During the present century, the collection of the House Library has been expanded to include various documents of the Executive and Judicial branches of the government, as well as a number of other publications pertaining to federal; legislation, federal law, and Congress. These holdings include: The Library staff is available to conduct research to a limited extent. However, research within the staff's capability can be accomplished quite rapidly. Quick research of this kind will be done on a personnel-available basis in response to telephone requests. RECORDS AND REGISTRATION 1036 LHOB 5-1300 The Office of Records and Registration is responsible for fulfilling the Clerk's obligations under various Federal laws, House Rules, and House Committee directives and distributes to the public certain legislative products compiled by the Clerk. The Office, on behalf of the Clerk of the House, receives, processes and provides public access to certain documents filed with the Clerk pursuant to the following: The Ethics in Government Act, 5 U.S.C. Appendix 6 Sec. 101 et seq. and House Rule XLIV; The Federal Election Campaign Act, 2 U.S.C. 431 et seq.; The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act 2 U.S.C. 261; The International Security Assistance Act 22 U.S.C. 1754; Section 319 of the FY 1990 Department of Interior Appropriations Act ("Byrd Amendment"); Fair Employment Practices Resolution, H. Res. 558, 100th Congress (1988), renewed and incorporated in the Rules of the House of Representatives by successive Congresses. In partial fulfillment of the provisions of the aforementioned legislation, the Office is generally required to arrange for documentary printing, periodic printing in the Congressional Record, and public viewing facilities. The Office maintains a library-type facility equipped with microfilm readers/printers and optical imaging workstations. The Office also serves as the venue for public access to various forms of legislative information produced or administered by departments and functions of the Clerk. In compliance with H. Res. 134, 103rd Congress, (1993), the Clerk, through the Office, provides for the names of Members who have signed Discharge Petitions to be made available daily to the public. Additionally, the Office makes available for public purchase transcripts of Committee hearings provided by the Official Reporters to House Committees as authorized by the respective Committees, taped broadcasts of House Floor proceedings as produced by the Televised Floor Coverage of the House Recording Studio as authorized by the Speaker, and computer printouts of legislative information compiled by the Office of Legislative Information (LEGIS). In support of the requirements of House Rule XXXVI, Preservation and Availability of Noncurrent Records of the House, the Office accepts for the Clerk from the Committees and Officers of the House such required non-current records, delivers such records to the Archivist of the United States and provides assistance in retrieving such records for official use. LEGAL SERVICES GENERAL COUNSEL 219 CHOB 5-9700 This non-partisan office of ten individuals have provided the representational and legal support for the House of Representatives pertaining to any action taken by a Member/staff in regards to their official duties. The office provides legal support/guidance in such cases as tort claims against the House, garnishment of wages, the submission of House opinions in various federal cases, the representation of the House in various constitutional and civil proceedings, etc. The office has traditionally been staffed with five attorneys and five non-attorney support staff. 89-935 95-3 SERGEANT AT ARMS Mr. PACKARD. Now we would like to ask for the Sergeant at Arms to please come to the table. Bill Livingood, we are grateful to have you with us before the committee. Mr. LIVINGOOD. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. PACKARD. As with all the witnesses, your prepared statement will be entered in the record. We would like to have any oral testimony that you would like to make and ask that your biography be placed in the record. [The information follows:} WILSON LIVINGOOD, SERGEANT AT ARMS, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wilson Linvingood was appointed Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives, January 4, 1995. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Livingood was with the U.S. Secret Service for thirty-three years; his last assignment as Executive Assistant to the Director. Mr. Livingood brings over thirty years of law enforcement experience to his new position. As Sergeant at Arms, Mr. Livingood has been tasked to review and implement all security issues related to the Speaker, the Congressional Leadership, all Members of Congress, and the physical security of the Capitol and House Office Buildings. As Sergeant at Arms, Mr. Livingood is the chief protocol officer for the House. He also oversees security on the House Floor and Gallery, and administrates the distribution of staff and Members' identification. Mr. Livingood serves, along with the Senate Sergeant at Arms, on the Capitol Police Board and the Capitol Guide Board. The Capitol Police Board acts as a liaison with the Capitol Police Department, ensuring the security of Members, the Capitol Grounds, and office buildings. The Capitol Guide Board oversees the Capitol Guide Service which offers free Capitol tours to any interested visitors. As Sergeant at Arms, Mr. Livingood also serves on the Capitol Page Board, the board of the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. Wilson Livingood was born October 1, 1936 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in police administration from Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, in 1961, where he also served as the student body president in 1959. he is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy. Mr. Livingood was appointed a Special Agent at the Secret Service's Dallas Field Office in 1961. He has held supervisory assignments at headquarters and at several protective divisions since his appointment. In 1969, Wilson Livingood was promoted to Assistant to the Special Agent in Charge of the Presidential Protective Division. Five years later, he was promoted to Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the office of Protective Forces. Mr. Livingood was named Special Agent in Charge of the office of Protective Forces less than a year later. In 1978, he was assigned to the position of Inspector in the Office of Inspection. Mr. Livingood was appointed Special Agent in Charge of the Houston Field Office in 1982 until his appointment as Deputy Assistant Director, Office of Training in 1986. In 1989 he was promoted to the position of Executive Assistant to the Director where he served until his retirement on January 3, 1995. Wilson Livingood was a participating member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, where he serves as a member of the Executive Committee and is a member of the National Sheriff's Association. He is a recipient of the Treasury Department's Meritorious Service Award and numerous Treasury awards. Mr. LIVINGOOD. All right, sir. Mr. Chairman, it is an honor and a privilege to appear before the committee to discuss the budget request of the Office of the Sergeant at Arms. After a total administrative review of our office and the implementation of improved filing, accountability and budget tracking system, I am pleased to report to the committee that the administration of the office is currently operating effectively and efficiently. It is my view that the critical function of this office, the Office of Sergeant at Arms, is the delivery of quality security and related services, realizing the Capitol must be open and accessible to citizens of this Nation and others. Mr. Chairman, as a result of the reorganization of the offices of the House, we are currently in the process of merging the Gallery and Floor responsibilities of the former Doorkeeper's office into the operations of the Sergeant at Arms' office. This merger has caused me to conduct a review of the total Gallery and Chamber posture. It is my current thinking that we can eliminate the Doorkeeper's functions at the Gallery level, but transferring some of these functions to the Capitol Police. FY 96 SERGEANT AT ARMS REQUEST Mr. Chairman, with the addition of designated responsibilities from the former Doorkeeper's office, my total fiscal year 1996 budget request is $2,535,644, with a total of 56 FTEs, full-time employees. This reflects a reduction of eight full-time employee positions and three unfunded positions, for a total of 11 eliminated positions. This will be a 10 percent decrease in funding and a 17 percent personnel reduction. However, had funding for nonpersonnel expenses been allocated with the transfer of the Doorkeeper's functions to me, the reduction of funds would have been significantly larger. One item of significant note is the high level of cooperation and daily communications between myself and the Senate Sergeant at Arms, Mr. Howard Greene. I think this has greatly enhanced our pursuit of enhanced security for the entire Capitol. We have open communications with the Senate Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol Police on a matter of great significance to me, unifying the payroll system for the Capitol Police. In the next several months I will be reexamining all functions of the Sergeant at Arms' office and conducting various studies and assessments. Some of our studies may impact on our current submission and could affect the numbers in this budget proposal. I appreciate the privilege of appearing before this committee, and assure you of my desire to cooperate and work with you on all matters of mutual interest. I will continue to keep the committee informed on all security study results and needs for the coming years. [The information follows:] STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE WILSON LIVINGOOD UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BEFORE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH MR. CHAIRMAN, IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO APPEAR BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET REQUEST OF THE OFFICE OF THE SERGEANT AT ARMS. AFTER A TOTAL ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OF THE OFFICE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN IMPROVED FILING, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND BUDGET TRACKING SYSTEM, I AM PLEASED TO REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE OFFICE IS CURRENTLY OPERATING EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY. IT IS MY VIEW THAT THE CRITICAL FUNCTION OF THIS OFFICE IS THE DELIVERY OF QUALITY SECURITY AND RELATED SERVICES REALIZING THE CAPITOL MUST BE OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS NATION AND OTHERS. MR. CHAIRMAN, AS A RESULT OF THE REORGANIZATION OF THE OFFICES OF THE HOUSE, WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF MERGING THE GALLERY AND FLOOR RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FORMER DOORKEEPER'S OFFICE INTO THE OPERATIONS OF THE SERGEANT AT ARMS OFFICE. THIS MERGER HAS CAUSED ME TO CONDUCT A REVIEW OF THE TOTAL GALLERY AND CHAMBER POSTURE. IT IS MY CURRENT THINKING THAT WE CAN ELIMINATE THE DOORKEEPERS' FUNCTION AT THE GALLERY LEVEL BY TRANSFERRING SOME OF THE FUNCTIONS TO THE CAPITOL POLICE. MR CHAIRMAN, WITH THE ADDITION OF DESIGNATED RESPONSIBILITIES FROM THE FORMER DOORKEEPER'S OFFICE, MY TOTAL FY '95 BUDGET IS $2,811,363, WITH A TOTAL OF 64 FULL TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) POSITIONS AND FIVE UNFUNDED POSITIONS. MY TOTAL PROPOSED FY '96 BUDGET IS $2,535,644 WITH A TOTAL OF 56 FTES. THIS REFLECTS A REDUCTION OF EIGHT FTE POSITIONS AND THREE UNFUNDED POSITIONS FOR A TOTAL OF ELEVEN ELIMINATED POSITIONS. THIS IS A 10% DECREASE IN FUNDING AND A 17.1% PERSONNEL REDUCTION. THE PROJECTED FY '96 PERSONNEL EXPENSES FOR THE OFFICE OF THE SERGEANT AT ARMS IS $2,191,917. THIS REFLECTS A $308,446 DECREASE IN PERSONNEL FUNDING, A 12.3% REDUCTION, FROM THE FY '95 PERSONNEL EXPENSES FOR THE OFFICE OF THE SERGEANT AT ARMS AND DESIGNATED DOORKEEPER FUNCTIONS. ADDITIONALLY, I AM REQUESTING THAT TWO POSITIONS, UNFUNDED IN FY '95, IN THE IMMEDIATE OFFICE OF THE SERGEANT AT ARMS, BE RE-INSTATED AS FUNDED POSITIONS. CURRENTLY THERE ARE TWENTY POSITIONS AUTHORIZED BUT ONLY EIGHTEEN ARE FUNDED. |