Senate RPC: Legislative Branch Appropriations


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No. 74

June 23, 1998

S. 2137 - Legislative Branch
Appropriations, 1999

Calendar No. 399
Reported from the Committee on Appropriations, June 5, 1998, without amendment, by a vote of 27-0.
S. Rept. 105-204.

NOTEWORTHY

S. 2137, an original Senate bill, appropriates $1.59 billion in new budget authority for the legislative branch, exclusive of House items (the full House has not yet passed its legislative branch spending bill) for FY 1999. This amount is $53.7 million above FY 1998, and $72.4 million below the President's budget request. [See chart attached to this Notice.]

The bill includes $469.4 million for Senate expenses, which is $8.3 million more than last year, representing an increase of about 1.8 percent. This increase is less than the projected cost-of-living increase of 3.1 percent.

Funding for the Capitol Police (one of the Joint Items) is increased by $6.3 million, to $80.4 million, with this amount including an additional $1.2 million for security equipment.

Title IV of the bill creates a Trade Deficit Review Commission to conduct a review of national trade and investment policies, providing $2 million for this purpose.

HIGHLIGHTS

Senate Items:

Senate items total $469,391,000. This is a 1.8-percent increase over the FY98 level.

Provides the Sergeant at Arms, with the prior approval of the Rules Committee, the authority to enter into agreements with public or private entities for the purpose of demonstrating alternative fuel vehicles consistent with the Energy Policy Act of 1992.

Increases from $10,000 to $35,000 the authority of the Chaplain to pay authorized expenses from the Office of the Chaplain Expense Revolving Fund.

Creates a revolving fund for the Senate Hair Care Services operation for all income and expenses generated by the Hair Care Services operation.

Joint Committee on Printing:

At the request of the Joint Committee on Printing, the Joint Committee on Printing is eliminated, with interim funding provided through December 30. The Rules Committee is provided $150,000 to assume the responsibilities of the Joint Committee on Printing.

Library of Congress:

Provides funding for 8 additional FTEs (full-time-equivalent positions) in the information technology area to support Congress in the Year 2000 conversion and the Legislative Information System.

Provides an additional $800,000 for the Books for the Blind program.

Provides 10 additional FTEs for the Congressional Research Service's succession planning.

Increases funding for personnel and equipment for security.

Government Accounting Office:

Provides for an overall increase of 7 percent over the FY98 level.

Funds 75 of the 100 requested new FTEs -- directing that a minimum of one-third of those positions are to be in the information technology area to support Congress and its work for the Year 2000 conversion.

Architect of the Capitol:

Funding totals $155.2 million, including $12.6 million for the Library of Congress, but excluding House items.

Includes $650,000 for a financial management system.

Approximately 21 percent of the funds are for capital projects, the balance of which is for the operating budget.

Government Printing Office:

Reduces the FTE positions level by 200.

Provides for the reimbursement of funds improperly transferred from the Government Printing Office revolving fund.

Includes report language requiring the Public Printer to provide quarterly progress reports on implementing the recommendations contained in the recently published management review.

Provides the Public Printer with the authority to enter into agreements with energy service companies consistent with the Energy Policy Act of 1992.

Capitol Police:

Increases funding for the Capitol Police by $6.3 million, to $80.4 million. This includes an additional $1.2 million for security equipment.

General Provisions:

Permanently reauthorizes the American Folklife Center.

Trade Deficit Review Commission:

The committee notes the need for a comprehensive review of U.S. trade and economic policies and their relationship to trade deficits is long overdue, and so creates a trade deficit review commission.

BILL PROVISIONS

Congressional Operations, Title I
The total appropriation for Title I (which does not include House funding) is $876.2 million, $10.4 million over FY 1998 and $57 million less than the budget request.
Senate Operations: Total appropriation is $469.4 million, an amount which is $8.3 million above FY 1998 and $7.3 million below the President's request, including:

$79.2 million for salaries of officers and employees of the Senate. This is an increase of $1.9 million above FY 1998 and $563,000 below the request.

$239.2 million for the salaries of Senators' staffs as well as the office expense accounts, $4.7 million below the request and $10.6 million above FY 1998. This funding level is sufficient to finance a 3.1-percent cost-of-living adjustment for Senate staff (at the discretion of each Senator) and a $50,000 increase in each Senator's administrative and clerical allowance. The Committee report notes that Senators' total staff level is now lower than it has been in more than a decade. Note: The bill does not include any provisions relating to COLAs for Senators. Congress typically would address this matter in the Treasury and General Government appropriations bill [not yet reported], not the Legislative Branch bill.

$75.6 million for inquiries and investigations by all standing, special and select committees, same as last year and $951,000 above the request, to cover the costs of the new Special Committee on the Year 2000 and the additional Joint Committee on Printing responsibilities assumed by the Rules Committee.

$60.5 million for expenses of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate, which is $4.3 million below last year and $3 million below the request and $33.8 million for salaries, which is $554,000 below the budget request, and $768,000 above last year.

$13.7 million for salaries ($388,000 over last year) and $1.5 million for expenses (the same as last year) for the Office of the Secretary of the Senate.

House Operations: Since this is a Senate-originated bill, it excludes a total for House operations.
Architect of the Capitol: The bill provides $142.6 million (which is $13 million less than FY 1999 and $35.6 million less than requested) for the accounts contained in Title I, including salaries, Capitol buildings and grounds, the Senate office buildings and the Capitol power plant. Additional funds are recommended in Title II for the Architect's activities relative to the structural and mechanical care of the Library's buildings and grounds, and the Botanic Garden. The request includes funding for a number of design projects for the Capitol Police, including a master plan and for additional security items.
Congressional Research Service: The Library of Congress's research arm receives $67.9 million for salaries and expenses, which is an increase of $3.3 million above FY 1998. [See separate funding for the Library of Congress under Title II, below.]
Government Printing Office: The bill provides $75.5 million for congressional printing and binding ($8.5 million below the request and $4.9 million above the current year).
Other Agencies, Title II

Total appropriation of $706.8 million, $41.3 million more than FY 1998 and $17.4 million less than requested, including:

Botanic Garden: The bill appropriates $3.2 million, which is $164,000 above last year and $55,000 below the budget request.

Library of Congress: An amount of $298.1 million in salaries and expenses (this excludes the funds for the Congressional Research Service provided in Title I) is appropriated. This amount is $15.8 million above FY 1998, but $2.7 million below the request. The Committee provides $46.9 million for salaries and expenses of Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, which is $334,000 above FY98, but $1.3 million below the request. Also, the Committee provided $1.3 million less than requested for furniture and furnishings, appropriating $4.5 million, which is $280,000 above FY98.

Architect of the Capitol: The bill provides $12.6 million for the Architect of the Capitol for maintenance of the Library buildings and grounds (an increase of $993,000 over last year's level and $3.6 million less than requested).

General Accounting Office: $365.3 million for salaries and expenses of the General Accounting Office, a reduction of $4.4 million from the budget request and an increase of $18.4 million over last year. Of the total amount, $2 million is authorized in offsetting collections.

General Provisions, Title III

Provisions include routine provisions carried annually in the bill (secs. 301-306) and three new ones proposed by the Committee:

Section 308 provides the Public Printer with the authority, similar to other executive branch agencies, to use Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) to reduce their energy costs. GPO estimates that this provision has a potential annual savings of $500,000.

Section 309 provides for the permanent reauthorization of the American Folklife Center.

Section 310 provides for the reimbursement of funds improperly transferred from the Government Printing Office revolving fund and clarifies that GPO is not subject to section 8147 of title 5.

Trade Deficit Review Commission, Title IV

The bill establishes a commission to review the trade deficit. The last comprehensive review of national trade and investment policies was conducted by a Presidential Commission in 1970. Persons appointed to the Commission should be representative of a broad cross-section of economic and trade perspectives. The Committee expects that members would be appointed not later than 60 days after the date of enactment, and the appointments would be made for the life of the Commission. The Commission will be responsible for developing trade policy recommendations to be submitted to Congress and the President.

COST

CBO estimates the bill would result in $1.59 billion in budget authority and $1.63 billion in outlays (excluding $94 million in mandatory BA and outlays). These amounts do not include the costs associated with the House items.

POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS

At press time, there were no known amendments.

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