CHAPTER 51 —HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES LEADERSHIP
SUBCHAPTER I—GENERAL
SUBCHAPTER II—THE SPEAKER
SUBCHAPTER III—MAJORITY AND MINORITY LEADERS AND WHIPS
SUBCHAPTER IV—POLICY COMMITTEES AND CONFERENCES
SUBCHAPTER I—GENERAL
§5101. Employment of administrative assistants for Speaker and House Majority and Minority Leaders; compensation; appropriations
The Speaker, the majority leader, and the minority leader of the House of Representatives are each authorized to employ an administrative assistant, who shall receive basic compensation at a rate not to exceed $8,000 a year. There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for the payment of such compensation.
(Aug. 2, 1946, ch. 753, title II, §201(c),
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Aug. 2, 1946, see section 245 of act Aug. 2, 1946, set out as a note under
Basic Compensation of Administrative Assistants
House Resolution No. 127, Eighty-ninth Congress, Jan. 19, 1965, which was enacted into permanent law by
House Resolution No. 258, Eighty-ninth Congress, Mar. 9, 1965, which was enacted into permanent law by
"(1) the Speaker of the House;
"(2) the majority leader of the House;
"(3) the minority leader of the House;
"(4) the majority whip of the House;
"(5) the minority whip of the House;
"(6) each Member of the House who has served as Speaker of the House; and
"(7) each Member of the House who has served as majority leader, and as minority leader, of the House."
Section 207(c) of House Resolution 988, Ninety-third Congress, Oct. 8, 1974, provided for the compensation of the administrative assistants referred to in House Resolution 1015, Ninetieth Congress, Jan. 15, 1968, at a rate not in excess of the minimum rate of pay in effect for one pay level above that of employees (referred to in clause 6(a)(1) of Rule XI) to whom clause 6(c) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives applied.
Increases in Compensation
Increases in compensation for House officers and employees under authority of Federal Salary Act of 1967 (
§5102. Appointment of consultants by Speaker, Majority Leader, and Minority Leader of House; compensation
(a) The Speaker, Majority Leader, and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives are each authorized to appoint and fix the compensation of one consultant, on a temporary or intermittent basis, at a daily rate of compensation not in excess of the per diem equivalent of the highest gross rate of annual compensation which may be paid to employees of a standing committee of the House.
(b) This section shall apply with respect to fiscal year 1999 and each succeeding fiscal year.
(
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section is from the Congressional Operations Appropriations Act, 1999, which is title I of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1999.
§5103. Single per annum gross rates of allowances for personal services in offices of Speaker, Leaders, and Whips
The allowance for additional office personnel in the office of each of the following officials of the House of Representatives shall be at a single per annum gross rate, as follows:
(1) the Speaker, $110,000.
(2) the Majority Leader, $90,000.
(3) the Minority Leader, $55,000.
(4) the Majority Whip, $55,000.
(5) the Minority Whip, $55,000.
(
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective immediately prior to noon on Jan. 3, 1971, see section 601(1) of
Limits on Uses of Funds
Funds provided under this section limited to use for compensation of additional personnel and other necessary official expenses, see section 112 of
§5104. Authority of Speaker and Minority Leader to allocate funds among certain House leadership offices
(a) Authority of Speaker
(1) Authority described
Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including any provision of law that sets forth an allowance for official expenses), the amount appropriated or otherwise made available during a Congress for the salaries and expenses of any office or authority described in paragraph (2) shall be the amount allocated for such office or authority by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from the aggregate amount appropriated or otherwise made available for all such offices and authorities.
(2) Offices and authorities described
The offices and authorities described in this paragraph are as follows:
(A) The Office of the Speaker.
(B) The Speaker's Office for Legislative Floor Activities.
(C) The Republican Steering Committee (if the Speaker is a member of the Republican party) or the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee (if the Speaker is a member of the Democratic party).
(D) The Republican Policy Committee (if the Speaker is a member of the Republican party).
(E) Training and program development—majority (as described under the heading "House leadership offices" in the most recent bill making appropriations for the legislative branch that was enacted prior to December 23, 2011).
(F) Cloakroom personnel—majority (as so described).
(b) Authority of Minority Leader
(1) Authority described
Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including any provision of law that sets forth an allowance for official expenses), the amount appropriated or otherwise made available during a Congress for the salaries and expenses of any office or authority described in paragraph (2) shall be the amount allocated for such office or authority by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives from the aggregate amount appropriated or otherwise made available for all such offices and authorities.
(2) Offices and authorities described
The offices and authorities described in this paragraph are as follows:
(A) The Office of the Minority Leader.
(B) The Democratic Steering and Policy Committee (if the Minority Leader is a member of the Democratic party) or the Republican Steering Committee (if the Minority Leader is a member of the Republican party).
(C) The Republican Policy Committee (if the Minority Leader is a member of the Republican party).
(D) Training and program development—minority (as described under the heading "House leadership offices" in the most recent bill making appropriations for the legislative branch that was enacted prior to December 23, 2011).
(E) Cloakroom personnel—minority (as so described).
(F) Nine minority employees (as so described).
(c) Effective date
This section shall apply with respect to any months occurring during the One Hundred Twelfth Congress that begin after December 23, 2011, and to any succeeding Congress.
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The most recent bill making appropriations for the legislative branch that was enacted prior to December 23, 2011, containing the heading "House leadership offices", referred to in subsecs. (a)(2)(E) and (b)(2)(D), is
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section is from the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2012, which is div. G of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012.
§5105. Transfer of appropriations by House Leadership Offices
(a) In general
Each office described under the heading "HOUSE LEADERSHIP OFFICES" in the Act making appropriations for the legislative branch for a fiscal year may transfer any amounts appropriated for the office under such heading among the various categories of allowances and expenses for the office under such heading.
(b) Official expenses
Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to any amounts appropriated for official expenses.
(c) Applicability
This section shall apply with respect to fiscal year 1999 and each succeeding fiscal year.
(
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section is from the 1999 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act.
§5106. Allowance for compensation of interns in House leadership offices
(a) Establishment
There is established for the House of Representatives an allowance which shall be available for the compensation of interns who serve in House leadership offices.
(b) Benefit exclusion
(c) Definitions
In this section—
(1) the term "House leadership office" means, with respect to a fiscal year, any office for which the appropriation for salaries and expenses of the office for the fiscal year is provided under the heading "House Leadership Offices" in the Act making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal year; and
(2) term "intern", with respect to a House leadership office, has the meaning given such term with respect to a Member of the House of Representatives in
(d) Appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020 and each succeeding fiscal year.
(e) Omitted
(f) Effective date
This section and the amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2020 and each succeeding fiscal year.
(
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section is comprised of section 113 of
SUBCHAPTER II—THE SPEAKER
§5121. Expense allowance of Speaker of House of Representatives
There shall be paid to the Speaker of the House of Representatives in equal monthly installments an expense allowance of $10,000 per annum to assist in defraying expenses relating to or resulting from the discharge of his official duties, for which no accounting, other than for income tax purposes, shall be made by him.
(Jan. 19, 1949, ch. 2, §1(e),
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Amendments
1996—
1951—Act Oct. 20, 1951, made Speaker's expense allowance taxable.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1951 Amendment
Amendment by act Oct. 20, 1951, effective at noon, Jan. 3, 1953, see section 619(e) of act Oct. 20, 1951, set out as a note under
Effective Date
Section effective at noon, Jan. 20, 1949, see section 3 of act Jan. 19, 1949.
§5122. Personal services in office of Speaker; payments
There shall be paid from the applicable accounts of the House of Representatives until otherwise provided by law, for personal services in the office of the Speaker of the House, an additional basic sum of $10,000 per annum.
(
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section is based on House Resolution No. 487, Eighty-seventh Congress, Jan. 10, 1962, which was enacted into permanent law by
Amendments
1996—
§5123. Speaker's Office for Legislative Floor Activities
There is established in the House of Representatives an office to be known as the Speaker's Office for Legislative Floor Activities. The Speaker shall appoint and set the annual rate of pay for employees of the Office. The Office shall have the responsibility of assisting the Speaker in the management of legislative floor activity.
(
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section is based on section 223(b) of House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Fourth Congress, Jan. 4, 1995, which was enacted into permanent law by
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Transfer of Majority and Minority Positions
"(a) Effective October 1, 2001, the following four majority positions shall be transferred from the Clerk to the Speaker:
"(1) The position of chief of floor service.
"(2) Two positions of assistant floor chief.
"(3) One position of cloakroom attendant.
"(b) Effective October 1, 2001, the following four minority positions shall be transferred from the Clerk to the minority leader:
"(1) The position of chief of floor service.
"(2) Two positions of assistant floor chief.
"(3) One position of cloakroom attendant.
"(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the case of an individual who is an incumbent of a position transferred under subsection (a) or subsection (b) at the time of the transfer, the total number of days of annual leave and the total number of days of sick leave which were provided by the Clerk to the individual and which remain unused as of the date of the transfer shall remain available for the individual to use after the transfer."
§5124. Lump sum allowance for Speaker
(a) The aggregate amount otherwise authorized to be appropriated for a fiscal year for the lump-sum allowance for the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be increased by $40,000.
(b) This section shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2002 and each succeeding fiscal year.
(
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section is from the Congressional Operations Appropriations Act, 2002, which is title I of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2002.
§5125. Repealed. Pub. L. 115–244, div. B, title I, §118(a), (b), Sept. 21, 2018, 132 Stat. 2930
Section,
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of Repeal
§§5126 to 5129. Repealed. Pub. L. 115–244, div. B, title I, §118(a), Sept. 21, 2018, 132 Stat. 2930
Section 5126,
Section 5127,
Section 5128,
Section 5129,
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of Repeal
Repeal applicable with respect to any individual who serves as a Representative in Congress during the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress or any succeeding Congress, see section 118(c) of
SUBCHAPTER III—MAJORITY AND MINORITY LEADERS AND WHIPS
§5141. Additional employees in offices of House Minority Leader, Majority Whip, and Chief Deputy Majority Whip; authorization; compensation
(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b), effective March 1, 1977, there shall be two additional employees in the office of the minority leader, and one additional employee each in the offices of the majority whip and the chief deputy majority whip.
(b) The maximum annual rate of compensation for any individual employed under subsection (a) shall not exceed the greater of $173,900 or the applicable rate of pay in effect under an order issued by the Speaker of the House of Representatives pursuant to the authority of
(
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section is based on section 1 of House Resolution No. 393, Ninety-fifth Congress, Mar. 31, 1977, which was enacted into permanent law by
Amendment by
Amendments
2019—Subsec. (b).
1996—Subsec. (b).
1995—Subsec. (a).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2019 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1995 Amendment
Section 3(a) of House Resolution No. 113, One Hundred Fourth Congress, Mar. 10, 1995, as enacted into permanent law by
Increases in Compensation
Increases in compensation for House officers and employees under authority of Federal Salary Act of 1967 (
§5142. Additional amounts for personnel and equipment for House Majority and Minority Leaders and Majority and Minority Whips
Effective March 1, 1977, and until otherwise provided by law, there shall be paid out of the applicable accounts of the House of Representatives such additional amounts as may be necessary for office personnel, and rental or lease of necessary equipment, of each of the following officials of the House the following per annum amounts:
(1) The majority leader, $30,000.
(2) The minority leader, $30,000.
(3) The majority whip, $15,000.
(4) The minority whip, $15,000.
(
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section is based on section 2 of House Resolution No. 393, Ninety-fifth Congress, Mar. 31, 1977, which was enacted into permanent law by
Amendments
1996—
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Limits on Uses of Funds
§5143. Compensation of certain House minority employees
Effective January 3, 1977, and until otherwise provided by law, the rate of pay for each of the six positions of minority employee authorized by the Legislative Pay Act of 1929 and referred to in House Resolution 441 of the Ninety-first Congress shall be a per annum gross rate equal to the annual rate of basic pay of level IV of the Executive Schedule of
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Legislative Pay Act of 1929, referred to in text, is act June 20, 1929, ch. 33,
House Resolution 441, referred to in text, is set out as a Prior Provisions note below.
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section is based on section 1 of House Resolution 119, Ninety-fifth Congress, Jan. 19, 1977, which was enacted into permanent law by
Prior Provisions
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in House Resolution 441, Ninety-first Congress, June 17, 1969, as enacted into permanent law by
"(1) The six positions of minority employee listed in House Resolution 8, Ninety-first Congress, as supplemented by House Resolution 238, Ninety-first Congress, and House Resolution 265, Ninety-first Congress, are hereby given position titles in the descending order in which those six positions are listed in House Resolution 8, as follows:
"(A) the position title of the position listed first is 'Floor Assistant to the Minority';
"(B) the position title of the position listed second is 'Floor Assistant to the Minority';
"(C) the position title of the position listed third is 'Floor Assistant to the Minority';
"(D) the position title of the position listed fourth is 'Floor Assistant to the Minority';
"(E) the position title of the position listed fifth is 'Pair Clerk to the Minority'; and
"(F) the position title of the position listed sixth is 'Staff Director to the Minority'.
"(2) Appointments to each position for which a position title is provided by subparagraph (1) of this section shall be made by action of the House of Representatives.
"(3) The rate of pay of each position for which a position title is provided by subparagraph (1) of this section shall be a per annum gross rate equal to the annual rate of basic pay of Level V of the Executive Schedule in
"(b) In accordance with the authority of the House of Representatives under subparagraph (3) of the first section of this resolution, the respective per annum gross rates of pay of those positions for which position titles are provided by clauses (C), (D), (E), and (F) of subparagraph (1) of the first section of this resolution are as follows:
"(1) for the position subject to clause (C)—$29,160;
"(2) for the position subject to clause (D)—$25,200;
"(3) for the position subject to clause (E)—$28,440; and
"(4) for the position subject to subparagraph (F)—$28,080.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Designation and Compensation of Three Further Minority Employees
House Resolution No. 7, One Hundred Fourth Congress, Jan. 4, 1995, which was enacted into permanent law by
§5144. Lump-sum allowances for House Minority Leader and Majority Whip
(a) The aggregate amount otherwise authorized to be appropriated for a fiscal year for the lump-sum allowance for the Office of the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and the aggregate amount otherwise authorized to be appropriated for a fiscal year for the lump-sum allowance for the Office of the Majority Whip of the House of Representatives shall each be increased by $333,000.
(b) This section shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2000 and each succeeding fiscal year.
(
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section is from the 1999 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act.
§5145. Lump-sum allowances for House Majority Floor Leader, Minority Floor Leader, Majority Whip, and Minority Whip
(a) Effective with respect to fiscal year 2008 and each succeeding fiscal year, the aggregate amount otherwise authorized to be appropriated for a fiscal year for the lump-sum allowance for each of the following offices is increased as follows:
(1) The allowance for the office of the Majority Floor Leader is increased by $200,000.
(2) The allowance for the office of the Minority Floor Leader is increased by $200,000.
(b) Effective with respect to fiscal year 2009 and each succeeding fiscal year, the aggregate amount otherwise authorized to be appropriated for a fiscal year for the lump-sum allowance for each of the following offices is increased as follows:
(1) The allowance for the office of the Majority Whip is increased by $72,000.
(2) The allowance for the office of the Minority Whip is increased by $72,000.
(
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section is from the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2009, which is div. G of the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009.
§5146. Lump-sum allowances for House Majority Whip and Minority Whip
Effective with respect to fiscal year 2010 and each succeeding fiscal year, the aggregate amount otherwise authorized to be appropriated for a fiscal year for the lump-sum allowance for each of the following offices is increased as follows:
(1) The allowance for the office of the Majority Whip is increased by $96,000.
(2) The allowance for the office of the Minority Whip is increased by $96,000.
(
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section is from the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2010, which is div. A of
SUBCHAPTER IV—POLICY COMMITTEES AND CONFERENCES
§5161. Training and program development activities of Republican Conference and Democratic Steering and Policy Committee
(a) In general
There is hereby established an account in the House of Representatives for purposes of carrying out training and program development activities of the Republican Conference and the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.
(b) Amounts, times, terms, and conditions of payment
Funds in the account established under subsection (a) shall be paid—
(1) for activities of the Republican Conference in such amounts, at such times, and under such terms and conditions as the Speaker of the House of Representatives may direct (or, if the Speaker is not a member of the Republican Party, under such terms and conditions as the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives may direct); and
(2) for activities of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee in such amounts, at such times, and under such terms and conditions as the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives may direct (or, if the Speaker is a member of the Democratic Party, under such terms and conditions as the Speaker may direct).
(c) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to the account under this section for fiscal year 1999 and each succeeding fiscal year such sums as may be necessary for training and program development activities of the Republican Conference and the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee during the fiscal year.
(
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section is from the Congressional Operations Appropriations Act, 1999, which is title I of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1999.
Amendments
2011—Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (b)(1).
Subsec. (b)(2).
Subsecs. (c), (d).
"(1) 50 percent shall be allocated to the Speaker for payments for activities of the Republican Conference; and
"(2) 50 percent shall be allocated to the Minority Leader for payments for activities of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee."
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2011 Amendment
§5162. Republican Policy Committee
(a) In general
There is established in the House of Representatives an office to be known as the Republican Policy Committee, which shall have such responsibilities as may be assigned by the Speaker of the House of Representatives (or, if the Speaker is not a member of the Republican Party, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives).
(b) Salaries and expenses
There shall be a lump sum allowance for the salaries and expenses of the Republican Policy Committee, which shall be treated as a category of House leadership offices for purposes of
(c) Applicability
This section shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2005 and each succeeding fiscal year.
(
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was formerly classified to
Section is from the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2005, which is div. G of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005.
Amendments
2011—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b).