[House Report 105-254]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



105th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 1st Session                                                    105-254
_______________________________________________________________________


 
 MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 
           ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1998, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

                                _______
                                

               September 18, 1997.--Ordered to be printed

_______________________________________________________________________


  Mr. Walsh, from the committee of conference, submitted the following

                           CONFERENCE REPORT

                        [To accompany H.R. 2209]

      The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of 
the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate to the bill 
(H.R. 2209) ``making appropriations for the Legislative Branch 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1998, and for other 
purposes'', having met, after full and free conference, have 
agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses 
as follows:
      Amendment numbered 1:
      That the House recede from its disagreement to the 
amendment of the Senate numbered 1, and agree to the same with 
an amendment, as follows:
      In lieu of the matter stricken and inserted by said 
amendment, insert:

                              JOINT ITEMS

      For Joint Committees, as follows:

                        Joint Economic Committee

      For salaries and expenses of the Joint Economic 
Committee, $2,750,000, to be disbursed by the Secretary of the 
Senate.

                      Joint Committee on Printing

      For salaries and expenses of the Joint Committee on 
Printing, $804,000, to be disbursed by the Secretary of the 
Senate.

                      Joint Committee on Taxation

      For salaries and expenses of the Joint Committee on 
Taxation, $5,815,500, to be disbursed by the Chief 
Administrative Officer of the House.
    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 $1,500 per month to 
the Attending Physician; (2) an allowance of $500 per month 
each to two medical officers while on duty in the Office of the 
Attending Physician; (3) an allowance of $500 per month to one 
assistant and $400 per month each to not exceed nine assistants 
on the basis heretofore provided for such assistants; and (4) 
$893,000 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, 
$1,266,000, to be disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer 
of the House.

                          Capitol Police Board

                             Capitol Police


                                salaries


      For the Capitol Police Board for salaries of officers, 
members, and employees of the Capitol Police, including 
overtime, hazardous duty pay differential, clothing allowance 
of not more than $600 each for members required to wear 
civilian attire, and Government contributions for health, 
retirement, Social Security, and other applicable employee 
benefits, $70,955,000, of which $34,118,000 is provided to the 
Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives, to be 
disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House, and 
$36,837,000 is provided to the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper 
of the Senate, to be disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate: 
Provided, That, of the amounts appropriated under this heading, 
such amounts as may be necessary may be transferred between the 
Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives and the 
Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate, upon approval of 
the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.


                            general expenses


      For the Capitol Police Board 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, not 
more than $2,000 for the awards program, postage, telephone 
service, travel advances, relocation of instructor and liaison 
personnel for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, and 
$85 per month for extra services performed for the Capitol 
Police Board by an employee of the Sergeant at Arms of the 
Senate or the House of Representatives designated by the 
Chairman of the Board, $3,099,000, to be disbursed by the Chief 
Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives: 
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 1998 shall be 
paid by the Secretary of the Treasury from funds available to 
the Department of the Treasury.

                       Administrative Provisions

      Sec. 110. Amounts appropriated for fiscal year 1998 for 
the Capitol Police Board for the Capitol Police may be 
transferred between the headings ``salaries'' and ``general 
expenses'' upon the approval of--
            (1) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives, in the case of amounts transferred 
        from the appropriation provided to the Sergeant at Arms 
        of the House of Representatives under the heading 
        ``salaries'';
            (2) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, 
        in the case of amounts transferred from the 
        appropriation provided to the Sergeant at Arms and 
        Doorkeeper of the Senate under the heading 
        ``salaries''; and
            (3) the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate 
        and the House of Representatives, in the case of other 
        transfers.
      Sec. 111. (a)(1) The Capitol Police Board shall establish 
and maintain unified schedules of rates of basic pay for 
members and civilian employees of the Capitol Police which 
shall apply to both members and employees whose appointing 
authority is an officer of the Senate and members and employees 
whose appointing authority is an officer of the House of 
Representatives.
      (2) The Capital Police Board may, from time to time, 
adjust any schedule established under paragraph (1) to the 
extent that the Board determines appropriate to reflect changes 
in the cost of living and to maintain pay comparability.
      (3) A schedule established or revised under paragraph (1) 
or (2) shall take effect only upon approval by the Committee on 
House Oversight of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate.
      (4) A schedule approved under paragraph (3) shall have 
the force and effect of law.
      (b)(1) The Capitol Police Board shall prescribe, by 
regulation, a unified leave system for members and civilian 
employees of the Capitol Police which shall apply to both 
members and employees whose appointing authority is an officer 
of the Senate and members and employees whose appointing 
authority is an officer of the House of Representatives. The 
leave system shall include provisions for--
            (A) annual leave, based on years of service;
            (B) sick leave;
            (C) administrative leave;
            (D) leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 
        1993 (29 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.);
            (E) leave without pay and leave with reduced pay, 
        including provisions relating to contributions for 
        benefits for any period of such leave;
            (F) approval of all leave by the Chief or the 
        designee of the Chief;
            (G) the order in which categories of leave shall be 
        used;
            (H) use, accrual, and carryover rules and 
        limitations, including rules and limitations for any 
        period of active duty in the armed forces;
            (I) advance of annual leave or sick leave after a 
        member or civilian employee have used all such accrued 
        leave;
            (J) buy back of annual leave or sick leave used 
        during an extended recovery period in the case of an 
        injury in the performance of duty;
            (K) the use of accrued leave before termination of 
        the employment as a member or civilian employee of the 
        Capitol Police, with provision for lump sum payment for 
        unused annual leave; and
            (L) a leave sharing program.
      (2) The leave system under this section may not provide 
for the accrual of either annual or sick leave for any period 
of leave without pay or leave with reduced pay.
      (3) All provisions of the leave system established under 
this subsection shall be subject to the approval of the 
Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate. 
All regulations approved under this subsection shall have the 
force and effect of law.
      (c)(1) Upon the approval of the Capitol Police Board, a 
member or civilian employee of the Capitol Police who is 
separated from service may be paid a lump sum payment for the 
accrued annual leave of the member or civilian employee.
      (2) The lump sum payment under paragraph (1)--
            (A) shall equal the pay the member or civilian 
        employee would have received had such member or 
        employee remained in the service until the expiration 
        of the period of annual leave;
            (B) shall be paid from amounts appropriated to the 
        Capitol Police;
            (C) shall be based on the rate of basic pay in 
        effect with respect to the member or civilian employee 
        on the last day of service of the member or civilian 
        employee;
            (D) shall not be calculated on the basis of 
        extending the period of leave described under 
        subparagraph (A) by any holiday occurring after the 
        date of separation from service;
            (E) shall be considered pay for taxation purposes 
        only; and
            (F) shall be paid only after the Chairman of the 
        Capitol Police Board certifies the applicable period of 
        leave to the Secretary of the Senate or the Chief 
        Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, 
        as appropriate.
      (3) A member or civilian employee of the Capitol Police 
who enters active duty in the armed forces may--
            (A) receive a lump sum payment for accrued annual 
        leave in accordance with this subsection, in addition 
        to any pay or allowance payable from the armed forces; 
        or
            (B) elect to have the leave remain to the credit of 
        such member or civilian employee until such member or 
        civilian employee returns from active duty.
      (4) The Capitol Police Board may prescribe regulations to 
carry out this subsection. No lump sum payment may be paid 
under this subsection until such regulations are approved by 
the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the 
Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives. 
All regulations approved under this subsection shall have the 
force and effect of law.
      (d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect 
the appointing authority of any officer of the Senate or the 
House of Representatives.

           Capitol Guide Service and Special Services Office

      For salaries and expenses of the Capitol Guide Service 
and Special Service Office, $1,991,000, to be disbursed by the 
Secretary of the Senate: Provided, That no part of suchamount 
may be used to employ more than forty individuals: Provided further, 
That the Capitol Guide Board is authorized, during emergencies, to 
employ not more than two additional individuals for not more than one 
hundred twenty days each, and not more than ten additional individuals 
for not more than six months each, for the Capitol Guide Service.

                      Statements of Appropriations

      For the preparation, under the direction of the 
Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives, of the statements for the first session of the 
One Hundred Fifth Congress, showing appropriations made, 
indefinite appropriations, and contracts authorized, together 
with a chronological history of the regular appropriations 
bills as required by law, $30,000, to be paid to the persons 
designated by the chairmen of such committees to supervise the 
work.

                          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), $2,479,000.

                      CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE

                         Salaries and Expenses

      For salaries and expenses necessary to carry out the 
provisions of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Public Law 
93-344), including not more than $2,500 to be expended on the 
certification of the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office in connection with official representation and reception 
expenses, $24,797,000: Provided, That no part of such amount 
may be used for the purchase or hire of a passenger motor 
vehicle.

                        ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL

                     Capitol Buildings and Grounds


                           capitol buildings


                         salaries and expenses


      For salaries for the Architect of the Capitol, the 
Assistant Architect of the Capitol, and other personal 
services, at rates of pay provided by law; for surveys and 
studies in connection with activities under the care of the 
Architect of the Capitol; for all necessary expenses for the 
maintenance, care and operation of the Capitol and electrical 
substations of the Senate and House office buildings under the 
jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol, including 
furnishings and office equipment, including not more than 
$1,000 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; and not to exceed $20,000 for attendance, when 
specifically authorized by the Architect of the Capitol, at 
meetings or conventions in connection with subjects related to 
work under the Architect of the Capitol, $36,977,000, of which 
$7,500,000 shall remain available until expended.


                            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, $5,116,000, of which 
$745,000 shall remain available until expended.


                        senate office buildings


      For all necessary expenses for maintenance, care and 
operation of Senate Office Buildings; and furniture and 
furnishings to be expended under the control and supervision of 
the Architect of the Capitol, $52,021,000, of which $13,200,000 
shall remain available until expended: Provided, That 
appropriations under this heading for management personnel and 
miscellaneous restaurant expenses hereafter shall be 
transferred at the beginning of each fiscal year to the special 
deposit account in the United States Treasury established under 
Public Law 87-82, approved July 6, 1961, as amended (40 U.S.C. 
174j-4), and effective October 1, 1997, all management 
personnel of the Senate Restaurant facilities shall be paid 
from the special deposit account. Management personnel 
transferred hereunder shall be paid at the same rates of pay 
applicable immediately prior to the date of transfer, and 
annual and sick leave balances shall be credited to leave 
accounts of such personnel in the Senate Restaurants.
      And after line 4, page 2, of the House engrossed bill, 
H.R. 2209, insert the following:

                                 SENATE


                           expense allowances


      For expense allowances of the Vice President, $10,000; 
the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, $10,000; Majority 
Leader of the Senate, $10,000; Minority Leader of the Senate, 
$10,000; Majority Whip of the Senate, $5,000; Minority Whip of 
the Senate, $5,000; and Chairmen of the Majority and Minority 
Conference Committees, $3,000 for each Chairman; in all, 
$56,000.


    representation allowances for the majority and minority leaders


      For representation allowances of the Majority and 
Minority Leaders of the Senate, $15,000 for each such Leader; 
in all, $30,000.

                    Salaries, Officers and Employees

      For compensation of officers, employees, and others as 
authorized by law, including agency contributions, $77,254,000, 
which shall be paid from this appropriation without regard to 
the below limitations, as follows:


                      office of the vice president


      For the Office of the Vice President, $1,612,000.


                  office of the president pro tempore


      For the Office of the President Pro Tempore, $371,000.


              offices of the majority and minority leaders


      For Offices of the Majority and Minority Leaders, 
$2,388,000.


               offices of the majority and minority whips


      For Offices of the Majority and Minority Whips, 
$1,221,000.


                         conference committees


      For the Conference of the Majority and the Conference of 
the Minority, at rates of compensation to be fixed by the 
Chairman of each such committee, $1,061,000 for each such 
committee; in all, $2,122,000.


 offices of the secretaries of the conference of the majority and the 
                       conference of the minority


      For Offices of the Secretaries of the Conference of the 
Majority and the Conference of the Minority, $409,000.


                           policy committees


      For salaries of the Majority Policy Committee and the 
Minority Policy Committee, $1,077,500 for each such committee; 
in all, $2,155,000.


                         office of the chaplain


      For Office of the Chaplain, $260,000.


                        office of the secretary


      For Office of the Secretary, $13,306,000.


             office of the sergeant at arms and doorkeepers


      For Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper, 
$33,037,000.


        offices of the secretaries for the majority and minority


      For Offices of the Secretary for the Majority and the 
Secretary for the Minority, $1,165,000.


               agency contributions and related expenses


      For agency contributions for employee benefits, as 
authorized by law, and related expenses, $19,208,000.

            Office of the Legislative Counsel of the Senate

      For salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
Legislative Counsel of the Senate, $3,605,000.

                     Office of Senate Legal Counsel

      For salaries and expenses of the Office of Senate Legal 
Counsel, $966,000.

Expense Allowances of the Secretary of the Senate, Sergeant at Arms and 
Doorkeeper of the Senate, and Secretaries for the Majority and Minority 
                             of the Senate

      For expense allowances of the Secretary of the Senate, 
$3,000; Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate, $3,000; 
Secretary for the Majority of the Senate, $3,000; Secretary for 
the Minority of the Senate, $3,000; in all, $12,000.

                   Contingent Expenses of the Senate


                      inquiries and investigations


      For expenses of inquiries and investigations ordered by 
the Senate, or conducted pursuant to section 134(a) of Public 
Law 601, Seventy-ninth Congress, as amended, section 112 of 
Public Law 96-304 and Senate Resolution 281, agreed to March 
11, 1980, $75,600,000.


expenses of the united states senate caucus on international narcotics 
                                control


      For expenses of the United States Senate Caucus on 
International Narcotics Control, $370,000.


                        secretary of the senate


      For expenses of the Office of the Secretary of the 
Senate, $1,511,000.


             sergeant at arms and doorkeeper of the senate


      For expenses of the Office of the Sergeant at Arms and 
Doorkeeper of the Senate, $64,833,000, of which $7,000,000 
shall remain available until September 30, 1999.


                          miscellaneous items


      For miscellaneous items, $7,905,000.


        senators' official personnel and office expense account


      For Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense 
Account, $228,600,000.


                      stationery (revolving fund)


      For stationery for the President of the Senate, $4,500, 
for officers of the Senate and the Conference of the Majority 
and Conference of the Minority of the Senate, $8,500; in all, 
$13,000.


                          official mail costs


      For expenses necessary for official mail costs of the 
Senate, $300,000, to remain available until September 30, 1999.


                       administrative provisions


      Section 1. (a) For fiscal year 1998, and each fiscal year 
thereafter, the Secretary of the Senate is authorized to make 
advance payments under a contract or other agreement to provide 
a service or deliver an article for the United States 
Government without regard to the provisions of section 3324 of 
title 31, United States Code.
      (b) An advance payment authorized by subsection (a) shall 
be made in accordance with regulations issued by the Committee 
on Rules and Administration of the Senate.
      (c) The authority granted by subsection (a) shall not 
take effect until regulations are issued pursuant to subsection 
(b).
      Sec. 2. (a) Upon the written request of the Majority or 
Minority Whip of the Senate, the Secretary of the Senate shall 
transfer during any fiscal year, from the appropriations 
account appropriated under the headings ``Salaries, Officers 
and Employees'' and ``Offices of the Majority and Minority 
Whips'', such amount as either whip shall specify to the 
appropriations account, within the contingent fund of the 
Senate, ``Miscellaneous Items''.
      (b) The Majority and Minority Whips of the Senate are 
each authorized to incur such expenses as may be necessary or 
appropriate. Expenses incurred by either such whip shall be 
paid from the amount transferred pursuant to subsection (a) by 
such whip and upon vouchers approved by such whip.
      (c) The Secretary of the Senate is authorized to advance 
such sums as may be necessary to defray expenses incurred in 
carrying out subsections (a) and (b).
      Sec. 3. (a) Effective in the case of any fiscal year 
which begins on or after October 1, 1997, clause (iii) of 
paragraph (3)(A) of section 506(b) of the Supplemental 
Appropriations Act, 1973 (2 U.S.C. 58(b)) is amended to read as 
follows:
      ``(iii) subject to subparagraph (B), in case the Senator 
represents Alabama, $182,567, Alaska, $251,901, Arizona, 
$197,079, Arkansas, $168,282, California, $468,724, Colorado, 
$186,350, Connecticut, $160,903, Delaware, $127,198, Florida, 
$299,746, Georgia, $210,214, Hawaii, $279,512, Idaho, $163,335, 
Illinois, $266,248, Indiana, $194,770, Iowa, $170,565, Kansas, 
$168,177, Kentucky, $177,338, Louisiana, $185,647, Maine, 
$147,746, Maryland, $173,020, Massachusetts, $195,799, 
Michigan, $236,459, Minnesota, $187,702, Mississippi, $168,103, 
Missouri, $197,941, Montana, $161,725, Nebraska, $160,361, 
Nevada, $171,096, New Hampshire, $142,394, New Jersey, 
$206,260, New Mexico, $166,140, New York, $327,955, North 
Carolina, $210,946, North Dakota, $149,824, Ohio, $259,452, 
Oklahoma, $181,761, Oregon, $189,345, Pennsylvania, $266,148, 
Rhode Island, $138,582, South Carolina, $170,451, South Dakota, 
$151,450, Tennessee, $191,954, Texas, $348,681, Utah, $168,632, 
Vermont, $135,925, Virginia, $193,467, Washington, $214,694, 
West Virginia, $147,772, Wisconsin, $191,569, Wyoming, 
$152,438, plus''.
      (b) Subsection (a) of the first section of Public Law 
100-137 (2 U.S.C. 58c) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
      ``(6) Effective on and after October 1, 1997, the 
Senator's Account shall be available for the payment of franked 
mail expenses of Senators.''.
      (c)(1) Section 12 of Public Law 101-520 is repealed.
      (2) The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall be 
effective on and after October 1, 1997.
      (d) Nothing in this section affects the authority of the 
Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate to 
prescribe regulations relating to the frank by Senators and 
officers of the Senate.
      Sec. 4. (a) The aggregate amount authorized by Senate 
Resolution 54, agreed to February 13, 1997, is increased--
            (1) by $401,635 for the period March 1, 1997, 
        through September 30, 1998, and
            (2) by $994,150 for the period March 1, 1998, 
        through February 28, 1999.
      (b) This section is effective on and after October 1, 
1997.
      Sec. 5. Effective on and after October 1, 1997, each of 
the dollar amounts contained in the table under section 
105(d)(1) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1968 (2 
U.S.C. 61-1) shall be deemed to be the dollar amounts in that 
table on December 31, 1995, increased by 2 percent on January 
1, 1996, and by 2.3 percent on January 1, 1997.
      Sec. 6. (a) The aggregate amount authorized by Senate 
Resolution 54, agreed to February 13, 1997, is increased--
            (1) by $125,000 for the period March 1, 1997, 
        through September 30, 1998; and
            (2) by $175,000 for the period March 1, 1998, 
        through February 28, 1999.
      (b) Funds in the account, within the contingent fund of 
the Senate, available for the expenses of inquiries and 
investigations shall be available for franked mail expenses 
incurred by committees of the Senate the other expenses of 
which are paid from that account.
      (c) This section is effective for fiscal years beginning 
on and after October 1, 1997.
      Sec. 7. Section 1101 of Public Law 85-58 (2 U.S.C. 46a-1) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Disbursements 
from the fund shall be made upon vouchers approved by the 
Secretary of the Senate, or his designee.''.
      And on page 9, after line 15, of the House engrossed 
bill, H.R. 2209, insert:
      ``Sec. 107. Title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``the Speaker of the House of Representatives'' each 
place it appears in sections 5532(i)(2)(B), 5532(i)(3), 
8344(k)(2)(B), 8344(k)(3), 8468(h)(2)(B), and 8468(h)(3) and 
inserting ``the Committee on House Oversight of the House of 
Representatives''.
      Sec. 108. (a) For fiscal year 1998 and each succeeding 
fiscal year, the Chief Administrative Officer of the Houseof 
Representatives is authorized to make advance payments under a contract 
or other agreement to provide a service or deliver an article for the 
United States Government without regard to the provisions of section 
3324 of title 31, United States Code.
      (b) An advance payment authorized by subsection (a) shall 
be made in accordance with regulations issued by the Committee 
on House Oversight of the House of Representatives.
      (c) The authority granted by subsection (a) shall not 
take effect until regulations are issued pursuant to subsection 
(b).
      Sec. 109. (a) There is hereby established an account in 
the House of Representatives for purposes of making payments of 
the House of Representatives to the Employees' Compensation 
Fund under section 8147 of title 5, United States Code.
      (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, payments 
may be made from the account established under subsection (a) 
at any time after the date of the enactment of this Act without 
regard to the fiscal year for which the obligation to make such 
payments is incurred.
      (c) The account established under subsection (a) shall be 
treated as a category of allowances and expenses for purposes 
of section 101(a) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 
1993 (2 U.S.C. 95b(a)).''
      And on page 20, line 19, of the House engrossed bill, 
H.R. 2209, strike ``$37,181,000'' and insert ``$36,610,000''; 
and the Senate agree to the same.
      Amendment numbered 2:
      That the House recede from its disagreement to the 
amendment of the Senate numbered 2, and agree to the same with 
an amendment, as follows:
      In lieu of the matter stricken and inserted by said 
amendment, insert:


                          capitol power plant


      For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and 
operation of the Capitol 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 Printing 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, $33,932,000, 
of which $1,650,000 shall remain available until expended: 
Provided, That not more than $4,000,000 of the funds credited 
or to be reimbursed to this appropriation as herein provided 
shall be available for obligation during fiscal year 1998.

                          LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

                     Congressional Research Service


                         salaries and expenses


      For 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, $64,603,000: 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 
Oversight of the House of Representatives or the Committee on 
Rules and Administration of the Senate: Provided further, That, 
notwithstanding any other provision of law, the compensation of 
the Director of the Congressional Research Service, Library of 
Congress, shall be at an annual rate which is equal to 
theannual rate of basic pay for positions at level IV of the Executive 
Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code.

                       GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

                   Congressional Printing and Binding


                     (including transfer of funds)


      For authorized printing and binding for the Congress and 
the distribution of Congressional information in any format; 
printing and binding for the Architect of the Capitol; expenses 
necessary for preparing the semimonthly and session index to 
the Congressional Record, as authorized by law (44 U.S.C. 902); 
printing and binding of Government publications authorized by 
law to be distributed to Members of Congress; and printing, 
binding, and distribution of Government publications authorized 
by law to be distributed without charge to the recipient, 
$81,669,000, of which $11,017,000 shall be derived by transfer 
from the Government Printing Office revolving fund under 
section 309 of title 44, United States Code: 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 44 U.S.C. 906: Provided further, That this 
appropriation shall be available for the payment of obligations 
incurred under the appropriations for similar purposes for 
preceding fiscal years.
      This title may be cited as the ``Congressional Operations 
Appropriations Act, 1998''.

                        TITLE II--OTHER AGENCIES

                             BOTANIC GARDEN

                         Salaries and Expenses

      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, $3,016,000.

                          LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

                         Salaries and Expenses

      For necessary expenses of the Library of Congress not 
otherwise provided for, including development and maintenance 
of the Union 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, $227,016,000, of which not more than $7,869,000 shall be 
derived from collections credited to this appropriation during 
fiscal year 1998, and shall remain available until expended, 
under the Act of June 28, 1902 (chapter 1301; 32 Stat. 480; 2 
U.S.C. 150): 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 the 
$7,869,000: Provided further, That of the total amount 
appropriated, $9,619,000 is to remain available until expended 
for acquisition of books, periodicals, newspapers, and all 
other materials including subscriptions for bibliographic 
services for the Library, including $40,000 to be available 
solely for the purchase, when specifically approved by the 
Librarian, of special and unique materials for additions to the 
collections: Provided further, That of the total amount 
appropriated, $5,584,000 is to remain available until expended 
for the acquisition and partial support for implementation of 
an integrated library system (ILS).

                            Copyright Office


                         salaries and expenses


      For necessary expenses of the Copyright Office, including 
publication of the decisions of the United States courts 
involving copyrights, $34,361,000, of which not more than 
$17,340,000 shall be derived from collections credited to this 
appropriation during fiscal year 1998 under 17 U.S.C. 708(d), 
and not more than $5,086,000 shall be derived from collections 
during fiscal year 1998 under 17 U.S.C. 111(d)(2), 119(b)(2), 
802(h), and 1005: Provided, That the total amount available for 
obligation shall be reduced by the amount by which collections 
are less than $22,426,000: 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 $2,250 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.

             Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped


                         salaries and expenses


      For salaries and expenses to carry out the Act of March 
3, 1931 (chapter 400; 46 Stat. 1487; 2 U.S.C. 135a), 
$46,561,000, of which $12,944,000 shall remain available until 
expended.

                       Furniture and Furnishings

      For necessary expenses for the purchase, installation, 
and repair of furniture, furnishings, office and library 
equipment, $4,178,000.

                       Administrative Provisions

      Sec. 201. Appropriations in this Act available to the 
Library of Congress shall be available, in an amount of not 
more than $194,290, of which $58,100 is for the Congressional 
Research Service, when specifically authorized by the 
Librarian, for attendance at meetings concerned with the 
function or activity for which the appropriation is made.
      Sec. 202. (a) No part of the funds appropriated in this 
Act shall be used by the Library of Congress to administer any 
flexible or compressed work schedule which--
            (1) applies to any manager or supervisor in a 
        position the grade or level of which is equal to or 
        higher than GS-15; and
            (2) grants such manager or supervisor the right to 
        not be at work for all or a portion of a workday 
        because of time worked by the manager or supervisor on 
        another workday.
      (b) For purposes of this section, the term ``manager or 
supervisor'' means any management official or supervisor, as 
such terms are defined in section 7103(a) (10) and (11) of 
title 5, United States Code.
      Sec. 203. Appropriated funds received by the Library of 
Congress from other Federal agencies to cover general and 
administrative overhead costs generated by performing 
reimbursable work for other agencies under the authority of 31 
U.S.C. 1535 and 1536 shall not be used to employ more than 65 
employees and may be expended or obligated--
            (1) in the case of a reimbursement, only to such 
        extent or in such amounts as are provided in 
        appropriations Acts; or
            (2) in the case of an advance payment, only--
                    (A) to pay for such general or 
                administrative overhead costs as are 
                attributable to the work performed for such 
                agency; or
                    (B) to such extent or in such amounts as 
                are provided in appropriations Acts, with 
                respect to any purpose not allowable under 
                subparagraph (A).
      Sec. 204. Of the amounts appropriated to the Library of 
Congress in this Act, not more than $5,000 may be expended, on 
the certification of the Librarian of Congress, in connection 
with official representation and reception expenses for the 
incentive awards program.
      Sec. 205. Of the amount appropriated to the Library of 
Congress in this Act, 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.
      Sec. 206. (a) For fiscal year 1998, the obligational 
authority of the Library of Congress for the activities 
described in subsection (b) may not exceed $100,490,000.
      (b) 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.
      Sec. 207. (a) Establishment.--Effective October 1, 1997, 
there is established in the Treasury of the United States a 
revolving fund to be known as the Cooperative Acquisitions 
Program Revolving Fund (in this section referred to as the 
``revolving fund''). Moneys in the revolving fund shall be 
available to the Librarian of Congress, without fiscal year 
limitation, for financing the cooperative acquisitions program 
(in this section referred to as the ``program'') under which 
the Library acquires foreign publications and research 
materials on behalf of participating institutionson a cost-
recovery basis. Obligations under the revolving fund are limited to 
amounts specified in the appropriations Act for that purpose for any 
fiscal year.
      (b) Amounts Deposited.--The revolving fund shall consist 
of--
            (1) any amounts appropriated by law for the 
        purposes of the revolving fund;
            (2) any amounts held by the Librarian as of October 
        1, 1997 or the date of enactment, whichever is later, 
        that were collected as payment for the Library's 
        indirect cost of the program; and
            (3) the difference between (A) the total value of 
        the supplies, equipment, gift fund balances, and other 
        assets of the program, and (B) the total value of the 
        liabilities (including unfunded liabilities such as the 
        value of accrued annual leave of employees) of the 
        program.
      (c) Credits to the Revolving Fund.--The revolving fund 
shall be credited with all advances and amounts received as 
payment for purchases under the program and services and 
supplies furnished to program participants, at rates estimated 
by the Librarian to be adequate to recover the full direct and 
indirect costs of the program to the Library over a reasonable 
period of time.
      (d) Unobligated Balances.--Any unobligated and unexpended 
balances in the revolving fund that the Librarian determines to 
be in excess of amounts needed for activities financed by the 
revolving fund, shall be deposited in the Treasury of the 
United States as miscellaneous receipts. Amounts needed for 
activities financed by the revolving fund means the direct and 
indirect costs of the program, including the costs of 
purchasing, shipping, binding of books and other library 
materials; supplies, materials, equipment and services needed 
in support of the program; salaries and benefits; general 
overhead; and travel.
      (e) Annual Report.--Not later than March 31 of each year, 
the Librarian of Congress shall prepare and submit to Congress 
an audited financial statement for the revolving fund for the 
preceding fiscal year. The audit shall be conducted in 
accordance with Government Auditing Standards for financial 
audits issued by the Comptroller General of the United States.
      Sec. 208. Authority of the Board to Invest Gift Funds.--
Section 4 of the Act entitled ``An Act to create a Library of 
Congress Trust Fund Board, and for other purposes'', approved 
March 3, 1925 (2 U.S.C. 160), is amended by adding at the end 
the following new undesignated paragraph:
      ``Upon agreement by the Librarian of Congress and the 
Board, a gift or bequest accepted by the Librarian under the 
first paragraph of this section may be invested or reinvested 
in the same manner as provided for trust funds under the second 
paragraph of section 2.''.

                        ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL

                     Library Buildings and Grounds


                     structural and mechanical care


      For all necessary expenses for the mechanical and 
structural maintenance, care and operation of the Library 
buildings and ground, 11,573,000, of which $3,910,000 shall 
remain available until expended.

                       GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

                 Office of Superintendent of Documents


                         salaries and expenses


      For expenses 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, $29,077,000: Provided, That travel expenses, including 
travel expenses of the Depository Library Council to the Public 
Printer, shall not exceed $150,000: Provided further, 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 
1996 and 1997 to depository and other designated libraries.

               Government Printing Office Revolving Fund

      The Government Printing Office is hereby authorized to 
make such expenditures, within the limits of funds available 
and in accord with the 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 Printing Office revolving fund: Provided, That not 
more than $2,500 may be expended on the certification of the 
Public Printer in connection with official representation and 
reception expenses: Provided further, That the revolving fund 
shall be available for the hire or purchase of not more than 
twelve passenger motor vehicles: Provided further, That 
expenditures in connection with travel expenses of the advisory 
councils to the Public Printer shall be deemed necessary to 
carry out the provisions of title 44, United States Code: 
Provided further, That the 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 the revolving fund and the 
funds provided under the headings ``Office of Superintendent of 
Documents'' and salaries and expenses'' together may not be 
available for the full-time equivalent employment of more than 
3,550 workyears: Provided further, That activities financed 
through the revolving fund may provide information in any 
format: Provided further, That the revolving fund shall not be 
used to administer any flexible or compressed work schedule 
which applies to any manager or supervisor in a position the 
grade or level of which is equal to or higher than GS-15: 
Provided further, That expenses for attendance at meetings 
shall not exceed $75,000: Provided further, That $1,500,000 may 
be expended on the certification of the Public Printer, for 
reimbursement to the General Account Office, for a management 
audit.

                       GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE

                         Salaries and Expenses

      For necessary expenses of the General Accounting Office, 
including not more than $7,000 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 
annualrate 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 31 U.S.C. 
3324; benefits comparable to those payable under sections 901(5), 
901(6) and 908(8) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 
4081(5), 4081(6) and 4081(8)); and under regulations prescribed by the 
Comptroller General of the United States, rental of living quarters in 
foreign countries; $339,499,000: Provided, That not more than 
$1,000,000 of reimbursements received incident to the operation of the 
General Accounting Office Building shall be available for use in fiscal 
year 1998: Provided further, That an additional amount of $4,404,000 
shall be available by transfer from funds previously deposited in the 
special account established pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 782: Provided 
further, That notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 9105 hereafter amounts 
reimbursed to the Comptroller General pursuant to that section shall be 
deposited to the appropriation of the General Accounting Office then 
available and remain available until expended, and not more than 
$2,000,000 of such funds shall be available for use in fiscal year 
1998: Provided further, That this appropriation and appropriations for 
administrative expenses of any other department or agency which is a 
member of the Joint Financial Management Improvement Program (JFMIP) 
shall be available to finance an appropriate share of JFMIP costs as 
determined by the JFMIP, including the salary of the Executive Director 
and secretarial support: 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. Payments hereunder to either the Forum or the 
JFMIP may be credited as reimbursements to any appropriation from which 
costs involved are initially financed: Provided further, That this 
appropriation and appropriations for administrative expenses of any 
other department or agency which is a member of the American Consortium 
on International Public Administration (ACIPA) shall be available to 
finance an appropriate share of ACIPA costs as determined by the ACIPA, 
including any expenses attributable to membership of ACIPA in the 
International Institute of Administrative Sciences.

                     TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS

      Sec. 301. 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 Oversight 
and for the Senate issued by the Committee on Rules and 
Administration.
      Sec. 302. No part of the funds appropriated in this Act 
shall remain available for obligation beyond fiscal year 1998 
unless expressly so provided in this Act.
      Sec. 303. Whenever in this Act any office or position not 
specifically established by the Legislative Pay Act of 1929 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.
      Sec. 304. The expenditure of any appropriation under this 
Act for any consulting service through procurement contract, 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109, shall be limited to those contracts 
where such expenditures are a matter or public record and 
available for public inspection, except whereotherwise provided 
under existing law, or under existing Executive order issued pursuant 
to existing law.
      Sec. 305. (a) It is the sense of the Congress that, to 
the greatest extent practicable, all equipment and products 
purchased with funds made available in this Act should be 
American-made.
      (b) In providing financial assistance to, or entering 
into any contract with, any entity using funds made available 
in this Act, the head of each Federal agency, to the greatest 
extent practicable, shall provide to such entity a notice 
describing the statement made in subsection (a) by the 
Congress.
      (c) If it has been finally determined by a court or 
Federal agency that any person intentionally affixed a label 
bearing a ``Made in America'' inscription, or any inscription 
with the same meaning, to any product sold in or shipped to the 
United States that is not made in the United States, such 
person shall be ineligible to receive any contract or 
subcontract made with funds provided pursuant to this Act, 
pursuant to the debarment, suspension, and ineligibility 
procedures described in section 9.400 through 9.409 of title 
48, Code of Federal Regulations.
      Sec. 306. Such sums as may be necessary are appropriated 
to the account described in subsection (a) of section 415 of 
Public Law 104-1 to pay awards and settlements as authorized 
under such subsection.
      Sec. 307. 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 $1,500.
      Sec. 308. (a) Section 713(a) of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after ``Senate,'' the following: 
``or the seal of the United States House of Representatives, or 
the seal of the United States Congress,''.
      (b) Section 713 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection 
        (f); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following 
        new subsections:
      ``(d) Whoever, except as directed by the United States 
House of Representatives, or the Clerk of the House of 
Representatives on its behalf, knowingly uses, manufactures, 
reproduces, sells or purchases for resale, either separately or 
appended to any article manufactured or sold, any likeness of 
the seal of the United States House of Representatives, or any 
substantial part thereof, except for manufacture or sale of the 
article for the official use of the Government of the United 
States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more 
than six months, or both.
      ``(e) Whoever, except as directed by the United States 
Congress, or the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the 
House of Representatives, acting jointly on its behalf, 
knowingly uses, manufactures, reproduces, sells or purchases 
for resale, either separately or appended to any article 
manufactured or sold, any likeness of the seal of the United 
States Congress, or any substantial part thereof, except for 
manufacture or sale of the article for the official use of the 
Government of the United States, shall be fined under this 
title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.''.
      (c) Section 713(f) of title 18, United States Code (as 
redesignated by subsection (b)(1)), is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph 
        (1);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph 
        (2) and inserting a semicolon; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new 
        paragraphs:
            ``(3) in the case of the seal of the United States 
        House of Representatives, upon complaint by the Clerk 
        of the House of Representatives; and
            ``(4) in the case of the seal of the United States 
        Congress, upon complaint by the Secretary of the Senate 
        and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, acting 
        jointly.''.
      (d) The heading of section 713 of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ``and the seal of the United 
States Senate'' and inserting the following: ``the seal of the 
United States Senate, the seal of the United States House of 
Representatives, and the seal of the United States Congress''.
      ``(e) The table of sections for chapter 33 of part I of 
title 18, United States Code, is amended by amending the item 
relating to section 713 to read as follows:

``713. Use of likenesses of the great seal of the United States, the 
          seals of the President and Vice President, the seal of the 
          United States Senate, the seal of the United States House of 
          Representatives, and the seal of the United States 
          Congress.''.

      Sec. 309. Section 316 of Public Law 101-302 is amended in 
the first sentence of subsection (a) by striking ``1997'' and 
inserting ``1998''.
      Sec. 310. (a) Severance Pay.--Section 5595 of title 5, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (D) by striking ``and'' 
                after the semicolon; and
                    (B) by adding after subparagraph (E) the 
                following new subparagraph:
                    ``(F) the Office of the Architect of the 
                Capitol, but only with respect to the United 
                States Senate Restaurants; and'';
            (2) in subsection (a)(2)--
                    (A) in clause (vii) by striking ``or'' 
                after the semicolon;
                    (B) by redesignating clause (viii) as 
                clause (ix) and inserting after clause (vii) 
                the following:
                            ``(viii) an employee of the United 
                        States Senate Restaurants of the Office 
                        of the Architect of the Capitol, who is 
                        employed on a temporary when actually 
                        employed basis; or''; and
            (3) in subsection (b) by adding at the end the 
        following: ``The Architect of the Capitol may prescribe 
        regulations to effect the application and operation of 
        this section to the agency specified in subsection 
        (a)(1)(F) of this section.''.
      (b) Early Retirement.--(1) This subsection applies to an 
employee of the United States Senate Restaurants of the Office 
of the Architect of the Capitol who--
            (A) voluntarily separates from service on or after 
        the date of enactment of this Act and before October 1, 
        1999; and
            (B) on such date of separation--
                    (i) has completed 25 years of service as 
                defined under section 8331(12) or 8401(26) of 
                title 5, United States Code; or
                    (ii) has completed 20 years of such service 
                and is at least 50 years of age.
      (2) Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 83 or 84 of 
title 5, United States Code, an employee described under 
paragraph (1) is entitled to an annuity which shall be computed 
consistent with the provisions of law applicable to annuities 
under section 8336(d) or 8414(b) of title 5, United States 
Code.
      (c) Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments.--(1) In this 
subsection, the term ``employee'' means an employee of the 
United States Senate Restaurants of the Office of the Architect 
of the Capitol, serving without limitation, who has been 
currently employed for a continuous period of at least 12 
months, except that such term shall not include--
            (A) a reemployed annuitant under subchapter III of 
        chapter 83 or chapter 84 of title 5, United States 
        Code, or another retirement system for employees of the 
        Government;
            (B) an employee having a disability on the basis of 
        which such employee is or would be eligible for 
        disability retirement under any of the retirement 
        systems referred to in subparagraph (A); or
            (C) an employee who is employed on a temporary when 
        actually employed basis.
      (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in order 
to avoid or minimize the need for involuntary separations due 
to a reduction in force, reorganization, transfer of function, 
or other similar action affecting the agency, the Architect of 
the Capitol shall establish a program under which voluntary 
separation incentive payments may be offered to encourage not 
more than 50 eligible employees to separate from service 
voluntarily (whether by retirement or resignation) during the 
period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act 
through September 30, 1999.
      (3) Such voluntary separation incentive payments shall be 
paid in accordance with the provisions of section 5597(d) of 
title 5, United States Code. Any such payment shall not be a 
basis of payment, and shall not be included in the computation, 
of any other type of Government benefit.
      (4)(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), an employee who has 
received a voluntary separation incentive payment under this 
section and accepts employment with the Government of the 
United States within 5 years after the date of the separation 
on which the payment is based shall be required to repay the 
entire amount of the incentive payment to the agency that paid 
the incentive payment.
      (B)(i) If the employment is with an Executive agency (as 
defined by section 105 of title 5, United States Code), the 
Director of the Office of Personnel Management may, at the 
request of the head of the agency, waive the repayment if the 
individual involved possesses unique abilities and is the only 
qualified applicant available for the position.
      (ii) If the employment is with an entity in the 
legislative branch, the head of the entity or the appointing 
official may waive the repayment if the individual involved 
possesses unique abilities and is the only qualified applicant 
available for the position.
      (iii) If the employment is with the judicial branch, the 
Director of the Administrative Office of the United States 
Courts may waive the repayment if the individual involved 
possesses unique abilities and is the only qualified applicant 
available for the position.
      (C) For purposes of subparagraph (A) (but not 
subparagraph (B)), the term ``employment'' includes employment 
under a personal services contract with the United States.
      (5) The Architect of the Capitol may prescribe 
regulations to carry out this subsection.
      (d) Competitive Service Treatment for Certain 
Employees.--(1) This subsection applies to any employee of the 
United States Senate Restaurants of the Office of the Architect 
of the Capitol who--
            (A) is involuntarily separated from service on or 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act and before 
        October 1, 1999 (except by removal for cause on charges 
        of misconduct or delinquency); and
            (B) has performed any period of service employed in 
        the Office of the Architect of the Capitol (including 
        the United States Senate Restaurants) in a position in 
        the excepted service as defined under section 2103 of 
        title 5, United States Code.
      (2) For purposes of applying for employment for any 
position in the executive branch (including for purposes of the 
administration of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code, 
with respect to such employment application), any period of 
service described under paragraph (1)(B) of this subsection 
shall be deemed a period of service in the competitive service 
as defined under section 2102 of title 5, United States Code.
      (3) This subsection shall--
            (A) take effect on the date of enactment of this 
        Act; and
            (B) apply only to an employment application 
        submitted by an employee during the 2-year period 
        beginning on the date of such employee's separation 
        from service described under paragraph (1)(A).
      (e) Retraining, Job Placement, and Counseling Services.--
(1) In this subsection, the term ``employee''--
            (A) means an employee of the United States Senate 
        Restaurants of the Office of the Architect of the 
        Capitol; and
            (B) shall not include--
                    (i) a reemployed annuitant under subchapter 
                III of chapter 83 or chapter 84 of title 5, 
                United States Code, or another retirement 
                system for employees of the Government; or
                    (ii) an employee who is employed on a 
                temporary when actually employed basis.
      (2) The architect of the Capitol may establish a program 
to provide retraining, job placement, and counseling services 
to employees and former employees.
      (3) A former employee may not participate in a program 
established under this subsection, if--
            (A) the former employee was separated from service 
        with the United States Senate Restaurants of the Office 
        of the Architect of the Capitol for more than 1 year; 
        or
            (B) the separation was by removal for cause on 
        charges of misconduct or delinquency.
      (4) Retraining costs for the program established under 
this subsection may not exceed $5,000 for each employee or 
former employee.
      (f) Administrative Provisions.--(1) The Architect of the 
Capitol--
            (A) may use employees of the Office of the 
        Architect of the Capitol to establish and administer 
        programs and carry out the provisions of this section; 
        and
            (B) may procure temporary and intermittent services 
        under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, 
        to carry out such provisions--
                    (i) not subject to the 1 year of service 
                limitation under such section 3109(b); and
                    (ii) at rates for individuals which do not 
                exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate 
                of basic pay prescribed for level V of the 
                Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such 
                title.
      (2) Funds to carry out subsections (a) and (c) may be 
expended only from funds available for the basic pay of the 
employee who is receiving the applicable payment.
      (3) Funds to carry out subsection (e) may be expended 
from any funds made available to the Architect of the Capitol.
      Sec. 311. (a) Rate of Pay for Director of Engineering.--
Section 108(a) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 
1991 (40 U.S.C. 166b-3b(a)) is amended by striking ``the rate 
of basic pay payable for level V of the Executive Schedule'' 
and inserting ``such rate as the Architect considers 
appropriate, not to exceed 90 percent of the highest total rate 
of pay for the Senior Executive Service under chapter 53 of 
title 5, United States Code, for the locality involved''.
      (b) Applicable Rate of Pay.--Section 108(b)(1) of such 
Act (40 U.S.C. 166b-3b(b)(1)) is amended--
            (1) by striking the second sentence; and
            (2) by striking ``the maximum rate allowable for 
        the Senior Executive Service'' each place it appears in 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B) and inserting the following: 
        ``the highest total rate of pay for the Senior 
        Executive Service under chapter 53 of title 5, United 
        States Code, for the locality involved''.
      (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
shall apply with respect to pay periods beginning on or after 
January 1, 1998.
      And on page 38, line 15 of the House engrossed bill, H.R. 
2209, strike ``Sec. 309'' and insert ``Sec. 312'' ; and the 
Senate agree to the same.

                                   James T. Walsh,
                                   Bill Young,
                                   R. Duke Cunningham,
                                   Zach Wamp,
                                   Tom Latham,
                                   Bob Livingston,
                                   Jose E. Serrano,
                                   Vic Fazio,
                                   Marcy Kaptur,
                                   David Obey,
                                 Managers on the Part of the House.

                                   Robert F. Bennett,
                                   Ted Stevens,
                                   Larry E. Craig,
                                   Thad Cochran,
                                   Byron L. Dorgan,
                                   Barbara Boxer,
                                   Robert Byrd,
                                Managers on the Part of the Senate.
       JOINT EXPLANATORY STATEMENT OF THE COMMITTEE OF CONFERENCE

      The managers on the part of the House and the Senate at 
the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on 
the amendments of the Senate to the bill (H.R. 2209) making 
appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 1998, and for other purposes, submit the 
following joint statement to the House and Senate in 
explanation of the effect of the action agreed upon by the 
managers and recommended in the accompanying conference report.
      Amendment No. 1: The Senate deleted several provisions of 
the House bill and inserted substitute provisions. Several 
items in both House and Senate bills are identical and are 
included in the conference agreement without change. With 
respect to those items in amendment number 1 that differ 
between House and Senate bills, the conferees have agreed to 
the following:

                   TITLE I--CONGRESSIONAL OPERATIONS

                                 Senate

      Appropriates $461,055,000 for Senate operations instead 
of $460,622,000 as proposed by the Senate and contains several 
administrative provisions. Inasmuch as this item relates solely 
to the Senate and in accord with long practice under which each 
body determines its own housekeeping requirements and the other 
concurs without intervention, the managers on the part of the 
House, at the request of the managers on the part of the 
Senate, have receded to the Senate.

                        House of Representatives

      The managers on the part of the House have asked the 
Senate conferees to agree to the addition of three House 
administrative provisions. The first transfers authority for 
granting retirement waivers from the Speaker to the Committee 
on House Oversight; the second authorizes the Chief 
Administrative Officer to make advance payments for certain 
goods and services; and the third authorizes available funds to 
be used for reimbursing the Department of Labor for workmen's 
compensation payments. Inasmuch as this item relates solely to 
the House and in accord with long practice under which each 
body determines its own housekeeping requirements and the other 
concurs without intervention, the managers on the part of the 
Senate, at the request of the managers on the part of the 
House, have receded to the House.

                              JOINT ITEMS

                      Joint Committee on Printing

      Appropriates $804,000 for the Joint Committee on Printing 
as proposed by the House instead of $807,000 as proposed by the 
Senate.

                      Joint Committee on Taxation

      Appropriates $5,815,500 for the Joint Committee on 
Taxation instead of $5,907,000 as proposed by the House and 
$5,724,000 as proposed by the Senate. This level of funding 
provides resources for an additional 2.5 FTE's over the current 
level. The conferees agree that the Joint Committee on 
Taxation, a joint item that supports both the House and the 
Senate equally, serves a critical role in preparing tax and 
revenue estimates for Members of Congress. The conferees expect 
the Joint Committee staff to be fully responsive in assisting 
with revenue estimates for Members of Congress who are not 
members of the tax committees. Upon the request of any Member 
of Congress, the Joint Committee shall expeditiously provide a 
revenue estimate, describe all assumptions it makes in 
performing its calculations and provide all primary and 
secondary source materials to Members or their designees. The 
Joint Committee shall also state the assumptions and source 
material in a manner that will allow the calculations for the 
revenue estimate to be replicated by Members or their 
designees. The conferees note that such revenue estimates are 
needed in a timely manner and are critical to the consideration 
of legislation and amendments. The conferees expect the Joint 
Committee to be both responsive and timely in its responses to 
Members of Congress who do not serve on the revenue committees. 
It is the intent of the conferees to carefully monitor the 
responsiveness of the Joint Committee to determine if statutory 
language will be required next year.

                   Office of the Attending Physician

      In the appropriating paragraph for the ``Office of the 
Attending Physician'', restores a colon inserted by the House 
and stricken by the Senate, restores the designation ``Office 
of the Attending Physician'' as proposed by the House and 
stricken by the Senate instead of ``Attending Physician's 
Office'' as proposed by the Senate, restores the word 
``assistants'' as proposed by the House and stricken by the 
Senate instead of ``assistance'' as proposed by the Senate and 
inserts ``applicable appropriation or appropriations from which 
such salaries, allowances, and other expenses'' as proposed by 
the Senate instead of similar language as proposed by the House 
and stricken by the Senate.

                          Capitol Police Board

                             Capitol Police

                                Salaries

      Appropriates $70,955,000 for salaries of officers, 
members, and employees of the Capitol Police as proposed by the 
House instead of $73,935,000 as proposed by the Senate, of 
which $34,118,000 is provided to the Sergeant at Arms of the 
House of Representatives and $36,837,000 is provided to the 
Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate. The conferees 
have agreed to fund 1255 FTE's as proposed by the House instead 
of 1259 as proposed by the Senate. An amount of $267,000 is 
provided for ``comparability'' pay and is fenced pending 
approval of the appropriate authorities. The conferees concur 
in House report language regarding the need for the police to 
improve their record keeping.

                            general expenses

      Appropriates $3,099,000 for general expenses of the 
Capitol Police as proposed by the House instead of $5,401,000 
as proposed by the Senate.

                       administrative provisions

      Changes section numbers, and makes corrections in 
capitalization and spelling.

                          Office of Compliance

                         salaries and expenses

      Appropriates $2,479,000 for salaries and expenses, Office 
of Compliance as proposed by the House instead of $2,600,000 as 
proposed by the Senate.

                      Congressional Budget Office

                         salaries and expenses

      Appropriates $24,797,000 for salaries and expenses, 
Congressional Budget Office as proposed by the House instead of 
$24,995,000 as proposed by the Senate.

                        Architect of the Capitol

                     capitol buildings and grounds

                           capitol buildings

                         salaries and expenses

      In the appropriating paragraph for salaries and expenses, 
Capitol buildings, Capitol buildings and grounds, Architect of 
the Capitol, inserts ``for'' as proposed by the Senate, inserts 
a limitation on travel expenses as proposed by the Senate, and 
appropriates $36,977,000 instead of $36,827,000 as proposed by 
the House and $39,554,000 as proposed by the Senate. Of this 
amount, $7,500,000 shall remain available until expended as 
proposed by the Senate instead of $6,450,000 as proposed by the 
House. With respect to object class and project differences 
between the House and Senate bills, the conferees have agreed 
to the following:

1. Personnel compensation and benefits..................     $22,690,000
2. Annual maintenance, repairs, and alterations.........       5,383,000
3. Supplies, materials, and equipment...................         628,400
4. Conservation of wall paintings.......................         100,000
5. Provide infrastructure for security installations....         500,000
6. Replace six West Front lower terrace windows.........               0
7. Design to replace legislative call system and clocks.           \1\ 0
8. Study of exterior architectural fixtures and elements           \1\ 0
9. Electrical renovations to Senate kitchen.............          75,000
10. Repairs to East Front bronze doors..................               0
11. Cleaning of historical architectural surface........               0
12. Modifications to South Capitol Street Warehouse.....               0
13. Conservation and maintenance of exterior sculptures.               0
14. Witness timers in House committee rooms.............         125,000
15. Chemical and explosive storage facility, D.C. 
    Village.............................................               0
16. Completion of canine facility, D.C. Village.........         200,000
17. Replace House chamber sound reinforcement system....         930,000
18. Provide protection from transformers in open areas..           \1\ 0
19. Computer aided facility management..................               0
20. Improve lighting for Senate chamber.................         300,000
21. Upgrade electrical system drawings on CAD...........               0
22. CAD Mechanical Database.............................               0
23. Upgrade Rotunda lighting............................               0
24. Sound systems, House committee and hearing rooms....         120,000
25. Design to upgrade air conditioning, East Front......           \1\ 0
26. Study for upgrading building systems, Capitol.......               0

\1\ To be done with FY97 funds.

      The conferees understand that several of the unfunded 
projects can be done with FY 1997 funds, including $75,000 for 
a replacement of a fire pump that was not in disagreement, and 
direct the Architect to submit a list of those projects to the 
Committees on Appropriations. To the extent that carryover 
funds authorized in this bill for the Architect of the Capitol 
remain unused in this or any other account, the Architect is 
directed to seek approval from the Committees on Appropriations 
before expending any balances.

                            capitol grounds

      Appropriates $5,116,000 for care and improvement of 
grounds surrounding the Capitol, House and Senate office 
buildings, and the Capitol Power Plant instead of $4,991,000 as 
proposed by the House and $6,203,000 as proposed by the Senate. 
Of this amount, $745,000 shall remain available until expended 
as proposed by the Senate instead of $25,000 as proposed by the 
House. With respect to object class and project differences 
between the House and Senate bills, the conferees have agreed 
to the following:

1. Supplies, materials, and equipment...................        $142,000
2. Replace delta barriers, north and south drives.......               0
3. Renovate and restore Russell courtyard...............               0
4. Design for security improvements, HSOB horseshoe.....         125,000
5. Security planters, Capitol square and secured streets               0
6. Install new hydraulic security barriers..............               0
7. CAD database development--site utilities.............               0
8. Upgrade, automate, and expand irrigation system......               0

                        senate office buildings

      Appropriates $52,021,000 instead of $50,922,000 as 
proposed by the Senate, of which $13,200,000 shall remain 
available until expended, for the operations of the Senate 
office buildings. Inasmuch as this item relates solely to the 
Senate and in accord with long practice under which each body 
determines its own housekeeping requirements and the other 
concurs without intervention, the managers of the part of the 
House, at the request of the managers on the part of the 
Senate, have receded to the Senate.
      Amendment No. 2: The Senate deleted several provisions of 
the House bill and inserted substitute provisions. Several 
items in both House and Senate bills are identical and are 
included in the conference agreement without change. With 
respect to those items in amendment number 2 that differ 
between House and Senate bills, the conferees have agreed to 
the following:

                         house office buildings

      At the request of the managers on the part of the House, 
appropriates $36,610,000 for the operations of House office 
buildings instead of $37,181,000 as proposed by the House and 
Senate, of which $8,082,000 shall remain available until 
expended. The reduction is made possible because FY 1997 funds 
will be used for various roof repairs and the purchase of a 
fire pump. Inasmuch as this item relates solely to the House 
and in accord with long practice under which each body 
determines its own housekeeping requirements and the other 
concurs without intervention, the managers on the part of the 
Senate, at the request of the managers on the part of the 
House, have receded to the House.

                          capitol power plant

      In the appropriating paragraph for the Capitol Power 
Plant, two grammatical changes are made, and $33,932,000 is 
appropriated for plant operations instead of $32,032,000 as 
proposed by the House and $33,645,000 as proposed by the 
Senate. Of this amount, $1,650,000 shall remain available until 
expended as proposed by the Senate instead of $550,000 as 
proposed by the House. With respect to object class and project 
differences between the House and Senate bills, the conferees 
have agreed to the following:

1. Purchase of electricity..............................        $925,000
2. Annual maintenance and supplies......................       5,060,000
3. East Plant chiller...................................       1,000,000
4. Replace dealkalizer resin............................               0
5. Distribution system (steam and chilled water)........               0
6. Update CAD drawings for Capitol Power Plant..........               0
7. Optimization of plant operations.....................               0
8. Additional fuel costs................................         775,000

      The additional fuel costs were not contained in either 
House or Senate bills and are due to the conversion of coal 
fired boilers to gas burners for emission control purposes.

                          Library of Congress

                     congressional research service

                         salaries and expenses

      Appropriates $64,603,000 for salaries and expenses, 
Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress as proposed 
by the House instead of $65,134,000 as proposed by the Senate.

                       Government Printing Office

                   congressional printing and binding

      Restores a heading contained in the House bill and 
stricken by the Senate and provides $81,669,000, including a 
transfer of $11,017,000 from the GPO revolving fund, for 
Congressional printing and binding as proposed by the House 
instead of a direct appropriation of $82,269,000 as proposed by 
the Senate. In addition, the conferees have restored a 
provision of the House bill stricken by the Senate and deleted 
a provision inserted in the Senate bill regarding billing 
procedures.
      The conferees remind GPO to observe section 718, title 
44, United States Code, in billing and carrying out printing 
work for Congress.

                        TITLE II--OTHER AGENCIES

                             Botanic Garden

                         salaries and expenses

      Appropriates $3,016,000 for salaries and expenses, 
Botanic Garden instead of $1,771,000 as proposed by the House 
and $3,228,000 as proposed by the Senate. With respect to 
object class and project differences between the House and 
Senate bills, the conferees have agreed to the following:

1. Personnel compensation and benefits..................      $2,804,000
2. Travel, rent, and communications.....................           6,000
3. Annual maintenance, repairs, and alterations.........          69,000
4. Supplies, materials, and equipment...................         137,000
5. Bartholdi Park irrigation system.....................               0

                          Library of Congress

                         salaries and expenses

      Provides $227,016,000 for salaries and expenses, Library 
of Congress instead of $223,507,000 as proposed by the House 
and $229,904,000 as proposed by the Senate. Of this amount, 
$9,619,000 is to remain available until expended for 
acquisition of library materials as proposed by the Senate 
instead of $8,845,000 as proposed by the House. With respect to 
the integrated library system (ILS), the House report (105-196) 
directs the Library of Congress to complete a number of key 
planning activities before awarding a contract. The Library has 
acted on several items and has developed a schedule for 
addressing the remaining tasks. The conferees direct that all 
of these key activities be essentially completed and documented 
before contract award. Among these are:
         developing detailed transition, data conversion, 
        arrearage reduction, training, and post-deployment 
        human resource utilization plans; and
         implementing a system capable of continuously tracking 
        all ILS-related benefits and costs.
      The conferees also agree with the Senate report regarding 
the submission of a report on the availability of off-the-shelf 
ILS software and a timeline plan and quarterly reports. The 
conferees also direct the Library to have approval from the 
Committees on Appropriations before proceeding with a contract 
award. With respect to the projected savings and benefits that 
are the basis of the Library of Congress' justification for 
investing over $40 million in the Integrated Library System 
project, the conferees believe that these savings are fully 
expected to materialize and will result in actual budgetary and 
resource savings. The conferees do not intend, therefore, that 
the savings associated with this project will be automatically 
reinvested in the Library's resource base. Any use of these 
savings will have to be included in resource increases 
requested in the usual manner in the annual budget submission. 
The conferees also endorse the Senate report language regarding 
a security plan.

                            Copyright Office

                         salaries and expenses

      Provides $34,361,000 for salaries and expenses, Copyright 
Office as proposed by the House instead of $34,567,000 as 
proposed by the Senate.

             Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped

                         Salaries and Expenses

      Appropriates $46,561,000 for salaries and expenses, books 
for the blind and physically handicapped instead of $45,936,000 
as proposed by the House and $47,870,000 as proposed by the 
Senate. Of this amount, $12,944,000 shall remain available 
until expended instead of $12,319,000 as proposed by the House 
and $14,194,000 as proposed by the Senate. The conferees have 
provided $1,250,000 to begin a program to replace an additional 
10,000 playback machines.

                       Furniture and Furnishings

      The conferees agree to the Senate insertion of ``, 
installation''.

                       Administrative Provisions

      The conferees have corrected a typographical error in 
section 202 and agree to the Senate bill which added $3,000,000 
to the limitation on reimbursable and revolving fund 
activities. The conferees have also agreed to the language of 
the Senate bill regarding the establishment of a Cooperative 
Acquisitions Program Revolving Fund and have also agreed to 
language in the Senate bill regarding authority to invest gift 
funds.

                        Architect of the Capitol

                     Library Buildings and Grounds

                     structural and mechanical care

      Appropriates $11,573,000 for structural and mechanical 
care, Library buildings and grounds, Architect of the Capitol 
instead of $10,073,000 as proposed by the House and $14,699,000 
as proposed by the Senate. Of this amount, $3,910,000 shall 
remain available until expended as proposed by the Senate 
instead of $710,000 as proposed by the House. With respect to 
object class and project differences between the House and 
Senate bills, the conferees have agreed to the following:

1. Annual maintenance, repairs, and alterations.........      $1,191,000
2. Supplies, materials, equipment and land..............         615,000
3. Replace HVAC eliminator plate, TJB and JMMB..........               0
4. Replace convector controls, Madison Building.........               0
5. Replace copper on roof vertical walls, TJB Building..       1,500,000
6. Indoor security improvements--cages and vaults.......               0
7. Design for building security systems upgrades........               0
8. Design for Visitors Center, Thomas Jefferson Building               0
9. Compact bookstack safety review, Madison Building....               0
10. Install additional readers, Library of Congress 
    Buildings...........................................               0
11. Design for screening/holding facility, Fort Meade...               0
12. Exterior security improvements......................               0
13. HVAC Improvements NW Curtain, TJB...................               0

      The conferees direct that no funds be expended for design 
of building security system upgrades until approval of the 
Library's overall security plan by the appropriate committees 
of the House and Senate.

                       Government Printing Office

                 Office of Superintendent of Documents

                         salaries and expenses

      Appropriates $29,077,000 as proposed by the Senate and 
makes a punctuation change for salaries and expenses, Office of 
Superintendent of Documents instead of $29,264,000 as proposed 
by the House.
      On September 16, 1997, the General Accounting Office 
(GAO) issued a report related to the Government Printing Office 
(GPO) inventory reductions during the last quarter of Fiscal 
Year 1996. GAO found that certain procedures and policies were 
not followed, which resulted in thousands of volumes being 
destroyed without the usual prior notification of issuing 
agencies to determine if they wanted the excess copies. The 
conferees find the actions of GPO in this matter irresponsible 
and to have shown a callous disregard for the interest of the 
taxpayers. GPO has taken or plans to take the following actions 
to assure that this does not recur:
            Superintendent of Documents policy has been changed 
        to require that certain publications, because of their 
        historical significance, will remain in print and 
        available in the Sales Program indefinitely. Inventory 
        control documents for these publications will indicate 
        this policy.
            GPO will develop a formal system for identifying 
        publications that will remain in the inventory 
        indefinitely.
            GPO has amended its policy to require that no 
        exception can be made to the requirement that excess 
        stocks must be offered to the issuing agency. This 
        revised policy will provide that excess inventory will 
        be charged to surplus publications expense when it is 
        determined to be excess. The excess inventory will be 
        held in GPO's warehouse while issuing agencies are 
        contacted to see if they want the excess publications. 
        The policy to offer issuing agencies excess copies 
        before their disposal cannot be waived.
            GPO has issued a written policy that excess 
        inventory does not have to be physically removed from 
        GPO's warehouse before it can be charged to surplus 
        publications expense.
            GPO's new Integrated Processing System will allow 
        GPO to electronically designate excess inventories and 
        provides a comment box where GPO can designate a 
        publication as not to be excessed, or make other 
        appropriate notations about its disposition. Until the 
        new system is implemented, notations on holding copies 
        indefinitely will be made on records that are 
        maintained manually.
            GPO will modify the form it uses to make 
        recommendations on excess inventory to include 
        consideration of holding costs.
      The conferees direct that GPO implement and monitor the 
management of the Sales Program vigilantly under these actions 
in all cases. In addition, the conferees note that GPO has 
developed a legislative proposal to authorize the transfer or 
donation of excess publications to schools or similar 
institutions, if they are not wanted by the issuing agency. The 
proposal has been submitted to the appropriate congressional 
committees.

               government printing office revolving fund

      The conferees agree to a technical change in a heading 
reference and have deleted the Senate language regarding the 
time reference for calculating full-time equivalent employment.
      The conference agreement provides that the Government 
Printing Office (GPO) will make available up to $1,500,000 from 
its revolving fund to the General Accounting Office (GAO) for a 
management audit of selected GPO procedures and operational 
processes. It is expected that GAO will rely heavily on outside 
experts and contract assistance for its reviews, and will 
report the results no later than April 30, 1998, to House and 
Senate Appropriations Committees, Joint Committee on Printing, 
Committee on House Oversight, and the Senate Rules and 
Administration Committee. Specific activities that GAO is 
instructed to assess and make recommendations on are: (1) the 
Superintendent of Document's sales program and the procedures 
involved in the management of publication inventories for the 
program; (2) the Government Printing Office's printing 
procurement program including the organization, operation, 
staffing, marketing, and financing of this program as well as 
procedures for contracting for printing services from private 
vendors and the process for determining charges for printing 
and other services provided to Congress and executive branch 
agencies; (3) the Government Printing Office's in-plant 
production including ways to improve its efficiency and cost-
effectiveness, its organization and the mix of its products, 
its management and staffing, and the processes for determining 
charges for printing and other services provided to Congress 
and the executive branch agencies; (4) the appropriate use of 
GPO personnel (training, deployment, supervisory structure, 
etc.); and (5) the Government Printing Office's budgeting, 
accounting and financial reporting systems including their 
methodology, presentation, clarity, reliability and ease of 
interpretation. This management audit must include an objective 
evaluation of each of these activities with specific 
recommendations which will improve the efficiently and 
effectiveness of the Government Printing Office in fulfilling 
its legal responsibilities. GAO is also instructed to update 
and assess the implementation status of financial and other 
management-related observations and recommendations identified 
during the audit of GPO's consolidated financial statement for 
the year ended September 30, 1995. GAO's reviews should not be 
encumbered by presupposing that GPO's current operations, 
including in-house printing of the Congressional Record and 
other resource-intensive Congressional and executive branch 
publications and operating with three shifts, cannot be 
changed.

                       General Accounting Office

                         salaries and expenses

      Makes several punctuation and non-substantive language 
changes as proposed by the Senate and appropriates $339,499,000 
for salaries and expenses, General Accounting Office, instead 
of $323,520,000 as proposed by the House and $346,751,000 as 
proposed by the Senate. With respect to the provision added by 
the Senate regarding studies and assessments, the conferees 
have agreed to drop this provision.

                     TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS

      In Title III, General Provisions, section numbers have 
been changed to conform to the conference agreement. The 
conferees have agreed to the language of the House bill in 
section 302, have agreed to the provisions in the House bill 
regarding ``buy American'', the Legislative Branch Financial 
Managers Council, and the amendment to title 18, United States 
Code, covering the use of the House and Congressional seals. 
The conferees have also agreed to sections 306 and 309 of the 
Senate bill regarding section 316 of Public Law 101-302 and the 
Senate restaurant system. The conferees have agreed to delete 
section 307 of the Senate bill, which amends the National 
Energy Conservation Policy Act, and section 308 of the Senate 
bill, regarding residence of Members of Congress. Also, the 
conferees have added a new provision which adjusts the cap on 
nine senior positions in the office of the Architect of the 
Capitol. The conferees intend that the cap adjustment be used 
for cost-of-living adjustment purposes.

                       Alternative Fuel Vehicles

      The conferees are aware that the Energy Policy Act of 
1992 calls for the incorporation of alternative fuel vehicles 
into Federal fleets. Inclusion of such clean fuel vehicles 
provides needed air quality benefits for the Nation's Capital. 
The conferees note that Senate report language directs the 
Architect of the Capitol and the Senate Sergeant at Arms to 
report to the Senate Committee on Appropriations by January 1, 
1998, on how they could incorporate alternative fuel vehicles 
into their fleets consistent with their needs and requirements. 
Accordingly, the conferees direct the Comptroller General of 
the States, the Public Printer, the Capitol Police Board, the 
Clerk of the House, the Secretary of the Senate, and the 
Librarian of Congress, as well as the Senate Sergeant at Arms 
and the Architect of the Capitol to report to their respective 
Committees on Appropriations on a plan that would incorporate 
alternative fuel vehicles into their fleets consistent with 
their needs and requirements and the Energy Policy Act of 1992.

                   CONFERENCE TOTAL--WITH COMPARISONS

      The total new budget (obligational) authority for the 
fiscal year 1998 recommended by the Committee of Conference, 
with comparisons to the fiscal year 1997 amount, the 1998 
budget estimates, and the House and Senate bills for 1998 
follow:

New Budget (obligational) authority, fiscal year 1997...  $2,202,881,200
Budget estimates of new (obligational) authority, fiscal 
    year 1998...........................................   2,394,560,000
House bill, fiscal year 1998............................   1,711,417,000
Senate bill, fiscal year 1998...........................   2,283,746,000
Conference agreement, fiscal year 1998..................   2,248,676,500
Conference agreement, compared with:
    New budget (obligational) authority, fiscal year 
      1997..............................................     +45,795,300
    Budget estimates of new (obligational) authority, 
      fiscal year 1998..................................    -145,883,500
    House bill, fiscal year 1998........................    +537,259,500
    Senate bill, fiscal year 1998.......................     -35,069,500

                                   James T. Walsh,
                                   Bill Young,
                                   R. Duke Cunningham,
                                   Zach Wamp,
                                   Tom Latham,
                                   Bob Livingston,
                                   Jose E. Serrano,
                                   Vic Fazio,
                                   Marcy Kaptur,
                                   David Obey,
                                 Managers on the Part of the House.

                                   Robert F. Bennett,
                                   Ted Stevens,
                                   Larry E. Craig,
                                   Thad Cochran,
                                   Byron L. Dorgan,
                                   Barbara Boxer,
                                   Robert Byrd,
                                Managers on the Part of the Senate.


                                
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