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Mr. PACKARD. There will be some restructures and reforms that will probably require some reprogramming, and I presume, Mr. Faulkner, that we will be able to accommodate those

reprogrammings as they become necessary. Mr. FAULKNER. Absolutely.

Mr. PACKARD. Any questions from anyone?

CONSOLIDATION OF OFFICES OF HISTORIAN AND HOUSE LIBRARY

Mr. THORNTON. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. I appreciate the flexible way you are conducting these hearings to allow questions as the testimony is produced.

I want to compliment you, first of all, for moving strongly to consolidate and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your op

erations.

I had two questions. One, with respect to combining the Office of Historian and House Library: Are those offices presently situated in the same general area? Would you describe briefly to me why such a consolidation would be effective?

Ms. CARLE. Well, actually the space that the Historian's Office was in before, there is so much change going on, they were already physically moving out of their office. So we are talking about right now using the space where the library is. And although the work of a historian and the work of a librarian are slightly different, they are still under the same umbrella.

As I talk through a lot of these issues, a lot of our responsibilities, the archival responsibilities, working with Members as they are leaving, those sorts of issues, and working with the Library of Congress and the national archivist, and so there is a lot of common ground.

Mr. THORNTON. Does the Library of Congress provide some help to the library in the form of advice or recommendations?

Ms. CARLE. Certainly, and we have a very ongoing, good working relationship. And now as this whole electronic piece is happening, we have even more connect with them.

CONSOLIDATE OFFICIAL REPORTERS OF DEBATES AND COMMITTEES

Mr. THORNTON. I think the excitement with electronics improvements is extraordinary, Mr. Chairman, and indeed it is an opportunity to save money and to carry forward the work of the Legislative Branch.

I am a bit more concerned about the proposed merger between the Official Reporters of Debates and the Official Reporters of Committees. I noticed that in your prepared testimony you state that you think that additional studies should be given by GAO or the Inspector General as to the efficacy of making that combination. Ms. CARLE. More to the efficacy of privatizing certain of those functions.

Mr. THORNTON. Of privatizing some of those functions.

In passing, Mr. Chairman, it seems to me that the House itself could make a significant reduction in the cost of reporting if we could limit somewhat the lengthy debates and Special Orders that keep reporters at work until very late at night and cause a job description that I am not sure many private sector people would be

interested in performing. I don't know if this witness can make an observation on that or not, but

Mr. PACKARD. I think that the request she is making for a review and an analysis by either GAO or the Inspector General is a good one, and I would hope that that analysis would look at how reporting is being done in other agencies, even in the private sector, or in the courtroom, to see if electronic devices may be able to be used or if there are ways that we can streamline that process.

It is very human intensive under the current system, and I would assume that there are procedures being done in other parts of either government or the private sector that would move it more to the electronic age.

Ms. CARLE. Which I think is why the consideration for committee reporting more than the Floor reporting is

Mr. THORNTON. Yes. I do think there are some distinctions between the requirements of Floor reporting and committee reporting.

Mr. PACKARD. And it may be well, if you will allow me, it may be well to look to see if there needs to be some statutory changes to allow us to move in a different direction. I don't know what the current statute would say in terms of reporting, but I would guess that there is statutory law that requires us to do certain do it a certain way right now, and if that is the case, it may require some legislative strategy to get to where we need to go.

Mr. THORNTON. Just in passing, I would like to say that I have been tremendously impressed with the quality and hard work of the reporters who have taken the responsibility of providing this very important job.

Mr. PACKARD. All of this discussion shouldn't be interpreted that we are dissatisfied with the quality of that work. You are absolutely right, Mr. Thornton. They do an excellent job. It is just that I am not sure we are using all the technology that they or us could use in that respect.

Mr. Taylor.

FURTHER DISCUSSION ON HISTORIAN AND LIBRARIAN

Mr. TAYLOR. I want to commend you for the fine work and your efforts and efficiency. Let me ask you a question on the House Library and the historian. Do you intend to abolish the librarian or the historian?

Ms. CARLE. I think that at this point we are still in conversation with Oversight and Members of the transition team, and I am not sure that either of the functions will be dissolved. I am not sure what the title will be when we finish the reorganization.

Mr. TAYLOR. Where is the House Library?

Ms. CARLE. It is down in the basement of Cannon. Do we know what room number?

Mr. TAYLOR. I may know it as something else.

Ms. NAVE. Where you get Congressional Records.

Mr. TAYLOR. And that is the principal function. Distinguish its function from the Library of Congress.

By the way, you may want to move to the Members' reading room if we can get it remodeled. It is beautiful over in the Library of Congress.

Ms. CARLE. I wouldn't call our space beautiful in the library right

now.

One of the considerations is how much of the function could in fact be done by the Library of Congress. That is one of the conversations that we are having. One of the positives about the library, the House Library, is the immediacy of access to the information, and for staff as well as for Members. So all those things are under consideration.

Mr. TAYLOR. I know about the good job they do. I wasn't thinking of them in the same terms we were using. I see now what area you are talking about. Perhaps we can get into that more where we can talk more about that.

Ms. CARLE. I will be glad to.

REFORM AREAS UNDER CLERK OF THE HOUSE

Mr. PACKARD. You mentioned in the conclusion of your testimony, Ms. Carle, that there are several issues and proposals that are being discussed by the committee and the House Oversight Committee that will be of a reform nature, and you encouraged us as policymakers to keep your office involved in that.

What are some of the areas that you think will be brought up that will involve your function that we will need to keep you informed on as we proceed with restructuring?

Ms. CARLE. I think certainly as we move forward with the whole idea of the electronic side of access, public access, that is an important one for us, because we keep the information, and so to be part of the decision making on how that is disseminated, in what format, is important.

Mr. PACKARD. Are there any other questions for the Clerk?

Thank you very much for appearing. We will excuse you at this time.

Mr. THORNTON. Mr. Chairman, may I request that other Members of the committee might be given an opportunity to submit questions in writing?

Mr. PACKARD. That will be true of all witnesses. If any Member wishes to submit questions in writing, we would appreciate your responding.

Thank you very much, Ms. Carle. [The information follows:]

ROBIN H. CARLE, CLERK OF THE HOUSE

Resident of Virginia; born June 1, 1955, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Attended public schools in Twin Falls, Idaho. Graduated 1977 Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota-BA English. Employed in a series of progressively responsible line and staff management positions-Beginning as a western field representative for the Republican National Committee Managed congressional campaigns and state partiesMoved to the Washington, D.C. area in 1983-Served as Director of Political Education, Deputy Political Director and Chief of Staff for the Republican National Committee before accepting a position with the Department of Health and Human Services at the time the largest Cabinet-level agency-with a budget of $600 billion dollars. Serving initially as the Executive Secretary to the Department and completing that tour of government services as the Agency's Chief of Staff. Served as Republican National Committee Director of Campaign Operations in the 1994 election cycle.

Became the 31st Clerk of the House January 4, 1995, thereby becoming the first woman officer of the U.S. House of Representatives.

OFFICE OF THE CLERK

Robin H. Carle, Clerk

U.S. House of Representatives

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