[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.
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