Legislative Branch: FY2018 Appropriations

July 20, 2017 (R44899)
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Contents

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Tables

Appendixes

Summary

The legislative branch appropriations bill provides funding for the Senate; House of Representatives; Joint Items; Capitol Police; Office of Compliance; Congressional Budget Office (CBO); Architect of the Capitol (AOC); Library of Congress (LOC), including the Congressional Research Service (CRS); Government Publishing Office (GPO); Government Accountability Office (GAO); Open World Leadership Center; and the John C. Stennis Center.

The FY2018 legislative branch budget request of $4.865 billion was submitted on May 23, 2017. In general, FY2018 legislative branch budget requests were developed and submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) prior to the enactment of FY2017 funding. By law, the President includes the legislative branch request in the annual budget submission without change.

The House and Senate Appropriations Committees' Legislative Branch Subcommittees held hearings in May and June to consider the FY2018 legislative branch requests.

On June 23, 2016, the House Appropriations Committee Legislative Branch Subcommittee held a markup of the draft bill. The bill was ordered reported to the full committee by voice vote.

On June 29, the House Appropriations Committee held a markup of the bill. Four amendments were considered: two were adopted, one was not adopted, and one was withdrawn. The bill was ordered reported by voice vote. It would provide $3.580 billion, not including Senate items (H.R. 3162, H.Rept. 115-199).

On July 18, 2017, the text of H.R. 3162 was included in a print issued by the House Rules Committee entitled, "Text of the Defense, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Legislative Branch, and Energy And Water Development National Security Appropriations Act, 2018" (Committee Print 115-30, which also contains the text ofH.R. 3219, H.R. 2998, and H.R. 3266).

When compared to FY2010, which was the peak of legislative branch funding, the FY2017 level of $4.440 billion has decreased 4.9% when not adjusted for inflation and 14.9% when adjusted for inflation.

The FY2017 level was an increase of $77.0 million (+1.7%) from FY2016. The FY2016 level of $4.363 billion represented an increase of $63 million (+1.5%) from the FY2015 level of $4.300 billion, and the FY2015 level represented an increase of $41.7 million (+1.0%) from the FY2014 funding level of $4.259 billion. The FY2013 act funded legislative branch accounts at the FY2012 enacted level, with some exceptions (also known as "anomalies"), less across-the-board rescissions that applied to all appropriations in the act, and not including sequestration reductions implemented on March 1. The FY2012 level of $4.307 billion represented a decrease of $236.9 million (-5.2%) from the FY2011 level, which itself represented a $125.1 million decrease (-2.7%) from FY2010.

The smallest of the appropriations bills, the legislative branch comprises approximately 0.4% of total discretionary budget authority.


Legislative Branch: FY2018 Appropriations

FY2018 Consideration: Overview of Actions

The first section of this report provides an overview of the consideration of FY2018 legislative branch appropriations, with subsections covering each action, including

It is followed by a section on prior year actions and funding, which contains a historical table and figure.

The report then provides an overview of the FY2018 budget requests of individual legislative branch agencies and entities.

Table 5 through Table 9 list enacted funding levels for FY2017 and the requested and reported levels for FY2018, while the Appendix lists House, Senate, and conference bills and reports; public law numbers; and enactment dates since FY1998.

On July 18, 2017, the text of H.R. 3162 was included in a print issued by the House Rules Committee entitled, "Text of the Defense, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Legislative Branch, and Energy And Water Development National Security Appropriations Act, 2018" (Committee Print 115-30, which also contains the text ofH.R. 3219, H.R. 2998, and H.R. 3266).

Security Funding Following the June 14, 2017, Shooting at a Congressional Baseball Game Practice

A shooting on June 14, 2017, at a practice for the Congressional Baseball Game, which wounded one Member, two U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officers, and two members of the public in Alexandria, Virginia, had an impact on consideration of the FY2018 legislative branch bill.

In particular, according to the House report, H.R. 3162 "provides additional resources to the USCP in the amount of $7,500,000 and House Sergeant at Arms in the amount of $5,000,000 to enhance security for Members both in Washington D.C. and in Congressional districts."1

The report also indicates that the "Committee has provided resources necessary to support the Committee on House Administration's plan to increase Member's Representational Allowance (MRA) by $25,000 per account this year for the purpose of providing Member security when away from the Capitol complex."2 Between the subcommittee and full committee markup sessions, on June 27, 2017, the House approved the MRA authorization increases when it agreed to H.Res. 411, by unanimous consent.

The report also refers to a request to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to issue guidance on the allowance of all Members to use campaign funds for security improvements to their residences. The advisory opinion was subsequently issued on July 13, 2017.3

Status of FY2018 Appropriations: Dates and Documents

Table 1. Status of Legislative Branch Appropriations, FY2018

Committee Markup

 

 

 

 

 

Conference Report Approval

 

House

Senate

House Report

House Passage

Senate Report

Senate Passage

Conference Report

House

Senate

Public Law

6/29/17

 

7/6/2017

H.Rept. 115-199;
H.R. 3162

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Congressional Research Service examination of congress.gov data.

Notes: In recent years, the House has held a subcommittee markup prior to the full committee markup. The House subcommittee held its markup on June 23, 2017.

Submission of FY2018 Budget Request on May 23, 2017

The Budget for Fiscal Year 2018 was submitted on May 23, 2017. It contains a request for $4.865 billion in new budget authority for legislative branch activities.4 By law, the legislative branch request is submitted to the President and included in the budget without change.5

Final funding for FY2017 was enacted on May 5, 2017. In general, FY2018 legislative branch budget requests had already been developed and submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) prior to the enactment of FY2017 funding. Accounts in the Budget therefore include the following disclaimer:6

Note.—A full-year 2017 appropriation for this account was not enacted at the time the budget was prepared; therefore, the budget assumes this account is operating under the Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 114–254). The amounts included for 2017 reflect the annualized level provided by the continuing resolution.

Senate and House Hearings on the FY2018 Budget Requests

Table 2 lists the dates of hearings of the legislative branch subcommittees in 2017. Prepared statements of witnesses were posted on the subcommittee websites.

Table 2. Dates of House and Senate Hearings on Legislative Branch Requests

 

House of Representatives

Senate

Senate

June 29, 2017

House of Representatives

May 17, 2017

U.S. Capitol Police

May 18, 2017

June 29, 2017a

Office of Compliance

Congressional Budget Office

b

June 21, 2017

Architect of the Capitol

May 17, 2017

June 7, 2017

Library of Congress, including the Congressional Research Service

May 18, 2017

June 7, 2017

Government Publishing Office

Government Accountability Office

June 21, 2017

Members/Public Witnesses

May 3, 2017c

Sources: CRS examination of House and Senate Appropriations Committee websites.

Notes:

a. The Capitol Police hearing had originally been scheduled for June 14, 2017, the date of a shooting at a practice for the Congressional Baseball Game.

b. A submitted "Statement for the Record Regarding CBO's Appropriation Request for Fiscal Year 2018" is available at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/115th-congress-2017-2018/reports/52798-fy18appropriationsstatement.pdf.

c. The House subcommittee announced that it would accept programmatic and language submissions from Members through May 30, 2017.

House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Legislative Branch Markup

On June 23, 2017, the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Legislative Branch held a markup of the FY2018 bill.

The subcommittee recommended $3.58 billion (a $100 million increase, or 2.8%, from the comparable FY2017 enacted level), not including Senate items, which are historically considered by the Senate.

No amendments were offered.

House Appropriations Committee Legislative Branch Markup

On June 29, 2017, the House Appropriations Committee met to mark up the FY2018 bill reported from its legislative branch subcommittee. The following amendments were considered:

The bill was reported out of committee by voice vote (H.R. 3162, H.Rept. 115-199).

Funding in Prior Years: Brief Overview and Trends

Legislative Branch: Historic Percentage of Total Discretionary Budget Authority

The percentage of total discretionary budget authority provided to the legislative branch has remained relatively stable at approximately 0.4% since at least FY1976.7 The maximum level, 0.48%, was in FY1995, and the minimum, 0.31%, was in FY2009.

FY2017

FY2017 funding was provided in Division I of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31), which was enacted on May 5, 2017. The $4.440 billion provided by the act represents a $77.0 million increase (+1.7%) from the FY2016 enacted level.

FY2016

FY2016 funding was provided in Division I of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113), which was enacted on December 18, 2015. The $4.363 billion provided by the act represented a $63.0 million increase (+1.5%) from the FY2015 enacted level.

FY2015

FY2015 funding was provided in Division H of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (P.L. 113-235), which was enacted on December 16, 2014. The $4.300 billion provided by the act represented an increase of $41.7 million (+1.0%) from FY2014.

FY2014

Neither a legislative branch appropriations bill nor a continuing appropriations resolution (CR) containing FY2014 funding was enacted prior to the beginning of the fiscal year on October 1, 2013. A funding gap, which resulted in a partial government shutdown, ensued for 16 days. The funding gap was terminated by the enactment of a CR (P.L. 113-46) on October 17, 2013. The CR provided funding through January 15, 2014.8 Following enactment of a temporary continuing resolution on January 15, 2014 (P.L. 113-73), a consolidated appropriations bill was enacted on January 17 (P.L. 113-76), providing $4.259 billion for the legislative branch for FY2014.

FY2013

FY2013 funding of approximately $4.061 billion was provided by P.L. 113-6, which was signed into law on March 26, 2013.9 The act funded legislative branch accounts at the FY2012 enacted level, with some exceptions (also known as "anomalies"), not including across-the-board rescissions required by Section 3004 of P.L. 113-6. Section 3004 was intended to eliminate any amount by which the new budget authority provided in the act exceeded the FY2013 discretionary spending limits in Section 251(c)(2) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-25) and the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-240). Subsequent to the enactment of P.L. 113-6, OMB calculated that additional rescissions of 0.032% of security budget authority and 0.2% of nonsecurity budget authority would be required. The act did not alter the sequestration reductions implemented on March 1, which reduced most legislative branch accounts by 5.0%.10 The accompanying OMB report indicated a dollar amount of budget authority to be canceled in each account containing nonexempt funds.11

FY2012 and Prior

Division G of the FY2012 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 112-74) provided $4.307 billion for the legislative branch. This level was $236.9 million below (-5.2%) the FY2011 enacted level. P.L. 112-10 provided $4.543 billion for legislative branch operations in FY2011. This level represented a $125.1 million decrease from the $4.668 billion provided in the FY2010 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-68) and the FY2010 Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-212). The FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act provided $4.402 billion. In FY2009, an additional $25.0 million was provided for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.12 P.L. 111-32, the FY2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act, also contained funding for a new Capitol Police radio system ($71.6 million) and additional funding for the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) ($2.0 million).13

As seen in Table 3, the FY2017 legislative branch budget, adjusted for inflation, remains below the FY2007 level. When compared to FY2010, which was the peak of legislative branch funding, the FY2017 level has decreased 4.9% when not adjusted for inflation and 14.9% when adjusted for inflation. Figure 1 shows the same information graphically, while also demonstrating the division of budget authority across the legislative branch in FY2017.

Table 3. Legislative Branch Funding, FY2007-FY2017: Current and Constant Dollars

(in billions of dollars)

Fiscal Year

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Current Dollars

3.852a

3.970

4.501b

4.669c

4.543d

4.307

4.061e

4.259

4.300

4.363

4.440

Constant Dollars

4.532

4.517

5.106

5.218

4.969

4.613

4.287

4.430

4.441

4.467

4.440

Source: CRS analysis of legislative branch appropriations acts and related budget documents.

Notes: These figures exclude permanent budget authorities, including funding for Member pay, that are not included in the annual legislative branch appropriations bill. Totals include supplementals and rescissions. Constant 2017 dollars calculated using the "Total Non-Defense" deflator in Table 10.1—Gross Domestic Product and Deflators Used in the Historical Tables: 1940–2022 in the President's FY2018 budget request.

a. This number contains appropriations provided by P.L. 110-5 (the Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007), and funding for the House of Representatives, Government Accountability Office, U.S. Capitol Police, Architect of the Capitol, and gratuity payments provided in P.L. 110-28 (the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007).

b. This number contains appropriations provided by P.L. 110-161 (the FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act), $25.0 million for the Government Accountability Office provided by P.L. 111-5 (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), and $73.6 million provided by P.L. 111-32 (the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009) for the U.S. Capitol Police and the Congressional Budget Office.

c. This number contains appropriations provided by P.L. 111-68 (the FY2010 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act), and $12.96 million in supplemental appropriations provided for the U.S. Capitol Police in P.L. 111-212 (the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2010).

d. This number does not include scorekeeping adjustment.

e. FY2013 level obtained from the CBO cost estimate for "Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 (H.J.Res. 59), Including the Amendment Reported by the House Committee on Rules on September 18, 2013 (H.Res. 352) Discretionary spending (in millions of dollars)", which lists a total for legislative branch budget authority of $4.061 billion, noting that it "includes effects of the 2013 sequestration." This bill contained a small anomaly for the legislative branch.

Figure 1. Legislative Branch Funding FY2007-FY2017: Current and Constant Dollars

(and distribution in FY2017)

Source: CRS analysis of legislative branch appropriations acts and related budget documents.

Notes: These figures exclude permanent budget authorities and contain supplementals and rescissions. Total does not include permanent budget authorities, including funding for Member pay, that are not included in the annual legislative branch appropriations bill. Total also excludes offsetting collections and authority to spend receipts. Constant 2017 dollars calculated using the "Total Non-Defense" deflator in Table 10.1—Gross Domestic Product and Deflators Used in the Historical Tables: 1940–2022 in the President's FY2018 budget request.

Figure 2 shows the timing of legislative branch appropriations actions, including the issuance of House and Senate reports, bill passage, and enactment, from FY1996 through FY2017. It shows that fiscal year funding for the legislative branch has been determined on or before October 1 five times during this period (FY1997, FY2000, FY2004, FY2006, and FY2010), with another two bills enacted during the first month of the fiscal year (FY1998 and FY1999), two in November (FY1996 and FY2002), six in December (FY2001, FY2005, FY2008, FY2012, FY2015, and FY2016), and seven in the next calendar year (FY2003, FY2007, FY2009, FY2011, FY2013, FY2014, and FY2017). FY2017 funding, enacted on May 5, 2017, represented the latest date of enactment during this period.

Figure 2. Timing of Legislative Branch Appropriations Consideration Since FY1996

Fiscal Year Consideration During the Calendar Year

Source: CRS analysis of data found on http://www.congress.gov.

Notes: When House and Senate action occurs on the same date, the House is shown first. The FY2010 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-68) is listed in this figure as stand-alone legislation (Division A), although it was also the vehicle for a continuing appropriations resolution (Division B). Each row represents consideration during the calendar year of the subsequent fiscal year spending bill (i.e., the calendar year 1992 row shows the timeline of consideration and passage of the FY1993 act). Arrows in the December column indicate consideration continued until the next calendar year.

FY2018 Legislative Branch Funding Issues

The following sections discuss the various legislative branch accounts.

During consideration of the legislative branch bills, the House and Senate conform to a "longstanding practice under which each body of Congress determines its own housekeeping requirements and the other concurs without intervention."14

As stated above, FY2018 legislative branch budget requests were generally developed and submitted to OMB prior to the determination of FY2017 funding, which was enacted on May 5, 2017.

Senate

Overall Funding

The Senate requested $948.3 million for FY2018, an 8.8% increase over the $871.2 million provided in FY2017.

Additional information on the Senate account is presented in Table 6.

Senate Committee Funding

Appropriations for Senate committees are contained in two accounts.

Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account15

The Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account (SOPOEA) provides each Senator with funds to administer an office. It consists of an administrative and clerical assistance allowance, a legislative assistance allowance, and an official office expense allowance. The funds may be used for any category of expenses, subject to limitations on official mail.

The Senate requested $452.6 million, $62.6 million above (+16.1%) the $390.0 million provided each year since FY2014.

House of Representatives

Overall Funding

The House requested $1.223 billion for FY2018, a 2.9% increase from the FY2017 enacted level of $1.189 billion. The House-reported level of $1.194 billion represents a $4.8 million increase (+0.4%).

Additional information on headings in the House of Representatives account is presented in Table 7.

For additional discussion of FY2018 funding, see the section on "FY2018 Legislative Branch Funding Issues."

House Committee Funding

Funding for House committees is contained in the appropriation heading "committee employees," which comprises two subheadings.

The first subheading contains funds for personnel and nonpersonnel expenses of House committees, except the Appropriations Committee, as authorized by the House in a committee expense resolution. The House requested $129.1 million (+1.6%). The House-reported bill contains $127.1 million, a continuation of the FY2017 level and an increase of 2.5% from the level provided in FY2014, FY2015, and FY2016.

The second subheading contained funds for the personnel and nonpersonnel expenses of the Committee on Appropriations. The House-requested and reported level is $23.2 million, a slight decrease ($45,000) from the level provided in FY2014, FY2015, and FY2016.

Members' Representational Allowance16

The Members' Representational Allowance is available to support Members in their official and representational duties.

The House-reported level of $562.6 million is a continuation of the FY2017 level and an increase of $8.3 million (+1.5%) from the level provided in FY2014, FY2015, and FY2016.

The committee report indicates that the recommended "level of funding will allow the MRAs to operate at authorized levels as approved by the Committee on House Administration."17

Administrative Provisions

The House requested the continuation of administrative provisions from prior years related to

These provisions, as well as a new provision amending the House Services Revolving Fund to allow for the collection of a fee from vendors for failure to abide by and maintain House security policies, were all included in the House-reported bill.

The FY2018 bill, as reported by the House Appropriations Committee, also contains a provision which would freeze Member salaries at the 2009 level. Member salaries are funded in a permanent appropriations account, and the legislative branch bill does not contain language funding or increasing Member pay. A provision prohibiting the automatic Member pay adjustments could be included in any bill, or be introduced as a separate bill.

Support Agency Funding

U.S. Capitol Police

The U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) are responsible for the security of the Capitol Complex, including, for example, the U.S. Capitol, the House and Senate office buildings, the U.S. Botanic Garden, and the Library of Congress buildings and adjacent grounds.

The USCP requested $422.3 million for FY2018, an increase of $29.0 million (+7.4%) from the $393.3 million the USCP received for FY2017.

The House-reported bill would provide $422.5 million (+7.4%).

Additional information on the USCP is presented in Table 8.

Appropriations for the police are contained in two accounts—a salaries account and a general expenses account. The salaries account contains funds for the salaries of employees; overtime pay; hazardous duty pay differential; and government contributions for employee health, retirement, Social Security, professional liability insurance, and other benefit programs. The general expenses account contains funds for expenses of vehicles; communications equipment; security equipment and its installation; dignitary protection; intelligence analysis; hazardous material response; uniforms; weapons; training programs; medical, forensic, and communications services; travel; relocation of instructors for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center; and other administrative and technical support, among other expenses.

Another appropriation relating to the Capitol Police appears within the Architect of the Capitol account for Capitol Police buildings and grounds. USCP requested $54.2 million, an increase of $34.1 million (+170.4%) from the $20.0 million provided in FY2017.

For additional discussion of FY2018 funding, see the section on "FY2018 Legislative Branch Funding Issues."

Administrative Provision

The Capitol Police requested one administrative provision, which would amend language in the United States Capitol Police Administrative Technical Corrections Act regarding terminations from employment (2 U.S.C. 1907(e)(1)). The House-reported bill did not include this provision.

Office of Compliance

The Office of Compliance is an independent and nonpartisan agency within the legislative branch. It was established to administer and enforce the Congressional Accountability Act, which was enacted in 1995.18 The act applies various employment and workplace safety laws to Congress and certain legislative branch entities.19

The Office of Compliance requested $4.1 million for FY2018, an increase of $97,000 (+2.5%). The House-reported bill would provide $3.96 million, a continuation of the level provided each year since FY2015.

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

CBO is a nonpartisan congressional agency created to provide objective economic and budgetary analysis to Congress. CBO cost estimates are required for any measure reported by a regular or conference committee that may vary revenues or expenditures.20

CBO requested $49.9 million, an increase of $3.4 million (+7.4%) from the $46.5 million provided in FY2017. The House-reported bill would provide $48.5 million (+4.3%).

Architect of the Capitol

The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the U.S. Capitol Complex, which includes the Capitol and its grounds, House and Senate office buildings, Library of Congress buildings and grounds, Capitol Power Plant, Botanic Garden, Capitol Visitor Center, and Capitol Police buildings and grounds. The Architect is responsible for the Supreme Court buildings and grounds, but appropriations for their expenses are not contained in the legislative branch appropriations bill.

Overall Funding Levels

Operations of the Architect are funded in the following 10 accounts: capital construction and operations, Capitol building, Capitol grounds, Senate office buildings, House office buildings, Capitol Power Plant, Library buildings and grounds, Capitol Police buildings and grounds, Capitol Visitor Center, and Botanic Garden.

The Architect requested $782.96 million for FY2018, an increase of $165.1 million (+26.7%) from the FY2017 level of $617.9 million.

The House Appropriations Committee Legislative Branch Subcommittee recommended $577.8 million, not including funding for the Senate office buildings. A manager's amendment adopted at the full committee markup (voice vote) increased this amount by $4.0 million (adjusting the House office buildings account).

The House-reported total of $581.8 million represents a $52.4 million increase (+9.9%) from the $529.5 million provided for similar items in FY2017.

Additional funding information on the individual AOC accounts is presented in Table 9.

Administrative Provisions

The AOC also requested two administrative provisions, which were included in the House-reported bill:

Library of Congress (LOC)

The Library of Congress serves simultaneously as Congress's parliamentary library and the de facto national library of the United States. Its broader services to the nation include the acquisition, maintenance, and preservation of a collection of more than 162.5 million analog items;21 service to the general public and scholarly and library communities; administration of U.S. copyright laws by its Copyright Office; and administration of a national program to provide reading material to the blind and physically handicapped. Its direct services to Congress include the provision of legal research and law-related services by the Law Library of Congress, and a broad range of activities by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), including in-depth and nonpartisan public policy research, analysis, and legislative assistance for Members and committees and their staff; congressional staff training; information and statistics retrieval; and continuing legal education for Members of both chambers and congressional staff.

The Library requested $703.4 million for FY2018,22 an increase of $71.5 million (+11.3%) from the $631.96 million provided in FY2017. These figures do not include additional authority to spend receipts.23

The House-reported bill would provide $648.0 million, an increase of $16.1 million (+2.5%).

The FY2018 budget contains the following headings:

The Architect's budget also contains funds for the Library buildings and grounds. For FY2018, $121.2 million was requested, an increase of $74.1 million (+157.4%) from the $47.1 million provided for FY2017. The House-reported bill would provide $76.1 million (+61.6%). Of this total, $45.0 million would be allocated for a collection storage module at Ft. Meade, MD.

Administrative Provisions

The Library requested

Due to timing, the budget request also included a provision establishing the Library of Congress National Collection Stewardship Fund, although this was included in the FY2017 act.

The reimbursable and revolving fund language was included in the House-reported bill.

Government Publishing Office (GPO)24

GPO requested, and the House-reported bill would provide, $117.1 million, the same level as provided in FY2017 and FY2016 and below the levels provided in FY2014 and FY2015.

GPO's budget authority is contained in three accounts.25

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

GAO responds to requests for studies of federal government programs and expenditures. GAO may also initiate its own work.27

GAO requested $590.7 million, an increase of $46.2 million (+8.5%) from the $544.5 million provided in FY2017. The House-reported bill would continue the FY2017 level.

These levels do not include offsetting collections ($23.4 million in FY2017; $23.8 million in the request and House-reported bill).28

Open World Leadership Center

The Open World Leadership Center administers a program that supports democratic changes in other countries by inviting their leaders to observe democracy and free enterprise in the United States. The first program was authorized by Congress in 1999 to support the relationship between Russia and the United States. The program encouraged young federal and local Russian leaders to visit the United States and observe its government and society.

Established at the Library of Congress as the Center for Russian Leadership Development in 2000, the center was renamed the Open World Leadership Center in 2003, when the program was expanded to include specified additional countries.29 In 2004, Congress further extended the program's eligibility to other countries designated by the center's board of trustees, subject to congressional consideration.30 The center is housed in the Library and receives services from the Library through an interagency agreement.

Open World requested $5.8 million for FY2018, an increase of $200,000 (+3.6%) from the FY2017 enacted level. The House-reported bill would continue the FY2017 enacted level of $5.6 million.

Prior Year Discussion of Location and Funding of Open World

The location and future of Open World, attempts to assess its effectiveness, and its inclusion in the legislative branch budget have been discussed at appropriations hearings and in report language for more than a decade. The funding level for Open World has also varied greatly during this period.

In FY2017, the House Appropriations Committee recommended $1.0 million (-82.1%) for expenses associated with shutting down the program. During full committee consideration, an amendment was offered and withdrawn to increase funding for this program. The committee report stated,31

For many years the Committee has had concern with the placement of the Open World Leadership Center (OWLC) in the Legislative Branch with it mirroring numerous similar or nearly identical programs administered by other Federal agencies. In this fiscal environment where our national debt exceeds $19 trillion, it is important to eliminate duplicative programs. The Committee has provided $1,000,000 to cover the cost associated with the shutdown of the OWLC. The Committee directs the Director to retain any necessary prior year funds in the Trust to cover any cost in excess of the $1,000,000 provided in this bill to be utilized for the orderly shutdown. The Director is further directed that the program termination is to be finalized within one year of enactment of the Legislative Branch fiscal year 2017 appropriation bill.

The Senate-reported FY2017 bill would have continued funding at the FY2016 level, and this level was continued in the FY2017 act.32

For FY2016, the House subcommittee mark proposed $1.0 million for an orderly shutdown of Open World. Language in the full committee print, released prior to the markup of the FY2016 bill, stated,33

The Committee believes given our current fiscal environment, and in light of both the lack of quantifiable results from the Open World Leadership Center and its duplication of programs more appropriately offered by the State Department, the program has long outlived its short-term intent. The Committee has provided an allocation to be used for the orderly shutdown during fiscal year 2016 of the Open World Leadership Center.

An amendment offered by Representative Fortenberry at the FY2016 full committee markup proposed to add $4.7 million for Open World, offset from funding for the "Architect of the Capitol, Capitol Power Plant" budget. The operations of Open World, including assessments of its impact, were discussed prior to the adoption (by voice vote) of the amendment. An amendment made in order by the House Rules Committee proposed the elimination of the $5.7 million included in the House-reported bill for Open World and would have applied the savings to the spending reduction account. The amendment, H.Amdt. 239, was agreed to (224-199). Open World was also the subject of two amendments proposed but not made in order by the House Rules Committee: (1) one amendment submitted would have redirected the $4.7 million added to Open World during the full committee markup back to the "Architect of the Capitol, Capitol Power Plant"; and (2) one amendment would have redirected $2.5 million from Open World to reinstitute the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA). The Senate-reported FY2016 bill would have provided $5.7 million, equivalent to the FY2015 level, and the FY2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act provided $5.6 million.

For FY2015, the House committee recommended $3.4 million, while the Senate committee recommended $5.7 million. Both reports discussed the conflict in Ukraine and Open World's activities in the region. The FY2015 act provided $5.7 million.

For FY2014, the House subcommittee mark would have provided $1.0 million. An amendment to restore funding for Open World to the FY2013 post-sequester level was debated and withdrawn during the full committee markup. The House committee report stated,

For many years the Committee has had concern with the placement of the Open World Leadership Center (OWLC) in the Legislative Branch. The Committee understands the program has some strong champions on the Committee. However, with further reductions being made to every program within the Legislative Branch, the Committee has provided $1,000,000 to cover the cost associated with the shutdown of the OWLC. The Committee directs the Executive Director of the OWLC to retain any necessary prior year funds in the Trust to cover any cost in excess of the $1,000,000 provided in this bill [to] be utilized for the orderly shutdown. The Executive Director is further directed that the program termination is to be finalized within one year of enactment of the Legislative Branch fiscal year 2014 appropriation bill.34

The FY2014 Senate-reported bill would have provided $4.0 million, as well as a provision allowing the Librarian of Congress to transfer up to $6.0 million in nonappropriated funds to Open World. The final enacted FY2014 level was $6.0 million.

The FY2013 House-reported bill would have provided $1.0 million, a decrease of $9.0 million (-90.0%), from the $10.0 million provided in FY2012 and requested for FY2013. The House report stated that this funding level would "cover the cost associated with the shutdown" and directed that "the program termination is to be finalized within one year of enactment of the Legislative Branch fiscal year 2013 appropriations bill."35 H.Amdt. 1281, agreed to by recorded vote (204-203, Roll no. 373), eliminated this funding. At the Senate FY2013 budget request hearing on March 1, 2012, the subcommittee discussed potential options for increasing private funding, including the hire of a development professional. The Senate-reported bill would have provided $10.0 million. The FY2013 act provided $8.0 million, not including sequestration or the across-the-board rescission.36

The House-passed FY2012 bill (H.R. 2551) would have provided $1.0 million, a decrease of 91.2% from FY2011. The House report stated, "The program has some strong champions on the Committee, but with reductions being made to most every program within the Federal budget the Committee has elected to shut down the program and recommends $1,000,000 for shutdown expenses."37 The Senate-reported bill, in contrast, would have provided $10.0 million (-12.1%). The Senate report stated that "despite the fiscal constraints of the budget this program is necessary for the promotion of democratic principles in countries with historically oppressive rule."38 The FY2012 act contained the Senate-reported level.

The FY2011 level of $11.4 million represented a decrease of $623,000 (-5.2%) from the $12.0 million provided for FY2010.

The FY2010 level represented a decrease of $1.9 million (-13.7%) from FY2009. Additionally, the FY2010 House Appropriations Committee report stated that "the Legislative Branch Subcommittee has been clear that it expects the Open World program to become financially independent of funding in this bill as soon as possible."39 This sentiment was also expressed in the conference report, which stated,

The conferees are fully supportive of expanded efforts of the Open World Center to raise private funding and expect this effort to reduce the requirements for funding from the Legislative Branch appropriations bill in future years. The Committees look forward to a report of progress being made by the Center's fundraising program prior to hearings on its fiscal year 2011 budget request.40

The FY2009 level of $13.9 million was a $4.92 million increase (+54.8%) from FY2008. The location within the legislative branch was discussed during a hearing on the FY2009 budget. Ambassador John O'Keefe, the executive director of Open World, testified that the program may attract different participants if associated with the executive branch rather than the Library of Congress, which may be seen as more neutral and nonpartisan.41 The FY2009 explanatory statement directed the Open World Leadership Center Board of Trustees to work with the State Department and the judiciary to establish a shared funding mechanism.42

The $8.98 million provided in FY2008 represented a decrease of $4.88 million (-35.2%) from the $13.86 million provided in FY2007 and FY2006. The location of Open World was also discussed during the FY2008 appropriations cycle,43 and language was included in the FY2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act requiring Open World to prepare a report by March 31, 2008, on "potential options for transfer of the Open World Leadership Center to a department or agency in the executive branch, establishment of the Center as an independent agency in the executive branch, or other appropriate options."44

In 2004, GAO issued a report on the Open World program, examining program participation, purpose, and accountability.45

John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development

The center was created by Congress in 1988 to encourage public service by congressional staff through training and development programs.46 The FY2018 budget request and the House-reported bill contain $430,000, approximately the same level provided since FY2006.

General Provisions

As in past years, Congress is considering a number of general provisions related to the legislative branch. Table 4 lists the provisions considered, the stage originally proposed, and final disposition.

Table 4. General Provisions Considered for FY2018

(and stage of inclusion or status)

Provision to

Enacted in FY2017

Included in FY2018 Request

Included in House-Reported Bill

Included in Senate-Reported Bill

Enacted in FY2018

prohibit appropriated funds for the maintenance and care of private vehicles

Yes

Yes

Yes

 

 

limit funds to the fiscal year unless otherwise expressly provided

Yes

Yes

Yes

 

 

make any changes in rates of compensation and designation permanent

Yes

Yes

Yes

 

 

make consulting services contracts a matter of public record

Yes

Yes

Yes

 

 

authorize the costs of Legislative Branch Financial Managers Council (LBFMC)

Yes

Yes

Yes

 

 

limit transfers to those authorized by law

Yes

Yes

Yes

 

 

prohibit restrictions on guided staff tours of the Capitol with limited exceptions

Yes

Yes

Yes

 

 

prohibit a cost of living adjustment for Members of Congressa

Yesa
(by P.L. 114-254)

Noa

Yesa
(as House administrative provision)

 

 

require computer networks to block the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography

Yes

No

No

 

 

prohibit the use of funds for delivering printed copies of the United States House of Representatives Telephone Directory to the office of any Member of the House of Representatives

Yes
(as House administrative provision)

No

No

 

 

prohibit the use of funds for delivering a printed copy of the Budget of the United States Government; Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government; or the Appendix, Budget of the United States Government, to the office of any Member of the House

Yes
(as House administrative provision)

No

No

 

 

prohibit the use of funds for delivering a printed copy of the Federal Register to a Member of the House

Yes
(as House administrative provision)

No

No

 

 

Source: P.L. 115-31, the Budget for Fiscal Year 2018, H.Rept. 115-199, and CRS analysis.

Notes:

a. Members of Congress last received a pay adjustment in January 2009. Absent either a statutory prohibition for Member pay or automatic limitations related to the General Schedule (GS), Members of Congress are scheduled to receive a maximum adjustment of 1.8%, or $3,100, in January 2018. The legislative branch bill does not contain language funding or increasing Member pay, and a provision prohibiting the automatic Member pay adjustments could be included in any bill, or be introduced as a separate bill.

Introduction to Summary Tables and Appendix

Table 5 through Table 9 provide information on funding levels for the legislative branch overall, the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Capitol Police, and the Architect of the Capitol.

The tables are followed by an Appendix, which lists House, Senate, and conference bills and reports; public law numbers; and enactment dates since FY1998.

Table 5. Legislative Branch Appropriations: Funding Levels by Agency or Entity

(in thousands of dollars)

Entity

FY2017 Enacted

FY2018 Requested

FY2018
House-
Reported

FY2018 Senate-Reported

FY2018 Enacted

Title 1: Legislative Branch Appropriations

Senate

$871,177

$948,258

a

 

 

House of Representatives

1,189,223b

1,223,187

1,194,049

 

 

Joint Itemsc

19,565c

20,654

19,940

 

 

Capitol Police

393,300

422,307

422,500

 

 

Office of Compliance

3,959

4,056

3,959

 

 

Congressional Budget Office

46,500

49,945

48,500

 

 

Architect of the Capitola

617,887

782,956

581,837

 

 

Library of Congress, Including CRS

631,958

703,420

648,027

 

 

CRS (non-add)

107,945

119,279

111,474

 

 

Government Publishing Office

117,068

117,068

117,068

 

 

Government Accountability Office

544,506

590,678

544,506

 

 

Open World Leadership Center

5,600

5,800

5,600

 

 

Stennis Center for Public Service

430

430

430

 

 

Administrative Provisions

-1,000

0

-2,000

 

 

Other Scorekeeping Adjustments

0

-4,000

-4,000

 

 

Title II: General Provisions

0

0

0

 

 

Legislative Branch, Total

$4,440,173

$4,864,759

$3,580,416a

 

 

Source: P.L. 115-31, the Budget for Fiscal Year 2018, H.Rept. 115-199, and CRS calculations.

Notes:

a. By tradition, the House does not consider appropriations for Senate operations or Senate office buildings and the Senate does not consider appropriations for House operations or House office buildings.

b. This total includes one gratuity payment of $174,000.

c. The FY2018 request contains the following under "Joint Items": the Joint Economic Committee, the Joint Committee on Taxation, the Office of the Attending Physician, and the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services.

Table 6. Senate Appropriations

(in thousands of dollars)

Accounts

FY2017 Enacted

FY2018 Requested

FY2018
Housea

FY2018 Senate-Reported

FY2018 Enacted

Payments—Heirs of Deceased Members of Congress

$0

$0

 

 

Expense Allowances and Representation

205

205

 

 

Salaries, Officers, and Employees

182,287

190,530

 

 

Office of Legislative Counsel

5,809

6,115

 

 

Office of Legal Counsel

1,120

1,147

 

 

Expense Allowances for Secretary of Senate et al.

28

28

 

 

Contingent Expenses (subtotal)

681,728

750,233

 

 

Inquiries and Investigations

133,265

135,799

 

 

Senate Intl. Narcotics Caucus

508

520

 

 

Secretary of the Senateb

10,250

10,536

 

 

Sergeant at Arms/Doorkeeperc

126,535

131,573

 

 

Miscellaneous Items

20,870

18,870

 

 

Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account

390,000

452,635

 

 

Official Mail Costs

300

300

 

 

Senate, Total

$871,177

$948,258

 

 

Source: P.L. 115-31, the Budget for Fiscal Year 2018, and CRS calculations.

Notes:

a. By tradition, the House does not consider appropriations for Senate operations.

b. Office operations of the Office of the Secretary of the Senate are also funded under "Salaries, Officers, and Employees."

c. Office operations of the Office of Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper are also funded under "Salaries, Officers, and Employees."

Table 7. House of Representatives Appropriations

(in thousands of dollars)

Accounts

FY2017 Enacted

FY2018 Requested

FY2018
House-Reported

FY2018 Senate-Reporteda

FY2018 Enacted

Payments—Heirs of Deceased Members of Congressb

$174b

 

House Leadership Offices

22,278

22,278

22,278

 

Members' Representational Allowance

562,632

567,000

562,632

 

Committee Employees (subtotal)

150,324

152,288

150,279

 

Standing Committees, Special and Select, except Appropriations

127,053

129,062

127,053

 

Appropriations Committee

23,271

23,226

23,226

 

Salaries, Officers, and Employees (subtotal)

181,487

202,796

198,156

 

Office of the Clerk

26,268

28,421

27,945

 

Office of the Sergeant at Arms

15,505

18,076

20,505

 

Office of Chief Administrative Officer

117,165

133,635

127,165

 

Office of Inspector General

4,963

5,037

4,968

 

Office of General Counsel

1,444

1,492

1,492

 

Office of the Parliamentarian

1,999

2,037

2,037

 

Office of the Law Revision Counsel

3,167

3,261

3,209

 

Office of the Legislative Counsel

8,979

9,437

9,437

 

Office of Interparliamentary Affairs

814

816

814

 

Other Authorized Employees

1,183

584

584

 

Allowances and Expenses (subtotal)

272,328

278,825

260,704

 

Supplies, Materials, Administrative Costs and Federal Tort Claims

3,625

3,625

3625

 

Official Mail for committees, leadership, administrative and legislative offices

190

190

190

 

Government Contributions

245,334

251,630

233,540

 

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Emergency Appropriations

16,217

16,186

16,186

 

Transition Activities

2,084

2,273

2,273

 

Wounded Warrior Programc

2,500

2,500

2,500

 

Office of Congressional Ethics

1,658

1,699

1,670

 

Miscellaneous Items

720

722

720

 

House of Representatives, Total

$1,189,223d

$1,223,187

$1,194,049

 

Sources: P.L. 115-31, the Budget for Fiscal Year 2018, H.Rept. 115-199, and CRS calculations.

Notes: Numbers may not sum due to rounding.

a. By tradition, the Senate does not consider appropriations for House operations.

b. The FY2017 gratuity payment was provided in P.L. 114-223.

c. The House Wounded Warrior Program, which is operated through the House of Representatives Chief Administrative Officer's office, provides two-year paid fellowships within the House of Representatives for disabled veterans. Fellows are eligible for the benefits of other House employees. The program has received funding since FY2009. Additional information is available at http://cao.house.gov/wounded-warrior.

d. Total including the "Payments—Heirs of Deceased Members of Congress."

Table 8. Capitol Police Appropriations

(in thousands of dollars)

Accounts

FY2017
Enacted

FY2018 Requested

FY2018
House-
Reported

FY2018 Senate-Reported

FY2018 Enacted

Salaries, Capitol Police

$325,300

$347,096

$347,700

 

 

General Expenses

68,000

75,211

74,800

 

 

Capitol Police, Total

$393,300

$422,307

$422,500

 

 

Source: P.L. 115-31, the Budget for Fiscal Year 2018, H.Rept. 115-199, and CRS calculations.

Table 9. Architect of the Capitol Appropriations

(in thousands of dollars)

Accounts

FY2017
Enacted

FY2018 Requested

FY2018
House- Reported

FY2018 Senate-Reported

FY2018 Enacted

Capital construction and operations

$92,957

$98,360

$93,000

 

 

Capitol building

32,584

54,898

45,300

 

 

Capitol grounds

12,826

14,279

13,333

 

 

Senate office buildings

88,406

110,037

a

 

 

House of Representatives

 

 

 

 

 

House office buildings

185,731

176,948

169,294

b

 

House Historic Buildings Revitalization Fund

17,000

10,000

10,000

b

 

Capitol Power Plantc

86,646

108,205

106,694

 

 

Library buildings and grounds

47,080

121,182

76,097

 

 

Capitol Police buildings and grounds

20,033

54,177

33,249

 

 

Botanic garden

14,067

13,400

13,400

 

 

Capitol Visitor Center

20,557

21,470

21,470

 

 

Architect of the Capitol, Total

$617,887

$782,956

$581,837

 

 

Source: P.L. 115-31, the Budget for Fiscal Year 2018, H.Rept. 115-199, and CRS calculations.

Notes:

a. The House does not consider appropriations for Senate office buildings.

b. The Senate does not consider appropriations for House office buildings.

c. Not including offsetting collections.

Appendix. Fiscal Year Information and Resources

Table A-1. Overview of Legislative Branch Appropriations: FY1998-FY2017

House, Senate, Conference, and CRS Reports and Related Legislative Vehicles

Fiscal Year

House

Senate

Conference

Enactment Date
and Public Law

Enactment
Vehicle Title

CRS
Report

2017

H.Rept. 114-594
(H.R. 5325) (H.Res. 771)

S.Rept. 114-258
(S. 2955)

explanatory materials inserted into the Congressional Record
(H.R. 244)

5/5/2017
(P.L. 115-31)

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017

CRS Report R44515, Legislative Branch: FY2017 Appropriations

2016

H.Rept. 114-110 (H.R. 2250)
(H.Res. 271)

S.Rept. 114-64 (H.R. 2250)

explanatory materials inserted into the Congressional Record

12/18/2015
(P.L. 114-113)

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016

CRS Report R44029, Legislative Branch: FY2016 Appropriations

2015

H.Rept. 113-417 (H.R. 4487)
(H.Res. 557)

S.Rept. 113-196
(H.R. 4487)

explanatory materials inserted into the Congressional Record
(H.R. 83)

12/16/2014
(P.L. 113-235)

Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015

CRS Report R43557, Legislative Branch: FY2015 Appropriations

2014

H.Rept. 113-173 (H.R. 2792)

S.Rept. 113-70 (S. 1283)

explanatory materials inserted into the Congressional Record
(H.R. 3547)

1/17/2014
(P.L. 113-76)

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014

CRS Report R43151, Legislative Branch: FY2014 Appropriations

2013

H.Rept. 112-511
(H.R. 5882) (H.Res. 679)

S.Rept. 112-197
(H.R. 5882)

___

3/26/2013
(P.L. 113-6)

Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013

CRS Report R42500, Legislative Branch: FY2013 Appropriations

2012

H.Rept. 112-148
(H.R. 2551)

S.Rept. 112-80 (H.R. 2551)

H.Rept. 112-331
(H.R. 2055)

12/23/2011
(P.L. 112-74)

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012

CRS Report R41870, Legislative Branch: FY2012 Appropriations

2011

___

S.Rept. 111-294
(S. 3799)

___

4/15/2011
(P.L. 112-10)

Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011

CRS Report R41214, Legislative Branch: FY2011 Appropriations

2010

H.Rept. 111-160
(H.R. 2918)

S.Rept. 111-29
(S. 1294)

H.Rept. 111-265
(H.R. 2918)

10/1/2009
(P.L. 111-68)

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2010

CRS Report R40617, Legislative Branch: FY2010 Appropriations

2009

___

___

explanatory materials inserted into the Congressional Record and issued in a committee print
(H.R. 1105)

3/11/2009
(P.L. 111-8)

Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009

CRS Report RL34490, Legislative Branch: FY2009 Appropriations

2008

H.Rept. 110-198
(H.R. 2771)

S.Rept. 110-89
(S. 1686)

explanatory materials inserted into the Congressional Record
(H.R. 2764)

12/26/2007
(P.L. 110-161)

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008

CRS Report RL34031, Legislative Branch: FY2008 Appropriations

2007

H.Rept. 109-485
(H.R. 5521)

S.Rept. 109-267
(H.R. 5521)

___

2/15/2007
(P.L. 110-5)

Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007

CRS Report RL33379, Legislative Branch: FY2007 Appropriations

2006

H.Rept. 109-139
(H.R. 2985)

S.Rept. 109-89 (H.R. 2985)

H.Rept. 109-189
(H.R. 2985)

8/02/2005
(P.L. 109-55)

FY2006 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act

CRS Report RL32819, Legislative Branch: FY2006 Appropriations

2005

H.Rept. 108-577
(H.R. 4755)

S.Rept. 108-307
(S. 2666)

H.Rept. 108-792
(H.R. 4818)

12/8/2004
(P.L. 108-447)

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005

CRS Report RL32312, Appropriations for FY2005: Legislative Branch

2004

H.Rept. 108-186
(H.R. 2657)

S.Rept. 108-88
(S. 1383)

H.Rept. 108-279
(H.R. 2657)

9/30/2003
(P.L. 108-83)

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2004

CRS Report RL31812, Appropriations for FY2004: Legislative Branch

2003

H.Rept. 107-576
(H.R. 5121)

S.Rept. 107-209
(S. 2720)

___

2/20/2003
(P.L. 108-7)

Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003

CRS Report RL31312, Appropriations for FY2003: Legislative Branch

2002

H.Rept. 107-169
(H.R. 2647)

S.Rept. 107-37
(S. 1172)

H.Rept. 107-259
(H.R. 2647)

11/12/2001
(P.L. 107-68)

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2002

CRS Report RL31012, Appropriations for FY2002: Legislative Branch

2001

H.Rept. 106-635
(H.R. 4516)

S.Rept. 106-304
(S. 2603)

H.Rept. 106-796
(H.R. 4516, incorporated into H.R. 4577)

12/21/2000
(P.L. 106-554)

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001

CRS Report RL30512, Appropriations for FY2001: Legislative Branch

2000

H.Rept. 106-156
(H.R. 1905)

S.Rept. 106-75
(S. 1206)

H.Rept. 106-290
(H.R. 1905)

9/29/1999
(P.L. 106-57)

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2000

CRS Report RL30212, Appropriations for FY2000: Legislative Branch

1999

H.Rept. 105-595
(H.R. 4112)

S.Rept. 105-204
S. 2137)

H.Rept. 105-734
(H.R. 4112)

10/21/1998
(P.L. 105-275)

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1999

CRS Report 98-212, Appropriations for FY1999: Legislative Branch

1998

H.Rept. 105-196
(H.R. 2209)

S.Rept. 105-47
(S. 1019)

H.Rept. 105-254
(H.R. 2209)

10/7/1997
(P.L. 105-55)

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1998

CRS Report 97-212, Appropriations for FY1998: Legislative Branch

Source: Congressional Research Service examination of LIS.

Author Contact Information

[author name scrubbed], Specialist on the Congress ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])

Acknowledgments

Amber Wilhelm assisted in the preparation of the figures.

Footnotes

1.

U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Legislative Branch, Legislative Branch, 2018, report to accompany H.R. 3162, 115th Cong., 1st sess., July 6, 2017, H.Rept. 115-199 (Washington: GPO, 2017), p. 3.

2.

Ibid. See also the Members' Congressional Handbook, https://cha.house.gov/handbooks/members-congressional-handbook#Members-Handbook-Office-Expenses-DO-Security.

3.

Federal Election Commission, Advisory Opinion 2017-07, July 13, 2017, https://www.fec.gov/files/legal/aos/83386.pdf.

4.

Office of Management and Budget, Appendix, Budget of the United States Government, FY2018 (Washington: GPO, 2017), pp. 13-44, available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2017/assets/leg.pdf.

5.

Pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1105, "Estimated expenditures and proposed appropriations for the legislative branch and the judicial branch to be included in each budget ... shall be submitted to the President ... and included in the budget by the President without change." Division C of the FY2012 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 112-74) added language to 31 U.S.C. 1107 relating to budget amendments, stating: "The President shall transmit promptly to Congress without change, proposed deficiency and supplemental appropriations submitted to the President by the legislative branch and the judicial branch."

6.

Office of Management and Budget, Appendix, Budget of the United States Government, FY2018 (Washington: GPO, 2017), pp. 13-44, available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2017/assets/leg.pdf.

7.

Calculations by CRS with data from Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Historical Tables, Budget of the United States Government, FY2018, Table 5.4—Discretionary Budget Authority By Agency: 1976–2022, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals. The calculations have some limitations, since the OMB data do not completely align with items funded in the annual and supplemental legislative branch appropriations acts. The differences may be partially traced to the definition of "legislative branch" in the OMB Public Budget Database user's guide. Some entities regularly included with the legislative branch in many OMB budget documents, like the United States Tax Court and some Legislative Branch Boards and Commissions, are not funded through the annual legislative branch appropriations acts. Consequently, an examination of the discretionary budget authority listed in the Historical Tables reveals some differences with the reported total budget authority provided in the annual legislative branch appropriations acts. The difference in legislative branch budget authority resulting from the different definitions of the legislative branch in the OMB budget documents and in the appropriations acts, however, does not represent a significant difference in the proportion of total discretionary budget authority.

8.

The legislative branch previously experienced a funding gap in FY1996 (November 14-18, 1995).

9.

FY2013 level from the CBO cost estimate for "Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 (H.J.Res. 59), Including the Amendment Reported by the House Committee on Rules on September 18, 2013 (H.Res. 352)" at http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/hjres59amendment.pdf, which lists a total for legislative branch budget authority of $4.061 billion, noting that it "includes effects of the 2013 sequestration." This bill contained a small anomaly for the legislative branch.

10.

White House, President Obama, Sequestration Order for Fiscal Year 2013 Pursuant to Section 251A of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, As Amended, March 1, 2013, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/2013sequestration-order-rel.pdf.

11.

Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget, OMB Report to the Congress on the Joint Committee Sequestration for Fiscal Year 2013, March 1, 2013, http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/legislative_reports/fy13ombjcsequestrationreport.pdf.

12.

P.L. 111-5, February 17, 2009, 123 Stat. 191.

13.

U.S. Congress, conference committee, Making Supplemental Appropriations for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2009, and for Other Purposes, report to accompany H.R. 2346, 111th Cong., 1st sess., H.Rept. 111-151 (Washington: GPO, 2009), p. 117.

14.

For example: U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Legislative Branch, Legislative Branch, 2016, report to accompany H.R. 2250, 114th Cong., 1st sess., June 11, 2015, S.Rept. 114-64 (Washington: GPO, 2015), p. 4.

15.

For additional information, see CRS Report R44399, Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account (SOPOEA): History and Usage, by [author name scrubbed].

16.

For additional information, see CRS Report R40962, Members' Representational Allowance: History and Usage, by [author name scrubbed].

17.

U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Legislative Branch, Legislative Branch, 2018, report to accompany H.R. 3162, 115th Cong., 1st sess., July 6, 2017, H.Rept. 115-199 (Washington: GPO, 2017), p. 5.

18.

P.L. 104-1, 109 Stat. 3, January 23, 1995. The act, as amended, applies 12 civil rights, labor, and workplace safety laws to Congress and certain legislative branch agencies. These laws are the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Employee Polygraph Protection Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, Federal Services Labor-Management Relations Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Rehabilitation Act of 1970, Veterans' employment and reemployment rights at Chapter 43 of Title 38 of the U.S. Code, Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act, and Veterans Employment Opportunities Act.

19.

Among the office's activities are administration of a dispute resolution process, investigation and enforcement of occupational safety and health and disability provisions of the act, investigation of labor relations and enforcement of applicable provisions, and development of educational programs regarding the act's provisions.

20.

The Congressional Budget Office is required to use estimates provided by the Joint Committee on Taxation for all revenue legislation (Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, P.L. 99-177, §273, 99 Stat.1098, December 12, 1985; 2 U.S.C. §621 (et seq.)).

21.

Figure obtained from the Annual Report of the Librarian of Congress for Fiscal Year 2015, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, 2015, p. 9. Available at https://www.loc.gov/portals/static/about/reports-and-budgets/documents/annual-reports/fy2015.pdf.

22.

Total includes a CBO estimate of a requested administrative provision related to the copyright office.

23.

An example of receipts is fees paid to the LOC for copyright registration.

24.

Formerly known as the Government Printing Office. For additional information on GPO, see CRS Report R40897, Congressional Printing: Background and Issues for Congress, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed].

25.

The FY2015 act renamed these accounts: (1) the former congressional printing and binding account was renamed congressional publishing, (2) the former Office of Superintendent of Documents (salaries and expenses) account was renamed Public Information Programs of the Superintendent of Documents (salaries and expenses), and (3) the revolving fund was renamed the Government Publishing Office Business Operations Revolving Fund.

26.

For additional information, see CRS Report R40939, Legislative Branch Revolving Funds, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed].

27.

GAO's guidelines for initiating studies are contained in U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO's Congressional Protocols, GAO-04-310G (Washington: GAO, 2004). Posted on the website of the Government Accountability Office at http://www.gao.gov/special.pubs/d04310g.pdf.

28.

Offsetting collections include funds derived from reimbursable audits and rental of space in the GAO building.

29.

P.L. 106-554, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A-120, December 21, 2000; P.L. 108-7, 117 Stat. 382, February 20, 2003. According to the 2003 act, the additional countries include "any country specified in §3 of the FREEDOM Support Act (22 U.S.C. 5801)," and "Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania." The countries specified in 22 U.S.C. 5801 are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

30.

P.L. 108-447, 118 Stat. 3192, December 8, 2004.

31.

U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Legislative Branch Appropriations, 2017, report to accompany H.R. 5325, 114th Cong., 2nd sess., May 25, 2016, H.Rept. 114-594 (Washington: GPO, 2016).

32.

Additionally, a budget amendment submitted by Open World on April 5, 2016, would have added "language inadvertently omitted" in the budget request, which would "add senior immediately before 'officials'." Neither the FY2017 act, nor the House-passed and Senate-reported bills, included this change.

33.

Available at http://appropriations.house.gov/uploadedfiles/hrpt-114-hr-fy2016-legbranch.pdf.

34.

U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, FY2014 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, H.Rept. 113-173, report to accompany H.R. 2792 (Washington: GPO, 2013), p. 20.

35.

U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, FY2013 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, H.Rept. 112-511, report to accompany H.R. 5882 (Washington: GPO, 2012), p. 42.

36.

The rescission equaled 0.032% for security programs, as defined by 250(c)(4)(B) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

37.

U.S. Congress, House Appropriations Committee, FY2012 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, report to accompany H.R. 2551, H.Rept. 112-148 (Washington: GPO, 2011), p. 28.

38.

U.S. Congress, Senate Appropriations Committee, FY2012 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, report to accompany H.R. 2551, S.Rept. 112-80 (Washington: GPO, 2011), p. 45.

39.

U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Appropriations, Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, 2010, H.Rept. 111-160, (Washington: GPO, 2009), p. 29.

40.

U.S. Congress, Legislative Branch Appropriations, 2010, H.Rept. 111-265, conference report to accompany H.R. 2918 (Washington: GPO, 2009), p. 42.

41.

Testimony of Ambassador John O'Keefe, executive director, U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch, Legislative Branch Appropriations for 2009, hearings, 110th Cong., 2nd sess., March 12, 2008 (Washington: GPO, 2008), pp. 359-420.

42.

Congressional Record, February 23, 2009, p. H2398.

43.

In H.R. 2771 (110th Cong.), the House-passed version of the FY2008 appropriations bill, the House Appropriations Committee recommended $6.0 million for Open World. The committee report stated that an additional $6.0 million would be provided for transfer to Open World in the FY2008 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriation. The House-passed bill, which retained the committee-recommended funding level, also contained an administrative provision transferring the Open World Leadership Center to the Department of State effective October 1, 2008. The Senate-reported bill (S. 1686, 110th Cong.) would have provided $13.5 million in new budget authority for Open World.

44.

P.L. 110-161, 121 Stat. 2251, December 26, 2007.

45.

Available at http://gao.gov/assets/250/241737.pdf.

46.

2 U.S.C. 1105. See also http://www.stennis.gov/.