2 U.S.C. § 281a — Purpose and policy

Page 118 TITLE 2—THE CONGRESS § 277 (Pub. L. 98–51, title I, § 106, July 14, 1983, 97 Stat. 267.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION Section was enacted as part of the Congressional Op- erations Appropriation Act, 1984, which is title I of the Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1984, and not as part of section 1303 of act Feb. 24, 1919 which comprises this subchapter. Section, as it relates to funds expended by the Senate Legal Counsel, is classified to section 288n of this title. § 277. Repealed. Pub. L. 93–191, § 13, Dec. 18, 1973, 87 Stat. 746 Section, act Feb. 24, 1919, ch. 18, title XIII, § 1303(d), as added June 2, 1924, ch. 234, title XI, § 1101, 43 Stat. 353, provided for free transmission of official mail matter of legislative counsel. Official mail matter of Legislative Counsel of House of Representatives is covered by sec- tion 282d of this title. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF REPEAL Repeal effective Dec. 18, 1973, see section 14 of Pub. L. 93–191, set out as an Effective Date of 1973 Amendment note under section 3210 of Title 39, Postal Service. SUBCHAPTER II—HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PART I—PURPOSE, POLICY, AND FUNCTION § 281. Establishment There is established in the House of Rep- resentatives an office to be known as the Office of the Legislative Counsel, referred to herein- after in this subchapter as the ‘‘Office’’. (Pub. L. 91–510, title V, § 501, Oct. 26, 1970, 84 Stat. 1201.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Subchapter effective Oct. 26, 1970, see section 601(5) of Pub. L. 91–510, set out as an Effective Date of 1970 Amendment note under section 4301 of this title. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS; NONAPPLICABILITY OF SECTIONS 271 TO 277 TO THE HOUSE Pub. L. 91–510, title V, § 531, Oct. 26, 1970, 84 Stat. 1203, provided that anyone serving as Legislative Counsel on Oct. 26, 1970 would continue as Legislative Counsel in accordance with this subchapter, and that all per- sonnel, positions, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations of or for that part of the Of- fice of the Legislative Counsel established under sec- tions 271 to 277 of this title employed or held in or for the House of Representatives would be transferred to the Office established under this subchapter and, effec- tive Oct. 26, 1970, those sections were without further appicability. § 281a. Purpose and policy The purpose of the Office shall be to advise and assist the House of Representatives, and its committees and Members, in the achievement of a clear, faithful, and coherent expression of leg- islative policies. The Office shall maintain im- partiality as to issues of legislative policy to be determined by the House of Representatives, and shall not advocate the adoption or rejection of any legislation except when duly requested by the Speaker or a committee to comment on a proposal directly affecting the functions of the Office. The Office shall maintain the attorney- client relationship with respect to all commu- nications between it and any Member or com- mittee of the House. (Pub. L. 91–510, title V, § 502, Oct. 26, 1970, 84 Stat. 1202.) § 281b. Functions The functions of the Office shall be as follows: (1) Upon request of the managers on the part of the House at any conference on the dis- agreeing votes of the two Houses, to advise and assist the managers on the part of the House in the course of the conference, and to assist the committee of conference in the preparation of the conference report and any accompanying explanatory statement. (2) Upon request of any committee of the House, or any joint committee having author- ity to report legislation to the House, to ad- vise and assist the committee in the consider- ation of any legislation before it, and to assist the committee in the preparation of drafts of any such legislation, amendments thereto, and reports thereon. (3) Upon request of any Member having con- trol of time during the consideration of any legislation by the House, to have in attend- ance on the floor of the House not more than two members of the staff of the Office (and, in his discretion, the Legislative Counsel) to ad- vise and assist such Member and, to the extent feasible, any other Member, in the course of such consideration. (4) Upon request of any Member, subject to such reasonable restrictions as the Legislative Counsel may impose with the approval of the Speaker on the proportion of the resources of the Office which may be devoted to the re- quests of any one Member, to prepare drafts of legislation and to furnish drafting advice with respect to drafts of legislation prepared by others. (5) At the direction of the Speaker, to per- form on behalf of the House of Representatives any legal services which are within the capa- bilities of the Office and the performance of which would not be inconsistent with the pro- visions of section 281a of this title or the pre- ceding provisions of this section. (Pub. L. 91–510, title V, § 503, Oct. 26, 1970, 84 Stat. 1202.) PART II—ADMINISTRATION § 282. Legislative Counsel The management, supervision, and adminis- tration of the Office are vested in the Legisla- tive Counsel, who shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives with- out 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. (Pub. L. 91–510, title V, § 521, Oct. 26, 1970, 84 Stat. 1202.)