[House Report 116-64]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


116th Congress    }                                       {     Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session      }                                       {     116-64

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



 
              LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2020

                                _______
                                

  May 16, 2019.--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. 2779]

    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, 2020, and for other purposes.

                        INDEX TO BILL AND REPORT

                                                            Page Number

                                                            Bill Report
Highlights of Bill.........................................
                                                                      2
Title I--Legislative Branch Appropriations.................     2
                                                                      6
        House of Representatives...........................     2
                                                                      6
        Joint Items:
                Joint Economic Committee...................    13
                                                                     14
                Joint Committee on Taxation................    13
                                                                     14
                Office of the Attending Physician..........    14
                                                                     14
                Office of Congressional Accessibility 
                    Services...............................    15
                                                                     15
        Capitol Police.....................................    15
                                                                     15
        Office of Congressional Workplace Rights...........    16
                                                                     16
        Congressional Budget Office........................    17
                                                                     17
        Office of Technology Assessment....................    17
                                                                     17
        Architect of the Capitol (except Senate Office 
            Buildings).....................................    17
                                                                     18
        Library of Congress................................    22
                                                                     26
        Government Publishing Office.......................    28
                                                                     33
        Government Accountability Office...................    32
                                                                     34
        Open World Leadership Center Trust Fund............    34
                                                                     34
        John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training 
            and Development................................    34
                                                                     35
Title II--General Provisions...............................    34
                                                                     35
Bill-wide Reporting Requirements...........................
                                                                     35
Minority Views.............................................
                                                                     59

                         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 and security.
    The legislation appropriates a total of $3,972,000,000 in 
fiscal year 2020, which is $164,229,000 (4.3 percent) more than 
the comparable amount for fiscal year 2019. 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 Accountability 
Office and the Government Publishing Office.
    In keeping with longstanding practice under which each 
chamber of Congress determines its own housekeeping 
requirements and the other concurs without intervention, the 
bill does not include funds for the Senate or for 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, largely because of a series of budget 
cuts enacted during fiscal years 2011 through 2013. The total 
House appropriation for fiscal year 2019 is about 10 percent 
below the fiscal year 2010 level in unadjusted dollars, and 
about 23 percent below 2010 after adjustment for inflation. 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.
    A second factor this year is that there are ongoing actual 
and potential shortfalls in three accounts that 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). For 
these accounts, current appropriations aren't sufficient to 
support currently authorized spending levels. The Committee 
needs to bring appropriations into line with currently 
authorized spending before it can provide funds to increase 
that authorized spending. Addressing this problem takes about 
40 percent of the overall increase for the House in this bill.
    Members Representational Allowance (MRA): The Committee 
recommends $615,000,000 for the MRA in fiscal year 2020, 
$41,370,000 more than in the prior year. Almost half of the 
increase is needed just to bring the appropriation more in line 
with currently authorized spending, but the Committee's level 
should be sufficient to support a roughly 4.0 percent increase 
in the allowance (about $55,000 per Member office) in 2020.
    Allowance for Paid Interns: The 2019 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 new intern allowance has been well 
received, and this bill takes modest steps towards expanding 
it, raising the allowance for each Member office from $20,000 
to $25,000 and initiating an allowance for Leadership offices.
    Committee Expenses: The Committee recommends $159,628,000 
for the expenses of House committees, a $8,611,856 increase 
above the prior year. This amount will support the funding 
allocated to committees for 2020 by the biennial funding 
resolution adopted by the House in March (H. Res. 245), which 
is 3.5 percent above the level allocated in 2018.
    House Officers and Support Agencies: The Committee-
recommended bill provides $245,736,000--$25,391,000 more than 
in fiscal year 2019--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 information technology 
(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.
    The recommended bill also provides initial funding for two 
new offices established by the House at the beginning of this 
Congress: $1,000,000 for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion 
and $750,000 for the Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman.
    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 and 
funding for paid family and medical leave for employees, a 
possible increase in the lifetime cap on student loan repayment 
amounts for House employees, and a possible tuition assistance 
program. The Committee is requesting the appropriate House 
offices to study and report on these and other issues, 
including processing times for security clearances for House 
employees and progress on developing unique identifiers for use 
in the lobbying disclosure process.
    Office of Technology Assessment (OTA): As requested by a 
number of Members of Congress, the Committee bill includes 
$6,000,000 in initial funding to re-establish the Office of 
Technology Assessment (OTA). This Legislative Branch agency was 
created in 1972 and operated until funding was discontinued in 
1995.
    To do its job in this modern era, Congress needs to 
understand and address the issues and risks resulting from a 
wide range of rapid technological developments such as 
cryptocurrencies, autonomous vehicles, gene editing, artificial 
intelligence, and the ever-expanding use of social media 
platforms, to give just a few examples. A re-opened OTA will 
play an important role in providing accurate, professional, and 
unbiased information about technological developments and 
policy options for addressing the issues those developments 
raise. In that role, OTA will complement the work of the 
Government Accountability Office in the area of science and 
technology.
    Congressional Budget Office (CBO): The Committee's bill 
includes $52,666,000 for the Congressional Budget Office, 
$1,929,000 more than in fiscal year 2019. This funding level 
will allow CBO to continue and modestly increase its efforts to 
improve modeling and analytical capability in key areas and to 
make its work as transparent and accessible as possible.
    Library of Congress: For the Library of Congress, including 
the Copyright Office, Congressional Research Service, and 
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically 
Handicapped, the Committee recommends a total of $720,290,000 
in fiscal year 2020, an increase of $24,178,000 over the prior 
year. This funding level will allow continued progress on 
urgent information technology needs and on modernization of 
systems for copyright registration and recordation and support 
ongoing Library initiatives such as the Veterans' History 
Project.
    The Committee recommendation includes $5,000,000 for a 
second installment of funding for the Library's Enhancing the 
Visitor Experience initiative, subject to the Committee's 
review of the specific plans, cost estimates, and schedules for 
the initiative which the Library is expected to provide this 
summer. It also includes not less than $5,500,000 for 
modernizing the website that handles distribution of audio and 
braille reading materials at the National Library Service for 
the Blind and for purchase of braille e-readers.
    Office of Congressional Workplace Rights: The bill includes 
$6,333,000 for the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, 
the same level as in fiscal year 2019. The Office did not 
request any increase for fiscal year 2020, stating that 
substantial increases received in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 
have led to a funding level sufficient to initially support the 
increased responsibilities it received under the legislation 
enacted last year.
    Government Accountability Office (GAO): The Committee 
recommends $615,604,000 for the GAO. This level should allow 
the GAO to sustain increases in staffing to handle its large 
workload and begin to address its information technology and 
building renovation needs.
    Capitol Police: The Committee recommends $463,341,000 for 
the Capitol Police, $7,033,000 more than in fiscal year 2019. 
This increase will help cover the cost of operations at the 
national party conventions next year as well as meeting current 
operational needs.
    Architect of the Capitol: The Committee recommends 
$624,668,000 for the Architect of the Capitol, $15,515,000 less 
than in fiscal year 2019. (These totals do not include 
appropriations for Senate Office Buildings, which as is 
customary are left to the sole consideration of the Senate.) 
Among other things, the reduction reflects support for fewer 
new renovation projects than in fiscal year 2019, due to 
overall budget constraints, but the bill nevertheless supports 
twelve such projects.
    Employment of DACA Recipients: The bill recommended by the 
Committee includes 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 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 our national 
community to seek employment in the Legislative Branch.

                    Legislative Branch-Wide Matters

    Reprogramming Guidelines: The Committee expects all 
agencies to notify the Committees on Appropriations of the 
House and the Senate 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 each 
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 FTEs or funds to create 
new organizational entities within the agency or to restructure 
entities which already exist. The Committees desire to be 
notified of reprogramming actions which 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 Committee's 
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: The Committee continues to direct all 
agencies of the Legislative Branch to develop budget requests 
from a zero base. The Committee believes that this valuable 
budgeting process has given agencies the opportunity to take a 
fresh look at all areas of their operations and make funding 
reductions and alignments within the current budget base. The 
Committee believes that there are continued opportunities to 
realize meaningful savings by carefully reviewing each agency's 
budget requirements from a zero base.
    Committee Requests, Furloughs and Performance Based Merit 
Increases: The Committee directs that adherence to the language 
carried in House Reports 112-148, 112-511 and 113-417 
pertaining to Committee Requests and Furloughs to be continued 
unless otherwise so directed. Performance Based Merit Increases 
are not to exceed the maximum allowable for agencies with a 
certified SES performance appraisal system.
    Data Centers: The Committee understands that Legislative 
Branch Agencies use information technology (IT) infrastructure 
to support critical functions to carry out their statutory 
missions, including functions essential to carrying out the 
constitutional responsibilities of the Legislative Branch.
    IT infrastructure may be located in data centers covering 
several geographic regions or using several types of cloud 
services. Regardless of how such infrastructure is provisioned, 
an agency's IT infrastructure must satisfy the following 
requirements: must meet `concurrently maintainable' 
requirements of data centers certified from the Uptime 
Institute or equivalent certifying authority; must maintain 
continuous operation against an `all hazards' risk evaluation; 
and must incorporate technical communications capabilities to 
ensure that all necessary IT resources required to support the 
mission of the Legislative Branch can interoperate effectively 
with the House, Senate, and other agencies under `all hazards' 
conditions.
    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 2021 budget justification: Expenditures for 
fiscal year 2019 for (1) all contracts for advertising 
services; and (2) contracts for the advertising services of (I) 
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 (II) 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.

               TITLE I--LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS


                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................    $1,232,663,035
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................     1,355,669,363
Committee recommendation..............................     1,345,725,000
    Change from enacted level.........................      +113,061,965
    Change from request...............................        -9,944,363
 

    The Committee recommends $1,350,725,000 for the salaries 
and expenses of the House of Representatives. In addition, sec. 
115 rescinds $5,000,000.

                        House Leadership Offices


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................       $25,378,875
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................        27,916,055
Committee recommendation..............................        28,428,000
    Change from enacted level.........................        +3,049,125
    Change from request...............................          +511,945
 

    The Committee recommends $28,428,000 for salaries and 
expenses of staff in House leadership offices.
    The allocation by office follows:

 
 
 
Office of the Speaker.................................        $7,964,000
Office of the Majority Floor Leader...................         2,955,000
Office of the Majority Whip...........................         2,456,000
Democratic Caucus.....................................         2,061,000
Office of the Minority Floor Leader...................         8,682,000
Office of the Minority Whip...........................         1,904,000
Republican Conference.................................         2,406,000
 

                  Members' Representational Allowances


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................      $573,630,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................       613,000,000
Committee recommendation..............................       615,000,000
    Change from enacted level.........................       +41,370,000
    Change from request...............................        +2,000,000
 

    The Committee recommends $615,000,000 for the Members 
Representational Allowance (MRA). This level of funding will 
more closely align the appropriation with currently authorized 
spending and under current estimates is likely to be sufficient 
to support a 4.0 percent increase in the authorized MRA in 
2020.
    Analysis of Members' Representational Allowances: The 
Committee believes that the formula used to calculate the MRA 
is due for a review and re-examination. For example, one issue 
that merits study is whether the MRA adequately supports the 
cost of district office rent in districts where there is no 
Federal office space available for rent and districts with 
above-average market rents. The Committee understands that the 
CAO is conducting an analysis of the MRA formula and looks 
forward to the results of that analysis.

        Allowance for Compensation of Interns in Member Offices


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................        $8,800,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................         8,820,000
Committee recommendation..............................        11,025,000
    Change from enacted level.........................        +2,225,000
    Change from request...............................        +2,205,000
 

    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 also increases the intern 
allowance cap from $20,000 to $25,000 per Member office.

   Allowance for Compensation of Interns in House Leadership Offices


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................                $0
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................                 0
Committee recommendation..............................           365,000
    Change from enacted level.........................          +365,000
    Change from request...............................          +365,000
 

    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 2019.......................      $151,016,144
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................       164,567,000
Committee recommendation..............................       159,628,000
    Change from enacted level.........................        +8,611,856
    Change from request...............................        -4,939,000
 

    The Committee recommends $159,628,000 in total for 
Committee Employees, including $132,509,000 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 $24,269,000 for the Committee on Appropriations and 
$2,850,000 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, 2020.

                    Salaries, Officers and Employees


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................      $220,345,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................       249,728,292
Committee recommendation..............................       245,736,000
    Change from enacted level.........................       +25,391,000
    Change from request...............................        -3,992,292
 

    The Committee recommends $245,736,000 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...................................       $32,228,000
 

    The Committee recommends $32,228,000 for the salaries and 
expenses of the Office of the Clerk. This represents an 
increase of $3,923,000 over the fiscal year 2019 enacted total 
and a decrease of $598,000 from the fiscal year 2020 request. 
Most of this increase ($3,120,000) is to support the 
modernization and redevelopment of the House Legislative 
Information Management System (LIMS). LIMS is a critical House 
application which supports House legislative operations and the 
flow of legislative information. The committee supports the 
Clerk's efforts in developing a system that will meet the needs 
of the House and provide a more flexible, extensible, robust 
and secure application.
    Lobbyist Disclosure Unique Identifier: The Committee 
requests a report from the Clerk of the House, within 60 days 
of 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.
    Immediate Roll Call Vote Availability: The Committee 
requests a report from the Clerk of the House, within 60 days 
of enactment of this Act, on the feasibility of making roll 
call votes available immediately to the general public on its 
website.
    Voting Display Board: The Committee requests a report from 
the Clerk of the House, within 60 days of enactment of this 
Act, regarding the feasibility 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.
    Automating Co-Sponsorship of Bills: The Committee is aware 
of ideas for automating the process of inviting and recording 
co-sponsorship of bills, through an electronic system that 
would provide lists of bills available for co-sponsorship and 
provide a secure and verifiable means for Members to request 
that their names be added to a bill. The Clerk is encouraged to 
work to develop such a system, if feasible.
    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 promotes 
public or congressional access to legislative information as 
data.

 
 
 
Office of the Sergeant At Arms........................       $22,071,000
 

    The Committee recommends $22,071,000 for the salaries and 
expenses of the Office of the Sergeant at Arms. This represents 
an increase of $3,298,000 over the fiscal year 2019 enacted 
total and a decrease of $1,649,292 from the fiscal year 2020 
request. Most of the increase results from provision of 
$2,995,000 for upgrades to the emergency announcement system of 
the Capitol complex. The Committee supports the shared effort 
with Senate Sergeant at Arms, Architect of the Capitol, and 
Capitol Police to replace the aging wireless emergency 
annunciator system with the Joint Audible Warning System which 
will be used to provide emergency notification during emergency 
events to every office, hearing room, meeting room and work 
area of the House.
    Security Clearance Report: The Committee requests an 
unclassified report from the Sergeant at Arms on March 1 of 
each of the next two years on the average and median length of 
time from open to close of all security clearance requests, to 
help determine whether Legislative Branch security clearances 
are being finalized and adjudicated consistent with executive 
branch timelines. This unclassified report may contain a 
classified annex which includes the average and median length 
of time from open to close of all security clearance requests 
broken down by level of security clearances (confidential, 
secret, top secret, and TS/SCI) so as to better provide context 
of timelines to Members and cleared staff.

 
 
 
Office of the Chief Administrative Officer............      $164,308,000
 

    The Committee recommends $164,308,000 for the salaries and 
expenses of the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 
(CAO). This represents an increase of $16,250,000 over the 
fiscal year 2019 enacted total and a decrease of $2,295,000 
from the fiscal year 2020 request. This recommendation makes 
available funding for the following programs:
    House Information Resources: The Committee recognizes the 
need to bring congressional information technology up to date 
and to provide the best services to staff and constituents. To 
this end, the Committee has provided the resources, requested 
for this purpose. In particular, the Committee recommendation 
provides $93,743,000 for the Office of House Information 
Resources (HIR), an increase of $11,081,000 over the fiscal 
year 2019 enacted level including $24,505,000 for the Office of 
Cybersecurity and $8,123,000 for Cloud Computing Initiatives 
such as Enterprise Licenses and email cloud migration and the 
House Cloud platform. Funding these activities is aimed at 
strengthening the House's business continuity and cybersecurity 
postures. With this major investment for the House, the 
Committee directs the CAO to provide quarterly status updates 
including project milestones and spending targets. Lastly, the 
Committee is intrigued by the CAO's request to improve 
technology innovation across the House and has included 
$450,000 within the HIR recommended funding level to support 
these efforts. To utilize these funds, the CAO is directed to 
establish a detailed plan for review by this Committee.
    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 which 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 2019 or 
the ``Case Act''.
    Cloud Technologies: The CAO is encouraged 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 encourages 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.
    Studies of Member and Committee Office Salaries: The 
Committee looks forward to receiving the study requested in 
last year's report regarding salaries and benefits of personal 
office and committee staff in the House, including comparisons 
with executive branch and private sector counterparts and 
assessment of whether men and women and people from different 
racial and ethnic groups receive similar pay for similar work. 
This study is due in September 2019.
    These 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 on-boarding process 
or recurring surveys of samples of employees or offices. The 
CAO should report its conclusions and recommendations on that 
subject to the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on 
House Administration.
    House Student Loan Repayment Program: The Committee 
requests a report from the CAO discussing the costs and impacts 
associated with increasing the House Student Loan Repayment 
Program (SLRP) maximum lifetime benefit from $60,000 to 
$80,000.
    House-Wide Training Program: Workplace rights and diversity 
training are important tools in creating and maintaining a 
respectful, inclusive workplace. The Committee is encouraged by 
the House-wide training program that addresses these important 
issues. Therefore, the Committee has provided the requested 
amount of $5,450,000, which is an increase of $4,450,000 over 
the fiscal year 2019 enacted level because most training costs 
in 2019 were funded by carryover from fiscal year 2018.
    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 $1,413,000 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. Tech 
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 
commends the efforts of the House Wellness Program and 
recommends $280,000 in this bill to continue growing the 
program.
    Congressional Staff Family and Medical Leave Policies: The 
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 provides for 12 weeks of 
unpaid job-protected leave during a 12-month period. There is 
interest among Members of Congress to investigate the 
feasibility of implementing a standard House-wide paid family 
leave policy. The Committee directs the CAO to report within 
180 days of enactment of this legislation, or by January 15, 
2020, whichever is sooner, on the feasibility and costs of 
establishing and maintaining a House-wide, paid family and 
medical leave policy and program. Options evaluated should 
include up to 12 weeks of paid leave for eligible Congressional 
employees with one year of tenure for the birth and care of a 
newborn child of an employee; for placement with the employee 
of a child for adoption or foster care; to care for an 
immediate family member with a serious health condition; or to 
take medical leave when the employee is unable to work because 
of a serious health condition.
    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.
    Congressional Staff Tuition Assistance Program: The 
Committee directs the CAO to submit a report within 180 days of 
enactment of this Act of possible staff tuition assistance 
programs that could be implemented, as well as the resources 
needed to implement such a program.
    Study on Accessibility Services: The Committee recognizes 
challenges to accessing disability services and accommodations, 
particularly as it pertains to Members' offices. No later than 
6 months after enactment of this Act, the CAO shall produce and 
submit to the Committee a report with recommendations that 
reviews disability services in the House of Representatives to 
evaluate (1) the ease of access to disability information and 
services, and (2) the effectiveness of coordination between 
offered disability services and accommodations. This report 
should also provide recommendations on increasing the 
coordination and efficiency of services to help Members 
offices.

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

    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 in the 116th Congress.

 
 
 
Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman.................          $750,000
 

    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 within the private sector. 
The House of Representatives took an important step this year 
in helping whistleblowers by including a new House Office of 
the Whistleblower Ombudsman in the Rules Package for the 116th 
Congress. The Committee supports the establishment of the House 
Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman and recommends $750,000 
for that purpose in this bill.

 
 
 
Office of the Inspector General.......................        $5,019,000
Office of General Counsel.............................         1,518,000
Office of the Parliamentarian.........................         2,088,000
Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the House.......         3,419,000
Office of the Legislative Counsel of the House........        11,937,000
Office of Interparliamentary Affairs..................           814,000
Other authorized employees............................           584,000
 

                        Allowances and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................      $253,493,016
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................       291,638,016
Committee recommendation..............................       290,543,000
    Change from enacted level.........................       +37,049,984
    Change from request...............................        -1,095,016
 

    The Committee recommends a total of $290,543,000 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           $526,000
 tort claims..........................................
Official mail (committees, administrative, and                   190,000
 leadership offices)..................................
Government Contributions..............................       262,000,000
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery.............        17,668,000
Transition Activities.................................         4,489,000
Wounded Warrior Program...............................         3,000,000
 

    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 believes that with 
effective management of the program, funding exists to expand 
the program by an additional 10 fellowship positions. 
Furthermore, the Committee directs the CAO to propose 
guidelines that would expedite the selections and hiring 
process for new fellows.

 
 
 
Office of Congressional Ethics........................         1,670,000
Miscellaneous items...................................         1,000,000
 

                       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 amends the allowance for compensation of 
interns in member offices.
    Section 113 provides an allowance for compensation of 
interns in Leadership offices.
    Section 114 limits the sharing of House information by 
Federal entities.
    Section 115 rescinds amounts in the Stationery and Page 
Dorm revolving funds.
    Section 116 provides for using available balances of 
expired funds for death gratuity payments and workers 
compensation and unemployment compensation payments.
    Section 117 provides for reduction in the amount of tuition 
charged for children of House Child Care Center employees.

                              JOINT ITEMS


                        Joint Economic Committee


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................        $4,203,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................         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 2019.......................       $11,169,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................        11,563,000
Committee recommendation..............................        11,563,000
    Change from enacted level.........................          +394,000
    Change from request...............................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $11,563,000 for the salaries and 
expenses of the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT).
    The Joint Committee on Taxation 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 Joint 
Committee to provide revenue estimates for all tax legislation 
considered by either the House or the Senate.

                   Office of the Attending Physician


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................        $3,798,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................         3,868,260
Committee recommendation..............................         3,868,260
    Change from enacted level.........................           +70,260
    Change from request...............................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $3,868,260 for the Office of the 
Attending Physician.

             Office of Congressional Accessibility Services


                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019 ......................        $1,486,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................         1,509,000
Committee recommendation..............................         1,509,000
    Change from enacted level.........................           +23,000
    Change from request...............................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $1,509,000 for the operation of 
the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services.
    The Office of Congressional Accessibility Services 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.

                             CAPITOL POLICE


                                Salaries


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................      $374,804,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................       378,062,000
Committee recommendation..............................       378,062,000
    Change from enacted level.........................        +3,258,000
    Change from request...............................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $378,062,000 for the personnel 
salaries, benefits, and overtime requirements, to include the 
cost of overtime necessary for providing training.
    The increase of $3,258,000 includes $72,000 for one 
additional civilian position in the Office of the Inspector 
General and $3,186,000 for overtime for covering the 2020 
National Conventions.
    Horse Mounted Units: The Committee commends the efforts by 
the United States Capitol Police 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. Therefore, the Committee directs the United States 
Capitol Police to continue this effort and to closely 
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.
    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 sledders 
on the grounds.

                            General Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................       $81,504,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................        85,279,000
Committee recommendation..............................        85,279,000
    Change from enacted level.........................        +3,775,000
    Change from request...............................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $85,279,000 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, information technology, and other specialized 
responses, as well as logistical and administrative support.

                        Administrative Provision

    Section 118 amends 2 USC 1936(c), by increasing the 
employee educational assistance program reimbursement limit 
from $40,000 to $60,000 for student loan repayments.

                OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL WORKPLACE RIGHTS


                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................        $6,333,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................         6,333,000
Committee recommendation..............................         6,333,000
    Change from enacted level.........................                 0
    Change from request...............................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $6,333,000 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, 2021.
    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.
    The Committee is aware that the OCWR is in the process of 
developing regulations to implement its new responsibilities, 
and the budgetary requirements are not yet certain. The current 
request is based on estimates and takes advantage of the pre-
payment of some anticipated needs from fiscal year 2019 
funding.
    Given the increased paper flow anticipated with OCWR's new 
responsibilities, the Committee encourages the agency to 
accelerate its plans to scan documents pertaining to its cases 
rather than seek increased storage space.

                      CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE


                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................       $50,737,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................        53,556,000
Committee recommendation..............................        52,666,000
    Change from enacted level.........................        +1,929,000
    Change from request...............................          -890,000
 

    The Committee recommends $52,666,000 for salaries and 
expenses of the Congressional Budget Office.
    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 the 
Congressional Budget Office 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.

                    OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT


                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................             - - -
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................             - - -
Committee recommendation..............................        $6,000,000
    Change from enacted level.........................        +6,000,000
    Change from request...............................        +6,000,000
 

    The Committee recommends $6,000,000, to remain available 
until September 30, 2021, for a reinstituted Office of 
Technology Assessment (OTA). This funding will permit the 
start-up of the Office and initial hiring of staff as well as 
the appointment of a governing Technology Assessment Board.
    Since the de-funding of OTA in 1995, there have been 
several unsuccessful attempts to restore the office. During 
that time, it has become increasingly clear that Congress does 
not have adequate resources available for the in-depth, high 
level analysis of fast-breaking technology developments and 
their public policy implications that was formerly provided by 
OTA. While the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has 
increased its technology assessment activities attempting to 
fill that gap, the structure and culture of GAO somewhat 
constrain its ability to replicate OTA. The Office's governance 
by a bipartisan board and its ability to tap outside expert 
resources and rely on a Technology Assessment Advisory Council 
provide the capacity to offer policy recommendation options to 
Congress, which are not available from other Congressional 
sources.

                        ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL


                  (EXCLUDING SENATE OFFICE BUILDINGS)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................      $640,183,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................       744,270,000
Committee recommendation..............................       624,668,000
    Change from enacted level.........................       -15,515,000
    Change from request...............................      -119,602,000
 

    The Committee recommends $624,668,000 for the activities of 
the Architect of the Capitol (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 was able to support about half of 
the program increases, and pay raise and inflation adjustments 
proposed in the operating budgets of the AOC accounts.
    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.
    The following table summarizes the allocation of funds by 
appropriation account:

 
 
 
Capital Construction and Operations...................      $124,704,000
Capitol Building......................................        45,912,000
Capitol Grounds.......................................        19,336,000
House Office Buildings................................       153,273,000
Capitol Power Plant...................................       111,557,000
Library Buildings and Grounds.........................        86,833,000
Capitol Police Buildings, Grounds and Security........        52,840,000
Botanic Garden........................................        15,822,000
Capitol Visitor Center................................        23,391,000
 

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

                  Capital Construction and Operations


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................      $103,962,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................       128,915,000
Committee recommendation..............................       124,704,000
    Change from enacted level.........................       +20,742,000
    Change from request...............................        -4,211,000
 

    The Committee recommends $124,704,000 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. Within the total, the 
Committee provides $1,093,000 for the AOC Inspector General 
office.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses...................................       $124,704,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Workplace Rights Policies: The Committee is concerned about 
recent reports of sexual harassment and unprofessionalism 
within multiple departments of the Architect of the Capitol. A 
culture of professionalism and creating a safe work environment 
is a top priority of this subcommittee. The subcommittee is 
encouraged by the steps the Acting Architect of the Capitol is 
taking to eradicate the toxic behavior from the agency. The 
Committee also supports the Acting Architect's effort to modify 
the AOC organizational structure so that the AOC Office of 
Diversity, Inclusion and Dispute Resolution reports directly to 
the Architect to provide additional oversight, stronger 
management and better accountability, as recommended by the AOC 
Inspector General.
    E-recyling: The Committee recognizes the importance of 
electronic waste recycling (e-recycling) within the legislative 
branch. Proper e-recycling of products such as televisions, 
computers and cellphones conserves natural resources, ensures 
appropriate handling of toxic materials, provides a more 
sustainable source of precious metals, and protects human 
health and the environment. The Committee is pleased that the 
AOC is actively recycling electronic equipment, with 30 tons 
from the House office buildings having been recycled in 2018. 
The Committee is also encouraged to learn that the House office 
buildings have identified an opportunity to generate revenue 
from its e-waste, similar to the scrap metal program, and is in 
the process of contracting for that service.
    Greening the Capitol: The Committee encourages the AOC, as 
part of its energy reduction and sustainability efforts, to 
continue increasing its use of smart power strips and EPA-
approved water-conserving toilets throughout the Capitol 
complex.
    Additional Needs Fund: The Committee provides $10,000,000 
in the Capital Construction and Operations account, made 
available until September 30, 2024, to be used for high 
priority needs of the Architect of the Capitol, which may 
include operating expenses needs such as additional project 
managers and information technology upgrades, as well as 
construction needs. The language permits transfer of this 
funding to other AOC accounts. Prior to obligation of this 
funding, the AOC is required to submit a spending plan to the 
Appropriations Committees for approval.

                            Capitol Building


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................       $43,992,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................        68,878,000
Committee recommendation..............................        45,912,000
    Change from enacted level.........................        +1,920,000
    Change from request...............................       -22,966,000
 

    The Committee recommends $45,912,000 for the operation, 
maintenance, and care of the U.S. Capitol and Capitol Visitor 
Center (CVC). Of the total, $18,599,000 shall remain available 
until September 30, 2024.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                         Item                            Recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses...................................        $27,313,000
Projects:
    FY20 Presidential Inaugural Stands/Support                 7,000,000
     Facilities......................................
    Electrical Power Distrib. System Replacement               5,500,000
     Phase I.........................................
    Minor Construction...............................          5,500,000
    Conservation of Fine and Architectural Art.......            599,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Display of Indian Nation and Pueblo Flags in the Capitol 
Complex: The Committee notes that the flags of the States and 
Territories are displayed within the Capitol complex and 
encourages the Architect to consider displaying the flags of 
American Indian Nations and Pueblos in the complex. The AOC is 
requested to provide a report to the Committee within 120 days 
of enactment of this Act describing its assessment of possible 
locations.
    Depictions of Native Americans: There are depictions of 
Native Americans throughout the Capitol complex that do not 
portray Native Americans as equals or Indian nations as 
independent sovereigns. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the 
way these works are described during Capitol tours is not 
always respectful. The Committee is aware that the Architect is 
reformatting tours to address the issues with the artwork and 
reframing the timeline exhibit in the Capitol, and urges the 
AOC to work with Native American historians and professionals 
at the National Museum of the American Indian to ensure that 
the Capitol complex more accurately and respectfully represents 
the history of Native Americans.
    Native American History in the Capitol: Similar to the 
information displayed in the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) about 
the role of slave laborers in the building of the Capitol, the 
Committee requests the AOC to consider displaying somewhere 
within the Capitol complex information correcting the sometimes 
incomplete or incorrect depictions of Native Americans 
portrayed in historical artwork in the complex. The AOC is also 
encouraged to acknowledge in its exhibitions on American 
history and tradition the elements that have originated from 
Native American cultures.
    Accessibility: The Committee believes it is important for 
all individuals, including those with disabilities, who are 
visiting the U.S. Capitol complex to receive the same 
information and experiences as those who do not have 
disabilities. Signage, brochures and many exhibit descriptions 
are available in braille and/or large print. There are several 
touchable models available, such as an audio descriptive tour 
of the Exhibition Hall in the CVC. The Committee supports the 
efforts of the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services 
to develop a touchable model/map of the CVC and the Capitol 
complex. The Committee also supports the development of a 
descriptive audio tour for the future redesigned Exhibition 
Hall. Further, the Committee supports efforts to enhance 
independent navigation and access to visual information for 
those who are blind or have low vision and is aware that 
enhanced access technologies are emerging, including remote 
video connectivity to trained visual interpreters that can 
support such access. The Committee understands that the 
Smithsonian is using such a technology to allow visitors to use 
their smartphone cameras or special glasses to get free on-
demand verbal descriptions of individual items as well as 
entire exhibits. The Committee encourages the AOC to explore 
this technology. The Committee recommends that the Architect, 
working with the Office of Congressional Accessibility 
Services, research and evaluate access technologies for those 
who are blind or have low vision which enable access to visual 
information and enhance independent navigation. The Committee 
requests a report on the Architect's findings no later than 180 
days after enactment of this Act.
    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. In honor of this 
historic progress, the Committee requests the Architect, 
working in conjunction with the House curator, to consider 
increasing the number of women's images within public spaces 
inside the Capitol and on its grounds. The images should 
reflect not only the increasing numbers of women serving in 
Congress, they should reflect the positive contributions women 
Members have made.
    The Committee is pleased that the CVC will offer a variety 
of programming through August, 2020 that highlights the passage 
and ratification of the 19th Amendment giving women the right 
to vote, as well as the Women in Congress exhibit located in 
the House connecting corridor. The Committee requests a 
briefing within 90 days of enactment of this Act to describe 
what the AOC plans to do to begin increasing female 
representation within public spaces inside the Capitol and its 
grounds.

                            Capitol Grounds


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................       $16,761,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................        22,824,000
Committee Recommendation..............................        19,336,000
    Change from enacted level.........................        +2,575,000
    Change from request...............................        -3,488,000
 

    The Committee recommends $19,336,000 for the care of the 
grounds surrounding the Capitol. Of the total, $7,600,000 shall 
remain available until September 30, 2024.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses...................................        $11,736,000
Projects:
    Campus Wide Utility Survey.......................          4,600,000
    Minor Construction...............................          3,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Bike Lanes: The Committee supports the Louisiana Avenue 
protected bike lane project and encourages the District of 
Columbia Department of Transportation, the Architect of the 
Capitol, and the Senate Sergeant at Arms to pursue completion 
of this project in a timely manner to safely connect residents, 
commuters, and tourists to the U.S. Capitol, Union Station, and 
the National Mall.
    Capitol Grounds Improvements: The Committee is pleased that 
the AOC is responding to 2019 report language urging the 
improvement of the grounds surrounding the Metro station with 
landscape plantings and a project study that will be ready for 
funding in 2021. The Committee encourages the AOC to continue 
its efforts in identifying areas on the Capitol grounds that 
may be suitable for additional gardens, green space, and 
pedestrian and bicycling thoroughfares.

                         House Office Buildings


                     (INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................      $187,098,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................       154,701,000
Committee recommendation..............................       153,273,000
    Change from enacted level.........................       -33,825,000
    Change from request...............................        -1,428,000
 

    The Committee recommends $153,273,000 for the operation, 
maintenance, and care of the Rayburn, Cannon, Longworth, Ford, 
O'Neill House Office Buildings, and the House underground 
garages. Of the amount made available, $8,000,000 will be 
derived from the House Office Building Fund for operations and 
maintenance of the O'Neill House Office Building. Of the total 
provided, $30,300,000 shall remain available until September 
30, 2024. 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 funding 
for the House Historic Buildings Revitalization Trust Fund. The 
Trust Fund currently has a large balance and its utility for 
large construction projects has not been resolved.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses...................................        $60,973,000
Projects:
    Electrical Distrib. Switchgear Upgrade Phase 1,           17,200,000
 LHOB................................................
    Minor Construction...............................          7,000,000
    CAO Project Support..............................          6,100,000
    Cannon Building Restoration......................         62,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Financing Sources for Repairs to House Office Buildings: 
The costs of the Capitol Visitors Center construction and the 
Cannon Building renovation have spotlighted the problems 
Congress faces each time it is confronted with financing the 
renovation costs of its aging buildings. Looming on the horizon 
are billions of dollars in cost to repair and modernize the 
Longworth and Rayburn House office buildings.
    The House Historic Buildings Revitalization Trust Fund was 
intended to build a corpus of funding that could be targeted to 
large construction projects, but it has faced the same budget 
pressures as the rest of the bill and has not achieved the 
necessary balances. The Committee understands that the AOC has 
commissioned a study of financing alternatives from the 
National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) to support its 
future plans for the House office buildings. The Committee 
requests that the NAPA study be provided to the Committee upon 
its completion. The study may be a springboard for 
consideration of alternative ways to finance large construction 
projects that could spread costs across years in a manageable 
way.
    Cannon Building Accessibility: The Committee believes that 
access to Members of Congress is critical for all Americans, 
including individuals with disabilities. The Committee commends 
the Architect for the accessibility-related upgrades to the 
Cannon House Office Building as part of its ongoing renewal. 
Items such as the increase in the number of elevators and 
accessible restrooms ensure that all individuals can more 
easily and comfortably visit Members of Congress. The Committee 
recognizes that in any large construction project there will be 
some items that need to be adjusted based on lessons learned. 
The Committee directs the Architect to request the expert 
assistance of its Universal Accessibility Coordinator as well 
as the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services to ensure 
that plans in subsequent project phases for items such as 
button heights for power-assisted doors and signage fully 
accommodate the needs of the disabled.
    Cannon Building Costs: The Committee recognizes the 
critical 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 Architect may not be able to complete the 
full scope of the multi-year project, which is about 40 percent 
complete, within its $752,700,000 budget. The Committee is 
aware that prospective and unresolved contractor claims on 
completed project phases and greater-than-expected preliminary 
estimates for future phases are creating cost pressures on the 
project. Given the scale of the project and its potential 
impact on other important funding priorities, it is imperative 
that the Architect provide to the Committee on a quarterly 
basis the most updated and comprehensive information on project 
costs. Therefore, no later than 60 days after enactment of this 
Act, the Architect is directed to begin providing quarterly 
reports to the Committee which include the actual costs 
incurred and expected costs to complete the project, accounting 
for risks and uncertainties. In addition, the report should 
list all scope increases or reductions already completed or 
anticipated to be made to control project costs.
    Displays Outside Congressional Offices: The Committee is 
pleased that the Architect has recognized that the current 
Hallway Policy does not address the display of a single frame 
or plaque affixed to the wall adjacent to the main door of a 
Member or committee office and is now permitting such display. 
The Committee understands that a more general review of the 
Hallway Policy is underway and expects that displays of such 
frames or plaques will continue to be permitted.

                          Capitol Power Plant


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................      $114,050,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................       142,225,000
Committee recommendation..............................       102,557,000
    Offsetting collections............................         9,000,000
    Total available...................................       111,557,000
    Change from enacted level.........................       -11,493,000
    Change from request...............................       -39,668,000
 

    The Committee recommends $102,557,000 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, $18,900,000 shall remain 
available until September 30, 2024. In addition, $9,000,000 in 
offsetting collections is available from reimbursements for 
steam and chilled water.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses....................................       $83,657,000
Projects:
    R Tunnel Improvements, Constitution...............        10,100,000
    Cannon B Tunnel Repair, CPP.......................         3,600,000
    Switchgear A and Final Chiller Replacement, WRP...         1,200,000
    Minor Construction................................         4,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     Library Buildings and Grounds


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................       $68,525,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................       121,346,000
Committee recommendation..............................        86,833,000
    Change from enacted level.........................       +18,308,000
    Change from request...............................       -34,513,000
 

    The Committee recommends $86,833,000 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, $57,500,000 shall remain available until 
September 30, 2024.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses....................................       $29,333,000
Project:
    Emergency Generator Replacement, Madison Bldg.....        48,800,000
    ESPC Management Program...........................         5,200,000
    Minor Construction................................         3,500,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

            Capitol Police Buildings, Grounds, and Security


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................       $57,714,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................        54,966,000
Committee recommendation..............................        52,840,000
    Change from enacted level.........................        -4,874,000
    Change from request...............................        -2,126,000
 

    The Committee recommends $52,840,000 for the maintenance, 
care and operation of buildings, grounds and security 
enhancements of the United States Capitol Police (USCP) and AOC 
security operations. Of the total, $26,500,000 shall remain 
available until September 30, 2024.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses...................................        $26,340,000
Projects:
    Barrier and Security Kiosk Repairs, Phase IV.....          8,300,000
    Roof Replacement, Alternate Computer Facility....          7,300,000
    Perimeter Security Fence Modification............          4,900,000
    Visitor Vestibules, U.S. Capitol.................          1,000,000
    Minor Construction...............................          5,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Improved Coordination of Legislative Branch Data Centers: 
Recent system failures at the Alternate Computing Facility 
(ACF), which is managed by the AOC, have brought into glaring 
focus the inadequacies of the current governance of data 
centers throughout the legislative branch. All legislative 
agencies use the ACF either as their primary or secondary data 
facility, but each independently determines the length of time 
it intends to stay in the facility and manages its data center 
space and procedures without any standardized requirements. 
There is a critical need for central oversight of the 
management of the ACF, particularly as various legislative 
branch agencies consider different locations for their data 
centers, type of facility (whether leased or built), and type 
of computing (center- versus cloud-based). The Committee urges 
the AOC to work with the legislative branch chief information 
officers to form a governance board that will have authority 
over common elements among agencies' management of their data 
centers. This board should also engage the legislative branch 
agencies to achieve some commonality in their decisions to move 
portions of their data center operations to the cloud or leased 
facilities.
    K-9 Checkpoints: The Committee is aware of collaborative 
efforts between the Sergeant at Arms and the AOC to ensure the 
health and safety of USCP officers and K-9 teams. While some 
progress has been made to protect K-9 teams from adverse 
weather conditions, the Committee encourages the AOC to 
increase regular maintenance of the offsite K-9 inspection 
checkpoints to reduce heat on the dogs' paws and reduce oil and 
debris. Further, the Committee encourages the AOC, in 
coordination with the Capitol Police Board, to evaluate the 
current conditions and cost of constructing a physical shelter 
at offsite K-9 inspection checkpoints. The Committee requests 
the AOC to report these findings to the Committee no later than 
90 days after enactment of this Act.

                             Botanic Garden


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................       $14,759,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................        16,094,000
Committee recommendation..............................        15,822,000
    Change from enacted level.........................        +1,063,000
    Change from request...............................          -272,000
 

    The Committee recommends $15,822,000 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, $4,000,000 shall remain 
available until September 30, 2024.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee
                         Item                            recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Expenses...................................        $11,822,000
Projects:
    Minor Construction...............................          4,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Within Operating Expenses, the Committee has provided the 
$150,000 increase requested for the USBG exhibits program 
celebrating its 200th anniversary year. The bill also includes 
the requested $200,000 increase for the partnerships program 
for urban agriculture.
    Agricultural Training and Education: The Committee 
encourages the Botanic Garden to expand its urban agriculture 
training and education initiative and build on its successful 
work from previous years. The bill includes the $200,000 
increase requested in the budget for this activity. The USBG 
seeks to build partnerships with other botanic gardens and 
agricultural and educational institutions, to provide training 
and educational resources, and to strengthen urban agriculture 
in areas of job training, entrepreneurship, food security, 
nutrition, education, and community development. This Committee 
supports the USBG efforts to serve as a training resource for 
local and national audiences on topics related to productive 
and sustainable urban agriculture, food handling and 
preparation, and nutrition.
    People's Garden: The United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) started the first People's Garden at its 
headquarters in 2009 and has since helped to initiate 1,896 
additional gardens at Federal agencies and nearby communities 
across the country. The Committee encourages the Architect to 
partner with USDA to start a People's Garden on the U.S. 
Capitol grounds.

                         Capitol Visitor Center


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................       $23,322,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................        24,321,000
Committee recommendation..............................        23,391,000
    Change from enacted level.........................           +69,000
    Change from request...............................          -930,000
 

    The Committee recommends $23,391,000 for the operations of 
the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC). The CVC was established to 
provide a secure public environment to welcome and manage a 
large number of visitors and to protect the Capitol, its 
occupants, and guests in an atmosphere of open access.
    Diversity Among Tour Guides: To ensure that the Capitol 
complex more accurately and respectfully represents the history 
of Native Americans, the Committee encourages the hiring of 
Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians as tour 
guides.
    Non-English Tours: The Committee commends the AOC for 
making tours of the U.S. Capitol available in languages other 
than English. Hundreds of thousands of international visitors 
visit the Capitol each year to experience firsthand the 
``symbol of our democracy''. Currently, translated brochures 
are available in twelve languages--Arabic, Chinese, French, 
German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, 
Spanish, and Vietnamese. Listening devices for tours are 
available in six languages--French, German, Japanese, Mandarin, 
Korean and Spanish. The Committee encourages the AOC to review 
enhancement of audio translations options as part of the CVC 
Exhibition Hall redesign and to make listening devices 
available in additional languages, beginning with those for 
which brochures have already been translated.

                        Administrative Provision

    Section 119 prohibits payment of bonuses to contractors 
behind schedule or over budget during fiscal year 2020 and all 
subsequent fiscal years.

                          LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

    Established by Congress in 1800, the Library of Congress is 
one of the largest libraries in the world, with a collection of 
more than 168,000,000 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 physically handicapped. The Library 
maintains a significant number of collections and provides a 
range of services to libraries in the United States and abroad.
    Appropriations Shifts to Reflect Centralized Funding for 
Information Technology: During fiscal year 2018, in an effort 
to reduce duplication, increase efficiency, and better utilize 
specialized expertise, the Library of Congress began providing 
more Information Technology (IT) services centrally though its 
Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) rather than in 
the Library's various component organizations. In fiscal years 
2018 and 2019, Library components which have separate 
appropriations accounts reimbursed the main Library of Congress 
Salaries and Expenses account through intra-agency agreements 
for the IT services being provided to them centrally by the 
OCIO under this initiative.
    For fiscal year 2020, however, the Library has requested 
that funding for centralized IT services be appropriated 
directly to the main Salaries and Expenses account for use by 
the OCIO instead of to the component organizations receiving 
the services, in order to reflect where services are actually 
being performed and avoid the need for repeated reimbursement 
transactions. The Committee has agreed to this request.
    As a result, the Committee bill reflects a shift in 
appropriations totaling $13,556,000 to the Library of Congress 
Salaries and Expenses account, with $2,708,000 of that shift 
coming from the Copyright Office, $8,767,000 coming from the 
Congressional Research Service, and $2,081,000 coming from the 
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically 
Handicapped. While these shifts cause the affected accounts to 
increase or decrease, they merely reflect changes in the 
approach to financing IT services rather than any programmatic 
change. Leaving aside the IT funding shifts, the Committee's 
recommendation for each of the main Library of Congress 
accounts represents an increase above fiscal year 2019.
    Visitor Experience Initiative: The Librarian of Congress 
has outlined a major multi-year initiative, envisioned as a 
public-private partnership and termed ``Enhancing the Visitor 
Experience''. This initiative is intended to improve the 
experience of visitors to the Library's Thomas Jefferson 
Building, better display many of the treasures in the Library's 
collections, more effectively communicate the Library's mission 
and the range of its services and holdings, and provide 
displays and activities targeted to children and youth visiting 
the Library. The total multi-year cost was estimated at 
$60,000,000, with two-thirds of that envisioned as coming from 
appropriations and the other one-third from private donations.
    The Appropriations Committees considered this idea to have 
promise, and the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act for 2018 
appropriated an initial $10,000,000. Of that amount, $2,000,000 
was made available for developing specific plans, cost 
estimates, and schedules for the initiative, and the remaining 
$8,000,000 was withheld from obligation pending review and 
approval of the resulting planning documents by the chairs and 
ranking minority members of the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees' Subcommittees on the Legislative Branch. The plans 
are expected to be ready during the summer of 2019 and the 
Committee looks forward to receiving and reviewing them.
    This bill provides an additional $5,000,000 for the 
Enhancing the Visitor Experience initiative, similarly withheld 
from obligation pending receipt, review, and approval of the 
plans, estimates and schedules. Once that review and approval 
has occurred, the Committee will be better positioned to 
consider appropriate funding levels during conference 
discussions with the Senate Appropriations Committee.
    Public Access to Legislative Information: The Library of 
Congress has become one of the pre-eminent sources of public 
information about federal legislation and congressional 
processes, particularly through its role in hosting the 
``Congress.gov'' website but also through other digital 
activities. The Committee commends the Library for its 
achievements in this area.
    The Committee also understands that users of the Library's 
legislative information services have suggestions regarding 
ways in which those services could be improved or expanded, and 
the Committee would like to encourage creation of a more 
structured process for receiving and considering such 
suggestions. Such a process should also recognize some of the 
limits on the Library's ability to implement improvements and 
expansions of these services, however. For example, much of the 
information presented on the Congress.gov website is not 
generated or controlled by the Library but rather comes from 
other sources--particularly various offices of the House of 
Representatives and the Senate and the Government Publishing 
Office--and expanding or changing the content of Congress.gov 
will often require those sources to do something new or 
different. Further, some improvements and expansions would 
require commitment of substantial time and resources by offices 
both within and outside the Library that already have a heavy 
IT workload.
    To facilitate public input into the Library's legislative 
information services and how they could be improved, the 
Committee urges the Library to convene a public meeting at 
least once a year during the next two years to discuss these 
issues. The Library should invite a broad range of potentially 
interested parties to participate, such as journalists, 
academics, advocacy and public interest organizations, research 
institutions, libraries, and publishers of legislative 
information. The Library should also invite and encourage 
participation from representatives of Legislative Branch 
stakeholders such as the Clerk of the House, the Secretary of 
the Senate, and the Government Publishing Office.
    Following the meeting, the Library should prepare a report, 
to be submitted to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees and also to relevant authorizing committees and 
officers of the House and Senate. The report should summarize 
the comments and suggestions made, indicate which could be 
implemented by the Library itself and which would require 
action by other entities, roughly estimate the cost and effort 
needed (where possible), and provide the Library's evaluation 
and recommendations for further action.
    Primary Computing Facility: In fiscal year 2017 the Library 
of Congress requested, and this Committee approved, a multi-
year investment to migrate the Library's primary computing 
facility to certified Tier III facilities. By appropriating 
this funding, Congress underscored the urgent need to move the 
Library's current data center to a safe and secure offsite 
certified Tier III data center.
    As the Library's Office of the Chief Information Officer 
has confirmed that it is on schedule to complete the Data 
Center Transformation Program by the end of fiscal year 2020, 
the Committee directs the Librarian of Congress to provide a 
written report outlining a month-by-month timeline of when the 
data center migration will be completed, including a detailed 
overview of how the Library intends to meet its 2020 deadline 
to migrate to an offsite certified Tier III data center. The 
report is to be delivered within 30 days of enactment of this 
bill to all 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 party 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 Library's extremely diverse collections 
require a range of preservation strategies, including 
assessment, treatment, reformatting, environmental storage and 
protective housing. The Committee considers mass 
deacidification to be an important part of a balanced 
preservation strategy and directs the Library to continue 
funding for mass deacidification at not less than the fiscal 
year 2019 level.
    Veterans History Project: The Committee recommends an 
appropriation of $3,587,000 for the Veterans History Project, 
recognizing the critical importance of the project as a way to 
collect, preserve and make accessible the personal accounts of 
American war veterans for the benefit of future generations. As 
the Veterans History Project relies on volunteers to collect 
and submit veteran's stories, the Committee encourages the 
Library of Congress to do further outreach with schools, Girl 
and Boy Scout programs, and Veterans Service Organizations and 
nonprofit and community stakeholders serving veterans from 
historically underrepresented groups to enhance the project.
    World War II Archives: The Committee recognizes the 
important work the Library of Congress is doing to archive 
stories, documents, and other materials from U.S. military 
veterans through its Veterans History Project. The Committee 
requests that the Library further strengthen its partnerships 
with military families, local veterans service organizations, 
memorials, and museums across the country to collect additional 
stories, documents and materials from WWII-era veterans and 
disseminate them for use by the National Park Service, National 
Capital Memorial Advisory Commission, and American Battle 
Monuments Commission.
    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. The 
Committee requests a report from the Library detailing its 
efforts in this area not later than 90 days after enactment of 
this bill.
    National Film & 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. Given that these programs 
were reauthorized under the Library of Congress Sound Recording 
and Film Preservation Programs Reauthorization Act of 2016 
(Public Law 114-217), the Committee expects that the Library 
will provide support to these programs.

                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................      $474,052,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................       522,570,000
Committee recommendation..............................       501,303,000
    Offsetting collections............................         6,000,000
    Total available...................................       507,303,000
    Change from enacted level.........................       +27,251,000
    Change from request...............................       -21,267,000
 

    The Committee recommends $501,303,000, plus authority to 
spend $6,000,000 in receipts, for salaries and expenses.
    Note Regarding IT Centralization: The appropriation for 
this account reflects the shifts associated with the 
centralization of IT funding described at the beginning of the 
Library of Congress heading in this report. A total of 
$13,556,000 is being moved to this account in fiscal year 2020, 
reflecting the cost of IT activities that had been funded in 
other Library accounts in previous years that are now being 
funded centrally in this account. Disregarding that shift, net 
appropriations recommended in the bill for this account are 
$13,695,000 higher than in fiscal year 2019.

                            Copyright Office


                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................       $43,589,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................        43,289,000
Committee recommendation..............................        42,153,000
    Offsetting collections............................        49,703,000
    Total available...................................        91,856,000
    Change from enacted level.........................        -1,436,000
    Change from request...............................        -1,136,000
 

    The Committee recommends $42,153,000 plus authority to 
spend $49,703,000 in receipts for salaries and expenses of the 
Copyright Office.
    Note Regarding IT Centralization: The decrease shown in 
this account in fiscal year 2020 results from the 
centralization of IT funding described at the beginning of the 
Library of Congress section of this report. A total of 
$2,708,000 is being moved from the Copyright Office account to 
the main Library of Congress Salaries and Expenses account, to 
cover IT costs previously funded in this account but now being 
funded centrally. Disregarding that shift, net appropriations 
included in the bill for the Copyright Office are $1,272,000 
higher than in fiscal year 2019.
    Copyright Modernization: Few government bodies are more 
important to the growth of creativity and commercial artistic 
activity in our 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.
    Alternative Funding Options: The Committee encourages the 
Copyright Office to explore, and consider using, alternative 
funding options, such as public-private partnerships and 
transaction-based contract models to meet the Copyright 
Office's current and future IT modernization and transformation 
requirements, including the Enterprise Copyright System (ECS). 
Such models can be cost-efficient and lead to an effective and 
ongoing modernization of mission critical, citizen-facing, fee-
based systems.
    Copyright Expertise: The Committee understands the 
Copyright Office has offered its expertise on copyright matters 
to the Executive Branch, including participation in 
international discussions, and expects the Office to continue 
that important role. Consistent with historical practice, the 
Committee expects the Library to continue to defer to the 
copyright expertise of the Register of Copyrights.

                     Congressional Research Service


                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................      $125,688,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................       121,572,000
Committee recommendation..............................       119,889,000
    Change from enacted level.........................        -5,779,000
    Change from request...............................        -1,683,000
 

    The Committee recommends $119,889,000 for salaries and 
expenses of the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS works 
for Members and Committees of Congress to support their 
legislative, oversight, and representational functions by 
providing nonpartisan and confidential research and policy 
analysis.
    Note Regarding IT Centralization: The decrease shown in 
this account in fiscal year 2020 results from the 
centralization of IT funding described at the beginning of the 
Library of Congress section of this report. A total of 
$8,767,000 is being moved from the Congressional Research 
Service account to the main Library of Congress Salaries and 
Expenses account, to cover IT costs previously funded in this 
account but now being funded centrally. Disregarding that 
shift, net appropriations included in the bill for the 
Congressional Research Service are $2,988,000 higher than in 
fiscal year 2019.
    Expertise on American Indian Affairs: The Committee is 
concerned that the Congressional Research Service currently 
does not employ a dedicated specialist on American Indian 
Affairs. Tribal affairs expertise is vital for enabling Members 
to understand, evaluate, and make informed policy decisions 
regarding the complex issues Native communities face and the 
unique trust relationship between the federal government and 
Indian tribes. The Committee recommends that CRS appoints a 
specialist and senior specialist in American Indian Affairs to 
provide Congress with easily accessible, non-partisan 
information and research.
    Unfilled Analyst Positions: In an effort to identify where 
additional resources are required, the Committee directs the 
Congressional Research Service to report to Congress within 90 
days after enactment of this bill regarding how many FTE 
positions for legislative topic area analysts available to 
assist Members and staff have not been filled subsequent to 
retirements or other vacancies during each of the last five 
years.
    Congressional Staff Education: The Congressional Research 
Service provides valuable education seminars for congressional 
staff on the legislative process. The Committee encourages CRS 
to continue to incorporate analyses of federal law and related 
judicial developments, legislation and the regulatory process, 
and international law into their curriculum.

             Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped


                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................       $52,783,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................        59,646,000
Committee recommendation..............................        56,945,000
    Change from enacted level.........................        +4,162,000
    Change from request...............................        -2,701,000
 

    The Committee recommends $56,945,000 for salaries and 
expenses of the National Library Service for the Blind and 
Physically Handicapped (NLS).
    The NLS is a free braille and talking book library service 
for people with temporary or permanent low vision, blindness, 
or a physical 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, delivered by postage-
free mail or instantly downloadable.
    Note Regarding IT Centralization: The recommended level for 
this account in fiscal year 2020 reflects the centralization of 
IT funding described at the beginning of the Library of 
Congress section of this report. A total of $2,081,000 is being 
moved from the Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped 
account to the main Library of Congress Salaries and Expenses 
account, to cover IT costs previously funded in this account 
but now being funded centrally. Disregarding the shift, 
appropriations included in the bill for Books for the Blind are 
$6,243,000 higher than in fiscal year 2019.
    BARD Modernization and Acquisition of Braille E-Readers: Of 
the amount appropriated for this account, the Committee intends 
that not less than $5,500,000 be used for the NLS for its 
initiatives to modernize and upgrade the BARD (Braille and 
Audio Reading by Download) website used to distribute audio and 
electronic braille materials and to purchase braille e-Readers 
for use by its patrons.

                        Administrative Provision

    Section 120 limits to $231,975,000 the amount that may be 
obligated during fiscal year 2020 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 2019.......................       $79,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................        79,000,000
Committee recommendation..............................        79,000,000
    Change from enacted level.........................                 0
    Change from request...............................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $79,000,000 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 2019.......................       $32,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................        31,296,000
Committee recommendation..............................        31,296,000
    Change from enacted level.........................          -704,000
    Change from request...............................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $31,296,000 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 publication (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.

                   Business Operations Revolving Fund


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................        $6,000,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................         6,704,000
Committee recommendation..............................         6,704,000
    Change from enacted level.........................          +704,000
    Change from request...............................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $6,704,000 for the 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


                         Salaries and Expenses


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................      $589,750,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................       647,637,000
Committee recommendation..............................       615,604,000
    Offsetting Collections............................        24,800,000
    Total available...................................       640,404,000
    Change from enacted level.........................       +25,854,000
    Change from request...............................       -32,033,000
 

    The Committee recommends $615,604,000 in direct 
appropriations for the Government Accountability Office (GAO), 
plus $24,800,000 in offsetting collections derived from 
reimbursements for conducting financial audits of government 
corporations and rental of space in the GAO building. Funds 
provided will support the full-year costs of staff hired during 
fiscal year 2019, including those associated with the Science, 
Technology Assessment, and Analytics team, and partially 
address information technology and infrastructure requests. 
Within the total, the Committee provides $2,375,000 for the GAO 
Office of Inspector General.
    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.
    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 October, 2018, 
Congress and the executive branch have addressed or partially 
addressed 604 of those actions resulting in roughly $178 
billion 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 TRUST FUND


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................        $5,600,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................         5,800,000
Committee recommendation..............................         5,800,000
    Change from enacted level.........................          +200,000
    Change from request...............................                 0
 

    The Committee recommends $5,800,000 for salaries and 
expenses of the Open World Leadership Center Trust Fund.
    Expansion of Program to Other Countries: The Committee 
supports the work of the Open World program as the only foreign 
exchange program in the Legislative Branch. Since 1999, the 
program has promoted dialogue and mutual understanding with 
Russia and former Soviet countries considered to be 
strategically important to the United States in the post-Soviet 
era. In view of the current multi-polar world that presents 
both challenges and opportunities, the Committee strongly 
encourages the program to expand beyond Russia and post-Soviet 
countries to include other countries of strategic necessity to 
the United States. The goal is to support the Congress in 
fostering relationships with select foreign states as an 
adjunct to United States diplomatic relations, and to gain 
greater understanding between our nations.
    Poland: The Committee is concerned that the murder of 
Gdansk mayor Pawel Adamowicz may foster political polarization 
and urges Open World to extend a hand of friendship to the 
Polish people and strengthen U.S.-Poland relations through the 
establishment of a Pawel Adamowicz Democratic Exchange to 
empower Polish civil society and upcoming democratic leaders.
    Hungary: The Committee is also concerned about 
opportunities for increased Russian influence in the region, 
including challenges with corruption and weakening civil 
society in Hungary. The Committee urges Open World to establish 
exchanges with Hungarian civil society and local leaders to 
shore up democratic institutions and extend American goodwill 
in the face of significant democratic challenges. The Committee 
recognizes that such a course of action would be in line with 
the Administration's strategy to compete for influence in 
Central and Eastern Europe in the face of increased Russian and 
Chinese influence.

   JOHN C. STENNIS CENTER FOR PUBLIC SERVICE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT


 
 
 
Appropriation, fiscal year 2019.......................          $430,000
Budget request, fiscal year 2020......................           430,000
Committee recommendation..............................           430,000
    Change from enacted level.........................                 0
    Change from request...............................                 0
 

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

                      TITLE II--GENERAL PROVISIONS

    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.
    Also 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.

              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 on Appropriations 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:
    $1,000,000 from the revolving fund established under House 
Resolution 94, 98th Congress
    $4,000,000 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

                           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:
    Section 116(a)(2) authorizes transfer of available balances 
of expired appropriations for the House of Representatives to 
``House of Representatives--Allowances and Expenses'' for 
payments to the Employees Compensation Fund and for 
reimbursement for unemployment compensation payments for former 
employees of the House.
    A proviso in the appropriation for ``Architect of the 
Capitol--Capital Construction and Operations'' permits the 
transfer of $10,000,000 of funding available for five years to 
other Architect of the Capitol accounts.
    A proviso in the appropriation for ``Architect of the 
Capitol--House Office Buildings'' directs transfer of 
$8,000,000 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 2020 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 italic, existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

     SECTION 120 OF THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019


        allowance for compensation of interns in member offices

  Sec. 120. (a) Establishment of Allowance.--There is 
established for the house of representatives an allowance which 
shall be available for the compensation of interns who serve in 
the offices of members of the house of representatives
  (b) Cap on Amount Available Per Office.--An office of a 
Member of the House of Representatives may not use more than 
$20,000 of the allowance under this section during any calendar 
year.
  (c) Benefit Exclusion.--Section 104(b) of the House of 
Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act 
(2 U.S.C. 5321(b)) shall apply with respect to an intern who is 
compensated under the allowance under this section in the same 
manner as such section applies with respect to an intern who is 
compensated under the Members' Representational Allowance.
  (d) No Effect on Payment of Interns Under Members' 
Representational Allowance.--Nothing in this section may be 
construed to affect the use of the Members' Representational 
Allowance for the compensation of interns, as provided under 
section 104 of the House of Representatives Administrative 
Reform Technical Corrections Act (2 U.S.C. 5321).
  (e) Definitions.--In this section--
          (1) the term ``intern'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 104(c)(2) of the House of 
        Representatives Administrative Reform Technical 
        Corrections Act (2 U.S.C. 5321(c)(2)); and
          (2) the term ``Member of the House of 
        Representatives'' means a Representative in, or a 
        Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.
  (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this section $8,800,000 for fiscal 
year 2019[.], and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 
2020 and each succeeding fiscal year.
                              ----------                              


     SECTON 312 OF THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1992


  Sec. 312. (a)(1) The Chief Administrative Officer of the 
House of Representatives shall maintain and operate a child 
care center (to be known as the ``House of Representatives 
Child Care Center'') to furnish pre-school child care and 
(subject to the approval of regulations by the Committee on 
House Administration) child care for school age children other 
than during the course of the ordinary school day--
          (A) for children of individuals whose pay is 
        disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer of the 
        House of Representatives and children of support 
        personnel of the House of Representatives;
          (B) if places are available after admission of all 
        children who are eligible under subparagraph (A), for 
        children of individuals whose pay is disbursed by the 
        Secretary of the Senate and children of employees of 
        agencies of the legislative branch; and
          (C) if places are available after admission of all 
        children who are eligible under subparagraph (A) or 
        (B), for children of employees of other offices, 
        departments, and agencies of the Federal Government.
  (2) Children shall be admitted to the center on a 
nondiscriminatory basis and without regard to any office or 
position held by their parents.
  (b)(1)(A) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall 
appoint 15 individuals (of whom 7 shall be upon recommendation 
of the minority leader of the House of Representatives), to 
serve without pay, as members of an advisory board for the 
center. The board shall--
          (i) provide advice to the Chief Administrative 
        Officer on matters of policy relating to the 
        administration and operation of the center (including 
        the selection of the director of the center);
          (ii) be chosen from among Members of the House of 
        Representatives, spouses of Members, parents of 
        children enrolled in the center, and other individuals 
        with expertise in child care or interest in the center; 
        and
          (iii) serve during the Congress in which they are 
        appointed, except that a member of the board may 
        continue to serve after the expiration of a term until 
        a successor is appointed.
  (B) The director of the center shall serve as an additional 
member of the board, ex officio and without the right to vote.
  (2) A vacancy on the board shall be filled in the manner in 
which the original appointment is made.
  (3) The chairman of the board shall be elected by the members 
of the board.
  (c) In carrying out subsection (a), the Chief Administrative 
Officer is authorized--
          (1) to collect fees for child care services;
          (2) to accept such gifts of money and property as may 
        be approved by the Chairman and the ranking minority 
        party member of the Committee on House Oversight of the 
        House of Representatives, acting jointly; and
          (3) to employ a director and other employees for the 
        center.
  (d)(1) There is established an account which, subject to 
appropriation, and except as provided in paragraphs (2) and 
(3), shall be the exclusive source for all salaries and 
expenses for activities carried out under this section. The 
Chief Administrative Officer shall deposit in the account any 
amounts received under subsection (c).
  (2) With respect to employees of the center, the House of 
Representatives shall make Government contributions and 
payments for health insurance, retirement, employment taxes, 
and similar benefits and programs (including the subsidies 
provided on behalf of employees of the center as a result of 
reductions in the amount of tuition otherwise charged with 
respect to the children of such employees under paragraph (4)) 
in the same manner as such contributions and payments are made 
for other employees of the House of Representatives.
  (3) The House of Representatives shall make payments from 
amounts provided in appropriations acts for salaries and 
expenses of the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer for 
the following activities carried out under this section:
          (A) The payment of the salary of the director of the 
        center.
          (B) The reimbursement of individuals employed by the 
        center for the cost of training classes and conferences 
        in connection with the provision of child care 
        services, together with the cost of travel (including 
        transportation and subsistence) incurred in connection 
        with such classes and conferences.
  (4) In the case of a child of an employee of the center who 
is furnished care at the center, the Chief Administrative 
Officer shall reduce the amount of tuition otherwise charged 
with respect to such child during a month by the greater of--
          (A) 50 percent; or
          (B) such percentage as may be necessary to ensure 
        that the total amount of tuition paid by the employee 
        with respect to all children of the employee who are 
        furnished care at the center during the month does not 
        exceed $1,000.
  (e) As used in this section--
          (1) the term ``Member of the House of 
        Representatives'' means a Representative in, or a 
        Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress;
          (2) the term ``agency of the legislative branch'' 
        means the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, the 
        Botanic Garden, the General Accounting Office, the 
        Government Printing Office, the Library of Congress, 
        the Office of Technology Assessment, the Congressional 
        Budget Office, and the Copyright Royalty Tribunal; and
          (3) the term ``support personnel'' means, with 
        respect to the House of Representatives, any employee 
        of a credit union or of the Architect of the Capitol, 
        whose principal duties are to support the functions of 
        the House of Representatives.
  (f) House Resolution 21, Ninety-ninth Congress, agreed to 
December 11, 1985, enacted into permanent law by section 103 of 
the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1987 (as 
incorporated by reference in section 101(j) of Public Law 99-
500 and Public Law 99-591) (40 U.S.C. 184b-184f) is repealed.
                              ----------                              


          SECTION 908 OF THE EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL ACT, 2002

              EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYEES

  Sec. 908. (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 [$40,000] $60,000
  (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.

               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 establishing intern 
allowances for Member and leadership offices.
    12. 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.
    13. The bill includes language permitting expired 
appropriations to be used to pay employee death gratuities and 
unemployment insurance.
    14. The bill includes language reducing the amount of 
tuition charged for children of employees of the House child 
care center.
    15. The bill authorizes allowances for employees of the 
Office of the Attending Physician and provides reimbursement to 
the Department of the Navy.
    16. 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.
    17. 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.
    18. The bill includes language that increases the employee 
educational assistance program reimbursement limit.
    19. The bill allows the Architect of the Capitol to 
purchase or exchange, maintain, and operate one passenger motor 
vehicle.
    20. 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.
    21. The bill allows the Architect of the Capitol to expend 
funds to maintain, care for, and operate the National Garden.
    22. The bill prohibits paying bonuses for contractors who 
are behind schedule or over budget and making that provision 
permanent.
    23. The bill provides the authority to expend funds 
collected under the authority of 2 U.S.C. 150 and to the 
balance to remain available until expended.
    24. The bill establishes that the amount available for 
obligation by the Library of Congress is reduced by offsetting 
collections.
    25. The bill provides funds for the digital collections and 
educational curricula program, and the American Folklife 
Center.
    26. The bill allows the Library of Congress to hire or 
purchase one passenger motor vehicle.
    27. The bill allows funds from offsetting collections to be 
used for the Library's Copyright Office.
    28. 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.
    29. 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.
    30. The bill provides funds to provide newspapers to the 
blind and physically handicapped.
    31. The bill contains language under the Library of 
Congress placing a limitation on obligations for Reimbursable 
and Revolving Fund activities.
    32. The bill contains language restricting the use of funds 
appropriated to the Government Publishing Office for the 
permanent edition of the Congressional Record for individual 
Representatives and Senators, Resident Commissioners or 
Delegates, and language providing that appropriations 
recommended shall be available for the payment of obligations 
incurred under appropriations for similar purposes for 
preceding fiscal years, limiting the printing of certain 
documents to a time certain, and authorizing the transfer of 
unobligated balances.
    33. 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.
    34. 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.
    35. 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.
    36. 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.
    37. The bill provides no part of the funds appropriated in 
this Act shall remain available for obligation beyond fiscal 
year 2020 unless expressly so provided in this Act.
    38. 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: Provided that the provisions herein for the various 
items of official expenses of Members, officers, and committees 
of the Senate and House, and clerk hire for Senators and 
Members shall be the permanent law with respect thereto.
    39. The bill requires that certain information regarding 
consulting services shall be a matter of public record.
    40. The bill authorizes Legislative Branch entities to 
share the costs of the Legislative Branch Financial Managers 
Council.
    41. The bill limits the transfer of funds in this Act.
    42. The bill prohibits funds in this Act being used to 
eliminate or restrict staff-led guided tours.
    43. The bill prohibits funds from being used to acquire 
telecommunications equipment from a particular class of 
vendors.
    44. The bill prohibits funds from being used to maintain or 
establish a computer network unless the network blocks 
pornography.
    45. The bill includes language requiring agencies funded in 
the Act to eliminate or reduce plastic waste.
    46. The bill includes language permitting funds to be used 
to employ individuals with an employment authorization document 
under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) 
Program.

                  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 $11,025,000 for the Allowance for 
Compensation of Interns in Member Offices in the House of 
Representatives; this allowance was first authorized and 
appropriated for in the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 
2019, with both authorization and appropriation equal to 
$8,800.000.
    2. An appropriation of $365,000 for the Allowance for 
Compensation of Interns in House Leadership Offices; this 
allowance has not previously received an authorization or 
appropriation.

BUDGETARY IMPACT OF THE FY 2020 LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS BILL 
PREPARED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE PURSUANT 
             TO SEC. 308(A), PUBLIC LAW 93-344, AS AMENDED

                        [IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS]

                   COMPARISON WITH BUDGET RESOLUTION

    Section 308(a)(1)(A) of the Congressional Budget Act 
requires the report accompanying a bill providing new budget 
authority to contain a statement comparing the levels in the 
bill to the suballocations submitted under section 302(b) of 
the Act for the most recently agreed to concurrent resolution 
on the budget for the applicable fiscal year.

                                            [In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  302(b) Allocation             This Bill
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Budget                    Budget
                                                               Authority     Outlays     Authority     Outlays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comparison of amounts in the bill with Committee allocations
 to its subcommittees: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch
    General Purpose Discretionary...........................        5,010        5,037     3,972\1\        4,162
    Mandatory...............................................          150          149       150\1\          149
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Includes outlays from prior-year budget authority.

                      FIVE-YEAR OUTLAY PROJECTIONS

    In compliance with section 308(a)(1)(B) of the 
Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 
(Public Law 93-344), as amended, the following table contains 
five-year projections associated with the budget authority 
provided in the accompanying bill.

                                            [In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                       Outlays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Projection of outlays associated with the recommendation:
    2020....................................................  ...........  ...........          \1\        3,449
    2021....................................................  ...........  ...........  ...........          447
    2022....................................................  ...........  ...........  ...........          105
    2023....................................................  ...........  ...........  ...........           47
    2024 and future years...................................  ...........  ...........  ...........           27
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.

          FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

    In accordance with section 308(a)(1)(C) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended, the Congressional 
Budget Office has provided the following estimates of new 
budget authority and outlays provided by the accompanying bill 
for financial assistance to State and local governments.

                        [In millions of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Budget
                                                 Authority     Outlays
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Financial assistance to State and local                0\1\            0
 governments for 2020.........................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.

                          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 secton 103(i) of H. Res. 6 of the 116th 
Congress--
    The following hearings were used to develop or consider the 
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2020:
    The Legislative Branch Subcommittee held a hearing on the 
Office of Congressional Workplace Rights fiscal year 2020 
budget request on February 7, 2019. The Subcommittee received 
testimony from Susan Tsui Grundmann, Executive Director. The 
Legislative Branch Subcommittee held a hearing on the Open 
World Leadership Center fiscal year 2020 budget request on 
February 7, 2019. The Subcommittee received testimony from Jane 
Sargus, Executive Director.
    The Legislative Branch Subcommittee held a hearing on the 
Architect of the Capitol fiscal year 2020 budget request on 
February 26, 2019. The Subcommittee received testimony from 
Christine A. Merdon, Acting Architect of the Capitol.
    The Legislative Branch Subcommittee held a hearing on the 
Congressional Budget Office fiscal year 2020 budget request on 
February 26, 2019. The Subcommittee received testimony from 
Christine A. Merdon, Acting Architect of the Capitol.
    The Legislative Branch Subcommittee held a hearing on the 
Congressional Budget Office fiscal year 2020 budget request on 
February 26, 2019. The Subcommittee received testimony from Dr. 
Keith Hall, Director.
    The Legislative Branch Subcommittee held a hearing on the 
Government Accountability Office fiscal year 2020 budget 
request on February 27, 2019. The Subcommittee received 
testimony from Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the 
United States.
    The Legislative Branch Subcommittee held a hearing on the 
Government Publishing Office fiscal year 2020 budget request on 
February 27, 2019. The Subcommittee received testimony from 
Herbert H. Jackson, Acting Deputy Director.
    The Legislative Branch Subcommittee held a hearing on the 
Library of Congress fiscal year 2020 budget request on March 7, 
2019. The Subcommittee received testimony from Dr. Carla 
Hayden, Librarian of Congress; Dr. Mary B. Mazanec, Director, 
Congressional Research Services; and Ms. Karyn Temple, Acting 
U.S. Register of Copyrights, U.S. Copyright Office.
    The Legislative Branch Subcommittee held a hearing on the 
House of Representatives fiscal year 2020 budget request on 
March 12, 2019. The Subcommittee received testimony from the 
Honorable Cheryl L. Johnson, Clerk of the House; the Honorable 
Paul D. Irving, Sergeant at Arms; the Honorable Philip G. Kiko, 
Chief Administrative Officer; E. Wade Ballou, Legislative 
Counsel; Douglas N. Letter, General Counsel; Michael T. 
Ptasienski, Inspector General; and Ralph Seep, Law Revision 
Counsel.
    The Legislative Branch Subcommittee held a hearing on the 
U.S. Capitol Police fiscal year 2020 budget request on March 
12, 2019. The Subcommittee received testimony from Matthew 
Verderosa, Chief of Police.
    The Legislative Branch Subcommittee held a hearing on 
fiscal year 2020 agency budget requests on April 2, 2019 with 
Members of Congress. The Subcommittee received testimony from 
Rep. Mark Takano, Rep. Sean Casten, and Rep. Anna G. Eshoo. 
Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. and Rep. Susan A. Davis submitted 
written testimony for the record.
    The Legislative Branch Subcommittee held a hearing on 
fiscal year 2020 agency budget requests on April 2, 2019 with 
public witnesses. The Subcommittee received testimony from Femi 
Cadmus, President, American Association of Law Libraries; Zach 
Graves, Head of Policy, Lincoln Network; Daniel Schuman, Demand 
Progress and Demand Progress Action; Samantha Feinstein, Senior 
Legal and International Analyst, Government Accountability 
Project; Rebecca Jones, Policy Counsel, Project on Government 
Oversight; Joseph Alessi, Program Director, Congressional App 
Challenge; Kel McClanahan, Executive Director, National 
Security Counselors, National Security Law; Mandy Smithberger, 
Director, Center for Defense Information at the Project on 
Government Oversight; and Gabe Cazares, Manager of Government 
Relations, National Federation of the Blind.


[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


                             MINORITY VIEWS

    The Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 
2020 provides $3,972,000,000, which is $164,228,000 or 4.3 
percent above the Fiscal Year 2019 enacted level. 
Appropriations Committee Republicans opposed the bill when it 
was considered by the Full Committee.
    Not only are Committee Republicans concerned about the 
funding provided in this bill, we object to the unrealistic 
topline discretionary funding level the Majority has proposed, 
which does not have bipartisan, bicameral consensus. Lack of an 
agreement could potentially lead to a Presidential veto, a 
government shutdown, and devastating sequestration cuts, 
including to the operations of the Legislative Branch.
    During Full Committee consideration, Committee Republicans 
supported an amendment to drive down the spending level in the 
bill. This would have been a small step to show the American 
people that Congress is leading by example to reduce Federal 
spending, and it is unfortunate that our colleagues did not 
support this amendment.
    We are also disappointed that the Majority party decided to 
include a controversial immigration policy rider in a bill that 
historically has been supported in a bipartisan manner. We 
intend to work with our colleagues to remove provisions that 
could prevent the bill from being signed into law.
    We must come together with our colleagues in the Senate and 
the Administration to find common ground on funding levels and 
policy matters. It is our responsibility as elected 
representatives to ensure that appropriations bills are 
enacted.
    Finally, we would like to thank the Chairman of the 
Subcommittee for his cooperation throughout the development of 
the bill. The Subcommittee held eleven public hearings, one of 
which was held with members of the public, to provide them the 
opportunity to advocate for specific outcomes in the bill. We 
appreciate that the Chairman conducted this open and 
transparent process and was responsive to the Minority party's 
concerns.

                                   Kay Granger.
                                   Jaime Herrera Beutler.

                                  [all]