which the Senate is committed, and to be of assistance to Members who might travel overseas on official business. As you know, the Senate requires a number of reports for overseas travel by Members and delegations and the leadership felt that we could provide this service to Members if such an office were established. In regard to the question on visas, the State Department at the present time is requiring anywhere from two to three weeks for visas and, in many instances, Members do not have that much lead time to be able to utilize the State Department's Passport Office. We are able through our contacts and the contacts at the State Department to get visas on very short notice, thus providing the kind of assistance our Members need. QUESTION: Mr. Hildenbrand, I note that the use of your Micrographics Center declined by 12 percent over the past year. To what do you attribute this decline? ANSWER: Senator Bumpers, the Senate Library's Micrographic Center, established in 1975, provides a current and retrospective collection in microformat of magazines, newspapers, Congressional publications, and publications of Executive Branch agencies (see attached list). It has grown to a substantial collection of approximately one-half million microfiche and 3,000 reels of microfilm. The primary purpose of the Micrographics Center is to maintain for the Senate a broad range of information resources in a relatively small space. Space is a critical problem inasmuch as the available area occupied by the Library will not increase, while the nature of its collection requires continual expansion. It is estimated that the use of microforms permits a savings of 98 percent of the space required for the storage of the same material in printed form. Due to this lack of sufficient space, it would be impossible for the Library to maintain a hardcopy collection of the approximately 40 magazines and newspapers that are available in the Micrographics Center. The Micrographics Center enhances the capacity of the Library to service Senate offices requesting background information on a wide range of topics. Automated information retrieval systems accessed by the Library are capable of producing bibliographies and citations to materials in response to these requests. The micrographics collection can then provide full text to articles cited in the bibliographies. The demand is tied to the needs of staff for full text copies of items and cannot be predicted with any certainty in a given year. QUESTION: Mr. Hildenbrand, the Center was used only 627 times last year. This is less than three times per working day. How much would we save if we terminated the Center's activities and what alternative resources might be available from the Library of Congress? ANSWER: Mr. Bumpers, the microform collection of Congressional materials contains an important percentage of particular items that are unavailable in any other form in the collections of the Senate Library, the Library of Congress, or the National Archives. It is important to keep in mind that most of the microform collection of legislative materials was acquired at no cost to the Senate by means of arrangements with commercial vendors who used portions of the Library's hardcopy collection for filming. Furthermore, the collection of Executive Branch publications has been developed at no cost to the Senate through the Depository Library Program of the Government Printing Office. The Senate Library exists in order to meet information and 95-563 082 4 documentation needs of Senate offices in a manner that usually is faster and more convenient than the Library of Congress. The rea sons for this are related to economies of scale. The Senate Library is able to maintain a specialized collection and to offer specialized services to a particular clientele. It does not have to contend with the request load borne by the Congressional Research Service which receives 2,000 inquiries per day. It is estimated that this volume of queries translates into a response time of up to a week in handling requests from Members and three weeks in handling constituent requests. Essential to the Senate Library's ability to provide this same-day or next-day service is the Micrographics Center. Daily referrals from the Congressional Research Service are not uncommon when they feel the Senate Library is better able to provide the requested material on a timely basis, often because of the availability of materials in the Micrographics Center. DISBURSING OFFICE SENATE ITEMS Senator MATTINGLY. Mr. Balderson, do you have a statement this morning? Mr. BALDERSON. Yes, I do. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the opportunity of appearing before your committee today to submit the budget estimate for fiscal year 1983, for Senate Items. 1982 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET REQUEST Before proceeding with the fiscal year 1983 budget, the proposed supplemental appropriations bill for fiscal year 1982 includes items for increased pay costs for the October 1, 1981 pay comparability and the limited lifting of the pay cap effective January 1, 1982, as well as increases for agency contributions and longevity relating to increased pay costs. Also included in the supplemental appropriations bill are two program supplemental requests: One for the Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate, to cover an unforeseen increase in telephone rates during fiscal year 1982, and a request for administrative, clerical, and legislative assistance to Senators due to a change in population category for the State of Florida. Since these items will require additional funds for fiscal year 1982 and affect the budget estimates, as submitted, for fiscal year 1983, may I consider the supplemental amounts included in the bill as being enacted for the purpose of my presentation to your committee? Senator MATTINGLY. Not at this time. Not until I have had an opportunity to get some more advice and counsel on that. Mr. BALDERSON. As far as my presentation, the figures for 1983 include the 1982 supplemental request. Senator MATTINGLY. Fine. BUDGET REQUEST Mr. BALDERSON. Mr. Chairman, the budget estimate for fiscal year 1983, as submitted in the budget of the U.S. Government and as presented today, is an overall decrease in the budget estimate for fiscal year 1982 by $4,609,000. The total budget estimate for regular Senate items is $236,958,000 and for Senate joint items $4,060,000, for an aggregate total of $241,018,000 for fiscal year 1983. This results in a net decrease of $4,609,000 over the total budget estimate of $245,627,000 for fiscal year 1982. Included in the estimates submitted are items not previously authorized for expenses, changes in compensation and allowances, including Senate joint items, in accordance with requests and proposals submitted by the functions of the Senate for consideration by your committee. 1982 AND 1983 BUDGETS COMPARED Changes in the estimates for fiscal year 1983 as compared to the estimates for fiscal year 1982 are reflected in the following categories of the budget. Items 1 through 14, Mr. Chairman, which show the changes in the 1983 budget over 1982, I will submit for the record. [The information follows:] 1. The appropriation compensation and mileage of the Vice President and Senators no longer appears in the budget for the Senate. A permanent and indefinite appropriation has been established within the Treasury for compensation of Members, Senate, and this account is not included in the budget for the Senate, as authorized by Public Law 97-51. 2. A new appropriation has been established for mileage of the Vice President and Senators within the budget of the Senate. 3. Increased funding for the Office of the Chaplain for the increase in the salary of the Chaplain, as authorized by Public Law 97-51. 4. Increased funding for the Office of the Secretary of the Senate to implement the partial lifting of the pay cap and for merit increases. 5. Increased funding for the Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate for salary adjustments and new positions. 6. Increased funding for the Office of the Legislative Counsel for increased expenses and for salary adjustments. 7. Decreased funding for the Office of Senate Legal Counsel for positions included in the budget request for fiscal year 1982 which remained vacant. 8. Increased funding for a new appropriation, expense allowances for the Secretary of the Senate, Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate, and secretaries for the majority and for the minority of the Senate, as authorized by Public Law 97-51. 9. Increased funding for automobiles and maintenance for the increased cost of leasing vehicles and the increased cost of gasoline and oil. 10. Decreased funding for inquiries and investigations partially due to salaries for committee employees being budgeted at actual salary levels for fiscal year 1983. 11. Increased funding for miscellaneous items for (a) housekeeping supplies; (b) telecommunications: (c) repair and maintenance of equipment; (d) leased equipment; (e) supplies; (f) consultants; (g) computer equipment and supplies. 12. Increased funding for postage stamps due to the increase in postal rates. 13. Increased funding for the Joint Economic Committee for salary adjustments. 14. Increased funding for the Joint Committee on Printing for projected increases in salaries and expenses. ENACTMENTS OF APPROPRIATION BILLS Mr. BALDERSON. Mr. Chairman, as you are aware, there has not been a legislative branch appropriation bill enacted into law and we are operating under a continuing resolution for fiscal year 1982. I am encouraged by the prospect of your committee enacting a legislative branch appropriation bill for fiscal year 1983, and I am looking forward to assisting you and your staff in the future. The budget estimate, therefore, is submitted for the consideration of your committee. Senator MATTINGLY. Thank you. COMPENSATION AND MILEAGE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS The fiscal year 1983 budget estimate reflects a reduction of $6,932,000 for the account "Compensation and mileage of the Vice President and Members." Am I correct that these salary figures are now treated through a permanent appropriation and that we no longer must appropriate annually for these costs? Mr. BALDERSON. That is correct, Mr. Chairman. Public Law 97-51 established a permanent and indefinite appropriation within the Treasury for the payment of compensation to Members of Congress. Senator MATTINGLY. How much will actually be spent on these salaries in fiscal year 1983, despite the lack of an appropriation this year? Mr. BALDERSON. Salaries for the Vice President and Members, including agency contributions, will total approximately $6,746,112, for fiscal year 1983. COMPARISON OF 1982 AND 1983 BUDGETS Senator MATTINGLY. Don't you agree that the legislative branch figure that we are using for fiscal year 1983 for the House and the Senate is about $35 million short, because of the permanent appropriation for Member's compensation? Mr. BALDERSON. Yes; I would agree with that. Senator MATTINGLY. I was studying that myself over the weekend. We have to either take $35 million off one end or the other to get a true comparison of the figures there. Mr. BALDERSON. The expenditures are still there, yes, sir. Senator MATTINGLY. They are still there, right. Perhaps we take it off the 1982 level to make a comparison of what the increase is. I think right now it shows the total legislative branch at approximately a $100 million increase if we approve all the supplemental requests for fiscal year 1982. MERIT COMPENSATION Both the Secretary and the Sergeant-at-Arms are requesting that the separate merit compensation program be eliminated. If this committee concurs, then there is no obstacle in reducing the line item "Agency contributions, longevity compensation, and merit compensation" by the amount budgeted, $190,943. Is that correct? Mr. BALDERSON. That is correct, sir. If the committee concurs with the request of the Secretary of the Senate and the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate, I see no reason why that budget request could not be decreased by approximately $190,000. CONTINGENT EXPENSES OF THE SENATE Senator MATTINGLY. The line items under "Contingent expenses of the Senate" includes some very small items, such as "Automobiles and maintenance," "Postage stamps," and "Stationery," but a general, nearly $40 million item entitled "Miscellaneous items." What problems could result from an attempt to restructure these accounts more logically? Mr. BALDERSON. A study or review of the statutes would be needed which establish these accounts. I would be happy to work with your committee on reviewing, reorganizing or reconstructing these accounts and make comments on any recommendations the committee may have. Senator MATTINGLY. We wouldn't have to commission a study to do that, would we? Mr. BALDERSON. No, sir. Senator MATTINGLY. You do that in-house? Mr. BALDERSON. Yes. Senator MATTINGLY. I didn't know anything was done in-house for a long time around here. I thought we would have to send it to the Office of Technology Assessment or the Congressional Budget Office. Not that they can't do the job. INQUIRIES AND INVESTIGATIONS The Rules Committee in reporting funding authorization resolutions for the March 1, 1982 through February 28, 1983 fiscal year has held the aggregate committee spending to last year's level. Will this permit us to reduce the budget request for "Inquiries and investigations"? Mr. BALDERSON. This appropriation for "Inquiries and investigations" is difficult to appropriate for. As the chairman is aware, the Rules Committee approves funding resolutions for the period March 1 of one calendar year through February 28 of another calendar year, which spans 2 fiscal years. In light of the Rules Committee holding the current funding for committees to the same level as last year, and in consideration of the fact that five-twelfths of those authorizations would be applicable to fiscal year 1983, it is conceivable we could reduce that appropriation request by approximately $1,380,000. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS APPORTIONMENT SCHEDULE Senator MATTINGLY. Would you provide this committee with the actual expenditure figures for fiscal year 1981 and through March 31, 1982 for those items listed in the "Miscellaneous items apportionment schedule"? Mr. BALDERSON. I would be happy to provide that information to the committee. Senator MATTINGLY. Thank you very much. |