National Institutions Act

National Institutions Act - Title I: Executive Accountability: - Directs the President, at the beginning of each regular session of Congress, to report to the Congress on the steps taken to faithfully execute the laws passed by Congress and enacted into law during its preceding session in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

Provides that, not later than thirty days after the report of the President is received by the Congress, the Committee on Rules and Administration of each House after consultation with the appropriate standing committee shall report to its House a joint resolution on the report of the President which approves or disapproves such report. States that any joint resolution of disapproval shall also specify in detail the steps to be taken by the President in order to execute any such laws in accordance with the intent of the Congress.

Specifies that each standing committee of the Senate shall: (1) review and study, on a continuing basis, the application, administration, and execution of the laws within it jurisdiction; (2) assign employees to carry out the above requirement; and (3) report, not less often than annually, on its studies and reviews including such comments and recommendations as may be appropriate.

Title II: Congressional State of the Union: - Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives to report to the Congress at the beginning of each regular session of the Congress on the State of the Union.

Stipulates that such report shall include a statement of congressional legislative priorities and recommendations to the executive branch for action which may be required to implement those priorities.

Title III: Financial Disclosure: - Requires the President, Vice President, each Member of Congress, and other specified Government employees to file annually, with the Comptroller General, a report containing a full and complete statement of: (1) the amount of gross and taxable income, total deductions and tax liabilities, as well as tax paid as reflected on his/her Federal income tax return for the preceding calendar year; (2) the amount and source of income, each item of reimbursement for any expenditure, and each gift or aggregate of gifts from one source (other than gifts received from a spouse or from the immediate family) during the preceding calendar year which exceeds $100 in amount or value, including any fee or other honorarium received for or in connection with the preparation or delivery of any speech or address, attendance at any convention or other assembly of individuals, or the preparation of any article or other composition for publication, and the monetary value of subsistence, entertainment, travel, and other facilities received in kind; (3) the value of each asset held which has a value in excess of $1,000, and the amount of each liability owed which is in excess of $1,000 as of the close of the preceding calendar year; (4) any transactions in securities of any business entity during the preceding calendar year if the aggregate amount involved in transaction in the securities of such business entity exceeds $1,000 ; (5) all transactions in commodities during the preceding calendar year if the aggregate amount involved in such transactions exceeds $1,000; and (6) any purchase or sale, other than the purchase or sale of a personal residence, of real property or any interest therein during the preceding calendar year if the value of property involved in such purchase or sale exceeds $1,000.

Title IV: Office of Legal Counsel to the Congress: - Establishes in the legislative branch the Office of Legal Counsel to the Congress, which shall be under the direction and control of the Legal Counsel. Stipulates that any appointment as Legal Counsel shall be with the approval of the House of Representatives and the Senate, without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of the office.

States that is shall be the duty of the Legal Counsel, subject to professional standards: (1) to render to committees, Members, and other officers of the Congress legal opinions upon questions arising under the Constitution and laws of the United States; (2) to render, upon request to committees and Members of Congress, advice with respect to the purpose and effect of provisions contained in existing or proposed laws; (3) to perform such other duties with respect to legislative review of executive actions as shall be prescribed by the Congress; (4) (A) upon the request of any Member and subject to the direction and control of that Member's House, to intervene or appear as amicus curiae in any action pending in any court of the United States, or of a State or political subdivision thereof, in which there is placed in issue the constitutional validity or interpretation of any law or regulation of the United States, or the validity of any official proceeding of, or official action taken by, either House of Congress, any committee of either House of Congress, any joint committee, Member, officer, employee, office, or agency of the Congress; and (B) to represent Congress, committees, Members, and employees of Congress.

Title V: Miscellaneous: - States that specified provisions of this Act are enacted by the Congress: (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively, and as such they shall be considered as part of the rules of each House, respectively, or of that House to which they specifically apply, and such rules shall supersede other rules only to the extent that they are inconsistent therewith; and (2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of either House to change such rules (so far as relating to such House) at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of such House.

Authorizes appropriations of such sums as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.