Moving Our Democracy and Congressional Operations Towards Modernization Resolution

H. Res. 756 In the House of Representatives, U. S., March 10, 2020. Resolved, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. (a) SHORT TITLE.—This resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Moving Our Democracy and Congressional Operations To- wards Modernization Resolution’’. (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of this resolution is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Definitions. TITLE I—STREAMLINING AND REORGANIZING HUMAN RESOURCES Sec. 101. Centralized human resources program. Sec. 102. Reports on operation of Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Sec. 103. Examining feasibility of updating staff payroll system. Sec. 104. Examining feasibility of adjusting the statutory limitation on number of employees of Member offices. Sec. 105. Employee orientation and separation processes. TITLE II—IMPROVING ORIENTATION FOR MEMBERS-ELECT AND PROVIDING IMPROVED CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNI- TIES FOR MEMBERS Sec. 201. Plan for providing for designated staff to prepare for operation of of- fices of new Members-elect. Sec. 202. Improving the orientation experience of new Members. Sec. 203. Exploring the feasibility of establishing a Congressional Leadership Academy. Sec. 204. Requiring annual cybersecurity training for Members and employees. TITLE III—MODERNIZING AND REVITALIZING TECHNOLOGY 2 •HRES 756 EH Sec. 301. Reforming House Information Resources. Sec. 302. Providing technologies to improve constituent engagement. Sec. 303. Streamlined approval process for outside technology vendors. Sec. 304. Enabling early adoption of new technologies and applications by of- fices. Sec. 305. Improving Member feedback regarding outside vendors and HIR serv- ices. Sec. 306. Leveraging bulk purchasing power of the House. Sec. 307. Requiring Congressional Research Service to provide rapid response short fact sheets. Sec. 308. Establishing nonpartisan constituent engagement and services page on HouseNet. TITLE IV—MAKING THE HOUSE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL Sec. 401. Ensuring accessibility of House websites. Sec. 402. Close captioning of proceedings; captioning service for videos created by House offices. Sec. 403. Comprehensive review of accessibility. TITLE V—IMPROVING ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS AND PUBLICATIONS Sec. 501. Adopting standardized format for legislative documents. Sec. 502. Legislation comparison project. Sec. 503. Database of information on expiration of authorizations of programs. Sec. 504. Database of votes taken in committees. Sec. 505. Assignment of unique identifiers for reports filed by registered lobby- ists. Sec. 506. Public availability of reports. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. In this resolution, the following definitions apply: (1) The term ‘‘Chief Administrative Officer’’ means the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Rep- resentatives. (2) The term ‘‘Clerk’’ means the Clerk of the House of Representatives. (3) The term ‘‘HIR’’ means the Office of House In- formation Resources. (4) The term ‘‘Member’’ means a Member of the House of Representatives and a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress. 3 •HRES 756 EH TITLE I—STREAMLINING AND RE- ORGANIZING HUMAN RE- SOURCES SEC. 101. CENTRALIZED HUMAN RESOURCES PROGRAM. (a) ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF PROGRAM.— In order to improve recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce, develop best human resources practices, and take steps to improve competitive compensation and benefits for employees, the Chief Administrative Officer shall establish and operate a centralized human resources program to assist Member, committee, and leadership office staff. (b) FEATURES OF PROGRAM.—The program established under this section shall provide the following services: (1) Developing a centralized repository of practices collected from internal and external sources that have proven to be successful in hiring, promoting, and man- aging staff, updated from time to time. (2) Improving diversity recruitment by imple- menting and promoting best practices for actively seek- ing out candidates of various backgrounds, experiences, and talents, including through outreach to under-rep- resented colleges and universities, community colleges, historically black colleges and universities, and organiza- tions for individuals with disabilities, and compiling a list of such candidates into the House resume portal. 4 •HRES 756 EH (3) Reevaluating current Member, committee, and leadership office employee benefits (including the evalua- tion of the capacity and costs of the House child care center and student loan repayment program) and sub- mitting to the Committee on House Administration on a regular and ongoing basis recommendations for additions or improvements to such benefits which will improve re- cruitment and retention, exploring options such as telework, flex schedules, returnship programs, and sabbaticals. (4) Conducting a biennial staff survey as well as of- fering an optional exit survey to Member, committee, and leadership office staff. (5) Making improvements to the House resume por- tal, including making such portal into a user-friendly, searchable tool for Member, committee, and leadership offices to identify talent based on unique criteria, and in- cluding ways to promote and publicize the existence and availability of such portal to internal and external users. (6) Providing Members-elect with information on the full range of services offered to their staff in an eas- ily understandable and organized format immediately following the certification of their election results. (c) OPERATION OF PROGRAM.— 5 •HRES 756 EH (1) STAFF.—The Chief Administrative Officer shall designate an employee of the Office of the Chief Admin- istrative Officer who shall be responsible for the oper- ation of the program established under this section, using existing staff and resources of the Office. (2) LOCATION; AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES ON- LINE.—The program shall be located in a physical loca- tion which is easily accessible to the offices using the re- sources of the program, and shall provide an online por- tal through which offices may obtain these services. (d) REGULATIONS.—The Committee on House Adminis- tration may issue regulations and take any other steps as may be required to carry out this section. SEC. 102. REPORTS ON OPERATION OF OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION. In accordance with House Resolution 6 (agreed to Janu- ary 9, 2019), the Office of Diversity and Inclusion of the House of Representatives shall submit the following plans and reports: (1) Not later than 60 days after the appointment of the Director of the Office, the Office shall submit to the Committee on House Administration an operational plan for the Office that shall include, consistent with ap- plicable House rules, regulations, and law, a plan for ap- pointing and establishing duties for staff of the Office 6 •HRES 756 EH which shall set forth a proposed maximum number of staff. (2) Not later than 90 days after submitting the operational plan under paragraph (1), the Office shall submit a diversity plan to the Committee on House Ad- ministration for the Committee’s review and approval, and shall include in the plan the following: (A) Policies to direct and guide House employ- ing offices to recruit, hire, train, develop, advance, promote, and retain a diverse workforce, consistent with applicable House rules, regulations, and law. (B) The development of a survey, in consulta- tion with the Committee on House Administration, to evaluate diversity in House employing offices. The Office shall develop, conduct, and report the re- sults of the survey in a bipartisan manner. (C) A framework for the annual diversity re- port required under paragraph (3). (D) A proposal for the composition of an Advi- sory Council that shall, as necessary, inform the work of the Office. (E) Any additional components as determined by the Committee on House Administration. (3) At the end of each session of Congress, the Of- fice shall submit a House of Representatives diversity re- 7 •HRES 756 EH port to the Speaker, the Majority Leader and Minority Leader, the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on House Administration, and the chair and ranking minority member of the Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch of the Committee on Appropriations. The Office shall ensure that the contents of each such report are presented in a bipartisan manner. SEC. 103. EXAMINING FEASIBILITY OF UPDATING STAFF PAY- ROLL SYSTEM. (a) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 120 days after the date of adoption of this resolution, the Chief Administrative Officer shall submit to the Committee on House Administra- tion a report on the feasibility of updating the employee pay- roll system in order to address considerations of younger and lower-paid employees, as well as issues experienced generally by some employees regarding the current monthly pay sched- ule. (b) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) The results of any employee surveys regarding the desirability of changing the employee payroll system or providing both a monthly or bimonthly system. The report shall present such results in a bipartisan manner. (2) An analysis of any costs associated with making changes to the current employee payroll system, includ- 8 •HRES 756 EH ing providing additional options for the schedule of pay- ments. (3) An analysis of any impediments or concerns with making any changes to the current staff payroll system. (c) REGULATIONS.—The Committee on House Adminis- tration may issue regulations to carry out any recommenda- tions made in the report required under subsection (a) or take any other steps as may be required to carry out this sec- tion. SEC. 104. EXAMINING FEASIBILITY OF ADJUSTING THE STATU- TORY LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OF MEMBER OFFICES. (a) REQUIREMENT.—The Chief Administrative Officer shall enter into a contract with an outside entity under which the entity shall work with the Chief Administrative Officer to prepare and submit a report examining the feasibility of ad- justing the statutory limitation established in 1975 on the number of employees who may be employed in the office of a Member. (b) CONTENTS OF REPORT.—The report described in subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) Information regarding the size and demographic makeup of each congressional district, including the number and coverage area of each district office. 9 •HRES 756 EH (2) The average number of employees for each dis- trict office, including common tasks by position. (3) Recommendations regarding the optimal num- ber of employees in both offices located in House office buildings and district offices to address common office workflows and constituent requests, including changes in technology that have occurred recently and are expected to occur in the near future that would have an effect on such number. (4) Recommendations regarding employee salaries and costs, including recommendations for necessary changes to the Members’ Representational Allowance that would be necessary to carry out such recommenda- tions. (c) DEADLINES.— (1) PROVISION OF DRAFT SOLICITATION FOR CON- TRACT.—Not later than 60 days after the date of adop- tion of this resolution, the Chief Administrative Officer shall provide a draft of the solicitation for the contract described in subsection (a) to the Committee of House Administration. (2) SUBMISSION OF REPORT.—Under the contract entered into pursuant to this section, the entity shall submit the report not later than 180 days after the sign- ing of the contract. 10 •HRES 756 EH SEC. 105. EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION AND SEPARATION PROC- ESSES. (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROCESSES.—The Committee on House Administration shall design and implement— (1) a comprehensive and uniform orientation proc- ess for new employees (including interns) of the House to complete within a designated period of time after ap- pointment; and (2) a comprehensive and uniform separation process for employees (including interns) of the House to com- plete within a designated period of time prior to termi- nation. (b) APPLICABILITY.—The processes under subsection (a) shall apply only to employees and interns who have access to the House Network. (c) REGULATIONS.—The Committee on House Adminis- tration may issue regulations or take any other steps as may be required to carry out this section. 11 •HRES 756 EH TITLE II—IMPROVING ORIENTA- TION FOR MEMBERS-ELECT AND PROVIDING IMPROVED CONTINUING EDUCATION OP- PORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS SEC. 201. PLAN FOR PROVIDING FOR DESIGNATED STAFF TO PREPARE FOR OPERATION OF OFFICES OF NEW MEMBERS-ELECT. (a) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the adoption of this resolution, the Chief Administra- tive Officer shall submit a report to the Committee on House Administration that contains a detailed plan for establishing a program under which, upon the recommendation of an indi- vidual by a Member-elect (other than a Member elected to fill a vacancy), the Chief Administrative Officer shall appoint the individual for a limited period of time to assist such Member- elect with administrative and other responsibilities pertaining to the preparation of the Member’s congressional office for operation, and shall include in the plan a timetable for imple- mentation, an estimate of expected costs, and the identifica- tion of any statutory or regulatory obstacles to the implemen- tation of such a program. (b) REGULATIONS.—The Committee on House Adminis- tration may issue regulations to carry out any recommenda- tions made in the report required under subsection (a) or 12 •HRES 756 EH take any other steps as may be required to carry out this sec- tion. SEC. 202. IMPROVING THE ORIENTATION EXPERIENCE OF NEW MEMBERS. (a) IN GENERAL.—In providing orientation services for new Members, including in-person courses and sessions, the Committee on House Administration shall carry out the fol- lowing: (1) The Committee shall work to ensure that ori- entation services are made available to all new Members, including Members elected in a special election during a Congress. (2) The Committee shall work to ensure that courses on the Rules of the House, decorum and debate, and other such courses on practices to promote civility and respect are made available to Members. (3) The Committee shall work to ensure that archived audio and visual recordings of orientation ses- sions are made available for reference. (4) The Committee shall work to provide a range of House training programs and support services, including courses to promote civility and encourage decorum, for new Members and the senior staff of new Members throughout the Members’ first term. 13 •HRES 756 EH (5) T [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]