[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1331 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1331
Carrying out recommendations issued by the Select Committee on the
Modernization of Congress, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 6, 2022
Mr. Kilmer (for himself and Mr. Timmons) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on House
Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, and
Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Carrying out recommendations issued by the Select Committee on the
Modernization of Congress, and for other purposes.
Resolved,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This resolution may be cited as the ``Moving Our
Democracy and Congressional Operations Towards Modernization Resolution
of 2022''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this resolution is
as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--RECLAIMING ARTICLE I RESPONSIBILITIES AND ENHANCING
CONGRESSIONAL EFFECTIVENESS THROUGH IMPROVED COLLABORATION; PROMOTING
COLLABORATION AND EFFICIENCIES IN COMMITTEE OPERATIONS
Subtitle A--Reclaiming Article I Responsibilities and Enhancing
Congressional Effectiveness Through Improved Collaboration
Sec. 101. Bipartisan space in United States Capitol.
Sec. 102. Congressional retreats.
Sec. 103. Encouraging substantive debate and deliberation among
Members.
Subtitle B--Promoting Collaboration and Efficiencies in Committee
Operations
Sec. 111. Encouraging experimentation with alternative formats.
Sec. 112. Avoiding committee scheduling conflicts.
Sec. 113. Regulations.
TITLE II--STREAMLINING PROCESSES AND IMPROVING TECHNOLOGY AND
CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS IN CONGRESS
Sec. 201. Coordinated procurement and bulk purchasing for House
offices.
Sec. 202. Increase accountability and tracking for all Member-sponsored
communications mail.
Sec. 203. Continuity of operations and telework plans for House
offices.
Sec. 204. Secure document practices.
Sec. 205. Promoting use of electronic and digital technologies.
TITLE III--STRENGTHENING CONGRESSIONAL CAPACITY
Sec. 301. Task force on the House workforce.
Sec. 302. Assistance for employees of contractors.
Sec. 303. Talent acquisition software.
Sec. 304. Making internships more accessible.
Sec. 305. Access of fellows and detailees serving in House offices to
office resources.
TITLE IV--EXPANDING ACCESSIBILITY TO CONGRESS AND PROMOTING EFFICIENT
USE OF SPACE
Sec. 401. ADA drop-off and pick-up zone.
Sec. 402. Information on security screening procedures.
Sec. 403. Accessibility of doorways.
Sec. 404. Accessibility of websites.
TITLE V--MISCELLANEOUS RECOMMENDATIONS
Subtitle A--Modernization of Member Office Budgets and Operations
Sec. 501. Re-evaluation of Members' Representational Allowance.
Subtitle B--Modernization of Legislative Support Agencies
Sec. 511. Examining support agencies.
Subtitle C--Eligible Congressional Member Organizations
Sec. 521. Eligible Congressional Member Organization.
Sec. 522. Eligible Congressional Member Organization defined.
TITLE I--RECLAIMING ARTICLE I RESPONSIBILITIES AND ENHANCING
CONGRESSIONAL EFFECTIVENESS THROUGH IMPROVED COLLABORATION; PROMOTING
COLLABORATION AND EFFICIENCIES IN COMMITTEE OPERATIONS
Subtitle A--Reclaiming Article I Responsibilities and Enhancing
Congressional Effectiveness Through Improved Collaboration
SEC. 101. BIPARTISAN SPACE IN UNITED STATES CAPITOL.
(a) Establishment of Bipartisan Space.--It is the sense of the
House of Representatives that the Committee on House Administration of
the House of Representatives, in consultation with the House Office
Building Commission, should establish a space in the United States
Capitol which may be used for bipartisan gatherings of Members of the
House to meet and collaborate on a bipartisan and private basis.
(b) Identification of Space.--It is the sense of the House that the
Committee should consult with the Architect of the Capitol to identify
suitable space in the United States Capitol in close proximity to the
Hall of the House for purposes of this section.
SEC. 102. CONGRESSIONAL RETREATS.
(a) Biennial Retreats for Members and Spouses.--It is the sense of
the House of Representatives that, at the beginning of each Congress,
the House of Representatives shall hold a bipartisan retreat for
Members and their families at a location within driving distance of the
District of Columbia.
(b) Organization and Agenda.--It is the sense of the House that the
Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives shall
consult with the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives,
the Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives, and any other
House office or appropriate entity as may be necessary to facilitate
the retreat under this section, subject to regulations issued by the
Committee on House Administration.
(c) Accommodation Within Congressional Calendar.--In planning the
retreat under this section, the Chief Administrative Officer and the
Committee on House Administration shall consult with the majority
leader to ensure that the retreat may be accommodated within the
congressional calendar.
(d) Regulations.--It is the sense of the House that the Committee
on House Administration should issue regulations or take any other
steps as may be required to carry out this section.
SEC. 103. ENCOURAGING SUBSTANTIVE DEBATE AND DELIBERATION AMONG
MEMBERS.
(a) Training in Debate as Part of New Member Orientation.--The
Committee on House Administration shall include as part of the
orientation program for new Members of the House a program to train
Members on how to participate in debates on legislative policy issues,
including workshops on processing and understanding opposing points of
view on such issues and training with respect to the Rules of the House
of Representatives and rules regarding decorum in the House.
(b) Specifications.--The program under subsection (a) shall be
conducted by professionals in the field of debate with expertise in the
Rules of the House of Representatives, decorum in the House, and the
legislative process and shall be carried out on a bipartisan basis.
(c) Program for Staff.--To the extent practicable, the
Congressional Staff Academy shall offer a program for staff which is
similar to the program under subsection (a).
Subtitle B--Promoting Collaboration and Efficiencies in Committee
Operations
SEC. 111. ENCOURAGING EXPERIMENTATION WITH ALTERNATIVE FORMATS.
(a) Alternative Formats for Hearings.--It is the sense of the House
of Representatives that each committee of the House should experiment
with alternative formats for conducting hearings which encourage an
open exchange of information and civility among members of the
committee.
(b) Pilot Programs for Proceedings of Subcommittees.--It is the
sense of the House that each committee of the House should experiment
with pilot programs for alternative formats for conducting hearings of
any of its subcommittees, and should use the results of such programs
to implement such formats on a broader basis.
(c) Alternative Formats Described.--The alternative formats
described in subsections (a) and (b) are--
(1) alternatives to the five-minute rule for questioning
witnesses while preserving the opportunity for all members to
participate; and
(2) seating Members and witnesses at the same table, or
seating Members of opposing parties next to each other, to
encourage better dialogue and civility.
SEC. 112. AVOIDING COMMITTEE SCHEDULING CONFLICTS.
(a) Avoiding Conflicts.--It is the sense of the House of
Representatives that standing and select committees of the House
should, to the greatest extent practicable, schedule meetings and
activities at times that do not conflict with the times of meetings and
activities of the other committees on which their Members serve.
(b) Common Committee Scheduling Tool.--To assist in carrying out
the purpose of subsection (a), the Clerk of the House of
Representatives, in consultation with committees of the House, shall
investigate and recommend options for the creation and operation of an
internal common web portal for posting and displaying, in advance of
public notice, dates and times for planned meetings and activities of
committees of the House.
SEC. 113. REGULATIONS.
It is the sense of the House of Representatives that the Committee
on House Administration should promulgate such regulations as may be
necessary to carry out this subtitle.
TITLE II--STREAMLINING PROCESSES AND IMPROVING TECHNOLOGY AND
CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS IN CONGRESS
SEC. 201. COORDINATED PROCUREMENT AND BULK PURCHASING FOR HOUSE
OFFICES.
(a) Arrangements for House Offices.--Entities of the House of
Representatives may enter into arrangements to coordinate the
procurement of equipment, supplies, and services for offices of the
House, including by entering into contracts covering multiple offices
of the House and by entering into bulk purchasing arrangement.
(b) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may issue
regulations or take any other steps as may be required to carry out
this section.
SEC. 202. INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRACKING FOR ALL MEMBER-SPONSORED
COMMUNICATIONS MAIL.
It is the sense of the House that the House Communications
Standards Commission of the House of Representatives, in consultation
with the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of
Representatives and the United States Postal Service, should develop
and implement methods to modernize the operations of the House with
respect to the reporting and tracking of franked mail from the district
offices of Members of the House of Representatives to eliminate the
need for the self-reporting of such mail by the district offices.
SEC. 203. CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS AND TELEWORK PLANS FOR HOUSE
OFFICES.
(a) Establishment of Plan.--It is the sense of the House that each
office of the House of Representatives should establish a plan for the
continuity of the operations of the office during emergencies,
including minimum safety requirements for the operation of the office,
an emergency communications plan covering communications by telephone,
electronic mail, and video, and a plan for personnel of the office to
work remotely.
(b) Ensuring Availability of Technology, Equipment, and Support
Necessary To Carry Out Plans.--It is the sense of the House that each
office should ensure that it has the technology, equipment, and
technical support necessary to implement its plan under this section,
including VPN-capable laptops and telephone forwarding technology, and
that House Information Resources and the Emergency Management Division,
should, at the request of an office, assist the office in obtaining
such technology, equipment, and support.
(c) Inclusion of Requirements for Plans in New Member
Orientation.--It is the sense of the House that the Committee on House
Administration and the Chief Administrative Officer should ensure that
information on the requirements for plans under this section is
included in the orientation program provided to new Members of the
House and routinely communicated to all Members at the start of each
Congress.
SEC. 204. SECURE DOCUMENT PRACTICES.
It is the sense of the House that the Chief Administrate Officer of
the House of Representatives should establish, adopt, and implement
secure information transfer practices, such as document management
systems, secure digital forms, and other practices to facilitate the
internal and external exchange of data, including documents containing
personally identifiable information, payroll changes, personnel
matters, constituent casework information, and other sensitive data.
SEC. 205. PROMOTING USE OF ELECTRONIC AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES.
(a) Use of Digital Signatures.--The Committee on House
Administration, in consultation with the Committee on Ethics of the
House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules of the House of
Representatives, shall ensure that House offices are not prohibited
from the use of a digital signature and that each House office is
capable of using a digital signature on any official documents to the
extent feasible when a non-digital signature is not required, including
communications with officials of the executive branch and State, local,
Tribal, and foreign governments and communications with constituents.
(b) Regulations.--The Committee on House Administration may issue
regulations or take any other steps as may be required to carry out
this section.
TITLE III--STRENGTHENING CONGRESSIONAL CAPACITY
SEC. 301. TASK FORCE ON THE HOUSE WORKFORCE.
(a) Findings.--The House of Representatives finds the following:
(1) On July 1, 2021, House Report 117-80 that accompanied
H.R. 4346, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of 2022,
directed the establishment of a task force on the House
workforce (in this section referred to as the ``Task Force'').
(2) Report 117-80 directed the Task Force to develop a
methodology and frequency for regularly surveying the House
workforce on pay and benefits issues, provide guidance and
support for the content and development of the Human Resources
Hub, and make policy recommendations that improve human
resource management practices throughout the House.
(3) The Task Force is composed of representatives of the
Chief Administrative Officer, Office of House Employment
Counsel, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and Office of
Employee Assistance and any such other House office as may be
necessary to regularly study issues related to the House
workforce.
(4) The Task Force should be made permanent.
(b) Task Force Made Permanent.--The Task Force shall continue to
operate in accordance with House Report 117-80 that accompanied H.R.
4346, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of 2022.
(c) Initiatives for Consideration.--The Chief Administrative
Officer, using the Task Force, shall implement or make policy
recommendations to the House as necessary with respect to the following
initiatives:
(1) Establishing a standardized program through the
Congressional Staff Academy which may be used by offices of the
House of Representatives to provide supervisors with optional
training and coaching with respect to management skills and
best practices, competency, and methods to support an inclusive
work environment. As practicable, the Congressional Staff
Academy may partner with universities and outside experts to
provide optional management program offerings.
(2) Developing and making available to offices of the House
of Representatives a searchable database of anonymized average
staff compensation information using available information on
staff salaries and payroll data. The database developed under
this paragraph shall include the ability to provide staff
compensation comparisons by region, State delegation, and with
respect to the seniority of offices and employees of the House
of Representatives.
(3) Developing and implementing a mentorship program which
may be used by offices of the House of Representatives to
provide an opportunity for less experienced staff to be matched
with and learn from more experienced staff. In developing the
mentorship program under this paragraph, the Task Force shall
consider and support best practices developed by currently
existing staff association mentorship programs in the House of
Representatives.
(4) Developing a proposal under which--
(A) staff of offices of Members of the House,
committees of the House, and leadership of the House
may participate in professional development
opportunities that provide a certification;
(B) an appropriate source of funding is identified
which may be used to pay the cost of participating in a
professional development opportunity described in
subparagraph (A), including the cost of participating
in such an opportunity for the purpose of maintaining
as valid a previously provided certification; and
(C) offices of Members of the House, committees of
the House, and leadership of the House have discretion
with respect to the opportunities described in
subparagraph (A) in which the staff of such offices may
participate.
(5) Developing and providing to all new employees of the
House a standardized onboarding packet that--
(A) includes comprehensive information with respect
to the benefits and resources available to employees of
the House; and
(B) shall be used to improve the collection of
anonymized demographic data through an optional form
provided to all House employees.
(6) Developing a proposal to provide tuition assistance
payments to employees of the House, under terms and conditions
similar to those under the existing program for making student
loan repayments on behalf of employees of the House.
SEC. 302. ASSISTANCE FOR EMPLOYEES OF CONTRACTORS.
The Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives
shall continue working with contractors, through the regular
procurement process, to ensure to the greatest extent practicable that
such contractors provide their employees with access to employee
assistance services comparable to the services offered by the House
Office of Employee Assistance to House employees.
SEC. 303. TALENT ACQUISITION SOFTWARE.
The Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives,
in consultation with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, shall
consider options and develop recommendations for providing industry-
leading talent acquisition software to assist offices of the House to
manage the recruitment and hiring processes for such offices.
SEC. 304. MAKING INTERNSHIPS MORE ACCESSIBLE.
(a) Assessing Intern Cost of Living in the National Capital
Region.--To assist offices of the House of Representatives with
establishing an appropriate level for the stipends paid to interns who
serve in the District of Columbia, the Office of Diversity and
Inclusion, in consultation with the Chief Administrative Officer of the
House, shall provide the offices with information on the cost of living
in the Washington metropolitan area.
(b) Study.--The Office of Diversity and Inclusion, in consultation
with the Committee on House Administration of the House of
Representatives, shall carry out a study of the feasibility of
permitting offices of the House to appoint compensated interns who will
carry out their duties at a location other than the location of the
office.
(c) Issues Considered.--In carrying out the study under subsection
(b), the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, in consultation with the
Committee on House Administration and other offices as necessary, shall
address the following issues:
(1) The need to ensure that the educational requirements of
House internships are being met and the extent to which meeting
such requirements may be more challenging in a remote
situation.
(2) Oversight of program participants.
(3) Providing, tracking, and accounting for House resources
and equipment, and ensuring security and confidentiality,
including network security.
(4) Other issues the Office determines necessary to making
internships more accessible.
(d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this resolution, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion shall submit
a report of the findings of the study carried out under subsection (b)
to the Committee on House Administration.
SEC. 305. ACCESS OF FELLOWS AND DETAILEES SERVING IN HOUSE OFFICES TO
OFFICE RESOURCES.
(a) In General.--The Committee on House Administration shall
analyze existing rules and regulations regarding the use of equipment,
supplies, and other office resources by individuals serving qualified
fellowships in House offices and individuals temporarily detailed to
House offices from Federal agencies to determine the feasibility of
expanding the access and use of such equipment, supplies, and other
office resources to such fellows and detailees in a manner that is
similar to that of House employees.
(b) Development of Standardized Agreement for Use of Resources.--
The Committee on House Administration shall develop an optional,
standardized agreement for use by offices utilizing the services of
fellows or detailees that outlines relevant responsibilities and
obligations of service in the House, including, but not limited to,
House ethics rules, equipment and security requirements, required
training, and other issues relevant to temporary service in the House.
(c) Applicability of Expanded Access.--Expanded access to office
resources as described and determined to be feasible under subsection
(a) shall apply to individuals serving fellowships or details who enter
into a fellowship or detail agreement developed under subsection (b).
TITLE IV--EXPANDING ACCESSIBILITY TO CONGRESS AND PROMOTING EFFICIENT
USE OF SPACE
SEC. 401. ADA DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP ZONE.
(a) Establishment of Zone.--The Sergeant at Arms of the House of
Representatives, in consultation with the Chief of the Capitol Police,
the Director of the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services, and
the Architect of the Capitol, shall establish a designated zone near an
accessible entrance to the House side of the United States Capitol and
each House office building for dropping off and picking up individuals
with disabilities.
(b) Procedures for Access.--In carrying out subsection (a), the
Sergeant at Arms shall develop procedures through which individuals may
obtain access to the zone designated under such subsection.
SEC. 402. INFORMATION ON SECURITY SCREENING PROCEDURES.
The Committee on House Administration of the House of
Representatives, in consultation with the Chief of the Capitol Police,
the Architect of the Capitol, the Sergeant at Arms of the House of
Representatives, the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of
Representatives, and the Executive Director of the Office of
Congressional Workplace Rights, shall make publicly available
information on the security screening procedures individuals with
disabilities, including employees of the House, will encounter upon
entering areas of the Capitol complex which are under the jurisdiction
of the House.
SEC. 403. ACCESSIBILITY OF DOORWAYS.
The Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives, in
consultation with the Architect of the Capitol and the Director of the
Office of Congressional Accessibility Services, shall prioritize making
all areas of the Capitol accessible through remediation of doors,
including those identified in the Office of Congressional Workplace
Rights biennial accessibility report.
SEC. 404. ACCESSIBILITY OF WEBSITES.
The Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives
shall provide offices of the House with information and ongoing
training, including information and training on compliance with
applicable laws and best practices, to enable the offices to ensure
that their websites are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
TITLE V--MISCELLANEOUS RECOMMENDATIONS
Subtitle A--Modernization of Member Office Budgets and Operations
SEC. 501. RE-EVALUATION OF MEMBERS' REPRESENTATIONAL ALLOWANCE.
The Committee on House Administration of the House of
Representatives shall re-evaluate the factors and the formula used to
determine the Members' Representational Allowance for the Congress to
ensure that the Allowance accurately reflects the costs expected to be
incurred by Members in carrying out their official and representational
duties during the Congress.
Subtitle B--Modernization of Legislative Support Agencies
SEC. 511. EXAMINING SUPPORT AGENCIES.
It is the sense of the House of Representatives that the committees
of jurisdiction should regularly examine the authorities provided to
the Government Accountability Office, the Congressional Budget Office,
and the Congressional Research Service to determine if such authorities
are sufficient or need to be updated to ensure such agencies may better
serve an evolving Congress.
Subtitle C--Eligible Congressional Member Organizations
SEC. 521. ELIGIBLE CONGRESSIONAL MEMBER ORGANIZATION.
During each Congress, the Committee on House Administration of the
House of Representatives shall publish online and regularly update a
list of all eligible Congressional Member Organizations with respect to
the Congress and the monthly expenditures and staffing information for
each eligible Congressional Member Organization.
SEC. 522. ELIGIBLE CONGRESSIONAL MEMBER ORGANIZATION DEFINED.
In this subtitle, the term ``eligible Congressional Member
Organization'' means, with respect to a Congress, an organization
meeting each of the following requirements:
(1) The organization is registered as a Congressional
Member Organization with the Committee on House Administration.
(2) The organization designates a single Member of the
House of Representatives to be responsible for the
administration of the organization and includes the
identification of such Member with the statement of
organization that the organization files and maintains with the
Committee on House Administration.
(3) At least 3 employees of the House are assigned to
perform some work for the organization.
(4) During the previous Congress, at least 15 Members of
the House of Representatives used a portion of the Members'
Representational Allowance of the Member for the salary and
related expenses of an employee who was a shared employee of
the Member's office and the organization.
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