[House Hearing, 116 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
H. RES. 245, PROVIDING FOR THE EXPENSES OF CERTAIN COMMITTEES OF THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS; AND
COMMITTEE RESOLUTION 116 09, A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE FRANKED MAIL
ALLOWANCES FOR COMMITTEES FOR THE 116TH CONGRESS
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HEARING
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
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MARCH 25, 2019
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Printed for the use of the Committee on House Administration
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Available on the Internet:
https://www.govinfo.gov/committee/house-administration
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H. RES. 245, PROVIDING FOR THE EXPENSES OF CERTAIN COMMITTEES OF THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS; AND
COMMITTEE RESOLUTION 116-09, A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE FRANKED MAIL
ALLOWANCES FOR COMMITTEES FOR THE 116TH CONGRESS
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MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2019
House of Representatives,
Committee on House Administration,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to call, at 7:15 p.m., in Room
1310, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Zoe Lofgren
[chairperson of the Committee] presiding.
Present: Representatives Lofgren, Raskin, Davis of
California, Butterfield, Fudge, Aguilar, Davis of Illinois, and
Walker.
Staff Present: Jamie Fleet, Staff Director; Eddie Flaherty,
Director of Operations; Sean Jones, Legislative Clerk; David
Tucker, Parliamentarian; Khalil Abboud, Deputy Staff Director;
Veleter Mazyck, Chief of Staff, Office of Representative Fudge;
Peter Whippy, Communications Director; Lisa Sherman, Chief of
Staff, Office of Representative Susan Davis; Brandon Mendoza,
Legislative Assistant; Evan Dorner, Office of Representative
Aguilar; Julie Tagen, Chief of Staff; Laura Doney, Office of
Representative Raskin; Jen Daulby, Minority Staff Director;
Brittany Randall, Minority Professional Staff; Tim Monahan,
Minority Professional Staff; Carson Steelman, Minority Staff
Assistant, Office of Representative Walker; Courtney Parella,
Minority Communications Director; and Susannah Johnston,
Minority Legislative Assistant.
The Chairperson. A quorum being present, the Committee will
come to order, and I would like to thank the Members of the
Committee for attending this evening, and we shall work as
expeditiously as we can.
Today we will consider H. Res. 245, The Primary Expense
Resolution for the 116th Congress, and Committee Resolution
116-09 to approve franked mail allowances for committees. The
funding resolution represents a best effort between what is
needed and what is available. In determining these
authorizations, the Committee consulted with the Appropriations
Committee to determine the most prudent overall amount,
understanding that we are working under an appropriation that
was enacted last fall.
We have increased the amount available in the reserve fund
for the second session to better enable this Committee working
together, to meet new responsibilities of the committees', and
to give us the ability to move quickly, assuming there is a new
appropriation enacted this fall.
It is my intention to work closely with Ranking Member
Davis to reach agreement on expenditures from the reserve fund,
and if, for some reason, we are not able to reach agreement,
then it is my intention that expenditures will be subject to a
vote of the Committee.
In addition to considering the primary expense resolution,
we will also consider Committee Resolution 116-09 to approve
franked mail allowances for committees for the 116th Congress.
This resolution enables committees to meet their incidental
postal needs. These levels have proved more than sufficient in
previous Congresses.
I am now pleased to recognize our Ranking Member, Mr.
Davis, for any opening statement he may have before we proceed
to the business part of our meeting.
Mr. Davis of Illinois. Well, thank you, Madam Chairperson.
I would like to start by saying I appreciate the bipartisanship
and the sensibility that I saw during this committee funding
resolution process. The funding resolution that is being marked
up today is a very reasonable one. It balances the reality that
many of our committees need more resources to effectively do
their work with the fact that we as an institution have to
operate within our fiscal reality.
When I first reviewed the budget request from our standing
and select committees, it stood out to me that several
committees were asking for increases of more than 15 percent,
and in some cases, the asks were above 25 percent. As well-
intentioned as those requests might be, they are simply not
reasonable or sustainable. What the majority is proposing
equates to an average increase per committee of about 3.8
percent. The resolution, as drafted, gives the largest
percentage increase to the Ethics Committee for the purpose of
updating the Ethics Manual, which I believe is a worthwhile
endeavor that is long overdue.
Additionally, I am pleased to see the inclusion of language
that gives this Committee the authority to have Committee
chairs and ranking members come before us to do a mid-Congress
check-in on resource usage. This will give us the ability to
make informed decisions on any needed adjustments in the second
session.
I must note one area of concern, and that is providing $3.7
million to a committee that has no legislative authority, the
Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. Any time we do not
utilize our existing committee structure, we risk wasting
valuable resources that could have been used more effectively.
I would also like to call attention to the funding amount
proposed in the Committee Reserve Fund for the second session
of this Congress. It is $6.5 million, which is a considerable
amount. This reserve will allow us flexibility to make
additional resources available to committees, if needed, and I
have been assured, as Madam Chairperson mentioned, that any
funds allocated from the reserve will be done transparently by
including discussions with the minority in advance.
Finally, I must note that once again, the Appropriations
Committee, the committee with the largest budget, is not part
of this vital process of checks and balances that every
othercommittee participates in.
I know the appropriators are special, or at least that is
what they all tell me, Mr. Aguilar. However, I think their
inclusion in the committee funding resolution would make the
process more whole. I support this resolution wholeheartedly,
and I thank the Chairperson for her bipartisanship and her
willingness to work with me and in spite of Mr. Aguilar being
here as an appropriator. I, again, yield back.
The Chairperson. Thank you, Mr. Davis. I will now call up
H. Res. 245. And without objection, the first reading of the
resolution is dispensed with, and without objection the
resolution is considered as read and open for amendment at any
point.
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The Chairperson. Does any Member wish to be recognized
regarding H. Res. 245? If not, then I move that H. Res. 245 be
reported favorably to the House. All those in favor reporting
H. Res. 245 favorably to the House will say aye. Opposed will
say no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. The ayes
have it, and the motion will favorably report H. Res. 245 to
the House is agreed to and the motion to reconsider is laid
upon the table.
I now call up Committee Resolution 116-09. Does any member
wish to be recognized regarding Committee Resolution 116-09?
[The information follows:]
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Mr. Davis of Illinois. Madam Chairperson.
The Chairperson. Mr. Davis.
Mr. Davis of Illinois. Thank you. I support this routine
bipartisan resolution. This Committee has passed this
resolution every Congress since the 109th Congress, and as the
former chair of the Franking Commission, thank you to my co-
chair, Mrs. Davis. I am happy to support it again this year. It
gives committees an appropriate amount to cover their franked
mail costs, while establishing a reasonable limit to prevent
any abuse. I look forward to continuing this bipartisan work on
franking issues in the 116th Congress, and I yield back.
The Chairperson. Thank you, Mr. Davis. Any other Member
wish to be heard on this resolution? Seeing none, the question
is on approving Committee Resolution 116-09. All in favor will
say aye. Opposed will say no. In the opinion of the chair, the
ayes have it. The resolution is agreed to, and the motion to
reconsider is laid upon the table. Without objection, the staff
is authorized to make technical and conforming changes. There
being no further business, the Committee business meeting
stands adjourned without objection. Thank you very much.
[Whereupon, at 7:25 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.]
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