The objective of the five year Capital Budget is to identify all projects, including those generated from within the agency as well as those identified by clients, which require funding during fiscal years 2001 through 2005. Using all the information collected during this process, a five-year Capital Budget has been prepared based on currently identified needs. Using the five year capital budget plan, the Congress will be able to make financial judgments on capital improvements based on an informed evaluation of present and future cost implications and with the assurance that the agency has undertaken a rigorous examination of all related needs, both internal and those of the agency's clients. Further, it will provide the Congress with a present and future view of various programmatic and financial needs.

The Capital Budget has also been prepared under the policy of requesting planning and design funding well in advance and having design completed before requesting construction funds. In most cases, there will be a one year gap between design and construction funding requests. This time permits necessary planning steps to take place and coordination between all involved parties. The time is also necessary for completing design, and the development of sound cost estimates based on actual design from which a budget request can be justified. This may initially delay some projects however, the value of having final design and firm cost estimates for justifying construction and renovation funding outweighs the delay. The AOC's clients have also been reminded of this policy. The fiscal year 2001 request is based on this 100 percent complete design policy. 01

In past years, cyclical maintenance was stressed as being an investment in the Capitol Complex. Funds expended for this purpose have been more than repaid through improving the functionality of the buildings and extending the life of the buildings and building systems. The higher costs of new construction or larger expenditures associated with major replacement programs have been avoided because of the ongoing cyclical maintenance program.

In fiscal year 2001, the priority placed by the Architect of the Capitol continues to focus on Life Safety issues as reflected in the projects requested. While typically Life Safety previously referred to Fire Safety, this budget presentation is broadened to include Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental issues as well. It is not enough however to create a safe working and visiting environment -- it is essential to maintain it as well and the budget reflects this need.

A total of 225 projects have been identified requiring the following funding levels: 73 projects are identified for funding in fiscal year 2001 totaling $68,739,000; further required funding for these projects and 152 other projects will be requested in four out years including fiscal year 2002 totaling $181,082,000; fiscal year 2003 totaling $81,058,000; fiscal year 2004 totaling $221,570,000; and fiscal year 2005 totaling $113,537,000. To complete all projects initiated during the five year period, $120,620,000 will be required during fiscal years 2006-2010.

Five projects which total $43,002,000 account for over 60 percent of the fiscal year 2001 capital budget request. The five projects
are the Renovation of the Dirksen Building ($19,241,000), Renovation of the Cannon Garage ($9,000,000), Renovations to the Rayburn
Cafeteria ($5,261,000), the new Library of Congress Audio Visual Center at Culpeper, Virginia ($5,000,000) and a new Off-Site
Delivery/Inspection Center for the U. S. Capitol Police ($4,500,000).

It is also important to note that funding levels for the five years reflect a substantial increase in funding, averaging almost $150 million. This means that deferring projects requested in fiscal year 2001 adds to the funding requirement for fiscal year 2002, and spreads other requirements further and further into the outyears - these requirements do not simply disappear.

The fiscal year 2001 budget request for the Architect of the Capitol has been prioritized as directed by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. The requested items have been identified by the following priority levels: 1-A, 1-B, 1-C, and 2-A, 2-B, and so on through 3-C at the lowest end of the priority scale. These priorities have been further categorized as Life Safety, ADA, Security, Cyclical Maintenance, Improvement, and Technology - Management Systems. When a particular project category has been requested to meet specific client needs, the category will note "client." When a particular project category has been initiated by this office, it is noted "AOC." A more detailed explanation of these categories follows.

These are programs essential for complying with the Occupational Safety and Health Act, environmental and hazardous material protection, fire code compliance, and other regulatory matters affecting the general health and welfare of building occupants. Passage of the Congressional Accountability Act in particular has placed significant emphasis on ensuring that the Capitol complex is free of hazards to the Members, Senators, staff and visitors.

These are programs essential for complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Passage of the Congressional Accountability Act has reinforced the resolve to ensure that the Capitol complex is free of barriers to the Members, Senators, staff and visitors.

These are programs to meet the needs created by increased terrorist activity throughout the world. As a result there is a heightened sensitivity toward threats to security at the Capitol complex. In addition there are security needs to protect property such as the collections at the Library of Congress.

Several of the buildings in the Capitol complex are reaching an age and condition that imply major renovation or replacement of building systems. Various improvements are recommended to assure that these building systems continue to provide service to occupants.

Technology is changing far more rapidly than existing building infrastructures can support and adapt to. This is especially true in the rapidly expanding area of telecommunications, but there is a corollary effect that is felt in any building system that uses any sort of electronic technology for operation or support. These are programs that reflect either the replacement of existing building systems to generate a significant operational improvement or benefit, or the installation of a new type of technology or system to create such an improvement or benefit.

These are programs that reflect the internal (AOC) use of computer applications and telecommunications systems to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operations.

There are some project requests that are comprised of a combination of these categories. When this occurs to any significant degree, both categories are listed with the category of greater emphases listed first.

To carry out his assigned duties in the Legislative Branch, the Architect has 2,012 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employees under his jurisdiction during fiscal year 2000, and that level is the same for fiscal year 2001. Employees are authorized to be compensated under the Wage-Board system, the General Schedule of the Classification Act and statutory rates. Of our annual operating budget, the cost of personnel compensation and benefits constitutes approximately 60 percent of the total for fiscal year 2001.

appropriation's Schedule C. Each year, increases are required for "Mandatory" items. These amounts are detailed under the "mandatory" category in each

Mandatory items are costs related to personnel compensation and benefits that are established, regulated or modified by law. A summary of these items and their statutory authority is provided below for reference purposes.

Wage-Board within-grade increases, authorized by 5 U.S.C. 5102c (7), 5102 (d), 5341-5349.
Within-grade salary advancements and other changes for "GS" employees, authorized by 5 U.S.C. 5331-5336.
Overtime, Holiday, Sunday Premium, and Hazardous Duty Differential pay authorized by 5 U.S.C. 5544-5546.

Personnel Benefits

Payment to Employees' Health Benefits Fund, authorized by 5 U.S.C. 8906. Contribution to Retirement Fund, authorized by 5 U.S.C. 8334.

Payment to Employees' Compensation Fund, authorized by 5 U.S.C. 8147. Payment to Employees' Life Insurance Fund, authorized by 5 U.S.C. 8708. Payment to Medicare Fund, authorized by Public Law 97-248. Payment to Unemployment Trust Fund, authorized by Public Law 96-499. Contribution to Federal Employees' Retirement System, authorized by 5 U.S.C. 8423 and Thrift Savings Plan authorized by 5 U.S.C. 8432.

Costs associated with the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990 are factored into the annual cost of living adjustments as provided by the Office of Management and Budget. This Act adopted the concept of locality-based pay, and requires that locality specific salary adjustments be made for Federal white collar workers paid under the General Schedule in each wage area where overall Federal salary rates are estimated to be significantly below nonfederal salary rates for comparable jobs in the same area. These salary adjustments began in January 1994. C BLUE VID

WAGE-BOARD SYSTEM

The employees covered by this pay system are those engaged in recognized trades and crafts and in skilled and unskilled manual labor occupations. Employees compensated under the Wage-Board system constitute approximately 80 percent of our total permanent staff. Employees under the Architect engaged in such work have been compensated under the Wage-Board System since 1955. Their compensation is presently governed by sections 5341-5349 and 5544-5548 of title 5 of the United States Code, which require that "rates of pay of prevailing rate employees shall be fixed and adjusted from time to time as nearly as is consistent with the public interest in accordance with prevailing rates."

GS.9