109th CONGRESS
2d Session

S. 2266

To establish a fellowship program for the congressional hiring of disabled veterans.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 9, 2006

Mr. SANTORUM introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To establish a fellowship program for the congressional hiring of disabled veterans.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the `Disabled Veterans Fellowship Act of 2006'.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FELLOWSHIPS.

    (a) In General- The Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall establish a program to encourage the personal offices of Members of Congress, committee offices, and leadership offices to hire disabled veterans for temporary staff positions under the fellowship program established by this Act.

    (b) Employment of Fellows- A disabled veteran congressional fellow hired under this Act shall be employed--

      (1) at a level of responsibility commensurate with the abilities of the fellow;

      (2) at a level of compensation appropriate to the level of responsibility but not in excess of the level of compensation authorized for other comparable employees of the Senate and the House of Representatives; and

      (3) for not more than a 12-month period of time.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:

      (1) DISABLED VETERAN- The term `disabled veteran' means a veteran with a service-connected disability (as defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code) which was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty during Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom or during such other operations as may be designated under regulations promulgated jointly by the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

      (2) DISABLED VETERAN CONGRESSIONAL FELLOW- The term `disabled veteran congressional fellow' means a fellow in the office of a Member of the Senate or the House of Representatives or the office of a committee or joint committee of the Senate or the House of Representatives or leadership office of the Senate or the House of Representatives who is a disabled veteran.

      (3) MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES- The term `Member of the House of Representatives' includes a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress.

SEC. 4. EXCLUSION OF DISABLED VETERAN CONGRESSIONAL FELLOW FROM BUDGET OF EMPLOYING OFFICE AND LIMITS ON NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OF EMPLOYING OFFICE.

    (a) Treatment Under Office Budget-

      (1) SEPARATE AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2007 and each succeeding fiscal year from the applicable accounts of the House of Representatives or the contingent fund of the Senate such amounts as may be necessary for the salaries and related expenses of disabled veteran congressional fellows during the fiscal year.

      (2) EXCLUSION OF AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED FROM GENERAL BUDGETS OF EMPLOYING OFFICES- To the extent that amounts are appropriated pursuant to this Act for the salary and related expenses of a disabled veteran congressional fellow for a fiscal year, such amounts shall not be paid from, and shall be excluded in determining the balance of--

        (A) in the case of a disabled veteran congressional fellow of the office of a Member of the House of Representatives, the Member's Representational Allowance for that office for the year; and

        (B) in the case of a disabled veteran congressional fellow of any other office, any account of the Senate or the House of Representatives from which the salaries and related expenses of employees of the office is paid during the year.

    (b) Exclusion From Limits on Number of Positions- A disabled veteran congressional fellow shall be excluded in determining the number of employees of the office which employs the fellow for purposes of--

      (1) in the case of the office of a Member of the House of Representatives, section 104 of Public Law 104-186 (2 U.S.C. 92); and

      (2) in the case of any other office, any applicable provision of law or any rule or regulation which imposes a limit on the number of employees of the office.

SEC. 5. RULES GOVERNING DISABLED VETERAN CONGRESSIONAL FELLOWS.

    (a) In General- The Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall implement rules establishing fellowships for disabled veterans for service in the personal offices of Members of Congress, committee, offices, and leadership offices.

    (b) Content- The rules promulgated by this section shall provide that the compensation of 1 disabled veteran fellow for each personal office or any Member of Congress and 1 disabled veteran fellow for each committee office and 1 disabled veteran fellow for each leadership office shall not count against the staff allowance of that Member of Congress, committee, or office.

    (c) Authorizations- The Architect of the Capitol shall make whatever reasonable accommodation is necessary to provide access to disabled veteran fellows hired pursuant to the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 6. COMPENSATION.

    Any compensation received by a disabled veteran pursuant to this Act shall not affect the benefits otherwise available to that disabled veteran under other provisions of law.

END