Floor SpeechNeutral2026-09-16

U.S. SENATE ADVANCED PAYMENT REGULATIONS

TaxesForeign Policy

Context

On 2026-09-16, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered a floor speech titled "U.S. SENATE ADVANCED PAYMENT REGULATIONS" in the Senate.

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U.S. SENATE ADVANCED PAYMENT REGULATIONS

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 146 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 146 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S4752-S4753] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] U.S. SENATE ADVANCED PAYMENT REGULATIONS Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Congressional Record U.S. Senate Advanced Payment Regulations. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: U.S. Senate Advance Payment Regulations Adopted by the Committee on Rules and Administration on September 16, 2026 1.0 Scope--These regulations detail the expenditures eligible for advance payment under the authority of Sec. 1(b) for P.L. 105-55, the FY98 Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. 2.0 Definitions--For purposes of these regulations, the following terms have the meaning specified. [[Page S4753]] 2.1 Advance payment means services or articles authorized by the Rules Committee under Section 3.0 that are purchased through a contract or other agreement and paid before those services are performed or articles delivered. 2.2 Committee office means the office of a standing, select, or joint committee of the U.S. Senate. 2.3 Leadership office means the offices of the U.S. Senate majority and minority leaders, majority and minority whips, party conferences, and party policy committees. 2.4 Member office means the office of a U.S. Senator. 2.5 Rules Committee means the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. 2.6 Senate offices means member, committee, leadership, and Senate support offices. 2.7 Senate Support Office means the office of an internal congressional entity that provides services to the Senate, including the Senate Sergeant at Arms, the Secretary of the Senate, Senate Legal Counsel, and Senate Legislative Counsel. 3.0 Eligible Expenditures--The following expenditures by Senate offices are eligible for advance payment: 3.1 Audio, photographic, and video services; 3.2 Cable television, online streaming, and satellite television services; 3.3 Clipping services; 3.4 Conference, training, and seminar fees; 3.4.1 Associated per diem expenses are not eligible for advance payment. 3.5 Constituent services systems; 3.6 Leased equipment payments; 3.7 Maintenance for equipment and software pursuant to the Economic Allocation Program Policy; 3.8 Public transportation subsidy; 3.9 Member physical security enhancements and personal security services pursuant to the U.S. Senate Member Protection Regulations; 3.10 Partial reimbursement of professional liability insurance pursuant to the U.S. Senate Professional Liability Insurance Regulations; 3.11 Mobile and telephone communication services; 3.12 Paging services; 3.13 Post office box rental; 3.14 Publications or subscriptions to periodicals and other information services; 3.15 Rental of booths at career/state fairs, conference/ meeting rooms, space for town hall meetings, and permissible associated costs; 3.16 Rental of water unit dispensers; 3.16.1 Water delivery or other services are not eligible for advance payment. 3.17 State office rent payments up to one year in advance; 3.18 Non-classified yellow page listings; and 3.19 Website maintenance and services. 4.0 Prohibited Advance Payments--Unless otherwise specified in Section 3.0, advance payments for eligible expenditures under Section 3.0 cannot exceed past a Member's term of office and a Committee's biennial funding period, or the term of a Congress for Senate Support Offices. ____________________

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U.S. SENATE ADVANCED PAYMENT REGULATIONS Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 146 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 146 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S4752-S4753] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] U.S. SENATE ADVANCED PAYMENT REGULATIONS Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Congressional Record U.S. Senate Advanced Payment Regulations. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: U.S. Senate Advance Payment Regulations Adopted by the Committee on Rules and Administration on September 16, 2026 1.0 Scope--These regulations detail the expenditures eligible for advance payment under the authority of Sec. 1(b) for P.L. 105-55, the FY98 Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. 2.0 Definitions--For purposes of these regulations, the following terms have the meaning specified. [[Page S4753]] 2.1 Advance payment means services or articles authorized by the Rules Committee under Section 3.0 that are purchased through a contract or other agreement and paid before those services are performed or articles delivered. 2.2 Committee office means the office of a standing, select, or joint committee of the U.S. Senate. 2.3 Leadership office means the offices of the U.S. Senate majority and minority leaders, majority and minority whips, party conferences, and party policy committees. 2.4 Member office means the office of a U.S. Senator. 2.5 Rules Committee means the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. 2.6 Senate offices means member, committee, leadership, and Senate support offices. 2.7 Senate Support Office means the office of an internal congressional entity that provides services to the Senate, including the Senate Sergeant at Arms, the Secretary of the Senate, Senate Legal Counsel, and Senate Legislative Counsel. 3.0 Eligible Expenditures--The following expenditures by Senate offices are eligible for advance payment: 3.1 Audio, photographic, and video services; 3.2 Cable television, online streaming, and satellite television services; 3.3 Clipping services; 3.4 Conference, training, and seminar fees; 3.4.1 Associated per diem expenses are not eligible for advance payment. 3.5 Constituent services systems; 3.6 Leased equipment payments; 3.7 Maintenance for equipment and software pursuant to the Economic Allocation Program Policy; 3.8 Public transportation subsidy; 3.9 Member physical security enhancements and personal security services pursuant to the U.S. Senate Member Protection Regulations; 3.10 Partial reimbursement of professional liability insurance pursuant to the U.S. Senate Professional Liability Insurance Regulations; 3.11 Mobile and telephone communication services; 3.12 Paging services; 3.13 Post office box rental; 3.14 Publications or subscriptions to periodicals and other information services; 3.15 Rental of booths at career/state fairs, conference/ meeting rooms, space for town hall meetings, and permissible associated costs; 3.16 Rental of water unit dispensers; 3.16.1 Water delivery or other services are not eligible for advance payment. 3.17 State office rent payments up to one year in advance; 3.18 Non-classified yellow page listings; and 3.19 Website maintenance and services. 4.0 Prohibited Advance Payments--Unless otherwise specified in Section 3.0, advance payments for eligible expenditures under Section 3.0 cannot exceed past a Member's term of office and a Committee's biennial funding period, or the term of a Congress for Senate Support Offices. ____________________