Act of Congress Pay The Draftsmen Act

Presidential Assent

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Draftsmen were reintroduced by the Office of Congressional Affairs and have been doing the work of legislative research, drafting, and impartial advice without the payment their colleagues receive for comparable work. Section 4(1)(b) of the Economic Standards Act requires that comparable work across the public service receive comparable remuneration. This Act gives effect to that principle.

I raised three concerns during consideration of this bill, and I record them here along with where they landed.

On the absence of a cap, I accept the answer given: commissions are authorised by the Director of Legislative Affairs and by Congress, not claimed unilaterally by the person performing the work. The safeguard is real, though it presently rests in practice rather than in statute.

On the definitions of comprehensive and standard review, and on the unit of the advisory rate, I accept that a hard statutory line is difficult to draw. Section 4(5)(a) of the Economic Standards Act already provides that the written policies of the Office of Congressional Affairs may govern in this area, and I would encourage the Director of Legislative Affairs to publish those definitions in OCA policy. That converts a gap into a delegation and settles the question before it becomes a dispute.

On whether this Act deletes section 4(5)(b), concerning Department Categories, I am satisfied that it does not. Section 10(1)(a) of the Legislative Standards Act requires removed text to be marked in red, and this Act marks only additions, in green. The provision stands untouched.

I record these notes not as conditions but because a President should say plainly what he considered and why he signed anyway.

Those who do the work of Congress should be paid for it.

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