[House Report 118-36]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Union Calendar No. 23
118th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Report 118-36
AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT PLANS
FOR ALL
HOUSE COMMITTEES
__________
BY THE
COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT
AND ACCOUNTABILITY
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
(Required by House Rule X, Clause 2)
April 17, 2023.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
39-006 WASHINGTON : 2023
COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
JAMES COMER, Kentucky, Chairman
JIM JORDAN, Ohio JAMIE RASKIN, Maryland, Ranking
MIKE TURNER, Ohio Minority Member
PAUL GOSAR, Arizona ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, District of
VIRGINIA FOXX, North Carolina Columbia
GLENN GROTHMAN, Wisconsin STEPHEN F. LYNCH, Massachusetts
GARY PALMER, Alabama GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
CLAY HIGGINS, Louisiana RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI, Illinois
PETE SESSIONS, Texas RO KHANNA, California
ANDY BIGGS, Arizona KWEISI MFUME, Maryland
NANCY MACE, South Carolina ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ, New York
JAKE LaTURNER, Kansas KATIE PORTER, California
PAT FALLON, Texas CORI BUSH, Missouri
BYRON DONALDS, Florida JIMMY GOMEZ, California
KELLY ARMSTRONG, North Dakota SHONTEL BROWN, Ohio
SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania MELANIE STANSBURY, New Mexico
WILLIAM TIMMONS, South Carolina ROBERT GARCIA, California
TIM BURCHETT, Tennessee MAXWELL FROST, Florida
MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE, Georgia BECCA BALINT, Vermont
LISA McCLAIN, Michigan SUMMER LEE, Pennsylvania
LAUREN BOEBERT, Colorado GREG CASAR, Texas
RUSSELL FRY, South Carolina JASMINE CROCKETT, Texas
ANNA PAULINA LUNA, Florida DAN GOLDMAN, New York
CHUCK EDWARDS, North Carolina JARED MOSKOWITZ, Florida
NICK LANGWORTHY, New York
ERIC BURLISON, Missouri
Mark Marin, Staff Director
Jessica Donlon, Deputy Staff Director
Ashlee Vinyard, Director of Operations
James Mandolfo, General Counsel and Chief Counsel for Investigations
Mallory Cogar, Deputy Director of Operations and Chief Clerk,
Contact Number: 202-225-5074
Julie Tagen, Minority Staff Director, Contact Number: 202-225-5051
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Administration................................................... 3
Agriculture...................................................... 29
Armed Services................................................... 41
Budget........................................................... 47
Education and Workforce.......................................... 53
Energy and Commerce.............................................. 63
Financial Services............................................... 79
Foreign Affairs.................................................. 89
Homeland Security................................................ 103
Judiciary........................................................ 121
Natural Resources................................................ 137
Oversight and Accountability..................................... 155
Science, Space, and Technology................................... 161
Small Business................................................... 173
Transportation and Infrastructure................................ 181
Veterans' Affairs................................................ 205
Ways and Means................................................... 225
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
----------
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC, April 17, 2023.
Hon. Kevin McCarthy,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: In accordance with rule X (2) of the
Rules of the House of Representatives, I respectfully submit
the authorization and oversight plan of each specified standing
committee. Each authorization and oversight plan was adopted by
its respective committee and it is recommended that the work
outlined is pursued accordingly.
Sincerely,
James Comer,
Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
Union Calendar No. 23
118th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 118-36
======================================================================
OVERSIGHT PLANS FOR ALL HOUSE COMMITTEES WITH ACCOMPANYING
RECOMMENDAIONS
_______
April 17, 2023.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Comer, from the Committee on Ovesight and Accountability,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION
OVERSIGHT PLAN FOR THE 118TH CONGRESS
House Officers and Operations, Generally
Rebuilding a House that is:
Accountable:
Partner with House Officers to implement
more cost effective and efficient operations within the
House.
Hold accountable the Architect of the
Capitol, United States Capitol Police, House Sergeant
at Arms, the Capitol Police Board, and other
Legislative Branch entities.
Implement plans that enhance the
security of the Capitol campus for the House community,
Members, and visitors of the Capitol.
Coordinate the reauthorization of House
entities with the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch
Appropriations to ensure transparency and
accountability in House operations.
Coordinate more effective and wholistic
oversight of the Legislative Branch through better
partnership with the Subcommittee on Legislative Branch
Appropriations.
Conduct thorough oversight of the
resources dedicated to post-January 6th security
improvements across the Capitol campus to ensure
accountability and increase transparency regarding the
use of taxpayer dollars.
Partner with House Officers and entities
across the Legislative Branch to identify and implement
actions that increase effectiveness and reduce costs.
Open, Accessible, and Transparent:
Partner with House Officers and
officials to fully return the House to pre-COVID-19
pandemic operations, including ensuring that the House
buildings are open and accessible to the American
people.
Coordinate with the Speaker and Officers
of the House to facilitate more opportunities for
Americans to engage with Congress.
Oversee the implementation of the House
Officers' strategic plans to increase Legislative
Branch entities' efforts to recruit and retain a
professional, skilled workforce.
Professional:
Examine proposals to increase the
recruitment and retention of Americans from across the
United States to work in Congress.
Partner with entities across the
Legislative Branch to continue the development of
training programs to ensure the highest level of
service to American people.
Coordinate the development and
implementation of the House Officers' and officials'
strategic plans for the financial and administrative
wellbeing of the House.
Empower and support entities across the
legislative branch in implementing recommendations made
by their relevant Inspector General.
Modern:
Support the continued coordination among
Legislative Branch entities to offer modern, effective
support services to build a comprehensive district
office support program, including IT, security, and
administrative services.
Coordinate support for implementing best
practices regarding the adoption, review, testing, and
improvement of IT security policies and services across
all Legislative Branch entities.
Oversee the coordination of services
across the House entities to ensure Committees may host
field hearings across the country and U.S. territories
safely and effectively.
Resilient:
Partner with House Officers and
Officials to establish courses of action to address all
outstanding Inspector General recommendations,
management advisories, and initiatives.
Strengthen the cybersecurity of the
House through close coordination with the House
Officers' and other Legislative Branch entities through
continued development of defensive measures, including
adoption of programs, IT security policies, training
initiatives, and best practices.
Continue coordination with House
Officers to develop predictable, realistic financial
and administrative goals with clear paths for
implementation both in the short-and long-term.
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
Continue support of the CAO's ``One CAO'' vision
to increase the coordination of support offices across the
entity to best serve the House and American people.
Continue coordination with the CAO to ensure that
products offered meet the needs of the House's modern
workforce, and that communication of available resources
reaches all levels of the House community, including in D.C.
and district offices.
Partner with CAO to prioritize the implementation
of recommendations from the Select Committee on the
Modernization of Congress.
Continue to support the development of the House
Digital Service.
Oversee the development and implementation of a
committee calendar system to help committees plan and
deconflict hearings and business meetings.
Encourage CAO to explore options to enter into
enterprise-wide agreements that save money and increase
efficiencies across the House.
The Congressional Staff Academy, CAO Coach
Program, and Congressional Excellence Program have demonstrated
that the CAO is listening to the House workforce to meet
professional development needs. House Administration will
continue to be engaged with the CAO to ensure that course and
service offerings further adapt to the modern House.
Continue oversight of modernization initiatives
that streamline data and identify access management, including
the continued rollout of My Expenses and further technology
upgrades to the House financial management system.
Further partner with CAO to expand admissions,
reduce the waitlist, and improve the quality of the offerings
of the House Childcare Center so that the full expansion of the
Center can be utilized by the House community in the immediate
future.
Further ensure that CAO is proactive in combating
cybersecurity threats, providing training, and implementing
failsafe procedures to guarantee continuity of operations.
Continue coordination on the review of the House
Disaster Recovery Program to identify further advancements the
House can undertake to remain secure.
Clerk of the House
Continue coordination with the Clerk to oversee,
support, and implement policy and modernization needs to ensure
continuity of Congress, increase efficiencies, boost cyber
security, and improve workforce health.
Help craft and implement solutions to increase the
bandwidth of Legislative Counsel through recruitment and
retention policy reforms.
Modernize technologies utilized in the legislative
drafting process.
Continue support of the House's adoption of the e-
Hopper and the Comparative Print Tool, two key initiatives that
greatly aid Members and staff in undertaking legislative
activities.
Partner with the Clerk to identify functions and
administrative operations under the Clerk's jurisdiction that
would be better coordinated under another House entity to
increase the Clerk's operational bandwidth and effectiveness.
Standardize format and data-sharing practices,
increase public access to the House Legislative Resource
Center's resources, and support the continued efforts of the
Congressional Data Task Force and the Bicameral Legislative
Systems Forum.
House Inspector General
Continue the Committee's coordination with the
Office of the Inspector General to increase accountability
across the House.
Identify improvements to the functions and
administrative operations of the Office of the Inspector
General.
Establish priorities for the Inspector General,
including, but not limited to, the focus and scope of
management advisories.
Ensure that management advisories, audits, and
investigations are prioritized in alignment with the assessment
of risk to the operations of the House.
House Office of Whistleblower Ombuds
Continue close coordination with the Office of the
Whistleblower Ombuds to ensure resources, guidance, and
policies are authorized in alignment with the office's core
function of promulgating best practices for whistleblower
intake for offices of the House.
Sergeant at Arms (HSAA)
Continue to identify and implement cultural
changes to increase honor, accountability, retention, and
professionalism within the organization.
Closely coordinate with the Sergeant at Arms
regarding his role on the Capitol Police Board to ensure there
is accountability and transparency of the Board and its
actions.
Shift the Sergeant at Arms toward a more
traditional oversight entity with thorough oversight of the
security operations across the House campus and in district
offices.
Encourage more member services initiatives and
bipartisanship in the HSAA office. This includes efforts to
further partner with the HSAA to independently empower security
experts, not politicians, to make security related decisions.
Explore a modernized campus badging system to
streamline the visitor experience and increase awareness of
building densities in case of an evacuation-based emergency.
Review the functions and administrative operations
assigned to the HSAA to identify solutions and streamline
operations as they relate to the other campus security
entities.
Oversee the implementation of recommendations made
by various reviews of the Capitol following the January 6,
2021, attack on the US Capitol.
Oversee dedicated efforts by the HSAA to increase
customer service and availability for Members and staff.
Ensure HSAA continues to implement a comprehensive
district office and home security program to further ensure the
safety of Members, their families, and staff. This includes the
HSAA's implementation of the law enforcement coordinator
program, enterprise-wide security system contract, and
processes for mail sent to the district offices. Ensure that
this program is managed according to its intent and that the
HSAA is held accountable for the quality of services provided
to Members and District offices across the country.
Further partner with HSAA to develop and implement
emergency preparedness and training of all Members, staff, and
employees, including when home in their districts.
Review annual reporting requirements to ensure
adequate accountability and transparency.
Continue to increase customer service and
experience with the House Parking Office.
Legislative Branch and Other Entities
Architect of the Capitol (AOC)
Support the Acting Architect of the Capitol in re-
establishing a culture built on accountability and excellence
in the work of the AOC.
Continue oversight of the Cannon House Office
Building renovation.
Ensure that future Capitol construction projects
are undertaken with a firm commitment to adopt lessons learned
from prior construction projects.
Align AOC with best practices regarding
contracting, building code compliance, ADA accessibility,
historic preservation standards, and strategic planning to
address deferred maintenance.
Coordinate with the Senate Rules Committee to
increase the bicameral and bipartisan oversight of the AOC's
full scope of activities across its jurisdictions.
Coordinate with the Subcommittee on Legislative
Branch Appropriations to explore alternative funding models to
better match AOC construction resource management. This
includes researching opportunities in which long-term projects
can be better insulated against market price fluctuations,
inflation, and supply shortages.
Ensure the prioritization and implementation of
recommendations made by the Select Committee on the
Modernization of Congress, including but not limited to,
improvement of wayfinding technology, evaluating the future of
work, developing a portal for using and reserving available
``shared'' office space, and use of space considerations. This
includes the continued build out of former Health and Human
Service space in the O'Neill Building.
Develop and enforce a clear House Office Building
Hallway Policy.
Continue oversight of the AOC's day-to-day
maintenance of House Buildings and the House side of the
Capitol.
Continue thorough oversight of the Hearing Room
Renovation Plan and increase accountability for the AOC to
deliver those rooms on time and on budget. Ensure the AOC and
other House support entities provide continued business
operation in the House by providing adequate, alternative
hearing room locations for committees and subcommittees to
gather.
Increase communication and expedited service as it
relates to the National Statuary Hall Collection in
coordination with the Joint Committee on the Library.
Review the internal operational effectiveness of
the Capitol Visitor Center to ensure that the services provided
are of a level appropriate for visitors who are touring the
Capitol of the United States of America. Ensure that CVC
continues to modernize the visitor experience in a way that
welcomes all Americans.
Government Publishing Office (GPO)
Continue oversight of GPO's efforts to digitize
the Federal Deposit Library Program.
Further support the GPO in establishment of its
tradesmen apprenticeship program to increase workforce
recruitment, development, and retention.
Further collaborate with GPO to explore
modernization initiatives that can streamline the legislative
posting process, recognizing that the process has many
stakeholders and collaborators.
Support the GPO in efforts to appoint a permanent
Inspector General and re-establish a productive relationship
with that office.
Continue to oversee operations of the GPO
including the Superintendent of Documents.
Continue collaboration on GPO's production of next
generation passports for the US Department of State.
Library of Congress
Oversee Library activities to ensure that the LOC
remains focused on its founding mission of being Congress'
Library.
Continue to support the Library in its efforts to
shift toward a library of the modern information age, where
Americans can access documents and information regardless of
location.
Continue to support the Library in efforts to
digitize and further build its collection.
Further emphasize the need for the LOC to
implement recommendations of its Inspector General,
particularly regarding information technology modernization,
enterprise-wide strategic planning and coordination, and better
controls on internal processes and project management.
Conduct rigorous oversight of the Congressional
Research Service to better meet the needs of a modern Congress,
including shorter reports, more variety of products, thorough
internal tracking of activities and product delivery rates, and
greater efficiency in work product.
Ensure greater stakeholder participation in
decision-making for prestigious appointments.
Continue oversight of Copyright modernization
efforts, the Visitor Experience Initiative, post-COVID-19
Pandemic posture, storage facility efforts, moving NLS
headquarters to a closer location to LOC, and Law Library
shelving renovation, among others.
Continue support of LOC's efforts to ensure
greater access to the Main Reading Room by visitors and
researchers.
Oversee the strategic plans and operations or the
LOC, with particular focus on Copyright Office, Law Library,
OIG, CRS, NLS, and overseas initiatives.
Office of the Attending Physician
Review the Office of the Attending Physician's
actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the issuing of
inconsistent guidance between the House and the Senate.
Implement necessary changes to ensure future
public health guidance is issued in a non-political manner.
Make strides to modernize the OAP fee payment
structure to streamline accounting and improve customer
experience.
Office of Congressional Accessibility Services (OCAS)
Oversee the management and operations of Office of
Congressional Accessibility Services in conjunction with Senate
Committee on Rules and Administration. Continue coordination
regarding the needs of the office to accomplish long-term
strategic plans that increase Americans' accessibility of the
Capitol Campus and events.
Continue to build connections between the OCAS and
AOC to ensure that construction activities and future building
upgrades are undertaken in an accessibility conscious way.
Smithsonian Institution
Continue to address storage capacity concerns and
deferred maintenance with the Smithsonian Institution.
Reduce the Smithsonian's reliance on timed-
ticketing efforts to improve access and increase accountability
for when such efforts are taken advantage of by ticket scalpers
or bots.
Increase accountability for the process of site
selection for the future National Women's History Museum and
the National Museum of the American Latino. Engage with
Smithsonian and other stakeholders to ensure that appropriate,
realistic recommendations are made regarding site locations.
Re-establish the expectation that the Smithsonian
is accountable and responsive to congressional oversight
entities.
Set expectations with the Smithsonian on future
development on the National Mall.
Ensure adequate inventory management across all
collections.
Ensure that the Smithsonian is meeting the
expectations of the American people to preserve and communicate
the American story and educate Americans on the uniqueness of
our history.
Work with Smithsonian to ensure a full return to
pre-COVID-19 Pandemic policies.
Review appointments to the Board of Regents as
necessary.
United States Capitol Police
Work with the Department to improve its culture by
improving leadership, accountability, transparency, and
initiative throughout its operations.
Support the Department's efforts to expand their
regional offices throughout the country, ramp up recruitment of
new officers, address threats to members of Congress,
prioritize training and dignitary protection, and continue to
rebuild after the January 6th attack on the Capitol.
Conduct a comprehensive review of USCP to
determine the viability of transitioning USCP away from a
traditional police force toward a protective force.
Identify opportunities for reforming the Capitol
Police Board structure.
Work with the Department to ensure all outstanding
recommendations made to the Department are fulfilled.
Review the politicization of the Department in
recent years and push the Department to have greater bipartisan
responsiveness to members.
Advocate for greater independence for the USCP
Inspector General from the Capitol Police Board.
Encourage the Department to prioritize long-term,
strategic planning.
Partner with Capitol security stakeholders to
establish clear guidance for the deployment of global fencing.
Encourage the Department to prioritize training
initiatives throughout the Department and rework accountability
structures to ensure training is not only mandated but
executed.
Require the Department to provide semi-annual
reports on operations and structure to Congress and regularly
report arrest data publicly in a detailed, structured data-
format.
Develop policies and processes to further
discourage unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or ``drones''' from
violating Capitol air space.
Oversee the Departments operations through regular
engagement with Department leadership.
Advice and Guidance, Member Services
Members' Representational Allowance
Oversee Members' Representational Allowance (MRA),
including amounts, structure, regulations and calculations to
ensure that all Members have sufficient resources to
effectively represent their constituents.
Oversee the timely processing of vouchers and
direct payments, including those for payroll. Continue to
monitor the implementation of My Expenses and other advancement
that streamline operations while increasing accountability.
Ensure that the Members' Congressional Handbook
sets clear, effective guidance for the appropriate use of the
Members' Representational Allowance.
Official Communications
Coordinate with the Clerk of the House and CAO to
identify and implement new applications, resources, and
procedures for the House to be more transparent, accountable,
and accessible, and to meet Member and Committee office's
obligations related to official communications.
Implement approved procedures to increase
transparency and improve the accounting of franked mail costs.
Mew Member Orientation
Proactively plan, implement, and oversee the New
Member Orientation program for newly elected Members of
Congress. Ensure that programming emphasizes bipartisanship and
communicates relevant information that adequately prepares new
members to hit the ground running.
Review the management and planning of the
Congressional Research Service's New Member Issues Seminar.
Intern Program
Oversee the establishment of the Intern Resource
Office.
Continue and expand the Gregg and Livingston
Harper congressional internship program for individuals with
intellectual disabilities.
Continue oversight of the House Paid Internship
program, including oversight of paid interns in district
offices.
In coordination with the Senate Committee on Rules
and Administration, organize, administer, and oversee the
intern lecture series.
Congressional Accountability Act of 1995
Conduct general oversight of the office of Office
of Congressional Workplace Rights, Office of House Employment
Counsel, and Office of Employee Assistance.
Explore advantages of transferring the development
and administration of the annual mandatory Workplace Rights and
Responsibilities training in-house.
Evaluate resources available to OCWR and House
employing offices to facilitate implementation of the
Congressional Accountability Act.
Monitor the development and deployment of the
biannual climate survey.
Oversee the Office of Employee Advocacy.
Federal Election Law and Procedures
Examine all aspects of election security practices
and consider proposals to strengthen election integrity.
Examine the impact of amendments made by HAVA and
the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE Act) to
the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act
(UOCAVA).
Consider proposals to improve voting methods for
those serving and living abroad.
Examine the role and impact of political
organizations and non-profit organizations on federal
elections.
Recommend disposition of House election contests
pending before the committee; monitor any disputed election
counts.
Review all aspects of registration and voting
practices in federal elections. Monitor allegations of fraud
and misconduct during all phases of federal elections and
evaluate measures to improve the integrity of the electoral
process.
Review federal campaign-finance laws and
regulations, including presidential and congressional public
financing, and consider potential reforms.
Review operations of the Election Assistance
Commission (EAC) and evaluate possible changes to improve
efficiency and improve implementation of the Help America Vote
Act (HAVA).
Review operations of the Federal Election
Commission (FEC) and evaluate possible changes to improve
efficiency, improve enforcement of the Federal Election
Campaign Act, and improve procedures for the disclosure of
contributions and expenditures. Consider authorization issues
and make recommendations on the FEC's budget.
Protect federalism and constitutional principles
that instruct that States play the primary role in determining
the ``the Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for
Senators and Representatives'', as provided for in Article I,
Section 4, of the Constitution.
Investigate and monitor HAVA waste, fraud, and
abuse (including, but not limited to, allegations of official
funds going toward partisan ``get-out-the-vote'' efforts, lack
of transparency in the contract bidding process, and ex parte
communications between vendors and state contracting
officials).
Investigate how states and localities that allow
non-citizens to vote ensure that federal funds are not used to
facilitate non-citizen voting.
Review and strengthen methods to improve the
enforcement of existing federal law that requires States to
maintain their voter registration lists to improve the accuracy
and integrity of the elections process.
Review and examine the 2022 election with a focus
on ensuring all lawful ballots in congressional races were
counted fairly, accurately, and according to law.
Strengthen the Congressional Election Observer
Program that helps the House and Senate gather evidence to
fulfill their constitutional responsibility to ``be the judge
of the Elections, Returns, and Qualifications of its own
Members'' as provided for by Article I, Section 5 of the
Constitution.
Strengthen and develop our Faith in Elections
Program that consists of four primary principles: (1) States
have the primary role in establishing election law and
administering elections, (2) All eligible voters must be able
to vote, and all lawful votes must be counted according to the
law, (3) Political speech is protected speech, and (4)
Redistricting should be used as a tool to strengthen democracy.
Restore voter confidence in our elections by
highlighting states and localities that are administering
elections in an open, fair, and transparent way.
MINORITY VIEWS
Legislative Branch Oversight
INTRODUCTION
The oversight and authorization activities of the Committee
on House Administration are key to the operations of the
Legislative Branch. During the 116th and 117th Congresses,
Committee Democrats guided the House through several
generational challenges, ensuring continuity of operations
during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the aftermath of the
January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Even in the face of
these historic obstacles, the Committee made unprecedented
improvements to House operations, particularly with respect to
human capital and institutional capacity.
According to Demand Progress, a nonpartisan, non-
governmental organization focused on strengthening democracy,
the House ``improve[d] the working conditions for its staff in
the 117th Congress than Congress has over the last three
decades combined.''\1\ These reforms improved the ability for
the House to recruit and retain top talent and provided Members
and staff with tools to perform their jobs more effectively,
strengthening the institution. Advances included, among others:
creating the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion and House
Office of Whistleblower Ombuds; imposing a $45,000.00 pay floor
for full-time House staff; decoupling of Member and staff pay;
raising the staff pay cap; increasing the lifetime maximum for
the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) and exempting SLRP
payments from the pay cap; adoption of regulations recommended
by the nonpartisan Office of Congressional Workplace Rights
(OCWR) providing for unionization and collective bargaining for
House staff who choose to exercise such rights; adoption of
regulations recommended by OCWR relating to application of
rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act and Fair Labor
Standards Act for House staff; extending the House Paid
Internship Program to committees; raising the maximum allowable
compensation for interns; growing committee capacity by
increasing committee funding; expanding the Congressional Staff
Academy; launching the CAO Coach Program; creating the House
Human Resources Hub; and enlarging the House Child Care Center;
and increasing the capacity of the Office of Employee
Assistance.
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\1\Demand Progress, Statement on House Unionization Vote +
Establishment of Minimum Wage (May 7, 2022), https://
demandprogress.org/statement-on-house-unionization-vote-
establishment-of-minimum-wage/.
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The accomplishments of Committee Democrats in the 116th and
117th Congresses led Axios to declare that the Committee,
``once seen as a bureaucratic backwater is now at the center of
some of the biggest policy fights in Congress.''\2\ In addition
to the reforms discussed above, Committee Democrats took a
leading role on issues related to election administration and
the assault on voting rights; disinformation surrounding U.S.
elections; both physical and cyber security; and the removal of
white supremacist and Confederate statuary and art from places
of honor in the Capitol. The Committee also drove the
authorization of two new Smithsonian museums: the National
Museum of the American Latino and American Women's History
Museum.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\Lachlan Markay, Capitol Hill's Smallest Committee Takes Center
Stage, Axios (May 26, 2022), https://www.axios.com/2022/05/26/house-
administrative-committee-capitol-security.
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The Committee Minority looks forward to working with the
new Committee Majority to further strengthen the institution.
In particular, the Committee Minority appreciates the Committee
Majority's establishment of the Subcommittee on the
Modernization of Congress, and the fact that the Majority
agreed to an even split among Democratic and Republican
Members. The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress,
established by House Rules packages in both the 116th and 117th
Congress made many recommendations to improve the institution,
and while the Committee implemented or partially implemented
more than 130 such recommendations in the previous Congresses,
additional implementation work remains.
The Committee Minority is committed to working in a
bipartisan fashion in its oversight of the Legislative Branch.
However, there will inevitably be matters in which the
Committee Minority will disagree with the Committee Majority.
For example, the Committee Minority is deeply troubled by
public reporting that the Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy
made a deal with Fox News personality Tucker Carlson, who has
referred to the January 6, 2021, attack as a ``false flag
operation''\3\ to provide him--and him alone--with ``unfettered
access''\4\ to tens of thousands of hours of security footage
of the Capitol related to the January 6, 2021, attack.\5\
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\3\Meryl Kornfield and Jacqueline Alemany, McCarthy gives Tucker
Carlson exclusive access to Jan. 6 riot video, The Washington Post
(Feb. 21, 2023), http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/21/
tucker-carlson-kevin-mccarthy-jan-6-insurrection/.
\4\Id.
\5\Mike Allen, Exclusive: McCarthy gives Tucker Carlson access to
trove of Jan. 6 riot tape, Axios (February 20, 2023), https://
www.axios.com/2023/02/20/kevin-mccarthy-tucker-carlson-jan-6-riot-
footage.
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United States Capitol Police (USCP or Department)
leadership has repeatedly stressed the danger of publicly
releasing this footage, explaining that it puts the Capitol at
significant risk. For example, in July 2022, the USCP Acting
Assistant Chief of Police for Uniformed Operations said, in an
affidavit made as part of a federal prosecution, ``USCP
continues to consider any interior footage of the U.S. Capitol
to be highly sensitive information, and any access to it should
be strictly limited.''\6\
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\6\Declaration of Sean P. Gallagher, U.S. v. Egtvedt, No. 1:21-cr-
00177 (D.D.C.).
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As has been well publicized, in the runup to the January 6,
2021, attack, rioters attempted to gather information about the
interior of the Capitol, including tunnels and non-publicly
available floor plans. Providing access to hours of footage
will result in security vulnerabilities of the Capitol being
collected, exposed, and passed on to those who might wish to
attack the Capitol again. That the Capitol is open to the
public and that video footage of the January 6 attack is widely
available does not diminish the need to prevent large swaths of
unvetted security footage from being made public. According to
a federal judge who issued a protective order related to the
footage, ``Even if some information about the U.S. Capitol's
layout is available online, USCP's footage provides far more
detailed information, which could raise security concerns if
copied and publicized.''\7\ In addition, sophisticated foreign
and nonstate actors may be able to use the security camera
footage to identify weaknesses in Capitol security, such as
potential blind spots and Member evacuation routes. Moreover,
release of the footage would cause issues in the prosecutions
of January 6 defendants, whose attorneys only have access to
security camera footage under a protective order.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\U.S. v. Cudd, 534 F.Supp. 3d 48, 54 (D.D.C. 2021).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The danger associated with these actions is even more
significant when considering the individual being provided the
footage. Mr. Carlson has a lengthy record of lying and
spreading disinformation about the January 6, 2021, attack on
his television show in an apparent attempt to rewrite history.
According to the Washington Post,
``Carlson promoted false and debunked claims about
government agents stoking the riot, from the wife of an
accused rioter (whom he later interviewed on his show
without comment) to elevating evidence-free and
obviously flimsy claims about a man named Ray Epps to a
national audience. He produced a widely debunked three-
part series aimed at reframing the Capitol riot in a
way that attributed responsibility to government
actors--and slotted the response to the riot in his
exhaustingly simplistic us-vs.-them narrative. When the
House select committee investigating the riot first
aired a hearing in prime time, Carlson's show was an
ad-free hour of handing the microphone to riot
sympathizers and conspiracy theorists.''\8\
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\8\Kornfield, supra note 3.
Historically, Mr. Carlson's conspiracy theories and false
claims are so outrageous that attorneys for Fox News have
forced to concede in federal court that he should not be
considered an objective source of information.\9\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\McDougal v. Fox News Network, LLC, 489 F.Supp. 174 (2020); see
also David Folkenflik, You Literally Can't Believe The Facts Tucker
Carlson Tells You. So Say Fox's Lawyers, NPR (September 29, 2020),
https://www.npr.org/2020/09/29/917747123/you-literally-cant-believe-
the-facts-tucker-carlson-tells-you-so-say-fox-s-lawye.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Any attempts by defenders of these actions to create a
false equivalence with the work of the Select Committee to
Investigate the January 6, 2021, Attack on the Capitol (Select
Committee) should be dismissed. During the course of its
investigation, the Select Committee worked directly with the
Department to ensure the security camera footage that was
ultimately released to the public did not pose a security
threat. The Select Committee was required to clear all footage
it released publicly with the Department. In some cases, the
Department did voice such objections, and the Select Committee
worked with the Department to address its concerns. In
addition, any individual that reviewed security footage signed
a user agreement, and their individual actions were tracked so
there was a record of who accessed what and when. No such
safeguards appear to be in place in the present case, and,
according to the New York Times, Mr. Carlson has explicitly
stated that ``he and a large team of staff members [are]
looking at the footage.''\10\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\Luke Broadwater and Jonathan Swan, In Sharing Video With Fox
Host, McCarthy Hits Rewind on Jan. 6, N.Y. Times (Feb. 22, 2023),
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/22/us/politics/
tucker-carlson-jan-6-mccarthy.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Committee Minority intends to conduct robust oversight
on this issue and hopes that the Committee Majority will
rethink this decision, which, according to security
professionals, presents a significant security risk. Among the
unknowns the Minority intends to uncover are:
What footage has Tucker Carlson's representatives
already viewed?
What conditions did the Speaker's Office put on
the review of that footage?
Does the Speaker intend to physically transfer
video files to Tucker Carlson or anybody else?
What does Tucker Carlson intend to do with the
footage?
As part of this Authorization and Oversight Plan, the
Majority says that it will ``empower security experts, not
politicians, to make security related decisions.'' Yet, the
Department has made clear that it views release of security
footage as a prodigious security threat.
HOUSE OFFICERS AND OPERATIONS, GENERALLY
The Committee Minority agrees with the Committee Majority
that the House should be accountable, open, accessible,
transparent, professional, modern and resilient. In particular,
the Minority shares the Majority's interest in ``facilitat[ing]
more opportunities for Americans to engage with Congress.'' The
Minority is therefore disappointed that the new House Majority
eliminated the option for hearing witnesses to provide
testimony remotely. Remote testimony allows individuals without
the financial means to travel to Washington, DC to engage
directly with Congress. It also makes it easier for individuals
with disabilities, rural Americans, and those with job
restrictions to engage with their elected representatives. When
Congress limits hearing witnesses to those with enough time,
money, child care and job flexibility to travel to Washington
for several days, it takes away the voice of millions of
Americans who deserve to heard.
The Committee Majority also expresses a desire to ``oversee
the coordination of services across the House entities to
ensure Committees may host field hearings across the country
and U.S. territories safely and effectively.'' With the
assistance of the House Recording Studio the Committee Minority
convened nine field hearings, two field roundtables and one
field listening session during the 116th and 117th Congresses.
The Minority looks forward to continuing to provide oversight
of the House Recording Studio's field hearing capabilities by
participating in additional proceedings outside Washington, DC.
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
The Committee Minority agrees with the Committee Majority's
oversight goals for the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). In
addition, the Committee Minority intends to:
Provide vigorous oversight of services provided to
district offices, including the concept of enterprise-wide
district office WiFi.
Examine the House's relationship with the General
Services Administration (GSA) to ensure Members can effectively
serve their constituents through district offices in GSA-owned
buildings.
Review efforts to diversify the CAO workforce,
including oversight of CAO diversity working groups and
mentoring programs.
Continue efforts to improve customer service and
communications across all CAO functions and business units.
Continue oversight of House technology upgrades,
including MyExpenses.
Review proposed reforms to the Office of Finance
and Payroll and Benefits, including potential implementation of
the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress
recommendation to shift to bimonthly pay periods.
Continue oversight of the Student Loan Repayment
Program.
Review and oversee information technology services
provided, maintained or hosted by House Information Resources
(HIR).
Continue oversight of failsafe procedures to
guarantee continuity of operations.
Continue oversight of House cybersecurity
practices, including network security and threat prevention.
Provide oversight of the House Disaster Recovery
Program.
Oversee web services activities, including new
Member website development, with a focus on accessibility.
Oversee the Technology Partner Program.
Oversee continued efforts to move toward cloud
computing.
HOUSE SERGEANT AT ARMS
The Committee Minority also agrees with the Committee
Majority's stated goal of independently empowering security
experts, not politicians, to make security related decisions.
Unfortunately, this stands in stark contrast with the decision
to provide a Fox News personality access to Capitol security
camera footage, in direct contravention of the wishes of
security experts within USCP.
In addition to many of the priorities noted by the
Majority, the Minority intends to:
Oversee continued implementation of the
Residential Security Program initiated during the 117th
Congress.
Continue to review the effectiveness of the
district office security center and law enforcement coordinator
program.
Review the HSAA role on the Capitol Police Board
and study potential reforms thereto.
Monitor implementation of security recommendations
made by various security experts in the aftermath of the
January 6, 2021, attack, including those made by Lt. General
Russel Honore's task force, the USCP Office of Inspector
General and Architect of the Capitol Office of Inspector
General.
Oversee efforts to improving emergency
preparedness training for Members and staff, both in
Washington, DC and in their respective districts.
Monitor efforts to appoint a permanent Sergeant at
Arms, including progress of any national search.
CLERK OF THE HOUSE
The Committee Minority commends the Office of the Clerk for
its work during the protracted election for Speaker of the
House. The Minority intends to focus its Office of the Clerk-
related oversight on the following:
Review the Clerk's current IT configuration and
redundancy posture.
Oversee the House document repository.
Oversee lobbying disclosure process, including
ways to make data more easily accessible for the general
public.
Review standards for the electronic exchange of
legislative information among the chambers of congress and
Legislative Branch agencies.
Coordinate on matters under the jurisdiction of
the House Fine Arts Board and the Capitol Preservation Board.
Continue review of functions and administrative
operations assigned to the Clerk.
Review of semi-annual financial and operational
status reports; recommend changes in operations to improve
services and increase efficiencies.
Review the printing needs of the Clerk to evaluate
the potential for eliminating duplication.
Review the application programming interface
incorporated in the Clerk's website.
Oversee preparation of congressionally authorized
publications.
Oversee participation in the Congressional Data
Task Force.
Continued oversight of official reporter
participation in field hearings.
HOUSE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
The Committee Minority agrees with the Committee Majority's
oversight priorities for the House Office of Inspector General
and looks forward to providing direction on audits management
advisories on a bipartisan basis.
ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL
The Committee Minority agrees with many of the Committee
Majority's oversight priorities for the Architect of the
Capitol (AOC). In addition to the priorities noted by the
Majority, the Minority intends to:
Review and improve, where it is within the
Committee's jurisdiction to do so, the process by which the
Architect of the Capitol and the Deputy Architect are
appointed.
Oversee AOC hiring practices, with an emphasis on
improving diversity across the AOC, including the C-Suite.
Oversee continued restoration, repairs and
security improvements necessitated by the January 6, 2021,
attack at the Capitol.
Review AOC efforts to improve discipline program
and accountability systems, including those applicable to
exempt personnel.
Review mechanisms put in place by the AOC to
ensure unallowable costs related to the Cannon House Office
Building renovation are not reimbursed and that no costs are
reimbursed without sufficient documentation.
Review plans and proposals for future projects in
the House Office Buildings and on the House side of the
Capitol.
Continue oversight of life safety measures,
accessibility measures, and improved evacuation mechanisms in
House buildings
Review the AOC office of sustainability's efforts
to reduce energy and waste consumption in the Capitol Complex
by, for example, use of waterless and low-flow plumbing
fixtures in restroom facilities.
Review workplace safety and health efforts.
Oversee the pest management practices of the AOC,
including in the Capitol, House Office Buildings and House
Child Care Center.
Ensure the existence of a professional workplace
culture.
Oversee the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC),
including labor agreements, security concerns set forth by
Guides, the renovated Exhibition Hall, and the filling of
vacancies in its leadership.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
The Committee Minority notes and appreciates the enormous
effort put forth by the Library's Congressional Research
Service (CRS) staff to plan what would have been an exceptional
New Member Seminar (NMS), which was scheduled to take place in
Philadelphia, PA in January 2023. Unfortunately, the new House
Majority's inability to elect a Speaker of the House within a
reasonable timeframe resulted in the cancellation of what would
have been an inspiring and productive NMS program. The
Minority, though disappointed in the cancellation of such an
important program, commends the effort by CRS staff to refresh
NMS, particularly its efforts in the more than seven months
between the selection of the location and intended commencement
of the program.
The Committee Minority intends to focus its Library of
Congress-related oversight on the following:
Continue detailed oversight of CRS operations and
consider any need to modify management and organizational
structure of the service. Areas of focus to include:
Diversity and inclusion;
Staff morale and attrition rates;
Work environment;
Resource allocation; and
Administrative support for subject
matter experts.
Continue detailed oversight of the Copyright
Office:
Review the use of technology generally
in Copyright Office operations, and specifically the
office's modernization efforts. This includes continued
oversight of the development and implementation of the
Enterprise Copyright System, including the recordation
and registration systems, updated application process
and updated user experience platform.
Review the Copyright Office's efforts to
communicate its modernization efforts to stakeholders.
Review security measures and processes
for e-deposits submitted to both the Copyright Office
and Library of Congress.
Review the Copyright Office's spending
authority and its ability to budget for multi-year
capital projects.
Continue oversight of Library IT modernization
consistent with the guidance from the Government Accountability
Office, including efforts to overhaul records storage, utilize
the cloud, stabilize the core IT structure, improve IT
governance and develop a more centralized and professional IT
workforce.
Oversee Library storage facilities, including the
shelving replacement project in the Law Library.
Continue oversight of the Library's technology
hosting environment transition.
Oversee the operation of the Library's various
websites, including Congress.gov and Copyright.gov.
Review and propose changes to the rules and
regulations promulgated by the Joint Committee on the Library.
Ensure the continued compilation of educational
websites and materials tailored for students going to school
remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conduct a review of the progress that the Library
has made in providing public access to government information,
especially in electronic form.
Continue oversight of the Library's Visitor
Experience Initiative, including the Thomas Jefferson Building
renovations.
Continue oversight of Library of Congress
operations, including inventory cataloguing systems,
preservation efforts and plans to grow collections.
Continue oversight of Law Library operations.
Review the use of technology generally in Library
of Congress operations, and specifically the ongoing work to
centralize technology operations.
Review reports by Library of Congress Inspector
General and implementation of audit recommendations. Examine
options to improve operation and structure of the Library of
Congress Inspector General's office.
Oversight of supervisor and employee conduct,
workplace environment and culture, discipline and other human
resources matters.
Continue oversight of the National Library
Service's efforts to provide the most effective service to
their library partners, explore ways to increase the number of
users under 65, review the format and content for those users
and move to a new physical headquarters.
Continue oversight of collection development
programs and digital collection plans.
Continue oversight of the Contracts and Grants
Directorate, including acquisition workforce training and
acquisition planning.
Continue oversight of Library capital projects.
Oversight of gift shop financial management and
accounting.
UNITED STATES CAPITOL POLICE
The Committee Minority shares many of the Committee
Majority's goals with respect to oversight of the Department.
In particular, the Minority intends to prioritize improving
Department culture as a means of professionalizing the force,
improving officer morale and enhancing Department capabilities.
The Minority also remains deeply interested in the potential to
transition the Department from a traditional law enforcement
agency to a force protection organization akin to the Pentagon
Force Protection Agency.
The Minority remains deeply frustrated with the
Department's responses to requests for information pertaining
to the October 28, 2022, assassination attempt on then-Speaker
of the House Nancy Pelosi and the assault of her husband, Paul
Pelosi. The Minority will continue to examine this matter and
expects to receive sufficiently detailed answers to its
requests for information.
In addition, the Minority intends to:
Oversee efforts to improve security for Members of
Congress outside Washington, DC, including in their districts
and in transit.
Review proposals to reorganize the Department and
oversee implementation of any potential reorganization.
Oversee the overhaul of the Department Training
Services Bureau, including opportunities for in-service
training and leadership training, as well as procedures in
place for quality control.
Monitor continued implementations of
recommendations made by the Department Office of Inspector
General in its series of flash reports issued after the January
6, 2021, attack.
Oversee the Contract Security Officer program.
Oversee efforts to improve recruitment and
retention of sworn officers.
GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
The Committee Minority intends to focus its Government
Publishing Office-related oversight on the following:
Monitor progress of the GPO committee print
project.
Review and adopt legislative proposals to reform
government printing by eliminating redundancies and unnecessary
printing, increasing efficiency, and enhancing public access to
government publications.
Continue efforts to reform title 44, United States
Code, particularly provisions related to the Federal Depository
Library Program (FDLP).
Oversee the digitization of the FDLP.
Review the printing needs of the House of
Representatives to identify the potential for eliminating
duplication.
Examine current GPO printing and binding
regulations to determine advisability of change.
Oversee GPO labor practices and compliance with
labor agreements.
Review use of GPO facilities and other assets to
identify possible alternatives enhancing value to the Congress
and the public.
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
The Committee Minority agrees with several of the Committee
Majority's stated goals with respect to the Smithsonian
Institution. In particular, the Minority will monitor storage
capacity concerns and deferred maintenance, and examine whether
any authorizations are needed to complete the Pod 6 storage
project in Suitland, Maryland. In addition, the Minority will
focus on the following priorities:
Closely examine working conditions at Smithsonian
museums, with an emphasis on allegations of sexual harassment
and assault at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
(STRI).
Collaborate with the Senate Committee on Rules and
Administration and other relevant stakeholders to authorize the
construction of the National Museum of the American Latino and
American Women's History Museum on the National Mall, as
recommended by the Smithsonian Board of Regents.
Oversee efforts to protect Smithsonian facilities
and collections from the impacts of climate change and
associated flooding, including the Smithsonian's 2021 Climate
Change Action Plan.
Oversee the continued renovations to the National
Air and Space Museum.
Review efforts to improve diversity and inclusion
within the Smithsonian, including, diversity in exhibits/
collections and diversity in the workforce, with an emphasis on
senior levels of the Smithsonian.
Monitor efforts to strengthen Smithsonian
cybersecurity practices.
Oversee efforts to increase access to the
Smithsonian, including through traveling exhibits and digital
resources.
Oversee the Smithsonian Institution Affiliates
Program.
OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES
The Committee Minority agrees with the Committee Majority's
intention to oversee management and operations of the Office of
Congressional Accessibility Services in conjunction with the
Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. The Minority
looks forward to collaborating with the Majority to continue to
improve accessibility at the Capitol Campus. The Committee
Minority also intends to closely monitor the process of naming
a permanent director for the office.
OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
The Committee Minority continues to prioritize and support
the important work of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion
(ODI). The Committee Minority intends to focus its ODI-related
oversight on the following:
Oversee and support efforts to direct and guide
House employing offices to recruit, hire, train, develop,
advance, promote and retain a diverse workforce, especially in
district offices.
Oversee and support ODI's efforts to perform
studies regarding compensation and diversity among House
employees and the existing barriers to diversity in the House.
Oversee and support ODI's efforts to expand the
pipeline of diverse potential House interns and employees.
Oversee and support ODI's efforts to provide
requested trainings to Member and Committee offices regarding
diversity and unconscious bias in the workplace.
Oversee and support ODI's efforts to build its
brand within the House and develop a national footprint.
OFFICE OF WHISTLEBLOWER OMBUDS
The Committee Minority agrees with the Committee Majority's
prioritization of the House Office of Whistleblower Ombuds and
looks forward to overseeing this important office established
during the previous Democratic Majority.
Federal Election Law and Procedures
Under the authority of clause 1(k)(12) of rule X, the
Committee is responsible for oversight of federal elections,
including the ``[e]lection of the President, Vice President,
Members, Senators, Delegates, or the Resident Commissioner;
corrupt practices; contested elections; credentials and
qualifications; and Federal elections generally.'' Id.
Congress, and by extension the Committee, pursuant to rule
X, has broad authority to regulate the time, place, and manner
of congressional elections under the Elections Clause of the
Constitution, article I, section 4, clause 1.\11\ The Supreme
Court has affirmed that the ``substantive scope'' of the
Elections Clause is ``broad''; that ``Times, Places, and
Manner'' are ``comprehensive words which embrace authority to
provide for a complete code for congressional elections''; and
``[t]he power of Congress over the Times, Places and Manner of
congressional elections is paramount, and may be exercised at
any time, and to any extent which it deems expedient; and so
far as it is exercised, and no farther, the regulations
effected supersede those of the State which are inconsistent
therewith.'' Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, 570
U.S. 1, 8-9 (2013) (internal quotation marks and citations
omitted); see also ``The Elections Clause: Constitutional
Interpretation and Congressional Exercise,'' Hearing Before
Comm. on House Administration, 117th Cong. (2021), written
testimony of Vice Dean Franita Tolson.
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\11\The Elections Clause, in its entirety, provides: ``The Times,
Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and
Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature
thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such
Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing [sic] Senators.'' U.S.
Const. art. I, Sec. 4, cl. 1.
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Indeed, ``Congress has plenary and paramount jurisdiction
over the whole subject'' of congressional elections, Ex parte
Siebold, 100 U.S. (10 Otto) 371, 388 (1879), and this power
``may be exercised as and when Congress sees fit'', and ``so
far as it extends and conflicts with the regulations of the
State, necessarily supersedes them''. Id. at 384. Among other
things, the Elections Clause was intended to ``vindicate the
people's right to equality of representation in the House.''
Wesberry v. Sanders, 376 U.S. 1, 16 (1964).
Congress also has broad authority pursuant to section 5 of
the Fourteenth Amendment to legislate to enforce the provisions
of the Fourteenth Amendment, including its protections of the
right to vote and the democratic process. Section 1 of the
Fourteenth Amendment protects the fundamental right to vote,
which is ``of the most fundamental significance under our
constitutional structure.'' Ill. Bd. of Election v. Socialist
Workers Party, 440 U.S. 173, 184 (1979); see United States v.
Classic, 313 U.S. 299 (1941) (``Obviously included within the
right to choose, secured by the Constitution, is the right of
qualified voters within a state to cast their ballots and have
them counted . . .''). As the Supreme Court has repeatedly
affirmed, the right to vote is ``preservative of all rights,''
Yick Wo v. Hopkins, 118 U.S. 356, 370 (1886). Section 2 of the
Fourteenth Amendment also protects the right to vote, granting
Congress additional authority to reduce a State's
representation in Congress when the right to vote is abridged
or denied. Congress also has authority to legislate to
eliminate racial discrimination in voting and the democratic
process pursuant to both section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment,
which grants equal protection of the laws, and section 2 of the
Fifteenth Amendment, which explicitly bars denial or abridgment
of the right to vote on account of race, color, or previous
condition of servitude.
Furthermore, Congress has the power to protect the right to
vote from denial or abridgment on account of sex, age, or
ability to pay a poll tax or other tax pursuant to the
Nineteenth, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Sixth Amendments.
Finally, Congress has both the authority and
responsibility, as the legislative body for the United States,
to fulfill the promise of article IV, section 4, of the
Constitution, which states: ``The United States shall guarantee
to every State in this Union a Republican Form of
Government[.]''. U.S. Const. art. IV, Sec. 4. Congress's
authority and responsibility to enforce the Guarantee Clause is
clear given that Federal courts have not enforced this clause
because they understood that its enforcement is committed to
Congress by the Constitution.
OVERSIGHT ACTIVITIES
The Committee Minority intends to further these
constitutional prerogatives through federal election-related
oversight. Oversight activities will include various forms of
Committee activity, including, but not limited to, regular
oversight meetings with Committee staff, Member-level meetings,
briefings, events, correspondence, studies, reports, and
cooperation with relevant inspectors general, as well as
federal, state, and local election officials.
GENERAL ELECTIONS OVERSIGHT
The Committee's Minority plans to build upon the extensive
oversight of the federal elections process conducted during the
116th and 117th Congresses. Over the past four years, examining
all facets of the voting experience, the Committee and
Subcommittee on Elections held numerous hearings and sent
oversight letters gathering critical information on the U.S.
election process.
During the 118th Congress, the Minority plans to engage in
the following oversight activities: