Making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, and for other purposes.
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2005 - Title I: Legislative Branch Appropriations - Makes FY 2005 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 and of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper (Sergeant at Arms) of the Senate; (8) miscellaneous items; (9) the Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account; and (10) official mail costs.
(Sec. 2) Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1977 to increase from eight to nine the number of individual consultants the Majority and Minority Leaders may each appoint.
(Sec. 3) Amends Public Law 101-302 to extend through FY 2005 and each fiscal year thereafter the authorization of funds within the Senate contingent fund for expenses of the U.S. Senate Collection.
(Sec. 4) Amends the Legislative Appropriations Act, 2003 to extend the Office of the President Pro Tempore Emeritus of the Senate into the 109th Congress.
(Sec. 6) Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1987 to repeal the requirement that the Secretary of the Senate first receive approval of the Senate Appropriations Committee before transferring to the general expense allowance account certain funds made available for activities concerning foreign parliamentary groups or other visiting foreign officials. Requires only notice to such Committee.
(Sec. 7) Authorizes the payment of reasonable expenses in connection with sending or transporting official records and papers of a Senator from the District of Columbia to the Senator's State. Requires the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate to provide for the most economical means of sending or transporting such items.
(Sec. 8) Authorizes the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate to retain funds received as compensation for damage to, loss of, or loss of use of property of the Sergeant of Arms.
(Sec. 9) Amends the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 to increase the minimum age of Senate pages from 14 to 16.
(Sec. 10) States that the Office of the Sergeant of Arms of the Senate and any officer, employee, or agent of the Office shall not be treated as acquiring possession, custody, or control of electronic mail or other electronic communication, data, or information by reason of its being transmitted, processed, or stored (temporarily or otherwise) through the use of an electronic system established, maintained, or operated, or the use of electronic services provided, in whole or in part by the Office.
Makes appropriations for the House of Representatives for FY 2005 for: (1) salaries and/or expenses of the House leadership offices, committees (including the Committee on Appropriations), officers and employees, and the Child Care Center; and (2) Members' representational allowances.
(Sec. 102) Establishes in the Treasury the Net Expenses of Telecommunications Revolving Fund to be used by the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the House to purchase, lease, obtain, and maintain the data and voice telecommunications services and equipment of legislative branch offices.
Makes conforming amendments to the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1989 and the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2003.
(Sec. 103) Requires the CAO to enter into a contract on a competitive basis with a private entity for the management, operation, and maintenance of the exercise facility established for the use of House employees which is constructed with funds made available under this Act.
Requires user fees for the facility to be used to cover management, operation, and maintenance costs.
(Sec. 104) Declares the sense of the House to encourage House Members who use vehicles for official and representational travel to use hybrid electric and alternatively fueled vehicles whenever possible to help move the Nation toward the use of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and reduce our dependence on oil.
Makes FY 2005 appropriations for salaries and/or expenses of: (1) the Joint Economic and Taxation Committees; (2) the Office of the Attending Physician; (3) the Capitol Guide Service and Special Services Office; (4) the preparation of statements of appropriations for both the House and the Senate; and (5) the Capitol Police.
(Sec. 1002) Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2004 to: (1) authorize the Chief of the Capitol Police to hire individuals as Capitol Police officers for detail to the Library of Congress other than those submitted for hiring by the Librarian of Congress; (2) establish FY 2005 limits on the number of Capitol Police officers to be hired for Library of Congress duty; and (3) authorize the Chief to detail such individuals on a nonreimbursable basis.
(Sec. 1003) Requires any amounts received by the Capitol Police as compensation for damage to, loss of, or loss of use of property of the Capitol Police to be credited the Capitol Police general expenses account.
(Sec. 1004) Requires the Office of Personnel Management to provide for the participation of Capitol Police employees in the voluntary transfer of leave with employees of other agencies.
(Sec. 1005) Amends the Revised Statutes to: (1) give the Capitol Police Board (currently, the Sergeants at Arms of the House and of the Senate) authority for selecting Capitol Police uniforms; and (2) authorize Capitol Police officers to carry weapons not purchased with Capitol Police appropriations, both on and off Capitol grounds, as authorized by the Board.
(Sec. 1006) Authorizes the release of security information in the possession of the Capitol Police to other entities only if the Capitol Police Board has determined that such release will not compromise the security and safety of the Capitol building and grounds or any individuals whose protection and safety is under Capitol Police jurisdiction.
(Sec. 1007) Authorizes the Capitol Police to accept donations of animals for use in its canine or equine units.
(Sec. 1008) Authorizes the Chief of the Capitol Police to settle and pay claims for damages under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) and the Military Personnel and Civilian Employees' Claims Act, except that the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration must approve any proposed resolution of FTCA claims of Senators or employees whose pay is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate.
(Sec. 1009) Authorizes the Capitol Police, subject to Board approval, to travel with and assist overseas congressional delegations in a security advisory and liaison role, including advance security liaison preparations for such travel.
Makes FY 2005 appropriations for: (1) salaries and/or expenses of the Office of Compliance; (2) the Congressional Budget Office; (3) the Architect of the Capitol, including for the care and operation of Capitol buildings and grounds, Senate and House office buildings, the Capitol power plant, Library of Congress buildings and grounds, Capitol Police buildings and grounds, the Botanic Garden (but not for construction of the National Garden); and (4) the Library of Congress for salaries and expenses, the Copyright Office, Congressional Research Service, and Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.
(Sec. 1102) Increases (from the FY 2004 level) the obligational authority of the Library for FY 2005 for reimbursable and revolving fund activities funded from sources other than appropriations.
(Sec. 1103) Amends the Miscellaneous Appropriations Act, 2001 to extend to March 31, 2010, the availability of funds for the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program.
(Sec. 1104) Prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act for payment of fees charged by the Department of State for the construction of U.S. diplomatic facilities.
(Sec. 1105) Extends through FY 2005 authorizations for the National Film Preservation Board and the National Film Preservation Foundation.
Makes FY 2005 appropriations to the Government Printing Office (GPO) for: (1) congressional printing and binding (including transfer of funds); (2) the Office of Superintendent of Documents for salaries and expenses (including transfer of funds); and (3) the GPO revolving fund.
(Sec. 1301) Authorizes the Superintendent of Documents to determine discounts for sales copies of GPO publications.
Makes FY 2005 appropriations for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) for salaries and expenses.
(Sec. 1401) Requires heads of executive agencies and the Mayor of the District of Columbia to transmit to the Comptroller General copies of reports of violations of specified Federal laws limiting obligations, expenditures, and voluntary activities of officers and employees of those agencies or the District on the same date that such reports are transmitted to the President and Congress.
Makes FY 2005 appropriations for a payment to the Open World Leadership (OWL) Center Trust Fund.
(Sec. 1501) Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2001 to expand the list of participating eligible countries under the OWL program by authorizing the Board of Trustees of the OWL Center to designate additional countries, with prior notice to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees.
(Sec. 208) Makes legislative branch agency compliance with the General Services Administration's Governmentwide eTravel Service program discretionary, to be determined by each agency head.
(Sec. 209) Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2003 to remove the limitation to 100 percent of donated funds currently placed on appropriations to provide congressional recognition for excellence in arts education under the Congressional Award Act.
(Sec. 210) Transfers jurisdiction over certain parcels of Federal real property near the Japanese American Patriotism Memorial to the Architect of the Capitol, without consideration.
(Sec. 211) Makes FY 2005 appropriations for the Commission on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program. Amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 to extend the program through December 31, 2005.
See also H.R. 4755.
Became Public Law No: 108-447.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
DEBATE - At the conclusion of debate on the Hefley amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Hefley demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of amendments which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 4755.
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Mr. Sherman moved to recommit with instructions to Appropriations. (consideration: CR H5498-5500)
Floor summary: DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Sherman motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment prohibiting the use of funds for postage expenses of any single committee in an aggregate amount exceeding $25,000.
The previous question was ordered without objection.
On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 163 - 205 (Roll no. 361).
Roll Call #361 (House)checking server…
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Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 327 - 43 (Roll no. 362).
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 327 - 43 (Roll no. 362).
Roll Call #362 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
Senate Committee on Appropriations discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Senate Committee on Appropriations discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S9426)
Senate struck portions of the text of the bill and inserted the language of S. 2666 amended by Unanimous Consent.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate in lieu of S. 2666 with amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 94 - 2. Record Vote Number: 186.(text: CR 9/24/2004 S9674-9679)
Roll Call #186 (Senate)Passed Senate in lieu of S. 2666 with amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 94 - 2. Record Vote Number: 186. (text: CR 9/24/2004 S9674-9679)
Roll Call #186 (Senate)Ordered held at desk. as if a House message pursuant to the order of September 15, 2004, .