[House Report 110-830]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



110th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session                                                     110-830

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      DIRECTING THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER OF THE HOUSE OF 
 REPRESENTATIVES TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALS WHOSE PAY IS DISBURSED BY THE 
  CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER BY ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER WITH THE 
  OPTION OF RECEIVING RECEIPTS OF PAY AND WITHHOLDINGS ELECTRONICALLY

                                _______
                                

 September 8, 2008.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be 
                                printed

                                _______
                                

Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, from the Committee on House Administration, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                      [To accompany H. Res. 1207]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

  The Committee on House Administration, to whom was referred 
the resolution (H. Res. 1207) directing the Chief 
Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives to 
provide individuals whose pay is disbursed by the Chief 
Administrative Officer by electronic funds transfer with the 
option of receiving receipts of pay and withholdings 
electronically, having considered the same, report favorably 
thereon with an amendment and recommend that the resolution be 
agreed to.
  The amendment is as follows:
  Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the 
following:

SECTION 1. PROVIDING INDIVIDUALS PAID BY CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER 
                    OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WITH THE OPTION OF 
                    RECEIVING RECEIPTS OF PAY ELECTRONICALLY.

  (a) In General.--The Chief Administrative Officer of the House of 
Representatives shall take such steps as may be necessary to provide 
each individual whose pay is disbursed by the Chief Administrative 
Officer by electronic funds transfer with the option of receiving the 
receipt of the pay and the accompanying withholdings electronically, 
the option of viewing electronically the individual's employee 
statement required under section 6051 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986, and the option of revising electronically (to the extent 
permitted under applicable law and regulations) the individual's number 
of deductions and withholdings under that statement and information 
relating to the deposit of the individual's funds with the financial 
institution to which the electronic funds transfer is made.
  (b) Electronic Funds Transfer Defined.--In subsection (a), the term 
``electronic funds transfer'' has the meaning given such term by 
section 3332 of title 31, United States Code.

                       PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION

    H. Res. 1207 would direct the Chief Administrative Officer 
of the House of Representatives to provide individuals whose 
pay is disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer by 
electronic funds transfer with the option of receiving receipts 
of pay and withholdings electronically.

                           RESOLUTION SUMMARY

    H. Res. 1207 would require the Chief Administrative Officer 
(CAO) to provide electronic pay stubs, rather than pay stubs by 
mail, upon request for any employee of the House of 
Representatives. The committee supports this resolution as a 
common-sense way to modernize the House pay-system.
    Electronic pay stubs would offer convenience to members and 
staff by simplifying record keeping. H. Res. 1207 would also 
make a substantial reduction in paper waste.

                        COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    On July 30, 2008, the Committee considered H. Res. 1207 
and, by voice vote, ordered the resolution reported favorably 
with an amendment. No recorded votes were taken during the 
consideration of the bill.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR H. RES. 1207

    Currently, all employees of the House whose pay is 
distributed through the Chief Administrative Officer receive 
paper pay stubs through the mail. Not only is this an 
increasingly outdated practice, it also generates a substantial 
amount of unnecessary paper waste. Allowing members and staff 
to opt for an electronic pay stub will make it easier to keep 
payment records for both the dispersing authority and 
recipients. Allowing for electronic stubs will also decrease 
the amount of paper waste accrued from mailing receipts of pay, 
promoting the Speaker's Green the Capitol initiative.
    The Chief Administrative Officer's staff has expressed some 
concerns over the responsibility of tracking the receipt 
preference, and the preferred e-mail address, of each 
individual House employee. If the proposal is adopted, the 
Committee on House Administration would work with the CAO staff 
to ensure a smooth transition into the new system.

                ANALYSIS OF THE RESOLUTION (AS REPORTED)

    H. Res. 1207 was introduced by Representative Virginia Foxx 
of North Carolina on May 16, 2008. The resolution directs the 
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the House of 
Representatives to provide individuals whose pay is disbursed 
electronically by the CAO with the option of receiving receipts 
of pay and withholdings electronically. The resolution was 
referred to the Committee on House Administration, which 
amended it and ordered it reported on July 30, 2008. The 
resolution would make W2 forms available electronically and 
allow individuals to change their deductions and withholdings, 
and to re-designate the depository institution(s) for 
electronic deposits.
    The resolution is similar to H.R. 6073, which would require 
the Office of Personnel Management to ensure that all executive 
branch employees have the option of receiving pay stubs 
electronically. H.R. 6073, which was also introduced by 
Representative Foxx, was reported by the House Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform on July 16, 2008. The 
Congressional Budget Office issued a cost estimate of that bill 
on July 21, and it passed the House by voice vote on July 30.
    A section by section analysis of the resolution (as amended 
and reported) is as follows:
    Section 1. Subsection (a) directs the CAO of the House of 
Representatives to take such steps as may be necessary to 
ensure that any employee who receives pay from the CAO by 
electronic funds transfer shall be given the option of 
electronically receiving receipt of pay and withholdings, 
viewing the employment statement required under the Internal 
Revenue Act of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 6051), and revising the 
employee's number of deductions and withholdings.
    Subsection (b) gives the term ``electronic funds transfer'' 
the same meaning as in 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3332.

               MATTERS REQUIRED UNDER RULES OF THE HOUSE

Committee votes

    Clause 3(b) of House Rule XIII requires the results of each 
recorded vote on an amendment or motion to report, together 
with the names of those voting for and against, to be printed 
in the committee report. No recorded votes were taken during 
the committee's consideration of H. Res. 1207.

Congressional Budget Office estimate

    Clause 3(c)(3) of House Rule XIII requires the report of a 
committee on a measure which has been approved by the committee 
to include a cost estimate prepared by the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 403 of the CBA, 
if timely submitted. The Director submitted the following 
estimate:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                    Washington, DC, August 8, 2008.
Hon. Robert A. Brady,
Chairman, Committee on House Administration,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H. Res. 1207, a 
resolution directing the Chief Administrative Officer of the 
House of Representatives to provide individuals whose pay is 
disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer by electronic 
funds transfer with the option of receiving receipts of pay and 
withholdings electronically.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew 
Pickford.
            Sincerely,
                                         Robert A. Sunshine
                                   (For Peter R. Orszag, Director).
    Enclosure.

H. Res. 1207--A resolution directing the Chief Administrative Officer 
        of the House of Representatives to provide individuals whose 
        pay is disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer by 
        electronic funds transfer with the option of receiving receipts 
        of pay and withholdings electronically

    H. Res. 1207 would require the Chief Administrative Officer 
(CAO) of the House of Representatives to take steps to provide 
employees who receive their pay through electronic transfer 
with the option of receiving their pay stubs electronically. 
According to the CAO, the agency intends to offer electronic 
pay stubs to all staff in the near future. Thus, CBO estimates 
that enacting H. Res. 1207 would have no significant effect on 
federal spending and would not affect revenues.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew 
Pickford. This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, 
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

Oversight findings

    Clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII requires each committee report 
to contain oversight findings and recommendations required 
pursuant to clause 2(b)(1) of House Rule X. The Committee has 
general oversight responsibility for the Chief Administrative 
Officer of the House of Representatives. The Committee 
recommends the implementation of H. Res. 1207 to proceed with 
the goal of modernizing House administrative practices and to 
advance the Speaker's Greening the Capitol Initiative.

Statement of general performance goals and objectives

    Clause 3(c)(4) of House Rule XIII requires committee 
reports to include a statement of general performance goals and 
objectives. The Committee finds that H. Res. 1207 will 
modernize the House payment system, provide greater flexibility 
for staff, and promote the Greening the Capitol initiative.

                                  
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