[Senate Report 112-9]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


112th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session                                                      112-9

======================================================================



 
          AUTHORIZING EXPENDITURES BY COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE

                                _______
                                

                 March 31, 2011.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

Mr. Schumer, from the Committee on Rules and Administration, submitted 
                             the following

                              R E P O R T

                       [To accompany S. Res. 81]

    The Committee on Rules and Administration having considered 
an original resolution (S. Res. 81) authorizing expenditures by 
committees of the Senate for the periods March 1, 2011, through 
September 30, 2011, and October 1, 2011, through September 30, 
2012, and October 1, 2012, through February 28, 2013, having 
considered the same, reports favorable thereon without 
amendment and recommends that the resolution do pass.

                          Chairman's Statement

    Since the 101st Congress, the Rules Committee has favorably 
reported out and the Senate has agreed to an omnibus biennial 
committee funding authorization for the standing, special, and 
select committees of the Senate. This procedure has 
consistently received strong support from committee chairmen 
and ranking members.
    During the 1990s, pursuant to Rule XXVII, most committees 
allocated their funding two-thirds for the majority and one-
third for the minority. During the past decade, starting with 
the 107th Congress, biennial negotiations over the allocation 
ratios for committee funding produced Leadership guidance, 
which the Rules Committee used to develop committee budget 
guidelines. The 109th Congress Leadership colloquy of January 
6, 2005 set a minimum for the minority of 40 percent of 
personnel funds after allocations for non-designated 
administrative and clerical staff. The minority leader stated 
in the colloquy that he hoped never in the future would it be 
any lower, no matter which party is in control of the Senate.
    In the 112th Congress, on February 3, 2011, the Leadership 
agreed on a new funding approach to be used in the 112th and 
their intention that it be used in future Congresses in place 
of biennial negotiations. That funding approach is based on the 
party division of the Senate, but recognizes the majority's 
need for resources commensurate with its responsibilities in 
administering the committee. The Leadership agreed that 10 
percent of the total majority and minority baseline salary 
amount, after allocations for non-designated administrative and 
clerical staff, would be set aside for the majority. The 
remaining 90 percent would be divided according to the party 
division of the Senate. For the 112th Congress, the party 
division for funding purposes is 53 to 47. Committee office 
space follows the same approach, with 10 percent of the total 
space set aside for the majority, and the remaining 90 percent 
divided according to the party division of the Senate. The 
Leadership colloquy further specified that regardless of the 
party division of the Senate, however, the minority share would 
never be less than 40 percent, and the majority would never 
exceed 60 percent including the 10 percent set aside for the 
majority. This approach provides greater stability to 
committees when Senate party ratios alter or the Senate 
majority changes from one party to another.
    The February 3, 2011, Joint Leadership colloquy and letter, 
submitted by the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader, are 
included below for informational purposes.

                                Colloquy

    Mr. Reid. Mr. President, over the last 20 years, the 
apportionment of committee funding has gone from a straight 
two-thirds for majority and one-third for minority during the 
1990s, regardless of the size of the majority and minority, to 
biannual negotiations during the past decade. It is my 
intention that the approach adopted for this Congress will be 
used in the future. This new funding allocation for Senate 
committees is based on the party division of the Senate, with 
10 percent of the total majority and minority salary baseline 
going to the majority for administrative expenses. However, 
regardless of the party division of the Senate, it is also 
intended that the minority share will never be less than 40 
percent, and the majority share will never exceed 60 percent.
    Mr. McConnell. It is my intention also that this new 
approach will serve us for this Congress and future Congresses. 
In addition, we are making a transition to restore Special 
Reserves to its historic purpose. We know that we will face 
tight budgets for the foreseeable future and cannot expect 
increases in funding. We have to move toward funding 
authorizations that are in line with our actual resources and I 
look forward to working with my friend, the majority leader, to 
accomplish this.
    Mr. Reid. I thank my friend, the Republican leader, and ask 
unanimous consent that a joint leadership letter be printed in 
the Record.

                        Joint Leadership Letter

    We mutually commit to the following for the 112th Congress:

    The budgets of the Committees of the Senate, including 
Joint and Special Committees, and all other subgroups, shall be 
apportioned to reflect the ratio of the Senate as of this date, 
including an additional ten percent (10%) to be allocated to 
the Chairmen for administrative expenses, to be determined by 
the Rules Committee. However, the amount of funding authorized 
for each individual Committee in the 112th Congress is being 
reduced by the amount that was allocated to that Committee from 
Special Reserves in the last Congress.
    Special Reserves is being restored to its historic purpose. 
Requests for funding will only be considered when submitted by 
a Committee Chairman and Ranking Member for unanticipated, non-
recurring needs. Such requests shall be granted only upon the 
approval of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Rules 
Committee.
    Funds for Committee expenses shall be available to each 
Chairman consistent with Senate rules and practices of the 
111th Congress.
    The Chairman and Ranking Member of any Committee may, by 
mutual agreement, modify the apportionment of Committee funding 
and office space.
    The division of Committee office space shall be 
commensurate with this funding agreement.

                               Background

    Beginning in the 106th Congress, the biennial committee 
funding cycle was divided into 3 segments: the 7-month period 
from March 1 through September 30 of the first calendar year of 
the Congress; the 12-month period from October 1 of the first 
calendar year through September 30 of the second calendar year; 
and the 5-month period from October 1 of the second calendar 
year through the last day of February of the third calendar 
year. S. Res. 81 continues this practice.
    S. Res. 81, the ``omnibus'' committee funding resolution 
for the 112th Congress, was reported in lieu of Senate 
Resolutions 50, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 64, 66, 67, 
68, 69, 71, and 79, which were reported by the Senate 
committees in conformance with paragraph 9 of Rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate and referred to the Committee on 
Rules and Administration. An original resolution, S. Res. 70, 
authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Rules and 
Administration, is on the Senate calendar (Order No. 8) and is 
obviated by passage of S. Res. 81, since funding for the Rules 
Committee's expenditures in the 112th Congress is included in 
the omnibus funding resolution.
    The total funding target for majority and minority salary 
baselines for each of fiscal years 2011, 2012, and 2013, will 
be $100,000,000 plus the actual amount approved for cost of 
living adjustments (COLAs) in fiscal years 2009 and 2010. The 
funding will be allocated according to the ratios in the 
Leadership colloquy. There are no amounts authorized for COLAs 
in the 112th Congress for fiscal years 2011, 2012 and 2013. 
Therefore, committees were advised not to include COLAs in 
their budgets.
    Further, special reserves will not be available to each 
chairman/ranking member on request as they were in the 111th 
Congress. As stated in the February 3, 2011, Joint Leadership 
letter, the special reserves fund is being restored to its 
historic purpose. Requests for funding from special reserves 
will be considered only when submitted by a Committee chairman 
and ranking member for unanticipated, non-recurring needs. The 
request must be approved by the chairman and ranking member of 
the Rules Committee.
    Similar to procedures used during the previous four 
Congresses, the Rules Committee offered committees the 
opportunity to streamline the authorization process. Committees 
whose budget requests were within guidelines specified by the 
Joint Leadership agreement and whose questionnaires were 
jointly signed by the chairman and ranking member were not 
required to testify on their funding resolution before the 
Rules Committee. Committees that wished to request funds that 
exceeded the guidelines were directed to submit to the Rules 
Committee a letter, signed by the chairman and ranking member, 
that specified the budget amount and asked for a hearing. All 
committees funded by S. Res. 81 submitted budgets and 
questionnaires that conformed to the guidelines.
    For the 112th Congress, the Rules Committee prepared an 
original funding resolution incorporating a budget amount at 
the guidelines level for every committee included in the 
resolution. The Senate passed the omnibus committee funding 
resolution, S. Res. 81, on March 2, 2011, by unanimous consent 
and without amendment.

Sec. 1. Aggregate Authorization

    (a) In General--For purposes of carrying out the powers, 
duties, and functions under the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
and under the appropriate authorizing resolutions of the Senate 
there is authorized for the period March 1, 2011, through 
September 30, 2011, in the aggregate of $70,790,674, for the 
period October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2012, in the 
aggregate of $121,355,435, and for the period October 1, 2012, 
through February 28, 2013, in the aggregate of $50,564,763, in 
accordance with the provisions of this resolution, for standing 
committees of the Senate, the Special Committee on Aging, the 
Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Indian 
Affairs.

Sec. 2. Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $2,727,993   $4,676,559   $1,948,566
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................            0            0            0
Training.........................            0            0            0
Official Mail....................        6,047       10,367        4,320
Administrative Expenses..........       66,039      113,210       47,171
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    2,800,079    4,800,136    2,000,057
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 3. Committee on Armed Services

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $4,681,305   $8,025,095   $3,343,790
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................       14,583       25,000       10,417
Training.........................        4,667        8,000        3,333
Official Mail....................        4,083        7,000        2,917
Administrative Expenses..........       45,231       77,539       32,308
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    4,749,869    8,142,634    3,392,765
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 4. Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $4,202,004   $7,203,434   $3,001,431
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................       11,667       20,000        8,333
Training.........................          700        1,200          500
Official Mail....................        1,400        2,400        1,000
Administrative Expenses..........       88,417      151,572       63,155
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    4,304,188    7,378,606    3,074,419
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 5. Committee on the Budget

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $4,432,576   $7,598,701   $3,166,125
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................            0            0            0
Training.........................            0            0            0
Official Mail....................       10,746       18,421        7,675
Administrative Expenses..........       45,919       78,718       32,799
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    4,489,241    7,695,840    3,206,599
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 6. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $4,536,453   $7,776,777   $3,240,324
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................            0            0            0
Training.........................            0            0            0
Official Mail....................       11,932       20,455        8,523
Administrative Expenses..........       88,048      150,939       62,891
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    4,636,433    7,948,171    3,311,738
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 7. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $3,847,006   $6,594,867   $2,747,861
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................            0            0            0
Training.........................            0            0            0
Official Mail....................        9,129       15,649        6,520
Administrative Expenses..........       68,164      116,853       48,689
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    3,924,299    6,727,369    2,803,070
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 8. Committee on Environment and Public Works

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $3,496,021   $5,993,178   $2,497,157
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................        4,667        8,000        3,333
Training.........................        1,167        2,000          833
Official Mail....................        8,416       14,427        6,011
Administrative Expenses..........      102,121      175,064       72,943
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    3,612,391    6,192,669    2,580,278
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 9. Committee on Finance

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $5,207,439   $8,927,039   $3,719,599
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................       17,500       30,000       12,500
Training.........................        5,833       10,000        4,167
Official Mail....................       10,480       17,965        7,485
Administrative Expenses..........       92,556      158,667       66,111
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    5,333,808    9,143,671    3,809,862
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 10. Committee on Foreign Relations

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $4,290,736   $7,355,549   $3,064,812
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................            0            0            0
Training.........................            0            0            0
Official Mail....................        9,380       16,080        6,700
Administrative Expenses..........       93,288      159,920       66,633
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    4,393,404    7,531,549    3,138,145
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 11. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $5,991,404  $10,270,978   $4,279,574
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................            0            0            0
Training.........................            0            0            0
Official Mail....................       14,236       24,405       10,169
Administrative Expenses..........      109,673      188,010       78,338
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    6,115,313   10,483,393    4,368,081
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 12. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
              Affairs

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $6,768,833  $11,603,715   $4,834,882
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................            0            0            0
Training.........................            0            0            0
Official Mail....................       15,689       26,895       11,206
Administrative Expenses..........      118,237      202,692       84,455
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    6,902,759   11,833,302    4,930,543
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 13. Committee on the Judiciary

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $6,599,943  $11,314,188   $4,714,245
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................            0            0            0
Training.........................            0            0            0
Official Mail....................       15,097       25,881       10,784
Administrative Expenses..........       69,199      118,626       49,428
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    6,684,239   11,458,695    4,774,457
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 14. Committee on Rules and Administration

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $1,821,891   $3,123,242   $1,301,351
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultant.......................            0            0            0
Training.........................            0            0            0
Official Mail....................        4,634        7,944        3,310
Administrative Expenses..........       14,192       24,329       10,137
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    1,840,717    3,155,515    1,314,798
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 15. Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $1,676,785   $2,874,489   $1,197,704
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultant.......................            0            0            0
Training.........................            0            0            0
Official Mail....................        3,753        6,434        2,681
Administrative Expenses..........       52,322       89,694       37,370
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    1,732,860    2,970,617    1,237,755
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 16. Committee on Veterans' Affairs

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $1,572,204   $2,695,207   $1,123,003
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................            0            0            0
Training.........................            0            0            0
Official Mail....................        3,888        6,665        2,777
Administrative Expenses..........       26,146       44,821       18,675
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    1,602,238    2,746,693    1,144,455
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 17. Special Committee on Aging

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $1,887,516   $3,235,742   $1,348,226
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................            0            0            0
Training.........................            0            0            0
Official Mail....................        3,923        6,725        2,802
Administrative Expenses..........       45,675       78,300       32,625
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    1,937,114    3,320,767    1,383,653
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 18. Select Committee on Intelligence

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $4,151,379   $7,116,650   $2,965,271
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................       37,917       65,000       27,083
Training.........................        1,167        4,000        4,000
Official Mail....................        7,317       12,544        5,227
Administrative Expenses..........       51,333       86,000       33,500
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    4,249,113    7,284,194    3,035,081
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 19. Select Committee on Indian Affairs

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   FY 2011  (7    FY 2012    FY 2013  (5
                                      mths)      (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline..................   $1,407,919   $2,413,575   $1,005,657
2011 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2012 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
2013 COLA........................  ...........  ...........  ...........
Consultants......................            0            0            0
Training.........................            0            0            0
Official Mail....................        3,959        6,786        2,828
Administrative Expenses..........       70,731      121,253       50,522
                                  --------------------------------------
Budget Authority 112th Congress..    1,482,609    2,541,614    1,059,007
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                Overtime

    Committees have been advised that any overtime costs 
mandated by the Congressional Accountability Act must be 
absorbed within salary baselines funded in S. Res. 81.

                       Cost-of-Living Adjustments

    There are no amounts authorized for COLAs in the 112th 
Congress for fiscal years 2011, 2012 and 2013. Therefore, 
committees were advised not to include COLAs in their budgets. 
It is the intent of the Rules Committee that amounts for COLAs 
shall only be available to the extent they are authorized by 
the order of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate pursuant 
to 2 U.S.C. section 60a-1, and provided sufficient funds are 
appropriated to pay for such expenses.

                  Certification of Committee Expenses

    Committee biennial funding resolutions prior to March 1, 
1995 stipulated that vouchers were not required for the 
disbursement of salaries of committee employees who were paid 
at an annual rate of pay. In addition, vouchers were not 
required for certain types of official expenses which could be 
certified as owed to Senate support offices providing such 
goods and services to Senate committees. The practice was to 
identify in the funding resolution which Senate support office 
was authorized to certify such expenses as due for payment. 
Examples of certifiable expenses include, but are not limited 
to, telecommunications, stationery supplies, official mail, 
metered charges on copying equipment, and expenses for Senate 
Recording and Photographic Services.
    However, section 1 of the FY 1994 Legislative Branch 
Appropriations Bill provided permanent language in statute 
addressing this issue (2 U.S.C. 68-8). Therefore, the specific 
authorization for certifications is no longer required in 
committee biennial funding resolutions and the language in 
section 1 of S. Res. 54 (107th Congress) has been modified by 
deleting section 1(b)(2) with the heading, VOUCHERS NOT 
REQUIRED.

                          Printing and Binding

    Committee expenditures for printing and binding include the 
costs of preparation and publishing of documents in electronic 
and/or print format by GPO personnel. Although printing and 
binding funds are not included in individual committee budgets, 
the Committee on Rules and Administration advises all 
committees to be judicious in the use of these funds.
    Printing and binding costs for committees authorized in S. 
Res. 81 decreased from the end of the 110th Congress to the end 
of the 111th Congress by $1,854,175.00.
    The Committee reminds all Senate committees to adhere 
strictly to the provisions of Title 44 governing the printing 
and binding of documents.
    A committee may not procure more than 300 copies of a 
hearing, or other documents germane thereto, except as 
authorized by 44 U.S.C. 703. Section 703 provides that extra 
copies not exceeding $700 in cost may be obtained upon an order 
of the Joint Committee on Printing; extra copies at a cost of 
$700 to $1,200 must be authorized by simple resolution of the 
Senate; and cost exceeding $1,200 requires approval of both 
houses of Congress by concurrent or joint resolution. Such 
resolutions requesting printing are referred to the Committee 
on Rules and Administration.
    ``Extra copies'' means additional numbers ordered at the 
time of original printing. Reprinting a document at a later 
time must be treated as a new publication.
    Charges incurred by committees for GPO employees detailed 
as printers decreased 30.5% between the 110th and 111th 
Congresses. The Rules Committee encourages committees to 
continue reducing costs associated with GPO detailees while 
still ensuring the priority services and support they need. 
Effective with the 112th Congress, committees wishing to obtain 
or continue the services of a GPO detailee are required to 
obtain prior approval in writing from the Committee on Rules 
and Administration.
    Every effort should be made to control costs by limiting 
overtime as much as possible. Committees that incur overtime 
charges on a continuing basis are strongly advised to evaluate 
their printing operation with an eye to minimizing a printer's 
overtime except on a temporary basis when the extraordinary 
cost can be justified by the need for timely delivery of the 
committee's legislative papers.

   Cost of Government Printing Office Employees Detailed as Printers


                             111TH CONGRESS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           2009               2010
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee on Agriculture,                  $79,482.00         $68,656.00
 Nutrition, and Forestry..........
Committee on Armed Services.......               0.00               0.00
Committee on Banking, Housing, and         149,565.00         104,632.00
 Urban Affairs....................
Committee on the Budget...........          65,859.00          54,979.99
Committee on Commerce, Science,            139,752.00          54,577.85
 and Transportation...............
Committee on Energy and Natural            141,489.00         124,420.00
 Resources........................
Committee on Environment and               138,456.00         123,571.92
 Public Works.....................
Committee on Finance..............          71,058.00         100,006.99
Committee on Foreign Relations....         140,391.00         113,649.98
Committee on Health, Education,             71,019.00          57,298.00
 Labor, and Pensions..............
Committee on Homeland Security and          68,019.00          58,806.00
 Governmental Affairs.............
Committee on the Judiciary........          99,246.00          59,293.00
Committee on Rules and                           0.00               0.00
 Administration...................
Committee on Small Business and                  0.00               0.00
 Entrepreneurship.................
Committee on Veterans' Affairs....          70,596.00          63,329.00
Special Committee on Aging........          65,793.00          58,405.00
Select Committee on Intelligence..               0.00               0.00
Select Committee on Indian Affairs          70,161.00          63,554.00
                                   -------------------------------------
      Total.......................      $1,370,886.00      $1,105,179.73
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                           Detailed Employees

    Sections 2 through 19 of the omnibus resolution include 
specific authorizing language on the use of detailed employees 
on either a reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis. This 
language, which has been included in previous biennial funding 
resolutions since 1989, continues the practice of permitting 
the detail or assignment of personnel from departments or 
agencies of the Federal government to the staff of a committee 
with or without reimbursement of that person's salary.
    Pursuant to Standing Rule XXVII, paragraph 4,

    ``No committee shall appoint to its staff any experts or 
other personnel detailed or assigned from any department or 
agency of the Government, except with the written permission of 
the Committee on Rules and Administration.''

    The Committee on Rules and Administration monitors 
expenditures associated with the use of detailed employees in 
order to evaluate overall committee spending.


                            Special Reserves

    For the 112th Congress, S. Res. 81 authorizes a special 
reserve fund within the appropriations account, ``Expenses of 
Inquiries and Investigations.'' Special Reserves is being 
restored to its historic purpose. Requests for funding will be 
considered only when submitted by a Committee chairman and 
ranking member for unanticipated, non-recurring needs. Such 
requests shall be granted only upon the approval of the 
chairman and ranking member of the Rules Committee.
    History of Special Reserves. When biennial funding cycles 
began in 1989, the Rules Committee authorized the use of 
unexpended funds from one authorization to the next. The 
Committee in 1991 informed all Senate committees in Senate 
Report 102-15, and during the debate on S. Res. 62 (102nd 
Congress), that committees could retain 50 percent of their 
funds unexpended as of February 28, 1993, to cover non-
recurring needs that enhanced efficiency in the committee. When 
S. Res. 71, the Omnibus Committee Funding Resolution for the 
103rd Congress, was considered by the Senate, it was amended to 
contain language that no committee of the Senate was permitted 
to carry forward unexpended balances beyond March 1, 1995. 
While S. Res. 54 (105th Congress) did not permit committees to 
carry forward funds, it did continue to provide a special 
reserve into which the unexpended balances of the committees 
were transferred, after obligations incurred during the prior 
funding period were paid.
    In order to preserve the flexibility of the Committee on 
Rules and Administration to meet the unforeseen needs of Senate 
committees, S. Res. 49 and S. Res. 189 in the 106th Congress 
continued the practice of making special reserve funding 
available for unanticipated, non-recurring needs of each 
committee when necessary.
    In the colloquy of January 12, 2007, the Senate Leadership 
agreed for the 110th Congress that, under the circumstances of 
a continuing resolution for FY 07, to provide each ranking 
member, if requested, an allocation equal to 49% of the 10% 
administrative funds that were available to the committee 
chairman in the 109th Congress. A total of $4,794,387 was 
requested and authorized in the 110th Congress to fulfill the 
colloquy. This funding was added to the budget baselines of the 
respective committees for the 111th Congress.
    In the Joint Leadership letter of January 15, 2009, the 
Leadership agreed that for the 111th Congress, 89 percent of 
special reserves would be available to each chair/ranking 
member for administrative expenses, if requested, to be 
allocated at a 60 percent to 40 percent ratio, majority/
minority respectively. This allowed individual minority 
committee funding levels to remain unchanged, if special 
reserves were requested. Therefore, no committee budget was 
allocated to reduce the minority committee budget below that of 
FY 08.
    The Special Reserves Fund for the 111th Congress was almost 
entirely dedicated to fulfilling the guidance of the Joint 
Leadership letter and colloquy of January 15, 2009. Therefore, 
contrary to circumstances in previous Congresses, the Rules 
Committee had little flexibility with regard to additional 
requests from the special reserves fund. The Rules Committee 
determined that an additional five percent (5%) of special 
reserves may have been required to satisfy the intent of the 
colloquy and authorized use of those funds.
    Amendment to S. Res. 73 in the 111th Congress. S. Res. 73, 
which was agreed to on March 10, 2009, provided special 
reserves to be available to meet unpaid obligations which a 
committee may be called upon to incur above the amount 
authorized.
    In FY 09, for the period March 1, 2009, through September 
30, 2009, $4,375,000 was originally made available. However, 
under the Leadership colloquy of January 15, 2009, $4,132,668 
or 94% of the Special Reserves for FY 09 was committed from 
these funds to supplement the original authorization provided 
to each committee by each section of S. Res. 73 and therefore 
leaving only $242,332 in available funds for any committee to 
request.
    On May 20, 2009, the Committee on the Judiciary wrote to 
the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Rules and 
Administration and requested $600,000 to meet the unanticipated 
expenses it expected to incur following the announcement that 
Justice David Souter was resigning from the United States 
Supreme Court. However, this action required the passage of S. 
Res. 152, agreed to May 19, 2009, which amended section 
20(a)(1) of S. Res. 73 and increased by $500,000 to $4,875,000 
the amount of Special Reserves available in FY 09. On May 21, 
2009, the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Rules 
and Administration approved the pending request from the 
Judiciary Committee.
    On April 23, 2010, the Committee on the Judiciary again 
wrote to the Committee on Rules and Administration and 
requested $300,000 to meet the unanticipated expenses it 
expected to incur following the announcement that Justice John 
Paul Stevens was retiring from the United States Supreme Court. 
Sufficient funds were available for FY 10 and on April 29, 
2010, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Rules 
and Administration approved the pending request from the 
Judiciary Committee.

                Legislative Review by Senate Committees

    Rule XXVI, section 8b of the Standing Rules of the Senate 
requires that, in each odd-numbered year, each committee shall 
submit to the Senate, not later than March 31st, a report on 
the activities of that committee during the Congress ending at 
noon on January 3rd of such year.

        Policy on Committee Work and Housing for Committee Staff

    Pursuant to each committee's authorizing resolution, funds 
are made available from the Contingent Fund of the Senate to 
assist a committee in carrying out its powers, duties, and 
functions under the Standing Rules of the Senate. These 
responsibilities include holding hearings, reporting such 
hearings, and making investigations as authorized by paragraphs 
1 and 8 of Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate. 
Therefore, committee staff may not engage in work other than 
committee business.
    In addition, it remains the policy of the Rules Committee 
that all committee staff paid by committee funds will be housed 
in committee space.
    Space allocations will be strictly tied to authorized 
committee staff and detailed employees approved by the 
Committee on Rules and Administration.

                 Committee Office Automation Resources

    The Senate Sergeant at Arms (SAA) will fund office 
automation needs for committees on a per capita basis which 
includes authorized staff and detailed employees identified in 
the committee budget submission. This fund is referred to as 
the Economic Allocation Fund (EAF). Upon submission and 
approval by the Rules Committee of staffing levels, committees 
will be able to purchase items to meet their business 
requirements from the standard, approved products available 
from the SAA. Non-standard hardware or software requests will 
be at committee expense and must include costs for maintenance, 
service, and support. Any non-standard purchases in excess of 
$500 must be approved in advance by the Rules Committee.
    A Committee chairman shall ensure that each full-time 
employee and full-time, authorized detailed employee on the 
committee be provided with a workstation and have appropriate 
access to related office equipment.
    The funding levels provided will be sufficient to provide 
for regular replacement of hardware, as well as purchases of 
software updates. Any computers in excess of authorized levels 
must be returned to the SAA.
    Committees that request funding above and beyond the per 
capita basis are required to submit a complete office 
automation plan based upon its business requirements and the 
level of authorized staff and detailed employees identified in 
the committee budget submission. To assist the Rules Committee 
and the SAA in accurately projecting computer services funding 
(acquisition, installation, maintenance, and support), these 
committees must complete Information Technology Resources 
Worksheets to accompany their budget submissions. Upon review 
of these documents, the Rules Committee will notify the 
committee of the approved funding level.
    In the use of these funds, the Committee on Rules and 
Administration and SAA recommend that all committee chairmen 
adopt energy-efficient office equipment, including the use of 
virtual servers available through the SAA. These provide relief 
for offices by eliminating a server footprint in the work space 
and the accompanying noise and heat; support all critical 
continuity requirements of an office; and are available at a 
lower cost compared to the implementation of physical servers.

                 Committee Office Automation Resources


                ECONOMIC ALLOCATION FUND--112TH CONGRESS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Committee                           Allocation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aging...................................................     $144,000.00
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry....................      144,000.00
Appropriations..........................................      516,000.00
Armed Services..........................................      248,000.00
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.....................      260,000.00
Budget..................................................      268,000.00
Commerce, Science, and Transportation...................      352,000.00
Energy and Natural Resources............................      244,000.00
Environment and Public Works............................      240,000.00
Ethics..................................................       60,000.00
Finance.................................................      508,000.00
Foreign Relations.......................................      356,000.00
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions..................      460,000.00
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs..............      632,000.00
Indian Affairs..........................................      104,000.00
Intelligence............................................      478,156.38
Joint Economic..........................................      196,000.00
Judiciary...............................................      616,000.00
Rules and Administration................................      112,000.00
Small Business..........................................      156,000.00
Veterans' Affairs.......................................      132,000.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                              Consultants

    This resolution specifies the available funding to hire 
consultants, as otherwise authorized by statute.

                    Committee Legislative Assistance

    In the past the Rules Committee received inquiries 
regarding staff representatives on committees. With respect to 
providing funds for legislative assistance, the position of the 
Committee on Rules and Administration is that such funds are 
already incorporated into Members' personal office accounts for 
the purpose of providing assistance with such committee duties.
    The legislative assistance allowance was established in the 
94th Congress by passage of S. Res. 60, agreed to on June 12, 
1975. It authorized each Senator serving on a committee to hire 
staff to assist them in connection with their membership on one 
or more committees. This new authorization was preserved and 
continued in S. Res. 4 in the 95th Congress, when the Senate 
reorganized the committee system by passing amendments to the 
Standing Rules of the Senate regarding the jurisdiction and 
size of committees.
    Later in the 95th Congress, the committee legislative 
assistance was made permanent and codified into law by section 
111 of P.L. 95-94. This provision, as amended by P.L. 100-137 
and P.L. 102-392, currently provides funding for three 
positions in each Senator's office at an annual rate of 
$169,459 each for a total of $508,377 per office, or 
$50,837,700 for all 100 Senators in FY 09.
    These funds may be adjusted each fiscal year by the 
authorized cost of living adjustment for Senate offices by the 
order of the President Pro Tempore.

                               Archiving

    Under Senate Rule XXVI(10)(a) and 2 U.S.C. 72(a)(d), 
committee records are the property of the Senate. At the end of 
each Congress, non-current committee records are transferred to 
the Archives [Senate Rule XI(1) and 44 U.S.C. 2118]. To ensure 
the preservation of the Senate's permanently valuable records, 
the Rules Committee requests that each committee submit to the 
Rules Committee their National Archives Records Transfer 
Report.

                                  
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