[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:
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1st Session 2nd Session Total
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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
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\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.
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