[House Report 117-18]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


117th Congress    }                                    {       Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session      }                                    {       117-18

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



 
   PROVIDING FOR THE EXPENSES OF CERTAIN COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE OF 
        REPRESENTATIVES IN THE ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                                _______
                                

   April 16, 2021.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be 
                                printed

                                _______
                                

Ms. Lofgren, from the Committee on House Administration, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                       [To accompany H. Res. 316]

    The Committee on House Administration, to whom was referred 
the resolution (H. Res. 316) providing for the expenses of 
certain committees of the House of Representatives in the One 
Hundred Seventeenth Congress, having considered the same, 
reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that 
the resolution be agreed to.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Background and Need for the Resolution...........................     1
Summary of the Resolution........................................     2
Introduction and Referral........................................     3
Hearings.........................................................     3
Committee Consideration..........................................     3
Committee Votes..................................................     4
Committee Oversight Findings.....................................     4
Statement of Budget Authority and Related Items..................     4
Congressional Budget Office Estimate.............................     4
Performance Goals and Objectives.................................     4

                 BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE RESOLUTION

    Pursuant to House rule X, clause 6, the Committee on House 
Administration (hereinafter referred to as the ``Committee'') 
reports an omnibus, biennial ``primary expense resolution'' to 
cover the expenses of each standing and select committee of the 
House, except the Committee on Appropriations. House Resolution 
316 is the primary expense resolution reported by the Committee 
on House Administration for the 117th Congress.
    On April 15, 2021, by voice vote, the Committee agreed to a 
motion to report H. Res. 316 favorably to the House amendment.
    The resolution authorizes the aggregate amount of funding 
for standing and permanent select committees for the 117th 
Congress, and also includes a provision to require a review of 
the use of committee funds at the beginning of the second 
session of the 117th Congress.
    To gather the information necessary to create the omnibus 
primary expense resolution, the Committee required the standing 
and permanent select committees to submit estimates for their 
expected expenses for both sessions of the 117th Congress. The 
Committee asked that committees provide line item estimates for 
the following expenses: personnel compensation (including 
salaries and lump sum payments), overtime, travel, 
communications, and printing and reproduction costs.
    The Committee also requested that committees estimate their 
expenses for other services, including consultant contracts, 
detailees from executive and other agencies, training, 
representational expenses, and other services. Furthermore, the 
Committee requested budget estimates for the costs of supplies, 
materials, and equipment. The Committee also asked the 
committees to discuss their operations during a pandemic, and 
to discuss their plans to create an increasingly diverse 
workforce.
    The Committee used these specific requests from individual 
committees to create an omnibus expense resolution, introduced 
by Chairperson Lofgren and Ranking Member Davis, to authorize 
funding for all of the committees. The resolution includes a 
provision to require the Chairs and Ranking Members to return 
to the Committee after one year for an additional oversight 
hearing to review the use of funds from the first session, 
unless waived by the Committee. The provision is intended to 
promote accountability, transparency, and oversight of each 
committee's resources.
    In reporting out this resolution, the committee is 
recommending to the House an authorization to expend 
approximately $150,244,570 in the first session, and 
$150,935,691 in the second session, exclusive of the reserve 
fund for unanticipated expenses. The resolution includes such a 
reserve fund for unanticipated expenses of $1,500,000 in the 
first session and $2,500,000 in the second session.

                       SUMMARY OF THE RESOLUTION

    Section 1 adjusts the aggregate amount paid out of the 
applicable accounts of the House of Representatives with 
respect to the 117th Congress for the expenses (including the 
expense of all staff salaries) of the permanent select and 
standing committees of the House (except the Committee on 
Appropriations).
    Section 2 adjusts the amount provided for the expenses of 
each standing and permanent select committee of the House 
(except the Committee on Appropriations) for expenses incurred 
during the first session of the 117th Congress (the period 
beginning at noon on January 3, 2021, and ending immediately 
before noon on January 3, 2022).
    Section 3 adjusts the amount provided for the expenses of 
each standing and permanent select committee of the House 
(except the Committee on Appropriations) for expenses incurred 
during the second session of the 117th Congress (the period 
beginning at noon on January 3, 2022, and ending immediately 
before noon on January 3, 2023).
    The amounts provided each committee is as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    1st Session     2nd Session        Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee on Agriculture........................................      $6,144,497      $6,144,497     $12,288,994
Committee on Armed Services.....................................       8,917,992       9,237,992      18,155,984
Committee on the Budget.........................................       5,449,723       5,449,723      10,899,446
Select Committee on the Climate Crisis..........................       1,915,000       1,950,000       3,865,000
Committee on Education and Labor................................       7,863,825       7,863,825      15,727,650
Committee on Energy and Commerce................................      11,417,377      11,417,377      22,834,754
Committee on Ethics.............................................       3,507,696       3,507,696       7,015,392
Committee on Financial Services.................................       8,965,878       8,965,878      17,931,756
Committee on Foreign Affairs....................................       8,653,430       8,653,430   \1\17,306,860
Committee on Homeland Security..................................       8,036,701       8,036,701      16,073,402
Committee on House Administration...............................       5,590,190       5,892,211      11,482,401
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence......................       6,543,075       6,543,075      13,086,150
Committee on the Judiciary......................................       8,406,115       8,406,115      16,812,230
Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress...............         971,250         971,250       1,942,500
Committee on Natural Resources..................................       7,295,361       7,295,361      14,590,722
Committee on Oversight and Reform...............................      13,896,964      13,896,964      27,793,928
Committee on Rules..............................................       3,410,369       3,444,469       6,854,838
Committee on Science, Space and Technology......................       5,816,818       5,816,818      11,633,636
Committee on Small Business.....................................       3,253,055       3,253,055       6,506,110
Committee on Transportation and.................................       9,597,173       9,597,173      19,194,346
Infrastructure Committee on Veterans' Affairs...................       4,791,977       4,791,977       9,583,954
Committee on Ways and Means.....................................       9,800,104       9,800,104      19,600,208
Reserve Fund....................................................       1,500,000       2,500,000       4,000,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\The amount provided to the Committee on Foreign Affairs includes $560,000 ($280,000 for the first session and
  $280,000 for the second session) to provide funding for the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, and $270,000
  ($135,000 for the first session and $135,000 for the second session) for the House Democracy Partnership.

                       INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL

    On April 14, 2021, Representative Zoe Lofgren of 
California, Chairperson of the Committee on House 
Administration, and Representative Rodney Davis of Illinois, 
Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, 
introduced House Resolution 316 which was referred to the 
Committee on House Administration.

                                HEARINGS

    On Friday, March 12, 2021, the Committee held a hearing 
titled ``Committee Funding for the 117th Congress.'' Following 
the practice from last Congress, committees who submitted a 
bipartisan budget request would not be required to appear 
before the Committee, although all committees were invited to 
appear if they chose to do so. The Chairman and Ranking Member 
of the Committee on the Judiciary appeared before the Committee 
and provided testimony regarding that Committee's budget 
request for the 117th Congress. This hearing contributed to the 
development of House Resolution 316.

                        COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    On Thursday, April 15, 2021, the Committee met in open 
session and ordered the resolution, H. Res. 316, favorably 
reported to the House by voice vote, a quorum being present.

                            COMMITTEE VOTES

    In compliance with House Rule XIII, clause 3(b), with 
respect to each record vote on an amendment or motion to 
report, together with the names of those voting for and 
against, the Committee states that there were no recorded votes 
during the consideration of this resolution.

                      COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause 
(2)(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee's oversight findings and 
recommendations are reflected in the descriptive portions of 
this report.

            STATEMENT OF BUDGET AUTHORITY AND RELATED ITEMS

    The resolution does not provide new budget authority, new 
spending authority, new credit authority, or an increase or 
decrease in revenues or tax expenditures and a statement under 
House rule XIII, clause 3(c)(2), and section 308(a)(1) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is not required.

                  CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE

    In compliance with House Rule XIII, clause 3(c)(3), the 
Committee states, with respect to House Resolution 316, that 
the Director of the Congressional Budget Office did not submit 
a cost estimate and comparison under section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

                    PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

    In compliance with House rule XIII, clause 3(c)(4), the 
Committee states that House Resolution 316 serves as the 
biennial ``primary expense resolution'' to cover the expenses 
of each standing and select committee of the House, except the 
Committee on Appropriations. The performance goal and objective 
of House Resolution 316 is thus to provide adequate expenses 
for each standing and permanent select committee of the House, 
ensuring that each may acquire and retain appropriate staff and 
equipment to carry out their legislative and oversight duties.

                                  [all]