[Senate Report 113-116]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


113th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session                                                    113-116

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



 
          AUTHORIZING EXPENDITURES BY COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE

                                _______
                                

                November 5, 2013.--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. 253]

    The Committee on Rules and Administration, having 
considered an original resolution (S. Res. 253) authorizing 
expenditures by committees of the Senate for the periods 
October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014 and October 1, 
2014, through February 28, 2015, having considered the same, 
reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that 
the resolution pass.

                          Chairman's Statement

    Since the 101st Congress, the Rules Committee has favorably 
re- ported out and the Senate has agreed to an omnibus biennial 
committee funding authorization for the standing, special, and 
select committees of the Senate.
    At the beginning of the 113th Congress, the Rules Committee 
reported out S. Res. 64, an omnibus committee funding 
resolution for only the 7-month period from March 1, 2013 
through September 30, 2013, because of the high level of 
uncertainty regarding appropriations available to committees 
for the full 2-year period. S. Res. 253 is the funding 
authorization for the remainder of the 113th Congress. 
Authorizations in S. Res. 253 are based on each committee's 
historical and ongoing needs and available appropriations.
    During the 1990s, pursuant to Rule XXVII, most committees 
allocated their funding two-thirds for the majority and one-
third for the minority. 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 
Congress and stated 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 
113th Congress, the party division for funding purposes is 55 
for the majority, 45 for the minority.
    Committee office space follows the same approach, with 10 
per- cent of the total majority and minority (excluding non-
designated staff) space set aside for the majority, and the 
remaining 90 per- cent 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 per- cent including the 10 
percent set aside for the majority. When Senate party ratios 
change, this approach provides greater stability than the 
earlier division of two-thirds for the majority and one- third 
for the minority.
    The chairman and ranking member of any committee may, by 
mutual agreement, modify the apportionment of committee funding 
and office space.
    The January 24, 2013, Joint Leadership colloquy and letter, 
sub- mitted by the majority leader and the minority leader, are 
included below for informational purposes.

                                Colloquy

    Mr. Reid. Mr. President, two years ago my friend the 
Republican leader and I expressed our intention that the 
funding allocation adopted for the 112th Congress would serve 
for that and future Congresses. Over the prior 20 years, the 
apportionment of committee funding had 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 
biennial negotiations during the past decade. The new funding 
allocation for Senate committees was 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, the minority share of the majority and 
minority salary baseline will never be less than 40 percent, 
and the majority share will never exceed 60 percent. This 
approach met our needs for the last Congress, and I would like 
to see it continue.
    Mr. McConnell. Mr. President, I, too, would like to 
continue this approach for the 113th and future Congresses. It 
serves the interest of the Senate and the public by helping to 
retain core committee staff with institutional knowledge, 
regardless of which party is in the majority. We made a 
transition in the last Congress to restore special reserves to 
its historic purpose, but appropriations cuts prevented special 
reserves from being funded. To the extent possible, we should 
try to fund special reserves in order to be able to assist 
committees that face urgent, unanticipated, non-recurring 
needs. We know that we will continue to face tight budgets for 
the foreseeable future, and we have to bring funding 
authorizations more in line with our actual resources while 
ensuring that committees are able to fulfill their 
responsibilities. I look forward to continuing to work 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 113th 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%) from the majority and 
minority salary baseline to be allocated to the chairman for 
administrative expenses, to be determined by the Rules 
Committee.
    Special Reserves has been 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 
112th 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 three 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.
    For the 113th Congress, S. Res. 64, which passed the Senate 
on March 5, 2013, authorized committee funding for the 7-month 
period. S. Res. 253 authorizes committee funding for the 12-
month period from October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014 
and the 5-month period from October 1, 2014 through February 
28, 2015.
    S. Res. 253 was reported in lieu of Senate Resolutions 223, 
224, 230, 231, 232, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 241, 243, 
244, 245, 249, and 250, 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. 229, 
authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Rules and 
Administration, is on the Senate calendar (Order No. 189), and 
is obviated by passage of S. Res. 253, since funding for the 
Rules Committee's expenditures in the 113th Congress is 
included in the omnibus funding resolution.
    There are no amounts authorized for COLAs in the 113th 
Congress for fiscal years 2014 and 2015. Therefore, committees 
were advised not to include COLAs in their budgets.
    As stated in the 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 and to the extent that 
appropriated funds are available for special reserves. The 
request must be approved by the chairman and ranking member of 
the Rules Committee.
    All committees funded by S. Res. 253, except for the Select 
Committee on Intelligence, submitted budgets and questionnaires 
that conformed to the guidelines. The Select Committee on 
Intelligence reported S. Res. 245 above guidelines for the 12-
month period and for the 5-month period.
    For the 113th 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 S. Res. 253, on October 3, 2013, 
by unanimous consent and without amendment.

                          TEXT OF S. RES. 253

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 October 1, 2013, through 
September 30, 2014, in the aggregate of $98,087,800, and for 
the period October 1, 2014, through February 28, 2015, in the 
aggregate of $40,869,917, 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 2014    FY 2015  (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $3,833,451   $1,457,270
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................      200,000      200,000
Training......................................       40,000       40,000
Official Mail.................................        2,626        1,096
Administrative Expenses.......................      105,013       43,755
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    4,181,090    1,742,121
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 3. Committee on Armed Services

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014    FY 2015  (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $6,241,188   $2,586,103
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................       80,000       50,000
Training......................................       30,000       30,000
Official Mail.................................        3,000        1,200
Administrative Expenses.......................       66,940        8,167
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    6,421,128    2,675,470
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014    FY 2015  (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $5,167,496   $2,153,123
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................       14,348        5,978
Training......................................          861          359
Official Mail.................................        1,720          717
Administrative Expenses.......................      108,731       45,305
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    5,293,156    2,205,482
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 5. Committee on the Budget

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014    FY 2015  (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $5,826,177   $2,427,574
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................            0            0
Training......................................            0            0
Official Mail.................................        1,000        1,000
Administrative Expenses.......................      170,600       70,500
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    5,997,777    2,499,074
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014    FY 2015  (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $6,412,197   $2,671,749
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................            0            0
Training......................................            0            0
Official Mail.................................       20,455        8,523
Administrative Expenses.......................      150,939       62,891
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    6,583,591    2,743,163
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 7. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014    FY 2015  (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $5,330,979   $2,221,241
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................            0            0
Training......................................            0            0
Official Mail.................................       15,649        6,520
Administrative Expenses.......................      116,853       48,689
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    5,463,481    2,276,450
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 8. Committee on Environment and Public Works

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014    FY 2015  (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $4,994,762   $2,081,151
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................        8,000        3,333
Training......................................        2,000          834
Official Mail.................................       14,427        6,011
Administrative Expenses.......................      175,064       72,943
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    5,194,253    2,164,272
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 9. Committee on Finance

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014     FY 2015 (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $7,777,304   $3,240,544
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................       30,000       12,500
Training......................................       10,000        4,167
Official Mail.................................       17,965        7,485
Administrative Expenses.......................      158,667       66,111
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    7,993,936    3,330,807
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 10. Committee on Foreign Relations

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014     FY 2015 (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $6,444,742   $2,685,309
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................            0            0
Training......................................            0            0
Official Mail.................................       16,080        6,700
Administrative Expenses.......................      138,800       57,833
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    6,599,622    2,749,842
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014     FY 2015 (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $8,398,735   $3,499,473
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................       75,000       75,000
Training......................................       25,000       25,000
Official Mail.................................       15,000        3,000
Administrative Expenses.......................      150,200        7,500
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    8,663,935    3,609,973
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 12. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental      Affairs

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014     FY 2015 (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $9,304,849   $3,877,020
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................            0            0
Training......................................            0            0
Official Mail.................................       21,570        8,988
Administrative Expenses.......................      162,533       67,722
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    9,488,952    3,953,730
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 13. Committee on the Judiciary

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014    FY 2015  (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $9,136,247   $3,806,769
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................            0            0
Training......................................            0            0
Official Mail.................................       23,577        9,824
Administrative Expenses.......................      108,069       45,029
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    9,267,893    3,861,622
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 14. Committee on Rules and Administration

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014    FY 2015  (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $2,302,470     $959,363
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................            0            0
Training......................................            0            0
Official Mail.................................        7,944        3,310
Administrative Expenses.......................       24,329       10,137
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    2,334,743      972,810
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 15. Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014    FY 2015  (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $2,484,891   $1,035,373
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................            0            0
Training......................................            0            0
Official Mail.................................        6,434        2,681
Administrative Expenses.......................       89,694       37,370
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    2,581,019    1,075,424
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 16. Committee on Veterans' Affairs

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014    FY 2015  (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $1,952,717     $813,632
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................       50,000       21,000
Training......................................        9,500        3,500
Official Mail.................................          500          500
Administrative Expenses.......................      165,400       68,917
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    2,178,117      907,549
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 17. Special Committee on Aging

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014    FY 2015  (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $2,087,189     $871,368
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................            0            0
Training......................................       10,000        4,000
Official Mail.................................        5,142        2,142
Administrative Expenses.......................      273,046      112,230
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    2,375,377      989,740
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 18. Select Committee on Intelligence

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014    FY 2015  (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $5,344,275   $2,226,781
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................       17,144        7,144
Training......................................            0            0
Official Mail.................................       12,543        5,226
Administrative Expenses.......................       86,000       35,833
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    5,459,962    2,274,984
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 19. Committee on Indian Affairs

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  FY 2014    FY 2015  (5
                                                 (12 mths)      mths)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salary Baseline...............................   $1,881,729     $784,053
2014 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
2015 COLA.....................................  ...........  ...........
Consultants...................................       20,000       20,000
Training......................................       20,000       20,000
Official Mail.................................        6,786        2,828
Administrative Expenses.......................       81,253       10,522
                                               -------------------------
Budget Authority 113th Congress...............    2,009,768      837,403
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                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. 253.

                       Cost-of-Living Adjustments

    There are no amounts authorized for COLAs in the 113th 
Congress for fiscal years 2014 and 2015. 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 60a091, and provided sufficient funds are appropriated 
to pay for such expenses.

                  Certification of Committee Expenses

    Vouchers are not required for certain types of official 
expenses which instead are certified as owed to Senate support 
agencies pro- viding such goods and services to Senate 
committees. Examples of certifiable expenses include, but are 
not limited to, telecommunications, stationery supplies, 
official mail, and expenses for Senate recording and 
photographic services. The certified expenses are submitted by 
the Senate support agencies to the Rules Committee for 
approval.

                          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.
    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 relevant documents 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 a 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.
    The Rules Committee encourages committees to reduce costs 
associated with GPO detailees while still receiving the 
services and support they need. Effective with the 113th 
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. No 
detailee shall be approved for more than one year.
    Every effort should be made to control costs by limiting 
the over- time of detailees. Committees that incur overtime 
charges on a recurring basis are advised to evaluate their 
printing operation and minimize 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.

                 Employees Detailed From Other Agencies

    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 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 per-mission 
of the Committee on Rules and Administration.''

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

                            Special Reserves

    This resolution authorizes a special reserve account within 
the appropriations account, ``Expenses of Inquiries and 
Investigations,'' for the period October 1, 2013 through 
February 28, 2015.
    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 1020915, 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. 253 continues the practice of making 
special reserves funding available for unanticipated, non-
recurring needs of committees when necessary. Subject to 
available appropriations, special reserves may be available on 
the basis of special need to meet unpaid obligations incurred 
by a committee during the 113th Congress. A request for special 
reserve funding will be considered only when submitted by the 
chairman and ranking member of a committee. Such request shall 
be granted upon the approval of the chairman and ranking member 
of the Committee on Rules and Administration.
    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 percent of the 
10 percent 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 
Leader- ship agreed that for the 111th Congress, 89 percent of 
special re- serves 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 re-serves fund. The Rules Committee 
determined that an additional five percent of special reserves 
may have been required to satisfy the intent of the colloquy 
and authorized use of those funds.
    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 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 percent 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, 
leaving $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 Rules Committee and 
requested $600,000 to meet the unanticipated expenses it 
expected to incur following the announcement that Justice David 
Souter was resigning from the Supreme Court. This 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 Rules 
Committee approved the request from the Judiciary Committee.
    On April 23, 2010, the Committee on the Judiciary again 
wrote to the Rules Committee 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 Supreme Court. Sufficient funds were available for FY 10 
and on April 29, 2010, the chairman and ranking member of the 
Rules Committee approved the request from the Judiciary 
Committee.
    In the 112th Congress, no requests were granted for special 
re- serves.
    In the first seven months of the 113th Congress, no 
requests were granted for special reserves.

                Legislative Report 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 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.

                              Consultants

    S. Res. 253 specifies the funding available for committees 
to hire consultants, as otherwise authorized by statute.

                    Committee Legislative Assistance

    It is the position of the Committee on Rules and 
Administration that funds are already incorporated into 
Members' personal office accounts for the purpose of providing 
legislative assistance with 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 with committee work. 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 legislative assistance 
allowance was made permanent and codified into law by section 
111 of P.L. 950994. This provision, as amended by P.L. 10009137 
and P.L. 10209392, currently provides funding for three 
positions in each Senator's office at an annual rate of 
$171,315 each for a total of $513,945 per office, or 
$51,394,500 for all 100 Senators in FY 13. 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 in accordance with 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. It is recommended that committees 
consult with the Senate Archivist on the proper preparation of 
electronic and paper records for permanent archive storage.

                                  
