Federal

Providing for the expenses of certain committees of the House of Representatives in the One Hundred Eighteenth Congress.

Source: Congress.gov · 895 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This resolution sets the total amount of money that House committees can spend during the 118th Congress (a two-year period). It divides those total amounts into spending limits for the first year and second year. The resolution also creates a backup fund for unexpected committee expenses.

Who It Affects

House committees and their staff members.

Key Provisions

• Each of the 21 House committees receives a total spending limit for the entire 118th Congress, with the Committee on Oversight and Accountability receiving the highest amount and the Committee on Small Business receiving the lowest (Sec. 1). • Spending limits are divided in half, with specific amounts available for the first year (January 3, 2023 through January 2, 2024) and the second year (January 3, 2024 through January 2, 2025) (Sec. 2 and Sec. 3). • A reserve fund of $18,000,000 is created to cover unexpected committee expenses, with $9,000,000 available for each year (Sec. 6). • Committee chairs must sign vouchers (payment requests) that the Committee on House Administration must approve before payments are made (Sec. 4). • The Committee on House Administration can adjust spending amounts if required by presidential orders or changes in appropriations (Sec. 7).

What Changes

House committees now have specific spending caps on staff salaries and expenses for each year of the 118th Congress.

Important Definitions

None defined in bill text.

H. Res. 197 In the House of Representatives, U. S., March 10, 2023. Resolved, SECTION 1. COMMITTEE EXPENSES FOR THE ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS. (a) IN GENERAL.—With respect to the One Hundred Eighteenth Congress, there shall be paid out of the applicable accounts of the House of Representatives, in accordance with this primary expense resolution, not more than the amount specified in subsection (b) for the expenses (including the ex- penses of all staff salaries) of each committee named in such subsection. (b) COMMITTEES AND AMOUNTS.—The committees and amounts referred to in subsection (a) are: Committee on Ag- riculture, $14,194,000; Committee on Armed Services, $24,740,000; Committee on the Budget, $11,990,000; Com- mittee on Education and the Workforce, $18,674,000; Com- mittee on Energy and Commerce, $27,411,000; Committee on Ethics, $9,276,000; Committee on Financial Services, $20,370,000; Committee on Foreign Affairs, $21,654,000; 2 •HRES 197 EH Committee on Homeland Security, $18,778,000; Committee on House Administration, $15,307,000; Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, $17,195,000; Committee on the Judiciary, $22,714,000; Committee on Natural Resources, $17,546,000; Committee on Oversight and Accountability, $29,923,000; Committee on Rules, $8,336,000; Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, $14,111,000; Committee on Small Business, $7,370,000; Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, $8,892,000; Committee on Trans- portation and Infrastructure, $21,766,000; Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, $10,753,000; and Committee on Ways and Means, $24,232,000. SEC. 2. FIRST SESSION LIMITATIONS. (a) IN GENERAL.—Of the amount provided for in sec- tion 1 for each committee named in subsection (b), not more than the amount specified in such subsection shall be avail- able for expenses incurred during the period beginning at noon on January 3, 2023, and ending immediately before noon on January 3, 2024. (b) COMMITTEES AND AMOUNTS.—The committees and amounts referred to in subsection (a) are: Committee on Ag- riculture, $7,097,000; Committee on Armed Services, $11,716,000; Committee on the Budget, $5,995,000; Com- mittee on Education and the Workforce, $9,065,000; Com- 3 •HRES 197 EH mittee on Energy and Commerce, $13,611,000; Committee on Ethics, $4,517,000; Committee on Financial Services, $10,185,000; Committee on Foreign Affairs, $10,827,000; Committee on Homeland Security, $9,389,000; Committee on House Administration, $7,405,000; Permanent Select Com- mittee on Intelligence, $8,197,000; Committee on the Judici- ary, $11,357,000; Committee on Natural Resources, $8,773,000; Committee on Oversight and Accountability, $14,772,000; Committee on Rules, $4,168,000; Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, $6,845,000; Committee on Small Business, $3,621,000; Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, $4,471,000; Committee on Trans- portation and Infrastructure, $10,883,000; Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, $5,271,000; and Committee on Ways and Means, $11,540,000. SEC. 3. SECOND SESSION LIMITATIONS. (a) IN GENERAL.—Of the amount provided for in sec- tion 1 for each committee named in subsection (b), not more than the amount specified in such subsection shall be avail- able for expenses incurred during the period beginning at noon on January 3, 2024, and ending immediately before noon on January 3, 2025. (b) COMMITTEES AND AMOUNTS.—The committees and amounts referred to in subsection (a) are: Committee on Ag- 4 •HRES 197 EH riculture, $7,097,000; Committee on Armed Services, $13,024,000; Committee on the Budget, $5,995,000; Com- mittee on Education and the Workforce, $9,609,000; Com- mittee on Energy and Commerce, $13,800,000; Committee on Ethics, $4,759,000; Committee on Financial Services, $10,185,000; Committee on Foreign Affairs, $10,827,000; Committee on Homeland Security, $9,389,000; Committee on House Administration, $7,902,000; Permanent Select Com- mittee on Intelligence, $8,998,000; Committee on the Judici- ary, $11,357,000; Committee on Natural Resources, $8,773,000; Committee on Oversight and Accountability, $15,151,000; Committee on Rules, $4,168,000; Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, $7,266,000; Committee on Small Business, $3,749,000; Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, $4,421,000; Committee on Trans- portation and Infrastructure, $10,883,000; Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, $5,482,000; and Committee on Ways and Means, $12,692,000. SEC. 4. VOUCHERS. Payments under this resolution shall be made on vouch- ers authorized by the committee involved, signed by the chair of such committee, and approved in the manner directed by the Committee on House Administration. 5 •HRES 197 EH SEC. 5. REGULATIONS. Amounts made available under this resolution shall be expended in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Committee on House Administration. SEC. 6. RESERVE FUND FOR UNANTICIPATED EXPENSES. (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is hereby established a re- serve fund for unanticipated expenses of committees for the One Hundred Eighteenth Congress. (b) AMOUNT.—The reserve fund under this section shall have a balance of $18,000,000, of which— (1) $9,000,000 shall be available for unanticipated expenses incurred during the period beginning at noon on January 3, 2023, and ending immediately before noon on January 3, 2024; and (2) $9,000,000 shall be available for unanticipated expenses incurred during the period beginning at noon on January 3, 2024, and ending immediately before noon on January 3, 2025. (c) ALLOCATION TO COMMITTEES.—Amounts in the re- serve fund under this section shall be paid to a committee pursuant to an allocation approved by the Committee on House Administration. SEC. 7. ADJUSTMENT AUTHORITY. The Committee on House Administration shall have au- thority to make adjustments in amounts under section 1, if necessary to comply with an order of the President issued 6 •HRES 197 EH under section 251A or 254 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 or to conform to any change in appropriations for the purposes of such section 1. Attest: Clerk.

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