United States Code/Title 2/Chapter 9/Subchapter 1

§ 271. Establishment
There shall be in the Senate an office to be known as the Office of the Legislative Counsel, and to be under the direction of the Legislative Counsel of the Senate.

§ 272. Legislative Counsel
The Legislative Counsel shall be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, without reference to political affiliations and solely on the ground of fitness to perform the duties of the office.

§ 273. Compensation
The Legislative Counsel of the Senate shall be paid at an annual rate of compensation of $40,000.

§ 274. Staff; office equipment and supplies
The Legislative Counsel shall, subject to the approval of the President pro tempore of the Senate, employ and fix the compensation of such Assistant Counsel, clerks, and other employees, and purchase such furniture, office equipment, books, stationery, and other supplies, as may be necessary for the proper performance of the duties of the Office and as may be appropriated for by Congress.

§ 275. Functions
The Office of the Legislative Counsel shall aid in drafting public bills and resolutions or amendments thereto on the request of any committee of the Senate but the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate may determine the preference, if any, to be given to such requests of the committees. The Legislative Counsel shall, from time to time, prescribe rules and regulations for the conduct of the work of the Office for the committees, subject to the approval of such Committee on Rules and Administration.

§ 276. Disbursement of appropriations
All appropriations for the Office of the Legislative Counsel shall be disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate.

§ 276a. Expenditures
With the approval of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Legislative Counsel of the Senate may make such expenditures as may be necessary or appropriate for the functioning of the Office of the Legislative Counsel of the Senate.

§ 276b. Travel and related expenses
Funds expended by the Legislative Counsel of the Senate for travel and related expenses shall be subject to the same regulations and limitations (insofar as they are applicable) as those which the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration prescribes for application to travel and related expenses for which payment is authorized to be made from the contingent fund of the Senate.