STANDING COMMITTEES, SPECIAL AND SELECT (See Pages 50-53 of Subcommittee Print) For salaries and expenses of Standing Committees. Special and Select, authorized by House resolutions, $80,524,000. This amount represents the second session of the 104th Congress funding. increased by cost of living adjustments. This request is $1,895,000 or 2.41% greater than the amount provided in fiscal year 1996. Once again Mr. Chairman, we informed the Committee on House Oversight of this amount since they will be creating the 1997 Committee funding resolution The following summary of the Primary Expense Resolution (H. Res. 107) issued by the Committee on House Oversight gives an illustration of the amounts available to Committees in 1995 Mr. PACKARD. Before you leave that—well, maybe it is reflected. We made significant reductions in committee staff. Mr. FAULKNER. Very much so. Mr. PACKARD. And even eliminated some committees of the House, standing committees last year. How has that affected this budget submittal? Mr. ANFINSON. Well, there has been a reduction in committee staffing of almost 650 individuals. The impact on this budget from 1995 has been a reduction of approximately $46 million in overall costs. Mr. FAULKNER. In fact, if you look on page 20, you will see the total appropriations in fiscal year 1995 for standing committees, special and select, was over $112 million, and for 1996, it was a little over $78 million. And then you will see the unexpended balances are fairly significant. So we are continuing to move downward as committee staffs have been downsized. Mr. PACKARD. So there has been no request, or this is not a request for a gradual increase now of FTEs after the downsizing last year? Mr. FAULKNER. That is correct. The number of FTEs is flat, if not declining. We are looking at just a cost-of-living increase here. FTE REDUCTIONS Mr. PACKARD. I have questions on FTE's to insert for the record. [The questions and responses follow:] Question. The House has reduced its budget and FTE employment significantly. Give the Committee a sense of those reductions. Response. Reductions in FTE's and budgets are associated with the elimination of three committees, an overall one third reduction in committee staffing and funding. The elimination of three committees resulted in a reduction of approximately $11,176,000 and one third reduction in committees resulted in a reduction of approximately $33,675,000. Additionally, the payment of accrued annual level combined with personnel benefits resulted in a reduction of approximately $1,313,000. The Chief Administrative Officer, with the support of the House Leadership Offices, Committee on House Oversight and Appropriations Committee was able to privatize the House Folding Room, House Postal Operations and Barber/Beauty Salon. These actions reduced the number of FY '96 FTE's required by 279. There were two major items which contributed to a reduction in budget by deferring payments. Closed Captioning costs of $800,000 and telecommunications switch costs of $3,500,00 represent these savings. Question. For the record, prepare a five year table which shows the recent history of House funding and FTE levels. Answer. The House began monitoring FTE's in FY '94, therefore, only a four year table can be provided for FTE levels. The funding is the appropriated amount for each fiscal year and does not reflect actual spending. Question. Turning to the overall CAO operation, will you give us an understanding of the funding and FTE increases or decreases in each of the component offices of the Chief Administrative Officer? Responses. The following table explains the funding and FTE's for the various components of the CAO's organization. The FY '97 request for each component under the operating budget includes mandatory changes of $2,157,000 for such areas as the FY '97 cost of living adjustment, longevity and meritorious increase and reclassification of positions. There is also a net FTE reduction of 13 at a net savings of $453,000. |