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1 1 (August 5, 2015)

handle is hein.crs/govccwz0001 and id is 1 raw text is: FF. ' -iE S .r . i , August 5, 2015 House Committee Funding and Process, 114th Congress Funding for House committees (except for the Committee on Appropriations) follows a two-step process of authorization and appropriation. Operating budgets for all standing and select committees of the House (except for the Committee on Appropriations) are authorized pursuant to a chamber funding resolution, and funding is provided by annual appropriations in the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill and other appropriations acts. On March 19, 2015, the House agreed by voice vote to H.Res. 132, which authorized a total of $248.1 million for committee expenses, including $124.1 million for the first session of the 114th Congress and $124.0 million for the second session. The use of committee funds is subject to chamber rules, law, and regulations promulgated by the Committee on House Administration, the Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards, and the Ethics Committee, among other House entities. These regulations may be found in a wide variety of sources, including statute, House rules, committee resolutions, the Committee Handbook, the Franking Manual, the House Ethics Manual, Dear Colleague letters, and formal and informal guidance. Committee funds may only be used to support the conduct of official committee business. They may not be used for personal or campaign purposes, or comingled with any Members' Representational Allowance (MRA). Information on individual committee spending is published quarterly in the Statements ofDisbursement of the House. Pursuant to House Rule X, clause 6, the Committee on House Administration reports an omnibus, biennial primary expense resolution' to cover the expenses of each standing and select committee of the House, except the Committee on Appropriations. In preparation for the biennial resolution, House committees (except the Appropriations Committee) are required by regulations of the Committee on House Administration to submit an operating budget request for the two years of a Congress. Each committee is also required to introduce a House resolution with its proposed authorization. These actions typically take place during late February, with committees typically approving their budgets at a committee organizing meeting. The individual resolutions are referred to the Committee on House Administration, which may hold hearings on each committee's request. The chair and the ranking minority Member from each committee are typically the only witnesses who testify at these hearings, giving them an opportunity to explain and defend their budgets. After completion of the hearings, the chair of the Committee on House Administration introduces the omnibus funding resolution for that two-year Congress, which, after its referral to the Committee on House Administration, serves as the legislative vehicle for committee markup. The resolution is typically reported out of committee without amendment. The primary expense resolution is usually considered by the House in March of the first session of a Congress, and agreed to with little debate. Prior to this consideration, during the first three months of each new Congress, House Rule X, clause 7, authorizes House committees to continue operations at funding levels based on their authorizations from the preceding Congress. Under Rule X, clause 7, this interim funding may not exceed, per month, 9% of the previous year's funding. Figure 1 reports the aggregate committee funding authorization level from 1996-2016, in both nominal and real dollars. Since 1996, aggregate committee funding has increased by slightly more than 56%, from $79.4 million in 1996 to $124.0 million in 2016, for an average annual increase of 2.8%. In constant dollars, however, aggregate funding has increased 1% between 1996 and 2015, for an annual average real increase of less than one-tenth of 1%. Figure I. Aggregate House Committee Authorizations, 101 st - I 14th Congresses 1St. miler, $140 120 ~ Contal Con Thnt I299, 2C-0 2004 2008 201? Source: House Committee Funding Resolutions, 101 st I 14th Congress. Funding for House committees is provided in the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. Line-item appropriations are not made for individual committees, except the Committee on Appropriations. Instead, funding is provided as a single total amount for all committees, under the heading Committee Employees and the subheading Standing Committees, Special and Select, within the House account Salaries and Expenses. Consequently, the amount appropriated for committee funding places a ceiling on total committee expenditures, gognpo goo g , q 'S a X 11LULANJILiN,

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