80–298 

113TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 1st Session 113–41 

AUTHORIZING EXPENDITURES BY COMMITTEES OF THE 

SENATE 

JUNE 13, 2013.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. SCHUMER, from the Committee on Rules and Administration, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. Res. 64] 

The Committee on Rules and Administration, having considered 

an original resolution (S. Res. 64) authorizing expenditures by committees of the Senate for the period of March 1, 2013, through September 30, 2013, reports it favorably without amendment and recommends that the resolution pass. 

CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT

Since the 101st Congress, the Rules Committee has favorably reported out and the Senate has agreed to an omnibus biennial committee funding authorization for the standing, special, and select 

committees of the Senate. This procedure has consistently received 

strong support from committee chairmen and ranking members. 

At the beginning of the 113th Congress, the Rules Committee determined that it would report out an omnibus Committee funding 

resolution for only the 7-month period from March 1, 2013, through 

September 30 2013, because of the high level of uncertainty regarding appropriations available to committees for the full 2-year period. Subsequent authorizing resolutions will be required for the 

12-month and 5-month periods. 

S. Res. 64 represents a reduction in committee funding authorizations of 12 percent below the level of S. Res. 81 in the 112th 

Congress. The Rules Committee notified committees that it would 

issue ‘‘expenditure guidance’’ as necessary to bring actual committee spending into closer alignment with available appropriations 

as necessary during the 113th Congress. 

During the 1990s, pursuant to Rule XXVII, most committees allocated their funding two-thirds for the majority and one-third for 

the minority. During the past decade, starting with the 107th Conmstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with HEARINGS

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gress, biennial negotiations over the allocation ratios for committee 

funding produced Leadership guidance, which the Rules Committee 

used to develop committee budget guidelines. The 109th Congress 

Leadership colloquy of January 6, 2005, set a minimum for the minority of 40 percent of personnel funds after allocations for nondesignated administrative and clerical staff. The minority leader 

stated in the colloquy that he hoped never in the future would it 

be any lower, no matter which party is in control of the Senate. 

In the 112th Congress, on February 3, 2011, the Leadership 

agreed on a new funding approach to be used in the 112th and 

stated their intention that it be used in future Congresses in place 

of biennial negotiations. That funding approach is based on the 

party division of the Senate but recognizes the majority’s need for 

resources commensurate with its responsibilities in administering 

the committee. The Leadership agreed that 10 percent of the total 

majority and minority baseline salary amount, after allocations for 

administrative expenses and non-designated staff, would be set 

aside for the majority. The remaining 90 percent would be divided 

according to the party division of the Senate. For the 113th Congress, the party division for funding purposes is 55 for the majority, 45 for the minority. 

Committee office space follows the same approach, with 10 percent of the total majority and minority (excluding non-designated 

staff) space set aside for the majority, and the remaining 90 percent divided according to the party division of the Senate. The 

Leadership colloquy further specified that regardless of the party 

division of the Senate, however, the minority share would never be 

less than 40 percent, and the majority would never exceed 60 percent including the 10 percent set aside for the majority. When Senate party ratios change, this approach provides greater stability 

than the earlier division of two-thirds for the majority and onethird for the minority. 

The chairman and ranking member of any committee may, by 

mutual agreement, modify the apportionment of committee funding 

and office space. 

The January 24, 2013, Joint Leadership colloquy and letter, submitted by the majority leader and the minority leader, are included 

below for informational purposes. 

COLLOQUY

MR. REID. Mr. President, two years ago my friend the Republican 

leader and I expressed our intention that the funding allocation 

adopted for the 112th Congress would serve for that and future 

Congresses. Over the prior 20 years, the apportionment of committee funding had gone from a straight two-thirds for majority 

and one-third for minority during the 1990s, regardless of the size 

of the majority and minority, to biennial negotiations during the 

past decade. The new funding allocation for Senate committees was 

based on the party division of the Senate, with 10 percent of the 

total majority and minority salary baseline going to the majority 

for administrative expenses. However, regardless of the party division of the Senate, the minority share of the majority and minority 

salary baseline will never be less than 40 percent, and the majority 

share will never exceed 60 percent. This approach met our needs 

for the last Congress, and I would like to see it continue. 

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MR. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I, too, would like to continue 

this approach for the 113th and future Congresses. It serves the interest of the Senate and the public by helping to retain core committee staff with institutional knowledge, regardless of which party 

is in the majority. We made a transition in the last Congress to restore special reserves to its historic purpose, but appropriations 

cuts prevented special reserves from being funded. To the extent 

possible, we should try to fund special reserves in order to be able 

to assist committees that face urgent, unanticipated, non-recurring 

needs. We know that we will continue to face tight budgets for the 

foreseeable future, and we have to bring funding authorizations 

more in line with our actual resources while ensuring that committees are able to fulfill their responsibilities. I look forward to continuing to work with my friend the majority leader to accomplish 

this. 

MR. REID. I thank my friend, the Republican leader, and ask 

unanimous consent that a joint leadership letter be printed in the 

Record. 

JOINT LEADERSHIP LETTER

We mutually commit to the following for the 113th Congress: 

The budgets of the committees of the Senate, including 

joint and special committees, and all other subgroups, 

shall be apportioned to reflect the ratio of the Senate as 

of this date, including an additional ten percent (10%) 

from the majority and minority salary baseline to be allocated to the chairman for administrative expenses, to be 

determined by the Rules Committee. 

Special Reserves has been restored to its historic purpose. Requests for funding will only be considered when 

submitted by a committee chairman and ranking member 

for unanticipated, non-recurring needs. Such requests shall 

be granted only upon the approval of the chairman and 

ranking member of the Rules Committee. 

Funds for committee expenses shall be available to each 

chairman consistent with Senate rules and practices of the 

112th Congress. 

The chairman and ranking member of any committee 

may, by mutual agreement, modify the apportionment of 

committee funding and office space. 

The division of committee office space shall be commensurate with this funding agreement. 

BACKGROUND

Beginning in the 106th Congress, the biennial committee funding 

cycle was divided into three segments: the 7-month period from 

March 1 through September 30 of the first calendar year of the 

Congress; the 12-month period from October 1 of the first calendar 

year through September 30 of the second calendar year; and the 5- 

month period from October 1 of the second calendar year through 

the last day of February of the third calendar year. 

For the 113th Congress, S. Res. 64 authorizes committee funding 

for only the 7-month period from March 1, 2013 through September 

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30, 2013. Additional authorization will be needed for the 12-month 

and 5-month period. 

S. Res. 64, the omnibus committee funding resolution for the 

113th Congress, was reported in lieu of Senate Resolutions 38, 39, 

40, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, and 59, which 

were reported by the Senate committees in conformance with paragraph 9 of Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. An original 

resolution, S. Res. 43, authorizing expenditures by the Committee 

on Rules and Administration, is on the Senate calendar (Order No. 

17) and is obviated by passage of S. Res. 64, since funding for the 

Rules Committee’s expenditures in the 113th Congress is included 

in the omnibus funding resolution. 

The funding will be allocated according to the ratios in the Leadership colloquy. There are no amounts authorized for COLAs in the 

113th Congress for fiscal year 2013. Therefore, committees were 

advised not to include COLAs in their budgets. 

As stated in the Joint Leadership letter, the special reserves 

fund is being restored to its historic purpose. Requests for funding 

from special reserves will be considered only when submitted by a 

committee chairman and ranking member for unanticipated, nonrecurring needs and to the extent that appropriated funds are 

available for special reserves. The request must be approved by the 

chairman and ranking member of the Rules Committee. 

Similar to procedures used during the previous five Congresses, 

the Rules Committee offered committees the opportunity to streamline the authorization process. Committees whose budget requests 

were within guidelines specified by the Joint Leadership agreement 

and whose questionnaires were jointly signed by the chairman and 

ranking member were not required to testify on their funding resolution before the Rules Committee. All committees funded by S. 

Res. 64 submitted budgets and questionnaires that conformed to 

the guidelines. 

For the 113th Congress, the Rules Committee prepared an original funding resolution incorporating a budget amount at the guidelines level for every committee included in the resolution. The Senate passed S. Res. 64, on March 5, 2013, by unanimous consent and 

without amendment. 

TEXT OF S. RES. 64

Sec. 1. Aggregate Authorization. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of carrying out the powers, duties, and functions under the Standing Rules of the Senate, and 

under the appropriate authorizing resolutions of the Senate there 

is authorized for the period March 1, 2013, through September 30, 

2013, in the aggregate of $62,295,795, in accordance with the provisions of this resolution, for standing committees of the Senate, the 

Special Committee on Aging, the Select Committee on Intelligence, 

and the Committee on Indian Affairs. 

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Sec. 2. Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $2,400,634 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... ............................................................

Training ............................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 5,321 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 58,114

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 2,464,069 

Sec. 3. Committee on Armed Services 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $4,111,321 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 14,583 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 4,667 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 4,083 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 45,231

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 4,179,885 

Sec. 4. Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $3,697,764 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 10,267 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 616 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 1,232 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 77,806

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 3,787,685 

Sec. 5. Committee on the Budget 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $3,900,668 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 0 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 0 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 9,454 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 40,410

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 3,950,532 

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Sec. 6. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $3,992,079 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 0 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 0 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 10,500 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 77,482

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 4,080,061 

Sec. 7. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $3,385,366 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 0 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 0 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 8,033 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 59,984

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 3,453,383 

Sec. 8. Committee on Environment and Public Works 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $3,062,534 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 4,667 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 1,166 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 8,416 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 102,121 

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 3,178,904 

Sec. 9. Committee on Finance 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $4,567,382 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 17,500 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 5,833 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 10,480 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 92,556

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 4,693,751 

Sec. 10. Committee on Foreign Relations 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $3,774,721 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 0 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 0 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 9,380 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 82,094

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 3,866,195 

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Sec. 11. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $5,272,435 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 0 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 0 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 11,505 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 97,535

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 5,381,475 

Sec. 12. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 

Affairs 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $5,956,573 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 0 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 0 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 13,806 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 104,050 

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 6,074,429 

Sec. 13. Committee on the Judiciary 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $5,797,835 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 0 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 0 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 15,097 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 69,199

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 5,882,131 

Sec. 14. Committee on Rules and Administration 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $1,601,005 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 0 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 0 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 4,634 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 14,192

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 1,619,831 

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Sec. 15. Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $1,475,571 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 0 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 0 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 3,303 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 46,043

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 1,524,917 

Sec. 16. Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $1,195,694 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 30,000 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 10,000 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 3,888 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 170,388 

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 1,409,970 

Sec. 17. Special Committee on Aging 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $1,264,823 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 0 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 95,000 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 3,500 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 341,338 

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 1,704,661 

Sec. 18. Select Committee on Intelligence 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $3,671,736 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 10,000 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 0 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 7,317 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 50,167

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 3,739,220 

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Sec. 19. Committee on Indian Affairs 

FY 2013 

(7 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................. $1,230,006 

2013 COLA ........................................................................................................................ ............................................................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................... 0 

Training ............................................................................................................................ 0 

Official Mail ...................................................................................................................... 3,959 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................. 70,731

Budget Authority 113th Congress .................................................................................... 1,304,696 

OVERTIME

Committees have been advised that any overtime costs mandated 

by the Congressional Accountability Act must be absorbed within 

salary baselines funded in S. Res. 64. 

COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENTS

There are no amounts authorized for COLAs in the 113th Congress for fiscal year 2013. Therefore, committees were advised not 

to include COLAs in their budgets. It is the intent of the Rules 

Committee that amounts for COLAs shall only be available to the 

extent they are authorized by the order of the President pro tempore of the Senate pursuant to 2 U.S.C. section 60a-1, and provided 

sufficient funds are appropriated to pay for such expenses. 

CERTIFICATION OF COMMITTEE EXPENSES

Vouchers are not required for certain types of official expenses 

which instead are certified as owed to Senate support agencies providing such goods and services to Senate committees. Examples of 

certifiable expenses include, but are not limited to, telecommunications, stationery supplies, official mail, and expenses for Senate 

recording and photographic services. The certified expenses are 

submitted by the Senate support agencies to the Rules Committee 

for approval. 

Section 1 of the FY 1994 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill 

provided permanent language in statute addressing this issue (2 

U.S.C. 68–8). Therefore, the specific authorization for certifications 

is no longer required in committee biennial funding resolutions and 

the language in section 1 of S. Res. 54 (107th Congress) has been 

modified by deleting section 1(b)(2) with the heading, VOUCHERS 

NOT REQUIRED. 

PRINTING AND BINDING

Committee expenditures for printing and binding include the 

costs of preparation and publishing of documents in electronic and/ 

or print format by GPO personnel. Although printing and binding 

funds are not included in individual committee budgets, the Committee on Rules and Administration advises all committees to be 

judicious in the use of these funds. 

Printing and binding costs for committees authorized in S. Res. 

81 decreased from the end of the 111th Congress to the end of the 

112th Congress by $2,518,426.00. 

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The Committee reminds all Senate committees to adhere strictly 

to the provisions of Title 44 governing the printing and binding of 

documents. 

A committee may not procure more than 300 copies of a hearing 

or other relevant documents except as authorized by 44 U.S.C. 703. 

Section 703 provides that extra copies not exceeding $700 in cost 

may be obtained upon an order of the Joint Committee on Printing; 

extra copies at a cost of $700 to $1,200 must be authorized by simple resolution of the Senate; and a cost exceeding $1,200 requires 

approval of both houses of Congress by concurrent or joint resolution. Such resolutions requesting printing are referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. 

‘‘Extra copies’’ means additional numbers ordered at the time of 

original printing. Reprinting a document at a later time must be 

treated as a new publication. 

Charges incurred by committees authorized by S. Res. 64 for 

GPO employees detailed as printers increased 12% from the 111th 

to the 112th Congress. The cost of GPO employees detailed as 

printers to the Appropriations Committee was $360,264.00 in 2011 

and $366,263.00 in 2012. The Rules Committee encourages committees to reduce costs associated with GPO detailees while still receiving the services and support they need. Effective with the 

112th Congress, committees wishing to obtain or continue the services of a GPO detailee are required to obtain prior approval in writing from the Committee on Rules and Administration. No detailee 

shall be approved for more than one year. 

Every effort should be made to control costs by limiting the overtime of detailees. Committees that incur overtime charges on a recurring basis are advised to evaluate their printing operation and 

minimize a printer’s overtime except on a temporary basis when 

the extraordinary cost can be justified by the need for timely delivery of the committee’s legislative papers. 

COST OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE EMPLOYEES DETAILED AS

PRINTERS TO COMMITTEES AUTHORIZED BY S. RES. 64 

112TH CONGRESS 

2011 2012 

S. Aging ....................................................................................................................... $45,445.00 ..............................

S. Agriculture ............................................................................................................... 105,864.00 90,720.00 

S. Banking ................................................................................................................... 190,955.00 155,763.00 

S. Budget ..................................................................................................................... 90,526.00 64,368.00 

S. Commerce ................................................................................................................ 110,757.00 107,172.00 

S. Energy ...................................................................................................................... 186,132.00 192,024.00 

S. Environment ............................................................................................................ 185,220.00 169,398.00 

S. Finance .................................................................................................................... 201,808.00 178,146.00 

S. Foreign Relations .................................................................................................... 174,044.00 166,266.00 

S. Health, Educ., Labor ............................................................................................... 94,993.00 65,682.00 

S. Homeland Sec. and Gov’t Affairs ........................................................................... 106,548.00 92,286.00 

S. Indian Affairs .......................................................................................................... 95,388.00 88,128.00 

S. Judiciary .................................................................................................................. 83,406.00 92,826.00 

S. Veterans’ Affairs ..................................................................................................... 98,554.00 96,984.00 

Total ............................................................................................................... 1,769,640.00 1,559,763.00 

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EMPLOYEES DETAILED FROM OTHER AGENCIES

Sections 2 through 19 of the omnibus resolution include specific 

authorizing language on the use of detailed employees on either a 

reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis. This language, which has 

been included in biennial funding resolutions since 1989, continues 

the practice of permitting the detail or assignment of personnel 

from departments or agencies of the Federal government to the 

staff of a committee with or without reimbursement of that person’s salary. 

Pursuant to Standing Rule XXVII, paragraph 4, 

‘‘No committee shall appoint to its staff any experts or 

other personnel detailed or assigned from any department 

or agency of the Government, except with the written permission of the Committee on Rules and Administration.’’ 

The Committee on Rules and Administration may monitor expenditures associated with the use of detailed employees in order 

to evaluate overall committee spending. 

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SPECIAL RESERVES

For the 113th Congress, S. Res. 64 authorizes a special reserve 

fund within the appropriations account, ‘‘Expenses of Inquiries and 

Investigations.’’ Requests for funding will be considered only when 

submitted by a committee chairman and ranking member for unanticipated, non-recurring needs and to the extent that appropriated 

funds are available for special reserves. Such requests shall be 

granted only upon the approval of the chairman and ranking member of the Rules Committee. 

History of Special Reserves. When biennial funding cycles 

began in 1989, the Rules Committee authorized the use of unexpended funds from one authorization to the next. The Committee 

in 1991 informed all Senate committees in Senate Report 102–15, 

and during the debate on S. Res. 62 (102nd Congress), that committees could retain 50 percent of their funds unexpended as of 

February 28, 1993, to cover non-recurring needs that enhanced efficiency in the committee. When S. Res. 71, the omnibus committee 

funding resolution for the 103rd Congress, was considered by the 

Senate, it was amended to contain language that no committee of 

the Senate was permitted to carry forward unexpended balances 

beyond March 1, 1995. While S. Res. 54 (105th Congress) did not 

permit committees to carry forward funds, it did continue to provide a special reserve into which the unexpended balances of the 

committees were transferred, after obligations incurred during the 

prior funding period were paid. 

In order to preserve the flexibility of the Committee on Rules and 

Administration to meet the unforeseen needs of Senate committees, 

S. Res. 49 and S. Res. 189 in the 106th Congress continued the 

practice of making special reserve funding available for unanticipated, non-recurring needs of committees when necessary. 

In the colloquy of January 12, 2007, the Senate Leadership 

agreed for the 110th Congress that, under the circumstances of a 

continuing resolution for FY 07, to provide each ranking member, 

if requested, an allocation equal to 49 percent of the 10 percent administrative funds that were available to the committee chairman 

in the 109th Congress. A total of $4,794,387 was requested and authorized in the 110th Congress to fulfill the colloquy. This funding 

was added to the budget baselines of the respective committees for 

the 111th Congress. 

In the Joint Leadership letter of January 15, 2009, the Leadership agreed that for the 111th Congress, 89 percent of special reserves would be available to each chair/ranking member for administrative expenses, if requested, to be allocated at a 60 percent to 

40 percent ratio, majority/minority respectively. This allowed individual minority committee funding levels to remain unchanged, if 

special reserves were requested. Therefore, no committee budget 

was allocated to reduce the minority committee budget below that 

of FY 08. 

The special reserves fund for the 111th Congress was almost entirely dedicated to fulfilling the guidance of the Joint Leadership 

letter and colloquy of January 15, 2009. Therefore, contrary to circumstances in previous Congresses, the Rules Committee had little 

flexibility with regard to additional requests from the special reserves fund. The Rules Committee determined that an additional 

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5 percent of special reserves may have been required to satisfy the 

intent of the colloquy and authorized use of those funds. 

In the 111th Congress, S. Res. 73, which was agreed to on March 

10, 2009, provided special reserves to be available to meet unpaid 

obligations which a committee may incur above the amount authorized. 

In FY 09, for the period March 1, 2009, through September 30, 

2009, $4,375,000 was originally made available. However, under 

the Leadership colloquy of January 15, 2009, $4,132,668 or 94 percent of the special reserves for FY 09 was committed from these 

funds to supplement the original authorization provided to each 

committee by each section of S. Res. 73 and therefore leaving only 

$242,332 in available funds for any committee to request. 

On May 20, 2009, the Committee on the Judiciary wrote to the 

chair and ranking member of the Rules Committee and requested 

$600,000 to meet the unanticipated expenses it expected to incur 

following the announcement that Justice David Souter was resigning from the Supreme Court. This required the passage of S. Res. 

152, agreed to May 19, 2009, which amended section 20(a)(1) of S. 

Res. 73 and increased by $500,000 to $4,875,000 the amount of special reserves available in FY 09. On May 21, 2009, the chairman 

and ranking member of the Rules Committee approved the request 

from the Judiciary Committee. 

On April 23, 2010, the Committee on the Judiciary again wrote 

to the Rules Committee and requested $300,000 to meet the unanticipated expenses it expected to incur following the announcement 

that Justice John Paul Stevens was retiring from the Supreme 

Court. Sufficient funds were available for FY 10 and on April 29, 

2010, the chairman and ranking member of the Rules Committee 

approved the request from the Judiciary Committee. 

In the 112th Congress, no requests were granted for special reserves. 

LEGISLATIVE REPORT BY SENATE COMMITTEES

Rule XXVI, section 8b of the Standing Rules of the Senate requires that, in each odd-numbered year, each committee shall submit to the Senate, not later than March 31st, a report on the activities of that committee during the Congress ending at noon on January 3rd of such year. 

POLICY ON COMMITTEE WORK AND HOUSING FOR COMMITTEE STAFF

Pursuant to each committee’s authorizing resolution, funds are 

made available from the Contingent Fund of the Senate to assist 

a committee in carrying out its powers, duties, and functions under 

the Standing Rules of the Senate. These responsibilities include 

holding hearings, reporting such hearings, and making investigations as authorized by paragraphs 1 and 8 of Rule XXVI of the 

Standing Rules of the Senate. Therefore, committee staff may not 

engage in work other than committee business. 

In addition, it remains the policy of the Rules Committee that all 

staff paid by committee funds will be housed in committee space. 

Space allocations will be strictly tied to authorized committee 

staff and detailed employees approved by the Committee on Rules 

and Administration. 

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21 

COMMITTEE OFFICE AUTOMATION RESOURCES

The Senate Sergeant at Arms (SAA) will fund office automation 

needs for committees on a per capita basis, which includes authorized staff and detailed employees identified in the committee budget submission. This fund is referred to as the Economic Allocation 

Fund (EAF). Upon submission and approval by the Committee on 

Rules and Administration of staffing levels, committees will be able 

to purchase items to meet their business requirements from the 

standard, approved products available from the SAA. Non-standard 

hardware or software requests will be at committee expense and 

must include costs for maintenance, service, and support. Any nonstandard purchases in excess of $500 must be approved in advance 

by the Rules Committee. 

A committee chairman shall ensure that each full-time employee 

and full-time, authorized detailed employee on the committee be 

provided with a workstation and have appropriate access to related 

office equipment. 

The funding levels provided will be sufficient to provide for regular replacement of hardware, as well as purchases of software updates. Any computers in excess of authorized levels must be returned to the SAA. 

A committee that requests funding above and beyond the per 

capita basis is required to submit a complete office automation plan 

based on its business requirements and the level of authorized staff 

and detailed employees identified in the committee budget submission. To assist the Rules Committee and the SAA in accurately projecting computer services funding (acquisition, installation, maintenance, and support), a committee must complete the Information 

Technology Resources Worksheet to accompany its budget submissions. Upon review of these documents, the Rules Committee will 

notify the committee of the approved funding level. 

In the use of these funds, the Rules Committee and SAA recommend all committee chairmen adopt energy-efficient office equipment, including virtual servers available through the SAA. These 

servers save space and reduce noise and heat in the office, support 

all critical continuity requirements of an office, and cost less than 

physical servers. 

COMMITTEE OFFICE AUTOMATION RESOURCES

ECONOMIC ALLOCATION FUND—113TH CONGRESS 

Committee Allocation 

Aging .................................................................................................................................................................... $80,000.00 

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry ...................................................................................................................... 112,000.00 

Appropriations ...................................................................................................................................................... 400,000.00 

Armed Services ..................................................................................................................................................... 198,400.00 

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs .................................................................................................................. 208,000.00 

Budget .................................................................................................................................................................. 214,400.00 

Commerce, Science, and Transportation ............................................................................................................. 268,800.00 

Energy and Natural Resources ............................................................................................................................. 185,600.00 

Environment and Public Works ............................................................................................................................ 198,400.00 

Ethics .................................................................................................................................................................... 41,600.00 

Finance ................................................................................................................................................................. 368,000.00 

Foreign Relations .................................................................................................................................................. 249,600.00 

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions .............................................................................................................. 358,400.00 

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs ..................................................................................................... 406,400.00 

Indian Affairs ....................................................................................................................................................... 80,000.00 

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22 

ECONOMIC ALLOCATION FUND—113TH CONGRESS—Continued 

Committee Allocation 

Intelligence ........................................................................................................................................................... 140,800.00 

Joint Economic ...................................................................................................................................................... 153,600.00 

Judiciary ................................................................................................................................................................ 441,600.00 

Rules and Administration .................................................................................................................................... 89,600.00 

Small Business ..................................................................................................................................................... 121,600.00 

Veterans’ Affairs ................................................................................................................................................... 105,600.00 

Total ........................................................................................................................................................ 4,422,400.00 

CONSULTANTS

S. Res. 64 specifies the funding available for committees to hire 

consultants, as otherwise authorized by statute. 

COMMITTEE LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANCE

It is the position of the Committee on Rules and Administration 

that funds are already incorporated into Members’ personal office 

accounts for the purpose of providing legislative assistance with 

committee duties. 

The legislative assistance allowance was established in the 94th 

Congress by passage of S. Res. 60, agreed to on June 12, 1975. It 

authorized each Senator serving on a committee to hire staff to assist with committee work. This new authorization was preserved 

and continued in S. Res. 4 in the 95th Congress, when the Senate 

reorganized the committee system by passing amendments to the 

Standing Rules of the Senate regarding the jurisdiction and size of 

committees. 

Later in the 95th Congress, the legislative assistance allowance 

was made permanent and codified into law by section 111 of P.L. 

95–94. This provision, as amended by P.L. 100–137 and P.L. 102– 

392, currently provides funding for three positions in each Senator’s office at an annual rate of $171,315 each for a total of 

$513,945 per office, or $51,394,500 for all 100 Senators in FY 13. 

These funds may be adjusted each fiscal year by the authorized 

cost of living adjustment for Senate offices by the order of the 

President pro tempore. 

ARCHIVING

Under Senate Rule XXVI(10)(a) and 2 U.S.C. 72(a)(d), committee 

records are the property of the Senate. At the end of each Congress, non-current committee records are transferred to the Archives in accordance with Senate Rule XI(1) and 44 U.S.C. 2118. 

To ensure the preservation of the Senate’s permanently valuable 

records, the Rules Committee requests that each committee submit 

to the Rules Committee their National Archives Records Transfer 

Report. It is recommended that committees consult with the Senate 

Archivist on the proper preparation of electronic and paper records 

for permanent archive storage. 

Æ 

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