CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS-DEC. 15 , 1944 December 15,1944 JOINT COMMITTEE ON ORGANIZATION OF CONGRESS IS. Con. Res. 23] Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), Compost. That there is hereby established a Joint Committee on the Organiza- tion of the Congress (hereinafter referred to as the committee) to be composed of six Members of the Senate (not more than three of whom shall be members of the majority party) to be appointed by the Presi- dent of the Senate, and six Members of the House of Representatives (not more than three of whom shall be members of the majority party) to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Vacancies in the membership of the committee shall not affect the power of the remaining members to execute the functions of the com- mittee, and shall be filled in the same manner as in the case of the original selection. The committee shall select a chairman and a vice chairman from among its members. No recommendation shall be made by the committee except upon a majority vote of the Members representing each House, taken separately. Duties. SEC. 2. The committee shall make a full and complete study of the organization and operation of the Congress of the United States and shall recommend improvements in such organization and operation with a view toward strengthening the Congress, simplifying its oper- ations, improving its relationships with other branches of the United States Qovernment and enabling it better to meet its responsibilities under tRe Constitution. This study shall include, but shall not be limited to, the organization and operation of each House of the Con- gress; the relationship between the two Houses; the relationships between the Congress and other branches of the Government; the employment and remuneration of personnel by the Members and the committees of the Congress; and the structure of, and the relationships between, the various standing, special, and select committees of the Congress: Provided, That nothing in this concurrent resolution shall be construed to authorize the committee to recommend any amend- ment to or change in the parliamentary rules governing proceedings in either House. teetings; author- SEC. 3. (a) The committee, or any duly authorized subcommittee ity. thereof, is authorized to sit and act at such places and times during the sessions, recesses, and adjourned periods of the Seventy-eighth Congress, to require by subpena or otherwise the attendance of such witnesses and the production of such books, papers, and documents, to administer such oaths, to take such testimony, to procure such printing and binding, and to make such expenditures as it deems advisable. The cost of stenographic services to report such hear- ings shall not be in excess of 25 cents per hundred words. nedditional person (b) The committee is empowered to appoint and fix the compen- sation of such experts, consultants, technicians, and clerical and stenographic assistants as it deems necessary and advisable, but the compensation so fixed shall not exceed the compensation prescribed under the Classification Act of 1923, as amended, for comparable duties. The committee may.utilize such voluntary and uncompen- sated services as it deems necessary and is authorized to utilize the services, information, facilities, and personnel of the departments and agencies of the Government. Report. (c) The committee shall report to the Senate and the House of Representatives the result of its study, together with its recom- mendations, not later than April 1, 1945. If the Senate, the House of Representatives, or both, are in recess or have adjourned, the report shall be made to the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House of Representatives, or both, as the case may be. Agreed to December 15, 1944. 1120 [58 STAT.
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