III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 53 

Recognizing the staff of the Office of the Legislative Counsel of the Senate 

on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Office. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 6, 2019 

Mr. GRASSLEY submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the staff of the Office of the Legislative Counsel 

of the Senate on the occasion of the 100th anniversary 

of the Office. 

Whereas the Office of the Legislative Counsel of the Senate 

(referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘Office’’) was established 100 years ago on February 24, 1919, with the enactment of the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to provide revenue, 

and for other purposes’’, approved February 24, 1919 

(commonly known as the ‘‘Revenue Act of 1918’’) (Public 

Law 254; 65th Congress; 40 Stat. 1057); 

Whereas the enacting legislation established that the purpose 

of the Office is to ‘‘aid in drafting public bills and resolutions or amendments thereto’’ at the request of any Senator, committee, or office of the Senate and that the staff 

of the Office is appointed ‘‘without reference to political 


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•SRES 53 ATS 

affiliations and solely on the ground of fitness to perform 

the duties of the office’’; 

Whereas during the past 100 years, 136 attorneys, 91 staff 

members, and 47 interns (referred to in this preamble as 

the ‘‘staff of the Office’’) have served in the Office and 

have ably and faithfully upheld the high standards and 

traditions of the Office by demonstrating great dedication, professionalism, and integrity in discharging their 

duties and responsibilities; 

Whereas the volume of work of the Office has grown dramatically over time, with the number of requests for legislation received by the Office during a Congress growing 

from fewer than 1,000 requests in the earliest years of 

the Office to significantly more than 50,000 requests in 

each Congress convening since 2005, including more than 

72,000 requests in the 115th Congress; 

Whereas, in addition to the increase in the number of drafts 

produced by the Office each year, the drafting of new legislation has become increasingly more difficult and timeconsuming because of the addition of a number of new 

subjects of Federal legislation and the increasing technical complexity of Federal statutory law; 

Whereas legislative drafting requires a careful analysis of the 

legal issues involved, the recognition of constitutional limitations, and an understanding of earlier enactments of 

related laws in order to produce, to the maximum extent 

practicable, a consistent body of law that will effectuate 

congressional intent without producing unintended consequences; 

Whereas, throughout the history of the Office, the Office has 

enjoyed outstanding support from the Vice Presidents 


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•SRES 53 ATS 

and the Presidents pro tempore and their staffs who were 

responsible for the oversight of the Office; and 

Whereas the staff of the Office currently serving in the Office 

continues to carry out the mission of the Office by providing the Senate and the committees and officers of the 

Senate quality drafting services and sound legal advice 

throughout the legislative process with the spirit of quiet 

professionalism that has been the tradition of the Office 

since the inception of the Office: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate expresses sincere apprecia2 tion and gratitude to— 

3 (1) the Office of the Legislative Counsel of the 

4 Senate for 100 years of professionalism and dedica5 tion in providing assistance with the drafting of leg6 islation considered by the Senate; and 

7 (2) commends the attorneys, staff members, 

8 and interns who have served or are currently serving 

9 in the Office of the Legislative Counsel of the Sen10 ate for their faithful and exemplary public service 

11 and professional assistance to the Senate and the 

12 United States. 

Æ 


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