[House Report 112-105]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


112th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                    112-105

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IMPROVING CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 
                         AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

                                _______
                                

 June 14, 2011.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

   Mr. Daniel E. Lungren of California, from the Committee on House 
                Administration, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1934]

    The Committee on House Administration, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 1934) to improve certain administrative 
operations of the Library of Congress, and for other purposes, 
having considered the same, report favorably thereon without 
amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

                BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE LEGISLATION

    H.R. 1934 authorizes the Library of Congress to retain 
proceeds from the sale of surplus or obsolete property of the 
Library in the same way as is now authorized for the Architect 
of the Capitol and the U.S. Capitol Police. Currently, the 
Library disposes of used or surplus Library property via the 
General Services Administration under 40 U.S.C. 541, or 
directly under 2 U.S.C. 149 (the transfer, disposal or 
destruction of material that has become useless). Neither of 
these provisions authorizes the Library to recover and retain 
any proceeds from such a transaction.
    This legislation is recognized by the Committee on a 
bipartisan basis as a prudent improvement in Library of 
Congress operations. It was also introduced by Chairman Robert 
Brady during the 111th Congress as part of H.R. 5681, which was 
marked up and passed via voice vote by the Committee on July 
14th, 2010. H.R. 5681 was reported out of Committee in Report 
111-557 on July 22nd, 2010. It passed the House via voice vote 
under Suspension of the Rules and was referred to the Senate 
Rules Committee on July 27th, 2010. H.R. 5681 saw no further 
action by the Senate. During the 112th Congress, the Library 
presented this provision to this committee in its oversight 
capacity, for due consideration.

                SUMMARY AND SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

    H.R. 1934 is modeled directly on similar authority provided 
to the U.S. Capitol Police in fiscal year 2003 (2 U.S.C. 1906) 
and to the Architect of the Capitol in fiscal year 2010 (2 
U.S.C. 1817(a)). Section 1 authorizes the Library to retain 
proceeds from the disposition of used or obsolete personal 
property owned by the Library and use the proceeds to purchase 
the same or similar property during that fiscal year or the 
following fiscal year. The proceeds will be credited to the 
funds available for the operations of the Library (the 
Library's Salaries and Expenses account). Not all transactions 
involving surplus or obsolete property will result in payment. 
In addition to sales, the language also authorizes the Library 
to dispose of surplus or obsolete property by inter-agency 
transfer, donation, trade-in, or other appropriate method. The 
Library will continue to offer to other federal agencies, 
international exchange partners, and eligible schools, 
libraries and other non-profit organizations the ability to 
select free books which are not retained by the Library for its 
own collections.
    Section 1 also stipulates that this provision take effect 
with respect to fiscal year 2012 and each succeeding fiscal 
year. The Committee, in carrying out its oversight duties, 
looks forward to working with the Library in evaluating the 
success of this program, and in helping the Library better 
utilize its resources.

                  Committee Consideration of H.R. 1934


                       INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL

    On May 23, 2011, Representative Daniel E. Lungren of 
California introduced H.R. 1934, which was referred to the 
Committee on House Administration.

                                HEARINGS

    The Committee held no hearings on H.R. 1934.

                                 MARKUP

    On May 25, 2011, the Committee met to mark up H.R. 1934. 
The Committee ordered H.R. 1934 reported favorably to the House 
by voice vote, with a quorum present.

                         COMMITTEE RECORD VOTES

    In compliance with House Rule XIII, clause 3(b), requiring 
the results of each record 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, the Committee 
states that there were no record votes during the committee 
consideration of H.R. 1934.

            COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

    In compliance with House Rule XXIII, clause 3(c)(1), the 
Committee states that the findings and recommendations of the 
Committee, based on oversight activities under House Rule X, 
clause 2(b)(1), are incorporated into the general discussion 
section of this report.

            STATEMENT OF BUDGET AUTHORITY AND RELATED ITEMS

    The resolution does not provide new budget authority, new 
spending authority, new credit authority, or an increase or 
decrease in revenues or tax expenditures and a statement under 
House Rule XXIII, clause 3(c)(2), and section 308(a)(1) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is not required.

               CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

    In compliance with House Rule XXIII, clause 3(c)(3), the 
Committee sets forth, with respect to the bill H.R. 1934, the 
following estimate and comparison prepared by the Director of 
the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974:
                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                      Washington, DC, June 6, 2011.
Hon. Daniel E. Lungren,
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.R. 1934, a bill to 
improve certain administrative operations of the Library of 
Congress, and for other purposes.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Christina 
Hawley Anthony.
            Sincerely,
                                              Douglas W. Elmendorf.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 1934--A bill to improve certain administrative operations of the 
        Library of Congress, and for other purposes

    H.R. 1934 would allow the Librarian of Congress to sell or 
dispose of obsolete property and use the proceeds of the sale 
to acquire new, replacement property.
    CBO expects that enacting H.R. 1934 could affect direct 
spending by allowing the Librarian to sell property and spend 
the proceeds; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. 
However, CBO estimates that the net effects would be 
insignificant for each year, and in total over the 2012-2021 
period. Enacting the bill would not affect revenues.
    H.R. 1934 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal 
governments.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Christina Hawley 
Anthony. This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, 
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

                    PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

    In compliance with House Rule XXIII, clause 3(c)(4), the 
Committee states that the general discussion section of this 
report includes a statement of the general performance goals 
and objectives, including outcome-related goals and objectives, 
for which H.R. 1934 authorizes funding.

                          ADVISORY ON EARMARKS

    In accordance with House Rule XXI, clause 9, the Committee 
states that H.R. 1934 does not contain any congressional 
earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as 
defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of rule XXI.

                CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL

    In compliance with House Rule XIII, clause 3(e), the 
Committee states that H.R. 1934 does not repeal or amend 
existing law.

                                  
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