[House Report 113-20]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
113th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 113-20
======================================================================
PROVIDING FOR THE EXPENSES OF CERTAIN COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES IN THE ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS
_______
March 18, 2013.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be
printed
_______
Mrs. Miller of Michigan, from the Committee on House Administration,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
together with
DISSENTING VIEWS
[To accompany H. Res. 115]
The Committee on House Administration, to whom was referred
the resolution (H. Res. 115) providing for the expenses of
certain committees of the House of Representatives in the One
Hundred Thirteenth Congress, having considered the same, report
favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the
resolution be agreed to.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE RESOLUTION
Pursuant to House Rule X, clause 6, the Committee on House
Administration (hereinafter referred to as the ``Committee'')
reports an omnibus, biennial ``primary expense resolution'' to
cover the expenses of each standing and select committee of the
House, except the Committee on Appropriations. H. Res. 115 is
the primary expense resolution reported by the Committee on
House Administration for the 113th Congress.
On March 14, 2013, by voice vote, the Committee agreed to a
motion to report H. Res. 115 favorably to the House without
amendment. The resolution authorizes the aggregate amount of
funding for standing and select committees for the 113th
Congress, and also includes a provision to require a review of
the use of committee funds at the beginning of the second
session of the 113th Congress.
GENERAL DISCUSSION
During the first three months of each new Congress, House
Rule X, clause 7, authorizes House committees to continue
operations based on their funding authorizations from the
preceding session. This continuing authorization allows
committees to organize, adopt legislative and oversight
agendas, and seek spending authority through the adoption of a
primary expense resolution by the House.
The funding process begins after a House standing or select
committee determines its biennial funding needs, and introduces
a House resolution seeking those funds. Under House Rule X,
clause 6, all funding resolutions, which are referred to as
primary expense resolutions, are referred to the Committee on
House Administration. Since this funding process merely
authorizes the expenditure of funds already provided (or to be
provided) in appropriations acts, the funding measure takes the
form of a simple House resolution, thus freeing it from the
requirement of Senate or presidential approval. Working with
whatever funds are or will be made available through
appropriations acts, and after requesting and reviewing
committee budget submissions, the Committee recommends an
appropriate allocation of the available funds.
113th Congress Proceedings
To gather the information necessary to create the omnibus
primary expense resolution, the Committee required the standing
and select committees to submit estimates for their expected
expenses for both sessions of the 113th Congress. When
submitting budget requests, committees were asked to provide
estimates for their expected expenses for the 113th Congress.
The Committee asked that committees provide line item estimates
for the following expenses: personnel compensation (including
salaries and lump sum payments), overtime, travel,
communications, and printing and reproduction costs.
The Committee also requested that committees estimate their
expenses for other services, including consultant contracts,
detailees from executive and other agencies, training,
representational expenses, and other services. Finally, the
Committee requested budget estimates for the costs of supplies,
materials, and equipment. The committees were asked to submit
budget numbers for an 11% cut from their 2012 authorized levels
and to also provide a number that was 5% more than the amount
of money each committee actually spent in 2012. These numbers
provided the Committee with a range of budget scenarios to
consider.
To further gather the information necessary to create the
omnibus primary expense resolution, the Committee convened a
hearing to provide the Chairs and Ranking Members of the
standing and select committees an opportunity to present and
share their views on their respective budget requests for the
113th Congress.
During the hearing, Members of the Committee asked the
Chairs and Ranking Members if these smaller budget requests
would impact their ability to conduct effective oversight or
pursue their legislative goals. Some Chairs and Ranking Members
did state that their ability to provide oversight over the
Executive Branch agencies in their jurisdiction would be
impaired if further cuts were undertaken. However, the Chairs
and Ranking Members acknowledged the fiscal reality of a lower
level of appropriations under the sequester, and did pledge
their best efforts at accomplishing their legislative and
oversight missions with reduced levels of funding.
Members of the Committee also asked the Chairs and Ranking
Members how they were managing and will manage their resources
with equity and prudence. Since the 104th Congress, House
majority leadership and the Chair and Ranking Member of the
Committee have encouraged the Chairs of the standing and select
committees to provide the minority with one-third of committee
staff and/or resources authorized in the primary expense
resolutions. During the hearings, the Committee sought to
ensure that the minority in each committee was treated
equitably in the funding process. Each Ranking Member was asked
if he or she was allocated the traditional one-third share of
committee staff positions and/or committee resources, as
determined by each committee. These exchanges indicated that
all of the committees appear to be in compliance with the
traditional ``two-thirds/one-third'' distribution of funds
among the majority and minority.
After the hearing, the Committee used the budget
submissions and Member testimony to create an omnibus expense
resolution, introduced by Chairman Miller, to authorize funding
for all of the committees. The resolution includes a provision
to require the Chairs and Ranking Members to return to the
Committee after one year for an additional oversight hearing to
review the use of funds from the first session. These
proceedings will be open to the public, and will provide an
opportunity to discover how effectively and efficiently funding
allocations are being used. The provision is intended to
promote accountability, transparency, and oversight of each
committee's resources.
In reporting out this resolution, the committee is
recommending to the House an authorization to expend
approximately $120,399,181 in the first session, and the same
amount in the second session.
SUMMARY OF THE RESOLUTION
Section 1 adjusts the aggregate amount paid out of the
applicable accounts of the House of Representatives with
respect to the 113th Congress for the expenses (including the
expense of all staff salaries) of the select and standing
committees of the House (except the Committee on
Appropriations).
Section 2 adjusts the amount provided for the expenses of
each standing and select committee of the House (except the
Committee on Appropriations) for expenses incurred during the
first session of the 113th Congress (the period beginning at
noon on January 3, 2013, and ending immediately before noon on
January 3, 2014).
Section 3 adjusts the amount provided for the expenses of
each standing and select committee of the House (except the
Committee on Appropriations) for expenses incurred during the
first session of the 113th Congress (the period beginning at
noon on January 3, 2014, and ending immediately before noon on
January 3, 2015).
The amounts for each committee contained in the primary
expense resolution are as follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committees 1st session 2nd session Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agriculture...................... $5,036,187 $5,036,187 $10,072,374
Armed Services................... 6,563,535 6,563,535 13,127,070
Budget........................... 5,138,824 5,138,824 10,277,648
Education and the Workforce...... 6,952,763 6,952,763 13,905,526
Energy and Commerce.............. 9,520,516 9,520,516 19,041,032
Ethics........................... 3,020,459 3,020,459 6,040,918
Financial Services............... 7,394,482 7,394,482 14,788,964
Foreign Affairs.................. 7,388,112 7,388,112 14,776,224
Homeland Security................ 7,033,588 7,033,588 14,067,176
House Administration............. 4,600,560 4,600,560 9,201,120
Select Committee on Intelligence. 4,389,758 4,389,758 8,779,516
Judiciary........................ 7,077,016 7,077,016 14,154,032
Natural Resources................ 6,555,829 6,555,829 13,111,658
Oversight and Government Reform.. 8,940,437 8,940,437 17,880,874
Rules............................ 2,857,408 2,857,408 5,714,816
Science, Space, and Technology... 5,282,755 5,282,755 10,565,510
Small Business................... 2,992,688 2,992,688 5,985,376
Transportation and Infrastructure 8,182,307 8,182,307 16,364,614
Veterans' Affairs................ 3,048,546 3,048,546 6,097,092
Ways and Means................... 8,423,411 8,423,411 16,846,822
------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. 115
INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL
On March 13, 2013, Representative Candice S. Miller of
Michigan introduced House Resolution 115, which was referred to
the Committee on House Administration.
HEARINGS
On March 5-6, 2013, the Committee held an oversight hearing
to review the budgets for all the standing and select
committees (except the Committee on Appropriations) in 2013,
and to review budget planning for 2014. The Chairs and Ranking
Members of the select and standing committees provided
testimony on their respective use of committee funds.
COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On March 14, 2013, the Committee met to mark up House
Resolution 115. The Committee ordered the resolution reported
favorably without amendment to the House by voice vote, with a
quorum present.
COMMITTEE RECORD VOTES
In compliance with House Rule XIII, clause 3(b), with
respect to each record vote on an amendment or motion to
report, together with the names of those voting for and
against, the Committee states that there were no recorded votes
during the consideration of this resolution.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
In compliance with House Rule XIII, 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 XIII, 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 XIII, clause 3(c)(3), the
Committee states, with respect to House Resolution 115, that
the Director of the Congressional Budget Office did not submit
a cost estimate and comparison under section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In compliance with House Rule XIII, 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 House Resolution 115 authorizes funding.