U.S. Code > Title 2 The Congress > CHAPTER 4—OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (§§ 60—130l) > § 130i. House of Representatives Office of Emergency Planning, Preparedness, and Operations

§ 130i. House of Representatives Office of Emergency Planning, Preparedness, and Operations

(a) Establishment
There is established in the House of Representatives an office to be known as the House of Representatives Office of Emergency Planning, Preparedness, and Operations. The Office shall be responsible for mitigation and preparedness operations, crisis management and response, resource services, and recovery operations.
(b) Duties of Speaker
The Speaker, in consultation with the minority leader—
(1) shall provide policy direction for, and oversight of, the Office;
(2) shall appoint and set the annual rate of pay for employees of the Office, including a Director, who shall be the head of the Office;
(3) shall exercise, with respect to any employee of the Office, the authority referred to in section 8344 (k)(2)(B) of title 5 and the authority referred to in section 8468 (h)(2)(B) of title 5;
(4) shall approve procurement of services of experts and consultants by the Office or by committees or other entities of the House of Representatives for assignment to the Office; and
(5) may request the head of any Federal department or agency to detail to the Office, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of the department or agency.
(c) Duties of Director; House of Representatives Continuity of Operations Board
The day-to-day operations of the Office shall be carried out by the Director, under the supervision of a Board, to be known as the House of Representatives Continuity of Operations Board, comprised of the Clerk, the Sergeant at Arms, and the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives. The Clerk shall be the Chairman of the Board.
(d) Availability of funds
Until otherwise provided by law, funds shall be available for the Office from amounts appropriated for the operations of the House of Representatives.
(e) Effective date; applicability
This section shall take effect on January 10, 2002, and shall apply to fiscal years beginning with fiscal year 2002.