House Office of Legislative Counsel Modernization Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 9487. This bipartisan bill amends the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 to clarify the responsibilities of the Deputy Legislative Counsel and grant the Legislative Counsel the authority to designate a deputy to carry out their duties in the event of an absence or vacancy in the position.

We may be repeating ourselves quite a bit here, but I think that just indicates our support and cooperation that we were able to generate to pass this package of bills, which I am grateful for.

The Office of the Legislative Counsel, as my learned colleague has indicated, plays an essential role in supporting the work of Congress by providing impartial and confidential drafting services to Members and committees. The office is critical in our ability to function as an institution, and it enables us to work more efficiently on behalf of the American people.

The expert attorneys within the Office of the Legislative Counsel draft tens of thousands of bills and resolutions each Congress. That number grows exponentially when accounting for the many drafts of measures as they are refined, as well as the increasing number of amendments submitted by Members to the various committees.

I would like to take a moment to briefly recognize two of those attorneys right now. First, I thank Wade Ballou for his more than 40 years of service with the office. That service culminated with his appointment to Legislative Counsel in 2016. Wade recently announced his retirement. I wish him well as he moves into the next phase of his professional and personal life.

I also recognize the Deputy Legislative Counsel, Noah Wofsy, for his outstanding leadership. He and his team do a masterful job of supporting the House's legislative agenda, including the Committee on House Administration in particular. We would not have been able to bring this measure to the floor or any others without their dedication, patience, and commitment to task.

As the demands on the Office of the Legislative Counsel will undoubtedly continue to grow, it is vital we provide its attorneys with the support necessary for them to perform their jobs effectively. This includes ensuring the office has succession plans in place to maintain the continuity of congressional operations.

While this legislation may seem modest in scope, it is a critical step in strengthening the resilience of our institution, so I strongly urge my colleagues to support the measure.

Mr. Speaker, I again thank my friend and colleague, Mr. Steil, chairman of our committee, and the staff for their work on this.

Mr. Speaker, for all the reasons previously articulated, I think this is a fine piece of legislation that helps move the institution forward. I encourage all of my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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