[House Report 116-447]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


116th Congress    }                                     {      Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session       }                                     {     116-447

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



 
              LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2021

                                _______
                                

 July 14, 2020.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

            Mr. Ryan, from the Committee on Appropriations, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                             together with

                             MINORITY VIEWS

                        [To accompany H.R. 7611]

    The Committee on Appropriations submits the following 
report in explanation of the accompanying bill making 
appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2021, and for other purposes.

                        INDEX TO BILL AND REPORT

                                                            Page Number

                                                            Bill Report
Highlights of Bill.........................................
                                                                      2
Title I--Legislative Branch Appropriations.................     2
                                                                      7
        House of Representatives...........................     2
                                                                      7
        Joint Items:
                Joint Economic Committee...................    13
                                                                     18
                Committee on Taxation......................    14
                                                                     18
                Office of the Attending Physician..........    14
                                                                     19
                Office of Congressional Accessibility 
                    Services...............................    15
                                                                     19
        Capitol Police.....................................    15
                                                                     19
        Office of Congressional Workplace Rights...........    17
                                                                     23
        Congressional Budget Office........................    17
                                                                     23
        Architect of the Capitol (except Senate Office 
            Buildings).....................................    18
                                                                     24
        Library of Congress................................    22
                                                                     31
        Government Publishing Office.......................    28
                                                                     37
        Government Accountability Office...................    33
                                                                     38
        Open World Leadership Center Trust Fund............    34
                                                                     40
        John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training 
            and Development................................    35
                                                                     40
Title II--General Provisions...............................    35
                                                                     40
Bill-wide Reporting Requirements...........................
                                                                     41
Minority Views.............................................
                                                                     72

                         HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BILL

    The bill recommended by the Committee provides modest 
funding increases to support the staffing and other resources 
needed to help Congress do its job well, maintain and build 
analytical capacity to support lawmaking and oversight, and 
address high-priority needs in areas such as information 
technology (IT) and security.
    The legislation appropriates a total of $4,198,047,000 in 
fiscal year 2021, which is $206,867,000 (5.2 percent) more than 
the comparable amount for fiscal year 2020. These 
appropriations support the operations of the House of 
Representatives, the care and preservation of the historic 
buildings in which Congress works, and agencies that provide 
research and analysis to assist the legislative process. They 
also support other institutions such as the Library of 
Congress, one of the leading repositories of knowledge and 
culture in the world, as well as the Government Publishing 
Office.
    In keeping with longstanding practice under which each 
chamber of Congress determines its housekeeping requirements 
and the other concurs without intervention, the bill does not 
include funds for the Senate or Senate office buildings. 
Similarly, the Senate will consider a Legislative Branch 
appropriations bill that addresses Senate but not House 
funding.
    House of Representatives Overview: The budget of the House 
of Representatives is significantly smaller than it was at the 
beginning of this decade, primarily because of a series of 
budget cuts enacted during fiscal years 2011 through 2013. The 
Committee has heard concerns from Members of Congress and 
outside observers that existing funding levels are hampering 
the ability of the House to do its jobs of developing 
legislation to meet national needs, providing oversight of 
government operations, and assisting constituents in their 
dealings with government. The bill's funding levels represent a 
modest step towards addressing these issues.
    As in previous years, three accounts together make up 
three-quarters of the House of Representatives budget: Members' 
Representational Allowances (MRA), Committee salaries and 
expenses, and ``Government Contributions'' (which covers 
payroll taxes and benefit costs for all House employees).
    Member Cost of Living Adjustment: The bill includes 
language (section 213) that blocks the cost of living 
adjustment for Members of Congress for fiscal year 2021.
    MRA: The Committee recommends $640,000,000 for the MRA in 
fiscal year 2021, $25,000,000 more than in the prior year.
    Allowance for Paid Interns: The 2020 Legislative Branch 
Appropriations Act established an allowance for paid interns in 
Members' offices. This was done in recognition of the 
importance of internships in gaining work experience and 
opening doors to future employment and that many well-qualified 
candidates are simply not in a financial position to work as 
interns without pay, especially in a high-cost area like 
Washington, D.C. The bill continues to support this program, 
and the Committee recommends $11,025,000 for the intern 
allowance in fiscal year 2021, equal to the prior year. The 
Committee strongly believes in the importance of this allowance 
and, in a normal year, would have provided additional funding. 
However, due to social distancing recommendations by the Office 
of the Attending Physician, the Committee is concerned about 
intern capacity for fiscal year 2021 in Washington, D.C. as 
well as district offices.
    Committee Expenses: The Committee recommends $162,825,000 
for the expenses of House Committees, a $3,197,000 increase 
above the prior year. This amount will support the funding 
allocated to Committees for 2021 by House Resolution 245, 
adopted in the first session of the 116th Congress.
    House Officers and Support Agencies: The Committee-
recommended bill provides $254,781,000, $22,878,000 more than 
in fiscal year 2020 for the salaries and expenses of House 
officers and employees, including the offices of the Clerk of 
the House, Sergeant at Arms, Chief Administrative Officer 
(CAO), Parliamentarian, and Legislative Counsel, among others. 
Most of the increases are targeted to IT and security needs, 
including modernization of the House Legislative Information 
Management System, upgrades at House Information Resources 
including further movement toward cloud computing and 
strengthening cybersecurity, and replacement of the badly 
outdated emergency announcement system in the Capitol and House 
office buildings. In this report, the Committee directs the CAO 
to provide quarterly status reports on IT upgrade efforts, 
including project milestones and spending targets. Furthermore, 
the CAO is directed to provide no later than the fifth of each 
month the monthly obligations report. The Committee finds this 
report extremely useful when making funding decisions.
    The recommended bill continues funding for two new offices 
established by the House at the beginning of the 116th 
Congress: $1,500,000 for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion 
which is an increase of $500,000 above the request and 
$1,000,000 for the Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman which 
is $250,000 above the request.
    House Studies: The Committee has received requests and 
suggestions from Members of the House and other interested 
parties for various proposals which warrant further study and 
consideration, including development of House-wide policy for 
medical leave for employees, as well as a possible tuition 
assistance program. The Committee is requesting the appropriate 
House offices to study and report on these and other issues.
    Congressional Budget Office (CBO): The Committee's bill 
includes $57,292,000 for the Congressional Budget Office, 
$2,351,000 more than in fiscal year 2020. This funding level 
will allow CBO to continue and modestly increase its efforts to 
improve modeling and analytical capability in critical areas 
and to make its work as transparent and accessible as possible. 
In addition, this funding level will allow CBO to fully 
implement the multiyear staffing plan that was the basis for 
the agency's funding increases in 2019 and 2020.
    Library of Congress: For the Library of Congress, including 
the Copyright Office, Congressional Research Service, and 
National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, the 
Committee recommends a total of $752,750,000 in fiscal year 
2021, an increase of $27,391,000 over the prior year. This 
funding level will allow continued progress on IT and 
cybersecurity needs and on modernization of systems for 
copyright registration and recordation. It will also support 
ongoing Library initiatives such as the Veterans' History 
Project and necessary infrastructure improvements for the Law 
Library. The Library is directed to support a study conducted 
by an outside neutral expert organization to recommend the 
appropriate path forward for the Library's preservation 
efforts.
    The Committee recommendation includes $10,000,000 for a 
third installment of funding for the Library's Visitor 
Experience initiative, subject to the Committee's review of the 
specific plans, cost estimates, and schedules for the 
initiative. It also includes $7,375,000 for modernizing the 
website that handles distribution of audio and braille reading 
materials at the National Library Service and for purchase of 
braille e-readers and talking book machines.
    Government Accountability Office (GAO): The Committee 
recommends $664,346,000 for the GAO, which is an increase of 
$34,346,000 over fiscal year 2020. This level should allow the 
GAO to sustain recent increases in staffing to handle its large 
workload and begin to address its IT and building renovation 
needs.
    Capitol Police: The Committee recommends $464,341,000 for 
the Capitol Police, equal to fiscal year 2020. Included within 
the total is $3,600,000 for the Joint Audible Warning System 
(JAWS).
    Federal Law Enforcement.--The Committee notes that the 
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations 
Act, 2021 directs the Attorney General to establish a training 
program to cover the use of force and de-escalation, racial 
profiling, implicit bias, and procedural justice, to include 
training on the duty of Federal law enforcement officers to 
intervene in cases where another law enforcement officer is 
using excessive force, and make such training a requirement for 
Federal law enforcement officers. The Committee further notes 
that several Departments and agencies funded by this Act employ 
Federal law enforcement officers and are Federal Law 
Enforcement Training Centers partner organizations. The 
Committee directs such Departments and agencies to adopt and 
follow the training program established by the Attorney 
General, and to make such training a requirement for its 
Federal law enforcement officers. The Committee further directs 
such Departments and agencies to brief the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations on their efforts relating to 
training no later than 90 days after the Attorney General has 
established such a training program.
    In addition, the Committee directs such Departments and 
agencies, to the extent that such Departments and agencies have 
not already done so, to submit their use of force data to the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)'s National Use of Force 
Data Collection database. The Committee further directs such 
Departments and agencies to brief the House and Senate 
Committees on Appropriations no later than 90 days after 
enactment of this Act on their current efforts to tabulate and 
submit its use of force data to the FBI.
    Architect of the Capitol (AOC): The Committee recommends 
$631,268,000 for the AOC, $31,579,000 more than in fiscal year 
2020. (These totals do not include appropriations for Senate 
Office Buildings, which, as is customary, are left to the sole 
consideration of the Senate). Multi-year construction projects 
will be funded at $95,800,000, almost 60 percent of the total 
funding requested, including funding for Storage Module 7 at 
Ft. Meade for the Library of Congress. $62,000,000 is provided 
for continuing work on the Cannon Building revitalization 
project.
    Office of Congressional Workplace Rights: The bill includes 
$7,500,000 for the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, 
$1,167,000 more than fiscal year 2020. This funding will 
provide the resources needed to continue to implement the 
Congressional Accountability Reform Act changes enacted in 
2018.
    Technology Assessment: There has been interest among some 
Members during the past several years in reinstituting the 
Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), which had provided 
technology assessment analysis for Congress until its de-
funding in 1995. The Committee responded to this interest by 
requesting the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) 
to recommend whether Congress should re-start OTA or take other 
action. The NAPA report, released in November, 2019, 
recommended that OTA should not be re-started and instead that 
GAO and the Congressional Research Service should expand their 
technology assessment efforts. As a result, the bill increases 
funding for GAO to strengthen its new Science, Technology 
Assessment, and Analytics (STAA) team. The Committee has been 
pleased with STAA's initial efforts, but will continue to 
review its work to see if other steps are needed in the future.
    Employment of DACA Recipients: The bill recommended by the 
Committee includes legislative language permitting all the 
Legislative Branch agencies it funds to employ ``Dreamers'' 
that is, residents of the United States brought to this country 
as children without proper immigration status who hold 
employment authorization under the Deferred Action for 
Childhood Arrivals (``DACA'') program. Despite that employment 
authorization, use of appropriated funds to hire DACA enrollees 
is not currently permitted because of a government-wide 
provision carried annually in the Financial Services and 
General Government Appropriations Act. That provision prohibits 
the use of funds to employ people who are not U.S. citizens and 
do not hold one of several listed types of immigration status, 
a list that doesn't currently include DACA work authorization. 
Pending any government-wide resolution of this issue, the 
Committee recommends welcoming these members of the national 
community to seek employment in the Legislative Branch.

                    Legislative Branch-Wide Matters

    Offensive U.S. Capitol Statuary: The bill includes language 
directing the Architect to remove the statues or busts in the 
U.S. Capitol that represent figures who participated in the 
Confederate Army or government, as well as the statues of white 
supremacists Charles Aycock, John C. Calhoun, and James Paul 
Clarke and the bust of Roger B. Taney. The Architect is 
instructed to work with the States who contributed Confederate 
statues to return them to the donor State. The placement of 
statues in the Capitol commemorating men who tried to overthrow 
the government of the United States or who were white 
supremacists has been controversial for years and offensive to 
many of the visitors who come to the Capitol each year. The 
Committee believes their removal is long overdue.
    Reprogramming Guidelines: The Committee expects all 
agencies to notify the Committees on Appropriations of the 
House and the Senate (hereinafter ``the Committees'') of any 
significant departures from budget plans presented to the 
Committees in any agency's budget justifications. In 
particular, agencies funded through this bill are required to 
notify the Committees prior to any reprogramming of funds in 
excess of the lesser of 10 percent or $750,000 between 
programs, projects or activities, or in excess of $750,000 
between object classifications (except for shifts within the 
pay categories, object class 11, 12, and 13 or as further 
specified in each agency's respective section). This includes 
cumulative reprogrammings that together total at least $750,000 
from or to a particular program, activity, or object 
classification as well as reprogramming full time equivalents 
(FTE) or funds to create new organizational entities within the 
agency or to restructure entities which already exist. In 
addition, the Committees must be notified of reprogramming 
actions that involve less than the above-mentioned amounts if 
such actions would have the effect of changing an agency's 
funding requirements in future years or if programs or projects 
specifically cited in the Committees' reports are affected.
    Staffing Data in Budget Documents: The Committee continues 
to direct the Legislative Branch agencies to include in their 
budget justifications data on FTE levels that would actually be 
supported by the associated request or enacted funding levels. 
The Committee also continues to direct the Legislative Branch 
Financial Managers Council to coordinate on a plan for aligning 
FTE levels with the Legislative Branch agencies for consistency 
in reporting.
    Zero Base Budgeting: While the Committee continues to 
direct all agencies of the Legislative Branch to develop budget 
requests from a zero-base, the Committee is concerned that the 
zero-based budget documents lack sufficient detail for making 
funding decisions. The Committee believes that there is room 
for improvement and directs House agencies to work with the 
Committee to ensure budget documents contain the necessary 
information for meaningful savings.
    Contracting Opportunities for Minority-Owned Businesses: 
The Committee urges all agencies across the Legislative Branch 
to explore opportunities to provide minority-owned businesses 
increased access to vendor contracts.
    Advertising Contracts: The Committee directs each 
department and agency to include the following information in 
its fiscal year 2022 budget justification: Expenditures for 
fiscal year 2020 for (1) all contracts for advertising 
services; and (2) contracts for the advertising services of (a) 
socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns 
(as defined in section 8(a)(4) of the Small Business Act (15 
U.S.C. 637(a)(4)); and (b) women- and minority-owned 
businesses.
    Performance Measures and Customer Service: The Committee 
believes that development of organizational priority goals and 
outcomes, such as performance outcome measures, output 
measures, and efficiency measures, is important for all 
agencies funded under this bill. The Committee also notes the 
importance of implementing proper customer service standards 
for agencies that provide direct services to the public. 
Development of these service standards should include 
identifying and surveying target customers and tracking 
internal performance against those standards.
    Childcare Access: Providing access to quality, affordable 
child care is critical for retaining staff, and advancing women 
in the workplace, who are still disproportionately primary 
caregivers. The Committee strongly supports further investments 
to further reduce the waitlist, expand admissions, and ensure 
quality care at Capitol complex child care centers.

               TITLE I--LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS


                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................    $1,370,725,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................     1,530,805,000
Committee recommendation..............................     1,479,819,000
  Change from enacted level...........................      +109,094,000
  Change from request.................................       -50,986,000
 

    The Committee recommends $1,479,819,000 for the salaries 
and expenses of the House of Representatives. In addition, the 
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) 
(P.L. 116-136) included $25,000,000 for the House of 
Representatives to prevent, prepare for, and respond to 
coronavirus, domestically or internationally. In addition, 
section 113 rescinds $3,212,000.

                        House Leadership Offices


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $28,884,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................        28,884,000
Committee recommendation..............................        28,884,000
  Change from enacted level...........................                 0
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $28,884,000 for salaries and 
expenses of staff in House Leadership offices.
    The allocation by office follows:

 
 
 
Office of the Speaker.................................        $8,295,000
Office of the Majority Floor Leader...................         2,947,000
Office of the Majority Whip...........................         2,448,000
Democratic Caucus.....................................         2,340,000
Office of the Minority Floor Leader...................         8,295,000
Office of the Minority Whip...........................         2,219,000
Republican Conference.................................         2,340,000
 

                  Members' Representational Allowances


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................      $615,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       672,000,000
Committee recommendation..............................       640,000,000
  Change from enacted level...........................       +25,000,000
  Change from request.................................       -32,000,000
 

    The Committee recommends $640,000,000 for the MRA.
    Analysis of components of the MRA: In H. Report 116-64, the 
Committee directed the CAO to produce and submit to the 
Committee a report on the adequacy of district office rent 
allocations in the MRA in districts where there is no Federal 
office space available for rent and districts with above-
average market rate rents. The Committee looks forward to 
receiving this report in a timely manner.

        Allowance for Compensation of Interns in Member Offices


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $11,025,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................        11,025,000
Committee recommendation..............................        11,025,000
  Change from enacted level...........................                 0
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $11,025,000 for the compensation 
of interns who serve in the offices of Members of the House of 
Representatives. This recommendation maintains the intern 
allowance cap of $25,000 per Member office.

            Allowance for Compensation of Interns in House 
                           Leadership Offices


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................          $365,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................           365,000
Committee recommendation..............................           365,000
  Change from enacted level...........................                 0
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $365,000 for the compensation of 
interns who serve in the offices of House Leadership. This 
recommendation includes $200,000 for the compensation of 
interns who serve in House Leadership offices of the majority, 
to be allocated among such offices by the Speaker of the House, 
and $165,000 for the compensation of interns who serve in House 
Leadership offices of the minority, to be allocated among such 
offices by the Minority Floor Leader.

                          Committee Employees


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................      $159,628,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       162,825,000
Committee recommendation..............................       162,825,000
  Change from enacted level...........................        +3,197,000
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $162,825,000 in total for 
Committee Employees, including $135,000,000 for standing and 
select Committees, which should be sufficient to cover the 
amounts allocated to Committees (other than the Committee on 
Appropriations) in House Resolution 245. The total also 
includes $24,725,000 for the Committee on Appropriations and 
$3,100,000 for committee room renovations. This account 
includes funding for salaries and expenses of Committees, 
including equipment, telecommunications, printing, contract 
services, and supplies. Funding is available until December 31, 
2022.

                    Salaries, Officers and Employees


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................      $231,903,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       266,742,000
Committee recommendation..............................       254,781,000
  Change from enacted level...........................       +22,878,000
  Change from request.................................       -11,961,000
 

    The Committee recommends $254,781,000 for the salaries and 
expenses of House officers and employees of the various 
activities funded through this consolidated item.
    Following is a summary of the funding allocation provided 
to each component of the account:

 
 
 
Office of the Clerk...................................       $31,975,000
 

    The Committee recommends $31,975,000 for the salaries and 
expenses of the Office of the Clerk, an increase of $1,209,000 
over the fiscal year 2020 enacted total and a decrease of 
$849,000 from the fiscal year 2021 request.
    Digital Signatures: The Committee believes that 
Congressional staff members need digital options to complete 
their critical day-to-day functions, such as collecting 
signatures for letters. The Committee requests a report from 
the Clerk of the House, no later than 90 days after enactment 
of this Act, on the feasibility of the use of digital 
signatures.
    Automated Committee Roll Call Voting System: The Committee 
is interested in the feasibility, and the costs and 
requirements for the implementation of an automated Committee 
Roll Call Voting System for all Committees. The report should 
provide cost estimates with the emphasis on flexible 
implementation for each Committee if this action is possible. 
The report should also address the number of Committees that 
may be interested in automated voting. This report should also 
consider whether publishing these electronic votes in a central 
online database, managed by the House Clerk, would facilitate 
other goals of Committee vote transparency and efficiency. This 
report shall be submitted no later than 180 days after 
enactment of this Act.
    Cloakroom Dining Options: The Committee recognizes that all 
those who work in the House, including Members of Congress, 
should have access to healthy foods. The Cloakroom currently 
offers several eating options which the Office of the Attending 
Physician has assessed as healthy food choices. The Committee 
encourages the Cloakroom staff to continue to evaluate and 
offer additional healthy eating options.
    Lobbyist Disclosure Unique Identifier: The Committee 
requests a report from the Clerk of the House, no later than 60 
days after enactment of this Act, regarding progress on 
generating a Congress-wide unique identifier for lobbyists and 
disclosing that identifier to the public as structured data as 
part of the lobbying disclosure downloads.
    Voting Display Board: The Committee directs the Clerk of 
the House to provide a report on the feasibility and cost of 
installing additional voting display boards in the House 
Chamber or on smaller touch screens at certain exits to assist 
members in tracking their votes during a vote series.
    Electronic House Functions: The Committee is aware that due 
to COVID-19 the Clerk of the House has taken action to make 
Office of the Clerk functions electronic. For example, for the 
official reporters, extensions of remarks and general leave 
statements are electronic. For legislative operations, Members 
can now introduce legislation electronically, add cosponsors, 
as well as provide constitutional authority statements. The 
Committee applauds the Clerk's forward thinking on these 
matters and encourages the Clerk to continue to develop more 
electronic systems for House processes. The Committee further 
directs the Clerk to provide a report detailing these actions 
as well as the cost of implementation of these, and further 
necessary actions to update the functions of the Office of the 
Clerk. This report shall be submitted no later than 180 days 
after enactment of this Act.
    Facilitating Public Access to Legislative Information: The 
Committee encourages the Clerk of the House to explore ways to 
make the publication of Legislative Branch information as data 
more readily available to the public, which includes providing 
assistance to the public with finding and obtaining legislative 
data; supporting the annual Legislative Data and Transparency 
Conference; supporting the Bulk Data Task Force; and other 
duties as the House Clerk deems appropriate that promote public 
or Congressional access to legislative information as data.

 
 
 
Office of the Sergeant at Arms........................       $23,260,000
 

    The Committee recommends $23,260,000 for the salaries and 
expenses of the Office of the Sergeant at Arms. This represents 
an increase of $3,035,000 over the fiscal year 2020 enacted 
total and a decrease of $2,826,000 from the fiscal year 2021 
request. Half of the increase ($1,500,000) will support the 
Sergeant at Arms efforts to replace the aging wireless 
emergency annunciator system with JAWS, which will be used to 
provide emergency notification during emergency events to every 
office, hearing room, meeting room, and work area of the House.
    Digital Communications: The Committee recognizes that 
Members of Congress and their staff frequently use social media 
and other digital assets to communicate with their constituents 
in their official capacity and in doing so, face growing 
threats from criminals and potentially foreign governments 
looking to impersonate their online personas, perpetrate fraud 
or conduct other malicious activity via these digital channels. 
The Committee encourages the Sergeant at Arms to explore 
technology solutions to actively protect the digital personas 
of Members of Congress from fraud, exploitation and abuse.
    Additional Security Clearance Report Information: House 
Report 116-64 directed the Sergeant at Arms to provide a report 
on Legislative Branch security clearances. The Committee has 
received the first of two reports and has concluded that 
additional information is necessary. Therefore, the Committee 
directs the Sergeant at Arms to also include, in the 
appropriate format, the number of clearances disaggregated by 
security level as well as clearances pending.

 
 
 
Office of the Chief Administrative Officer............      $171,200,000
 

    The Committee recommends $171,200,000 for the salaries and 
expenses of the Office of the CAO. This represents an increase 
of $17,650,000 over the fiscal year 2020 enacted total and a 
decrease of $9,036,000 from the fiscal year 2021 request.
    Contractor Conversions: The Committee recognizes the need 
to keep certain services like furniture delivery and removal 
in-house rather than delegate this type of work to a 
contractor. Therefore, the recommendation includes $1,600,000 
to support these contractor conversions.
    Electronic Consent: The Committee is aware of the ongoing 
pilot to support Member offices with their casework business 
processes via a casework privacy release app. The Committee 
supports the CAO's efforts to investigate these technologies 
that will provide electronic document management, 
accessibility, and the creation of constituent forms that can 
be viewed, edited, and electronically signed. This type of 
technology is widely used by businesses and will improve Member 
office efficiency, workflow, and provide cost savings. 
Implementation of this technology will help Member offices 
implement new constituent electronic consent authorities 
granted under the House-passed H.R. 1079: Creating Advanced 
Streamlined Electronic Services for Constituent Act of 2020 or 
the ``CASE Act''.
    Cloud Technologies: The CAO is encouraged to continue to 
investigate and pilot various cloud service options that will 
provide House offices with greater accessibility to their 
files, enhanced collaboration tools, and more storage. The 
Committee supports standardizing cloud services to strengthen 
the House's security posture and provide Member offices 
additional support and cost savings.
    Digital Workspace Technologies: The Committee recognizes 
that the use of digital workspace technologies in Member 
offices can increase user productivity, enhance cybersecurity, 
and allow workforce flexibility for both Congressional staff 
and Members of Congress. The Committee continues to encourage 
the exploration of multi-factor authentication solutions to 
strengthen the cybersecurity posture of all legislative 
offices, including strategies and programs that reduce the 
total life cycle costs of traditional legacy workspace 
infrastructure.
    Pay Comparability and Disparities: The issues of pay 
comparability and disparities will be of continuing interest, 
particularly as the new Office of Diversity and Inclusion 
begins its work. The Committee, therefore, requests that the 
CAO, working with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, 
explore ways of providing data on salaries and benefits in the 
House on an annual basis including through approaches such as 
possible use of payroll data and/or information collected 
during the employee onboarding process or recurring surveys of 
samples of employees or offices. The CAO should report its 
conclusions and recommendations on that subject to the 
Committee and the Committee on House Administration.
    Intern Diversity: The Committee is concerned about 
diversity among interns. The Committee notes that Congressional 
internships are often prerequisites to full-time staff 
positions. Therefore, the Committee directs the CAO to examine 
and administer regular studies of demographic and pay 
information for interns and provide these reports concurrently 
with future budget submissions.
    House Compensation Study: The Committee appreciates the 
effort to implement the first ever Congressional Staff Salary 
report as requested in the fiscal year 2019 report. Given 
existing realities of gender and racial pay gaps in America, 
the Committee is concerned the data collected and findings 
asserted in the salaries report, where the report details an 
approximate 50 percent participation rate, fails to adequately 
capture the necessary bench-mark data of which was the goal of 
the survey. The Committee directs the CAO to explore options to 
mandate participation and to re-implement the survey 
expeditiously.
    House Staff Retention Strategy: The Committee is concerned 
that according to the recent House of Representatives 
Compensation and Diversity Study Report, 53.5 percent of Member 
office staff are not satisfied with their pay, and as a result, 
49 percent of those staffers are considering looking for 
employment elsewhere. No later than 180 days after enactment of 
this Act, the CAO shall produce and submit to the Committee a 
report with recommendations on how to improve retention and 
bring staff salaries in line with executive agency equivalents. 
The CAO is further directed to solicit anonymized input from 
House personnel for suggestions on how to improve retention and 
increase staff salaries.
    Employee Advocacy: Workplace harassment and discrimination 
are an abuse of power and perpetrators must be held accountable 
to promote a safe and dignified environment. While there is 
more work to be done, Congress took positive action by 
overhauling its reporting and dispute resolution process, 
requiring regular and anonymous climate surveys and anti-
harassment training, and mandating annual reporting to 
Congress. Another positive step was establishing the Office of 
Employee Advocacy. To continue support of this office, the 
Committee recommends $1,491,000 for the Office to cover 
additional full-time employees, staff travel to district 
offices to litigate cases if necessary, and contractor support 
for court reporters to transcribe hearings and depositions.
    Wellness Program: The Committee continues to support the 
comprehensive wellness program created to support and empower 
House staff with resources to navigate the fast pace of working 
on Capitol Hill while maintaining a healthy life. Providing 
employees with the proper tools leads to higher productivity, 
increased employee engagement, and a stronger workforce. These 
types of programs help in retaining talented staff. Technology 
companies that have embedded wellness programs within their 
charters are able to compete and think more creatively as well 
as manage their high stress environments. The Committee 
encourages the House Wellness Program to gather statistics on 
the short-term and long-term effects on House staff who 
regularly utilize the program offerings. In addition, the 
Committee recommends $300,000 in this bill to continue growing 
the program.
    Asset Tracking: The Committee directs the CAO to engage 
with stakeholders and allocate resources to address the multi-
year significant deficiency identified in the House's Financial 
Statement Audit reports related to controls over property and 
equipment. The Committee encourages the CAO to explore next-
generation technology, including intelligent organization, to 
address asset tracking and inventory management needs.
    Food Waste: The Committee is aware that large quantities of 
unserved prepared food are being wasted by House cafeterias. 
The Committee directs the CAO to submit a report that details 
ways for the House of Representatives to donate unserved 
prepared food to charitable organizations that serve homeless 
persons in Washington, D.C. This report shall be submitted to 
the Committee no later than 90 days after the enactment of this 
Act.
    Food Service Workers Study: The Committee is concerned with 
the recent layoffs of House cafeteria employees that have led 
the remaining employees to shoulder a higher workload, and, as 
a result, patrons are receiving a lower quality of customer 
service. The Committee directs the CAO to submit a report to 
this Committee no later than 90 days after the enactment of 
this Act detailing the number of current employees, the number 
of employees under the previous food service provider, and how 
the current food service provider is compensating the cafeteria 
employees for the additional work. In the same report, the CAO 
shall include the level of wages paid to cafeteria employees 
and whether this amount is a livable wage for the Washington, 
D.C. area.
    Emergency Care: The House Wellness Center has contracted 
with the Life Care program to provide House staff with 
technical assistance in a variety of areas, from childcare 
planning to financial planning, legal aid, senior care, and 
caregiving. This service is an important mechanism to help 
promote staff retention for employees facing everyday life 
challenges. However, the current contract for Life Care 
excludes backup care and is thus inconsistent with comparable 
benefits offered by many Federal agencies. Backup care offers 
staff temporary, alternative coverage for a dependent child 
when primary coverage falters. The Committee is interested in 
providing backup care as an option for Hill staff and requests 
the Wellness Center to provide information to the Committee on 
what additional resources would be needed to provide this 
benefit or an equivalent alternative to make backup care 
available.
    House-wide Leave Policy: The CAO is urged to examine the 
feasibility of a House-wide paid family and medical leave 
policy for House employees and report its findings no later 180 
days after enactment of this Act.
    House Fitness Center Extended Hours: The Committee is 
interested in evaluating current House gym hours for staff and 
directs the CAO to conduct a House-wide staff survey on the 
feasibility of implementing longer gym hours. The CAO should 
report its survey findings on this subject to the Committee no 
later than 180 days after enactment of this Act.
    Office Equipment: Congressional offices that upgrade their 
IT are often left with surplus equipment. Establishing a clear 
system for wiping these computers of all data and facilitating 
their donation to other Congressional offices or non-profits 
would support local organizations and be more environmentally 
friendly than recycling or landfilling. Therefore, the 
Committee supports a program to allow Members to donate surplus 
computer equipment to non-profits or other Congressional 
offices.
    Improved Processes: The Committee notes that there are 
several processes within the House that could be improved and 
streamlined through technology, and that modernizing Congress 
is essential to its core functions as an institution. For 
example, all steps of the flag request process should be 
submitted through a single online portal and a universal online 
onboarding process for new staff members should be implemented 
to help new staff become familiar with all of these processes.
    Member Office Staff Cap: The Committee has received 
requests and suggestions from Members and other interested 
parties for various proposals that warrant further study and 
consideration, including lifting the cap on the number of full-
time staff a Member of the House is able to employ. The 
Committee recognizes that each Member office has its own plans 
for staff and personnel organization and that the Members of 
the Senate have no such cap on full-time staff. The Committee 
is requesting the appropriate House offices study and report on 
these issues. In addition this study should also address 
additional staff capacity for a district that has been impacted 
by a federally declared natural disaster.
    Single-Use Plastic Products: The Committee is committed to 
reducing the use of single-use plastic products on the Capitol 
grounds. The Committee encourages the elimination of single-use 
plastic products, including lightweight plastic carryout bags, 
food and drinkware from expanded polystyrene, plastic stirrers, 
plastic utensils, and plastic straws. Such elimination shall be 
carried out in consultation with disability advocacy groups. 
Finally, the bill includes a general provision (section 210) 
addressing this issue as well.
    Eligible Congressional Member Organization (eCMO): The 
Committee notes that the eCMO process was set up in the 114th 
Congress to streamline the documentation process and ease of 
processing paperwork. The process outlined in House Rules, was 
amended in the beginning of the 116th Congress to lower 
requirements for more participation of smaller CMOs. The 
Committee on House Administration (CHA) adopted regulations 
that defined the required paperwork for establishing and 
appointing staff to eCMOs in Committee Resolution 116-06. The 
CAO is directed to provide an assessment of current procedures 
and provide recommendations for more efficiencies should they 
exist no later than 120 days after enactment of this Act.
    Staff Tuition Remission: The CAO is directed to study the 
feasibility of a tuition remission program for House of 
Representative employees in addition to the student loan 
repayment program currently in effect. The CAO shall share its 
findings with the Committee on Appropriations and CHA in a 
report no later than 180 days after enactment of this Act.

 
 
 
Office of Diversity and Inclusion.....................        $1,500,000
 

    The Committee is encouraged by the establishment of the 
Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The Committee supports the 
efforts to staff the Office and the implementation of the House 
Diversity Plan.
    Witness Diversity: The Committee is aware of the diversity 
pilot initiative launched in January 2020 to track the 
diversity of the expert witnesses who testify before Congress 
through an optional survey shared along with the required Truth 
In Testimony Form to outside witnesses. The diversity 
initiative aims to ensure that a diversity of voices and 
perspectives are considered by all Committees to ensure 
inclusive policies and legislation that benefit the entire 
country. The Committee strongly supports this initiative and 
looks forward to the results of the effort.
    Committee Internships: The Committee recognizes that 
internships often serve as the gateway for careers in 
Congressional offices or even as Members of Congress. Unpaid 
internships raise barriers to participating that are steepest 
for the economically disadvantaged and members of historically 
underrepresented groups. Paid internships may make the House 
even more representative. Progress has been made by providing 
paid internships in Member and Leadership offices, but given 
the importance of committees to the legislative process, the 
Committee recognizes that the case for providing funding for 
paid internships for committees may be at least equally as 
strong. The Committee requests that the CAO and the Office of 
Diversity and Inclusion prepare options for providing paid 
internships for majority and minority staff at the committee 
and/or subcommittee level. This report should be presented to 
the Committee on Appropriations and to the Committee on House 
Administration no later than 120 days after the enactment of 
this Act.

 
 
 
Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman.................        $1,000,000
 

    Congress plays a critical role in both learning from, and 
protecting, whistleblowers. Additionally, its constitutionally 
mandated oversight work very often relies on vital disclosures 
from Federal workers and employees in the private sector. The 
House of Representatives took an important step during the 
first session of the 116th Congress in helping whistleblowers 
by creating the House Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman in 
the Rules Package for the 116th Congress. The Committee 
continues to support the Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman 
and recommends $1,000,000 for that purpose in this bill.

 
 
 
Office of the Inspector General.......................        $5,019,000
Office of General Counsel.............................         1,815,000
Office of the Parliamentarian.........................         2,088,000
Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the House.......         3,469,000
Office of the Legislative Counsel of the House........        11,937,000
Office of Interparliamentary Affairs..................           934,000
Other authorized employees............................           584,000
 

                        Allowances and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................      $323,920,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       378,964,000
Committee recommendation..............................       379,939,000
  Change from enacted level...........................       +56,019,000
  Change from request.................................          +975,000
 

    The Committee recommends a total of $379,939,000 for 
allowances and expenses.
    The following table summarizes the funding allocation 
provided to each major component of the account:

 
 
 
Supplies, materials, administrative costs and Federal         $1,555,000
 tort claims..........................................
Official mail (Committees, administrative, and                   190,000
 leadership offices)..................................
Government Contributions..............................       340,000,000
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery.............        18,508,000
Transition Activities.................................        13,000,000
Wounded Warrior Program...............................         3,975,000
Office of Congressional Ethics........................         1,711,000
Miscellaneous items...................................         1,000,000
 

    Government Contributions Actuarial Calculations: The 
Committee believes that while the CAO has done a good job of 
projecting the need of the Government Contributions account, 
there is concern that the projections are becoming more complex 
due to increased contributions. This account is largely 
calculated based on a percentage of the estimated personnel 
dollars for the budget request year. The requested increase in 
funding will support an approximate 6 percent increase in 
personnel dollars estimated to be earned in fiscal year 2021. 
Furthermore, the increase reflects funding required to support 
the effects of changes by the Office of Personnel Management 
(OPM) to the agency contributions rates for the Federal 
Employees Retirement System categories. Effective October 1, 
2020, the FERS agency contribution rate for the House is 
projected to increase from 23.9 percent to 25.7 percent and the 
agency contribution for both FERS RAE and FERS FRAE is 
projected to increase from 16.3 percent to 17.8 percent. These 
changes will result in an average increase of 9 percent across 
all three categories. In order to manage this account, the 
Committee provides the CAO with the authority to contract with 
an actuary to help project these costs. The Committee further 
directs the CAO to provide written notification when this 
authority is used.
    Wounded Warrior Program: The Wounded Warrior program is one 
of the House's most popular initiatives. The program currently 
provides 110 two-year fellowship positions for wounded veterans 
in Congressional offices. The Committee learned after the 
fiscal year 2021 budget submission that the Fellowship 
Program's fiscal year 2021 request is not sufficient to support 
the current 95 fellows, the new 120 fellow cap, and the new 
Gold Star Program. In order to make the program whole, the 
recommendation provides an additional $975,000 for fiscal year 
2021, for a total request of $3,975,000.

       House of Representatives Modernization Initiatives Account


                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................                 0
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       $10,000,000
Committee recommendation..............................        $2,000,000
  Change from enacted level...........................        +2,000,000
  Change from request.................................        -8,000,000
 

    The Committee recommends a total of $2,000,000 for the 
House of Representatives Modernization Initiatives Account 
which is $8,000,000 below the fiscal year 2021 request (Please 
note that these funds were initially requested in the CAO's 
fiscal year 2021 budget submission). The Select Committee on 
the Modernization of Congress [hereafter ``the Select 
Committee''] has unanimously passed 45 recommendations to 
improve the way Congress works. The Modernization Initiatives 
Account is created to help implement these recommendations. The 
Committee believes that investing in these recommendations will 
improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Legislative 
Branch so that it can better serve the American people.
    Bulk Purchasing: The Select Committee recommended that the 
CAO leverage the bulk purchasing power of the House of 
Representatives. The CAO should provide a standard suite of 
quality, up-to-date devices and software, such as desktop and 
laptop computers, tablets, printers, mobile phones and desk 
phones at no cost to the MRA. The Committee believes that 
fragmented and duplicative contracts cause inefficiencies and 
unnecessary costs for Member, Committee, and Leadership 
offices. The Committee recommends that the CAO negotiate House-
wide contracts or purchasing services for Member, Committee, 
and Leadership offices with the goal of saving taxpayer dollars 
by purchasing centrally rather than independently.
    Alternative Legislative Applications: The Committee 
applauds the Clerk of the House for updating legislative 
systems to modernize House operations and comply with the rules 
of the House such as House rule XXI, clause 12 (referred to as 
the ``Posey Rule''). The Committee is aware of advances made in 
Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) products that could be used to 
expand resources for Members and staff. The Committee directs 
the Clerk, in consultation with the CAO, to study this issue 
and develop a list of COTS systems that can be easily 
integrated with existing House platforms leading to increase in 
productivity and cost savings. Furthermore, the report should 
examine the comparative advantages of available COTS 
alternatives that have been authorized for use by the Committee 
on House Administration for use throughout the House. This 
report shall be submitted no later than 90 days after enactment 
of this Act.
    Baseline Technology: The CAO is also encouraged to develop 
and pilot baseline tech packages for new Member offices in 
order to take advantage of bulk purchasing rates and streamline 
the process of equipping Member offices with necessary 
technologies. The CAO, in consultation with the Committee on 
House Administration, should determine what constitutes a good, 
baseline technology package for Member offices. The CAO may 
pilot a baseline tech package with freshman offices, then 
expand the pilot to other offices accordingly.
    Centralized Human Resources: The Committee commends the 
recommendations produced by the Select Committee, particularly 
those regarding centralized Human Resources. A centralized 
human resources program would provide standardized hiring, 
promoting, and managing guidelines and improve in the retention 
and recruitment of a diverse workforce. The Committee requests 
a report within 120 days of enactment from the CAO on the 
feasibility of a centralized Human Resources system.
    Website Accessibility: According to the Bureau of the 
Census, there are 40.7 million citizens who are non-
institutionalized individuals with a disability, as defined by 
the Americans with Disabilities Act. Individuals with 
disabilities should have full digital access to government 
digital properties, especially those made available by Member 
offices, including websites, applications, and electronic 
document retrieval programs. The Select Committee has 
highlighted improving access to Congressional websites for 
individuals with disabilities as a top priority. The Committee 
directs the CAO to provide a report, no later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, on the current 
state of web accessibility of Member websites and provide a 
plan that defines the scope, timeline, and cost estimates for 
all Member of Congress websites to be accessible for the 
disabled. This report shall be submitted to the Committee and 
the Committee on House Administration.
    Document Standardization: The Committee is supportive of 
the Select Committee's recommendations to adopt standardized 
formats for legislative documents and expedite the legislation 
comparison project.
    Hyperlinks to House Floor Proceedings: The Clerk of the 
House in consultation with the Congressional Research Service 
and other relevant stakeholders, is directed to report to the 
Committee no later than 180 days after enactment of this Act on 
the feasibility and cost of hyperlinking Congressional Record 
entries to video of floor proceedings on Congress.gov.

                       Administrative Provisions

    Section 110 provides for unspent amounts remaining in the 
Members' Representational Allowances account to be used for 
deficit or debt reduction.
    Section 111 places a limitation on the amount available to 
lease vehicles.
    Section 112 allows cybersecurity assistance for the House 
of Representatives.
    Section 113 rescinds amounts in the Stationery, Telecom, 
and Page Dorm revolving funds.
    Section 114 provides an adjustment to the student loan cap.
    Section 115 establishes a House Modernization Initiatives 
Account within the Treasury Department.

                              JOINT ITEMS


                        Joint Economic Committee


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................        $4,203,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................         4,203,000
Committee recommendation..............................         4,203,000
  Change from enacted level...........................                 0
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $4,203,000 for the salaries and 
expenses of the Joint Economic Committee.
    The Joint Economic Committee was created by the Employment 
Act of 1946. The primary tasks of the Committee are to review 
economic conditions and to recommend improvements in economic 
policy. The Committee performs research and economic analysis 
and monitors and analyzes current economic, financial, and 
employment conditions.

                      Joint Committee on Taxation


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $11,563,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................        11,905,000
Committee recommendation..............................        11,905,000
  Change from enacted level...........................          +342,000
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $11,905,000 for the salaries and 
expenses of the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT).
    The JCT operates under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
and its predecessors dating to the Revenue Act of 1926. It has 
responsibility to (1) investigate the operation and effects of 
internal revenue taxes and the administration of such taxes; 
(2) investigate measures and methods for the simplification of 
such taxes; (3) make reports to the House Committee on Ways and 
Means and the Senate Committee on Finance (or to the House of 
Representatives and the Senate) on the results of such 
investigations and studies and to make recommendations; and (4) 
review any proposed refund or credit of income or estate and 
gift taxes or certain other taxes set forth in Code section 
6405 in excess of $2,000,000 ($5,000,000 in the case of a C 
corporation). In addition to these functions that are specified 
in the Internal Revenue Code, the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974 requires the JCT to provide revenue estimates for all tax 
legislation considered by either the House or the Senate.

                   Office of the Attending Physician


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................        $3,868,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................         3,869,000
Committee recommendation..............................         3,869,000
  Change from enacted level...........................            +1,000
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $3,869,000 for the Office of the 
Attending Physician (OAP). In addition, the Coronavirus Aid, 
Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (P.L. 116-136) 
included $400,000 for the OAP to prevent, prepare for, and 
respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.
    Influenza Vaccine Availability: The Committee believes that 
influenza remains a threat to Members, staff, and visitors to 
the Capitol and is supportive of OAP efforts to provide 
vaccination to Members and staff. However, the Committee is 
concerned by reports of unavailability of immunizations at the 
beginning of the 2019-2020 flu season. Therefore, the Committee 
directs the OAP to provide a briefing on its plans to promote 
vaccination, ensure adequate supply of vaccine and communicate 
effectively with Congressional offices about flu season.

             Office of Congressional Accessibility Services


                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................        $1,509,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................         1,536,000
Committee recommendation..............................         1,536,000
  Change from enacted level...........................           +27,000
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $1,536,000 for the operation of 
the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services (OCAS).
    The OCAS provides and coordinates a variety of 
accessibility services for individuals with disabilities 
including Members of Congress, staff and visitors in the United 
States Capitol Complex.
    Accessibility Services Request: The Committee directs the 
OCAS to submit a report to the Committees no later than 120 
days after enactment of this Act on the number of interpreter 
requests the Office processes each year for deaf and hard-of-
hearing staff members, interns, and visiting public on Capitol 
Hill. In addition, the Committee requests the OCAS to provide 
recommendations on what types of deaf and hard-of-hearing 
technological-assisted devices Capitol Hill staff, interns, and 
members of the public require for use in the Capitol, and if 
increased funding for resources are needed to help expand 
opportunities on Capitol Hill for those individuals.

                             CAPITOL POLICE


                                Salaries


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................      $379,062,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       417,197,000
Committee recommendation..............................       395,720,000
  Change from enacted level...........................       +16,658,000
  Change from request.................................       -21,477,000
 

    The Committee recommends $395,720,000 for the personnel 
salaries, benefits, and overtime requirements, to include the 
cost of overtime necessary for providing training. The 
recommendation provided will sustain the current levels of 
officers and civilians in fiscal year 2020. In addition, the 
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) 
(P.L. 116-136) included $12,000,000 for the Capitol Police to 
prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically 
or internationally.
    Horse Mounted Units: The Committee commends the efforts by 
the United States Capitol Police (USCP) and local law 
enforcement partners to enhance patrol coverage on the Capitol 
grounds with the deployment of Horse Mounted Units.
    Wellness Programs for Law Enforcement: The Committee 
appreciates the efforts undertaken by the United States Capitol 
Police to develop and implement a holistic wellness and 
resiliency program for its workforce, to include its 
partnership with the House Wellness Center. The Committee 
recognizes the importance that mindfulness plays in having a 
first responder workforce that is holistically balanced and 
resilient. The Committee is pleased that the new U.S. Capitol 
Police structure includes a dedicated FTE to this program. 
Therefore, the Committee directs the United States Capitol 
Police to continue this effort and to continue to collaborate 
with the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Law 
Enforcement Training Center to expand this initiative through a 
pilot program, so it may be reviewed and considered for full 
implementation across all aspects of Federal law enforcement.
    Diversity Training: Capitol Police officers interact with 
thousands of domestic and international visitors every day. 
Visitors have varying cultural and social needs, including but 
not limited to individuals with limited English proficiency, 
diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and disabilities. The 
Committee recognizes the U.S. Capitol Police for including 
diversity training as a part of the current Capitol Police 
training sessions and encourages the Capitol police to continue 
strengthening its curriculum to ensure service is provided to 
all visitors in a culturally competent manner.
    Reducing Waste: The Committee is committed to reducing the 
use of single-use plastic water bottles on the Capitol grounds. 
The Committee encourages the Capitol Police to reduce or 
eliminate use of single-use plastic bottles where possible and 
if possible, issue reusable water bottles for Capitol Police 
personnel.
    Use of Grounds: The Committee understands the need to 
maintain safety and order on the Capitol grounds and commends 
the Capitol Police for their efforts. Given the family-style 
neighborhood that the Capitol shares with the surrounding 
community the Committee continues to instruct the Capitol 
Police to forebear enforcement of 2 U.S.C. 1963 (``An act to 
protect the public property, turf, and grass of the Capitol 
Grounds from injury'') and the Traffic Regulations for the 
United States Capitol Grounds when encountering snow sled 
riders on the grounds.
    Motorized Devices: Dockless commercial scooters, or e-
scooters, and other motorized devices for rent have grown as a 
commuting option for Congressional staffers, tourists, and 
other visitors to the District of Columbia and Capitol Grounds. 
The Committee recognizes that new and expanding micromobility 
options in the District can offer alternatives to car travel 
and increase access to public transportation. However, the 
Committee also believes that these options create public safety 
concerns impacting vehicular and pedestrian traffic on Capitol 
Grounds if not appropriately regulated. The safety and security 
concerns raised by the USCP and other members of the 
Congressional community have been addressed.
    Pursuant to the Traffic Regulations for the United States 
Capitol Grounds, commercial dockless scooters are prohibited on 
Capitol Grounds. On January 31, 2020, United States Capitol 
Police officials met with District of Columbia Department of 
Transportation (DDOT) officials to discuss public safety 
concerns regarding dockless electric scooters unlawfully 
operating on the United States Capitol Grounds. An agreement 
was reached to modify the 2020 Terms and Conditions established 
by the DDOT for commercial dockless scooter vendors and these 
Terms and Conditions now require commercial dockless scooter 
vendors to install geofencing on their vehicles to ensure that 
commercial dockless scooters do not enter onto Capitol Grounds 
consistent with Traffic Regulations for the United States 
Capitol Grounds prohibitions. USCP also agreed to work with 
DDOT to locate parking for dockless scooters adjacent to 
Capitol Grounds. Therefore, the Committee instructs the United 
States Capitol Police and the Architect of the Capitol to 
continue to work to better educate e-scooter users, including 
Congressional staff, District residents, and visitors, 
regarding the operation of commercial e-scooters on Capitol 
Grounds.
    Diversity in the USCP: The goal of any organization should 
be to build a workforce with people from diverse backgrounds. 
The Committee believes that hiring more officers from 
underrepresented groups in the U.S. should be a critical 
priority for the USCP. Therefore, the Committee directs the 
USCP to provide a report concurrent with the budget submissions 
that details: 1) the number of activities to try to promote 
workforce diversity, including partnering with organizations 
that focus on developing opportunities for minorities and 
women; 2) the steps taken to attract and retain a diverse 
workforce, and; 3) a breakout of USCP positions, sworn and 
civilian, by race and gender.
    Racial Profiling: The Committee is interested in what 
programs and training methods and procedures USCP use to 
eliminate racial profiling. The Committee directs the USCP to 
provide a report to the Committee on Appropriations and the 
Committee on House Administration detailing: 1) what policies 
and procedures are in place at the academy to eliminate 
unconscious bias and racial profiling during training; 2) what 
steps the USCP has taken to eliminate existing practices that 
permit or encourage racial profiling; and 3) arrest information 
disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender.

                            General Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $85,279,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       103,144,000
Committee recommendation..............................        68,621,000
  Change from enacted level...........................       -16,658,000
  Change from request.................................       -34,523,000
 

    The Committee recommends $68,621,000 for general expenses 
to support the responsibilities for law enforcement, Capitol 
complex physical and technological security, dignitary 
protection, intelligence analysis, event management, hazardous 
material/devices, IT, and other specialized responses, as well 
as logistical and administrative support.
    Arrest Summary Data: The Committee is aware that the U.S. 
Capitol Police does publicly share its arrest data, however, it 
is not available in a user-friendly format that is searchable, 
sortable, and downloadable, and is made available on a 
cumulative basis. The Committee directs the U.S. Capitol Police 
to explore the potential of developing a system that can meet 
these requirements and provide the Committees a report of the 
cost of such a system no later than 180 days after enactment of 
this Act.
    USCP Inspector General Reports: The Committee is aware that 
the public does not have access to reports issued by the 
Capitol Police Office of Inspector General. While the Committee 
understands that these reports can be sensitive to law 
enforcement actions and Congressional security, the Committee 
is interested in what reports can be shared with the general 
public. The Committee believes that the Inspector General 
should make an effort to make appropriate reports public if 
they do not compromise law enforcement activities, national 
security, or Congressional security and processes without 
redaction. Therefore, no later than 90 days after the enactment 
of this Act, the Inspector General is directed to conduct a 
review of all issued reports within the previous 3 years and 
provide to the Committees a report listing which reports could 
have been made public.
    USCP Information Sharing: While the USCP is not subject to 
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 USC 552), the 
Committee encourages the USCP to develop a policy and procedure 
for the sharing of information that follows the spirit of the 
Freedom of Information Act. This policy should be consistent 
with, and not interfere with, USCP's primary function of 
protecting the Congress.
    USCP Public Information Office: USCP communication is vital 
to provide accurate and timely information to Members and 
staff, as well as the general public that often visits the 
Capitol Hill Complex. While the USCP does an excellent job of 
keeping Members and staff informed, the Committee is concerned 
that the general public is often not aware of severe weather 
events and security incidents while on the complex grounds. The 
Committee directs the USCP to establish a community 
notification system that can be utilized by visitors and 
community members to allow a larger audience to receive USCP 
notifications. The USCP may leverage social platforms to meet 
this goal. The Committee further directs the USCP to provide a 
report no later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act on 
its progress to meet this directive.
    USCP Jurisdiction: The USCP's primary mission is to 
``Protect the Congress--its Members, employees, visitors, and 
facilities--so it can fulfill its constitutional and 
legislative responsibilities in a safe, secure and open 
environment.'' The Committee is interested in how the 
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and USCP navigate 
overlapping jurisdiction and what agreements and regulations 
are in place that allows the USCP to operate beyond their 
primary and extended jurisdictions. The Committee directs the 
UCSP to provide a report that details its working relationship 
with MPD, the number of arrests made beyond USCP's primary and 
extended jurisdictions, and how many times USCP has responded 
to incidents outside of its jurisdiction, as well as the reason 
for responding. This report shall be submitted no later than 90 
days after the enactment of this Act.

                        Administrative Provision

    Section 116 amends 2 USC 1936(c), by increasing the 
employee educational assistance program reimbursement limit 
from $60,000 to $80,000 for student loan repayments.

                OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL WORKPLACE RIGHTS


                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................        $6,333,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................         7,500,000
Committee recommendation..............................         7,500,000
  Change from enacted level...........................        +1,167,000
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $7,500,000 for salaries and 
expenses of the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights as 
requested. Of the total, $1,000,000 shall remain available 
until September 30, 2022.
    The Congressional Accountability Act (CAA) established an 
independent Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR), 
formerly the Office of Compliance, to apply the rights and 
protections of 13 Federal labor and employment statutes to 
employees within the Legislative Branch. The Office provides 
administrative dispute resolution services, safety and health 
compliance inspections, reviews of public access for disabled 
Capitol visitors, labor-management relations services, and 
education and outreach for Members and staff. In 2018, the 
Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act expanded 
the Office's duties and responsibilities, as well as the number 
of Legislative Branch offices covered by the CAA. Increased 
funding will provide the Office resources needed to continue 
the initiatives begun to respond to these new responsibilities, 
such as upgrading the Office's secure e-filing system and 
producing new training and educational materials.

                      CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE


                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $54,941,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................        57,292,000
Committee recommendation..............................        57,292,000
  Change from enacted level...........................        +2,351,000
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $57,292,000 for salaries and 
expenses of the CBO.
    This office is responsible for producing independent 
analyses of budgetary and economic issues to support the 
Congressional budget process. Each year, the agency produces 
dozens of reports, including its outlook on the budget and 
economy, and hundreds of cost estimates for proposed 
legislation.
    Responsiveness: The Committee continues to expect CBO to 
ensure a high level of responsiveness to Committees, Leadership 
and Members, to the greatest extent practicable under the 
priorities for CBO set by law, especially when working on 
current pending legislation. As an agency that prides itself as 
being nonpartisan, CBO should be providing the same information 
to all stakeholders at the appropriate time when addressing 
legislation that has been made public.
    Wage Group Study: The Committee encourages CBO to conduct a 
study on the relationship between monetary policy and wage 
growth. An emphasis should be placed on examining the accuracy 
of the Federal Reserve's previous estimates of unemployment and 
its record of reaching those metrics. An emphasis should also 
be placed on studying the interaction of interest rates and 
wage growth.
    Cost of Legislation: The Committee is interested in the 
costs and benefits of allowing lawmakers to request and receive 
formal cost estimates of legislation prior to Committee 
markups. CBO should examine the feasibility, cost, benefits, 
and drawbacks of providing formal cost estimates, and provide 
guidance on the amount of time and resources such requests 
would demand from CBO. The report should also shall assess how 
many additional personnel might be required to accomplish this 
task. This report should be submitted to the Committee no later 
than 180 days after enactment of this Act.
    Access to Data: The CBO provides Congress with budgetary 
and economic analysis that supports the legislative process and 
can have significant policy implications. The Committee 
supports the work CBO has done in the area of responsiveness 
and recognizes that CBO's access to Federal agency data 
enhances its ability to respond quickly to the Congress. To 
that end, the Committee requests information pertaining to 
CBO's access to Federal agency data, including both data 
sources and data sets. The requested information should be 
submitted to the Committee no later than 180 days after 
enactment of this Act.
    Advanced Data Management: CBO is charged with providing 
Congress with independent analyses of budgetary and economic 
issues to support the Congressional budget process. Each year, 
the agency's economists and budget analysts produce dozens of 
reports and hundreds of cost estimates for proposed 
legislation, not to mention thousands of informal analyses upon 
request. To accomplish this task, CBO must ingest, analyze, 
store, manage, secure, and report on a variety of disparate 
datasets. These data sources and the complexity of analyses 
continue to grow. The Committee is concerned that CBO relies on 
legacy technologies including spreadsheets and manual 
processes. The Committee recommends that CBO explore using new 
technology such as artificial intelligence that could improve 
budgetary analysis to ensure CBO continues to provide Congress 
with effective and efficient analysis of budgetary and economic 
issues.

                        ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL

    The AOC is responsible for the maintenance, operation, 
development, and preservation of the United States Capitol 
Complex. This includes mechanical and structural maintenance of 
the Capitol, Congressional office buildings, the Library of 
Congress buildings, the U.S. Botanic Garden, the Capitol Power 
Plant, and other facilities, as well as the upkeep and 
improvement of the grounds surrounding the Capitol complex.

                        Architect of the Capitol


                  (EXCLUDING SENATE OFFICE BUILDINGS)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................      $599,509,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       698,156,000
Committee recommendation..............................       631,268,000
  Change from enacted level...........................       +31,759,000
  Change from request.................................       -66,888,000
 

    The Committee recommends $631,268,000 for the activities of 
the AOC.
    Excluded are Senate items which are traditionally left for 
consideration by that body. Within the recommended level, the 
Committee continues its prioritization of projects that: (1) 
promote the safety and health of workers, occupants, and 
visitors; (2) decrease the deferred maintenance backlog; and 
(3) invest to achieve future energy savings. The Committee is 
able to support generally half of the pay raise and inflation 
adjustments proposed in the operating budgets of the AOC 
accounts and almost 60 percent of the value of requested line-
item construction projects.
    The following table summarizes the allocation of funds by 
appropriation account:

 
 
 
Capital Construction and Operations..................       $139,238,000
Capitol Building.....................................         36,129,000
Capitol Grounds......................................         20,560,000
House Office Buildings...............................        144,273,000
Capitol Power Plant..................................        116,461,000
Library Buildings and Grounds........................         83,446,000
Capitol Police Buildings, Grounds and Security.......         45,993,000
Botanic Garden.......................................         20,895,000
Capitol Visitor Center...............................         24,272,000
 

    The bill provides the request of $32,500,000 for minor 
construction throughout these accounts.

                  Capital Construction and Operations


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................      $120,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       139,239,000
Committee recommendation..............................       139,239,000
  Change from enacted level...........................       +19,239,000
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $139,239,000 for campus-wide 
architectural and engineering design; project, property and 
construction management; financial management; procurement; 
personnel services; equipment; communications; and other 
central support activities of the AOC. In addition, the 
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) 
(P.L. 116-136) included $25,000,000 for the Architect to 
prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus in the Capitol 
complex.
    Within the total, the Committee provides no less than 
$4,348,000 for the AOC Inspector General office to support no 
less than 16 FTE. The $200,000 increase above the request is 
intended for one FTE follow-up evaluator.
    Budget Justifications: The Committee requests that 
Congressional budget justifications for fiscal year 2022-onward 
include a description of the activities of the AOC Construction 
Division, identifying the number and size of projects, the 
number of staff funded through Construction Division 
activities, and the funding provided to the Division from AOC 
jurisdiction accounts. The Committee also requests that the 
justifications include in each jurisdiction's section the 
appropriations bill language requested, along with any changes 
to be identified with brackets and italicization.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses...................................       $139,239,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            Capitol Building


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $68,878,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................        41,201,000
Committee recommendation..............................        36,129,000
  Change from enacted level...........................       -32,749,000
  Change from request.................................        -5,072,000
 

    The Committee recommends $36,129,000 for the operation, 
maintenance, and care of the U.S. Capitol and Capitol Visitor 
Center (CVC). Of the total, $6,099,000 shall remain available 
until September 30, 2025.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses...................................        $30,030,000
Projects:
    Minor Construction...............................          5,500,000
    Conservation of Fine and Architectural Art.......            599,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Depictions of Native Americans: The Committee included 
language in its fiscal year 2020 report regarding depictions of 
Native Americans in the Capitol Complex and is pleased that the 
Architect is working with interested Members and appears to be 
making progress on implementing those recommendations. The 
Committee encourages the Architect to continue these efforts.

                            Capitol Grounds


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $15,024,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................        20,981,000
Committee Recommendation..............................        20,560,000
  Change from enacted level...........................        +5,536,000
  Change from request.................................          -421,000
 

    The Committee recommends $20,560,000 for the care of the 
grounds surrounding the Capitol. Of the total, $7,800,000 shall 
remain available until September 30, 2025.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses...................................        $12,245,000
Projects:
    Gardeners FTE Increase...........................            515,000
    AOC Campus Wide Utility Survey...................          4,800,000
    Minor Construction...............................          3,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Bike Lanes: The Committee supports the completion of a 
protected bike lane to safely connect residents, commuters, and 
tourists to the U.S. Capitol, Union Station, and the National 
Mall. The Committee encourages DDOT to pursue completion of 
this project in a timely manner, in collaboration with the 
Architect, the Senate Sergeant at Arms, and the U.S. Capitol 
Police, and in accordance with all applicable laws and 
regulations.
    Capitol Grounds Improvements: The Committee encourages the 
Architect to continue to improve the hardscape and softscape of 
the area adjacent to the Capitol South Metro Station, with the 
goal of improving the surroundings.
    Road Conditions around the Capitol: The Committee 
encourages the AOC to work with DDOT to evaluate and improve 
road conditions in and immediately around the Capitol Complex.

                         House Office Buildings


                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................      $145,273,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       146,047,000
Committee recommendation..............................       144,273,000
  (Offsetting collections)............................       +9,000,000)
  (Total available)...................................     (153,273,000)
  Change from enacted level...........................        -1,000,000
  Change from request.................................        -1,774,000
 

    The Committee recommends $144,273,000 for the operation, 
maintenance, and care of the Rayburn, Cannon, Longworth, Ford, 
and O'Neill House Office Buildings, and the House underground 
garages. In addition, $9,000,000 will be derived from the House 
Office Building Fund for operations and maintenance of the 
O'Neill House Office Building. Of the total provided, 
$14,540,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2025. 
The bill includes $62,000,000 for future phases of the Cannon 
House Office Building renovation project, which shall remain 
available until expended, to continue the established funding 
strategy. The bill does not include additional funding for the 
House Historic Buildings Revitalization Trust Fund.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses...................................        $67,733,000
Projects:
    CAO Project Support..............................          7,540,000
    Minor Construction...............................          7,000,000
    Cannon Building Restoration......................         62,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Cannon Building Costs: The Committee recognizes the urgent 
need to complete the Cannon Building renewal, which will 
replace outdated building systems, conserve historic aspects of 
the building, and optimize the functionality of Member suites, 
among other improvements. However, the Committee is concerned 
that the cost estimate for the project has increased by 19 
percent to a total of $896,000,000. That estimate has been 
recently validated by the General Accountability Office, the 
AOC Inspector General and an expert outside contractor, who 
have all concluded that the estimate is within a 90 percent 
confidence interval. The AOC has taken several important steps 
to control future costs in the project: (a) establishing a cut-
off date for change requests; (b) incorporating known changes 
from early phases into the base contract to avoid paying change 
order premiums; (c) using more aggressive schedule management 
to quickly identify the schedule impacts of changes and better 
control acceleration costs; (d) requiring a better protocol for 
contractors to provide cost, schedule and feasibility feedback 
for proposed changes; and (e) expediting the evaluation and 
selective demolition in the basement and fifth floor to 
identify potential unforeseen site conditions early to lessen 
the impact on cost and schedule. The Committee receives 
periodic reports from the Architect, the AOC IG, and the GAO on 
the Cannon project schedule, actual costs incurred and expected 
future costs, and design and construction modifications. 
However, a recent report from the AOC has acknowledged that the 
COVID-19 virus pandemic is one of the top risks for timely 
completion of the project. The report indicated that cost and 
schedule impacts are possible due to supply chain issues, 
workforce availability, site access, and enhanced protection 
measures related to the virus. Therefore, the Committee expects 
to receive fast turnaround notice in the periodic reports that 
are provided if any further cost increases are anticipated and 
how the AOC expects to absorb them. The AOC is reminded of the 
administrative provision in the bill prohibiting funding for 
incentive or award payments to contractors for projects that 
are behind schedule or over budget.
    Recognition of Increasing Numbers of Women in Congress: The 
116th Congress celebrates the highest number of female Members 
of Congress ever to serve in the body. Recognizing the 
increasing numbers of women in Congress and in honor of this 
historic progress, the Committee continues to support and 
commend the work of the Architect, the House Curator, and the 
Capital Historical Society to increase images of women in 
public spaces in Congress. To further increase female 
representation, the Committee requests the House curator to 
create a list of ten notable female historic figures not 
already displayed as a Capitol statue who have made remarkable 
contributions to society, as well as ten former or current 
female members of Congress who have set trailblazing records. 
These lists should provide a blueprint for the incorporation of 
more female images in Congressional public spaces. The 
Committee also directs the House curator, in collaboration with 
the AOC, to provide a report identifying areas within House-
controlled facilities and spaces, including but not limited to, 
hearing rooms, meeting spaces, points of entry and hallways, 
where there is space for new portraits of distinguished female 
members to be displayed.
    Gender-Neutral Facilities: The Committee is concerned by 
the lack of availability of gender-neutral restrooms throughout 
the House office buildings. The Committee requests the 
Architect to submit a report within 90 days of enactment of 
this Act detailing the number and availability of gender-
neutral public bathrooms in each House office building. The 
Architect is further encouraged to consider how to incorporate 
gender-neutral bathrooms in appropriate future construction and 
remodeling projects for House office buildings.
    Hygiene Products: The Committee understands there is 
interest in making menstrual hygiene products available at no 
cost to all those who use restroom facilities in House office 
buildings. The Committee hopes that CHA will consider making 
this policy change. As part of this process, the Committee 
requests the Architect to submit a report to both the Committee 
and CHA no less than 90 days after enactment of this Act on the 
feasibility, scope, and cost of making these products available 
at no cost in House office buildings.
    Energy Efficiencies: The Committee is interested in the 
potential use of waterless and low-flow plumbing fixtures in 
restroom facilities in House office buildings to reduce water 
usage and associated costs. The Committee requests the 
Architect to submit a report to the Committee no later than 120 
days after enactment of this Act on the potential costs and 
savings associated with the installation and usage of waterless 
toilet fixtures, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and other water 
usage reduction technologies in the restrooms of the House 
office buildings.
    Entrance Protection: The Committee is concerned about 
visitors to the House office buildings being required to stand 
outside for long periods in inclement weather while waiting in 
line for entry. The Architect is requested to provide a report 
within 120 days of enactment of this Act describing options 
that have been considered for overhang coverings at entrances 
to shield visitors and staff, which options are currently 
planned, if any, and the projected cost of these projects.
    Green the House Initiative: The Committee directs the AOC 
in consultation with the CAO and other relevant stakeholders to 
develop recommendations to provide an environmentally 
responsible working environment for the House of 
Representatives with a focus on reducing its carbon footprint 
and if possible, achieving carbon-neutrality. These 
recommendations shall be submitted to the Committee no later 
than 180 days after enactment of this Act.

                          Capitol Power Plant


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $98,957,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       122,166,000
Committee recommendation..............................       116,461,000
  (Offsetting collections)............................     (+10,000,000)
  (Total available)...................................     (126,461,000)
  Change from enacted level...........................       +17,504,000
  Change from request.................................        -5,705,000
 

    The Committee recommends $116,461,000 in direct 
appropriations for the operations of the Capitol Power Plant, 
which is the centralized provider of utility services for the 
Capitol campus. Of the total, $32,400,000 shall remain 
available until September 30, 2025. In addition, $10,000,000 in 
offsetting collections is available from reimbursements for 
steam and chilled water.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses...................................        $84,061,000
Projects:
    Piping Replacement and Egress Improvements.......         28,400,000
    Minor Construction...............................          4,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     Library Buildings and Grounds


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $55,746,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       111,193,000
Committee recommendation..............................        83,446,000
  Change from enacted level...........................       +27,700,000
  Change from request.................................       -27,747,000
 

    The Committee recommends $83,446,000 for the care and 
maintenance of the Thomas Jefferson Building; James Madison 
Memorial Building; John Adams Building; Packard Campus; Ft. 
Meade Collection Storage Facility; National Library Services 
Facility; and the St. Cecilia Special Services Facilities 
Center. Of the total, $51,600,000 shall remain available until 
September 30, 2025. $753,000 of the total is made available for 
Library construction mission requirements.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses...................................        $31,846,000
Projects:
    Collection Storage Module 7, Ft. Meade...........         41,500,000
    Rain Leader Replacement, JAB.....................          2,100,000
    Exterior Masonry and Envelope Repairs, JAB.......          2,000,000
    West Main Pavilion, Exit Stair G, TJB............          2,000,000
    Minor Construction...............................          4,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

            Capitol Police Buildings, Grounds, and Security


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $55,216,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................        70,790,000
Committee recommendation..............................        45,993,000
  Change from enacted level...........................        -9,223,000
  Change from request.................................       -24,797,000
 

    The Committee recommends $45,993,000 for the maintenance, 
care and operation of buildings, grounds and security 
enhancements of the United States Capitol Police and AOC 
security operations. Of the total, $15,700,000 shall remain 
available until September 30, 2025 and $2,500,000 shall remain 
available until expended.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses...................................        $27,793,000
Projects:
    Barrier Lifecycle and Security Kiosk Repair,               8,300,000
     Phase V.........................................
    Resiliency Upgrades, OSP.........................          2,400,000
    Minor Construction...............................          5,000,000
    Joint Audible Warning System (JAWS)..............          2,500,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                             Botanic Garden


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $16,094,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................        21,266,000
Committee recommendation..............................        20,895,000
  Change from enacted level...........................        +4,801,000
  Change from request.................................          -371,000
 

    The Committee recommends $20,895,000 for the improvement, 
operation, care, and maintenance of the United States Botanic 
Garden (USBG) Conservatory; the National Garden; the 
Administration Building; the Bartholdi Park and Fountain; 
heritage and other plant collections; and the USBG Production 
Facility at D.C. Village. Of the total, $8,300,000 shall remain 
available until September 30, 2025.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses...................................        $12,166,000
Projects:
    FTE Increase for BG Mission Support..............            429,000
    Production Facility Renewal, BGDC................          4,300,000
    Minor Construction...............................          4,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Collaboration with the United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA): The Committee recognizes the value of the 
USBG supporting the evolution of urban agriculture. The 
Committee encourages USBG to collaborate with USDA to support 
the USBG's efforts to host and serve as an educational and 
training location for local and national audiences, and to 
explore reviving the Victory Gardens concept for community 
agriculture programming.

                         Capitol Visitor Center


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $24,321,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................        25,273,000
Committee recommendation..............................        24,272,000
  Change from enacted level...........................           -49,000
  Change from request.................................        -1,001,000
 

    The Committee recommends $24,272,000 for the operations of 
the CVC. The CVC was established to provide a secure public 
environment to welcome and manage the large number of visitors 
and to protect the Capitol, its occupants, and guests in an 
atmosphere of open access.
    Non-English Tours: The Committee commends the AOC for 
making tours of the U.S. Capitol available in languages other 
than English. The Committee also commends the AOC for 
introducing a pilot program for Chinese and Spanish tours 
through assistive listening device transmitters. Hundreds of 
thousands of international visitors visit the Capitol each 
year. Currently, translated brochures are available in twelve 
languages, while listening devices for tours are available in 
five languages. The Committee encourages the AOC to make 
listening devices and in-person tours available in additional 
languages, beginning with those for which brochures have 
already been translated.

                        Administrative Provision

    Section 117 prohibits payment of bonuses to contractors 
behind schedule or over budget during fiscal year 2021.

                          LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

    Established by Congress in 1800, the Library of Congress 
(LOC) is the largest library in the world, with a collection of 
more than 170,000,000 print, audio, and video items in 470 
languages. Among its major programs are acquisitions, 
preservation, administration of U.S. copyright laws by the 
Copyright Office, research and analysis of policy issues for 
the Congress by the Congressional Research Service, and 
administration of a national program to provide reading 
material to the blind and print disabled. The Library maintains 
a significant number of collections and provides a range of 
services to libraries in the United States and abroad.

                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................      $504,164,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       538,582,000
Committee recommendation..............................       523,654,000
  Offsetting collections..............................      (+6,000,000)
  Total available.....................................     (529,654,000)
  Change from enacted level...........................       +19,490,000
  Change from request.................................       -14,928,000
 

    The Committee recommends $523,654,000, plus authority to 
spend $6,000,000 in receipts, for salaries and expenses. In 
addition, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security 
Act (CARES Act) (P.L. 116-136) included $700,000 for the LOC to 
prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, with regard 
to its childcare facility employees on furlough. Within total 
funding provided, the bill makes the following amounts 
available until expended: $9,110,000 for the Teaching with 
Primary Sources Program, $1,350,000 for the Legislative Branch 
Financial Management System, $250,000 for the Surplus Books 
Program, $3,720,000 for the Veterans History Project, and 
$10,000,000 for the Visitors Experience project. In addition, 
$4,370,000 of the total funding provided shall remain available 
until September 30, 2025 for the Law Library shelving 
replacement project and $5,500,000 shall remain available until 
September 30, 2022 for preservation efforts, subject to 
Committee approval. Funds are provided for the Automated 
Records Management initiative and cybersecurity enhancements.
    Within the total, the Committee provides no less than 
$4,203,000 for the LOC Inspector General office to support no 
less than 14 FTE.
    Visitor Experience Initiative: The Committee supports the 
LOC Visitor Experience initiative to improve and enhance the 
Jefferson Building program for its nearly two million annual 
visitors. The initiative involves a public/private partnership, 
which has been a strategy for many similar institutions' 
efforts to showcase the Nation's treasures. The initiative has 
the potential to transform the way in which the Library shares 
its collections with visitors. The Committee includes 
$10,000,000 for the Visitors Experience program, which is the 
third appropriation of $10,000,000 for the project. In 
addition, $11,110,000 in private donations have been pledged to 
date. The bill includes language making the $10,000,000 
available only upon the approval of the Committees.
    As the Library begins its detailed design and cost 
estimating for the project, it is possible that the cost of the 
project will exceed early estimates, requiring cost 
reengineering to stay within its budget. Therefore, the 
Committee expects to be notified on a quarterly basis of the 
latest cost estimates for the project as well as obligations 
incurred, by fiscal year source. The cost estimates in the 
report should be validated by both the Librarian and the 
Architect.
    IT Modernization: The Committee was encouraged to receive 
the Library's IT Modernization and Integrated Master Schedule 
this spring. The Committee expects the LOC to continue to 
refine the Master Schedule and consider it an evolving 
document. The plan should be used to integrate schedules and 
cost baselines for responsible project management. In addition, 
the leadership of Office of the Librarian should help shape and 
use it as an important management tool.
    The Library is engaged in many agency-wide modernization 
efforts, which are being coordinated through a centralized 
chief information officer (CIO) directorate. This 
centralization was implemented based on the recommendations of 
GAO and other oversight entities because of the efficiencies it 
would create from a funding, IT support, cybersecurity, and IT 
development perspective. Some of these benefits have already 
been realized under the new structure. However, on occasion, 
the centralized structure may determine a lower priority for 
initiatives that benefit only one of the Library agencies 
rather than all of them, even though the project would help the 
single agency fulfill its mission. The Committee urges the 
Library to provide a report to the Committee no later than 90 
days after enactment of this Act detailing the internal 
safeguards the Office of the CIO uses to ensure that funds will 
be allocated in a way responsive to both agency-specific and 
crosscutting IT needs, as well as the priorities identified by 
Congress and other external stakeholders.
    Law Library: The Committee commends the Law Library for 
continuing to provide support to the time-sensitive and complex 
needs of the Congress, the Supreme Court, executive branch 
agencies, courts, practicing attorneys, State bars, State and 
local governments, American businesses, scholars, journalists, 
and those with legal research needs. The Committee urges the 
Law Library to continue its digitization strategy as part of 
the Library's overall digitization strategy to increase online 
access to major parts of its collection, such as the U.S. 
Serial Sets and Supreme Court Records and Briefs.
    Preservation: The Committee has long supported the 
Library's preservation efforts as one of its core missions. For 
the last 30 years, a principal part of that effort has been de-
acidification of documents in the collection that are printed 
on acidic paper. Since the initiation of the de-acidification 
effort, new preservation techniques have been developed that 
also perform that function, such as environmentally optimized 
storage. The Committee is aware that the Library wishes to 
rebalance its preservation efforts, moving away from de-
acidification to these other methods based on a number of 
factors such as broader applicability, cost savings, and 
storage creation. However, the Committee is also aware of 
strong opinions within the community about whether the 
rebalancing effort is appropriate. Given the conflicting 
statements and data presented to support these positions, the 
Committee feels it must turn to neutral outside experts to 
provide an analysis of how the Library should proceed in its 
preservation efforts.
    Accordingly, the bill includes language allocating 
$5,500,000 for preservation activities, the total requested, 
but withholding its availability until approval by the 
Committees. To provide the Committees the information they need 
to release the funding, the Library is directed to contract for 
a study from an outside expert, neutral organization such as 
the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. 
The Library should consult with the Committees about its choice 
of organization prior to finalizing the contract. The 
organization selected would be required to submit a report 
within 6 months of enactment of this Act. The organization 
should undertake the following activities as part of its 
overall analysis:
           review existing scientific literature about 
        the various preservation methods, their length of 
        effectiveness and relative cost, to include associated 
        costs of labor, storage and transportation;
           review the preservation strategies used by 
        other large research libraries;
           review the Library's planned preservation 
        strategy and documentation;
           assess the number of pieces in the 
        collection that require preservation and the type of 
        preservation that would be appropriate, by category and 
        share of the collection;
           develop estimates of the likely volume of 
        future acquisitions appropriate for de-acidification 
        versus other modes of preservation; and
           develop recommendations about the most cost-
        effective approach for future Library preservation 
        efforts.
    Once the report has been completed and submitted to the 
Committees and reviewed, funds will be made available for the 
preservation activities recommended in the report. The funding 
allocated is made available for two years to permit any 
required contracts to be awarded within the normal time cycle.
    Veterans History Project: The Committee recommends an 
appropriation of $3,720,000 for the Veterans History Project, 
recognizing its importance as a way to collect, preserve and 
make accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans 
for the benefit of future generations. Funding is provided to 
continue digitization efforts of already-collected materials, 
reach greater numbers of veterans to record their stories, and 
promote public access to the Project.
    National Film and Sound Preservation: The Committee 
recognizes the important work of the National Film Preservation 
Program and the National Sound Recording Preservation Program, 
including the Federally-chartered National Film and National 
Recording Preservation Foundations. Consistent with the 
authorizing statute, the Foundations utilize both public and 
private matching funds to provide grants to a wide array of 
educational and non-profit organizations that help preserve 
historical and cultural artifacts that would otherwise 
disappear or be destroyed over time.
    Rare Books and Special Collections.--The Committee commends 
the Library of Congress on its continued excellence and the 
strength of its rare books and special collections. Many are 
world-renowned, including the publications and materials 
relating to magic contained in the Harry Houdini Collection. 
The Committee encourages the complete digitization of this 
important collection, and others that are similar to it, and 
encourages the publication online of the Library's digitized 
collection. Wherever prioritization decisions must be made with 
respect to the digitizing of materials contained in the 
Library's vast magic collections, the Committee encourages the 
consultation with practitioners in order to determine which of 
the materials are most important to the magic community. The 
Committee also encourages a public display of valued portions 
of the collection, again in consultation with practicing 
magicians.
    Library Storage Facilities: The bill includes $4,370,000, 
to remain available until September 30, 2025, to complete the 
second of three phases of the shelving replacement project in 
the Law Library's collection storage areas to address existing 
safety and collection damage issues.
    Within the Architect of the Capitol accounts in the bill, 
$41,500,000 is provided for the permanent collection storage 
Module 7 at the Ft. Meade LOC campus to alleviate the shortage 
of collection capacity on Capitol Hill. When the 9 planned 
modules are complete by 2026, the Library's storage needs will 
be resolved through the mid-2040s. The Committee looks forward 
to the receipt by the end of 2020 of the new long-range plan 
for Ft. Meade being developed by the Library, with the 
participation of the AOC.
    Outreach to Minority-Serving Institutions: The Committee 
encourages the Library of Congress to increase cooperative 
partnerships, fellowship opportunities, and curriculum program 
associations with community colleges, Historically Black 
Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Asian 
American and native American Pacific Islander-serving 
institutions, American Indian Tribally-controlled colleges and 
universities, Alaska native and Native Hawaiian-serving 
institutions, and other minority serving-institutions.
    Womens Suffrage Anniversary: With an historic number of 
women serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. 
Senate, the 100-year anniversary of women achieving the right 
to vote in the U.S. aligns perfectly with the diverse 
composition of the 116th Congress. The Committee recognizes the 
significance of the centennial of the passage and ratification 
of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. The Committee 
encourages the Library of Congress to continue to raise 
awareness of this anniversary through displays, exhibits, and 
commemorative documents, such as pamphlets and flyers.

                            Copyright Office


                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $42,137,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................        50,109,000
Committee recommendation..............................        46,627,000
  (Offsetting collections)............................     (+44,782,000)
  (Total available)...................................      (91,409,000)
  Change from enacted level...........................        +4,490,000
  Change from request.................................        -3,482,000
 

    The Committee recommends $46,627,000 in direct 
appropriations to the Copyright Office. An additional 
$41,782,000 is made available from receipts for salaries and 
expenses and $3,000,000 is available from prior year 
unobligated balances for a total of $91,409,000. Funding is 
provided as requested for additional copyright royalty judges 
staffing. In addition, within the total, $4,214,000 is provided 
to cover a projected user fee collections shortfall in fiscal 
year 2021.
    Copyright Modernization: Few government bodies are more 
important to the growth of creativity and commercial artistic 
activity in the Nation than the Copyright Office. The Committee 
continues to support the Copyright Office's efforts to 
modernize its IT infrastructure in order to effectively serve 
users and copyright owners in the 21st century. The Committee 
encourages the Library to remain sensitive to the specialized 
requirements of the Copyright Office as the Office implements 
its IT modernization plan in conjunction with the overall 
Library IT modernization effort.
    Copyright Expertise: The Committee continues to support the 
Office's use of funds to offer expertise on copyright matters 
to the Executive Branch, including participation in 
international discussions. Consistent with historical practice, 
the Committee expects the Library to continue to defer to the 
copyright expertise of the Register of Copyrights and to ensure 
direct consultation between the Copyright Office and Congress.

                     Congressional Research Service


                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................      $120,495,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       129,516,000
Committee recommendation..............................       123,030,000
  Change from enacted level...........................        +2,535,000
  Change from request.................................        -6,486,000
 

    The Committee recommends $123,030,000 for salaries and 
expenses of the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS works 
for the Members and Committees to support their legislative, 
oversight, and representational functions by providing 
nonpartisan and confidential research and policy analysis. CRS 
provides an important service for Members and staff, publishing 
hundreds of reports annually free of charge and providing 
briefings on pertinent policy issues considered by Congress. 
The expert nonpartisan analysts at CRS keep Congress informed, 
contributing to intelligent and responsible policymaking.
    Continuing Education for Congressional Staff: The CRS 
provides valuable education seminars for Congressional staff on 
the legislative process. To strengthen and expand those 
educational opportunities and to assist in retaining staff, the 
Committee is interested in the concept of a more rigorous and 
extensive program for staff training. CRS is requested to 
provide a report within 120 days of enactment of this Act that 
develops a design concept for a one-year pilot continuing 
education Congressional law program for senior Congressional 
staff. The pilot could be operated by CRS or by a local law 
school chosen by competitive grant. Subject matter could 
include topics such as Federal judiciary and constitutional 
law; legislation and the regulatory state; and international 
law. The CRS report should include recommendations on the 
appropriate number of participants, the composition of the 
group, and selection process, the projected costs of such a 
pilot, and possible funding sources, to include Member office 
and student contributions.
    Access to Archival Materials: The Committee requests that 
within 60 days of enactment of this Act the CRS provide a 
report to the Committee evaluating the possibility of 
publication of CRS reports contained in its CRSX archive, 
specifically examining the feasibility, cost, and benefits of 
integrating all or a subset of the reports online. This 
analysis should include an assessment of the utility to the 
public and Congress of online access to the reports.
    Alternate Format for Public Reports: The Library is 
requested to provide to the Committee within 60 days of 
enactment of this Act a report describing the process, 
timeframe and costs of making available to the public all 
currently available non-confidential CRS Reports in HTML format 
rather than PDF, or a successor format when appropriate. The 
Committee understands that CRS already publishes reports on its 
internal website in HTML. Making this change in format for 
external audiences would facilitate the use and re-use of the 
information contained in the reports.

       National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled


                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $58,563,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................        60,639,000
Committee recommendation..............................        59,439,000
  Change from enacted level...........................          +876,000
  Change from request.................................        -1,200,000
 

    The Committee recommends $59,439,000 for salaries and 
expenses of the National Library Service for the Blind and 
Print Disabled (NLS).
    The NLS is a free braille and talking book library service 
for people with temporary or permanent low vision, blindness, 
or a disability that prevents them from reading or holding the 
printed page. Through a national network of regional and sub-
regional libraries, NLS circulates books and magazines in 
braille and audio formats, which are delivered by postage-free 
mail or are instantly downloadable.
    Braille eReader and Talking Book Machine Initiative: The 
Committee provides $2,375,000 for the Braille eReader and 
Talking Book Machine initiative. This funding will permit the 
acquisition of 2,000-4,000 new e-Reader devices for 
distribution through the NLS Machine Lending Agencies, which 
also distribute talking book machines.
    BARD Modernization: The Committee provides $5,000,000 for 
the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) Infrastructure 
Modernization program, which distributes audio and electronic 
braille materials. The program's objective is to transition 
these services to a cloud-based environment.

                        Administrative Provision

    Section 118 limits to $252,552,000 the amount that may be 
obligated during fiscal year 2021 from various reimbursements 
and revolving funds available to the Library of Congress.

                      GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

    The Government Publishing Office (GPO) publishes and 
disseminates Federal government publications to Congress, 
Federal agencies, Federal depository libraries, and the 
American public.

                        Congressional Publishing


                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $79,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................        78,000,000
Committee recommendation..............................        78,000,000
  Change from enacted level...........................        -1,000,000
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $78,000,000 for Congressional 
Publishing. This account funds the costs of publishing 
Congressional information products in both digital and print 
formats.

     Public Information Programs of the Superintendent of Documents


                         Salaries and Expenses


                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................       $31,296,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................        32,300,000
Committee recommendation..............................        32,300,000
  Change from enacted level...........................        +1,004,000
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $32,300,000 for the salaries and 
expenses of the Public Information Programs of the 
Superintendent of Documents.
    This appropriation primarily supports the cataloguing and 
indexing of Federal Government publications (the results of 
which are now available online) and for operating the Federal 
Depository Library system and providing Federal documents to 
the network of 1,133 depository libraries nationwide.

    Government Publishing Office Business Operations Revolving Fund


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................        $6,704,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................         6,700,000
Committee recommendation..............................         6,700,000
  Change from enacted level...........................            -4,000
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $6,700,000 for the Government 
Publishing Office Business Operations Revolving Fund, which 
finances GPO's publishing operations.
    This business-like fund is used to pay GPO's costs in 
performing or procuring from private-sector sources 
Congressional and agency publishing, information product 
procurement, and publications dissemination activities. The 
fund is reimbursed from payments from customer agencies, sales 
to the public, appropriations to the fund, and transfers from 
GPO's two annual appropriations.

                    GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE

    GAO was established by the Budget and Accounting Act of 
1921. GAO works for Congress by responding to requests for 
studies of Federal government programs and expenditures and may 
also initiate its own work.

                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................      $630,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................       706,142,000
Committee recommendation..............................       664,346,000
  (Offsetting Collections)............................     (+31,342,000)
  (Total available)...................................     (695,688,000)
  Change from enacted level...........................       +34,346,000
  Change from request.................................       -41,796,000
 

    The Committee recommends $664,346,000 in direct 
appropriations for GAO. In addition, $31,342,000 is available 
in offsetting collections derived from reimbursements for 
conducting financial audits of government corporations and 
rental of space in the GAO building. The Coronavirus Aid, 
Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (P.L. 116-136) 
included $20,000,000 for the GAO to prevent, prepare for, and 
respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.
    Funds provided in this bill will support the annualized 
costs of staff hired during fiscal year 2020 and maintain 2020 
staffing levels in 2021, as well as address IT and 
infrastructure requests.
    Within the total, the Committee provides no less than 
$2,438,000 for the GAO Inspector General office to support no 
less than 11 FTE.
    Science and Technology Assessment: The Committee is pleased 
with GAO's efforts to strengthen its technology and science 
function by creating the Science, Technology Assessment, and 
Analytics (STAA) team. The STAA's initial products such as its 
first technology assessments and its Science and Tech 
Spotlights recognize Congressional interest in the production 
of short- to medium-term analyses. The Committee encourages GAO 
to continue to develop new components of STAA studies by 
including policy recommendation options, when appropriate to 
the subject. STAA is also encouraged to identify new cloud data 
management and storage solutions for GAO's enormous volume of 
data that would enhance STAA's analytic capabilities and make 
the data more accessible and usable.
    Appropriations and Budget Law: The Committee remains 
concerned that the GAO Budget Appropriations Group (the Group) 
is not always prompt with formal legal opinions, informal legal 
advice and its responsibilities under the Impoundment Control 
Act. The Committee noted in the report accompanying P.L. 116-94 
that the number of requests to the Group has increased 
dramatically over the last five years, demonstrating how GAO's 
analyses are vital to the Committee's work. The Committee is 
pleased by the administrative steps taken by GAO to increase 
the future efficiency of the Group, however, the agency is 
encouraged to consider whether its resources are optimally 
allocated between its operational teams to adequately support 
its important appropriations law functions and to provide more 
timely responses to the Committee.
    Duplicative Government Programs: Since passage of Public 
Law 111-139, GAO has been mandated to produce a report to 
Congress identifying duplicative programs throughout the 
Federal government. In a yearly report GAO identifies Federal 
programs, agencies, offices and initiatives that have 
duplicative goals or activities. Since 2011, GAO has presented 
805 actions in more than 300 areas for Congress or executive 
branch agencies to reduce, eliminate, or better manage 
fragmentation, overlap or duplication. As of March, 2019, 
Congress and the executive branch have addressed or partially 
addressed 621 of those actions resulting in roughly 
$216,000,000,000 in financial benefits. The Committee continues 
to direct GAO to issue these reports and urges Congress and the 
executive branch to address duplicative programs.

             OPEN WORLD LEADERSHIP CENTER (OWLC) TRUST FUND


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................        $5,900,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................         5,900,000
Committee recommendation..............................         6,000,000
  Change from enacted level...........................          +100,000
  Change from request.................................          +100,000
 

    The Committee recommends $6,000,000 for salaries and 
expenses of the Open World Leadership Center Trust Fund.
    Grant Writer: The Committee believes that a grant writer 
may help to accurately represent OWLC's needs and help secure 
non-appropriated funds for its mission. A grant writer can help 
improve OWLC's public communications, educational curriculum, 
as well as research grant opportunities for OWLC. Most 
importantly a grant writer can help evaluate the current 
program and provide a fresh look for OWLC. Therefore, the 
recommendation provides a small increase of $100,000 for OWLC 
to hire a grant writer to help secure additional funds for its 
mission.
    Poland: The Committee remains concerned that the murder of 
Gdansk mayor Pawel Adamowicz may foster political polarization. 
The Committee is pleased with Open World's efforts to explore 
increased exchange with Poland as a former Communist country in 
Central and Eastern Europe.
    Hungary: The Committee remains concerned about 
opportunities for increased Russian influence in the region, 
including challenges with corruption and weakening civil 
society in Hungary. The Committee is pleased with Open World 
efforts to explore increased exchange with Hungary as a former 
Communist country in Central and Eastern Europe.

   JOHN C. STENNIS CENTER FOR PUBLIC SERVICE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2020.......................          $430,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2021......................           430,000
Committee recommendation..............................           430,000
  Change from enacted level...........................                 0
  Change from request.................................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $430,000 for salaries and expenses 
for the Stennis Center. The Center provides Congressional staff 
training and development opportunities to promote and 
strengthen public service leadership in America.

                      TITLE II--GENERAL PROVISIONS

    Continues a number of provisions from prior years, 
including language regarding maintenance and care of private 
vehicles, fiscal year limitation, rates of compensation and 
designation, consulting services, the Legislative Branch 
Financial Managers Council, a limitation on transfers, guided 
tours of the Capitol, limitations on telecommunications 
equipment procurement, prohibition on certain operational 
expenses, and plastic waste reduction.
    Includes new language standardizing the salary rates for 
certain Legislative Branch officials to the salary rates 
provided for most Legislative Branch officials by the P.L. 116-
94, the fiscal year 2020 consolidated appropriations act.
    Includes new language permitting funding in this Act to be 
used to employ individuals with an employment authorization 
document under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals 
(DACA) Program.
    Includes a limitation for the cost of living adjustment for 
Members of Congress for fiscal year 2021.
    Includes language requiring the Architect of the Capitol to 
remove statues and a bust in the U.S. Capitol representing 
Confederate Army or Government officials, as well as the 
statuary for four white supremacists, including Roger B. Taney.

              HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REPORT REQUIREMENTS

    The following items are included in accordance with various 
requirements of the Rules of the House of Representatives: 

              [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

         Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the following is a statement of 
general performance goals and objectives for which this measure 
authorizes funding:
    The Committee considers program performance, including a 
program's success in developing and attaining outcome-related 
goals and objectives, in developing funding recommendations.

                              Rescissions

    Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the following details the rescissions 
in the accompanying bill:
    $212,000 from the revolving fund established under House 
Resolution 64, 98th Congress.
    $1,000,000 from the revolving fund relating to 
``Stationery'' under the heading ``House of Representatives, 
Contingent Expenses of the House'' in the first section of the 
Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1948.
    $2,000,000 from the ``Net Expenses of the 
Telecommunications'' revolving fund' under section 102 of the 
Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 2005 (2 U.S.C. 5538).

                           Transfer of Funds

    Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the following lists the transfers of 
funds included in the accompanying bill:
    An administrative provision that creates the House 
Modernization Initiatives Account allows transfers among House 
accounts.
    A proviso in the appropriation for ``Architect of the 
Capitol, House Office Buildings'' directs transfer of 
$9,000,000 into that account from the House Office Buildings 
Fund.
    Within the Government Publishing Office, provisos in the 
appropriations for ``Congressional Publishing'' and ``Public 
Information Programs of the Superintendent of Documents, 
Salaries and Expenses'' authorize transfer of unobligated or 
unexpended balances of expired discretionary funds appropriated 
under those headings for fiscal year 2021 to the ``Government 
Publishing Office Business Operations Revolving Fund'' account.

   Disclosure of Earmarks and Congressionally Directed Spending Items

    Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House 
of Representatives, this bill, as reported, contains no 
Congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff 
benefits as defined in clause 9 of rule XXI.

          Compliance With Rule XIII, Cl. 3(e) (Ramseyer Rule)

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italics, existing law in which no change 
is proposed is shown in roman):

     SECTION 105 OF THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2003



           *       *       *       *       *       *       *
  Sec. 105. (a) Establishment.--The Chief Administrative 
Officer shall establish a program under which an employing 
office of the House of Representatives may agree to repay (by 
direct payment on behalf of the employee) any student loan 
previously taken out by an employee of the office. For purposes 
of this section, a Member of the House of Representatives 
(including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress) 
shall not be considered to be an employee of the House of 
Representatives.
  (b) Lifetime Limit on Aggregate Payments Made on Behalf of 
Any Individual.--The aggregate amount of payments made on 
behalf of any individual under the program under this section 
by all employing offices of the House of Representatives may 
not exceed $80,000.
  [(b)] (c) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration 
shall promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to carry 
out the program under this section.
  [(c) ] (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to 
carry out the program under this section during fiscal year 
2003 and each succeeding fiscal year.
                              ----------                              


     SECTION 101 OF THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1993

                       Administrative Provisions

  Sec. 101. (a) Amounts appropriated for any fiscal year for 
the House of Representatives under the heading ``ALLOWANCES AND 
EXPENSES'' may be transferred among and merged with the various 
categories of allowances and expenses under such heading, 
effective upon the expiration of the 21-day period (or such 
alternative period that may be imposed by the Committee on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives) which begins on 
the date such Committee has been notified of the transfer.
  (b) Amounts appropriated for any fiscal year for the House of 
Representatives under the heading ``SALARIES, OFFICERS AND 
EMPLOYEES'' may be transferred among and merged with the 
various offices and activities under such heading, effective 
upon the expiration of the 21-day period (or such alternative 
period that may be imposed by the Committee on Appropriations 
of the House of Representatives) which begins on the date such 
Committee has been notified of the transfer.
  (c)(1) Amounts appropriated for any fiscal year for the House 
of Representatives under the headings specified in paragraph 
(2) may be transferred among and merged with such headings, 
effective upon the expiration of the 21-day period (or such 
alternative period that may be imposed by the Committee on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives) which begins on 
the date such Committee has been notified of the transfer.
  (2) The headings referred to in paragraph (1) are ``House 
Leadership Offices'', ``Members' Representational Allowances'', 
``Committee Employees'', ``Salaries, Officers and Employees'', 
``Allowances and Expenses'', the heading for any joint 
committee under the heading ``Joint Items'' (to the extent that 
amounts appropriated for the joint committee are disbursed by 
the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of 
Representatives), ``Office of the Attending Physician'', 
``Allowance for Compensation of Interns in Member Offices''[, 
and ``Allowance for Compensation of Interns in House Leadership 
Offices''.] ``Allowance for Compensation of Interns in House 
Leadership Offices'', and ``House of Representatives 
Modernization Initiatives Account''.
  (d) Amounts appropriated for any fiscal year for the House of 
Representatives under the heading ``Allowances and Expenses'' 
may be transferred to the Architect of the Capitol and merged 
with and made available under the heading ``House Office 
Buildings'', subject to the approval of the Committee on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
  (e) Amounts appropriated for any fiscal year for the House of 
Representatives under any heading other than the heading 
``Members' Representational Allowances'' may be transferred to 
the Architect of the Capitol and merged with and made available 
under the heading ``House Historic Buildings Revitalization 
Trust Fund'', subject to the approval of the Committee on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
  (f) Amounts appropriated for any fiscal year for the House of 
Representatives under the heading ``House Leadership Offices'' 
may be transferred among and merged with the various offices 
and activities under such heading, effective upon the 
expiration of the 21-day period (or such alternative period 
that may be imposed by the Committee on Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives) which begins on the date such 
Committee has been notified of the transfer.
                              ----------                              


          SECTION 109 OF THE EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL ACT, 2002

SEC. 908. EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYEES.

  (a) Establishment.--In order to recruit or retain qualified 
personnel, the Chief of the Capitol Police may establish an 
educational assistance program for employees of the Capitol 
Police under which the Capitol Police may agree--
          (1) to repay (by direct payments on behalf of the 
        participating employee) all or any portion of a student 
        loan previously taken out by the employee;
          (2) to make direct payments to an educational 
        institution on behalf of a participating employee or to 
        reimburse a participating employee for all or any 
        portion of any tuition or related educational expenses 
        paid by the employee.
  (b) Special Rules For Student Loan Repayments.--
          (1) Application of regulations under executive branch 
        program.--In carrying out subsection (a)(1), the Chief 
        of the Capitol Police may, by regulation, make 
        applicable such provisions of section 5379 of title 5, 
        United States Code, as the Chief determines necessary 
        to provide for such program.
          (2) Restrictions on prior reimbursements.--The 
        Capitol Police may not reimburse any individual under 
        subsection (a)(1) for any repayments made by the 
        individual prior to entering into an agreement with the 
        Capitol Police to participate in the program under this 
        section.
          (3) Use of recovered amounts.--Any amount repaid by, 
        or recovered from, an individual under subsection 
        (a)(1) and its implementing regulations shall be 
        credited to the appropriation account available for 
        salaries or general expenses of the Capitol Police at 
        the time of repayment or recovery. Such credited amount 
        may be used for any authorized purpose of the account 
        and shall remain available until expended.
  (c) Limit on Amount of Payments.--The total amount paid by 
the Capitol Police with respect to any individual under the 
program under this section may not exceed [$60,000] $80,000.
  (d) No Review of Determinations.--Any determination made 
under the program under this section shall not be reviewable or 
appealable in any manner.
  (e) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect to 
fiscal year 2003 and each succeeding fiscal year.
                              ----------                              


                    CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT OF 1974



           *       *       *       *       *       *       *
                 TITLE II--CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE

                        establishment of office

  Sec. 201. (a) In General.--
          (1) There is established an office of the Congress to 
        be known as the Congressional Budget Office 
        (hereinafter in this title referred to as the 
        ``Office''). The Office shall be headed by a Director; 
        and there shall be a Deputy Director who shall perform 
        such duties as may be assigned to him by the Director 
        and, during the absence or incapacity of the Director 
        or during a vacancy in that office, shall act as 
        Director.
          (2) The Director shall be appointed by the Speaker of 
        the House of Representatives and the President pro 
        tempore of the Senate after considering recommendations 
        received from the Committees on the Budget of the House 
        and the Senate, without regard to political affiliation 
        and solely on the basis of his fitness to perform his 
        duties. The Deputy Director shall be appointed by the 
        Director.
          (3) The term of office of the Director shall be 4 
        years and shall expire on January 3 of the year 
        preceding each Presidential election. Any individual 
        appointed as Director to fill a vacancy prior to the 
        expiration of a term shall serve only for the unexpired 
        portion of that term. An individual serving as Director 
        at the expiration of a term may continue to serve until 
        his successor is appointed. Any Deputy Director shall 
        serve until the expiration of the term of office of the 
        Director who appointed him (and until his successor is 
        appointed), unless sooner removed by the Director.
          (4) The Director may be removed by either House by 
        resolution.
          (5)(A) The Director shall receive compensation at an 
        annual rate of pay [that is equal to the maximum rate 
        of pay in effect under section 105(f) of the 
        Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1968 (2 U.S.C. 
        4575(f)).] that is equal to the annual rate of basic 
        pay for level II of the Executive Schedule.
          (B) The Deputy Director shall receive compensation at 
        an annual rate of pay that is $1,000 less than the 
        annual rate of pay received by the Director, as 
        determined under subparagraph (A).
  (b) Personnel.--The Director shall appoint and fix the 
compensation of such personnel as may be necessary to carry out 
the duties and functions of the Office. All personnel of the 
Office shall be appointed without regard to political 
affiliation and solely on the basis of their fitness to perform 
their duties. The Director may prescribe the duties and 
responsibilities of the personnel of the Office, and delegate 
to them authority to perform any of the duties, powers, and 
functions imposed on the Office or on the Director. For 
purposes of pay (other than pay of the Director and Deputy 
Director) and employment benefits, rights, and privileges, all 
personnel of the Office shall be treated as if they were 
employees of the House of Representatives.
  (c) Experts and Consultants.--In carrying out the duties and 
functions of the Office, the Director may procure the temporary 
(not to exceed one year) or intermittent services of experts or 
consultants or organizations thereof by contract as independent 
contractors, or, in the case of individual experts or 
consultants, by employment at rates of pay not in excess of the 
daily equivalent of the highest rate of basic pay payable under 
the General Schedule of section 5332 of title 5, United States 
Code.
  (d) Relationship to Executive Branch.--The Director is 
authorized to secure information, data, estimates, and 
statistics directly from the various departments, agencies, and 
establishments of the executive branch of Government and the 
regulatory agencies and commissions of the Government. All such 
departments, agencies, establishments, and regulatory agencies 
and commissions shall furnish the Director any available 
material which he determines to be necessary in the performance 
of his duties and functions (other than material the disclosure 
of which would be a violation of law). The Director is also 
authorized, upon agreement with the head of any such 
department, agency, establishment, or regulatory agency or 
commission, to utilize its services, facilities, and personnel 
with or without reimbursement; and the head of each such 
department, agency, establishment, or regulatory agency or 
commission is authorized to provide the Office such services, 
facilities, and personnel.
  (e) Relationship to Other Agencies of Congress.--In carrying 
out the duties and functions of the Office, and for the purpose 
of coordinating the operations of the Office with those of 
other congressional agencies with a view to utilizing most 
effectively the information, services, and capabilities of all 
such agencies in carrying out the various responsibilities 
assigned to each, the Director is authorized to obtain 
information, data, estimates, and statistics developed by the 
General Accounting Office, and the Library of Congress, and 
(upon agreement with them) to utilize their services, 
facilities, and personnel with or without reimbursement. The 
Comptroller General, and the Librarian of Congress are 
authorized to provide the Office with the information, data, 
estimates, and statistics, and the services, facilities, and 
personnel, referred to in the preceding sentence.
  (f) Revenue Estimates.--For the purposes of revenue 
legislation which is income, estate and gift, excise, and 
payroll taxes (i.e., Social Security), considered or enacted in 
any session of Congress, the Congressional Budget Office shall 
use exclusively during that session of Congress revenue 
estimates provided to it by the Joint Committee on Taxation. 
During that session of Congress such revenue estimates shall be 
transmitted by the Congressional Budget Office to any committee 
of the House of Representatives or the Senate requesting such 
estimates, and shall be used by such Committees in determining 
such estimates. The Budget Committees of the Senate and House 
shall determine all estimates with respect to scoring points of 
order and with respect to the execution of the purposes of this 
Act.
  (g) Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the Office for each fiscal year such sums as may be 
necessary to enable it to carry out its duties and functions. 
Until sums are first appropriated pursuant to the preceding 
sentence, but for a period not exceeding 12 months following 
the effective date of this subsection, the expenses of the 
Office shall be paid from the contingent fund of the Senate, in 
accordance with the paragraph relating to the contingent fund 
of the Senate under the heading ``UNDER LEGISLATIVE'' in the 
Act of October 1, 1888 (28 Stat. 546; 2 U.S.C. 68), and upon 
vouchers approved by the Director.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                              ----------                              


                CONGRESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 1995



           *       *       *       *       *       *       *
TITLE III--OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL WORKPLACE RIGHTS

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 302. OFFICERS, STAFF, AND OTHER PERSONNEL.

  (a) Executive Director.--
          (1) Appointment and removal.--
                  (A) In general.--The Chair, subject to the 
                approval of the Board, shall appoint and may 
                remove an Executive Director. Selection and 
                appointment of the Executive Director shall be 
                without regard to political affiliation and 
                solely on the basis of fitness to perform the 
                duties of the Office. The first Executive 
                Director shall be appointed no later than 90 
                days after the initial appointment of the Board 
                of Directors.
                  (B) Qualifications.--The Executive Director 
                shall be an individual with training or 
                expertise in the application of laws referred 
                to in section 102(a).
                  (C) Disqualifications.--The disqualifications 
                in section 301(d)(2) shall apply to the 
                appointment of the Executive Director.
          (2) Compensation.--
                  (A) Authority to fix compensation.--The Chair 
                may fix the compensation of the Executive 
                Director.
                  [(B) Limitation.--The rate of pay for the 
                Executive Director may not exceed the maximum 
                rate of pay in effect under section 105(f) of 
                the Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1968 
                (2 U.S.C. 4575(f)).]
                  (B) Limitation.--The annual rate of pay for 
                the Executive Director may not exceed the 
                annual rate of basic pay for level II of the 
                Executive Schedule.
          (3) Term.--The term of office of the Executive 
        Director shall be not more than 2 terms of 5 years, 
        except that the first Executive Director shall have a 
        single term of 7 years.
          (4) Duties.--The Executive Director shall serve as 
        the chief operating officer of the Office. Except as 
        otherwise specified in this Act, the Executive Director 
        shall carry out all of the responsibilities of the 
        Office under this Act.
  (b) Deputy Executive Directors.--
          (1) In general.--The Chair, subject to the approval 
        of the Board, shall appoint and may remove a Deputy 
        Executive Director for the Senate and a Deputy 
        Executive Director for the House of Representatives. 
        Selection and appointment of a Deputy Executive 
        Director shall be without regard to political 
        affiliation and solely on the basis of fitness to 
        perform the duties of the office. The disqualifications 
        in section 301(d)(2) shall apply to the appointment of 
        a Deputy Executive Director.
          (2) Term.--The term of office of a Deputy Executive 
        Director shall be not more than 2 terms of 5 years, 
        except that the first Deputy Executive Directors shall 
        have a single term of 6 years.
          (3) Compensation.--
                  (A) Authority to fix compensation.--The Chair 
                may fix the compensation of the Deputy 
                Executive Directors.
                  (B) Limitation.--The rate of pay for a Deputy 
                Executive Director may not exceed 96 percent of 
                the lesser of--
                          (i) the highest annual rate of 
                        compensation of any officer of the 
                        Senate; or
                          (ii) the highest annual rate of 
                        compensation of any officer of the 
                        House of Representatives.
          (4) Duties.--The Deputy Executive Director for the 
        Senate shall recommend to the Board regulations under 
        section 304(a)(2)(B)(i), maintain the regulations and 
        all records pertaining to the regulations, and shall 
        assume such other responsibilities as may be delegated 
        by the Executive Director. The Deputy Executive 
        Director for the House of Representatives shall 
        recommend to the Board the regulations under section 
        304(a)(2)(B)(ii), maintain the regulations and all 
        records pertaining to the regulations, and shall assume 
        such other responsibilities as may be delegated by the 
        Executive Director.
  (c) General Counsel.--
          (1) In general.--The Chair, subject to the approval 
        of the Board, shall appoint a General Counsel. 
        Selection and appointment of the General Counsel shall 
        be without regard to political affiliation and solely 
        on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of the 
        Office. The disqualifications in section 301(d)(2) 
        shall apply to the appointment of a General Counsel.
          (2) Compensation.--
                  (A) Authority to fix compensation.--The Chair 
                may fix the compensation of the General 
                Counsel.
                  (B) Limitation.--The rate of pay for the 
                General Counsel may not exceed the lesser of--
                          (i) the highest annual rate of 
                        compensation of any officer of the 
                        Senate; or
                          (ii) the highest annual rate of 
                        compensation of any officer of the 
                        House of Representatives.
          (3) Duties.--The General Counsel shall--
                  (A) exercise the authorities and perform the 
                duties of the General Counsel as specified in 
                this Act; and
                  (B) otherwise assist the Board and the 
                Executive Director in carrying out their duties 
                and powers, including representing the Office 
                in any judicial proceeding under this Act.
          (4) Attorneys in the office of the general counsel.--
        The General Counsel shall appoint, and fix the 
        compensation of, and may remove, such additional 
        attorneys as may be necessary to enable the General 
        Counsel to perform the General Counsel's duties.
          (5) Term.--The term of office of the General Counsel 
        shall be not more than 2 terms of 5 years.
          (6) Removal.--
                  (A) Authority.--The General Counsel may be 
                removed from office by the Chair but only for--
                          (i) disability that substantially 
                        prevents the General Counsel from 
                        carrying out the duties of the General 
                        Counsel,
                          (ii) incompetence,
                          (iii) neglect of duty,
                          (iv) malfeasance, including a felony 
                        or conduct involving moral turpitude, 
                        or
                          (v) holding an office or employment 
                        or engaging in an activity that 
                        disqualifies the individual from 
                        service as the General Counsel under 
                        paragraph (1).
                  (B) Statement of reasons for removal.--In 
                removing the General Counsel, the Speaker of 
                the House of Representatives and the President 
                pro tempore of the Senate shall state in 
                writing to the General Counsel the specific 
                reasons for the removal.
  (d) Confidential Advisors.--
          (1) In general.--The Executive Director shall--
                  (A) appoint, and fix the compensation of, and 
                may remove, 1 or more confidential advisors to 
                carry out the duties described in this 
                subsection; or
                  (B) designate 1 or more employees of the 
                Office to serve as a confidential advisor.
          (2) Duties.--
                  (A) Voluntary services.--A confidential 
                advisor appointed or designated under paragraph 
                (1) shall offer to provide to covered employees 
                described in paragraph (4) the services 
                described in subparagraph (B), which a covered 
                employee may accept or decline.
                  (B) Services.--The services referred to in 
                subparagraph (A) are--
                          (i) informing, on a privileged and 
                        confidential basis, a covered employee 
                        who has been subject to a practice that 
                        may be a violation of part A of title 
                        II about the employee's rights under 
                        this Act;
                          (ii) consulting, on a privileged and 
                        confidential basis, with a covered 
                        employee who has been subject to a 
                        practice that may be a violation of 
                        part A of title II regarding--
                                  (I) the roles, 
                                responsibilities, and authority 
                                of the Office; and
                                  (II) the relative merits of 
                                securing private counsel, 
                                designating a non-attorney 
                                representative, or proceeding 
                                without representation for 
                                proceedings before the Office;
                          (iii) advising and consulting with, 
                        on a privileged and confidential basis, 
                        a covered employee who has been subject 
                        to a practice that may be a violation 
                        of part A of title II regarding any 
                        claims the covered employee may have 
                        under title IV, the factual allegations 
                        that support each such claim, and the 
                        relative merits of the procedural 
                        options available to the employee for 
                        each such claim;
                          (iv) assisting, on a privileged and 
                        confidential basis, a covered employee 
                        who seeks consideration under title IV 
                        of an allegation of a violation of part 
                        A of title II in understanding the 
                        procedures, and the significance of the 
                        procedures, described in title IV, 
                        including--
                                  (I) assisting or consulting 
                                with the covered employee 
                                regarding the drafting of a 
                                claim to be filed under section 
                                402(a); and
                                  (II) consulting with the 
                                covered employee regarding the 
                                procedural options available to 
                                the covered employee after a 
                                claim is filed, and the 
                                relative merits of each option; 
                                and
                          (v) informing, on a privileged and 
                        confidential basis, a covered employee 
                        who has been subject to a practice that 
                        may be a violation of part A of title 
                        II about the option of pursuing, in 
                        appropriate circumstances, a complaint 
                        with the Committee on Ethics of the 
                        House of Representatives or the Select 
                        Committee on Ethics of the Senate.
                  (C) Continuity of service.--Once a covered 
                employee has accepted and received any services 
                offered under this section from a confidential 
                advisor appointed or designated under paragraph 
                (1), any other services requested under this 
                subsection by the covered employee shall be 
                provided, to the extent practicable, by the 
                same confidential advisor.
          (3) Qualifications.--A confidential advisor appointed 
        or designated under paragraph (1) shall be a lawyer 
        who--
                  (A) is admitted to practice before, and is in 
                good standing with, the bar of a State of the 
                United States, the District of Columbia, or a 
                territory of the United States; and
                  (B) has experience representing clients in 
                cases involving the workplace laws incorporated 
                by part A of title II.
          (4) Individuals covered.--The services described in 
        paragraph (2) are available to any covered employee 
        (which, for purposes of this subsection, shall include 
        any staff member described in section 201(d) and any 
        former covered employee (including any such former 
        staff member)), except that--
                  (A) a former covered employee may only 
                request such services if the practice that may 
                be a violation of part A of title II occurred 
                during the employment or service of the 
                employee; and
                  (B) a covered employee described in this 
                paragraph may only request such services before 
                the expiration of the 180-day period described 
                in section 402(d).
          (5) Restrictions.--A confidential advisor appointed 
        or designated under paragraph (1)--
                  (A) shall not act as the designated 
                representative for any covered employee in 
                connection with the covered employee's 
                participation in any proceeding, including any 
                proceeding under this Act, any judicial 
                proceeding, or any proceeding before any 
                committee of Congress;
                  (B) shall not offer or provide services 
                described in paragraph (2)(B) to a covered 
                employee if the covered employee has designated 
                an attorney representative in connection with 
                the covered employee's participation in any 
                proceeding under this Act, except that a 
                confidential advisor may provide general 
                assistance and information to such attorney 
                representative regarding this Act and the role 
                of the Office as the confidential advisor 
                determines appropriate; and
                  (C) shall not serve as a mediator in any 
                mediation conducted pursuant to section 404.
  (e) Other Staff.--The Executive Director shall appoint, and 
fix the compensation of, and may remove, such other additional 
staff, including hearing officers, but not including attorneys 
employed in the office of the General Counsel, as may be 
necessary to enable the Office to perform its duties.
  (f) Detailed Personnel.--The Executive Director may, with the 
prior consent of the department or agency of the Federal 
Government concerned, use on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable 
basis the services of personnel of any such department or 
agency, including the services of members or personnel of the 
Government Accountability Office Personnel Appeals Board.
  (g) Consultants.--In carrying out the functions of the 
Office, the Executive Director may procure the temporary (not 
to exceed 1 year) or intermittent services of consultants.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                              ----------                              


                           PUBLIC LAW 96-146

 AN ACT An Act to fix the annual rates of pay for the Architect of the 
           Capitol and the Assistant Architect of the Capitol

[SECTION 1. COMPENSATION.

  [The compensation of the Architect of the Capitol shall be at 
an annual rate which is equal to the maximum rate of pay in 
effect under section 105(f) of the Legislative Branch 
Appropriation Act, 1968 (2 U.S.C. 4575(f)).]

SECTION 1. COMPENSATION.

  The compensation of the Architect of the Capitol shall be at 
an annual rate equal to the annual rate of basic pay for level 
II of the Executive Schedule.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

                              ----------                              


                           PUBLIC LAW 96-152

AN ACT An Act to establish by law the position of Chief of the Capitol 
                     Police, and for other purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) 
section 1821 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (40 
U.S.C. 206) is amended by adding at the end thereof the 
following new sentence: ``The Capitol Police shall be headed by 
a Chief who shall be appointed by the Capitol Police Board and 
shall serve at the pleasure of the Board.''.
  (b) The individual serving as Chief of the Capitol Police on 
the effective date of this Act shall be deemed, effective on 
such date, to be appointed to the position established by the 
amendment made by subsection (a).
  [(c) The annual rate of pay for the Chief of the Capitol 
Police shall be the amount equal to $1,000 less than the 
maximum rate of pay in effect under section 105(f) of the 
Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1968 (2 U.S.C. 4575(f)).]
  (c) The annual rate of pay for the Chief of the Capitol 
Police shall be equal to the annual rate of basic pay for level 
II of the Executive Schedule.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


               Changes in the Application of Existing Law

    Pursuant to clause 3(f)(1)(A) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, the following statements are 
submitted describing the effect of provisions in the 
accompanying bill that directly or indirectly change the 
application of existing law:
    1. The bill provides that certain appropriation items 
remain available for more than one year, where programs or 
projects are continuing in nature under the provisions of 
authorizing legislation but for which that legislation does not 
specifically authorize such extended availability.
    2. The bill includes a number of provisions which place 
limitations on or change or extend existing limitations, 
appropriations, or authorizations, and which under some 
circumstances might be construed as changing the application of 
existing law.
    3. The bill continues the practice of providing official 
reception and representation allowances for officers and 
offices of the Legislative Branch.
    4. The bill authorizes disbursal of funds for various 
agencies.
    5. The bill authorizes transfer authority between accounts 
for certain agencies in the bill.
    6. The bill includes language allowing the use of funds for 
studies and examinations of executive agencies and temporary 
personnel services. Funds can also be available for 
reimbursement to agencies for services performed.
    7. The bill includes language providing funds for the 
Family Room, the Superintendent of Garages, Office of Emergency 
Management, and preparing the Digest of Rules.
    8. The bill includes language providing funds for House 
motor vehicles, interparliamentary receptions, and gratuities.
    9. The bill requires unspent funds remaining in Members' 
Representational Allowances to be used for deficit or debt 
reduction.
    10. The bill includes language that places a limitation on 
the amount that a Member can spend on a leased vehicle per 
month.
    11. The bill includes language requiring that any Federal 
agencies that are assisting the House with cybersecurity risks 
ensure the constitutional integrity of the separate branches of 
government.
    12. The bill includes language that creates a House 
Modernization Initiatives Account.
    13. The bill authorizes allowances for employees of the 
Office of the Attending Physician and provides reimbursement to 
the Department of the Navy.
    14. The bill authorizes expenses of the Capitol Police for 
motor vehicles, communications and other equipment, uniforms, 
weapons, supplies, materials, training, medical services, 
forensic services, stenographic services, personal and 
professional services, the employee assistance program, the 
awards program, postage, communication services, travel 
advances, and relocation expenses.
    15. The bill provides that the cost of Capitol Police basic 
training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center be paid 
by the Department of Homeland Security.
    16. The bill includes language raising the cap of student 
loans.
    17. The bill allows the Architect of the Capitol to 
purchase or exchange, maintain, and operate one passenger motor 
vehicle.
    18. The bill includes authorization allowing reimbursements 
for chilled water and steam provided to the Government 
Publishing Office, the Washington City Post Office, the Supreme 
Court, the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building, Union 
Station Complex, and the Folger Shakespeare Library to be 
credited to the AOC Capitol Power Plant appropriation and made 
available for obligation.
    19. The bill allows the Architect of the Capitol to expend 
funds to maintain, care for, and operate the National Garden.
    20. The bill prohibits paying bonuses for contractors who 
are behind schedule or over budget.
    21. The bill establishes that the amount available for 
obligation by the Library of Congress is reduced by offsetting 
collections.
    22. The bill provides specific funding for the American 
Folklife Center, the Teaching with Primary Sources program, the 
Legislative Branch Financial Management System, the Surplus 
Books Program, the Veterans History Project, and the Visitors 
Experience project.
    23. The bill allows the Library of Congress to hire or 
purchase one passenger motor vehicle.
    24. The bill allows funds from offsetting collections to be 
used for the Library's Copyright Office.
    25. The bill includes language authorizing the expenditure 
of receipts, with the exception of salaries and benefits, for 
the administration of the Copyright Royalty Judges program.
    26. The bill contains language which provides that no funds 
in the Congressional Research Service can be used to publish or 
prepare material to be issued by the Library of Congress unless 
approved by the appropriate Committee, with an exception.
    27. The bill provides funds to provide newspapers to the 
blind and print disabled.
    28. The bill contains language under the Library of 
Congress placing a limitation on obligations for Reimbursable 
and Revolving Fund activities.
    29. The bill includes language authorizing the Public 
Information Programs of the Superintendent of Documents to pay 
for printing certain publications in prior years for the 
depository library program. There is language authorizing the 
transfer of unexpended balances.
    30. There is language authorizing the operation of the 
Government Publishing Office revolving fund, and which 
authorizes travel expenses for advisory councils, the purchase 
of not more than 12 passenger motor vehicles and that the 
revolving fund may be used to provide information in any 
format.
    31. The bill includes language relating to the Government 
Accountability Office, authorizing the direct procurement of 
expert and consultant services under 5 U.S.C. 3109 at certain 
rates; authorizing the hire of one passenger motor vehicle, as 
required by 31 U.S.C. 1343; authorizing the Government 
Accountability Office to make advance payments in foreign 
countries in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3324; and providing 
certain benefits, including rental of living quarters in 
foreign countries. Appropriations are authorized for 
administrative expenses of any other member department or 
agency to finance an appropriate share of the costs of the 
National Intergovernmental Audit Forum or a Regional 
Intergovernmental Audit Forum.
    32. The bill includes language prohibiting the use of funds 
in the Act for the maintenance or care of private vehicles 
except for emergency assistance and cleaning as may be provided 
under regulations relating to parking facilities for the House 
issued by the Committee on House Administration and for the 
Senate by the Committee on Rules and Administration.
    33. The bill provides no part of the funds appropriated in 
this Act shall remain available for obligation beyond fiscal 
year 2021 unless expressly so provided in this Act.
    34. The bill provides that whenever any office or position 
not specifically established by the Legislative Pay Act of 1929 
is appropriated for herein, or whenever the rate of 
compensation or designation of any position appropriated for 
herein is different from that specifically established for such 
position by such Act, the rate of compensation and the 
designation of the position, either appropriated for or 
provided herein, shall be the permanent law with respect 
thereto. The bill also provides that the provisions herein for 
the various items of official expenses of Members, officers, 
and the Committees, and clerk hire for Senators and Members 
shall be the permanent law with respect thereto.
    35. The bill requires that certain information regarding 
consulting services shall be a matter of public record.
    36. The bill authorizes Legislative Branch entities to 
share the costs of the Legislative Branch Financial Managers 
Council.
    37. The bill limits the transfer of funds in this Act.
    38. The bill prohibits funds in this Act being used to 
eliminate or restrict staff-led guided tours.
    39. The bill prohibits funds from being used to acquire 
telecommunications equipment from a particular class of 
vendors.
    40. The bill prohibits funds from being used to maintain or 
establish a computer network unless the network blocks 
pornography.
    41. The bill includes language requiring agencies funded in 
the Act to eliminate or reduce plastic waste.
    42. The bill includes language adjusting the annual rates 
of pay for certain heads of Legislative Branch agencies to make 
them equal to rates established for other heads of agencies in 
the fiscal year 2020 consolidated appropriation act.
    43. The bill includes language permitting funds in the Act 
to be used to employ individuals with an employment 
authorization document under the Deferred Action for Childhood 
Arrivals (DACA) Program.
    44. The bill includes language blocking the cost of living 
adjustment for Members of Congress.
    45. The bill includes language requiring the Architect of 
the Capitol to remove statues and busts in the U.S. Capitol 
representing Confederate Army or Government officials, as well 
as the statuary for four white supremacists, including Roger B. 
Taney.

                  Appropriations Not Authorized by Law

    Pursuant to clause 3(f)(1)(B) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, the following lists the 
appropriations in the accompanying bill which are not 
authorized by law for the period concerned:
    1. An appropriation of $2,000,000 for the House of 
Representatives Modernization Initiatives Account; this account 
will be authorized and appropriated for the first time in the 
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2021.

              [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                          Program Duplication

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the following states that: No 
provision of this bill establishes or reauthorizes a program of 
the Federal Government known to be duplicative of another 
Federal program, a program that was included in any report from 
the Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to 
section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a 
program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance.

                           Committee Hearings

    For the purpose of section 103(i) of H. Res. 6 (116th 
Congress) the following hearings were used to develop or 
consider the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2021:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Date                 Title of Hearing        Witnesses
------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 11, 2020...............  U.S. Capitol        Mr. Steven A.
                                   Police FY 2021      Sund, Chief, U.S.
                                   Budget Request.     Capitol Police
February 11, 2020...............  Open World          Ms. Jane Sargus,
                                   Leadership Center   Executive
                                   FY2021 Budget       Director, Open
                                   Request.            World Leadership
                                                       Center
February 12, 2020...............  Office of           Ms. Susan Tsui
                                   Congressional       Grundmann,
                                   Workplace Rights    Executive
                                   FY 2021 Budget      Director, Office
                                   Request.            of Congressional
                                                       Workplace Rights
February 12, 2020...............  Congressional       Dr. Phillip
                                   Budget Office FY    Swagel, Director,
                                   2021 Budget         Congressional
                                   Request.            Budget Office
February 27, 2020...............  Library of          Dr. Carla Hayden,
                                   Congress FY2021     Librarian of
                                   Budget Hearing.     Congress, Library
                                                       of Congress; T.J.
                                                       Halstead, Deputy
                                                       Director,
                                                       Congressional
                                                       Research Service;
                                                       Ms. Maria Strong,
                                                       Acting Director
                                                       U.S. Register of
                                                       Copyrights, U.S.
                                                       Copyright Office
February 27, 2020...............  Government          Mr. Gene L.
                                   Accountability      Dodaro,
                                   Office FY 2021      Comptroller
                                   Budget Hearing.     General of the
                                                       United States,
                                                       Government
                                                       Accountability
                                                       Office
March 3, 2020...................  House Officers FY   The Honorable Paul
                                   2021 Budget         D. Irving, House
                                   Hearing.            Sergeant at Arms,
                                                       U.S. House of
                                                       Representatives;
                                                       The Honorable
                                                       Cheryl L.
                                                       Johnson, Clerk,
                                                       U.S. House of
                                                       Representatives;
                                                       The Honorable
                                                       Phil Kiko, CAO,
                                                       U.S. House of
                                                       Representatives;
                                                       Mr. E. Wade
                                                       Ballou,
                                                       Legislative
                                                       Counsel, Office
                                                       of Legislative
                                                       Counsel; Mr.
                                                       Douglas N.
                                                       Letter, General
                                                       Counsel, Office
                                                       of the General
                                                       Counsel; Mr.
                                                       Michael T.
                                                       Ptasienski,
                                                       Inspector
                                                       General, Office
                                                       of Inspector
                                                       General; Mr.
                                                       Ralph V. Seep,
                                                       Law Revision
                                                       Counsel, Office
                                                       of the Law
                                                       Revision Counsel;
                                                       Dr. Brian P.
                                                       Monahan,
                                                       Attending
                                                       Physician
March 4, 2020...................  Members Day         The Honorable
                                   Hearing.            Rodney Davis; The
                                                       Honorable Brian
                                                       K. Fitzpatrick;
                                                       The Honorable
                                                       Jared F. Golden;
                                                       The Honorable Tom
                                                       Graves; The
                                                       Honorable Derek
                                                       Kilmer
March 4, 2020...................  Public Witness      Ms. Michelle
                                   Hearing.            Cosby, President,
                                                       American
                                                       Association of
                                                       Law Libraries;
                                                       Ms. Audrey
                                                       Henson, CEO &
                                                       Founder, College
                                                       to Congress; Ms.
                                                       Lorelei Kelly,
                                                       Fellow & Director
                                                       Congressional
                                                       Modernization,
                                                       Georgetown
                                                       University; Mr.
                                                       Andrew Lautz,
                                                       Policy and
                                                       Government
                                                       Affairs
                                                       Associate,
                                                       National Taxpayer
                                                       Union; Mr. Daniel
                                                       Lips, Director of
                                                       Cyber and
                                                       National
                                                       Security, Lincoln
                                                       Network; Ms.
                                                       Laura Manley,
                                                       Director of
                                                       Technology and
                                                       Public Purpose
                                                       Project, Harvard
                                                       Kennedy School
                                                       Belfer Center for
                                                       Science and
                                                       International
                                                       Affairs; Ms.
                                                       Meredith McGehee,
                                                       Executive
                                                       Director, Issue
                                                       One; Mr. Angel
                                                       Silva, DACA
                                                       Recipient; Mr.
                                                       Taylor Swift,
                                                       Policy Associate,
                                                       Demand Progress;
                                                       Mr. Maurice
                                                       Turner, Deputy
                                                       Director,
                                                       Internet
                                                       Architecture
                                                       Project, Center
                                                       for Democracy &
                                                       Technology
March 11, 2020..................  Architect of the    Mr. J. Brett
                                   Capitol FY 2021     Blanton,
                                   Budget Hearing.     Architect of the
                                                       Capitol
March 11, 2020..................  Government          Mr. Hugh Halpern,
                                   Publishing Office   Director,
                                   FY 2021 Budget      Government
                                   Hearing.            Publishing Office
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                             MINORITY VIEWS

    We appreciate the efforts of the Majority to produce the 
Legislative Branch Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 
2021. The bill includes funding to support the operations of 
the House, promote the safety of the millions of people 
visiting and working throughout the Capitol complex, continue 
the rehabilitation and maintenance of our world-renowned 
buildings, and allow the agencies on which Congress relies to 
function as effectively as possible. However, Committee 
Republicans have concerns about the bill in its current form.
    The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 (P.L. 116-37), enacted 
less than a year ago, set caps for defense and non-defense 
discretionary spending for FY 2021. Committee Republicans have 
noted that many of the FY 2021 appropriations bills are built 
upon false assumptions that violate that bipartisan agreement. 
The Legislative Branch is given an increase of more than five 
percent in this bill, which is only possible because of the use 
of budget mechanisms that were not assumed in last year's 
agreement. We should not weaken the agreement and designate 
funds as an ``emergency'' just to spend more money on lower 
priority programs. In addition to concerns about spending, we 
are also disappointed that the Majority party included 
controversial policy riders that will need to be reversed or 
modified before this bill can become law.
    We want to thank Chairman Ryan and his staff for their 
efforts to incorporate most of the requests submitted by 
Committee Republicans, and we remain optimistic that we will be 
able to work together to address these issues as we proceed 
through the legislative process.

                                   Kay Granger.
                                   Jaime Herrera Beutler.

                                  [all]