BBA 2018 (Contents)
Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018
Section 30443
DIVISION C—BUDGETARY AND OTHER MATTERS
Title IV—Joint Select Committees
Subtitle B—Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform
Sec. 30443. Funding.
(a) Special Reserve.—To enable the joint committee to exercise its powers, functions, and duties under this subtitle, within the funds in the account for “Expenses of Inquiries and Investigations” of the Senate, not more than $500,000 shall be allocated from the special reserve established in S. Res. 62,[1] agreed to February 28, 2017 (115th Congress), for use by the joint committee.
(b) Expiration.—None of the funds made available by this section may be available for obligation by the joint committee after January 2, 2019.
(c) Availability Requirements.—For purposes of the joint committee, section 20(b) of S. Res. 62, agreed to February 28, 2017 (115th Congress), shall not apply.
Counsel Notes
Endnotes
[1] S. Res. 62 (115th Congress) is a Senate resolution authorizing expenditures by committees of the Senate for the periods March 1, 2017 through September 30, 2017, October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018, and October 1, 2018 through February 28, 2019. Section 20 authorizes the establishment of a special reserve within funds for Inquiries and Investigations, to be available to any committee to meet specified unpaid obligations or expenses. It reads as follows:
SEC. 20. SPECIAL RESERVE.
(a) Establishment.—Within the funds in the account “Expenses of Inquiries and Investigations”, there is authorized to be established a special reserve to be available to any committee funded by this resolution as provided in subsection (b) of which—
(1) for the period March 1, 2017 through September 30, 2017, an amount shall be available, not to exceed 7 percent of the amount equal to 7⁄12th of the appropriations for the account that are available for the period October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017;
(2) for the period October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018, an amount shall be available, not to exceed 7 percent of the appropriations for the account that are available for that period; and
(3) for the period October 1, 2018 through February 28, 2019, an amount shall be available, not to exceed 7 percent of the amount equal to 5⁄12th of the appropriations for the account that are available for the period October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019.
(b) Availability.—The special reserve authorized in subsection (a) shall be available to any committee—
(1) on the basis of special need to meet unpaid obligations incurred by that committee during the periods referred to in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (a); and
(2) at the request of a Chairman and Ranking Member of that committee subject to the approval of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Rules and Administration.
CRS REport
The Congressional Research Service issued a report on the Committee, which included the following:
How will the committee be staffed and funded?
Federal agencies (including legislative branch agencies) must provide technical assistance to the committee if requested in writing by the co-chairs. Employees of the legislative branch may be detailed to the committee on a non-reimbursable basis consistent with the rules and regulations of the Senate. The co-chairs may jointly designate one employee as staff director of the committee.[1]
The act states that there are authorized to be paid not more than $500,000 from the appropriations account for ‘‘Expenses of Inquiries and Investigations’’ of the Senate. Such sums are to be disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate, in accordance with Senate rules and procedures, upon vouchers signed by the joint panel’s co-chairs. Authorized funds are to be available for obligation during the period beginning on February 9, 2018 – the date of enactment of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 – and ending on January 2, 2019.[2]
[1] §30442(b)(4)(I).
[2] §30443.
CRS – The Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform (R45111) February 21, 2018
CRS – The Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform (R45111) February 21, 2018 (BCR Annotated)
Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, Pub. L. 115-123; 132 Stat. 64; February 9, 2018; H.R. 1892 (115th Congress)
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