[House Hearing, 118 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                BUSINESS MEETING TO ADOPT THE OVERSIGHT 
                 AND AUTHORIZATION PLAN FOR THE 118TH 
                 CONGRESS

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                            BUSINESS MEETING

                               BEFORE THE

                           COMMITTEE ON HOUSE
                             ADMINISTRATION

                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

                             FIRST SESSION

                               __________

                           FEBRUARY 28, 2023

                               __________

      Printed for the use of the Committee on House Administration
      
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                   COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION

                    BRYAN STEIL, WISCONSIN, Chairman

BARRY LOUDERMILK, Georgia            JOSEPH MORELLE, New York,
H. MORGAN GRIFFITH, Virginia              Ranking Member
GREG MURPHY, North Carolina          TERRI A. SEWELL, Alabama
STEPHANIE BICE, Oklahoma             DEREK KILMER, Washington
MIKE CAREY, Ohio                     NORMA TORRES, California
ANTHONY D'ESPOSITO, New York
LAUREL LEE, Florida

                      Tim Monahan,  Staff Director 
                 Jamie Fleet,  Minority Staff Director 
                         
                         
                         C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S

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                                                                   Page

                           Opening Statements

The Honorable Bryan Steil, Wisconsin, Chairman...................     1
The Honorable Joseph Morelle, New York, Ranking Member...........     2

 
BUSINESS MEETING TO ADOPT THE OVERSIGHT AND AUTHORIZATION PLAN FOR THE 
                             118TH CONGRESS

                              ----------                              


                       TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2023

         Committee on House Administration,
                          House of Representatives,
                                                    Washington, DC.

    The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in room 
1310, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Bryan Steil 
[Chairman of the Committee] presiding.
    Present: Representatives Steil, Loudermilk, Griffith, Bice, 
D'Esposito, Lee, Morelle, Sewell, Torres, and Kilmer.
    Staff present: Tim Monahan, Staff Director; Caleb Hays, 
General Counsel and Deputy Staff Director, Acting 
Parliamentarian; Hillary Lassiter, Chief Clerk; Janet Schwalb, 
Deputy Staff Director of Advice & Guidance and Operations; Nick 
Crocker, Deputy Staff Director; Jordan Wilson, Director of 
Member Services; Cade Alcock, Assistant Clerk; Jamie Fleet, 
Minority Staff Director; Khalil Abboud, Minority Deputy Staff 
Director; Matthew Schlesinger, Minority Oversight Counsel; Owen 
Reilly, Minority Professional Staff Member; Eddie Flaherty, 
Minority Chief Clerk; and Andrew Garcia, Minority Staff 
Assistant.

 OPENING STATEMEMT OF HON. BRYAN STEIL, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM 
     WISCONSIN, CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION

    Chairman Steil. The Committee on House Administration will 
come to order.
    I note that a quorum is present.
    Without objection, the Chair may declare a recess at any 
time.
    Thank you, Ranking Member Morelle and Members of the 
Committee, for meeting today to adopt our Oversight Plan for 
the 118th Congress.
    Oversight and accountability matter. Following our first 
Committee hearing with the now former Architect of the Capitol, 
we know that, when we work together in a nonpartisan way, we 
can deliver results for the American people.
    With such a strong start right out of the gates, I am 
excited to adopt this Oversight Plan to ensure that we keep the 
momentum going.
    Our Committee has an opportunity to help rebuild the 
people's House by bringing robust oversight to all of our 
legislative branch entities. We will start by making the House 
more open, accessible, and transparent.
    This means fully returning to a pre-COVID-19 posture across 
the entire campus and creating more opportunities for the 
American people to engage with Congress.
    Further, Congress must be more responsible with how we are 
spending taxpayer dollars. This includes bringing greater 
transparency and accountability to the House operations to 
ensure the legislative branch is strong enough to keep the 
other branches accountable, all while being efficient with our 
own resources.
    To aid that strength, it is time to modernize Congress. By 
coordinating among other legislative branch entities, we can 
offer more modern and efficient support services for all 
congressional offices, both in D.C. and the District, which, in 
turn, will help all Members better serve people back home.
    We must also invest in our workforce to ensure we are 
providing the American people with the highest, most 
professional level of service.
    Finally, we have the great task of building a more 
resilient House. Whether it is cybersecurity or physical 
security, we will establish a path forward to address 
outstanding inspector general recommendations and all 
recommendations from post-January 6th security assessments, and 
doing so will strengthen the overall security of the House so 
Members and staff can focus on their legislative mission and so 
Americans can safely and reliably access their government.
    Our Committee has broad jurisdiction over federal 
elections. Our role is limited, though. We must uphold our 
Federalist principles. We will provide oversight over the 
Federal Election Commission and Election Assistance Commission.
    I also look forward to working with state and local 
officials, as well as key stakeholders. We will highlight what 
works and what some states can do better. This will ultimately 
improve voter confidence in our elections. We must also 
exercise Congress' constitutional responsibility over 
Washington, DC, by implementing key election integrity tools 
following years of poorly run elections.
    At the Committee on House Administration, we have the 
opportunity to make Congress better and restore faith in our 
elections. This is our blueprint to do so.
    I look forward to working together to continue delivering 
results for the American people.
    I now recognize the Ranking Member, Mr. Morelle, for 
opening remarks.

OPENING STATEMEMT OF HON. JOSEPH MORELLE, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM 
  NEW YORK, RANKING MEMBER, COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION

    Mr. Morelle. Good morning, all. I want to thank the 
Chairman for calling this meeting and ensuring the Committee 
follows the new requirements of House Rule X
    Previously the text of the rule required consultation with 
the Committee's minority when developing authorization and 
oversight plans. Although that requirement was eliminated at 
the beginning of this Congress, I do appreciate the opportunity 
to provide the minority's views of the plan, and I appreciate 
the thoughtful input from my Democratic colleagues in 
developing these views.
    As I mentioned in my opening statement during our 
organizing meeting, the House Administration is a small but 
impactful Committee, and I think I concur with the Chair about 
this. The House rules task us with a number of important 
legislative and oversight functions, and I hope that we can 
continue to work toward a bipartisan agreement with fulfilling 
many of the responsibilities, but there will be times where the 
Chair and I and our Members just fundamentally disagree.
    One major area of disagreement is the role we play in the 
oversight of federal elections. The Constitution gives the 
Congress and the House rules give this Committee the ultimate 
authority over such elections. One aspect of the Oversight Plan 
provides that we will review the 2022 election.
    I welcome that opportunity. This examination will be 
important as we continue to explore ways to ensure future 
federal elections are free from misinformation, disinformation, 
intimidation, and systemic voter disenfranchisement. I look 
forward to working with my colleagues to protect the integrity 
of the electoral process while safeguarding the absolute right 
to vote. I don't think there is a more fundamental right 
necessary for a functioning democracy.
    Despite our philosophical disagreements and differences, we 
can also find a great deal of common ground, and I think much 
of that common ground is represented in the plan we are going 
to adopt today.
    We agree that the House should be efficient, modern, and 
resilient, and we agree in fostering strong, productive 
relationships with our institutional partners and legislative 
branch agencies to achieve this end. The plan is more than just 
a roadmap. It memorializes the priorities of the Committee and 
is an important tool for the American people to hold us 
accountable.
    I think I speak for all Committee Members when I say I 
welcome this accountability.
    Again, thank you for the opportunity to address the 
Committee, and I yield back, Mr. Chair.
    Chairman Steil. I thank the Ranking Member.
    As noted, Committee Resolution 118-10, the proposed 
Oversight and Authorization Plan, has been distributed to 
Members in advance.
    Without objection, the resolution is considered as read and 
open for amendment at any point.
    [The resolution 118-10 follows:]
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    Chairman Steil. Does any member wish to be recognized to 
discuss the draft Authorization and Oversight Plan?
    Seeing none, are there any amendments?
    If not, I move that Committee Resolution 118-10 be adopted.
    All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
    All those opposed, say nay.
    The ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted.
    Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the 
table.
    I ask unanimous consent that the Committee adopt Resolution 
118-09, authorizing the approval of a consultant contract 
agreement between Stephen McMillin and the Committee on the 
Budget.
    [The resolution 118-09 follows:]
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    Chairman Steil. Hearing no objections, the resolution is 
adopted.
    Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon 
the table.
    Pursuant to paragraph (b) of rule 14 of the Rules of the 
Committee, I hereby appoint Cade Alcock, a member of my staff, 
as Assistant Clerk of the Committee.
    I request unanimous consent that this letter be entered 
into the official record.
    [The information referred to follows:]
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    Chairman Steil. A copy of this letter has been made 
available to all Committee members.
    This concludes the order of business for today's business 
meeting.
    Without objection, Committee staff are authorized to make 
technical and conforming changes to reflect the action of the 
Committee in adopting our Oversight Plan.
    Each Member will have 5 legislative days to insert 
additional materials into the record or to revise and extend 
their remarks.
    If there is no further business, I thank the Members for 
their participation.
    Without objection, the Committee stands in adjournment.
    [Whereupon, at 10:07 a.m., the Committee was adjourned.]
  

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