For any period during which both the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary of the Senate are unable (because of death, resignation, or disability) to discharge such Secretary’s duties as disbursing officer of the Senate, the Financial Clerk of the Senate shall be deemed to be the successor of such Secretary as disbursing officer.

In the event of the death, resignation, or disability of the Secretary of the Senate, the Assistant Secretary of the Senate shall act as Secretary in carrying out the duties and responsibilities of that office in all matters until such time as a new Secretary shall have been elected and qualified or such disability shall have been ended. For purposes of this section and section 6532 of this title, the Secretary of the Senate shall be considered as disabled only during such period of time as the Majority and Minority Leaders and the President pro tempore of the Senate certify jointly to the Senate that the Secretary is unable to perform his duties. In the event that the Secretary of the Senate is absent or is to be absent for reasons other than disability (as provided in this section), and makes a written designation that he is or will be so absent, the Assistant Secretary shall act during such absence as the Secretary in carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the office in all matters. The designation may be revoked in writing at any time by the Secretary, and is revoked whenever the Secretary making the designation dies, resigns, or is considered disabled in accordance with this section.

The Assistant Secretary of the Senate may be paid at a maximum annual rate of compensation not to exceed $39,000.

The Parliamentarian of the Senate may be paid at a maximum annual rate of compensation not to exceed $39,000.

The Financial Clerk of the Senate may be paid at a maximum annual rate of compensation not to exceed $39,000.

The Secretary of the Senate is authorized to employ such administrative assistants as may be necessary in order to carry out the provisions of this Act under the jurisdiction of the Secretary.

Effective October 1, 1981, all statutory positions in the Office of the Secretary (other than the positions of the Secretary of the Senate, Assistant Secretary of the Senate, Parliamentarian, Financial Clerk, and Director of the Office of Classified National Security Information) are abolished, and in lieu of the positions hereby abolished the Secretary of the Senate is authorized to establish such number of positions as he deems appropriate and appoint and fix the compensation of employees to fill the positions so established; except that the annual rate of compensation payable to any employee appointed to fill any position established by the Secretary of the Senate shall not, for any period of time, be in excess of $1,000 less than the annual rate of compensation of the Secretary of the Senate for that period of time; and except that nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any position authorized by statute, if the compensation for such position is to be paid from the contingent fund of the Senate.

Any specific rate of compensation established by law, as such rate has been increased or may hereafter be increased by or pursuant to law, for any position under the jurisdiction of the Secretary shall be considered as the maximum rate of compensation for that position, and the Secretary is authorized to adjust the rate of compensation of an individual occupying any such position to a rate not exceeding such maximum rate.

For each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal year which ends September 30, 1982

The Secretary of the Senate is on and after November 1, 1973, authorized to designate, in writing, employees of the Disbursing Office of the Senate to administer oaths and affirmations, with respect to matters relating to that Office, authorized or required by law or rules or orders of the Senate (including the oath of office required by section 3331 of title 5). During any period in which he is so designated, any such employee may administer such oaths and affirmations.

The reporters of debates in the office of the Secretary of the Senate are hereby designated the official reporters of debates of the Senate.

The Secretary of the Senate is on and after June 5, 1981, authorized to employ, by contract or otherwise, substitute reporters of debates and expert transcribers at daily rates of compensation, or temporary reporters of debates and expert transcribers at annual rates of compensation; no temporary reporters of debates or expert transcribers may be employed under authority of this provision for more than ninety days in any fiscal year; and payments made under authority of this section shall be made from the contingent fund of the Senate upon vouchers approved by the Secretary of the Senate.