[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 77 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 77
Authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 13, 2025
Mr. Paul, from the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs, reported the following original resolution; which was referred
to the Committee on Rules and Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs.
Resolved,
SECTION 1. GENERAL AUTHORITY.
In carrying out its powers, duties, and functions under the
Standing Rules of the Senate, in accordance with its jurisdiction under
rule XXV of the Standing Rules of the Senate and Senate Resolution 445
(108th Congress), agreed to October 9, 2004, including holding
hearings, reporting such hearings, and making investigations as
authorized by paragraphs 1 and 8 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of
the Senate, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
(in this resolution referred to as the ``committee'') is authorized
from March 1, 2025, through February 28, 2027, in its discretion, to--
(1) make expenditures from the contingent fund of the
Senate;
(2) employ personnel; and
(3) with the prior consent of the Government department or
agency concerned and the Committee on Rules and Administration,
use on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis the services of
personnel of any such department or agency.
SEC. 2. EXPENSES.
(a) Expenses for Period Ending September 30, 2025.--The expenses of
the committee for the period March 1, 2025, through September 30, 2025,
under this resolution shall not exceed $8,380,388, of which amount--
(1) not to exceed $400,000 may be expended for the
procurement of the services of individual consultants, or
organizations thereof (as authorized by section 202(i) of the
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4301(i))); and
(2) not to exceed $20,000 may be expended for the training
of the professional staff of the committee (under procedures
specified by section 202(j) of that Act).
(b) Expenses for Fiscal Year 2026 Period.--The expenses of the
committee for the period October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026,
under this resolution shall not exceed $14,366,379, of which amount--
(1) not to exceed $400,000 may be expended for the
procurement of the services of individual consultants, or
organizations thereof (as authorized by section 202(i) of the
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4301(i))); and
(2) not to exceed $20,000 may be expended for the training
of the professional staff of the committee (under procedures
specified by section 202(j) of that Act).
(c) Expenses for Period Ending February 28, 2027.--The expenses of
the committee for the period October 1, 2026, through February 28,
2027, under this resolution shall not exceed $5,985,991, of which
amount--
(1) not to exceed $400,000 may be expended for the
procurement of the services of individual consultants, or
organizations thereof (as authorized by section 202(i) of the
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4301(i))); and
(2) not to exceed $20,000 may be expended for the training
of the professional staff of the committee (under procedures
specified by section 202(j) of that Act).
SEC. 3. EXPENSES AND AGENCY CONTRIBUTIONS.
(a) Expenses of the Committee.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2),
expenses of the committee under this resolution shall be paid
from the contingent fund of the Senate upon vouchers approved
by the chairman of the committee.
(2) Vouchers not required.--Vouchers shall not be required
for--
(A) the disbursement of salaries of employees paid
at an annual rate;
(B) the payment of telecommunications provided by
the Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper;
(C) the payment of stationery supplies purchased
through the Keeper of the Stationery;
(D) payments to the Postmaster of the Senate;
(E) the payment of metered charges on copying
equipment provided by the Office of the Sergeant at
Arms and Doorkeeper;
(F) the payment of Senate Recording and
Photographic Services; or
(G) the payment of franked and mass mail costs by
the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper.
(b) Agency Contributions.--There are authorized to be paid from the
appropriations account for ``Expenses of Inquiries and Investigations''
of the Senate such sums as may be necessary for agency contributions
related to the compensation of employees of the committee--
(1) for the period March 1, 2025, through September 30,
2025;
(2) for the period October 1, 2025, through September 30,
2026; and
(3) for the period October 1, 2026, through February 28,
2027.
SEC. 4. INVESTIGATIONS.
(a) In General.--The committee, or any duly authorized subcommittee
of the committee, is authorized to study or investigate--
(1) the efficiency and economy of operations of all
branches of the Government including the possible existence of
fraud, misfeasance, malfeasance, collusion, mismanagement,
incompetence, corruption, or unethical practices, waste,
extravagance, conflicts of interest, and the improper
expenditure of Government funds in transactions, contracts, and
activities of the Government or of Government officials and
employees and any and all such improper practices between
Government personnel and corporations, individuals, companies,
or persons affiliated therewith, doing business with the
Government, and the compliance or noncompliance of such
corporations, companies, or individuals or other entities with
the rules, regulations, and laws governing the various
governmental agencies and its relationships with the public;
(2) the extent to which criminal or other improper
practices or activities are, or have been, engaged in the field
of labor-management relations or in groups or organizations of
employees or employers, to the detriment of interests of the
public, employers, or employees, and to determine whether any
changes are required in the laws of the United States in order
to protect such interests against the occurrence of such
practices or activities;
(3) organized criminal activity which may operate in or
otherwise utilize the facilities of interstate or international
commerce in furtherance of any transactions and the manner and
extent to which, and the identity of the persons, firms, or
corporations, or other entities by whom such utilization is
being made, and further, to study and investigate the manner in
which and the extent to which persons engaged in organized
criminal activity have infiltrated lawful business enterprise,
and to study the adequacy of Federal laws to prevent the
operations of organized crime in interstate or international
commerce, and to determine whether any changes are required in
the laws of the United States in order to protect the public
against such practices or activities;
(4) all other aspects of crime and lawlessness within the
United States which have an impact upon or affect the national
health, welfare, and safety, including but not limited to
investment fraud schemes, commodity and security fraud,
computer fraud, and the use of offshore banking and corporate
facilities to carry out criminal objectives;
(5) the efficiency and economy of operations of all
branches and functions of the Government with particular
reference to--
(A) the effectiveness of present national security
methods, staffing, and processes as tested against the
requirements imposed by the rapidly mounting complexity
of national security problems;
(B) the capacity of present national security
staffing, methods, and processes to make full use of
the Nation's resources of knowledge and talents;
(C) the adequacy of present intergovernmental
relations between the United States and international
organizations principally concerned with national
security of which the United States is a member; and
(D) legislative and other proposals to improve
these methods, processes, and relationships;
(6) the efficiency, economy, and effectiveness of all
agencies and departments of the Government involved in the
control and management of energy shortages including, but not
limited to, their performance with respect to--
(A) the collection and dissemination of accurate
statistics on fuel demand and supply;
(B) the implementation of effective energy
conservation measures;
(C) the pricing of energy in all forms;
(D) coordination of energy programs with State and
local government;
(E) control of exports of scarce fuels;
(F) the management of tax, import, pricing, and
other policies affecting energy supplies;
(G) maintenance of the independent sector of the
petroleum industry as a strong competitive force;
(H) the allocation of fuels in short supply by
public and private entities;
(I) the management of energy supplies owned or
controlled by the Government;
(J) relations with other oil producing and
consuming countries;
(K) the monitoring of compliance by governments,
corporations, or individuals with the laws and
regulations governing the allocation, conservation, or
pricing of energy supplies; and
(L) research into the discovery and development of
alternative energy supplies; and
(7) the efficiency and economy of all branches and
functions of Government with particular references to the
operations and management of Federal regulatory policies and
programs.
(b) Extent of Inquiries.--In carrying out the duties provided in
subsection (a), the inquiries of this committee or any subcommittee of
the committee shall not be construed to be limited to the records,
functions, and operations of any particular branch of the Government
and may extend to the records and activities of any persons,
corporation, or other entity.
(c) Special Committee Authority.--For the purposes of this section,
the committee, or any duly authorized subcommittee of the committee, or
its chairman, or any other member of the committee or subcommittee
designated by the chairman is authorized, in its, his, her, or their
discretion--
(1) to require by subpoena or otherwise the attendance of
witnesses and production of correspondence, books, papers, and
documents;
(2) to hold hearings;
(3) to sit and act at any time or place during the
sessions, recess, and adjournment periods of the Senate;
(4) to administer oaths; and
(5) to take testimony, either orally or by sworn statement,
or, in the case of staff members of the Committee and the
Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, by deposition in
accordance with the Committee Rules of Procedure.
(d) Authority of Other Committees.--Nothing contained in this
section shall affect or impair the exercise of any other standing
committee of the Senate of any power, or the discharge by such
committee of any duty, conferred or imposed upon it by the Standing
Rules of the Senate or by the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946.
(e) Subpoena Authority.--All subpoenas and related legal processes
of the committee and any duly authorized subcommittee of the committee
authorized under Senate Resolution 59 (118th Congress), agreed to
February 15, 2023, are authorized to continue.
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