Jerry Lewis: “sections 901 and 903 of the division B of the Emergency Supplemental Act, 2002, give the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate…”

“sections 901 and 903 of the division B of the Emergency Supplemental Act, 2002, give the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate and the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives identical authority to acquire buildings and facilities in order to respond to emergencies. The phrase ``notwithstanding any other provision of law'' was included in these sections to clarify that provisions of law which would otherwise prohibit these individuals from acquiring buildings and facilities, such as section 3736 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 14), would not interfere with this authority. It was not the intent of the conferees or the Congress for this phrase to be construed more broadly to waive the application of other provisions of law which may apply to these kind of activities, such as the Anti-Deficiency Act. Indeed, subsection (d) of each of these sections permits any portion of the costs incurred by the Sergeant at Arms or Chief Administrative Officer in acquiring buildings and facilities under this authority during a fiscal year to be covered by funds which are appropriated to the Architect of the Capitol during the fiscal year and transferred to the Sergeant at Arms or Chief Administrative Officer.”