H.R. 2918; THE Reason Congress Thinks We Are Stupid

Posted by LogisticsMonster on June 26, 2009 · 41 Comments 

(Author’s Note: Numerous people are sending this post around and many people are waking up to what is happening in our government.  It is impossible to argue with the actual text of a bill that was passed by our non-reps showing the rape and pillage of average Americans.)

**

No wonder congressmen and senators go over to the dark side once they hit the beltway.  When these amounts of money are involved, average Americans could be considered dumbasses for working 40 hours a week for $30K annually.

H.R. 2918 was passed in the House on June 19th, 2009; is now on its way to the Senate, and considering on how many fronts we are trying to fight at the moment, I am not surprised that nobody is talking about this one.  It’s one of those dry appropriations bills.  I thought you might like to see some very interesting numbers.  If what follows does not send everybody over the proverbial edge, I do not know what will;  it explains why the Republicans are in league with the Dems and why we need to vote them all out and establish term limits.

I rarely put up a whole bill, but this one really deserves to be read and I have highlighted in blue and red the amounts appropriated and to whom in order for you to skim it, and because it is so unbelieveable. As always, bold and italics emphasis is mine.  Once you get to the end, check out the link at the bottom.

Text of H.R. 2918: Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2010 ($5,188,109,000.00 Billions – entire bill – if my math is correct.  It also does NOT include the Senate.)

Making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

That the following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes, namely:

TITLE I–LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Salaries and Expenses

For salaries and expenses of the House of Representatives, $1,375,200,000, as follows:

($3,161,379.31 per elected official (435) if my math is correct)

HOUSE LEADERSHIP OFFICES

For salaries and expenses, as authorized by law, $25,881,000, including:

Office of the Speaker, $5,077,000, including $25,000 for official expenses of the Speaker; (Nancy Pelosi)

Office of the Majority Floor Leader, $2,530,000, including $10,000 for official expenses of the Majority Leader; (Steney Hoyer)

Office of the Minority Floor Leader, $4,565,000, including $10,000 for official expenses of the Minority Leader; (John Boehner)

Office of the Majority Whip, including the Chief Deputy Majority Whip, $2,194,000, including $5,000 for official expenses of the Majority Whip; (James E. Clyburn/John Lewis)

Office of the Minority Whip, including the Chief Deputy Minority Whip, $1,690,000, including $5,000 for official expenses of the Minority Whip; (Eric Cantor/Kevin McCarthy)

Speaker’s Office for Legislative Floor Activities, $517,000;  (There is established in the House of Representatives an office to be known as the Speaker’s Office for Legislative Floor Activities. The Speaker shall appoint and set the annual rate of pay for employees of the Office. The Office shall have the responsibility of assisting the Speaker in the management of legislative floor activity.)

Republican Steering Committee, $981,000; (Lead by John Boehner)

Republican Conference, $1,748,000; (The Republican Conference; The organizational body for all GOP Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the House Republican Conference is responsible for electing the House Republican leadership, approving GOP Member committee assignments, managing leadership-driven floor debates, and executing a communications strategy that is executed within the party and is conveyed to constituents through the media.

Republican Policy Committee, $362,000; (Tom Price)

Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, $1,366,000; (Nancy Pelosi)

Democratic Caucus, $1,725,000;

nine minority employees, $1,552,000; ($172,444.45 each)

training and program development–majority, $290,000;

training and program development–minority, $290,000;

Cloakroom Personnel–majority, $497,000; and

Cloakroom Personnel–minority, $497,000.

Cloakroom Pages (Wiki)

Each Party Cloakroom has Cloakroom Pages (or “cloakies”) that provide direct assistance to Members of Congress when on the floor and assist the cloakroom staff. Cloakroom Pages answer the cloakrooms phones, and transfer the calls to the booths in the cloakroom. When a congressional staffer wants to talk with a Member, Cloakroom pages must go on the Floor and notify that member. These pages also have to convey messages between Congressmen. For this reason, Cloakroom pages must memorize all of the Representatives of that political party, by name, face, and state. Additionally, Cloakroom Pages help maintain official cloakroom records of daily proceedings, including bills before the House for debate and votes. Miscellaneous tasks include cleaning the phone booths provided in the cloakroom for congressmen; assisting the cloakroom managers in answering phone calls; and during votes, waking up congressmen (who may be sleeping on couches during long or late votes) several minutes before the vote closes; and to make sure that every member present remembers to vote. These pages fall under the de facto supervision of the managers of the respective cloakrooms. Currently, the majority Democratic Cloakroom has four cloakroom pages and the minority Republicans have four as well. The Republican Cloakies generally serve for an entire semester, though it has been known to switch out half its complement about halfway through the semester. The Democratic Cloakies generally serve shorter stints in the cloakroom: usually two or three serve as the long-term backbone and the others serve shorter terms. Cloakroom pages are dismissed when legislative business concludes, although two minority Cloakies typically stay to man the phones for the first hour or so of Special Orders.

Pages: (Wiki)

For their average of 40 hours of work per week, Pages are compensated $21,181 per annum[2], from which are deducted federal and local (based upon the individual page’s permanent residence) taxes and $400/month in room and board fees. Pages are given an allowance of $20 Monday through Thursday, and $10 on Friday for food in the House side of the Capitol.

Back to H.R. 2918 or the “Americans Are Stupid Appropriations Bill”:

Members’ Representational Allowances

Including Members’ Clerk Hire, Official Expenses of Members, and Official Mail

For Members’ representational allowances, including Members’ clerk hire, official expenses, and official mail, $660,000,000.

Committee Employees

Standing Committees, Special and Select

For salaries and expenses of standing committees, special and select, authorized by House resolutions, $139,878,000: Provided, That such amount shall remain available for such salaries and expenses until December 31, 2010, except that $1,000,000 of such amount shall remain available until expended for committee room upgrading.

Committee on Appropriations

For salaries and expenses of the Committee on Appropriations, $31,300,000, including studies and examinations of executive agencies and temporary personal services for such committee, to be expended in accordance with section 202(b) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 and to be available for reimbursement to agencies for services performed: Provided, That such amount shall remain available for such salaries and expenses until December 31, 2010.

Salaries, Officers and Employees

For compensation and expenses of officers and employees, as authorized by law, $200,301,000, including: for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Clerk, including not more than $23,000, of which not more than $20,000 is for the Family Room, for official representation and reception expenses, $32,089,000 of which $4,600,000 shall remain available until expended; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Sergeant at Arms, including the position of Superintendent of Garages, and including not more than $3,000 for official representation and reception expenses, $9,509,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer including not more than $3,000 for official representation and reception expenses, $130,782,000, of which $3,937,000 shall remain available until expended; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Inspector General, $5,045,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office of Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Operations, $4,445,000, to remain available until expended; for salaries and expenses of the Office of General Counsel, $1,415,000; for the Office of the Chaplain, $179,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Parliamentarian, including the Parliamentarian, $2,000 for preparing the Digest of Rules, and not more than $1,000 for official representation and reception expenses, $2,060,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the House, $3,258,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Legislative Counsel of the House, $8,814,000; for salaries and expenses of the Office of Interparliamentary Affairs, $859,000; for other authorized employees, $1,249,000; and for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Historian, including the cost of the House Fellows Program (including lodging and related expenses for visiting Program participants), $597,000.

Allowances and Expenses

For allowances and expenses as authorized by House resolution or law, $317,840,000, including: supplies, materials, administrative costs and Federal tort claims, $3,948,000; official mail for committees, leadership offices, and administrative offices of the House, $201,000; Government contributions for health, retirement, Social Security, and other applicable employee benefits, $278,278,000, including employee tuition assistance benefit payments, $3,500,000, if authorized, and employee child care benefit payments, $1,000,000, if authorized; Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery, $27,698,000, of which $9,000,000 shall remain available until expended; transition activities for new members and staff, $2,907,000; Wounded Warrior Program, $2,500,000, to be derived from funding provided for this purpose in Division G of Public Law 111-8; Office of Congressional Ethics, $1,548,000; Energy Demonstration Projects, $2,500,000, if authorized, to remain available until expended; and miscellaneous items including purchase, exchange, maintenance, repair and operation of House motor vehicles, interparliamentary receptions, and gratuities to heirs of deceased employees of the House, $760,000.

Child Care Center

For salaries and expenses of the House of Representatives Child Care Center, such amounts as are deposited in the account established by section 312(d)(1) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1992 (2 U.S.C. 2062), subject to the level specified in the budget of the Center, as submitted to the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

Administrative Provisions (This section is a joke)

Sec. 101. (a) REQUIRING AMOUNTS REMAINING IN MEMBERS’ REPRESENTATIONAL ALLOWANCES TO BE USED FOR DEFICIT REDUCTION OR TO REDUCE THE FEDERAL DEBT– Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any amounts appropriated under this Act for ‘HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES–SALARIES AND EXPENSES–MEMBERS’ REPRESENTATIONAL ALLOWANCES’ shall be available only for fiscal year 2010. Any amount remaining after all payments are made under such allowances for fiscal year 2010 shall be deposited in the Treasury and used for deficit reduction (or, if there is no Federal budget deficit after all such payments have been made, for reducing the Federal debt, in such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury considers appropriate).

(b) REGULATIONS- The Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives shall have authority to prescribe regulations to carry out this section.

(c) DEFINITION- As used in this section, the term ‘Member of the House of Representatives’ means a Representative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.

SEC. 102. Effective with respect to fiscal year 2010 and each succeeding fiscal year, the aggregate amount otherwise authorized to be appropriated for a fiscal year for the lump-sum allowance for each of the following offices is increased as follows:

(1) The allowance for the office of the Majority Whip is increased by $96,000.

(2) The allowance for the office of the Minority Whip is increased by $96,000.

JOINT ITEMS

For Joint Committees, as follows:

Joint Economic Committee

For salaries and expenses of the Joint Economic Committee, $4,814,000, to be disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate.

Joint Committee on Taxation

For salaries and expenses of the Joint Committee on Taxation, $11,451,000, to be disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives.

For other joint items, as follows:

Office of the Attending Physician

For medical supplies, equipment, and contingent expenses of the emergency rooms, and for the Attending Physician and his assistants, including: (1) an allowance of $2,175 per month to the Attending Physician; (2) an allowance of $1,300 per month to the Senior Medical Officer; (3) an allowance of $725 per month each to three medical officers while on duty in the Office of the Attending Physician; (4) an allowance of $725 per month to two assistants and $580 per month each not to exceed 11 assistants on the basis heretofore provided for such assistants; and (5) $2,366,000 for reimbursement to the Department of the Navy for expenses incurred for staff and equipment assigned to the Office of the Attending Physician, which shall be advanced and credited to the applicable appropriation or appropriations from which such salaries, allowances, and other expenses are payable and shall be available for all the purposes thereof, $3,805,000, to be disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives.

Office of Congressional Accessibility Services

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For salaries and expenses of the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services, $1,314,000, to be disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate.

Statements of Appropriations

For the preparation, under the direction of the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives, of the statements for the first session of the 111th Congress, showing appropriations made, indefinite appropriations, and contracts authorized, together with a chronological history of the regular appropriations bills as required by law, $30,000, to be paid to the persons designated by the chairmen of such committees to supervise the work.

CAPITOL POLICE

salaries

For salaries of employees of the Capitol Police, including overtime, hazardous duty pay differential, and Government contributions for health, retirement, social security, professional liability insurance, and other applicable employee benefits, $263,198,000, to be disbursed by the Chief of the Capitol Police or his designee.

GENERAL EXPENSES

For necessary expenses of the Capitol Police, including motor vehicles, communications and other equipment, security equipment and installation, uniforms, weapons, supplies, materials, training, medical services, forensic services, stenographic services, personal and professional services, the employee assistance program, the awards program, postage, communication services, travel advances, relocation of instructor and liaison personnel for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, and not more than $5,000 to be expended on the certification of the Chief of the Capitol Police in connection with official representation and reception expenses, $61,914,000, to be disbursed by the Chief of the Capitol Police or his designee: Provided, That, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the cost of basic training for the Capitol Police at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center for fiscal year 2010 shall be paid by the Secretary of Homeland Security from funds available to the Department of Homeland Security.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

SEC. 1001. TRANSFER AUTHORITY- Amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2010 for the Capitol Police may be transferred between the headings ‘SALARIES’ and ‘GENERAL EXPENSES’ upon the approval of the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

OFFICE OF COMPLIANCE

Salaries and Expenses

For salaries and expenses of the Office of Compliance, as authorized by section 305 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1385), $4,335,000, of which $884,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2011: Provided, That the Executive Director of the Office of Compliance may, within the limits of available appropriations, dispose of surplus or obsolete personal property by interagency transfer, donation, or discarding: Provided further, That not more than $500 may be expended on the certification of the Executive Director of the Office of Compliance in connection with official representation and reception expenses.

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE

Salaries and Expenses

For salaries and expenses necessary for operation of the Congressional Budget Office, including not more than $6,000 to be expended on the certification of the Director of the Congressional Budget Office in connection with official representation and reception expenses, $45,165,000.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

SEC. 1101- MODIFICATIONS TO EXECUTIVE EXCHANGE PROGRAM- (a) EXPANSION OF NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS- Section 1201(b) of the Legislative Branch Apropriations Act, 2008 (2 U.S.C. 611 note) is amended by striking ‘3’ each place it appears and inserting ‘5’.

(b) PERMANENT EXTENSION OF PROGRAM- Section 1201 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 611 note) is amended–

(1) by striking subsection (d) and redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d); and

(2) in subsection (d), as so redesignated, by striking ‘Subject to subsection (d), this section’ and inserting ‘This section’.

(c) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by this section shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2008.

ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL

General Administration

For salaries for the Architect of the Capitol, and other personal services, at rates of pay provided by law; for surveys and studies in connection with activities under the care of the Architect of the Capitol; for all necessary expenses for the general and administrative support of the operations under the Architect of the Capitol including the Botanic Garden; electrical substations of the Capitol, Senate and House office buildings, and other facilities under the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol; including furnishings and office equipment; including not more than $5,000 for official reception and representation expenses, to be expended as the Architect of the Capitol may approve; for purchase or exchange, maintenance, and operation of a passenger motor vehicle, $109,392,000, of which $8,950,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014.

Historic Buildings Revitalization Trust Fund

For a payment to the Historic Buildings Revitalization Trust Fund established under section 1201, $60,000,000, to remain available until expended.

Capitol Building

For necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and operation of the Capitol, $32,800,000, of which $6,241,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014.

Capitol Grounds

For all necessary expenses for care and improvement of grounds surrounding the Capitol, the Senate and House office buildings, and the Capitol Power Plant, $10,920,000, of which $1,410,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014.

House Office Buildings

For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and operation of the House office buildings, $100,466,000, of which $53,360,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014.

Capitol Power Plant

For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and operation of the Capitol Power Plant; lighting, heating, power (including the purchase of electrical energy) and water and sewer services for the Capitol, Senate and House office buildings, Library of Congress buildings, and the grounds about the same, Botanic Garden, Senate garage, and air conditioning refrigeration not supplied from plants in any of such buildings; heating the Government Printing Office and Washington City Post Office, and heating and chilled water for air conditioning for the Supreme Court Building, the Union Station complex, the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building and the Folger Shakespeare Library, expenses for which shall be advanced or reimbursed upon request of the Architect of the Capitol and amounts so received shall be deposited into the Treasury to the credit of this appropriation, $125,083,000, of which $31,560,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014: Provided, That not more than $8,000,000 of the funds credited or to be reimbursed to this appropriation as herein provided shall be available for obligation during fiscal year 2010.

Library Buildings and Grounds

For all necessary expenses for the mechanical and structural maintenance, care and operation of the Library buildings and grounds, $41,937,000, of which $15,750,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014.

Capitol Police Buildings, Grounds and Security

For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and operation of buildings, grounds and security enhancements of the United States Capitol Police, wherever located, the Alternate Computer Facility, and AOC security operations, $26,364,000, of which $7,750,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014.

Botanic Garden

For all necessary expenses for the maintenance, care and operation of the Botanic Garden and the nurseries, buildings, grounds, and collections; and purchase and exchange, maintenance, repair, and operation of a passenger motor vehicle; all under the direction of the Joint Committee on the Library, $11,263,000, of which $900,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2014: Provided, That of the amount made available under this heading, the Architect may obligate and expend such sums as may be necessary for the maintenance, care and operation of the National Garden established under section 307E of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1989 (2 U.S.C. 2146), upon vouchers approved by the Architect or a duly authorized designee.

Capitol Visitor Center

For necessary expenses for Capitol Visitor Center operations costs, $23,166,000.

Administrative Provisions

Sec. 1201. HISTORIC BUILDINGS REVITALIZATION TRUST FUND- (a) ESTABLISHMENT- There is hereby established in the Treasury of the United States, as an account for the Architect of the Capitol, the Historic Buildings Revitalization Trust Fund (hereafter in this section referred to as the ‘Fund’).

(b) Use of Amounts- Amounts in the Fund shall be used by the Architect of the Capitol for the revitalization of the major historical buildings and assets which the Architect is responsible for maintaining and preserving, except that the Architect may not obligate any amounts in the Fund without the approval of the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and Senate.

(c) Effective Date- This section shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2010 and each succeeding fiscal year.

Sec. 1202. Any individual who is appointed as the Architect of the Capitol after the date of the enactment of this Act shall be appointed in accordance with the applicable laws in effect at the time of appointment, taking into account any amendments which may be made to such applicable laws during the One Hundred Eleventh Congress.

Sec. 1203. SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE DURING EMERGENCIES- (a) During an emergency involving the safety of human life or the protection of property, as determined or declared by the Capitol Police Board, the Architect of the Capitol–

(1) may accept contributions of comfort and other incidental items and services to support employees of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol while such employees are on duty in response to the emergency; and

(2) may incur obligations and make expenditures out of available appropriations for meals, refreshments, and other support and maintenance for the Office of the Architect of the Capitol if, in the judgment of the Architect, such obligations and expenditures are necessary to respond to the emergency.

(b) This section shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2010 and each succeeding fiscal year.

Sec. 1204. Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules- (a) Section 6121(1) of title 5, United States Code is amended by inserting after ‘military department,’ the following: ‘the Architect of the Capitol,’.

(b) Section 6133(c) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

‘(3) With respect to employees of the Architect of the Capitol (including employees of the Botanic Garden), the authority granted to the Office of Personnel Management under this subchapter shall be exercised by the Architect of the Capitol.’.

(c) The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to pay periods beginning or after the later of October 1, 2009, or the date of the enactment of this Act.

Sec. 1205. ACCEPTANCE OF VOLUNTARY STUDENT SERVICES- Section 3111 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding the following new subsection:

‘(e) In this section, the term ‘agency’ includes the Architect of the Capitol, except that in the case of the Architect of the Capitol, the authority granted to the Office of Personnel Management under this section shall be exercised by the Architect of the Capitol.’.

(b) The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2010 and each such succeeding fiscal year.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Salaries and Expenses

For necessary expenses of the Library of Congress not otherwise provided for, including development and maintenance of the Library’s catalogs; custody and custodial care of the Library buildings; special clothing; cleaning, laundering and repair of uniforms; preservation of motion pictures in the custody of the Library; operation and maintenance of the American Folklife Center in the Library; activities under the Civil Rights History Project Act of 2009; preparation and distribution of catalog records and other publications of the Library; hire or purchase of one passenger motor vehicle; and expenses of the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board not properly chargeable to the income of any trust fund held by the Board, $450,211,000, of which not more than $6,000,000 shall be derived from collections credited to this appropriation during fiscal year 2010, and shall remain available until expended, under the Act of June 28, 1902 (chapter 1301; 32 Stat. 480; 2 U.S.C. 150) and not more than $350,000 shall be derived from collections during fiscal year 2010 and shall remain available until expended for the development and maintenance of an international legal information database and activities related thereto: Provided, That the Library of Congress may not obligate or expend any funds derived from collections under the Act of June 28, 1902, in excess of the amount authorized for obligation or expenditure in appropriations Acts: Provided further, That the total amount available for obligation shall be reduced by the amount by which collections are less than $6,350,000: Provided further, That of the total amount appropriated, not more than $12,000 may be expended, on the certification of the Librarian of Congress, in connection with official representation and reception expenses for the Overseas Field Offices: Provided further, That of the total amount appropriated, $7,315,000 shall remain available until expended for the digital collections and educational curricula program: Provided further, That of the total amount appropriated, $750,000 shall be transferred to the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission for carrying out the purposes of Public Law 106-173, of which $10,000 may be used for official representation and reception expenses of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission: Provided further, That of the amount made available under this heading, $250,000 shall be used to carry out activities under the Civil Rights History Project Act of 2009.

Copyright Office

salaries and expenses

For necessary expenses of the Copyright Office, $55,476,000, of which not more than $28,751,000, to remain available until expended, shall be derived from collections credited to this appropriation during fiscal year 2010 under section 708(d) of title 17, United States Code: Provided, That the Copyright Office may not obligate or expend any funds derived from collections under such section, in excess of the amount authorized for obligation or expenditure in appropriations Acts: Provided further, That not more than $5,861,000 shall be derived from collections during fiscal year 2010 under sections 111(d)(2), 119(b)(2), 803(e), 1005, and 1316 of such title: Provided further, That the total amount available for obligation shall be reduced by the amount by which collections are less than $34,612,000: Provided further, That not more than $100,000 of the amount appropriated is available for the maintenance of an ‘International Copyright Institute’ in the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress for the purpose of training nationals of developing countries in intellectual property laws and policies: Provided further, That not more than $4,250 may be expended, on the certification of the Librarian of Congress, in connection with official representation and reception expenses for activities of the International Copyright Institute and for copyright delegations, visitors, and seminars: Provided further, That notwithstanding any provision of chapter 8 of title 17, United States Code, any amounts made available under this heading which are attributable to royalty fees and payments received by the Copyright Office pursuant to sections 111, 119, and chapter 10 of such title may be used for the costs incurred in the administration of the Copyright Royalty Judges program, with the exception of the costs of salaries and benefits for the Copyright Royalty Judges and staff under section 802(e).

Congressional Research Service

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of section 203 of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 166) and to revise and extend the Annotated Constitution of the United States of America, $112,490,000: Provided, That no part of such amount may be used to pay any salary or expense in connection with any publication, or preparation of material therefore (except the Digest of Public General Bills), to be issued by the Library of Congress unless such publication has obtained prior approval of either the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate.

Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For salaries and expenses to carry out the Act of March 3, 1931 (chapter 400; 46 Stat. 1487; 2 U.S.C. 135a), $70,182,000, of which $30,577,000 shall remain available until expended: Provided, That of the total amount appropriated $650,000 shall be available to contract to provide newspapers to blind and physically handicapped residents at no cost to the individual.

Administrative Provisions

Sec. 1301. Incentive Awards Program- Of the amounts appropriated to the Library of Congress in this Act, not more than $5,000 may be expended, on the certification of the Librarian of Congress, in connection with official representation and reception expenses for the incentive awards program.

Sec. 1302. Reimbursable and Revolving Fund Activities- (a) In General- For fiscal year 2010, the obligational authority of the Library of Congress for the activities described in subsection (b) may not exceed $123,328,000.

(b) Activities- The activities referred to in subsection (a) are reimbursable and revolving fund activities that are funded from sources other than appropriations to the Library in appropriations Acts for the legislative branch.

(c) Transfer of Funds- During fiscal year 2010, the Librarian of Congress may temporarily transfer funds appropriated in this Act, under the heading ‘LIBRARY OF CONGRESS’, under the subheading ‘Salaries and Expenses’, to the revolving fund for the FEDLINK Program and the Federal Research Program established under section 103 of the Library of Congress Fiscal Operations Improvement Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-481; 2 U.S.C. 182c): Provided, That the total amount of such transfers may not exceed $1,900,000: Provided further, That the appropriate revolving fund account shall reimburse the Library for any amounts transferred to it before the period of availability of the Library appropriation expires.

SEC. 1303. Transfer Authority- (a) IN GENERAL- Amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2010 for the Library of Congress may be transferred during fiscal year 2010 between any of the headings under the heading ‘LIBRARY OF CONGRESS’ upon the approval of the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

(b) LIMITATION- Not more than 10 percent of the total amount of funds appropriated to the account under any heading under the heading ‘LIBRARY OF CONGRESS’ for fiscal year 2010 may be transferred from that account by all transfers made under subsection (a).

Sec. 1304. Classification of Library of Congress Positions Above GS-15- Section 5108 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

‘(c) The Librarian of Congress may classify positions in the Library of Congress above GS-15 pursuant to standards established by the Office in subsection (a)(2).’.

Sec. 1305. Leave Carryover for Certain Library of Congress Executive Positions- (a) Section 6304(f)(1) of title 5, United States Code, is amended–

(1) in subparagraph (F), by striking ‘or’ at the end;

(2) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the end and inserting ‘; or’; and

(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

‘(H) a position in the Library of Congress the compensation for which is set at a rate equal to the annual rate of basic pay payable for positions at level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314.’.

(b) The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to annual leave accrued during pay periods beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Sec. 1306. (a) Section 4(a) of the American Folklife Preservation Act (20 U.S.C. 2103(a)) is amended by striking ‘an American Folklife Center’ and inserting ‘the Archie Green American Folklife Center’.

(b) Any reference to the American Folklife Center in any law, rule, regulation, or document shall be deemed to be a reference to the Archie Green American Folklife Center.

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

Congressional Printing and Binding

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For authorized printing and binding for the Congress and the distribution of Congressional information in any format; printing and binding for the Architect of the Capitol; expenses necessary for preparing the semimonthly and session index to the Congressional Record, as authorized by law (section 902 of title 44, United States Code); printing and binding of Government publications authorized by law to be distributed to Members of Congress; and printing, binding, and distribution of Government publications authorized by law to be distributed without charge to the recipient, $93,296,000: Provided, That this appropriation shall not be available for paper copies of the permanent edition of the Congressional Record for individual Representatives, Resident Commissioners or Delegates authorized under section 906 of title 44, United States Code: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be available for the payment of obligations incurred under the appropriations for similar purposes for preceding fiscal years: Provided further, That notwithstanding the 2-year limitation under section 718 of title 44, United States Code, none of the funds appropriated or made available under this Act or any other Act for printing and binding and related services provided to Congress under chapter 7 of title 44, United States Code, may be expended to print a document, report, or publication after the 27-month period beginning on the date that such document, report, or publication is authorized by Congress to be printed, unless Congress reauthorizes such printing in accordance with section 718 of title 44, United States Code: Provided further, That any unobligated or unexpended balances in this account or accounts for similar purposes for preceding fiscal years may be transferred to the Government Printing Office revolving fund for carrying out the purposes of this heading, subject to the approval of the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and Senate.

Office of Superintendent of Documents

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For expenses of the Office of Superintendent of Documents necessary to provide for the cataloging and indexing of Government publications and their distribution to the public, Members of Congress, other Government agencies, and designated depository and international exchange libraries as authorized by law, $40,911,000: Provided, That amounts of not more than $2,000,000 from current year appropriations are authorized for producing and disseminating Congressional serial sets and other related publications for fiscal years 2008 and 2009 to depository and other designated libraries: Provided further, That any unobligated or unexpended balances in this account or accounts for similar purposes for preceding fiscal years may be transferred to the Government Printing Office revolving fund for carrying out the purposes of this heading, subject to the approval of the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and Senate.

Government Printing Office Revolving Fund

For payment to the Government Printing Office Revolving Fund, $12,000,000 for information technology development and facilities repair: Provided, That the Government Printing Office is hereby authorized to make such expenditures, within the limits of funds available and in accordance with law, and to make such contracts and commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations as provided by section 9104 of title 31, United States Code, as may be necessary in carrying out the programs and purposes set forth in the budget for the current fiscal year for the Government Printing Office revolving fund: Provided further, That not more than $7,500 may be expended on the certification of the Public Printer in connection with official representation and reception expenses: Provided further, That the revolving fund shall be available for the hire or purchase of not more than 12 passenger motor vehicles: Provided further, That expenditures in connection with travel expenses of the advisory councils to the Public Printer shall be deemed necessary to carry out the provisions of title 44, United States Code: Provided further, That the revolving fund shall be available for temporary or intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals not more than the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title: Provided further, That activities financed through the revolving fund may provide information in any format: Provided further, That the revolving fund and the funds provided under the headings ‘Office of Superintendent of Documents’ and ‘Salaries and Expenses’ may not be used for contracted security services at GPO’s passport facility in the District of Columbia.

GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE

Salaries and Expenses

For necessary expenses of the Government Accountability Office, including not more than $12,500 to be expended on the certification of the Comptroller General of the United States in connection with official representation and reception expenses; temporary or intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals not more than the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of such title; hire of one passenger motor vehicle; advance payments in foreign countries in accordance with section 3324 of title 31, United States Code; benefits comparable to those payable under sections 901(5), (6), and (8) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4081(5), (6), and (8)); and under regulations prescribed by the Comptroller General of the United States, rental of living quarters in foreign countries, $558,849,000: Provided, That not more than $5,449,000 of payments received under section 782 of title 31, United States Code, shall be available for use in fiscal year 2010: Provided further, That not more than $2,350,000 of reimbursements received under section 9105 of title 31, United States Code, shall be available for use in fiscal year 2010: Provided further, That not more than $7,423,000 of reimbursements received under section 3521 of title 31, United States Code, shall be available for use in fiscal year 2010: Provided further, That this appropriation and appropriations for administrative expenses of any other department or agency which is a member of the National Intergovernmental Audit Forum or a Regional Intergovernmental Audit Forum shall be available to finance an appropriate share of either Forum’s costs as determined by the respective Forum, including necessary travel expenses of non-Federal participants: Provided further, That payments hereunder to the Forum may be credited as reimbursements to any appropriation from which costs involved are initially financed.

OPEN WORLD LEADERSHIP CENTER TRUST FUND

For a payment to the Open World Leadership Center Trust Fund for financing activities of the Open World Leadership Center under section 313 of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2001 (2 U.S.C. 1151), $9,000,000.

John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development

For payment to the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Development Trust Fund established under section 116 of the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development Act (2 U.S.C. 1105), $430,000.

TITLE II–GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 201. MAINTENANCE AND CARE OF PRIVATE VEHICLES- No part of the funds appropriated in this Act shall be used for the maintenance or care of private vehicles, except for emergency assistance and cleaning as may be provided under regulations relating to parking facilities for the House of Representatives issued by the Committee on House Administration and for the Senate issued by the Committee on Rules and Administration.

SEC. 202. FISCAL YEAR LIMITATION- No part of the funds appropriated in this Act shall remain available for obligation beyond fiscal year 2010 unless expressly so provided in this Act.

SEC. 203. RATES OF COMPENSATION AND DESIGNATION- Whenever in this Act any office or position not specifically established by the Legislative Pay Act of 1929 (46 Stat. 32 et seq.) is appropriated for or the rate of compensation or designation of any office or position appropriated for is different from that specifically established by such Act, the rate of compensation and the designation in this Act shall be the permanent law with respect thereto: Provided, That the provisions in this Act for the various items of official expenses of Members, officers, and committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, and clerk hire for Senators and Members of the House of Representatives shall be the permanent law with respect thereto.

SEC. 204. CONSULTING SERVICES- The expenditure of any appropriation under this Act for any consulting service through procurement contract, under section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, shall be limited to those contracts where such expenditures are a matter of public record and available for public inspection, except where otherwise provided under existing law, or under existing Executive order issued under existing law.

SEC. 205. AWARDS AND SETTLEMENTS- Such sums as may be necessary are appropriated to the account described in subsection (a) of section 415 of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1415(a)) to pay awards and settlements as authorized under such subsection.

SEC. 206. COSTS OF LBFMC- Amounts available for administrative expenses of any legislative branch entity which participates in the Legislative Branch Financial Managers Council (LBFMC) established by charter on March 26, 1996, shall be available to finance an appropriate share of LBFMC costs as determined by the LBFMC, except that the total LBFMC costs to be shared among all participating legislative branch entities (in such allocations among the entities as the entities may determine) may not exceed $2,000.

SEC. 207. LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE- The Architect of the Capitol, in consultation with the District of Columbia, is authorized to maintain and improve the landscape features, excluding streets, in the irregular shaped grassy areas bounded by Washington Avenue, SW, on the northeast, Second Street, SW, on the west, Square 582 on the south, and the beginning of the I-395 tunnel on the southeast.

SEC. 208. LIMITATION ON TRANSFERS- None of the funds made available in this Act may be transferred to any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government, except pursuant to a transfer made by, or transfer authority provided in, this Act or any other appropriation Act.

SEC. 209. GUIDED TOURS OF THE CAPITOL- (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), none of the funds made available to the Architect of the Capitol in this Act may be used to eliminate or restrict guided tours of the United States Capitol which are led by employees and interns of offices of Members of Congress and other offices of the House of Representatives and Senate.

(b) At the direction of the Capitol Police Board, or at the direction of the Architect of the Capitol with the approval of the Capitol Police Board, guided tours of the United States Capitol which are led by employees and interns described in subsection (a) may be suspended temporarily or otherwise subject to restriction for security or related reasons to the same extent as guided tours of the United States Capitol which are led by the Architect of the Capitol.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2010’.

Passed the House of Representatives June 19, 2009.

Congress Just Gave Itself Nearly 4 Billion For Expenses (Make sure to go over and read the whole article.)

How would you like a job with a six figure salary and the ability to vote yourself an additional healthy chunk of taxpayer money to be used for “expenses?”

Need millions and millions each year to run your household?

Then become a member of the Congressional royalty and you too can wallow in the pork of nearly FOUR BILLION dollars to be used for “expenses.”

$3.7 billion divided by 535 members of Congress works out to a sweet $6.9 MILLION for each one of our Congressional “princes” to spend on “expenses.”

Filed under Politics · Tagged with H.R. 2918, Pork