Character of Services Provided The Office performs a variety of services relating to the preparation and review of proposed legislation. The Office routinely
drafts original measures for introduction in the Senate. The measures range from simple private relief bills to omnibus measures of considerable technical complexity. Frequently, the Office is asked to review drafts of
bills prepared in executive agencies and elsewhere, and to make such revisions as may be necessary for technical sufficiency, before introduction in the Senate. Much of the work of the Office is done at the committee
and subcommittee levels. The Office routinely assists subcommittee members in the preparation of amendments required to effectuate policy decisions made by the subcommittee during its consideration of a measure and in
the preparation of the measure for reporting to the full committee. Similar assistance is provided to members of the staff of the full committee before the measure is reported for floor action. Assistance also is given
in the preparation of any floor amendments by committee members or other Senators. If a conference is requested on a measure, assistance is provided in the preparation of the conference report. In addition to the
preparation and review of proposed legislation, the Office is often consulted by members of the staffs of committees and subcommittees, and by members of the staffs of Senators. The consultations occur regarding
possible legislative solutions to particular problems, technical questions of substantive and procedural law, and the mechanics of preparation of committee reports and the technical and legal sufficiency of those
reports. |