" HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 113TH CONGRESS

1st Session 

COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

R E P O R T

OF

OVERSIGHT PLANS

ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS

PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 2(d)(1) of Rule X

APPROVED JANUARY 23, 2013
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

113th Congress

HAROLD ROGERS, Kentucky, Chairman

C. W. BILL YOUNG, Florida 1

FRANK R. WOLF, Virginia 

JACK KINGSTON, Georgia 

RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN, New Jersey 

TOM LATHAM, Iowa 

ROBERT B. ADERHOLT, Alabama 

JO ANN EMERSON, Missouri 

KAY GRANGER, Texas 

MICHAEL K. SIMPSON, Idaho 

JOHN ABNEY CULBERSON, Texas 

ANDER CRENSHAW, Florida 

JOHN R. CARTER, Texas 

RODNEY ALEXANDER, Louisiana 

KEN CALVERT, California 

JO BONNER, Alabama 

TOM COLE, Oklahoma 

MARIO DIAZ-BALART, Florida 

CHARLES W. DENT, Pennsylvania 

TOM GRAVES, Georgia 

KEVIN YODER, Kansas 

STEVE WOMACK, Arkansas 

ALAN NUNNELEE, Mississippi 

JEFF FORTENBERRY, Nebraska 

THOMAS J. ROONEY, Florida 

CHARLES J. FLEISCHMANN, Tennessee 

JAMIE HERRERA BEUTLER, Washington 

DAVID P. JOYCE, Ohio 

DAVID G. VALADAO, California 

—————

1 Chairman Emeritus 

NITA M. LOWEY, New York 

MARCY KAPTUR, Ohio 

PETER J. VISCLOSKY, Indiana 

JOSE ́ E. SERRANO, New York 

ROSA L. DELAURO, Connecticut 

JAMES P. MORAN, Virginia 

ED PASTOR, Arizona 

DAVID E. PRICE, North Carolina 

LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD, California 

SAM FARR, California 

CHAKA FATTAH, Pennsylvania 

SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR., Georgia 

BARBARA LEE, California 

ADAM B. SCHIFF, California 

MICHAEL M. HONDA, California 

BETTY MCCOLLUM, Minnesota 

TIM RYAN, Ohio 

DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Florida 

HENRY CUELLAR, Texas 

CHELLIE PINGREE, Maine 

MIKE QUIGLEY, Illinois 

WILLIAM L. OWENS, New York

WILLIAM B. INGLEE, Clerk and Staff Director 

(II)
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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 

JANUARY 23, 2013

Hon. Darrell E. Issa, 

Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 

House of Representatives, 

Washington, DC.

Hon. Candice S. Miller, 

Chairman, Committee on House Administration, 

House of Representatives, 

Washington, DC.

DEAR CHAIRMAN ISSA and CHAIRMAN MILLER: On behalf of the 

Committee on Appropriations, I hereby transmit the Committee’s 

plan for Oversight activities for the 113th Congress. This year, the 

Committee intends to conduct increased oversight of Federal programs, policies and activities, especially with regard to unnecessary 

spending and duplication in Government programs. In addition, the 

Committee will carefully study the Administration’s budget requests and fiscal and programmatic execution in light of budget 

constraints, changing demographics, shifting needs, and the priorities of the American people. 

The Committee looks forward to working with all Members of the 

House of Representatives in order to fulfill our responsibilities 

under the Rules. 

With best regards, 

Sincerely, 

HAROLD ROGERS, Chairman

(III) 

113TH CONGRESS " HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 

REPORT OF OVERSIGHT PLANS OF THE HOUSE 

COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 

APPROVED JANUARY 23, 2013

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky, from the Committee on Appropriations, 

submitted to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on House Administration the following 

R E P O R T

OVERSIGHT PLANS OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON 

APPROPRIATIONS 

Clause 2(d)(1) of Rule X of the Rules of the House requires each 

standing committee of the House to adopt oversight plans at the 

beginning of each Congress. Specifically, the Rule states in part: 

‘‘Rule X, clause (2)(d)(1). Not later than February 15 of the 

first session of a Congress, each standing committee shall, in 

a meeting that is open to the public and with a quorum 

present, adopt its oversight plan for that Congress. Such plan 

shall be submitted simultaneously to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and to the Committee on House 

Administration.’’

JURISDICTION OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 

Rule X of the Rules of the House vests in the Committee on Appropriations broad responsibility over the Federal budget. Specifically the Rule defines the Committee’s jurisdiction, as follows: 

‘‘Rule X clause 1(b). Committee on Appropriations. 

(1) Appropriation of the revenue for the support of the Government. 

(2) Rescissions of appropriations contained in appropriations 

Acts.

(1)
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(3) Transfers of unexpended balances. 

(4) Bills and joint resolutions reported by other committees 

that provide new entitlement authority as defined in section 

3(9) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and referred to 

the committee under clause 4(a)(2).’’

GENERAL OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES

‘‘2. (a) The various standing committees shall have general oversight responsibilities as provided in paragraph (b) in order to assist 

the House in—

(1) its analysis, appraisal, and evaluation of (A) the application, administration, execution, and effectiveness of Federal 

laws; and (B) conditions and circumstances that may indicate 

the necessity or desirability of enacting new or additional legislation; and 

(2) its formulation, consideration, and enactment of such 

changes in Federal laws, and of such additional legislation, as 

may be necessary or appropriate. 

(b)(1) In order to determine whether laws and programs addressing subjects within the jurisdiction of a committee are being implemented and carried out in accordance with the intent of Congress 

and whether they should be continued, curtailed, or eliminated, 

each standing committee (other than the Committee on Appropriations) shall review and study on a continuing basis—

(A) the application, administration, execution, and effectiveness of laws and programs addressing subjects within its jurisdiction; 

(B) the organization and operation of Federal agencies and 

entities having responsibilities for the administration and execution of laws and programs addressing subjects within its jurisdiction; 

(C) any conditions or circumstances that may indicate the 

necessity or desirability of enacting new or additional legislation addressing subjects within its jurisdiction (whether or not 

a bill or resolution has been introduced with respect thereto); 

and 

(D) future research and forecasting on subjects within its jurisdiction.’’

SPECIAL OVERSIGHT FUNCTIONS

‘‘3. (a) The Committee on Appropriations shall conduct such studies and examinations of the organization and operation of executive 

departments and other executive agencies (including any agency 

the majority of the stock of which is owned by the United States) 

as it considers necessary to assist it in the determination of matters within its jurisdiction.’’

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS OF COMMITTEES

‘‘4. (a)(1)(A) The Committee on Appropriations shall, within 30 

days after the transmittal of the budget to Congress each year, 

hold hearings on the budget as a whole with particular reference 

to—
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(i) the basic recommendations and budgetary policies of the 

President in the presentation of the budget; and 

(ii) the fiscal, financial, and economic assumptions used as 

bases in arriving at total estimated expenditures and receipts. 

(B) In holding hearings under subdivision (A), the Committee 

shall receive testimony from the Secretary of the Treasury, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Chairman of 

the Council of Economic Advisers, and such other persons as the 

Committee may desire. 

(C) A hearing under subdivision (A), or any part thereof, shall be 

held in open session, except when the committee, in open session 

and with a quorum present, determines by record vote that the testimony to be taken at that hearing on that day may be related to 

a matter of national security. The committee may by the same procedure close one subsequent day of hearing. A transcript of all such 

hearings shall be printed and a copy thereof furnished to each 

Member, Delegate, and the Resident Commissioner. 

(D) A hearing under subdivision (A), or any part thereof, may be 

held before a joint meeting of the Committee and the Committee 

on Appropriations of the Senate in accordance with such procedures as the two committees jointly may determine. 

(2) Pursuant to section 401(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act 

of 1974, when a committee reports a bill or joint resolution that 

provides new entitlement authority as defined in section 3(9) of 

that Act, and enactment of the bill or joint resolution, as reported, 

would cause a breach of the committee’s pertinent allocation of new 

budget authority under section 302(a) of that Act, the bill or joint 

resolution may be referred to the Committee on Appropriations 

with instruction to report it with recommendations (which may include an amendment limiting the total amount of new entitlement 

authority provided in the bill or joint resolution). If the Committee 

on Appropriations fails to report a bill or joint resolution so referred within 15 calendar days (not counting any day on which the 

House is not in session), the committee automatically shall be discharged from consideration of the bill or joint resolution, and the 

bill or joint resolution shall be placed on the appropriate calendar. 

(3) In addition, the Committee on Appropriations shall study on 

a continuing basis those provisions of law that (on the first day of 

the first fiscal year for which the congressional budget process is 

effective) provide spending authority or permanent budget authority and shall report to the House from time to time its recommendations for terminating or modifying such provisions. 

(4) In the manner provided by section 302 of the Congressional 

Budget Act of 1974, the Committee on Appropriations (after consulting with the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate) shall 

subdivide any allocations made to it in the joint explanatory statement accompanying the conference report on such concurrent resolution, and promptly report the subdivisions to the House as soon 

as practicable after a concurrent resolution on the budget for a fiscal year is agreed to.’’

Rule XIII of the Rules of the House prescribes special reporting 

requirements of the Committee on Appropriations. Specifically Rule 

XIII, clause 3(f) states: 
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CONTENT OF REPORTS

‘‘(f)(1) A report of the Committee on Appropriations on a general 

appropriation bill shall include—

(A) a concise statement describing the effect of any provision 

of the accompanying bill that directly or indirectly changes the 

application of existing law; and 

(B) a list of all appropriations contained in the bill for expenditures not currently authorized by law for the period concerned (except classified intelligence or national security programs, projects, or activities) along with a statement of the last 

year for which such expenditures were authorized, the level of 

expenditures authorized for that year, the actual level of expenditures for that year, and the level of appropriations in the 

bill for such expenditures. 

(2) Whenever the Committee on Appropriations reports a bill or 

joint resolution including matter specified in clause 1(b)(2) or (3) of 

rule X, it shall include—

(A) in the bill or joint resolution, separate headings for ‘‘Rescissions’’ and ‘‘Transfers of Unexpended Balances’’; and 

(B) in the report of the committee, a separate section listing 

such rescissions and transfers.’’

OVERSIGHT PLAN 

The Committee on Appropriations is strongly committed to stringent and comprehensive oversight of Federal discretionary spending to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being invested wisely and 

prudently on behalf of the American people. Oversight should not 

be a partisan exercise, but a serious evaluation and accounting of 

how taxpayer dollars are being utilized by Government agencies 

and programs. 

Because of the historic nature of the Nation’s financial crisis, 

Congress must go further in exercising oversight than ever before. 

This Congress must get into the weeds, root out waste, abuse and 

duplicative spending in Federal programs, and reject ‘‘more money’’ 

solutions to our budgetary challenges. 

As part of this focus, the Appropriations Committee must maintain continual pressure on Federal agency officials and department 

heads in order to promote accountability and responsibility by the 

agencies regarding the investment of American tax dollars. In addition, the Committee will utilize, where appropriate, information 

and testimony from non-Government entities to further scrutinize 

Federal spending and the effectiveness and necessity of Government programs. 

To accomplish theses goal for in the 113th Congress, the Committee on Appropriations intends to engage in the following oversight actions: 

(1) Subcommittee Hearings. The Appropriations Committee 

holds itself to the highest standards for analyses of the President’s budget and supplemental funding requests. During the 

112th Congress, the Appropriations Committee held 246 hearings, heard testimony from 1,858 witnesses and published 164 

volumes of hearings totaling 134,620 pages.
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These subcommittee hearings will include testimony from 

Federal agency officials with responsibility over the spending 

of taxpayer dollars, as well as non-Government individuals and 

entities with relevant budgetary information and analysis. 

(2) Investigations. In addition to open oversight hearings, the 

Committee will also engage in in-depth, comprehensive studies 

and investigations into agency activities when it is deemed 

necessary. Specifically, these investigations may include examination of potential duplication in Government programs, budget practices in Federal agencies, as well as others. Many of 

these investigations will be conducted by the Committee’s Surveys and Investigations staff, who are highly qualified and experienced in the detailed examination of Federal budgets. In 

addition, the Committee will continue to utilize the investigative expertise of the Government Accountability Office and the 

Inspectors General of the various Federal agencies. In the 

112th Congress, the Committee initiated 78 studies for the 

Surveys and Investigations staff and received 232 investigative 

reports from the Government Accountability Office. 

(3) Appropriations Bills. The ‘‘Power of the Purse’’ is the 

Committee’s primary responsibility, as outlined in Article I, 

Section 9, and Clause 7 of the U.S. Constitution which states 

that ‘‘no money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.’’ The manner in 

which the Committee chooses to provide or withhold Federal 

funding will be undertaken with the utmost level of care and 

concern over the prudent and responsible use of taxpayer 

funds, based on its in-depth review of each agencies programs 

and budget through its informed analyses. The Committee will 

strictly adhere to its responsibilities under the Congressional 

Budget Act by ensuring its strict conformance with the total 

discretionary spending levels established in the Budget Resolution. The Committee will fulfill its responsibility to allocate 

those funds among the subcommittees based on the 

prioritization of limited spending based on its analyses and

reviews.