Metrorail 
system undergoes extensive, prolonged maintenance. This puts a real 
strain on all the other modes of transportation in the city.
  Capital Bikeshare is beloved by D.C. residents and visitors alike, 
and we should be setting a strong example by supporting the program and 
welcoming stations in the place where we work, right here on the 
Capitol Grounds.
  Mr. Chair, I thank Mr. Blumenauer for his leadership and urge my 
colleagues to support the amendment.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                  Amendment No. 4 Offered by Mr. Welch

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 4 
printed in House Report 114-611.
  Mr. WELCH. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 17, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $500,000)''.
       Page 17, line 11, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $250,000)''.
       Page 17, line 23, after the first dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $250,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 771, the gentleman 
from Vermont (Mr. Welch) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Vermont.
  Mr. WELCH. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to be here presenting this 
amendment. My cosponsor of this amendment, Jaime Herrera Beutler, is 
unable to be here, but it is relevant. She had a baby 2 weeks ago--this 
is not her first child--and she is a breastfeeding mother.
  This amendment is about creating the potential for the House Office 
Buildings and this Capitol to come into compliance with the General 
Services Administration guidelines for having breastfeeding stations 
available for women who need them. There are 7,000 women who work here. 
There are thousands of women who visit on a regular basis, and we don't 
have the stations that the women who visit the Capitol, work in the 
Capitol, work in the House Office Buildings, or visit need to be here 
in order to take care of their infant children.
  It is just amazing to me. Jaime Herrera Beutler is someone we all 
admire. She can't be here--she wishes she was--but she is a big 
advocate of this. What this amendment would do is not cost new money, 
but it would allow a shift in money, $500,000, from the capital 
construction and operations account to the Capitol Building and House 
Office Building accounts, appropriating $250,000 each.
  The fact is, why wouldn't we want to be in compliance with the GSA 
requirements as to the access to the breastfeeding stations for mothers 
who work and visit here?
  Mr. Chair, my hope is that there will be broad bipartisan support to 
do something that I think all of us know needs to be done.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. WELCH. I yield to the gentleman from Georgia.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman 
for his thoughtful amendment. We are prepared to accept it, support it.
  Mr. WELCH. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the ranking member of 
the committee.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, I join the chairman in 
supporting the gentleman's amendment. This amendment would add 
approximately 30 lactation rooms to the Capitol complex. Working 
mothers rely on these rooms--and I can speak from experience--to ensure 
that they can continue to work while breastfeeding their children.
  This amendment rightfully recognizes that Congress must lead by 
example to ensure that women can be both moms and leaders in their 
field. In fact, my own office right now is serving as a lactation room, 
and that is because one of my wonderful staff is a nursing mom.
  While I am happy to do that, it is our responsibility to maintain an 
environment where all of our employees feel comfortable, including 
working mothers. Our staff deserves to feel welcome and secure when 
they are ready to return to work. We should be doing everything we can 
to encourage working moms to return to the workplace, and it must start 
here on Capitol Hill.
  As we all know, the offices in which we work are inadequate for moms 
to pump. Our staff is many to an office with open-air cubicles. Having 
lactation rooms is mandatory, essential, if we want to keep talented 
women in the workplace.
  I want to thank the gentleman for offering this amendment. I urge its 
support and appreciate the chairman's support.
  Mr. WELCH. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Graves. I 
appreciate his support of this amendment. I also want to thank the 
ranking member for her support. I also thank my cosponsors, 
Congresswoman Matsui and Congresswoman Frankel, but I especially want 
to thank and congratulate Congresswoman Herrera Beutler.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Chair, I want to thank Congressman Welch for his 
leadership on this common sense amendment.
  Working mothers are driving our economy forward. Two out of every 
three women are the sole or equal breadwinner in their households. Many 
of these women are juggling the responsibilities of caring for their 
children and supporting their family.
  Having workplaces that accommodate the needs of our hard working 
American mothers makes our economy stronger. Businesses across the 
country have made important improvements in their work place standards 
for women. And the Federal government has too. In fact, the General 
Services Administration now requires that federal buildings have 
lactation stations for breastfeeding mothers.
  But here in the U.S. Capitol we are not living up to these 
standards--at the expense of the thousands of women who work in the 
Capitol and the millions of women who pass through these grounds every 
day. We need to make working mothers' ability to contribute to our 
economy easier, not harder.
  This amendment simply brings the House of Representatives into 
compliance with existing laws already on the books and would not 
require any new funding. It is a common sense step forward for working 
mothers.
  Our Capitol is a symbol of our democracy and should set the highest 
example for the American people. I urge my colleagues to support this 
amendment which makes our Capitol more welcoming to all.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch).
  The amendment was agreed to.

                              {time}  1945

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 5 
printed in House Report 114-611.


               Amendment No. 6 Offered by Mrs. Blackburn

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 6 
printed in House Report 114-611.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the 
     following:
       Sec. __. (a) Each amount made available by this Act is 
     hereby reduced by 1 percent.
       (b) The reduction in subsection (a) shall not apply with 
     respect to--
       (1) accounts under the heading ``Capitol Police'';

[[Page 8453]]

       (2) ``Architect of the Capitol--Capitol Police Buildings, 
     Grounds and Security''; or
       (3) the amount provided for salaries and expenses of the 
     Office of the Sergeant at Arms under the heading ``House of 
     Representatives--Salaries, Officers and Employees''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 771, the gentlewoman 
from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) and a Member opposed each will control 
5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Tennessee.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Chairman, I want to begin by thanking the 
committee for the hard work that they have put into this bill and for 
the way the House has approved reducing our budget over the last 
several years. If every department of the Federal Government were to be 
as active as we were in reducing our spending, our budget would be in 
better shape.
  This bill provides a net total of $3.482 billion in fiscal year 2017 
base discretionary budget authority. That is $153 million below the 
President's budget request, $73 million above the enacted 2016 level, 
and $140 million above the level proposed by the Appropriations 
Committee for fiscal year 2016.
  However, I think there is more work that needs to be done. And thus, 
as I do for most of our appropriations bills, I am here with my 1 
percent across-the-board spending reduction amendment.
  It would reduce discretionary budget authority by $31 million and 
outlays by $28 million. It exempts the Capitol Police, the Architect of 
the Capitol, Capitol Police Buildings, Grounds and Security, and the 
Sergeant at Arms.
  I am certainly aware that there is opposition to doing the penny-on-
a-dollar cut. I have heard many times that cuts like this are damaging 
and we shouldn't do them, but I think that cutting an extra penny on 
every dollar not only goes to putting us on a better track, it helps to 
preserve our Nation's sovereignty for future generations.
  When we have $19.2 trillion in debt, our constituents are saying: 
What are you going to do about this?
  Well, here is an action that we can take: making a penny-on-a-dollar 
cut and saving ourselves some more money--$31 million--that will help 
to send the right message that, again, we are going to cut a little bit 
more, just as the families in our districts are doing.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Florida is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, I strongly oppose this 
amendment, as it takes a meat-ax approach to cutting this bill by $31 
million with an across-the-board cut of 1 percent.
  The amendment exempts the Capitol Police and its buildings, as well 
as the Sergeant at Arms. It does not exempt our staff, including the 
offerer's own staff because it would cut the Members' Representational 
Allowance. It would also cut the Congressional Research Service, the 
Government Accountability Office, the Congressional Budget Office, 
committees of Congress, and the Office of Compliance.
  The Legislative Branch bill, Mr. Chairman, has been flat for 3 years. 
And this bill finally provides a modest overall increase of 2.1 
percent, but because we have not kept up with inflation, each year we 
are buying less and less for our dollar. The Congressional Research 
Service, for example, is still below FY 2010 levels and reports it has 
lost 13 percent of its purchasing power.
  We can't continue to do more with less. There is a reason the 
perception of Congress is damaged. We are damaging our ability to write 
and analyze legislation and have serious debates because we take the 
politically expedient route, like the across-the-board cuts, because 
they play well during town halls. But if we bothered to explain the 
brain drain within the halls of Congress and the need to boost funding 
for staff to do oversight, I have the belief that our constituents 
would understand that.
  If Members want a strong legislative branch to ensure oversight of 
the executive, this amendment should be defeated.
  The cut to the MRA is one of the most egregious that would result 
from this amendment. I happen to think my staff contributes to the 
well-being of my constituents and are worth every penny we can afford 
to pay them after years of cuts to the MRA. The MRA is $97 million less 
than it was in fiscal year 2010. This amendment would cut $5.6 million 
more.
  Mr. Chairman, you get the government you pay for, and I fear that 
this amendment would do nothing more than hurt the service we are able 
to provide to our constituents.
  I urge defeat of the amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Chairman, I will have to say that people do like 
across-the-board cuts. Indeed, many governors, Republican and Democrat 
alike, use these. From coast-to-coast, they have used these. And our 
constituents like them.
  Take a look at the December 2012 POLITICO-George Washington 
University Battleground Tracking Poll. It shows 75 percent approve of 
them. January 2013, The Hill, 6-in-10 approve. Look at what happened in 
Oklahoma in December: a 3 percent across-the-board cut. In March, they 
did a 4 percent across-the-board cut.
  Why is it that our governors do these?
  They work. Department heads like to be able to go in there and find a 
way to cut a little bit more in that budget and still meet the needs 
that the people have said they want to see their government meet.
  We have $19.3 trillion in debt. We are working to get the cost of 
government down, but we have to do a little bit more. This is a way to 
engage rank-and-file Federal employees and to say to them: It is time 
for us to get our fiscal house in order.
  A penny on the dollar is what our constituents are doing. We should 
do likewise. It is what our States are doing, because they can't crank 
the printing press. They can't go borrow money. They can't have more of 
our debt that is owned by China and Japan and OPEC and the entities 
that own our debt. They have to have balanced budget amendments. When I 
was in the Tennessee State Senate, we didn't go home until we had the 
budget in balance.
  So I would encourage support of this amendment. It is a penny out of 
a dollar. It is another $31 million in savings.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, as I said, this bill has already 
taken hit after hit. We are far below the levels that we were at in 
2010. We have employees who deserve to be assured that we have enough 
respect for their professionalism that we are going to adequately fund 
their ability to do their jobs, which is to represent our constituents.
  This amendment takes, as I said, a meat-ax approach rather than what 
the chairman and I worked together to do, which is to develop the 
substantive portions of this bill related to the funding of the 
legislative branch in a precisionlike way.
  It doesn't make sense. I have never heard of polling that actually 
asks generic questions of constituents on whether they like or dislike 
across-the-board cuts. I am not sure what the purpose of electing 
Members of Congress is if we are going to just make indiscriminate, 
across-the-board decisions rather than use our brains and build 
consensus around the decisions that we make.
  That is the type of approach that this amendment would take, and it 
is inappropriate. We need to make sure that we are adequately funding 
the legislative branch functions so that we can represent our 
constituents effectively.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Chairman, the American people think they have 
taken hit after hit. And they have taken it right in the wallet. They 
are sick and tired of this. They feel like this economy has taken a 
meat-ax approach to their well-being. What they want to see is 
leadership that will work to get our spending habits under control here 
in Washington.

[[Page 8454]]

  This is a great opportunity to lead by example and to say: A penny on 
the dollar, we are going to do it for the children and for future 
generations.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, the American people are 
appreciative and understand that we have been through 75 straight 
months of private sector job growth, that we have added 20 million 
people who didn't have health insurance before and who are now able to 
go to the doctor when they are sick, that we have cut the deficit by 
nearly three-quarters, and that we have made progress. And we need to 
continue to build on that progress and help more Americans have an 
opportunity to reach the middle class.
  All of those things were accomplished through funding the legislative 
branch. And we need to appropriately fund it, adequately fund it, so we 
can effectively represent our constituents.
  I urge defeat of this ill-advised amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Tennessee 
will be postponed.
  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 7 
printed in House Report 114-611.


                         Parliamentary Inquiry

  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have a parliamentary inquiry.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman will state his parliamentary inquiry.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Could the Chair inform the committee of what 
the intentions are tonight, about how many amendments we would move 
forward and how many for tomorrow?
  The Acting CHAIR. The Chair has just announced that amendment No. 7 
is now in order.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I have an additional parliamentary 
inquiry.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Chair would be prepared to entertain a motion 
to rise.
  Mr. GRAVES of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now 
rise.
  The motion was agreed to.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Amodei) having assumed the chair, Mr. Byrne, Acting Chair of the 
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that 
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5325) 
making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2017, and for other purposes, had come to no 
resolution thereon.

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