[Deschler's Precedents, Volume 1, Chapters 1 - 6]
[Chapter 6.  Officers, Officials, and Employees]
[C. House Officers]
[Â§ 27. Compensation]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[Page 643-649]
 
                               CHAPTER 6
 
                   Officers, Officials, and Employees
 
                               EMPLOYMENT
 
Sec. 27. Compensation

    The compensation of House employees is regulated both by stat

[[Page 644]]

ute(7) and by resolution. The House by resolution has 
fixed,(8) increased,(9) or 
adjusted(10) the compensation of various employees. It has 
by resolution established salary limits(11) and authorized 
the transfer of funds to meet employee payrolls.(12) 
Employee overtime compensation has been provided for by 
resolution(13) and on occasion the House has adopted 
resolutions increasing the personnel salary allowances granted to House 
officers.(14)
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 7. For examples of statutory provisions related to the compensation of 
        various House employees see: 2 USCA Sec. 72a-2, basic 
        compensation of employees of House and Senate press, 
        periodical, and radio galleries; 2 USCA Sec. 74a, basic 
        compensation for administrative assistants to the Speaker and 
        Majority and Minority Leaders; 2 USCA Sec. 75c, basic 
        compensation for Assistant Tally Clerks, Office of the Clerk of 
        the House; 2 USCA Sec. 7ad, basic compensation for stationery 
        clerks; 2 USCA Sec. 75e, basic compensation for employees of 
        the offices of Clerk, Doorkeeper, and Postmaster; 2 USCA 
        Sec. 76a, basic compensation for Special Assistant, Office of 
        the Doorkeeper; 2 USCA Sec. 76b, basic compensation for 
        Telephone Clerks in the Office of the Doorkeeper; and 2 USCA 
        Sec. 84-3, basic compensation for the Deputy Sergeant at Arms.
 8. See Sec. 27.1, infra.
 9. See Sec. 27.2, infra.
10. See Sec. 27.3, infra.
11. See Sec. 27.4, infra.
12. See Sec. 27.5, infra.
13. See Sec. 27.6, infra.
14. See Sec. 27.7, infra.                          -------------------
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Fixing Compensation

Sec. 27.1 A resolution from the Committee on House Administration 
    fixing the compensation of certain House employees and providing 
    for their payment from the contingent fund is reported and called 
    up as privileged.

    On Dec. 1 1970(15) Mr. Joe D. Waggonner, Jr., of 
Louisiana, at the direction of the Committee on House Administration 
submitted a privileged report(16) on and asked for the 
immediate consideration of the following resolution:
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15. 116 Cong. Rec. 39341, 91st Cong. 2d Sess. For additional examples 
        of House resolutions fixing the compensation of House employees 
        see 115 Cong. Rec. 22545, 22546, 91st Cong. 1st Sess., Aug. 6, 
        1969; and 112 Cong. Rec. 27647, 89th Cong. 2d Sess., Oct. 19, 
        1966, where the rate of compensation for several House 
        employees was established.
 16. H. Rept. No. 91-1639.
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                                H. Res. 1241

        Resolved, That (a) until otherwise provided by law and 
    effective the first day of the month which begins on or after the 
    date of adoption of this resolution, the rate of basic compensation 
    of--

[[Page 645]]

        (1) the clerk to the Official Reporters of Debates shall be 
    $6,160 per annum;
        (2) the number one assistant clerk to the Official Reporters of 
    Debates shall be $4,505 per annum; and
        (3) the number two assistant clerk to the Official Reporters of 
    Debates shall be $4,005 per annum.
        (b) Until otherwise provided by law, such amounts as may be 
    necessary to carry out subsection (a) of this resolution shall be 
    paid out of the contingent fund of the House of Representatives.

The resolution was agreed to after brief debate thereon, and a motion 
to reconsider was laid on the table.

Increasing Compensation

Sec. 27.2 The House by resolution increased the compensation of the 
    Legislative Counsel of the House to equal that of the Legislative 
    Counsel of the Senate.

    On Mar. 31, 1965,(17) Mr. Carl Albert, of Oklahoma, 
obtained unanimous consent for the consideration of the following 
resolution:
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17. 111 Cong. Rec. 6412, 89th Cong. 1st Sess. For additional examples 
        of House resolutions increasing House employee compensation see 
        102 Cong. Rec. 7362, 84th Cong. 2d Sess., May 2, 1956, where 
        the salary of the official reporters of debates was increased, 
        and 102 Cong. Rec. 6966, 84th Cong. 2d Sess., Apr. 25, 1956, 
        where the salary of certain minority employees was increased.
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                                H. Res. 312

        Resolved, That, effective April 1, 1965, the compensation of 
    the Legislative Counsel of the House of Representatives shall be at 
    a gross per annum rate which is equal to the gross per annum rate 
    of compensation of the Legislative Counsel of the Senate. The 
    additional sums necessary to carry out this resolution shall be 
    paid out of the contingent fund of the House until otherwise 
    provided by law.
        The resolution was agreed to.
        A motion to reconsider was laid on the table

Compensation Adjustments

Sec. 27.3 A resolution providing for payment from the contingent fund 
    of salary adjustments for certain House employees was reported and 
    called up as privileged by the Committee on House Administration.

    On Jan. 27, 1972,(18) Mr. Frank Thompson, Jr., of New 
Jersey, was recognized to seek consideration of the resolution shown 
below:
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18. 118 Cong. Rec. 1531, 92d Cong. 2d Sess.
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        Mr. Thompson of New Jersey: Mr. Speaker, by direction of the 
    Committee on House Administration, I call up a privileged 
    resolution (H. Res. 741) and ask for its immediate consideration.

[[Page 646]]

        The Clerk read the resolution as follows:

                                H. Res. 741

            Resolved, That until otherwise provided by law, effective 
        as of January 1, 1972, the per annum gross rate of pay of each 
        employee (except an employee who is an elected officer of the 
        House) whose pay is disbursed by the Clerk of the House and is 
        fixed at a specific rate by House resolution is increased by an 
        amount equal to 5.5 per centum of his per annum gross rate of 
        pay. No rate of pay shall be increased by reason of the 
        adoption of this resolution to an amount in excess of the rate 
        of basic pay of level V of the Executive Schedule contained in 
        section 5316 of title 5, United States Code. The contingent 
        fund of the House is made available to carry out the purposes 
        of this resolution.

        The Speaker:(19) The Clerk will report the committee 
    amendment.
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 19. John W. McCormack (Mass.).
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        The Clerk read as follows:

            Committee amendment: On page 1, line 4, immediately 
        following the word ``the'' strike out the word ``House'' and 
        insert ``House or who is an Official Reporter of Debates or an 
        Official Reporter to Committees.)''

        The Speaker: Without objection, the committee amendment is 
    agreed

    A reservation of the right to object being heard from Mr. Durward 
G. Hall, of Missouri, a discussion of the resolution ensued at the 
conclusion of which Mr. Thompson moved the previous question on the 
resolution. The previous question was ordered. The resolution was 
agreed to. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

Fixing Compensation Limits

Sec. 27.4 The House by resolution permitted the salaries of 
    administrative assistants to House leaders to be increased to the 
    maximum amount authorized under executive level five of the Federal 
    Civil Service.

    On Jan. 15, 1968,(20) Mr. Carl Albert, of Oklahoma, 
obtained unanimous consent for the consideration of a resolution as 
follows:
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20. 114 Cong. Rec. 24, 90th Cong. 2d Sess. See also 111 Cong. Rec. 
        4405, 89th Cong. 1st Sess., Mar. 9, 1965, where the House by 
        resolution raised the gross salary limits for several House 
        employees to the maximum amount permissible under the salary 
        schedule in effect for the legislative branch.
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                                H. Res. 1015

        Resolved, effective January 1, 1968, there will be payable from 
    the contingent fund of the House of Representatives, until 
    otherwise provided by law, an amount which will permit payment of 
    basic compensation per annum, at a rate not in excess of the 
    highest amount, which, together with additional compensation 
    authorized by law, will not exceed the maximum rate authorized by 
    Level 5 of the Executive schedule by Public Law 90-206, to the 
    administrative assistant of each of the following:

[[Page 647]]

        (1) Speaker of the House.
        (2) Majority leader of the House.
        (3) Minority leader of the House.
        (4) Majority whip of the House.
        (5) Minority whip of the House.
        (6) Each Member of the House who has served as Speaker of the 
    House.
        (7) Each Member of the House who has served as majority leader 
    and minority leader of the House.

The resolution was agreed to, and a motion to reconsider was laid on 
the table.

Transferring Payroll Funds

Sec. 27.5 By resolution the House has authorized the Clerk and Sergeant 
    at Arms of the House to transfer funds from the balances available 
    to them in several accounts under their administrative control to 
    meet Members' and employee payrolls pending enactment of an 
    appropriation bill carrying funds for that purpose.

    On May 28, 1969,(1) Mr. Samuel X. Friedel, of Maryland, 
submitted a privileged report(2) relating to a resolution 
providing for the transfer of certain funds in order to meet a payroll. 
The resolution is set out below:
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 1. 115 Cong. Rec. 14165-67, 91st Cong. 1st Sess.
 2. H. Rept. No. 91-278.
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                                H. Res. 425

        Resolved, That the Clerk of the House and Sergeant at Arms be 
    and is hereby directed to pay such sum as may be necessary, from 
    the balance available of the 1968 appropriation and the various 
    funds of the 1969 appropriation, where balances may be available, 
    for the House of Representatives to meet the May and June payroll 
    of Members, officers of the House, and employees of the House. 
    Moneys expended from these funds and/or appropriations by the 
    Sergeant at Arms and the Clerk will be repaid to the funds and/or 
    appropriations from the Sergeant at Arms and Clerk's supplemental 
    appropriation upon its approval.

    Following some debate on the resolution and the subsequent call of 
the House, the resolution was agreed to. A motion to reconsider was 
laid on the table.

Overtime Compensation

Sec. 27.6 A resolution providing for payment from the contingent fund 
    of overtime compensation for employees of the publications 
    distribution service (folding room) is reported and called up as 
    privileged by the Committee on House Administration.

    On Mar. 2, 1972,(3) Mr. Wayne L. Hays, of Ohio, at the 
direction of the Committee on House Ad

[[Page 648]]

ministration, called up and asked for immediate consideration of the 
following House resolution:
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 3. 118 Cong. Rec. 6627, 92d Cong. 2d Sess. For another example see 112 
        Cong. Rec. 5993, 89th Cong. 2d Sess., Mar. 16, 1966.
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                                H. Res. 835

        Resolved, That, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, 
    there is authorized to he paid out of the contingent fund of the 
    House of Representatives such sums as may be necessary to pay 
    compensation to each employee of the Publications Distribution 
    Service of the House of Representatives for all services performed 
    by such employee in excess of the normal workday where such 
    services are authorized by the Committee on House Administration. 
    Such compensation shall he paid on an hourly basis at a rate equal 
    to the rate of compensation otherwise paid to such employees.
        This resolution shall take effect on its adoption and payments 
    made under this resolution shall be terminated as the Committee on 
    House Administration determines necessary.
        The resolution was agreed to.
        A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

Increasing Personnel Salary Allowances

Sec. 27.7 A resolution from the Committee on House Administration 
    providing for payment from the contingent fund of compensation to 
    employees in the Speaker's office was reported and called up as 
    privileged.

    On July 22, 1971,(4) Mr. Wayne L. Hays, of Ohio, at the 
direction of the Committee on House Administration, submitted a 
privileged report(5) relating to the use of the contingent 
fund of the House to pay certain salaries, and sought immediate 
consideration of the resolution shown below:
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 4. 117 Cong. Rec. 26652, 92d Cong. 1st Sess. For a further example see 
        108 Cong. Rec. 8, 87th Cong. 2d Sess., Jan. 10, 1962.
 5. H. Rept. No. 92-373.
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                            House Resolution 533

        Resolved, That, until otherwise provided by law, effective as 
    of July 1, 1971, in addition to all other amounts provided by other 
    provisions of law, there shall he paid out of the contingent fund 
    of the House for compensation of the officers and employees of the 
    Office of the Speaker of the House the sum of $50,000.

    Debate on the resolution ensued, at the conclusion of which the 
previous question on the resolution was moved and ordered. The question 
was taken and the resolution agreed to. A motion to reconsider was laid 
on the table.

Presentation of Salary Comparability

Sec. 27.8 The Speaker laid before the House a directive implementing 
    the salary comparability policy established

[[Page 649]]

    by the Federal Salary Act of 1967 for House officers and employees.

    On June 17, 1969,(6) the Speaker(7) laid 
before 'the House a message from the President, transmitting the 
President's annual report on salary comparability and his directive 
implementing certain salary adjustments in the executive branch of 
government. Upon the receipt of the President's report, the Speaker 
laid before the House his directive, including a schedule of per annum 
compensation rates for House employees, which implemented the salary 
comparability policy established by the Federal Salary Act of 
1967.(8)
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 6. 115 Cong. Rec. 16195, 16196, 91st Cong. 1st Sess. See also 114 
        Cong. Rec. 16717, 90th Cong. 2d Sess., June 11, 1968, for the 
        presentation of a similar directive.
 7. John W. McCormack (Mass.).
 8. Pub. L. No. 90-206.
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Announcing Statutory Salary Adjustments

Sec. 27.9 Adjustments in the House employees' wage schedule are 
    sometimes announced by the Chairman of the Committee on House 
    Administration.

    On Jan. 27, 1966,(9) Mr. Omar T. Burleson, of Texas (at 
the request of Mr. Lynn E. Stalbaum, of Wisconsin), pursuant to a grant 
of permission to extend his remarks in the Record, announced and 
submitted tables reflecting adjustments provided for by public law 
(10) in the schedule of per annum compensation rates 
applicable to House employees.
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 9. 112 Cong. Rec. 1399, 89th Cong. 2d Sess.
10. Pub. L. No. 89-301.
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