LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1980 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1979 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met at 2:24 p.m., in room S-128, the Capitol, Hon. Jim Sasser (chairman) presiding. Present: Senator Sasser. U.S. SENATE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE SENATE STATEMENT OF ROBERT A. MALSTROM, FINANCIAL CLERK OF THE SENATE ACCOMPANIED BY BEN H. CRUMP, ASSISTANT FINANCIAL CLERK 1980 BUDGET AND 1979 SUPPLEMENTAL REQUESTS Senator SASSER. The subcommittee will come to order. Today the subcommittee will commence hearings on the fiscal year 1980 budget request for the legislative branch. Several fiscal year 1979 supplemental budget requests will also be considered. The total amount appropriated to date for the legislative branch is $1,118,244,400. This includes $741,896,100 for operation of the Congress and $376,348,300 for related agencies of the legislative branch. PAY INCREASE In addition, the subcommittee has before it a proposed fiscal year 1979 pay increase supplemental in the amount of $32,352,200, which is required to fund the 5.5 percent pay raise for all Federal employees which was placed into effect October 1, 1978. Also before the subcommittee are several fiscal year 1979 program supplemental requests in the amount of $15,683,600. If all of these items should be approved by the Congress, the total appropriations for fiscal year 1979 for the legislative branch would amount to $1,166,280,200. NEED TO CUT THE 1980 BUDGET REQUEST The budget request for fiscal year 1980 is $1,252,675,600. This is a requested increase of $86,395,400 or 6.9 percent over the total amounts anticipated to be appropriated for fiscal year 1979. I believe this request reflects some measure of restraint in the legislative branch agencies inasmuch as the request presented to this subcommittee last year amounted to an 8 percent growth rate as compared to this year's 6.9 percent proposed rate of growth. GROWTH RATE Let me say that I don't believe this budget is as tight as it could be. This subcommittee was able to cut the legislative branch by $25 million last year and although a 6.9-percent growth rate leaves less room for cutting than last year, I fully intend to seek and recommend another $25 million in cuts this year. These hearings are intended to help us determine where we will make these cuts. FISCAL YEAR 1980 BUDGET REQUESTS The fiscal year 1980 budget request for operations of the U.S. Senate is $206,547,000, an increase of $12,240,000 or 6 percent over the amount anticipated to be appropriated for fiscal year 1979. Some 85 percent of the proposed year to year growth is related to increased expenses of the contingent fund of the Senate mostly in the Senate computer center. The committee plans to take a very close look at the proposed expansion in this area. We have been assured that our efforts will receive the full cooperation of the Senate Sergeant at Arms who has operational responsibility for the computer center as well as the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration which has responsibility for computer center policy decisions. We will hear from both the Sergeant at Arms, Nordy Hoffmann, and John Swearingen of the Senate Rules Committee's technical services staff later this week. Our first witness this afternoon is Mr. Robert A. Malstrom, Financial Clerk of the U.S. Senate. PREPARED STATEMENT Welcome, Mr. Malstrom, and I understand you have a short prepared statement which has already been printed in volume 1 of the hearing record. Let us proceed directly to the consideration of the Senate budget request. COMPENSATION AND MILEAGE INCREASE The first item is compensation and mileage of the Vice President and Senators. The budget request for fiscal year 1980 is $6,827,000, an increase of $347,000 over fiscal year 1979. Mr. Malstrom, would you please describe for the record the purposes for which these funds are requested and explain the proposed increase of $347,000. Mr. MALSTROM. Mr. Chairman, the estimate for this appropriation includes funds for the salaries of the Vice President and Senators, agency contributions for retirement, life and health insurance, and the statutory mileage allowance for the President of the Senate and Senators for traveling to and returning from each regular session of the Congress. |