85–217 

113TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 1st Session 113–116 

AUTHORIZING EXPENDITURES BY COMMITTEES OF THE 

SENATE 

NOVEMBER 5, 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. 253] 

The Committee on Rules and Administration, having considered 

an original resolution (S. Res. 253) authorizing expenditures by 

committees of the Senate for the periods October 1, 2013, through 

September 30, 2014 and October 1, 2014, through February 28, 

2015, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon 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. 

At the beginning of the 113th Congress, the Rules Committee reported out S. Res. 64, 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. S. Res. 

253 is the funding authorization for the remainder of the 113th 

Congress. Authorizations in S. Res. 253 are based on each committee’s historical and ongoing needs and available appropriations. 

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

the minority. Starting with the 107th Congress, 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 non-designated adVerDate Mar 15 2010 02:48 Nov 06, 2013 Jkt 085217 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR116.XXX SR116

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ministrative 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 Congress 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 non-designated administrative and clerical 

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. 

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 reVerDate Mar 15 2010 02:48 Nov 06, 2013 Jkt 085217 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR116.XXX SR116

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store 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, which passed the Senate on 

March 5, 2013, authorized committee funding for the 7-month period. S. Res. 253 authorizes committee funding for the 12-month 

period from October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014 and the 

5-month period from October 1, 2014 through February 28, 2015. 

S. Res. 253 was reported in lieu of Senate Resolutions 223, 224, 

230, 231, 232, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 241, 243, 244, 245, 249, 


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and 250, 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. 229, authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Rules and Administration, is on the 

Senate calendar (Order No. 189), and is obviated by passage of S. 

Res. 253, since funding for the Rules Committee’s expenditures in 

the 113th Congress is included in the omnibus funding resolution. 

There are no amounts authorized for COLAs in the 113th Congress for fiscal years 2014 and 2015. 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. 

All committees funded by S. Res. 253, except for the Select Committee on Intelligence, submitted budgets and questionnaires that 

conformed to the guidelines. The Select Committee on Intelligence 

reported S. Res. 245 above guidelines for the 12-month period and 

for the 5-month period. 

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. 253, on October 3, 2013, by unanimous consent 

and without amendment. 

TEXT OF S. RES. 253

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 October 1, 2013, through September 30, 

2014, in the aggregate of $98,087,800, and for the period October 

1, 2014, through February 28, 2015, in the aggregate of 

$40,869,917, 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. 

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

FY 2014 

(12 mths) FY 2015 (5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $3,833,451 $1,457,270 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................................... 200,000 200,000 

Training ............................................................................................................................................ 40,000 40,000 

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 2,626 1,096 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 105,013 43,755 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 4,181,090 1,742,121 


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Sec. 3. Committee on Armed Services 

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $6,241,188 $2,586,103 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................................... 80,000 50,000 

Training ............................................................................................................................................ 30,000 30,000 

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 3,000 1,200 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 66,940 8,167 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 6,421,128 2,675,470 

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

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $5,167,496 $2,153,123 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................................... 14,348 5,978 

Training ............................................................................................................................................ 861 359 

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 1,720 717 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 108,731 45,305 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 5,293,156 2,205,482 

Sec. 5. Committee on the Budget 

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $5,826,177 $2,427,574 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

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

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

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 1,000 1,000 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 170,600 70,500 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 5,997,777 2,499,074 

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

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $6,412,197 $2,671,749 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

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

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

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 20,455 8,523 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 150,939 62,891 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 6,583,591 2,743,163 


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Sec. 7. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $5,330,979 $2,221,241 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

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

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

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 15,649 6,520 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 116,853 48,689 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 5,463,481 2,276,450 

Sec. 8. Committee on Environment and Public Works 

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $4,994,762 $2,081,151 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................................... 8,000 3,333 

Training ............................................................................................................................................ 2,000 834 

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 14,427 6,011 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 175,064 72,943 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 5,194,253 2,164,272 

Sec. 9. Committee on Finance 

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $7,777,304 $3,240,544 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................................... 30,000 12,500 

Training ............................................................................................................................................ 10,000 4,167 

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 17,965 7,485 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 158,667 66,111 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 7,993,936 3,330,807 

Sec. 10. Committee on Foreign Relations 

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $6,444,742 $2,685,309 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

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

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

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 16,080 6,700 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 138,800 57,833 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 6,599,622 2,749,842 


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

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $8,398,735 $3,499,473 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................................... 75,000 75,000 

Training ............................................................................................................................................ 25,000 25,000 

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 15,000 3,000 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 150,200 7,500 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 8,663,935 3,609,973 

Sec. 12. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental

Affairs 

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $9,304,849 $3,877,020 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

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

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

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 21,570 8,988 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 162,533 67,722 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 9,488,952 3,953,730 

Sec. 13. Committee on the Judiciary 

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $9,136,247 $3,806,769 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

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

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

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 23,577 9,824 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 108,069 45,029 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 9,267,893 3,861,622 

Sec. 14. Committee on Rules and Administration 

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $2,302,470 $959,363 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

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

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

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 7,944 3,310 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 24,329 10,137 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 2,334,743 972,810 


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Sec. 15. Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship 

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $2,484,891 $1,035,373 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

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

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

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 6,434 2,681 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 89,694 37,370 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 2,581,019 1,075,424 

Sec. 16. Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $1,952,717 $813,632 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................................... 50,000 21,000 

Training ............................................................................................................................................ 9,500 3,500 

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 500 500 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 165,400 68,917 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 2,178,117 907,549 

Sec. 17. Special Committee on Aging 

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $2,087,189 $871,368 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

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

Training ............................................................................................................................................ 10,000 4,000 

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 5,142 2,142 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 273,046 112,230 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 2,375,377 989,740 

Sec. 18. Select Committee on Intelligence 

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $5,344,275 $2,226,781 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................................... 17,144 7,144 

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

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 12,543 5,226 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 86,000 35,833 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 5,459,962 2,274,984 


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Sec. 19. Committee on Indian Affairs 

FY 2014 

(12 mths) 

FY 2015 

(5 mths) 

Salary Baseline ................................................................................................................................ $1,881,729 $784,053 

2014 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

2015 COLA ....................................................................................................................................... .................... ....................

Consultants ...................................................................................................................................... 20,000 20,000 

Training ............................................................................................................................................ 20,000 20,000 

Official Mail ..................................................................................................................................... 6,786 2,828 

Administrative Expenses .................................................................................................................. 81,253 10,522 

Budget Authority 113th Congress ................................................................................................... 2,009,768 837,403 

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. 253. 

COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENTS

There are no amounts authorized for COLAs in the 113th Congress for fiscal years 2014 and 2015. 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 60a091, 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. 

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. 

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 

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tion. 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. 

The Rules Committee encourages committees to reduce costs associated with GPO detailees while still receiving the services and 

support they need. Effective with the 113th 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. 

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. 

SPECIAL RESERVES

This resolution authorizes a special reserve account within the 

appropriations account, ‘‘Expenses of Inquiries and Investigations,’’ 

for the period October 1, 2013 through February 28, 2015. 

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 1020915, 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 nonrecurring 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 


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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. 253 continues the practice of making special reserves funding available for unanticipated, non-recurring needs of committees 

when necessary. Subject to available appropriations, special reserves may be available on the basis of special need to meet unpaid 

obligations incurred by a committee during the 113th Congress. A 

request for special reserve funding will be considered only when 

submitted by the chairman and ranking member of a committee. 

Such request shall be granted upon the approval of the chairman 

and ranking member of the Committee on Rules and Administration. 

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 

five 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, leaving $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 


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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. 

In the first seven months of the 113th 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. 

CONSULTANTS

S. Res. 253 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 asVerDate Mar 15 2010 02:48 Nov 06, 2013 Jkt 085217 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR116.XXX SR116

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13 

sist 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. 

950994. This provision, as amended by P.L. 10009137 and P.L. 

10209392, 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. 

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