[House Report 108-93] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] 108th Congress Report HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 108-93 ====================================================================== PROVIDING AMOUNTS FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY IN THE ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS _______ May 8, 2003.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed _______ Mr. Ney, from the Committee on House Administration, submitted the following R E P O R T together with ADDITIONAL VIEWS [To accompany H. Res. 110] The Committee on House Administration, to whom was referred the resolution (H. Res. 110) providing amounts for the expenses of the Committee on Homeland Security in the One Hundred Eighth Congress, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend that the resolution be agreed to. The amendments are as follows: Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the following: SECTION 1. EXPENSES FOR THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY FOR THE ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS. With respect to the One Hundred Eighth Congress, there shall be paid out of the applicable accounts of the House of Representatives, in accordance with this primary expense resolution, not more than $10,952,787 for the expenses (including the expenses of all staff salaries) of the Select Committee on Homeland Security. SEC. 2. FIRST SESSION LIMITATION. Of the amount provided for in section 1, not more than $5,366,866 shall be available for expenses incurred during the period beginning at noon on January 3, 2003, and ending immediately before noon on January 3, 2004. SEC. 3. SECOND SESSION LIMITATION. Of the amount provided for in section 1, not more than $5,585,921 shall be available for expenses incurred during the period beginning at noon on January 3, 2004, and ending immediately before noon on January 3, 2005. SEC. 4. VOUCHERS. Payments under this resolution shall be made on vouchers authorized by the Select Committee on Homeland Security, signed by the chairman of such Committee, and approved in the manner directed by the Committee on House Administration. SEC. 5. REGULATIONS. Amounts made available under this resolution shall be expended in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Committee on House Administration. SEC. 6. ADJUSTMENT AUTHORITY. The Committee on House Administration shall have authority to make adjustments in the amount under section 1, if necessary to comply with an order of the President issued under section 254 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 or to conform to any reduction in appropriations for the purposes of such section 1. Amend the title so as to read: Resolution providing amounts for the expenses of the Select Committee on Homeland Security. COMMITTEE ACTION On May 6, 2003, by voice vote, a quorum being present, the Committee agreed to an amendment in the nature of a substitute and, by voice vote, a quorum being present, the Committee agreed to a motion to report the resolution, as amended, favorably to the House. COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee states that the findings and recommendations of the Committee, based on oversight activities under clause 2(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, are incorporated in the descriptive portions of this report. STATEMENT ON BUDGET AUTHORITY AND RELATED ITEMS The resolution does not provide new budget authority, new spending authority, new credit authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures and a statement under clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules or the House of Representatives and section 308(a)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is not required. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE In compliance with clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee states, with respect to the resolution, that the Director of the Congressional Budget Office did not submit a cost estimate and comparison under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The Committee states, with respect to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, that the general discussion section of this report includes a statement of the general performance goals and objectives, including outcome-related goals and objectives, for which H. Res. 110 authorizes funding. RECORD VOTES In compliance with clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, with respect to each record vote on a motion to report the resolution and on any amendment offered to the resolution, there were no record votes on a motion to report the resolution or on any amendment offered to the resolution. GENERAL DISCUSSION Voice vote The Committee, by voice vote, with a quorum present, on May 6, 2003, agreed to report H. Res. 110, as amended, favorably to the House. General discussion H. Res. 110 authorizes for the Select Committee on Homeland Security $10,952,787 for the 108th Congress. This amount is to be allocated as follows: $5,366,866 for 2003, and $5,585,921 for 2004. The Select Committee was created to oversee the implementation of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107- 296). Its functions will include working with the President to ensure the efficient and timely establishment of the Department of Homeland Security; coordinating efforts between Congress and the federal agencies responsible for protecting our nation from terrorist attacks; and reviewing and studying laws, programs, and government activities affecting homeland security. The funding for the Select Committee on Homeland Security is being considered in a resolution separate from the resolution that funds the other standing committees (H. Res. 148) due to the fact that the Select Committee is not yet a permanent committee. ADDITIONAL VIEWS We strongly support this committee funding resolution, House Resolution 110, as amended, which provides $10,952,787 to the Select Committee on Homeland Security for the 108th Congress. The Select Committee on Homeland Security is the newest committee in the House of Representatives. Its mission-- to oversee and set policy for the new Department of Homeland Security--will affect the security and safety of every American for years to come. No one denies that the Select Committee on Homeland Security must be given ample resources to oversee the most significant restructuring of the Federal government since 1947 and help secure this nation's borders. We are pleased that House Resolution 110 proposes just that. As we learned during committee funding hearings in March, the Committee's chairman and ranking minority member face the daunting task of building a committee from scratch while simultaneously engaging in substantive committee business. House Resolution 110 will provide the wherewithal for Chairman Cox and Ranking Minority Member Turner to hire professional staff with a wide range of expertise, establish secure office space, procure office equipment and technology, and conduct field hearings. We were especially pleased to learn during the March hearing that Chairman Cox intends to honor what is referred to as the ``Two-thirds, One-third Principle.'' This common-sense principle, which has worked extremely well for the other House committees, will provide Ranking Minority Member Turner and the Committee's Minority Staff a minimum of one-third of the total funds, one-third of the total staff positions, and the control to expend those funds within the Committee's administrative guidelines, with no unusual constraints on the gentleman from Texas. Practiced faithfully, this principle will help ensure that the Select Committee on Homeland Security operates in as non- partisan a manner as possible. Given the sensitive nature of the Committee's work, the American people deserve nothing less. John B. Larson. Juanita Millender-McDonald. Robert A. Brady.