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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 934 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 934

   Amending the broadcasting and recording procedures of the Senate.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

            December 18 (legislative day, December 16), 2024

 Ms. Klobuchar (for herself and Mrs. Fischer) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
   Amending the broadcasting and recording procedures of the Senate.

    Resolved,

SECTION 1. BROADCASTING AND RECORDING PROCEDURES OF THE SENATE.

    (a) In General.--Senate Resolution 28 (99th Congress), agreed to 
February 27, 1986, is amended by striking all after the resolving 
clause and inserting the following:

``SECTION 1. BROADCASTING AND RECORDING PROCEDURES OF THE SENATE.

    ``(a) In General.--The Senate hereby authorizes and directs that 
there be broadcast coverage of proceedings in the Senate Chamber and 
recordings of such proceedings.
    ``(b) Type of Coverage.--The broadcast coverage described in 
subsection (a) shall be provided--
            ``(1) in accordance with provisions of this resolution;
            ``(2) continuously, except for any time when the Senate is 
        conducting a quorum call, or when a meeting with closed doors 
        is ordered; and
            ``(3) subject to the provisions pertaining to the Senate 
        gallery contained in the following rules of the Standing Rules 
        of the Senate:
                    ``(A) Paragraphs 6 and 7 of rule XIX.
                    ``(B) Paragraph 1(n) of rule XXV.
                    ``(C) Paragraph (2) of rule XXXIII.

``SEC. 2. SUPERVISION OF BROADCAST COVERAGE.

    ``The broadcast coverage of Senate proceedings shall be supervised 
and operated by the Senate.

``SEC. 3. VIDEO BROADCAST COVERAGE.

    ``The video broadcast coverage of Senate proceedings shall follow 
the Presiding Officer and Senators who are speaking, clerks, and the 
Chaplain of the Senate except during rollcall votes, when the cameras 
shall show the entire Chamber.

``SEC. 4. BROADCASTING AND RECORDING IMPLEMENTATION.

    ``(a) In General.--The broadcast coverage and recording of Senate 
proceedings shall be implemented as provided in this section.
    ``(b) Architect of the Capitol Duties.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Architect of the Capitol, in 
        consultation with the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the 
        Senate, shall--
                    ``(A) construct necessary facilities for broadcast 
                coverage (including a control room and the modification 
                of Senate sound and lighting fixtures);
                    ``(B) employ necessary expert consultants; and
                    ``(C) acquire and install all necessary equipment 
                and facilities to--
                            ``(i) produce a broadcast-quality `live' 
                        audio and color video signal of Senate 
                        proceedings; and
                            ``(ii) provide an archive-quality audio and 
                        color video recording of Senate proceedings.
            ``(2) Approval required.--In carrying out the duties 
        specified in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of paragraph (1), 
        the Architect of the Capitol shall not enter into any contract 
        for the purchase or installation of equipment, for employment 
        of any consultant, or for the provision of training to any 
        person, unless the same shall first have been approved by the 
        Committee on Rules and Administration.
    ``(c) Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate Duties.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of 
        the Senate shall--
                    ``(A) employ such staff as may be necessary, 
                working in conjunction with the Senate Recording 
                Studio, to operate and maintain all broadcast equipment 
                installed pursuant to this resolution; and
                    ``(B)(i) make recordings of Senate proceedings; and
            ``(ii) make copies of recordings as requested by the 
        Secretary of the Senate under paragraph (3) and, as soon 
        thereafter as possible, transmit the copies of recordings to 
        the Secretary.
            ``(2) Compliance with senate rules and procedures.--The 
        Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate, in carrying out 
        the duties specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph 
        (1), shall comply with appropriate Senate procurement and other 
        regulations.
            ``(3) Authority of the secretary of the senate.--The 
        Secretary of the Senate is authorized to obtain from the 
        Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate recordings of 
        Senate proceedings and, as soon thereafter as possible, 
        transmit such recordings to the Librarian of Congress and to 
        the Archivist of the United States.

``SEC. 5. LIMITATIONS ON USE OF RECORDINGS.

    ``(a) Prohibition on Use for Political Campaign Purposes.--The use 
of any recording of Senate proceedings for political campaign purposes 
is strictly prohibited.
    ``(b) Agreement Required.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), any 
        recording of Senate proceedings furnished to any person or 
        organization shall be made on the condition, agreed to in 
        writing, that the recording shall not be used for political 
        campaign purposes.
            ``(2) Exception.--Any public or commercial news 
        organization furnished a recording described in paragraph (1) 
        shall be subject to the provisions of paragraph (1) but shall 
        not be required to enter into a written agreement.

``SEC. 6. AVAILABILITY OF BROADCAST COVERAGE.

    ``Broadcast coverage of Senate proceedings shall be made available 
on a `live' basis and free of charge to--
            ``(1) any accredited member of the Senate Radio and 
        Television Correspondents Gallery;
            ``(2) the cable system of the Architect of the Capitol; and
            ``(3) such other news gathering, educational, or 
        information distributing entity as may be authorized by the 
        Committee on Rules and Administration.

``SEC. 7. BROADCASTING PROHIBITION.

    ``Official noting of a Senator's absence from committees while the 
Senate is broadcasting is prohibited.

``SEC. 8. CLOSED CAPTIONING.

    ``Closed captioning for broadcast coverage of Senate proceedings 
shall be provided as directed by the Committee on Rules and 
Administration.

``SEC. 9. BROADCASTING AND REPORTING PROCEDURES AND REGULATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--Any changes in the regulations made by this 
resolution shall be made only by Senate resolution.
    ``(b) Committee on Rules and Administration.--The Committee on 
Rules and Administration may adopt such procedures and such 
regulations, which do not contravene the regulations made by this 
resolution, as the Committee deems necessary to assure the proper 
implementation of the purposes of this resolution.

``SEC. 10. FUNDING.

    ``Such funds as may be necessary (but not in excess of $3,500,000) 
to carry out this resolution shall be expended from the contingent fund 
of the Senate.''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--Senate Resolution 444 (99th Congress), 
agreed to July 15, 1986, is repealed.
                                 <all>
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