FY2000 Legislative Branch Appropriations bill

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Congressional Operations

Title II: Other Agencies

Title III: General Provisions

Title IV: Fiscal Year 1999 Supplemental Legislative Branch

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2000 - Makes appropriations for the legislative branch for FY 2000.

Title I: Congressional Operations - Congressional Operations Appropriations Act, 2000 - Makes appropriations for the Senate for: (1) expense allowances; (2) representation allowances for the Majority and Minority Leaders; (3) salaries of specified officers, employees, and committees (including the Committee on Appropriations); (4) agency contributions for employee benefits; (5) inquiries and investigations; (6) the U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control; (7) the Offices of the Secretary, Sergeant at Arms, and Doorkeeper of the Senate; (8) miscellaneous items; (9) the Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account; and (10) official mail costs.

(Sec. 1) Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1973 to prescribe a formula to revise the limit on authorized mail, telegraph, telephone, stationery, office supplies, and home State office and travel expenses for Senators.

(Sec. 2) Increases by $50,000 the allowance for administrative and clerical assistance.

(Sec. 3) Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1975 to revise office space and furniture allocations.

(Sec. 4) Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1999 and other Federal law to exempt the Senate Restaurants and the Senate Hair Care Services from advertising restrictions, subject to approval of the Rules Committee.

(Sec. 6) Authorizes the Senate Legislative Counsel, subject to the approval of the President pro tempore of the Senate, to designate one of the Senior Counsels as Deputy Legislative Counsel.

(Sec. 7) Amends the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1986 and 1987 to reauthorize the United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control through September 30, 2002.

Makes appropriations for the House of Representatives for: (1) House leadership offices; (2) Members' representational allowances; (3) committee employees; (4) officers and employees; (5) specified allowances and expenses; and (6) the House Child Care Center.

(Sec. 101) Entitles the General Counsel of the House of Representatives and any other counsel in the Office of the General Counsel, including any specially retained by such Office, to enter an appearance in any proceeding before any Federal, State, or local court (except the U.S. Supreme Court) without compliance with any requirements for admission to practice before such court.

(Sec. 103) Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations, Act, 1991 to terminate the Official Mail Allowance, while preserving the use of funds available for official mail. Repeals references to the Clerk Hire Allowance.

(Sec. 104) Declares that any amounts appropriated under this Act for Members' Representational Allowances shall be available only for FY 2000, and any amount remaining after all payments under such allowances for FY 2000 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).

Makes appropriations for: (1) the Joint Economic and Taxation Committees; (2) the Office of the Attending Physician; (3) the Capitol Police Board; (4) the Capitol Guide Service and Special Services Office; (5) the Office of Compliance; (6) the Congressional Budget Office (CBO); (7) the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) for salaries and expenses, Capitol buildings and grounds, Senate and House office buildings, and the Capitol power plant; (8) the Library of Congress for Congressional Research Service (CRS) salaries and expenses; and (9) the Government Printing Office (GPO) for congressional printing and binding.

(Sec. 106) Grants the CBO Director authority, for fiscal years beginning after September 30, 1999, to make lump-sum payments to enhance staff recruitment and to reward exceptional performance by an employee or a group of employees.

Title II: Other Agencies - Appropriates funds for salaries and expenses for: (1) the Botanic Garden; and (2) the Library of Congress for salaries and expenses, the Copyright Office, Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, and furniture and furnishings.

Specifies administrative provisions for the Library of Congress identical or similar to corresponding provisions of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1999.

(Sec. 206) Reduces the obligational authority of the Library from FY 1999 levels for reimbursable and revolving fund activities funded from sources other than appropriations to the Library in appropriation Acts for the legislative branch.

(Sec. 207) Authorizes the Library of Congress to use funds, now and hereafter, to enter into: (1) contracts for the lease or acquisition of severable services for a period that begins in one fiscal year and ends in the next fiscal year; and (2) multi-year contracts for the acquisition of property and services under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act.

(Sec. 208) Authorizes the Librarian of Congress to appoint up to three individuals to serve as management specialists for a term not to exceed three years, but in any event not beyond December 31, 2004.

(Sec. 209) Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1983 to increase the basic rate of pay: (1) for the Librarian of Congress from level III to level II of the Executive Schedule; and (2) for the Deputy Librarian of Congress from level IV to level III.

Amends the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 to increase the basic rate of pay for the Director of CRS from level V to level III of the Executive Schedule.

Makes appropriations for: (1) the AOC for Library buildings and grounds; and (2) salaries and expenses of the GPO's Office of Superintendent of Documents and for the General Accounting Office.

(Sec. 210) Amends Federal law to increase from $25,000 to $100,000 the small purchase threshold applying the waiver of advertising requirements to GPO purchases and contracts.

Title III: General Provisions - Sets forth authorized or prohibited uses of funds appropriated by this Act identical or similar to corresponding provisions of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1999.

(Sec. 305) Sets forth Buy American requirements.

(Sec. 309) Amends Federal law to extend for one year the availability of funds for the Senate art collection.

(Sec. 310) Amends the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999 to transfer approval authority for the Capitol Visitor Center from specified congressional committees to the U.S. Capitol Preservation Commission.

(Sec. 311) Amends the Trade Deficit Review Commission Act to extend the availability of funds for the Trade Deficit Review Commission until its termination.

(Sec. 312) Amends Federal law to reduce from five years to four years and six months (as of December 12, 1980) the length of service necessary on one of the congressional campaign committees to be creditable service for civil service retirement purposes.

(Sec. 313) Amends Federal law to repeal the prohibition against conversion to personal use of travel awards for frequent flyer miles accruing for official travel of a Member, official, or employee of the Senate.

Title IV: Fiscal Year 1999 Supplemental Legislative Branch Funds - Makes appropriations for a payment to the widow of George E. Brown, Jr., late a Representative from California.

(Sec. 401) Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1999 to increase specified appropriations for salaries and expenses of the House of Representatives for FY 1999.