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66–403 2011

MARKUP OF H. RES. 147, THE OMNIBUS COMMITTEE FUNDING RESOLUTION; AND THREE 

COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS 

MEETING 

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON HOUSE 

ADMINISTRATION 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS 

FIRST SESSION 

Held in Washington, DC, March 9, 2011 

Printed for the use of the Committee on House Administration 

( 

Available on the Internet: 

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/congress/house/administration/index.html 


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COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION 

DANIEL E. LUNGREN, California, Chairman 

GREGG HARPER, Mississippi 

PHIL GINGREY, M.D., Georgia 

AARON SCHOCK, Illinois 

TODD ROKITA, Indiana 

RICHARD NUGENT, Florida 

ROBERT A. BRADY, Pennsylvania, 

Ranking Minority Member 

ZOE LOFGREN, California 

CHARLES GONZALEZ, Texas 

PROFESSIONAL STAFF

PHILIP KIKO, Staff Director 

JAMIE FLEET, Minority Staff Director 


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MARKUP OF H. RES. 147, THE OMNIBUS COMMITTEE FUNDING RESOLUTION; COMMITTEE RESOLUTION ON VIEWS AND ESTIMATES ON MATTERS WITHIN THE COMMITTEE’S JURISDICTION; COMMITTEE RESOLUTION FOR FRANKED MAIL ALLOWANCES 

FOR CERTAIN COMMITTEES; AND COMMITTEE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE CONSULTING CONTRACT 

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 2011 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION, 

Washington, DC. 

The committee met, pursuant to call, at 1:04 p.m., in room 1310, 

Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Daniel E. Lungren (chairman of the committee) presiding. 

Present: Representatives Lungren, Harper, Gingrey, Schock, 

Rokita, Nugent, and Brady. 

Staff Present: Phil Kiko, Staff Director and General Counsel; 

Kimani Little, Parliamentarian; Joe Wallace, Legislative Clerk; 

Yael Barash, Assistant Legislative Clerk; Salley Wood, Communications Director; Karin Moore, Elections Counsel; George 

Hadjiski, Member Services Staff; Richard Capetto, Member Services Staff; Kyle Andersen, Minority press Secretary; Matt Defreitas, 

Minority Professional Staff; Khalil Abboud, Minority Elections 

Staff; and Thomas Hicks, Minority Elections Counsel. 

The CHAIRMAN. Now I would like to call to order the Committee 

on House Administration for today’s markup. 

The meeting record will remain open for 5 legislative days so 

that members may submit any materials they wish to be included 

therein. A quorum is present, so we may proceed. 

First, we will mark up H. Res. 147, the Omnibus Committee 

Funding Resolution, which will authorize committee budgets for 

the 112th Congress. 

Last week, we had two informative days of hearings listening to 

the chairs and ranking members share their views on the respective budget proposals. Adhering to House Resolution 22 passed earlier this year, I am happy to say that each committee has proposed 

a budget with at least a 5 percent reduction from the fiscal year 

2010 levels. If we include Judiciary, it is even lower than that. 


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We are committed to leading by example and cutting government 

waste, rooting out inefficiencies, and conducting essential and effective oversight for vast administrative agencies. These budgets allow 

this House to fulfill that mission. 

We will also consider a Committee Resolution to Approve 

Franked Mail Allowances for Committees for the 112th Congress, 

a Committee Resolution to Approve Committee Views and Estimates for fiscal year 2012, and a Committee Resolution to Approve 

a Consulting Contract. 

I want to thank each of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle 

for their service to this committee, and thereby to the whole House, 

and for showing up so that we can have a quorum and complete 

our work. 

I would like to recognize my colleague and the committee’s ranking member, Mr. Brady, for the purpose of providing an opening 

statement, if he wishes. 

Mr. BRADY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I would like to join with Chairman Lungren in support of the 

committee funding resolution and urge my colleagues to do as well. 

As he indicated in hearings last week, allocating money is easy 

when you don’t have any. 

Our decisions were straightforward and aided by the fact that 

every committee came before us with the requisite 5 percent reduction as compared to the last Congress. Virtually every committee 

chair and ranking member pointed out the challenges they are facing retaining and compensating their staffs. Across the board and 

on a bipartisan basis, they represent our greatest asset and are 

largely the reason we are able to accomplish the work of the people. Now more than ever I think we should acknowledge their hard 

work, and I continually thank them and thank them for the cuts 

they had to make, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Mr. Brady. 

H. Res. 147, the Omnibus Committee Funding Resolution, authorizes our committee budgets for the 112th Congress. As was 

suggested, each committee has proposed 5 percent budget reductions from fiscal year 2010 levels. As each chair and ranking member testified, they are reallocating resources, reassessing staff 

needs, all the while maintaining their commitment to excellence in 

their committee work. Obviously, families across this country are 

doing the same, and we must as well. 

Additionally, we have received statements from ranking members and chairmen that they had worked out their allocation 

amongst themselves with the budget considering the traditional 

one-third/two-thirds split. 

So this resolution is a simple, straightforward, sensible measure 

empowering our committees to do their work within the budgets so 

established. I urge adoption of H. Res. 147. 

If Mr. Brady has any further comments on this—he does not, so 

I will now call up and lay before the committee House Resolution 

147, the Omnibus Committee Expense Resolution of the 112th Congress. Without objection, the resolution will now be considered as 

read and open to amendment at any point. 

[The information follows:] 


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The CHAIRMAN. Does any member wish to be heard on the resolution? 

Does any member wish to offer an amendment to the resolution? 

Hearing none, I will now move the committee’s report H. Res. 

147 favorably to the House. The question is on the motion. All 

those in favor, signify by saying aye. Any opposed? 

The ayes have it, and the motion is agreed to. The resolution will 

be reported to the House. 

Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. 

Does any member wish to file supplemental minority or additional views for inclusion in the committee report? 

Mr. BRADY. Mr. Chairman, I announce that the minority requests 2 additional days provided by Clause 2(L) of Rule XI of the 

Rules of the House to file additional views. 

The CHAIRMAN. Without objection. Pursuant to clause 2 of Rule 

VI, the member is entitled to two additional calendar days to file 

such views in writing and signed by any member with the clerk of 

the committee. 

I ask unanimous consent that the committee staff be authorized 

to make any necessary technical or conforming changes to the 

measure the committee just considered. Without objection, it is so 

ordered. 

Now consistent with past bipartisan practice, the official mail 

amounts for standing and select committees of the House are set 

by resolution from the Committee on House Administration. We 

have limited or capped each committee’s allocation to $5,000 per 

session of Congress. To meet this obligation, the committee shall 

now consider the resolution to grant the official mail allowances for 

the committees for the first and second sessions of the 112th Congress. 

Our committees perform vital roles in the House, and their 

franked mail allowance give them some flexibility to communicate 

the job that they are doing. I would urge adoption of the committee 

resolution, and I recognize Ranking Member Brady for any statement he may have. 

Mr. BRADY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

The committee resolution fixing the amount available for franking by House committees continues the practice of limiting mass 

mailings by committees proposed by our late colleague, Juanita 

Millender McDonald, in the 109th Congress. This committee has 

adopted similar versions of the franking resolution in the past with 

bipartisan support. The resolution will limit each committee to 

$5,000 per session. I am pleased to see this practice continued in 

the 112th Congress, and I urge an aye vote. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much for your comments. 

I now call up the Committee Resolution to Approve Franked Mail 

Allowances for Committees for the 112th Congress. The resolution 

limits the franked mailed allowances to committees for this Congress. 

Without objection, the resolution will be considered as read and 

open to amendment at any point. 

[The information follows:] 


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The CHAIRMAN. Does any member wish to be heard on the resolution? 

Does any member wish to offer an amendment to the resolution? 

If not, the question is on agreeing to the committee resolution. 

All those in favor, signify by saying aye. Opposed, no. 

In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. The resolution is 

agreed to. 

Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. 

I ask unanimous consent that the committee staff be authorized to 

make any necessary technical or conforming changes to the measure the committee just considered. Without objection, it is so ordered. 

Pursuant to the committee’s responsibilities under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and House Rule X, the committee must 

submit views and estimates on certain matters within the jurisdiction of the Committee on the Budget. Traditionally, committees 

have used their views and estimates to comment on the President’s 

budget submission. This committee resolution states the committee’s views and estimates on two nonlegislative agencies we oversee: the FEC, the Federal Election Commission, and the Election 

Assistance Commission. 

The FEC is an independent, bipartisan commission which facilitates transparency in the Federal election process through public 

disclosure of campaign finance data. It also encourages compliance 

with the Federal Election Campaign Act as well as interpreting 

and administering the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, the 

Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act. The FEC 

also enforces these acts through audits, investigations, and civil 

litigation. 

The fiscal year 2012 Presidential Budget Request for the FEC is 

the same as the 2010 fiscal year request. The FEC’s budget reflects 

the resources necessary to carry out its mission in the upcoming 

fiscal year. I will say this committee will conduct vigorous oversight to identify possible future savings. 

This committee resolution also addresses the Election Assistance 

Commission created to assist with implementation of the Help 

America Vote Act of 2002. 

The Presidential Budget Request for fiscal year 2012 leaves the 

EAC with a net operating budget of $10,465,665. This is a reduction from its allocation in fiscal year 2010 and the fiscal year 2011 

continuing resolutions. 

Our Subcommittee on Elections will conduct an oversight hearing 

on the EAC later this month to consider its operations to date and 

its budget request. I would urge adoption of this committee resolution. 

I would now recognize Ranking Member Brady for any statement. 

Mr. BRADY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I generally support the proposed views and estimates but disagree with specific sections related to the Election Assistance Commission. My Democratic colleagues and I will submit additional 

views that address our concerns. 

We also look forward to further discussing the EAC in next 

week’s hearing, and I will vote aye on this resolution. 


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The CHAIRMAN. I thank the gentleman. 

I would now call up Committee Resolution to Approve Committee 

Views and Estimates for Fiscal Year 2012. The resolution contains 

the committee’s views and estimates of the activities of the Federal 

Election Commission and the Election Assistance Commission. 

Without objection, the resolution will be considered as read and 

open to amendment at any point. 

[The information follows:] 


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The CHAIRMAN. Does any member wish to be heard on the resolution? 

Does any member wish to offer an amendment to the resolution? 

If not, the question is on agreeing to the committee resolution. 

All those in favor, signify by saying aye. Opposed, no. 

In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, and the resolution 

is agreed to. 

Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. 

I ask unanimous consent that the committee staff be authorized to 

make any necessary technical or conforming changes to the measure of the committee just considered. And without objection, it is 

ordered. 

This committee resolution approves the committee consulting 

contract with Baker and Hostettler for the first session of the 

112th Congress. Contracts such as this help us as a committee to 

perform our election oversight duties. I would urge adoption of the 

resolution. 

I would now recognize Ranking Member Brady for any statement. 

Mr. BRADY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I support this committee resolution and wish to inform you that 

the Democratic members may retain their own outside counsel in 

the future and hope that the committee will support a contract for 

that at the appropriate time. And I urge an aye vote. 

The CHAIRMAN. I appreciate the gentleman’s comments, and they 

reflect our understanding. 

I would now call up the Committee Resolution to Approve a Committee Consulting Contract. The resolution approves a contract 

with consultants to advise this committee with respect to matters 

within its jurisdiction. Without objection, the resolution will be considered as read and open to amendment at any point. 

[The information follows:] 


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The CHAIRMAN. Does any member wish to be heard on the resolution? 

Does any member wish to offer an amendment to the resolution? 

If not, the question is on agreeing to the committee resolution. 

All those in favor, signify by saying aye. Opposed, no. 

In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. The ayes have it, 

and the resolution is agreed to. 

Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. 

I ask unanimous consent that the committee staff be authorized to 

make any necessary or technical or conforming changes to the 

measure the committee just considered. Without objection, it is so 

ordered. 

Just for the public record, all members had an opportunity to review the resolutions before us, including the consultant contract, 

before we entered this chamber; and we had reached agreement at 

that point. 

And if there is no further business, this committee stands adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 1:13 p.m., the committee was adjourned.] 


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