[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 112th Congress]
[112nd Congress]
[House Document 111-157]
[House And Congressional Offices]
[Pages 1009-1018]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 1009]]

 

                     HOUSE AND CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES


                               __________




Sec. 1113. House Commission on Congressional 
Mailing Standards.

  Members may  send through the mails, under their frank, certain 
documents and materials as provided by 39 U.S.C. 3210, subject to the 
limitations prescribed in rule XXIV, supra. The House Commission on 
Congressional Mailing Standards, composed of six Members, provides 
advice in connection with franking privileges (sec. 5, P.L. 93-191).





Sec. 1114. House Office Building 
Commission.

  Rooms in the  House Office Buildings are assigned pursuant to the Act of 
May 28, 1908 (2 U.S.C. 2004-2011) and pursuant to regulations of the 
House Office Building Commission (see regulations promulgated Oct. 7, 
1996). The commission also issues regulations governing the House Office 
Buildings, House garages, and the Capitol Power Plant (see regulations 
promulgated December, 1995). The commission is composed of the Speaker 
and two Members of the House (traditionally the Majority and Minority 
Leaders) (2 U.S.C. 2001).





Sec. 1115. Government Accountability 
Office.

  The preparation,  utilization, and distribution (to committees and Members) of 
reports by the Government Accountability Office, and its authority to 
assign its employees to duty with congressional committees, are 
regulated by the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, Sec. Sec. 231-
236 (84 Stat. 1140; 31 U.S.C. 711-720). This office was formerly known 
as the General Accounting Office (31 U.S.C. 702 note).




[[Page 1010]]



Sec. 1116. Office of Compliance.

  The Office  of Compliance 
was established by the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 
U.S.C. 1381). The office is composed of five individuals appointed 
jointly by the Speaker, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and the 
Minority Leaders of the House and the Senate. The office has regulatory, 
enforcement, and educational responsibilities under the Act. The office 
replaced the Review Panel of the Office of Fair Employment Practices at 
the beginning of the 105th Congress (see Sec. 1101, supra). However, the 
review panel was reconstituted in the same form as at the end of the 
104th Congress to provide for the completion of ongoing proceedings in 
the 105th Congress (Feb. 25, 1997, p. 2439).





Sec. 1117. Congressional Research 
Service.

  The organization  of the Congressional Research Service of the Library of 
Congress and its responsibilities to assist Members and committees were 
provided in the Legislative Reorganization Acts of 1946 and 1970 (60 
Stat. 836; 84 Stat. 1140; 2 U.S.C. 166).





Sec. 1118. Legislative Counsel.

  The Office of  the 
Legislative Counsel of the House of Representatives evolved from a 
Legislative Drafting Service established for the Congress by the Act of 
February 24, 1919 (40 Stat. 1057, 1141). The provisions of law setting 
forth the purpose and functions of the current office and providing for 
its administration are contained in title V of the Legislative 
Reorganization Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-510; 2 U.S.C. 281) as amended by the 
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1972 (P.L. 92-51). As stated in 
section 502 of such title V, the purpose of the office is to advise and 
assist the House, and its committees and Members, in the achievement of 
a clear, faithful, and coherent expression of legislative policies.





Sec. 1119. Congressional Budget 
Office.

  The Congressional  Budget Office was established by the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 601). The office is headed by a director, who is 
appointed by the Speaker and the President pro tempore. Section 202 of 
the Act (2 U.S.C. 602) outlines the functions of the office, which 
include providing assistance to the House and Senate Committees on the 
Budget and Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance in the 
discharge of matters within their jurisdiction and to other committees 
to assist them in complying with the provisions of the Act.





Sec. 1120. Law Revision Counsel.

  The Office  of the Law 
Revision Counsel, to develop a codification of the laws of the United 
States, was authorized in the 93d Congress by the Committee Reform 
Amendments of 1974 (sec. 205, H. Res. 988, Oct. 8, 1974, p. 34470, made 
permanent law by P.L. 93-544 (2 U.S.C. 285)).





Sec. 1121. Technology Assessment.

  The Office  of Technology 
Assessment, to assist the Congress in indicating the beneficial and 
adverse impacts of the application of technology, was authorized by the 
Technology Assessment Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 472). The office received 
funding for 1996 to conduct an orderly shutdown (tit. I, P.L. 104-53) 
and has not received funding since then.



[[Page 1011]]


in the 93d Congress by the 
Committee Reform Amendments of 1974 (sec. 208, H. Res. 988, Oct. 8, 
1974, p. 34470, made permanent law by P.L. 93-554, 2 U.S.C. 28a), and 
the printing and distribution of the precedents were authorized by 
Public Law 94-551 (2 U.S.C. 28b-e). See also 2 U.S.C. 28, 29.



Sec. 1122. Office of the 
Parliamentarian.

  A Parliamentarian  has been appointed by the Speaker in every Congress 
since 1927. Before 1927 the ``Clerk at the Speaker's Table'' performed 
the function of the Parliamentarian. In the 95th Congress the House 
formally and permanently established an Office of the Parliamentarian to 
be managed, supervised, and administered by a nonpartisan 
Parliamentarian appointed by the Speaker (H. Res. 502, Apr. 20, 1977, p. 
11415, made permanent law by sec. 115 of P.L. 95-94; see 2 U.S.C. 287). 
The compilation and preparation of the precedents of the House of 
Representatives were authorized 





Sec. 1123. Office of Floor 
Assistants.

  At its organization  the 104th Congress established an office to assist the 
Speaker in the management of legislative activity on the floor of the 
House (Sec. 223(b), H. Res. 6, 104th Cong., Jan. 4, 1995, p. 469, 
enacted into permanent law by the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 
1996 (sec. 103, P.L. 104-53)).





Sec. 1124. Office of Interparliamentary 
Affairs.

  This office  is responsible for responding to inquiries from, and 
coordinating visits with, foreign legislative bodies; providing 
assistance to delegations of Members on official visits to foreign 
nations; coordinating the activities and responsibilities of the House 
in connection with participation in various interparliamentary exchanges 
and organizations; and enabling the House to host meetings with senior 
government officials and other dignitaries in order to discuss matters 
relevant to United States relations with other nations (2 U.S.C. 130-2).





Sec. 1125. House Recording Studio.

  The House  Recording 
Studio was established by the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 
1957 (2 U.S.C. 123b) and provides Members with audio and video recording 
services. The studio is under the direction and control of the Committee 
on the House Recording Studio, which consists of three Members appointed 
by the Speaker (2 U.S.C. 123b(c)).





Sec. 1125a. United States Capitol Preservation 
Commission.

  The United  States Capitol Preservation Commission was established in 
1988 (2 U.S.C. 2081) to provide improvements in, preservation of, and 
acquisitions for the Capitol and to provide works of fine art and other 
property for display in the Capitol. In the 106th Congress the 
Commission was given responsibility for the planning, engineering, 
design, and construction of the Capitol Visitor Center (sec. 310, 
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2000). Membership on the 
Commission consists of the Speaker, the President pro tempore (co-
chairs), the chair and vice chair of the Joint Committee on the Library, 
the chairs and ranking minority members of the Committee on Rules and 
Administration and the Committee on House Administration, the Majority 
and Minority Leaders of the House and Senate, three Members of the 
Senate, and three Members of the House.




[[Page 1012]]


Attorney General to notify the General Counsel of various 
decisions and policies (2 U.S.C. 130f(b)).



Sec. 1125b. Office of General Counsel.

  The General  Counsel 
appointed under clause 8 of rule II is authorized by law to appear in 
any proceeding before a State or Federal court (except the United States 
Supreme Court) without compliance with admission requirements of such 
court (2 U.S.C. 130f(a)). Furthermore, the law requires the 





Sec. 1125c. Office of Emergency Planning, 
Preparedness, and Operations.

  This office  is responsible for mitigation and 
preparedness operations, crisis management and response, resource 
services, and recovery operations (2 U.S.C. 130i). The Speaker, in 
consultation with the Minority Leader, provides policy direction for, 
and oversight of, the office. The Speaker may request the head of any 
Federal department or agency to detail to the office, on a reimbursable 
basis, any of the personnel of the department or agency. The day-to-day 
operations of the office are carried out by the director, under the 
supervision of a House of Representatives Continuity of Operations 
Board, comprising the Clerk, the Sergeant-at-Arms, and the Chief 
Administrative Officer. The Clerk chairs the board.





Sec. 1125d. Office of Attending Physician.

  This office  was 
established in the 70th Congress when the House requested the Secretary 
of the Navy to detail a medical officer to be in attendance at the Hall 
of the House during sessions of the House (H. Res. 253, Dec. 5, 1928, p. 
101). Currently, the office provides primary care and emergency, 
environmental, and occupational health services in direct support of 
Members of Congress and the Supreme Court, staff, pages, visiting 
dignitaries, and tourists (Office of Attending Physician in the U.S. 
Congress, CRS, Dec. 12, 2001).





Sec. 1125e. Office of Architect of the 
Capitol.

  This office  , which dates from 1793, operates and maintains the buildings 
and grounds of the Capitol complex. For further information on the 
office, see Architect of the Capitol: Appointment Process and Current 
Legislation, CRS, June 4, 2010. Section 6701 of Public Law 110-28 
established within the office a Chief Executive Officer for Visitor 
Services with responsibility for the operation and management of the 
Capitol Visitor Center.





Sec. 1125f. House Democracy Partnership.

  Established  for the 
109th (H. Res. 135, Mar. 14, 2005, p. 4527), 110th (H. Res. 24, Jan. 30, 
2007, p. 2626), 111th (sec. 4(b), H. Res. 5, Jan. 6, 2009, p. _), and 
112th Congresses (which changed its name from the House Democracy 
Assistance Commission) (sec. 4(a), H. Res. 5, Jan. 5, 2011, p. _), the 
partnership provides advice and consultation to selected countries. The 
partnership consists of 20 Members appointed by the Speaker and Minority 
Leader.



[[Page 1013]





Sec. 1125g. Tom Lantos Human Rights 
Commission.

  Established  for the 110th Congress (H. Res. 1451, Sept. 24, 2008, p. 
_), and the 111th and 112th Congresses with modifications to its 
authority (sec. 4(c), H. Res. 5, Jan. 6, 2009, p. _; sec. 4(b), H. Res. 
5, Jan. 5, 2011, p. _), the commission promotes internationally 
recognized human rights. Any Member may join the commission, which is 
led by co-chairs appointed by the Speaker and Minority Leader, 
respectively.




[[Page 1015]




Sec. 1125h. Office of Congressional 
Ethics.

  Established  for the 110th Congress (H. Res. 895, Mar. 11, 2008, p. 
_), and the 111th and 112th Congresses with a modification of its 
authority to engage consultants (sec. 4(d), H. Res. 5, Jan. 6, 2009, p. 
_; sec. 4(c), H. Res. 5, Jan. 5, 2011, p. _), the office investigates 
``self-initiated'' alleged ethics violations and reports its 
recommendations to the Committee on Ethics.



                     EARLY ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSE


                               __________


                             [2 u.s.c. 29a]

  (a) Caucus or conference for incumbent Members reelected to and 
Members-elect of ensuing Congress; time and procedure for calling



Sec. 1126. Organizing caucuses.

  (1) The  majority leader or 
minority leader of the House of Representatives after consultation with 
the Speaker may at any time during any even-numbered year call a caucus 
or conference of all incumbent Members of his or her political party who 
have been reelected to the ensuing Congress and all other Members-elect 
of such party, for the purpose of taking all steps necessary to achieve 
the prompt organization of the Members and Members-elect of such party 
for the ensuing Congress.


  (2) If the majority leader or minority leader calls an organizational 
caucus or conference under paragraph (1), he or she shall file with the 
Clerk of the House a written notice designating the date upon which the 
caucus or conference is to convene. As soon as possible after the 
election of Members to the ensuing Congress, the Clerk shall furnish 
each Member-elect of the party involved with appropriate written 
notification of the caucus or conference.


  (3) If a vacancy occurs in the office of majority leader or minority 
leader during any even-numbered year (and has not been filled), the 
chairman of the caucus or conference of the party involved for the 
current Congress may call an organizational caucus or conference under 
paragraph (1) by filing written notice thereof as provided by paragraph 
(2).

  (b) Payment and reimbursement for travel and per diem expenses for 
Members attending caucus or conference; exceptions; regulations 
governing payments and reimbursements; reimbursement vouchers


[[Page 1016]]


section, and each incumbent Member 
reelected to the ensuing Congress who attends any such caucus or 
conference convening after the adjournment sine die of the Congress in 
the year involved, shall be paid for one round trip between his or her 
place of residence in the district which he or she represents and 
Washington, District of Columbia, for the purpose of attending such 
caucus or conference. Payment shall be made through the issuance of a 
transportation request form to each such Member-elect or incumbent 
Member by the Finance Office of the House before such caucus or 
conference.
  (1)(A) Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to 
the ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under 
subsection (a) of this 

  (B) Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the 
ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under 
subsection (a) of this section shall in addition be reimbursed on a per 
diem or other basis for expenses incurred in connection with his or her 
attendance at such caucus or conference.


  (2) Payments and reimbursements to Members-elect under paragraph (1) 
shall be made as provided (with respect to Members) in the regulations 
prescribed by the Committee on House Administration with respect to 
travel and other expenses of committees and Members. Reimbursements 
shall be paid on special voucher forms prescribed by the Committee on 
House Administration.

  (c) Availability of applicable accounts of House


  The applicable accounts of the House of Representatives are made 
available to carry out the purposes of this section.

  (d) Orientation programs for new Members


  With the approval of the majority leader (in the case of a Member or 
Member-elect of the majority party) or the minority leader (in the case 
of a Member or Member-elect of the minority party), subsections (b) and 
(c) of this section shall apply with respect to the attendance of a 
Member or Member-elect at a program conducted by the Committee on House 
Administration for the orientation of new Members in the same manner as 
such provisions apply to the attendance of the Member or Member-elect at 
the organizational caucus or conference.


[[Page 1017]]


to ``applicable accounts of the House.'' 
Further amendments were effected at the end of the 108th Congress (to 
apply beginning in the One Hundred Tenth Congress) to permit 
organizational activity to be scheduled for any period after the general 
election and before the onset of the new Congress and to include 
orientation programs (sec. 107, div. G, P.L. 108-447, Dec. 8, 2004, 118 
Stat. 3176).
  These provisions were originated by a resolution of the 93d Congress 
(sec. 202, H. Res. 988, Oct. 8, 1974), which was enacted into permanent 
law (effective Jan. 2, 1975) shortly thereafter (P.L. 93-554, Dec. 27, 
1974, 88 Stat. 1777). Amendments were effected in the 104th Congress 
(sec. 202, P.L. 104-186, Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1725), when the House 
renamed the committee concerned and converted references to its 
``contingent fund'' 


  Under the former form of the statute, contemplating organizational 
activity in the month of December, the House occasionally adopted 
resolutions allowing earlier convening of an organizational caucus or 
conference (e.g., H. Res. 666, 106th Cong., Nov. 3, 2000, p. 25993; H. 
Res. 590, 107th Cong., Oct. 16, 2002, p. 20812; H. Res. 824, 108th 
Cong., Oct. 6, 2004, pp. 21212, 21213).


                            [2 u.s.c. 43b-2]

  Staff expenses for House Members attending organizational caucus or 
conference

  (a) In general


  Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the 
ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under 
section 29a(a) of this title, and each incumbent Member reelected to the 
ensuing Congress who attends any such caucus or conference convening 
after the adjournment sine die of the Congress in the year involved, 
shall be entitled to designate one staff person to be paid for one round 
trip between that person's place of residence, provided such place of 
residence is in the district which the Member-elect or incumbent Member 
represents, and Washington, District of Columbia, for the purpose of 
accompanying that Member-elect or incumbent Member to such caucus or 
conference.

  (b) Per diem expenses of staff person


  Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the 
ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under such 
section 29a(a) of this title shall be entitled to designate one staff 
person who shall in addition be reimbursed on a per diem or other basis 
for expenses incurred in accompanying the Member-elect at the time of 
such caucus or conference.

  (c) Orientation programs for new Members


[[Page 1018]]


mittee on 
House Administration for the orientation of new Members in the same 
manner as such provisions apply to the attendance of the Member or 
Member-elect at the organizational caucus or conference.

  With the approval of the majority leader (in the case of a Member or 
Member-elect of the majority party) or the minority leader (in the case 
of a Member or Member-elect of the minority party), subsections (a) and 
(b) of this section shall apply with respect to the attendance of a 
Member or Member-elect at a program conducted by the Com


  These provisions were originated by a resolution of the 94th Congress 
(H. Res. 10, Jan. 14, 1975), which was then enacted into permanent law 
(sec. 201, P.L. 94-59, July 25, 1975, 89 Stat. 282). They are codified 
in section 43b-2 of title 2, United States Code. Amendments were 
effected at the end of the 108th Congress (to apply with respect to the 
One Hundred Tenth Congress and each succeeding Congress) to conform to 
the permissible scheduling of organizational activity for any period 
after the general election and before the onset of the new Congress and 
to include orientation programs (sec. 107, div. G, P.L. 108-447, Dec. 8, 
2004, 118 Stat. 3176).


                            [2 u.s.c. 43b-3]

  Payments and reimbursements for certain House staff expenses


  (a) Payments and reimbursements to staff persons under section 43b-2 
of this title shall be made as provided (with respect to staff) in the 
regulations prescribed by the Committee on House Administration with 
respect to travel and other expenses of staff. Reimbursements shall be 
paid on special voucher forms prescribed by the Committee on House 
Administration.


  (b) Additional funds, if any, for staff allowances and office space 
for use by Members-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to 
the ensuing Congress) shall be authorized by the Committee on House 
Administration.


  These provisions were originated by a resolution of the 94th Congress 
(H. Res. 10, Jan. 14, 1975), which was then enacted into permanent law 
(sec. 201, P.L. 94-59, July 25, 1975, 89 Stat. 282). They are codified 
in section 43b-3 of title 2, United States Code. Amendments were 
effected in the 104th Congress (sec. 202, P.L. 104-186, Aug. 20, 1996, 
110 Stat. 1725), when the House renamed the committee concerned as the 
Committee on House Oversight. (The committee has since been returned to 
its earlier name).