As is customary, the CAO will present a statement which has already been supplied to the members of the committee and he will in turn ask the House officers and others to present their budgets when he gets to that point in his statement.

So we will ask you, Mr. Faulkner, if you will proceed as you see fit, and then call upon others as we get to their point.

MR. FAULKNER'S OPENING STATEMENT

Mr. FAULKNER. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to appear before this subcommittee to testify on behalf of the fiscal year 1997 budget estimates for the House of Representatives and certain joint items. As you have mentioned, joining me today is Mr. Thomas Anfinson, the Associate Administrator for Fi

nance.

Before I begin presenting the CAO testimony, I would like to add my own congratulations to you, Mr. Chairman, and all members of the subcommittee, for your leadership in making historic administrative reforms in the 104th Congress possible. Your continuing drive and determination to make the House more accountable and more cost-effective has been key to making these reforms a reality.

FISCAL YEAR 1997 ESTIMATES

The fiscal year 1997 estimates that were submitted earlier to the Office of Management and Budget are reflected in the budget to be transmitted to the Congress by the President, and are detailed in your subcommittee print.

This statement and the subcommittee print may be used jointly to obtain a complete picture of the budget. At the beginning of each budget item herein, you will find a reference to proper page numbers on the subcommittee print where further details are provided.

The fiscal year 1997 request for the House of Representatives totals $738,108,000. This is an increase of $66,547,000 over the fiscal year 1996 amount and was based on statutory entitlements, full funding of authorizations, actual spending history, and consultation with the administrative offices.

The following page which I will insert for the record illustrate and itemize the actual fiscal year 1995 expenditures through October 31, 1995, appropriated funds for fiscal year 1996, and requested funds for fiscal year 1997.

[The information follows:]

Mr. FAULKNER. We do have some charts which show those in more detail. These charts are also at the very back tab called "graphs". Chart "A" shows the House FY '97 budget by category. Chart "B" shows the FY '97 budget by object class. The largest piece obviously being personnel. I will insert Charts A and B at this time.

[The information follows:]