Congressional Reform Act

Congressional Reform Act - Title I: Reform of Salary, Allowances, Benefits, Personnel, Disclosure and Audit Procedures - Restricts to specified purposes excluding personal uses the use of amounts received by a candidate as campaign and other contributions in excess of any amount necessary to defray expenditures for support of his activities as a holder of Federal office. Sets criminal penalties under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 for violations of such restriction.

Prohibits the Vice President, any congressional employee, Members of Congress, or the families of such persons from accepting from a foreign government the payment of travel expenses of such person. Sets criminal penalties for such acceptance.

Delays salary increases recommended by the President for Members of Congress, specified Legislative Branch officers, judges, and offices under the Executive Schedule until the first day of the Congress next succeeding the Congress during which such recommendations were made and not disapproved. Sets forth procedures for congressional disapproval of such increases.

States that specified expenditure limits from the contingent fund of the House of Representatives may be set or adjusted only through the adoption of a resolution by the House.

Prohibits travel at Government expense by a Member of Congress who has been defeated for reelection after such defeat or of any other Member after the adjournment sine die of the last session of a Congress if he is not a candidate for reelection to the next Congress.

Requires the Speaker and minority leader of the House to hire a management consultant firm for the purpose of studying the personnel policies and practices of Members and committees of the House, of recommending any improvements and standardization of such policies and practices, and of formulating a model "House Personnel Practices Code" for the guidance of Members and committees of the House. Specifies dates for the submission of such recommendations.

Prohibits the reimbursement of Members or employees of Members or of the House for first class air travel.

Requires the Department of the Treasury to audit each tax return of a Member of Congress.

Directs the House Committee on House Administration to let a contract for the management and operation of the House restaurant, cafeterias, and other food service facilities on a profitmaking basis in order to assure that expenditures from the contingency fund of the House will not be necessary for such management and operation.

Sets the maximum per diem allowance for travel by Members and employees of the House within the United States at the expenses actually incurred or $50 whichever is less.

Title II: Improved Communications and Increased Understanding Between Members and Constituents - Requires, under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, that all public bills and resolutions reported by any congressional committee be accompanied by an estimate of the direct and indirect costs likely to be incurred or the direct or indirect savings likely to be achieved in carrying out the provisions of such proposed law for the fiscal year in which it is introduced and each of the five subsequent fiscal years. Requires in the case of measures affecting revenue, that such estimate shall state only the estimate of the change in revenues for a three-year period and an estimate of the average cost or savings to each taxpaying family. States that there must be provided under the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 for each public bill or resolution reported by a congressional committee a statement: (1) estimating the number and complexity of reports required of private business enterprises by such proposed law as well as the cost and time which would be required in making such reports; and (2) a copy of the probable matter and format of each new form or report required by such proposed law which is to be furnished by the United States to be completed by someone other than an employee of the United States, a State, or its political subdivision; or (3) a statement that such proposed law does not require any such new form or report.

Requires to be posted in each post office the names and nearest local and District of Columbia office addresses of the United States Senators from the State and the name and congressional district and District of Columbia office addresses of the Representative in Congress from the congressional district in which such post office is situated. Requires the address, name, telephone numbers, and business hours of the Member of Congress sponsoring a postal patron mailing to be included on an item being so mailed if Federal funds are being used to pay for the preparation or mailing of such items.

Requires each Federal agency to inform each person elected to the House of the nature and scope of the activities of such agency within the congressional district of such Representative.

Directs the officers of the House to establish and conduct seminars for freshmen Members of Congress soon after their election. Provides for the reimbursement of the expenses incurred by seminar attendees. States that the honoraria offered to a Government official shall not be prohibited by law if such honoraria are donated to a charitable organization specified by such official, and exempts such honorariums from the gross income of such official. (Amends 39 U.S.C. 3210, 18 U.S.C. 616)

Title III: Office of General Counsel to the Congress - Establishes within the Congress the Office of the General Counsel to the Congress to provide legal advice, and legal counseling to the Congress, its committees, Members, officials, and employees relating to their official duties. Requires the Counsel, upon request of the Congress, either of its two Houses, any congressional committee or subcommittee, or any Member, to commence a civil action against the President, any officer or employee of the Executive Branch, or any officer or employee of any State or its political subdivision to compel compliance with any Federal law or with any request for information, or to represent the Congress, either of its two Houses, its committees or subcommittees, Members, former Members, officers, or employees before any grand jury proceeding or in any civil or criminal action arising from their performing or not performing any action relating to their institutional, official, or representative duties.

Requires the Counsel, upon the request of the Congress, either of its two Houses, or its committees or subcommittees, to intervene or appear as amicus curiae on behalf of such persons making the request in any action pending in any court of the United States or of a State or political subdivision of such State in which there is placed in issue the constitutionality or interpretation of any law of the United States, or the validity of any official proceeding of, or official action taken by, either House of Congress, a congressional committee, a Member of Congress, or any officer, employee, office, or agency of the Congress.

Directs the Counsel to review the rules published for comment or promulgated by agencies of the Federal Government and report to Congress whether such rules effectively implement the policy authorized by the Congress. Relieves the Attorney General of responsibility and authority to perform any duty which the Counsel has informed him that the Counsel has undertaken pursuant to this Act.

Confers original jurisdiction upon the district courts of the United States without regard to the amount in controversy over actions brought under this Act. States that the parties for whom the Counsel is authorized to act shall be deemed to have sufficient injury in fact to confer standing to sueu.

Authorizes the appropriation of such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title.