Topic: Government Operations — Capital City
Subject: Congress
Date: 2009-03-04 00:00:00

United States Capitol Police Administrative Technical Corrections Act of 2009 - (Sec. 2) Makes technical amendments to the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2001 with respect to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the Capitol Police. Requires appointment of the CAO without regard to political affiliation. Repeals requirements that the Comptroller General be involved in the process of hiring and evaluating the CAO. Authorizes the Chief of the Capitol Police to: (1) suspend with or without pay, and to discipline, employees; and (2) terminate an officer or employee after notifying and obtaining the approval of the Capitol Police Board. Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of: (1) 2004 to grant legal representation authority to the Employment Counsel to the Chief of Police (current law grants such authority to the Employment Counsel of the United States Capitol Police Board); and (2) 2005 and 2008 to require advance notification of the House and Senate Administration (as well as Appropriation) Committees regarding the deployment of an officer outside the areas of jurisdiction of the Capitol Police or advance payments for subscription services. (Sec. 3) Establishes a General Counsel to the Chief of Police and the U.S. Capitol Police, who shall be appointed by the Chief (after consultation with the Capitol Police Board) without regard to political affiliation. (Sec. 5) Prohibits lump sum payments to terminated U.S. Capitol Police officers or employees for unused compensatory time, except as permitted under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995. Authorizes the Chief of Police to provide overtime compensation in the form of additional pay or compensatory time off for officers and employees exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 if: (1) there are special circumstances; (2) the Chief has established a monetary value for the work; and (3) the sum of the total compensation paid for the overtime work and the total regular compensation paid with respect to the pay period involved is limited to the cap on the aggregate sum of annual compensation that may be paid during that year, as allocated on a per pay period basis consistent with the Capitol Police Board's premium pay regulations. (Sec. 6) Repeals provisions requiring U.S. Capitol Police officers to purchase their own uniforms. (Sec. 7) Expands the definition, for purposes of provisions regarding federal government organization and employees, of: (1) "congressional employee" to include an employee of the U.S. Capitol Police; and (2) "agency in the legislative branch" to include the U.S. Capitol Police. Includes the U.S. Capitol Police within the scope of provisions pertaining to: (1) dual pay from more than one position; and (2) fees for jury and witness service. (Sec. 8) Grants the Sergeant-at-Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate the same law enforcement authority, including the authority to carry firearms, as a member of the U.S. Capitol Police, provided that they have the following qualifications: (1) a minimum of five years experience as a law enforcement officer before beginning service as Sergeant-at-Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate; (2) current certification in the use of firearms by the appropriate federal law enforcement entity or an equivalent nonfederal entity; and (3) any other firearms qualification required for members of the U.S. Capitol Police. (Sec. 9) Travel Promotion Act of 2009 - Establishes the Corporation for Travel Promotion as an independent nonprofit corporation. Makes the Corporation subject to the provisions of the District of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation Act. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Corporation should not engage in lobbying activities. Requires the Corporation, among other things, to provide useful information to people interested in traveling to the United States, counter and correct misperceptions regarding U.S. entry policy, and promote U.S. travel. Requires the Corporation to develop and maintain a publicly accessible website. Requires the Corporation to establish annual objectives and an annual marketing plan and to submit an annual Corporation activities report to Congress. Establishes in the Treasury the Travel Promotion Fund and requires non-federal matching funds. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to require (under current law, authorize) the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish and collect a fee for the use of an electronic data sharing system concerning the admissibility of certain aliens into the United States that will ensure recovery of the full costs of providing and administering such system. Terminates such fee following FY2014. Authorizes the Corporation to impose an annual assessment on U.S. members of the travel and tourism industry represented on the Board of Directors of the Corporation. Amends the International Travel Act of 1961 to establish in the Department of Commerce the Office of Travel Promotion, to be headed by a Director. Requires that the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries expand its research and development activities to promote international travel to the United States. Authorizes appropriations.