Modern Congress Act

Modern Congress Act - Title I: - Declares that is is the policy of the Congress that the public is entitled to the fullest practicable information regarding the initiatives, priorities, and the decision-making process of the Congress.

Title II: "State of the Congress" Report - Requires the majority and minority leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives to, either jointly or individually, submit to the Congress and the President a "State of the Congress" message with respect to each session.

Provides that each such message shall include statements concerning: (1) those matters about which Congress has taken the initiative; (2) priorities established by the Congress; (3) matters not acted upon by Congress but upon which Congress should act or have acted; and (4) those other matters in the forseeable future to which Congress must address itself.

Title III: Federal-State Legislative Council - Establishes a Federal-State Legislative Council to be composed of 24 members who shall serve four-year terms.

Directs the Council to form substantive committees to conduct studies to identify and investigate problems common to the legislative process and of mutual concern to the legislatures of both the Federal and State Governments. Provides that the Council shall make recommendations for the solution of such problems.

Authorizes the Council to hold hearings and take testimony. Sets forth powers of the chairman of the Council, who shall be selected by the Council.

Title IV: Open Committee Meetings - Requires that meetings for the transaction of business of Senate committees and subcommittees shall be open to the public except when the committee, by rule or by majority vote of those present, determines that a portion or portions should be closed. States reasons allowing a meeting to be closed, including the necessity to keep secret matters in the interest of national defense.

Title V: Office of Congressional Communications - Establishes an Office of Congressional Communications and sets forth its responsibilities, including: (1) the maintenance of a library of video tapes of all television network news programs and television programs of significant public interest; and (2) the installation, at appropriate places throughout the Capital and House and Senate office buildings, of equipment to receive wire services' information.

Authorizes the Architect of the Capitol to appoint a Director of the Office.

Title VI: Office of Congressional Counsel General - Establishes in the legislative branch of Government the Office of Congressional Counsel General. Provides that the Congressional Counsel General shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate, with the approval of both Houses of Congress, solely on the basis of such person's fitness to perform the duties of this office.

Enumerates the duties of the Counsel, including: (1) providing to committees and Members of Congress legal opinions upon questions arising under the Constitution and laws of the United States; and (2) performing specified duties with respect to legislative review of executive actions.

Title VII: General Accounting Office - Permits the Comptroller General, whenever he has reasonable cause to believe that any officer or employee of the executive branch is about to expend funds in an illegal or erroneous manner or amount, to institute a civil action in the U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia for declaratory and injunctive relief. States that if the Attorney General is in disagreement with the Comptroller General, he is authorized to represent the defendant official in such action.

Declares that no action may be instituted by the Comptroller General until the expiration of a specified period following the date on which an explanatory statement by the Comptroller General of the circumstances giving rise to the action contemplated has been filed with the Committees on Government Operations of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Authorizes the Comptroller General to sign and issue subpenas requiring the production of specified information.

Title VIII: Appropriations Authorized - Authorizes to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.