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# Legislative Bulletin..............................................January 19, 2007

**Contents:**

**H.R. 475**---House Page Board Revision Act

H.R. 475---House Page Board Revision Act ---*as introduced*

(*Kildee, D-MI*)

**[Order of Business]{.underline}**: The bill is scheduled to be
considered on Friday, January 19, 2007, under yesterday's unanimous
consent agreement, providing for 30 total minutes of debate, allowing no
amendments, deeming the previous question as ordered, and allowing one
motion to recommit with or without instructions.

**[Summary]{.underline}**: The bill would revise the composition of the
House of Representatives Page Board, effective immediately, as follows:

-   Increase from one to two the number of minority Members on the Page
    Board (the majority currently gets two);

-   Add to the Board one individual (appointed jointly by the Speaker
    and Minority Leader) who, at any time during the five-year period
    that ends on the date of the individual's appointment, is or was a
    parent of a House page; and

-   Add to the Board one individual (appointed jointly by the Speaker
    and Minority Leader) who is a former House page who is not currently
    a House Member or a page parent.

The Clerk of the House and the Sergeant at Arms would retain their
respective seats on the Page Board.

Each Board member would serve for a one-year term and could be
reappointed, and vacancies could be filled by appointments to fill out
the rest of the term. "Such sums as may be necessary" would be
authorized to pay Board member travel, transportation, and per diem for
attending Board meetings away from the member's home or place of
business.

The Board would have to meet "regularly," in accordance with a schedule
jointly established by the Speaker and Minority Leader.

**[Additional Background]{.underline}**: This legislation is the
outgrowth of the scandal in which Rep. Mark Foley, Page Board Member,
exchanged sexually explicit communications with a House page.

Currently, the House Page Board consists of two Members of the majority,
one Member of the minority, the House Clerk, and the House Sergeant at
Arms.

The practice of having pages is at least 200 years old. There are
currently 66 page slots.

**[RSC Bonus Fact]{.underline}**: Students must have at least a 3.0
grade point average to be eligible for the House Page School (as
verified by their respective schools and based on four major courses, no
electives). For more tidbits on the page program, visit this webpage:

<http://www.house.gov/platts/pdfs/page-program-about.pdf>

**[Committee Action]{.underline}**: On January 16, 2007, the bill was
referred to the Committee on House Administration, which took no
subsequent public action.

**[Cost to Taxpayers]{.underline}**: While no official cost estimate is
available, it is likely that the authorizations for Board travel would
not be significant burdens to the taxpayer.

**[Does the Bill Expand the Size and Scope of the Federal
Government?]{.underline}**: The bill would grow the size of the Page
Board.

**[Does the Bill Contain Any New State-Government, Local-Government, or
Private-Sector Mandates?]{.underline}**: No.

**[Constitutional Authority]{.underline}**: A committee report citing
constitutional authority is unavailable.

**[RSC Staff Contact]{.underline}**: Paul S. Teller,
<paul.teller@mail.house.gov>, (202) 226-9718