II
Calendar No. 441
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 2739
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 20, 1996
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs
JUNE 19, 1996
Reported by Mr. STEVENS, with amendments
[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic]
AN ACT
To provide for a representational allowance for Members
of the House of Representatives, to make technical and
conforming changes to sundry provisions of law in con-
sequence of administrative reforms in the House of Rep-
resentatives, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘House of Representatives Administrative Reform Tech-
nical Corrections Act’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I—PROVISIONS RELATING TO ALLOWANCES AND AC-
COUNTS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND OTHER
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
Sec. 101. Representational allowance for Members of House of Representatives.
Sec. 102. Adjustment of House of Representatives allowances by Committee on
House Oversight.
Sec. 103. Limitation on allowance authority of Committee on House Oversight.
Sec. 104. Clerk hire employees of Members of House of Representatives.
Sec. 105. Payments from applicable accounts of House of Representatives.
Sec. 106. Report of disbursements for House of Representatives.
Sec. 107. Cafeteria plan provision.
Sec. 108. 107. Annotated United States Code for Members of House of Rep-
resentatives to be paid for from Members’ Representational Al-
lowance.
Sec. 109. 108. Capitol Police citation release.
TITLE II—TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS AND RE-
PEALS RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS IN THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Sec. 201. Provisions relating to election of Representatives.
Sec. 202. Provisions relating to organization of Congress.
Sec. 203. Provisions relating to compensation and allowances of Members.
Sec. 204. Provisions relating to officers and employees of House of Representa-
tives.
Sec. 205. Provisions relating to Library of Congress.
Sec. 206. Provisions relating to congressional and committee procedure; inves-
tigations.
Sec. 207. Provisions relating to Office of Law Revision Counsel.
Sec. 208. Provisions relating to Legislative Classification Office.
Sec. 209. Provisions relating to classification of employees of House of Rep-
resentatives.
Sec. 210. Provisions relating to payroll administration in House of Representa-
tives.
Sec. 211. Provisions relating to contested elections.
Sec. 212. Provisions relating to Joint Committee on Congressional Operations.
Sec. 213. Provisions relating to Congressional Budget Office.
Sec. 214. Provisions relating to the States.
Sec. 215. Provisions relating to Government organization and employees.
Sec. 216. Provisions codified in appendices to title 5, United States Code.
Sec. 217. Provisions relating to commerce and trade.
Sec. 218. Provisions relating to foreign relations and intercourse.
Sec. 219. Provisions relating to money and finance.
Sec. 220. Provisions relating to Postal Service.
Sec. 221. Provisions relating to public buildings, property, and works.
Sec. 222. Provisions relating to the public health and welfare.
Sec. 223. Provisions relating to public printing and documents.
Sec. 224. Provisions relating to territories and insular possessions.
Sec. 225. Miscellaneous uncodified provisions relating to House of Representa-
tives.
TITLE I—PROVISIONS RELATING
TO 
ALLOWANCES 
AND 
AC-
COUNTS IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES 
AND
OTHER 
ADMINISTRATIVE
MATTERS
SEC. 101. REPRESENTATIONAL ALLOWANCE FOR MEMBERS
OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established for the House
of Representatives a single allowance, to be known as the
‘‘Members’ Representational Allowance’’, which shall be
available to support the conduct of the official and rep-
resentational duties of a Member of the House of Rep-
resentatives with respect to the district from which the
Member is elected.
(b) MERGER.—The Clerk Hire Allowance, the Offi-
cial Expenses Allowance, and the Official Mail Allowance,
as in effect on the day before the effective date of this
section, are merged into the Members’ Representational
Allowance.
(c) DEFINITION.—As used in this section, the term
‘‘Member of the House of Representatives’’ means a Rep-
resentative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner
to, the Congress.
(d) REGULATIONS.—The Committee on House Over-
sight of the House of Representatives shall have authority
to prescribe regulations to carry out this section.
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect
on September 1, 1995 and shall apply with respect to offi-
cial and representational duties carried out on or after
that date.
SEC. 102. ADJUSTMENT OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ALLOWANCES BY COMMITTEE ON HOUSE
OVERSIGHT.
House Resolution 457, Ninety-second Congress,
agreed to July 21, 1971, as enacted into permanent law
by chapter IV of the Supplemental Appropriations Act,
1972 (2 U.S.C. 57), is amended to read as follows:
‘‘SECTION 1. ADJUSTMENT OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
TIVES 
ALLOWANCES 
BY 
COMMITTEE 
ON
HOUSE OVERSIGHT.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the provision of law
specified in subsection (b), the Committee on House Over-
sight of the House of Representatives may, by order of
the Committee, fix and adjust the amounts, terms, and
conditions of, and other matters relating to, allowances of
the House of Representatives within the following cat-
egories:
‘‘(1) For Members of the House of Representa-
tives, the Members’ Representational Allowance, in-
cluding all aspects of the Official Mail Allowance
within the jurisdiction of the Committee under sec-
tion 311 of the Legislative Branch Appropriations
Act, 1991.
‘‘(2) For committees, the Speaker, the majority
and minority leaders, the Clerk, the Sergeant at
Arms, and the Chief Administrative Officer, allow-
ances for official mail (including all aspects of the
Official Mail Allowance within the jurisdiction of the
Committee under section 311 of the Legislative
Branch Appropriations Act, 1991), stationery, and
telephone and telegraph and other communications.
‘‘(b) PROVISION SPECIFIED.—The provision of law
referred to in subsection (a) is House Resolution 1372,
Ninety-fourth Congress, agreed to July 1, 1976, as en-
acted into permanent law by section 101 of the Legislative
Branch Appropriation Act, 1977 (2 U.S.C. 57a).
‘‘(c) DEFINITION.—As used in this section, the term
‘Member of the House of Representatives’ means a Rep-
resentative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner
to, the Congress.’’.
SEC. 103. LIMITATION ON ALLOWANCE AUTHORITY OF
COMMITTEE ON HOUSE OVERSIGHT.
House Resolution 1372, Ninety-fourth Congress,
agreed to July 1, 1976, as enacted into permanent law
by section 101 of the Legislative Branch Appropriation
Act, 1977 (2 U.S.C. 57a), is amended to read as follows:
‘‘SECTION 1. LIMITATION ON ALLOWANCE AUTHORITY OF
COMMITTEE ON HOUSE OVERSIGHT.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—An order under the provision of
law specified in subsection (c) may fix or adjust the allow-
ances of the House of Representatives only by reason of—
‘‘(1) a change in the price of materials, services,
or office space;
‘‘(2) a technological change or other improve-
ment in office equipment; or
‘‘(3) an increase under section 5303 of title 5,
United States Code, in rates of pay under the Gen-
eral Schedule.
‘‘(b) RESOLUTION REQUIREMENT.—In the case of
reasons other than the reasons specified in paragraph (1),
(2), or (3) of subsection (a), the fixing and adjustment
of the allowances of the House of Representatives in the
categories described in the provision of law specified in
subsection (c) may be carried out only by resolution of
the House of Representatives.
‘‘(c) PROVISION SPECIFIED.—The provision of law
referred to in subsections (a) and (b) is House Resolution
457, Ninety-second Congress, agreed to July 21, 1971, as
enacted into permanent law by chapter IV of the Supple-
mental Appropriations Act, 1972 (2 U.S.C. 57).’’.
SEC. 104. CLERK HIRE EMPLOYEES OF MEMBERS OF
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Under the Members’ Representa-
tional Allowance, each Member of the House of Represent-
atives may employ not more than 18 permanent clerk hire
employees and a total of not more than 4 additional clerk
hire employees in the following categories:
(1) Interns.
(2) Part-time employees.
(3) Shared employees.
(4) Temporary employees.
(5) Employees on leave without pay.
(b) BENEFIT EXCLUSION.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, interns and temporary employees shall be excluded
from the operation of the following provisions of title 5,
United States Code:
(1) Chapter 84 (relating to the Federal Em-
ployees’ Retirement System).
(2) Chapter 87 (relating to life insurance).
(3) Chapter 89 (relating to health insurance).
(c) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section—
(1) the term ‘‘Member of the House of Rep-
resentatives’’ means a Representative in, or a Dele-
gate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress;
(2) the term ‘‘intern’’ means, with respect to a
Member of the House of Representatives, an individ-
ual who serves in the office of the Member in the
District of Columbia for not more than 120 days in
a 12-month period and whose service is primarily for
the educational experience of the individual;
(3) the term ‘‘part-time employee’’ means, with
respect to a Member of the House of Representa-
tives, an individual who is employed by the Member
and whose normally assigned work schedule is not
more than the equivalent of 15 full working days per
month;
(4) the term ‘‘temporary employee’’ means, with
respect to a Member of the House of Representa-
tives, an individual who is employed for a specific
purpose or task and who is employed for not more
than 90 days in a 12-month period, except that the
term of such employment may be extended with the
written approval of the Committee on House Over-
sight; and
(5) the term ‘‘shared employee’’ means an em-
ployee who is paid by more than one employing au-
thority of the House of Representatives.
(d) REGULATIONS.—The Committee on House Over-
sight shall have authority to prescribe regulations to carry
out this section.
(e) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—The following pro-
visions of law are repealed:
(1) The first section of the Joint Resolution en-
titled ‘‘Joint resolution providing for pay to clerks to
Members of Congress and Delegates’’, approved
January 25, 1923 (2 U.S.C. 92).
(2) House Resolution 359, Ninety-sixth Con-
gress, agreed to July 20, 1979, as enacted into per-
manent law by the bill H.R. 7593, entitled the ‘‘Leg-
islative Branch Appropriation Act, 1981’’, as passed
by the House of Representatives on July 21, 1980,
and enacted into permanent law by section 101(c) of
Public Law 96–536 (2 U.S.C. 92 note).
(3) The first section of House Resolution 357,
Ninety-first Congress, agreed to June 25, 1969, as
enacted into permanent law by section 103 of the
Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1970 (2
U.S.C. 92 note).
SEC. 105. PAYMENTS FROM APPLICABLE ACCOUNTS OF
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—No payment may be made from
the applicable accounts of the House of Representatives
(as determined by the Committee on House Oversight of
the House of Representatives), unless sanctioned by that
Committee. Payments on vouchers approved in the man-
ner directed by that Committee shall be deemed, held, and
taken, and are declared to be conclusive upon all the de-
partments and officers of the Government.
(b) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section—
(1) the term ‘‘applicable accounts of the House
of Representatives’’ means accounts for salaries and
expenses of committees (other than the Committee
on Appropriations), the computer support organiza-
tion of the House of Representatives, and allowances
and expenses of Members of the House of Rep-
resentatives, officers of the House of Representa-
tives, and administrative and support offices of the
House of Representatives; and
(2) the term ‘‘Member of the House of Rep-
resentatives’’ means a Representative in, or a Dele-
gate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—The paragraph be-
ginning ‘‘Hereafter’’ under the heading ‘‘UNDER LEG-
ISLATIVE.’’ and the subheading ‘‘HOUSE
OF
REP-
RESENTATIVES.’’ in the first section of the Act entitled
‘‘An Act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses
of the Government for the fiscal year ending June thirti-
eth, eighteen hundred and eighty-nine, and for other pur-
poses’’, approved October 2, 1888 (2 U.S.C. 95), is
amended—
(1) in the first sentence, by striking out ‘‘, or
from the contingent fund’’ and all that follows
through the end of the sentence and inserting in lieu
thereof a period; and
(2) in the second sentence—
(A) by striking out ‘‘made upon vouchers
approved by the Committee on House Adminis-
tration of the House of Representatives, and
payments’’; and
(B) in the proviso, by striking out ‘‘funds’’
and all that follows through the end of the sen-
tence and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘fund as ad-
ditional salary or compensation to any officer or
employee of the Senate.’’.
SEC. 106. REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS FOR HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the
last day of each semiannual period, the Chief Administra-
tive Officer of the House of Representatives shall submit
to the House of Representatives, with respect to that pe-
riod, a detailed, itemized report of the disbursements for
the operations of the House of Representatives.
(b) CONTENTS.—The report required by subsection
(a) shall include—
(1) the name of each person who receives a pay-
ment from the House of Representatives;
(2) the quantity and price of any item furnished
to the House of Representatives;
(3) a description of any service rendered to the
House of Representatives, together with a statement
of the time required for the service, and the name,
title, and amount paid to each person who renders
the service;
(4) a statement of all amounts appropriated to,
or received, or expended by the House of Represent-
atives, and any unexpended balances of such
amounts;
(5) the information submitted to the Comptrol-
ler General under section 3523(a) of title 31, United
States Code; and
(6) such additional information as may be re-
quired by regulation of the Committee on House
Oversight of the House of Representatives.
(c) EXCLUSION.—Notwithstanding subsection (b), if
a voucher is for payment to an individual for attendance
as a witness before a committee of the Congress in execu-
tive session, the report for the semiannual period in which
the appearance occurs shall show only the date of pay-
ment, voucher number, and amount paid. Any information
excluded from a report under the preceding sentence shall
be included in the report for the next period.
(d) HOUSE DOCUMENT.—Each report under this sec-
tion shall be printed as a House document.
(e) CONFORMING PROVISION.—The provisions of—
(1) sections 60, 61, 62, and 63 of the Revised
Statutes of the United States (2 U.S.C. 102, 103,
and 104); and
(2) section 105(a) of the Legislative Branch
Appropriation Act, 1965 (2 U.S.C. 104a);
that require submission and printing of statements and
reports are not applicable to the House of Representatives.
(f) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall apply to
the semiannual periods of January 1 through June 30 and
July 1 through December 31 of each year, beginning with
the semiannual period in which this section is enacted.
SEC. 107. CAFETERIA PLAN PROVISION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be estab-
lished in the House of Representatives a cafeteria plan (as
defined in section 125(d) of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986) for the benefit of individuals whose pay is dis-
bursed by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House
of Representatives.
(b) ACCOUNT.—There is established in the Treasury
an account which shall be available for the payment of
benefits and other expenses of the operation of the plan
referred to in subsection (a). The account shall consist
of—
(1) amounts withheld from the pay of partici-
pants in the plan; and
(2) such other amounts as may be received with
respect to the plan.
(c) REGULATIONS.—The Committee on House Over-
sight of the House of Representatives shall have authority
to prescribe regulations relating to the plan referred to
in subsection (a), including regulations defining the nature
and extent of benefits under the plan.
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect
on January 1, 1996.
SEC. 108. 107. ANNOTATED UNITED STATES CODE FOR MEM-
BERS OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO
BE PAID FOR FROM MEMBERS’ REPRESENTA-
TIONAL ALLOWANCE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Clerk of the House of Rep-
resentatives shall, at the request of a Member of the
House of Representatives, furnish to the Member, for offi-
cial use only, one set of a privately published annotated
version of the United States Code, including supplements
and pocket parts. The furnishing of a set of the United
States Code under this section shall be in lieu of any dis-
tribution under section 212 of title 1, United States Code,
and shall be paid for from the Members’ Representational
Allowance.
(b) DEFINITION.—As used in this section, the term
‘‘Member of the House of Representatives’’ means a Rep-
resentative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner
to, the Congress.
(c) REGULATIONS.—The Committee on House Over-
sight of the House of Representatives shall have authority
to prescribe regulations to carry out this section.
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—House Resolution
506, Ninetieth Congress, agreed to August 21, 1967, as
enacted into permanent law by chapter VIII of the Second
Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1968 (2 U.S.C. 54), is
repealed.
SEC. 109. 108. CAPITOL POLICE CITATION RELEASE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Chief of the Capitol Police,
with the approval of the Capitol Police Board, may des-
ignate a member of the Capitol Police to have responsibil-
ity for citation release.
(b) AUTHORITY.—(1) In the same manner as pro-
vided for with respect to an official of the Metropolitan
Police Department of the District of Columbia under sec-
tion 23–1110(a) of the District of Columbia Code, the Su-
perior Court of the District of Columbia shall have the
authority to appoint the member of the Capitol Police des-
ignated under subsection (a) of this section to take bail
or collateral from persons charged with offenses triable in
the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Pursuant
to that authority—
(A) the citation power described in subsection
(b) of section 23–1110 of the District of Columbia
Code shall be exercised by such member of the Cap-
itol Police in the same manner as by an official of
the Metropolitan Police Department; and
(B) paragraph (4) of subsection (b) of section
23–1110 of the District of Columbia Code, relating
to failure to appear, shall apply with respect to cita-
tions under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.
(2) The United States District Court for the District
of Columbia shall have the power to authorize the member
of the Capitol Police referred to in subsection (a) of this
section to take bond from persons arrested upon writs and
process from that court in criminal cases in the same man-
ner as provided for with respect to an official of the Metro-
politan Police Department of the District of Columbia
under the third sentence of section 23–1110(a) of the Dis-
trict of Columbia Code.
TITLE II—TECHNICAL AND CON-
FORMING AMENDMENTS AND
REPEALS RELATING TO AD-
MINISTRATIVE REFORMS IN
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
TIVES
SEC. 201. PROVISIONS RELATING TO ELECTION OF REP-
RESENTATIVES.
The provisions of law relating to election of Rep-
resentatives, as codified in chapter 1 of title 2, United
States Code, are amended as follows:
The third sentence of section 22(b) of the Act
entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for the fifteenth and
subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for ap-
portionment of Representatives in Congress’’, ap-
proved June 28, 1929 (2 U.S.C. 2a(b)), is amended
by striking out the semicolon after ‘‘Representa-
tives’’ the first place it appears and all that follows
through the end of the sentence and inserting in lieu
thereof a period.
SEC. 202. PROVISIONS RELATING TO ORGANIZATION OF
CONGRESS.
The provisions of law relating to organization of Con-
gress, as codified in chapter 2 of title 2, United States
Code, are amended as follows:
(1) Section 204(a) of the District of Columbia
Delegate Act (2 U.S.C. 25b) is repealed.
(2) Section 33 of the Revised Statutes of the
United States (2 U.S.C. 26, third sentence) is re-
pealed.
(3) Section 2(c) of Public Law 94–551 (2
U.S.C. 28c(c)) is amended—
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking out
‘‘Representives’’ and inserting in lieu thereof
‘‘Representatives’’; and
(B) in paragraph (5), by striking out ‘‘, to
the Sergeant’’ and all that follows through the
end of the paragraph and inserting in lieu
thereof ‘‘and to the Sergeant at Arms of the
House of Representatives, each two sets;’’.
(4) Section 202 of House Resolution 988, Nine-
ty-third Congress, agreed to October 8, 1974, as en-
acted into permanent law by chapter III of title I of