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               OFFICE OF COMPLIANCELA 200, John Adams Building, 110 Second               Street, S. E.              Washington, D. C. 20540-1999 
__________________________INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD  OF TEAMSTERS LOCAL UNION  NOS. 246 AND 639, AFL-CIO            Petitioner,                                                    Case No. 03-LM(AC)-01            and                                  Date: July 11, 2003OFFICE OF THE SENATE  SERGEANT AT ARMS,            Employing Office__________________________
DECISION AND ORDER

I. INTRODUCTION

The Petitioner labor organization seeks to amend               the December 19, 2002 certification for the Employing Office's Capitol               Facilities Branch to substitute Teamsters Local 639 for Teamsters               Local 246 as the certified exclusive bargaining representative.               The Petitioner asserts that Local 246 merged with Local 639.

The Employing Office filed "Objections to               Petition for Amendment to Certification of Representative,"               and contends that (1) procedurally the Office's Executive Director,               or his designee, lack authority to investigate the petition; and               (2) substantively the petition should be denied.

We have determined, for the reasons stated below,               that the Employer's procedural argument lacks merit. We, therefore,               direct the Executive Director, or his designee, to investigate the               issues arising from the petition. Absent a consensual resolution               or petition withdrawal, the Board will decide the merits issue following               the completion of the aforementioned investigation.

II. PARTIES' POSITIONS

The Employing Office interprets Section 220(c)               of the Congressional Accountability Act ("CAA"), 2 U.S.C.               §1351(c), to authorize only the Board, or the Office's General               Counsel, by Board direction, to investigate representation-related               petitions encompassed by 5 U.S.C. §7511. The Employing Office               submits that Section 220(c), in requiring               that any petition or submission be submitted to the Board, but permitting               the Board to direct that the General Counsel carry out the Board's               investigative authorities under that paragraph, "limited the               Board's authority to delegate its investigative responsibilities,               and the Board may delegate those responsibilities only to the General               Counsel." Accordingly, the Employing Office argues that the               Office's promulgated regulation (§2422.30: 142 Cong. Rec. S11642-01[Senate               Approval, September 28, 1996]; 142 Cong. Rec. H9898-02 [House Approval,               August 2, 1996] assigning this representation investigation function               to the Executive Director, conflicts with the CAA and therefore               is "unenforceable and cannot stand."1

The petitioner expressed no position on this               procedural issue and confined its response to the merits of its               amendment to certification petition.

III. DISCUSSION

Section 220(c)(1) imbues the Board with the authority               of the Federal Labor Relations Authority under 5 U.S.C. §7511,               inter alia, to investigate representation               petitions; while Section 220(c) of the CAA provides               that the Board "may" direct the General Counsel to carry               out the Board's investigative function under the paragraph.               In contrast, section 220(c)(1) mandates that the Board "shall               refer any matter under this paragraph to a hearing officer for decision               . . ." pursuant to section 504 ((b)-(h)).2 The use               of the permissive form regarding investigatory delegation to the               General Counsel and the mandatory form concerning hearing officers               intimates the Congressional intent to permit alternative investigatory               loci.

The Office's Labor-Management Regulations are               substantive regulations, adopted under the published rulemaking               and comments process, pursuant to CAA Section 304 (2 U.S.C. §               1384). These regulations which, inter alia,               authorize the Board to assign representation petition investigations               to the Executive Director, were promulgated on October 1, 1996 (142               Cong Rec S 12062), as a result of House approval (H. Res. 504, H.Con.               Res. 207) and Senate approval (H. Con. Res. 207, S. Res. 304). Therefore,               since the inception of this Labor-Management program, Congress approved               the Board's assignment to the Executive Director, or his/her designee,               the representation petition investigatory tasks; while the Board               maintained the ultimate decision- making function. The Executive               Director serves as the Office's Chief Operating Officer and carries               out the responsibilities of the Office under the CAA, except as               otherwise specified in the Act. Section 302(a)(4), CAA. The Executive               Director has processed and investigated all representation petitions               throughout the seven year history of this program.

It is well established that agency regulations               promulgated pursuant to delegated legislative authority have the               force and effect of law. See Pierce Administrative               Law Treatise (4th Ed.), Section 6.2 Agency Power to Issue               Rules; U.S. v. Storer Broadcasting Co.,               351 U.S. 192 (1956); National Broadcasting               Co. v. U.S., 319 U.S. 190 (1943). Such regulations are given               controlling weight unless they are arbitrary, capricious or manifestly               contrary to the statute. Chevron U.S.A.               v. National Resources Defense Council et al., 367 U.S. 837,               843-844 (1984). Reviewing courts tend to grant deference to agency               regulations, such as those under challenge herein, issued following               a notice and comment rulemaking process. Kay               Coles James v. Elisabeth von Zemenszky, and Merit Systems Protection               Board, 301 F.3d 1364, at 1365 (Fed. Cir. 2002). If the intent               of Congress is clear, that is the end of the matter, for the agency's               implementing regulations and the reviewing court must give effect               to the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress. If Congressional               intent is not clear, courts ordinarily will defer to an agency's               construction of a statute it is charged with enforcing if it is               reasonable and not in conflict with the expressed intent of Congress.               U.S.A. v. Louise Mango, 199 F.3d               85 (2nd Cir. 1999), citing United States               v. Riverside Bayview Homes, Inc., 474 U.S 121, 131(1985);               National Labor Relations Board v. Oklahoma,               No. 01-9516 (10th Cir. June 18, 2003).

As noted by United States District Court Judge               Riccardo M. Urbina, and discussed, supra,               CAA Section 220(c)(1) is not unambiguous and it has some inherent               ambiguities. U.S. Capitol Police Board               v. Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance, et al.,               Civil Action: 96-cv-2256 RUM (D.D.C., November 15, 1996). While               we respectfully disagree that any ambiguity exists regarding the               Board's authority to delegate representation case investigative               functions to the Executive Director, the Board validly acted to               resolve any such ambiguity through its subject substantive regulations.               The Congressional approval of those regulations effectively clarified               and resolved any extant ambiguity.

The Board's explicit discretionary statutory               authority to direct the General Counsel to investigate representation               petitions is not at odds with the Office's substantive Labor-Management               Regulations, promulgated pursuant to CAA Section 220(d), which assigned               that function to the Office's Executive Director. CCA Section 220(c)               is reasonably read as a permissive authorization to the Board subject               to an alternative arrangement pursuant to the Board's substantive               rulemaking authority under Section 304 of the CCA. See U.S.               v. Storer Broadcasting Co., 351 U.S. 192, 195 (1956); National               Petroleum Refiners Assoc. v. FTC, 482 F.2d 672, 689 (D.C.               Cir. 1973). Moreover, the Courts have been sensitive to the real               world need of federal agency heads and administrative tribunals               to redelegate their operational, but not ultimate decisional authority,               to lower level officials within their organizations. See,               e.g., NLRB v. Duval Jewelry Company of Miami, 357 U.S. 1               (1958); Fleming v. Mohawk Wrecking &               Lumber Co., et al. 331 U.S. 111 (1947); U.S.A.               v. Louise Mango, supra; NLRB v.               John S. Barnes Corp., 178 F. 2nd 156 (7th Cir. 1949).

The Employing Office relies upon Halverson               v. Slater, 129 F.3d 180 (D.C. Cir. 1997), where the Court               of Appeals held that a controlling statute authorizing the Secretary               of Transportation to delegate certain powers to Coast Guard officials               prohibited him from delegating those powers to non-Coast Guard officials.               That case is distinguishable from that sub               judice because it involved a delegation to a completely distinct               organization from that of the Coast Guard. Moreover, subsequently               the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia articulated that               the controlling maxim - expressio unius               est exclusio alterius ("the mention of one thing implies               the exclusion of another") - is often misused.:

[S]ometimes Congress drafts statutory provisions                 that appear preclusive of other unmentioned possibilities just                 as it sometimes drafts provisions that appear duplicative others                 simply, in Macbeth's words, "to make assurance double sure."                 That is Congress means to clarify what might be doubtful that                 the mentioned item is covered without meaning to exclude the unmentioned                 ones. [citation omitted]. The maxim's force                 in particular situations depends entirely on context, whether                 or not the draftsmen's mention of one thing, like a grant of authority,                 does really necessarily, or at least reasonably, imply the preclusion                 of alternatives. That will turn on whether, looking at the structure                 of the statute and perhaps its legislative history, one can be                 confident that a normal draftsman when he expressed "the                 one thing" would have likely considered the alternatives                 that are arguably precluded. For that reason, we think the maxim                 should be used as a starting point in statutory construction not                 as a close-out bid.Karen Shook, et al. v. District of Columbia                 Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority,                 132 F.3d 775, 782 (D.C. Cir. 1998).[emphasis supplied].

The Court of Appeals' Shook               decision, with particular resonance herein,distinguished between               an agency delegation of power to an "outsider," in contrast               to its executive director and small professional staff under the               agency's control and supervision. 132 F.3d 775, 784. The Office               of Compliance Executive Director is an arm of the Board. See, CAA               Section 302(a), 2 U.S.C. §1382(a). Morever, the Board, in this               regard, has delegated only ministerial investigatory functions to               the Executive Director. Significantly, we find that the doctrine               of expressio unius est exclusio alterius               is not applicable to this situation because CAA Section 220(c)(1)               did not express a mandatory delegation authority; it simply provided               that the Board "may" delegate the investigative authority               to the General Counsel.

While the Chair, with Board approval, appoints               the General Counsel, the Board only may remove the General Counsel               for specified cause and through the Speaker of the House of Representatives               and the President pro tempore of               the Senate. Section 302(c), CAA. Unlike the Executive Director,               whose role is to serve the Board and operate the Office, the General               Counsel maintains an independent role in prosecuting cases before               the Board pursuant to Sections 210, 215 and 220 of the CAA. The               General Counsel is also authorized to petition for judicial review               from Board decisions that are not in his/her favor. Section 407(1)(C)&(D),               CAA.

In enacting the CAA Congress clearly did not               intend to preclude the Board from assigning the investigation of               representation petitions to its Executive Director or his/her designee.               The Executive Director and his/her two statutory deputies are appointed               and may be removed by the Chair, subject to Board approval. Sections               302(a) & (b), CAA. The Executive Director serves as the Office's               Chief Operating Officer, and carries out of the responsibilities               of the Office under the CAA except as otherwise specified in the               Act. Section 302(a)(4). The Executive Director and his/her staff               are a direct adjunct to the Board and report to the five- person               Board, which serves on a per diem               basis.3

The Executive Director's functions are integral               and fully answerable to the Board. In this respect, with the Board's               authorization, the Executive Director provides the Board with supportive               services that a per diem Board realistically could never be expected               personally to perform; e.g., the labor-intensive tasks of processing               and investigating representation case petitions, conducting elections,               etc.. It is a common practice for administrative tribunals to assign               such ministerial functions to its lower level officials.

In Section 220(c) Congress specifically permitted               the Board to assign its investigatory function to the General Counsel,               even though the Board and the General Counsel stand at arms length               when the General Counsel exercises his/her prosecutorial authority.               This additional option for investigatory assistance in no way imports               that Congress wished to deprive the Board of the services of its               Executive Director in performing that fact gathering function.

The Employing Office brief also does not reflect               that in November 1996, in U.S. Capitol               Police Board v. Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance,               et al., Civil Action.: 96-cv-2556 RMU (D.D.C., November 15,               1996), the U.S. Capitol Police Board unsuccessfully sought a district               court temporary restraining order to prevent the Executive Director               from conducting a representation petition investigatory hearing.4               The employing office argued there, as in this case, that the Executive               Director was acting ultra vires               because the Board lacked authority to assign the investigative function               to its Executive Director.

The district court concluded that it lacked subject               matter jurisdiction over the case. In ruling, U.S. District Court               Judge Ricardo M. Urbina stated: "I note that Section 220(c)(1)               of the CAA is not clear, and it is not unambiguous, as suggested               by the plaintiff. To the contrary, I find looking at it and its               context and based on what's been provided here and what counsel               have said about it, it has some inherent ambiguities." [Transcript               of TRO Telephone Hearing Before the Honorable Ricardo M. Urbina,               November 12, 1996, Tr. 38]. Therefore, the Court rejected the Police               Board's identical argument that section 220(c)(1) lodges no discretion               with the Board to assign representation case investigations to the               Executive Director. Based upon the foregoing, we conclude that the               Employing Office's procedural objection lacks merit.

IV. ORDER

The Employing Office's procedural objection is               overruled. The Executive Director, or his designee, is directed               to investigate this amendment to certification petition.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

 Issued, at Washington, D.C.: July 11, 2003

CERTIFICATE               OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on this 11th day of July               2003, I delivered a copy of this Decision and Order of the Board               of Directors to the following parties by the below identified means:

First-Class Mail Postage-Prepaid              & Facsimile Mail

Jean M. Manning, Brenda J. Pence, Robert L. Rogers,               Esqs.              Office of Senate Chief Counsel for Employment              Senate Hart Building, Room 103              Washington, D.C. 20510-7130              Facsimile: (202) 228-2557

E. Lindsey Maxwell II, Esq.              Beins, Axelrod, Kraft, Gleason & Gibson, P.C.              1717 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 704              Washington, D.C. 20036              Facsimile: (202)328-7030

First-Class Mail Postage-Prepaid

Mr. Terrence Edwards              Teamsters 639 Center              Washington, D.C. 20018

              ___________________              Kisha L. Harley              Office of Compliance

1 In               late calendar 2002 the Executive Director investigated a representation               petition that resulted in a consent election and the certification               of bargaining representative in this very bargaining unit. (Case               No. 02-LM-01). However, the Employing Office's counsel did not challenge               the authority of the Executive Director to investigate representation               petitions until the filing of the instant collateral petition.

2 In adopting the Labor-Management               Regulations the Board explicitly rejected that suggestion of some               commenters to its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that matters for               mandatory assignment to hearing officers included representation               petitions. 142 Cong. Rec. H-7454 (July11, 1996).

3 The present Board of Directors is               composed of five private sector attorneys, experienced in employment               law (located across the United States), as contemplated by Section               301 of the CAA.

4 The U.S. Capitol Police Board               was also represented by the Office of the Senate Chief Counsel for               Employment. 

 

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