Overview
Title
To amend the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 to authorize the Legislative Counsel of the House of Representatives to designate more than one of the attorneys of the Office of the Legislative Counsel as a Deputy Legislative Counsel, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
In this bill, some lawyers who help make the rules for the United States can now have a helper, and there can be more than one helper. This is to help them work better and faster.
Summary AI
H.R. 9487 aims to change the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970. It allows the Legislative Counsel of the House of Representatives to appoint more than one Deputy Legislative Counsel from among its attorneys. This change ensures that if there is more than one Deputy Legislative Counsel, their roles and responsibilities will be clearly defined and organized by the Legislative Counsel. The goal is to modernize and improve the functioning of the Office of the Legislative Counsel.
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AnalysisAI
The recently introduced H.R. 9487 aims to amend an existing law to allow the Legislative Counsel of the House of Representatives greater flexibility in organizational appointments. Specifically, it proposes changes to the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 by allowing more than one attorney within the Office of the Legislative Counsel to serve as a Deputy Legislative Counsel. This is a notable shift that could have several implications for both the functioning of the office and the legislative process in general.
General Summary
H.R. 9487, also known as the "House Office of Legislative Counsel Modernization Act," addresses the organizational structure of the Office of the Legislative Counsel. By enabling multiple attorneys to be designated as Deputy Legislative Counsels, the bill seeks to modernize and potentially enhance the flexibility and efficiency of this legislative office. The bill also outlines a procedure for designating which Deputy Legislative Counsel will perform specific functions, which is to be detailed in a notice provided to key House leaders.
Significant Issues
A significant issue with this bill is its reliance on internal notices to determine the division of responsibilities among multiple Deputy Legislative Counsels. This method might lack transparency, as the decision-making process on which attorney takes on specific legislative tasks could be obscured from public view. Additionally, the bill’s succinct title section does not offer insight into specific policy implications, leaving potential impacts on legislative processes inadequately explained to the public.
Impact on the Public
The changes proposed by this bill could indirectly influence how efficiently and effectively legislative drafting occurs in the House of Representatives. If the office operates more smoothly due to the increased flexibility in appointments, the drafting of legislation might be expedited, potentially resulting in a quicker legislative response to national issues. However, the lack of transparency in designating duties may lead to concerns about accountability and clarity in how legislative responsibilities are assigned and carried out.
Stakeholder Impacts
For internal stakeholders, such as members of the Office of the Legislative Counsel, this bill might offer professional growth opportunities by enabling the appointment of multiple Deputy Legislative Counsels. This could lead to greater job satisfaction and enhanced career progression. However, House members and legislative staff may face challenges if the role assignments and related procedures are not transparent or if communication regarding these appointments is ambiguous.
For external stakeholders, including the public, advocacy groups, and journalists, the lack of visibility into how legislative drafting leadership is organized could be seen as a negative development. Transparency concerns might arise, potentially leading to decreased trust in how the legislative process operates behind the scenes.
In conclusion, while H.R. 9487 proposes seemingly beneficial changes to improve the operational flexibility of the Office of the Legislative Counsel, it introduces challenges related to transparency and clarity. These effects need careful consideration to ensure they contribute positively to the legislative process and maintain public trust.
Issues
The language in Section 2 regarding the designation of multiple Deputy Legislative Counsels could lead to confusion. The bill relies on a notice filed with the Speaker and Minority Leader to determine which Deputy Legislative Counsel performs certain functions, which may not be immediately clear or accessible to the public, raising questions about transparency and clarity in the legislative process.
Section 1 only provides the short title of the Act without detailing specific provisions or implications. While straightforward, it limits detailed understanding or scrutiny of the bill's potential impacts on legislative processes, which might be of interest to the public or stakeholders aiming to understand changes to governmental procedures.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
This section states that the Act can be officially referred to as the “House Office of Legislative Counsel Modernization Act.”
2. Designation of multiple Deputy Legislative Counsels Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section updates the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 by allowing the Legislative Counsel to appoint multiple attorneys as Deputy Legislative Counsels. It specifies how responsibilities will be assigned if there is more than one Deputy, ensuring roles are clearly outlined in a notice to key House leaders.