Thank you, Chairman Yoder, Ranking Member Ryan, and Chairman Frelinghuysen, for your work on this bill. I want to start by congratulating our minority counsel Adam Berg on the birth of his second daughter, Leila.
The FY 2018 Omnibus was an important first step in digging many agencies in our legislative branch out of the hole caused by sequestration. This bill continues on that path with a $180 million increase for a total of $4.88 billion in Fiscal Year 2019 though it falls $24.9 million below the revised budget request. These investments are critical to the efficacy of the Legislative Branch; however, I cannot say that everything in this bill is perfect.
For example, the Library of Congress would receive $709.9 million, $3.8 million above the revised request. However, outside of a very generous $20 million for the Librarian’s very worthwhile Visitor Experience Initiative, the Library’s salaries and expenses would be $6.2 million below the request - which would require the Library to absorb employees’ mandatory cost of living adjustments. It is irresponsible to force the Library to leave positions unfilled and reduce Library operations such as cleaning services when we have the ability to fund them adequately.
I also wish it invested more in Congress as an institution. When we don’t keep pace with the private sector, the Executive Branch, and frankly the Senate, we lose, or fail to attract, talented professionals who are essential to the legislative process, and we strain the House’s ability to serve the American people. Mr. Chairman, I am also interested in the change regarding the Office of the Former Speaker from five years to one year. I have a request from Leader Pelosi, who as we know is a former Speaker, that asks that we do away with funding the office at all. As we move to full committee, I hope the majority will work with us on concerns.
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
