Topic: Government Operations — General
Subject: Congress
Date: 2010-09-16 00:00:00

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2011 - Makes appropriations to the Senate for FY2011 for: (1) payments to the children and grandchildren of Robert C. Byrd, former Senator from West Virginia; (2) expense allowances; (3) representation allowances for the Majority and Minority Leaders; (4) salaries of specified officers, employees, and committees (including the Committee on Appropriations); (5) agency contributions for employee benefits; (6) inquiries and investigations; (7) the U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control; (8) the Offices of the Secretary and of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate; (9) miscellaneous items; (10) the Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account; and (11) official mail costs. (Sec. 101) Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1990 to revise the requirement that agreements acquiring goods, services, or space from federal agencies and units by the Secretary and the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate under the Economy Act accord with procurement regulations prescribed by the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the Senate Committee on Appropriations. Eliminates the Senate Committee on Appropriations from such requirement. Makes appropriations for salaries and/or expenses of: (1) the Joint Economic Committee and the Joint Committee on Taxation; (2) the Office of the Attending Physician; (3) the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services; (4) the Capitol Police; (5) the Office of Compliance; (6) the Congressional Budget Office (CBO); and (7) the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), including for the care and operation of Capitol buildings and grounds, Senate office buildings, the Capitol Power Plant, the Library of Congress buildings and grounds, the Capitol Police buildings, grounds, and security, the Botanic Garden, and the Capitol Visitor Center. (Sec. 1001) Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2002 with respect to the Senate employees student loan repayment program to make employees of the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services eligible to participate in the program. Prohibits such employees, however, from participating in both the federal student loan repayment program and the Senate student loan repayment program at the same time (dual participation). (Sec. 1101) Authorizes the transfer between "Salaries" and "General Expenses," upon the approval of the congressional appropriations committees, of FY2011 amounts appropriated for the Capitol Police. (Sec. 1102) Ratifies the use of any funds appropriated to the U.S. Capitol Police during FY2003 for transfer relating to the Truck Interdiction Monitoring Program to the working capital fund. (Sec. 1201) Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1991 to increase from 12 to 32 the maximum number of positions whose basic pay the AOC is authorized to fix at a rate not to exceed the highest total rate of pay for the Senior Executive Service (SES). Repeals the AOC's authority to fix the rate of basic pay for: (1) up to nine positions at up to 135% of the minimum rate payable for grade GS-15; and (2) up to four Executive Project Directors at up to 95% of the highest total SES rate of pay. Prescribes the treatment of individuals serving, upon the enactment of this Act, for which pay is fixed under the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2003 at a rate not to exceed the highest total SES rate of pay. (Sec. 1202) Makes certain amounts appropriated in FY2007-FY2010 to the AOC available for acquisition of real property for the use of the Capitol Police. Appropriates funds for: (1) the Library of Congress for salaries and expenses, the Copyright Office, the Congressional Research Service (CRS), and Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped; (2) the Government Printing Office (GPO), including the Office of Superintendent of Documents and the Government Printing Office Revolving Fund; (3) the Government Accountability Office (GAO); (4) the Open World Leadership Center Trust Fund; and (5) the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Development Trust Fund. (Sec. 1301) Establishes an upper limit of $148.064 million for the FY2011 obligational authority of the Library of Congress with regard to certain reimbursable and revolving fund activities funded from sources other than appropriations. Authorizes the Librarian of Congress to transfer temporarily up to $1.9 million of funds appropriated in this Act for Library of Congress salaries and expenses to the revolving fund for the FEDLINK Program and the Federal Research Program. (Sec. 1302) Authorizes the transfer of FY2011 Library of Congress appropriations, during such fiscal year, between any "Library of Congress" headings, upon the approval of the congressional appropriations committees. Limits such transfers to 10% of the total amount of funds appropriated to the account under any such heading for FY2011. (Sec. 1303) Makes available balances of expired Library of Congress appropriations available to the Library to make a mandatory deposit to the credit of the Employees' Compensation Fund. (Sec. 1304) Authorizes the Librarian of Congress to dispose of surplus or obsolete Library personal property by inter-agency transfer, donation, sale, trade-in, or discarding. Requires receipts from such transactions to be credited to funds available for the Library's operations and available for the costs of acquiring similar property. (Sec. 1305) Amends the Library of Congress Fiscal Operations Improvement Act of 2000 to modify the use of the revolving fund established for duplication and delivery services associated with the national audiovisual conservation center to include storage of audiovisual materials. Adds traveling exhibitions and training to the authorized uses of the revolving fund established for the Library's gift shop, decimal classification, photo duplication, and related services. States that nothing shall be construed as prohibiting or restricting the Librarian of Congress from accepting in the name of the United States nonpersonal services, voluntary and uncompensated personal services, or money (as well as, under current law, gifts or bequests of money) for immediate disbursement in the interest of the Library, its collections, or its service. Prescribes reporting, disclosure, and notification requirements for the Librarian regarding such gifts or bequests. Title II: General Provisions - Specifies authorized and prohibited uses of funds appropriated by this Act identical or similar to corresponding provisions of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2010. (Sec. 207) Authorizes the AOC to maintain and improve the landscape features, excluding streets, in specified grassy areas of Washington, D.C., SW. (Sec. 209) Prohibits the use of the funds made available to the AOC in this Act to eliminate guided tours of the U.S. Capitol led by congressional employees and interns. Allows temporary suspension or restriction of such tours for security or related reasons to the same extent as guided tours of the U.S. Capitol led by the AOC.