SUBCHAPTER VI—INTERPARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

§5581. Participation by House in interparliamentary institutions; reception of members of foreign legislative bodies and foreign officials; meetings with Government officials

(a) It is the purpose of this section to enable the House of Representatives more properly to discharge and coordinate its activities and responsibilities in connection with participation in various interparliamentary institutions, to facilitate the interchange and reception in the United States of members of foreign legislative bodies and permanent officials of foreign governments, and to enable the House of Representatives to host meetings with senior United States Government officials and other dignitaries in order to discuss matters relevant to United States relations with other countries.

(b) For payment of expenses incurred in carrying out subsection (a) of this section, there shall be paid out of the applicable accounts of the House of Representatives, until otherwise provided by law, such sums as may be necessary but not to exceed $40,000 in any calendar year. Such payments shall be made on vouchers signed by the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and approved by the Committee on House Oversight.

(Pub. L. 95–391, title I, §111, Sept. 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 777; Pub. L. 103–437, §2(b), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4581; Pub. L. 104–186, title II, §204(72), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1741; Pub. L. 105–275, title I, §102, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2438; Pub. L. 108–83, title I, §103(e), Sept. 30, 2003, 117 Stat. 1017.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 130–1 of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Section is based on section 1 of House Resolution No. 1047, Ninety-fifth Congress, Apr. 4, 1978, which was enacted into permanent law by Pub. L. 95–391.

Amendments

2003—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–83 substituted "$40,000" for "$80,000".

1998—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–275 substituted "$80,000" for "$55,000".

1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–186 substituted "applicable accounts of the House of Representatives" for "contingent fund of the House" and "House Oversight" for "House Administration".

1994—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–437 substituted "Committee on Foreign Affairs" for "Committee on International Relations".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on House Oversight of House of Representatives changed to Committee on House Administration of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 6, 1999.

§5582. Office of Interparliamentary Affairs

(a) Establishment

There is hereby established in the House of Representatives an office to be known as the "Office of Interparliamentary Affairs" (hereafter in this section referred to as the "Office").

(b) Duties

The duties of the Office are as follows:

(1) To receive and respond to inquiries from foreign parliamentarians or foreign legislative bodies regarding official visits to the House of Representatives.

(2) To coordinate official visits to the House of Representatives by parliamentarians, officers, or employees of foreign legislative bodies.

(3) To coordinate with the Sergeant at Arms, the Clerk, and other officers of the House of Representatives in providing services for delegations of Members on official visits to foreign nations.

(4) To carry out other activities to—

(A) discharge and coordinate the activities and responsibilities of the House of Representatives in connection with participation in various interparliamentary exchanges and organizations;

(B) facilitate the interchange and reception in the United States of members of foreign legislative bodies and permanent officials of foreign governments; and

(C) enable the House to host meetings with senior government officials and other dignitaries in order to discuss matters relevant to United States relations with other nations.

(c) Director

(1) Appointment

The Office shall be headed by the Director of Interparliamentary Affairs of the House of Representatives (hereafter in this section referred to as the "Director"), who shall be appointed by the Speaker without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of the position. Any person so appointed shall serve at the pleasure of the Speaker.

(2) Compensation

The Director shall be paid at an annual rate determined by the Speaker.

(d) Other staff

(1) In general

With the approval of the Speaker, or in accordance with policies and procedures approved by the Speaker, the Director may appoint and set the pay of such other employees as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the Office. Any such appointment shall be made without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of fitness to perform the duties of the position. Any person so appointed may be removed by the Director with the approval of the Speaker, or in accordance with policies and procedures approved by the Speaker.

(2) Compensation

Any employee of the Office appointed under this subsection shall be paid at an annual rate determined by the Director with the approval of the Speaker or in accordance with policies approved by the Speaker.

(e) Omitted

(f) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2003 and each succeeding fiscal year such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

(g) Effective date

This section shall take effect on September 30, 2003.

(Pub. L. 108–83, title I, §103, Sept. 30, 2003, 117 Stat. 1016.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 130–2 of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Section is comprised of section 103 of Pub. L. 108–83. Subsec. (e) of section 103 of Pub. L. 108–83 amended section 5581 of this title.

Section is from the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2004.