Moving Our Democracy and Congressional Operations Towards Modernization Resolution

Bill: 116-hres-756
Sponsor: Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6]
Introduced: 2019-12-10 in the House
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
Computer security and identity theft
Computers and information technology
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Congressional agencies
Congressional committees
Congressional officers and employees
Congressional operations and organization
Congressional oversight
Disability and paralysis
Employee hiring
Employment and training programs
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
House Committee on House Administration
House of Representatives
Inflation and prices
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Legislative rules and procedure
Members of Congress
Minority employment
Photography and imaging
Public contracts and procurement
Public participation and lobbying
Telephone and wireless communication
Television and film
U.S. Capitol
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2019-12-10
text: 

Moving Our Democracy and Congressional Operations Towards Modernization Resolution

 
This resolution implements recommendations made by the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress.
 
Among other things, the resolution
 
 
 establishes a centralized human resources program;
 
 revises orientation for Members-Elect;
 
 requires a survey of Members to determine the level of interest in establishing an academy to provide continuing education opportunities for Members; and
 
 requires reports on actions to address technology issues, the accessibility of legislative information, and the accessibility of U.S. Capitol buildings and grounds.
 
 
The resolution authorizes the Committee on House Administration to carry out recommendations included in the reports.

action_date: 2020-03-10
text: 

Moving Our Democracy and Congressional Operations Towards Modernization Resolution

 
This resolution implements recommendations made by the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress.
 
TITLE I--STREAMLINING AND REORGANIZING HUMAN RESOURCES
 
(Sec. 101) The House Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) must establish and operate a centralized human resources program to assist Member, committee, and leadership office staff.

(Sec. 102) The House Office of Diversity and Inclusion shall submit to the Committee on House Administration (1) an operational plan for appointing and establishing duties for staff of the office that sets forth a proposed maximum number of staff; and (2) a diversity plan for the committee's review and approval that includes, among other things, policies to direct and guide House employing offices to recruit, hire, train, develop, advance, promote, and retain a diverse workforce consistent with House rules, regulations, and law.
 
(Sec. 103) The CAO must (1) report to the committee on the feasibility of updating the employee payroll system in order to address considerations of younger and lower-paid employees and issues experienced generally by some employees regarding the current monthly pay schedule, and (2) enter into a contract with an outside entity under which the entity shall work with the CAO to prepare and submit a report examining the feasibility of adjusting the statutory limitation established in 1975 on the number of employees that may be employed in the office of a Member.
 
(Sec. 105) The committee shall design and implement a comprehensive and uniform (1) orientation process for new employees and interns of the House to complete within a designated period of time after appointment, and (2) separation process for House employees and interns to complete within a designated period of time before termination. Such processes shall apply only to employees and interns who have access to the House Network.
 
TITLE II--IMPROVING ORIENTATION FOR MEMBERS-ELECT AND PROVIDING IMPROVED CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS
 
(Sec. 201) The CAO must report a detailed plan to the committee for establishing a program under which the CAO shall appoint an individual recommended by a Member-elect (other than a Member elected to fill a vacancy) for a limited period of time to assist such Member-elect with responsibilities to prepare the Member-elect's congressional office for operation.
 
(Sec.202) The committee shall modify orientation services for new Members, including in-person courses and sessions. Furthermore, the committee must (1) ensure that such services are made available to all new Members, including Members elected in a special election during a Congress; and (2) examine the feasibility of providing a &quot;just in time&quot; approach to orientation sessions in which information is provided when it will be most useful to the Member.
 
(Sec. 203) The CAO shall (1) survey Members to determine their level of interest in establishing a Congressional Leadership Academy, including a pilot program, to provide certain online and in-person continuing education opportunities; and (2) implement a cybersecurity training program to provide annual training to each individual who has access to the House Network (including each Member, officer, employee, intern, and vendor of the House). This resolution sets a 30-day deadline by which an individual must complete the training after obtaining access.
 
TITLE III--MODERNIZING AND REVITALIZING TECHNOLOGY
 
(Sec. 301) The CAO must report to the committee on specified operations of the Office of House Information Resources (HIR). The committee may direct the CAO to enter into a contract with an outside entity to provide (1) the committee with an independent review of HIR's operations, and (2) independent recommendations to the committee regarding strategies and steps for revising such operations.
 
(Sec. 302) The committee may issue regulations or take other necessary steps to ensure that Member offices have the necessary technology and software to improve their efficiency and operation and to improve constituent engagement.
 
(Sec. 303) The HIR shall report to the committee
 
 
 a description of the steps necessary to create a streamlined process for HIR approval of outside technology vendors, including a discussion of unique considerations relating to specified issues regarding such process;
 
 its intention to establish a program to enable early adoption by Members, committees, and leadership offices of new technology or applications developed by outside vendors before final approval by the House; and
 
 steps necessary to create an internal customer satisfaction portal on HouseNet that allows Members and employees to rate and review outside vendors and HIR services, annually survey district-level staff and district-specific technology concerns, and survey Members and employees on what technologies they would like to use.
 
 
(Sec. 306) The CAO must report to the committee (1) on steps necessary to provide a specified standard suite of information technology for the use of offices of Members of the House; and (2) an analysis of alternative methods for funding the purchase of such suite, including by increasing the Members' Representational Allowance or creating additional accounts.
 
(Sec. 307) The committee (1) shall work closely with the Congressional Research Service (CRS) to ensure that CRS has the capability to rapidly provide short nonpartisan fact sheets to be disseminated by Members' offices, and (2) may issue regulations to establish a nonpartisan constituent engagement and services page on HouseNet to better disseminate best practices and ideas for ways to optimize and improve constituent engagement and service.
 
 TITLE IV--MAKING THE HOUSE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL
 
(Sec. 401) The CAO shall submit to the committee a detailed plan to ensure that all House websites and applications are accessible.
 
(Sec. 402) The CAO and the Clerk of the House shall report to the committee a detailed plan to (1) ensure that all House proceedings that are broadcast on television or streamed on the Internet provide closed caption services; and (2) provide a free captioning service for all web videos created by Member, committee, and leadership offices, including the CAO and Clerk's office.
 
(Sec. 403) The Architect of the Capitol, the Sergeant at Arms of the House, and the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights shall identify jointly to the committee areas of the Capitol buildings and the U.S. Capitol grounds that are not currently accessible and the estimated costs of making such areas accessible.
 
The CAO must report to the committee on the accessibility of the practices and programming used by offices of the legislative branch to serve the needs of individuals with disabilities.
 
TITLE V--IMPROVING ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS AND PUBLICATIONS
 
(Sec. 501) The Clerk shall report to the committee on
 
 
the overall status of implementing a certain standardized format for drafting, viewing, and publishing legislation;
 
the establishment on the Clerk's public website of an up-to-date database of the expiration dates of all federal programs, including their primary committee of subject matter jurisdiction, and a separate database of certain recorded votes taken in committees beginning in the 116th Congress; and
 
the status of assigning unique identifier numbers to persons required to file lobbying statements or reports with the Clerk.
 
 
(Sec. 506) The committee must make reports required under this resolution publicly available on its official website or in some other manner.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-03-10
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2020-03-10
text: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 395 - 13 (Roll no. 93). (text: CR H1567-1571)
action_date: 2020-03-10
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 395 - 13 (Roll no. 93).
action_date: 2020-03-10
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H1577-1578)
action_date: 2020-03-10
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2020-03-10
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 756.
action_date: 2020-03-10
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1567-1574)
action_date: 2020-03-10
text: Ms. Lofgren moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended.
action_date: 2019-12-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
action_date: 2019-12-10
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2019-12-10
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2019-12-10
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2019-12-10
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2019-12-10
text: Introduced in House