    [Senate Hearing 117-545]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                            S. Hrg. 117-545

             LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022

    =======================================================================

                                    HEARINGS

                                    before a

                              SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE

                COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS UNITED STATES SENATE

                        ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 FIRST SESSION

                                       on

                                   H.R. 4346

    AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH FOR THE FISCAL
             YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2022, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

                                   __________

                            Architect of the Capitol
                          Congressional Budget Office
                         Congressional Research Service
                        Government Accountability Office
                              Library of Congress
                          United States Capitol Police
                         United States Copyright Office
              United States Senate Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper

                                   __________

             Printed for the use of the Committee on Appropriations

    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

           Available via the World Wide Web: https://www.govinfo.gov
                                 _________

                     U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

    44-184 PDF               WASHINGTON : 2023

                          COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

                        PATRICK LEAHY, Vermont, Chairman

    PATTY MURRAY, Washington             RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama, Vice
    DIANNE FEINSTEIN, California             Chairman
    RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois          MITCH McCONNELL, Kentucky
    JACK REED, Rhode Island              SUSAN M. COLLINS, Maine
    JON TESTER, Montana                  LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska
    JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire        LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina
    JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon                 ROY BLUNT, Missouri
    CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware       JERRY MORAN, Kansas
    BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii                 JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota
    TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin             JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
    CHRISTOPHER MURPHY, Connecticut      SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West
    JOE MANCHIN, III, West Virginia          Virginia
    CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, Maryland           JOHN KENNEDY, Louisiana
    MARTIN HEINRICH, New Mexico          CINDY HYDE-SMITH, Mississippi
                                         MIKE BRAUN, Indiana
                                         BILL HAGERTY, Tennessee
                                         MARCO RUBIO, Florida

                       Charles E. Kieffer, Staff Director
               Shannon Hutcherson Hines, Minority Staff Director

                                     ------

                     Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch

                       JACK REED, Rhode Island, Chairman

    CHRISTOPHER MURPHY, Connecticut      MIKE BRAUN, Indiana, Ranking
    MARTIN HEINRICH, New Mexico              Member
    PATRICK LEAHY, Vermont, (ex-         RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama
        officio)                         MARCO RUBIO, Florida

                               Professional Staff

                                 Jessica Berry
                                 Hannah Chauvin

                         Margaret Pritchard (Minority)
                            Lucy Gardner (Minority)

                                C O N T E N T S

                                  ----------

                                    hearings

                           Wednesday, April 21, 2021

                                                                       Page

    Architect of the Capitol.........................................     1
        Hon. J. Brett Blanton, Architect of the Capitol:
            Prepared Statement of....................................    11
            Statement of.............................................     9

    United States Capitol Police.....................................     1
        Chief Yogananda D. Pittman, Acting Chief, United States
          Capitol Police:
            Prepared Statement of....................................     6
            Statement of.............................................     5

    United States Senate Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper.............     1
        Hon. Karen H. Gibson, Sergeant At Arms and Doorkeeper of the
          Senate:
            Prepared Statement of....................................    15
            Statement of.............................................    13

                           Wednesday, April 28, 2021

    Congressional Budget Office......................................    51
        Hon. Dr. Phillip L. Swagel, Director, Congressional Budget
          Office:
            Prepared Statement of....................................   136
            Statement of.............................................   134

    Congressional Research Service, Mary B. Mazanec, Director,
      Prepared Statement of..........................................    63

    Government Accountability Office.................................    51
        Hon. Gene L. Dodaro, U.S. Comptroller General, Government
          Accountability Office:
            Prepared Statement of....................................    69
            Statement of.............................................    66

    Librarian of Congress............................................    51
        Hon. Dr. Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress:
            Prepared Statement of....................................    55
            Statement of.............................................    54

    United States Copyright Office, Shira Perlmutter, Register of
      Copyrights and Director, Prepared Statement of.................    58
                                  ----------

                                  back matter

    List of Witnesses, Communications, and Prepared Statements.......   161

    Subject Index:
        Architect of the Capitol.....................................   163
        Congressional:
            Budget Office............................................   163
            Research Service.........................................   164
        Government Accountability Office.............................   164
        Library of Congress..........................................   165
        United States:
            Capitol Police...........................................   166
            Copyright Office.........................................   166
            Senate Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper...................   166

           LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022

                                  ----------

                           WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

                                           U.S. Senate,
               Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations,
                                                        Washington, DC.

        The subcommittee met at 2:02 p.m., in room SD-192, Dirksen
    Senate Office Building, Hon. Jack Reed (Chairman) presiding.
        Present: Senators Reed, Leahy, Heinrich, and Braun.

       ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL, SERGEANT AT ARMS, AND THE UNITED STATES
                                 CAPITOL POLICE

                     opening statement of senator jack reed

        Senator Reed. Good afternoon. This subcommittee will come
    to order.
        I would like to welcome everyone to the first of our fiscal
    year 2022 budget hearing for the Legislative Branch
    Appropriations Subcommittee.
        It is also my first hearing as Chairman of the
    subcommittee, and I look forward to working with my new Ranking
    Member, Senator Braun, and distinguished Members of the
    subcommittee in crafting responsible funding legislation that
    supports the Legislative Branch.
        We also anticipate that we will be joined by Chairman of
    the Appropriations Committee, Senator Leahy, which highlights
    the importance of the issues we are discussing today.
        Today we have with us the Architect of the Capitol, Brett
    Blanton; the Sergeant at Arms, General Karen Gibson; and the
    Acting Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police, Yogananda Pittman.
        This is the first appearance of each of these agency
    leaders before this subcommittee. And I thank you for joining
    us today to testify.
        Let me first begin by thanking the women and men of your
    agencies. Over the last year they have endured threats to their
    health and their physical safety in order to serve this
    institution. Some indeed have lost their lives. They deserve
    our gratitude and much, much more. And please communicate that
    message to your dedicated colleagues.
        As leaders, Members of Congress owe it to them, not only to
    provide the resources they need to do the job, but also to
    temper the inflammatory rhetoric that can put them in harm's
    way. In short, we need to be exemplar to the civility, both
    privately and publicly.
        And this is a difficult time for your agencies and
    Congress. Like the rest of the United States and the world, we
    have grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic for over a year,
    because the Senate and the House continue to meet, many of your
    employees have had to show up and push in person for work. They
    have provided the Capitol Campus with enhanced cleaning, PPE,
    food services, IT enhancements for remote work, and of course
    security.
        Hundreds of your employees have tested positive for COVID
    since the pandemic began, you have had to send millions of
    dollars in regular appropriations beyond what we provided last
    year in the CARES Act.
        I hope we can soon deliver on our promise to make you whole
    with an emergency supplemental. Meanwhile, I want to know how
    those unanticipated costs have impacted our missions.
        In the midst of the pandemic we experienced the January 6
    Capitol attack. Like all of my colleagues, I am grateful to all
    the brave men and women of the Capitol Police for their service
    on that day.
        It is not an exaggeration to say that they defended
    democracy. I want to thank the Architect of the Capitol's
    employees for working into the night and morning to clean the
    wreckage.
        And thank you to the Sergeant of Arms employees for their
    efforts to make sure the Senate could meet again that day to
    finish its business and certify the election.
        Last Friday marked 100 days since the horrible attack which
    led to the death of three police officers, 140 officers were
    injured that day, thousands of National Guards were deployed
    and remain on duty here. Sixty-eight million dollars in damages
    have been accounted for, so far, and 419 individuals have been
    arrested to date.
        We know that officers and other Capitol committee employees
    continue to suffer trauma. Serious questions have been raised
    about the leadership of your organizations and the actions
    taken or not taken, in, on and before January 6, and this
    includes scrutiny of the Capitol Police Board upon which you
    all sit.
        Regrettably, a second attack on the Capitol occurred just
    weeks ago, taking the life of Officer Billy Evans, and injuring
    another officer. This latest attack highlights the challenges
    of securing the Capitol and maintaining an open campus
    environment so that all people can visit and share this special
    place.
        The tough decision we will make on reforms, submission, and
    operational structure, and the physical security measures, will
    directly affect your agencies and the Capitol Campus. We want
    to make sure we find the right solutions. It will be up to this
    subcommittee to provide you with the tools you need to
    implement those changes and to hold you accountable for
    implementing them successfully.
        Your agencies are charged with ensuring that our physical
    space here on the Capitol Campus is safe, not just for the
    Members of Congress and staff, but also for also for the
    millions of visitors who come here every year, and we hope will
    return soon.
        They are also responsible for our virtual security, our
    cyberspace and IT infrastructure which we have relied upon
    heavily during the COVID-19 pandemic.
        On this subcommittee we want to make sure the Capitol
    Police, the Sergeant at Arms and the Architect of the Capitol
    have the tools needed to continue keeping us safe, and to keep
    up with known and emerging threats. While the inclination for
    Congress has set itself to be am example of frugality, we
    should not skimp on these investments. Yet, we will have to
    balance the needs of all the legislative agencies against our
    resources.
        That includes fully supporting your agencies, but also
    making sure other priorities are protected in our bill. And we
    need to be cognizant that there will be a top line budget cap
    that we must abide by. While we do not yet have a broader
    budget agreement for fiscal year 2022, we do know the
    Legislative Branch is not insulated from that debate.
        I know Chairman Leahy, who has just joined us, will be
    working hard to provide every subcommittee with the resources
    it needs, but his presence today shows how important the bill
    is.
        And now let me turn to my Ranking Member, Senator Braun.
    Thank you, Mike.

                    opening statement of senator mike braun

        Senator Braun. Thank you, Chairman Reed.
        Thank you, Mr. Blanton, Acting Chief Pittman, and
    Lieutenant General Gibson for being here today.
        This is my first hearing as Ranking Member of this
    subcommittee. I look forward to working closely with Chairman
    Reed in crafting a fiscally-responsible funding bill that
    supports the important activities of the Legislative Branch.
        The past 3 years have been an unprecedented period for the
    Congress. From the longest government shutdown in American
    history shortly after I got here, to two impeachment trials, to
    the events of January 6, to the vehicle attack at the North
    Capitol Barricade earlier this month.
        I'm especially grateful for the service of the brave men
    and women of the Capitol Police, and the sacrifices they have
    made to protect the Congress.
        The deaths of Officer Evans, Officer Sicknick, and Officer
    Liebengood, have been devastating losses, and my sincere
    condolences go out to the families and friends of those
    officers.
        The courage and resiliency of our Capitol Police Officers
    is demonstrated every day in their unwavering commitment to
    protecting the rule of law and this institution.
        Today we will be discussing the requested budgets for each
    agency in light of these recent events. Through this process we
    can ensure that the funding appropriated through fiscal year
    2022 is targeted but sufficient to ensure the security of the
    Capitol Complex.
        There are several assessments underway to examine the
    failures that occurred on January 6. As those assessments are
    conducted, it is critical that we examine all aspects of campus
    security, including both physical security and the
    decisionmaking processes that ensure the Capitol Police have
    the resources to complete their mission safely.
        In this regard, we must make informed, holistic funding
    decisions to ensure we solve and correct the problems, and
    invest to address threats of the future, oftentimes the hardest
    thing to do.
        However, as we begin crafting the fiscal year 2022
    Legislative Branch bill, we must do so in light of the
    unprecedented fiscal situation in which we find ourselves. In
    the short time since I have been here, through the challenge of
    COVID, the structural trillion-dollar deficits that we contend
    with every year that are soon to become $1.5 trillion have to
    be kept in perspective.
        Unsustainable debt levels, interest payments, and spending
    habits have negative effects across the entire Federal
    Government. They crowd out critical investments in priority
    areas for all Members. Coming from a school board, a State
    government, but mostly running a business for 37 years, we have
    got to start keeping in mind for future generations, that just
    because this is a Federal Government and we do not have a
    balanced budget amendment, that we have got to be a better
    steward of our country's resources, because it would be
    derelict not to do so for future generations.
        As appropriators, we have the duty to make fiscally-
    responsible investments that take all of those considerations
    into account.
        I am confident Chairman Reed and I will continue to work
    together in the long-standing, tradition of bipartisanship of
    this subcommittee, and that we will enact the fiscal year 2022
    funding bill in regular order.
        Thank you, again, to our witnesses for being here. I look
    forward to your testimony.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Reed. Thank you, Senator Braun. And I look forward
    to working with you to get this task accomplished. Thank you
    very much.
        Chairman Leahy, would you like to make some comments?

                   opening statement of senator patrick leahy

        Senator Leahy. Well, I know we are short on time, so well,
    other than to say that one, I appreciate you and Senator Braun
    doing this and, of course, you and I worked together to
    transfer $10 million to have an assessment made for Capitol
    campus physical security, and I was required to do that. But I
    really feel strongly we have got to have an overall assessment
    of what we need, what went right, what went wrong, in case we
    have something like this again, and I want to see that before I
    sign off on more money.
        We are fortunate to have a wonderful police force and
    leaders, but we also know we have got some gaps, and we want to
    have an open Capitol, but we want a secured Capitol.
        So, I will work with the two of you. And thank you very
    much for doing this.
        Senator Reed. Well, thank you very much, Chairman Leahy.
        And now I will ask our witnesses beginning with Chief
    Pittman, to give a brief opening statement of approximately 5
    minutes. The written testimony of each witness will be printed
    at full in the record.
        Let me advise everyone. There is a vote scheduled for 2:20,
    but it is my intention to get through all the witness
    testimony, and then we will make a decision whether we will
    recess briefly or we continue the hearing.
        Chief Pittman, please.
    STATEMENT OF CHIEF YOGANANDA D. PITTMAN, ACTING CHIEF,
                UNITED STATES CAPITOL POLICE
        Acting Chief Pittman. Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Braun,
    and Members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity
    to present the United States Capitol Police budget request for
    fiscal year 2022.
        The Department appreciates the subcommittee's continued
    support ensuring that we have the resources that we need.
        Joining me here today are some members of the department's
    executive team, Acting Assistant Chief Sean Gallagher, Chief
    Administrative Officer Richard Braddock, and our Deputy Chief
    Administrative Officer Dominic Storelli.
        The USCP has a unique role in policing. We are the only law
    enforcement agency responsible for protecting Congress, and the
    U.S. Capitol Complex. We detect, investigate and prevent
    threats made against Congressmen and Congresswomen in
    Washington DC, and across the country.
        Our personnel are highly trained and deeply committed to
    our critical mission. And our mission, however, has become more
    difficult. In the first 4 months of this year, we have had a 65
    percent increase in threats against Members compared to 2020.
    From 2017 to 2020, there was 119 percent increase in the total
    threats and directions of interest against Members, with the
    majority of the suspects residing outside of the National
    Capitol Region (NCR).
        As the Nation well knows, the Capitol Complex is also a
    target. Shortly after the attack on January 6 that resulted in
    the deaths of Officer Sicknick, Officer Liebengood, and the
    lone assailant that struck and killed Officer Evans and injured
    another at the Capitol's North Barricade, it would be right for
    me to say that this is a difficult time for the department, and
    that is probably an understatement.
        Our officers are still resilient. They are strong, and this
    department will come out of this stronger. The USCP is
    steadfast in ensuring that an incident of this nature will
    never occur again, especially with the realization that the
    possibility of a similar incident occurring in the current
    environment is a very real and present danger.
        The events of January 6 demonstrate that the department
    must build its capabilities to adapt quickly and it must plan
    for the unknown. This will require a significant investment in
    staffing, training tools and information-gathering resources
    needed to meet the dynamic and ever-changing security
    challenges, including the rising threat of domestic terrorism.
        A large portion of the budget is a request and an
    investment in our employees, which are our most important
    asset. Most of the request--covers mandatory salary and benefit
    requirements, cost of living adjustments and overtime for
    critical training. It also includes funding for 212 new sworn
    officers for mission-critical requirements, guaranteed funding
    for our student loan repayment program, which we have not
    always funded, but is a critical component for recruitment and
    retention.
        The fiscal year 2022 request also includes general expense
    funding to secure additional capabilities to equip our officers
    with the tools, equipment, technologies, as well as wellness
    initiatives to maintain the highest levels of readiness, both
    on the complex and throughout the region.
        This includes items such as protective travel, training,
    hiring, outfitting, providing uniforms, weapons and ammunition,
    as well as expanding access to the Employee Assistance Program
    and other health and wellness programs.
        I want to again reiterate that our officers who are on the
    job 24 hours a day, 365 days a year are our greatest assets in
    helping to prevent and respond to threats. On January 6, the
    insurrectionists attempted to stop Congress from certifying the
    Electoral College. Due to the heroic actions of USCP officers,
    with the assistance of our law enforcement partners, the
    rioters were prevented from accomplishing their goal.
        To ensure that the USCP is always at the ready to keep
    Congress safe, it is important that we make these crucial
    investments. The 1983 Senate bombing, the 1998 shooting, 9/11,
    and the anthrax attacks, have all been historic, pivotal
    moments that have forced the department to evolve rapidly.
    January 6 will no doubt be another.
        Again, I appreciate the opportunity to discuss the
    department's fiscal year 2022 budget request. I also want to
    acknowledge your staff, who I know are in constant
    communications with the department's team, working to
    understand our needs to ensure that they are met.
        I would be pleased to answer your questions that you may
    have at this time. And thank you.

        [The statement follows:]
      Prepared Statement of Yogananda D. Pittman, Acting Chief of Police,
                          United States Capitol Police
        Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Braun, and Members of the
    subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present the United
    States Capitol Police (USCP) budget request for fiscal year 2022. The
    Department greatly appreciates the subcommittee's continued support of
    the women and men of the Department as well as Congress' generosity in
    providing the resources needed to support our crucial mission to
    protect the Congress and the U.S. Capitol.
        Joining me today is the Department's Executive Team--Assistant
    Chief Chad Thomas, Acting Assistant Chief Sean Gallagher, Chief
    Administrative Officer Richard Braddock, and General Counsel Thomas
    DiBiase--as well as members of the USCP Executive Management Team.
        Throughout its history, the USCP has held a unique role in
    policing. We are the only law enforcement agency responsible for
    protecting the Congress in DC and abroad and the U.S. Capitol Complex.
    We detect, investigate, and prevent threats made against Members of
    Congress and the U.S. Capitol. We provide a steady, watchful presence
    throughout the Capitol Complex, and we are responsible for protecting
    elected officials to ensure the continuity of government.
        The type of policing that we engage in is highly specialized to
    focus on the unique requirements of protecting our Nation's legislative
    process as well as ensure that citizens may participate in lawful First
    Amendment activities on the Capitol Grounds. All the while, the
    Department is expected to maintain the security of an open campus so
    that visitors may witness representative democracy in action.
        The USCP is a full-service agency. We conduct investigations with
    our law enforcement partners both in Washington, D.C. and across the
    country, to include working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
    U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Park Police, Metropolitan Police Department,
    Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and many others.
        The Department's personnel are resilient, highly trained in
    specialized fields, and deeply committed to our critical mission to
    protect and secure the U.S. Capitol and the Congress. Under my
    leadership, I intend to focus on four key elements to further
    strengthen and support the USCP workforce: Senator and Member
    protection; health and wellness programs; training; and obtaining the
    equipment and facilities to meet the needs of the workforce of the
    future.
        In the Department's efforts to address new and emerging threats, we
    work closely with the Senate and House Sergeants at Arms to augment and
    strengthen off-campus security and Senator and Member protection. We
    routinely collaborate to assess Senators' State office and Members'
    district office security, and we provide recommendations on ways to
    improve and enhance security measures and practices inside and outside
    of the National Capital Region (NCR). We also work closely with the
    Architect of the Capitol (AOC) to address the physical security of the
    Capitol Complex, in addition to facility and support needs for the USCP
    workforce.
        In the first 4 months of 2021, there has been a 64.62 percent
    increase in threats to Members compared to the same period in 2020. And
    from 2017 to 2020, there has been a 118.66 percent increase in total
    threats and directions of interests, with the overwhelming majority of
    suspects residing outside of the NCR.
        Therefore, a significant focus of the Department in fiscal year
    2022 is centered on Member security outside of the NCR. The direct
    impact to the Department not only includes our current protective
    services' increased posture around the country, but includes increasing
    the resources available for our Protective and Intelligence Operations
    through the expansion of the USCP's protective, intelligence and
    investigatory capabilities both on the Capitol Complex and throughout
    the United States. While we have complemented our increased posture
    with the leveraging of Federal, State and local law enforcement
    partnerships with the collective goal of protecting the Congress away
    from the Capitol Grounds, the number of agents required to provide an
    appropriate level of analysis, protection and enforcement necessitates
    a significant increase in personnel based on the threats trends year-
    over-year.
        On the Capitol Complex, the level of existential threats to the
    U.S. Capitol and Grounds are increasing as well. Most recently, on
    April 2, 2021 a lone assailant struck two officers with a vehicle at
    the North Barricade, resulting in one line-of-duty death and one
    critical injury. Further, on January 6, 2021 insurrectionists attempted
    to prevent the Congress from certifying the 2020 Electoral College
    results by storming the U.S. Capitol. Due to the heroic actions of USCP
    officers, with the assistance of the Metropolitan Police Department,
    the National Guard, and many other of our law enforcement partners, the
    violent rioters were prevented from accomplishing their goal.
        The USCP is steadfast in ensuring that an incident of this nature
    will never occur again, especially with the realization that the
    possibility of a similar incident occurring in the current environment
    is a very real and present danger. The events of January 6, 2021,
    demonstrate that the USCP must continue to quickly assess, adjust, and
    utilize the tactics and methods necessary to successfully carry out our
    mission in any scenario. This will require a significant investment in
    the necessary training, tools, and information gathering resources
    needed to meet the dynamic and ever-changing security challenges,
    including the rising threat of domestic terrorism. Most importantly, it
    will require the Department having a dedicated standby ready force of
    two platoons (80 officers) at all times, thereby removing the
    Department's full reliance on partner agencies for mission support when
    faced with an immediate threat event.
        In the wake of the insurrection attempt and immediately following
    the April 2nd event, the Department invested additional resources, with
    the generous support of the Congress, to ensure that our officers have
    the support services they need as they continue to process what
    occurred. This has included 24/7 access to onsite trauma informed
    professional counselors through the collaborative partnership with the
    House Office of Employee Assistance (OEA), the enhanced services of
    OEA, peer counseling sessions with law enforcement officers from
    neighboring law enforcement agencies, and counseling services for
    officers' family members. The Department also provided over 19,600
    nights in hotel room stays for its personnel, served over 89,000 daily
    hot meals and 172,900 cups of hot beverages, and reopened the USCP gyms
    24/7 taking into account all safety protocols to ensure COVID-19
    transmission is neutralized.
        I am committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of our
    workforce, both mentally and physically, and it is my intent to ensure
    the Department will continue to identify new resources that may be of
    assistance to both our sworn and civilian employees so that they may be
    at their very best. To this end, on February 4, 2021, I was pleased to
    announce to our workforce that, thanks to the efforts of congressional
    leaders and the administration, enough doses of the COVID-19 vaccines
    were secured to vaccinate all USCP personnel who want to be vaccinated.
    Working closely with the Office of Attending Physician, they were able
    to begin administering the doses to our employees quickly and safely.
    To date, over 67 percent of the Department has received vaccines. By
    the beginning of May 2021, all USCP employees wanting the COVID vaccine
    are expected to have received their second dose of the vaccine.
        The USCP's employees are our greatest assets. Accordingly, the
    Department's fiscal year 2022 budget request is an investment in our
    employees, and focuses on meeting mandatory salary requirements,
    overtime for critical training, and securing additional capabilities
    within the USCP's General Expenses to increase the resources available
    to our personnel.
        The fiscal year 2022 USCP budget request includes the budgetary
    authority and resources to fund 2,112 sworn and 453 civilians. This
    includes funding for 212 new sworn officers for mission critical
    requirements, such as a standby quick response force, threat assessment
    agents, and dignitary protection agents.
        The request for the Salaries appropriation is $481.75 Million which
    is an increase of $57.35 Million over the fiscal year 2021 enacted
    levels. The main drivers of the cost increases are increases in fiscal
    year 2020 and fiscal year 2021 benefit rates (FERS, FEHB) not reflected
    in the fiscal year 2021 enacted levels, as well as overtime for core
    mission, cost-of-living adjustments, and within grade increases. The
    USCP is also requesting $2.5 Million for its student loan repayment
    program, as this program is a critical component of employee retention
    and an additional incentive for recruiting the additional personnel
    needed to carry out the Department's evolving mission.
        Countering evolving domestic and international threats requires
    constantly sharing intelligence information throughout the entire
    Department from analysts to officials to the officers on post, as well
    as gathering intelligence and working with partner law enforcement
    agencies. In response to one of the lessons learned on January 6, the
    Department revised its internal communications policies and processes,
    and has included emerging technologies and tools in this budget request
    to assist with effecting the ideal communications state for the
    Department to meet its mission. Further, the events of that day
    highlighted critical areas that require new or modified training
    throughout the Operational elements of the Department in order to
    maintain the highest levels of readiness. It is my intent to begin such
    trainings and exercises as soon as practicable, and our fiscal year
    2022 budget request highlights all such training as a priority.
        Additionally, as a result of January 6, the Operational elements of
    the Department have identified the need for new officer safety
    equipment based on the evolving threats and physical security
    requirements for the Capitol Complex. In the weeks and months ahead, I
    will be working with the AOC to jointly produce recommendations for the
    physical hardening of the Capitol Complex as well as identify USCP
    facility needs to ensure appropriate space is obtained by the AOC for
    the growing USCP workforce as well as the storage space for the new
    equipment needed to appropriately execute our mission.
        As a result of the aforementioned priorities, the fiscal year 2022
    General Expenses portion of this budget request was developed with an
    emphasis on providing specialized training for our employees as well as
    investing in the tools and technologies we need to maintain the highest
    level of readiness. This includes items such as protective travel;
    mandatory training; hiring, outfitting, and training new sworn
    personnel; upgrading and maintaining security equipment; updating and
    maintaining the motor vehicle fleet; providing uniforms, weapons, and
    ammunition for all sworn personnel; access to the employee assistance
    program; and other non-personnel needs.
        The General Expenses request is $137.47 Million, which is an
    increase of $49.96 Million. For Salaries and General Expenses together,
    the total budget request for the fiscal year 2022 annual budget
    appropriation is $619.22 Million, which is an increase of 20.96 percent
    over fiscal year 2021 enacted levels.
        I want to again reiterate that our officers who are on the job 24
    hours a day, 365 days a year, are our greatest assets in helping to
    prevent and respond to threats. To ensure that the USCP is always at
    the ready to keep the Capitol Complex safe and secure, it is important
    that we make these crucial investments at this time. While our fiscal
    year 2022 budget request was reformulated in the aftermath of the
    January 6 events, it was developed as a result of a deep analysis
    within the Operational elements of the Department for what is necessary
    to meet the mission. I believe that all of the new operational
    requirements, and necessary support components to support Operations,
    requested in this budget will do just that--allow us to continue to
    meet our mission now and into the future.
        Prior to January 6, the Department had prepared an fiscal year 2022
    budget justification that represented a $36 million increase over the
    fiscal year 2021 enacted level. The events of January 6 caused the
    Department to reevaluate its budget justification, specifically around
    the emergency needs to meet the emerging threats and risk. The revised
    fiscal year 2022 budget justification representing a $107 million
    increase includes many of these emergency needs that are reoccurring.
    While long-term funding for these needs will be necessary in our base
    funding going forward, the Department could certainly benefit if the
    funds could be provided sooner through other means.
        And lastly, the USCP has a professional working relationship with
    the Capitol Police Board, its oversight Committees, the USCP Inspector
    General and the USCP labor unions to review options for efficiencies
    where possible. It is my intention to not only continue engagement, but
    to improve these relationships so that together the Department becomes
    holistically stronger. In the coming months, it is anticipated that
    there will likely be a significant number of formal recommendations
    that result in the need for substantial additional human and budgetary
    resources based on the January 6, 2021 review by the USCP Inspector
    General, third-party assessments being conducted, and other potential
    congressional reviews. The Department is committed to working with the
    subcommittee to seek any such resources to address these potential
    recommendations via future budget requests, amendments to the current
    budget justification, or other vehicles as appropriate.
        We realize that these requests for funding, as well as those
    resulting from the other reviews and recommendations, will present
    challenges to the Congress as it considers the appropriate funding
    levels for the Legislative Branch. The Department is prepared to work
    closely with the subcommittee to provide a clear understanding of the
    Department's requirements and to prioritize these items as necessary.
        Mr. Chairman, thank you again for the opportunity to discuss the
    United States Capitol Police's fiscal year 2022 budget request and our
    priorities for this coming year. We will continue to work closely with
    you and the subcommittee to ensure that we meet the needs of our
    officers and the Department as well as the expectations of this
    Committee and the Congress.
        I would be pleased to answer any questions that you may have at
    this time.

        Senator Reed. Thank you, Chief.
        Mr. Blanton, please.
    STATEMENT OF HON. J. BRETT BLANTON, ARCHITECT OF THE
                CAPITOL
        Mr. Blanton. Thank you, Chairman Reed, Ranking Member
    Braun.
        On behalf of all my employees, I want to thank you for the
    kind opening remarks, mentioning my employees. I am truly proud
    of them.
        Chairman Leahy, and Members of the subcommittee, I
    appreciate the opportunity to present the Architect of the
    Capitol's fiscal year 2022 budget.
        It has been a whirlwind year since I began my tenure as the
    12th Architect of the Capitol. In that time, I have been amazed
    by the level of commitment and professionalism displayed by our
    staff. We have been in pandemic operations for over a year. We
    supported four lying in state, or honor ceremonies, we survived
    the breach on January 6, and we successfully prepared and
    supported a presidential inauguration.
        This request introduces several new initiatives that will
    address many of the most critical needs of the Architect of the
    Capitol, and the Capitol community, including committing
    ourselves to long-term planning, and developing strategies that
    will prepare facilities and grounds under our care for the next
    century.

                                AOC INITIATIVES

        One of these strategies is development of an Enterprise
    Asset Management system, also known as EAM, to aid in
    decisionmaking regarding operating, maintaining, renewing
    facilities and infrastructure assets, such as buildings,
    equipment, and machinery in a manner that achieves industry
    standards and best business practices.
        Coupled with the commitment to better ensure our request is
    aligned with the expected service levels we will use Enterprise
    Asset Management (EAM) to proactively administer maintenance-
    based strategies, reduce deferred maintenance, backlog, restore
    reliability, reduce long-term costs, and provide a system to
    forecast resource requirements, to ensure assets meet the
    expectations of the congressional community. Numerous studies
    have shown that the ISO 55000 EAM system that we will implement
    has a return on investment in under 5 years.
        This budget also reinforces my commitment to AOC's
    employees by developing a human capital strategy that will
    bolster our efforts to acquire, develop, train, retrain a
    talented, diverse, and highly-skilled workforce that is
    prepared for the future. We aim to transform AOCs, the human
    capital landscape by ensuring workforce readiness, closing
    skills gaps, and maximizing employees' talents skills, and
    competencies.

                          DEFERRED MAINTENANCE BACKLOG

        Now the campus has a deferred maintenance backlog of $1.8
    billion. The fiscal year 2022 Capitol budget seeks to address
    over $78 million in deferred maintenance needs, and also invest
    almost $90 million in projects that were new or improve aging
    infrastructure, such as fire alarms, Campus intrusion, ADA
    compliance, environmental systems, and electrical distribution.
        In total, over 80 percent of the construction dollars
    requested addressed our backlog. The AOC's risk-based project
    prioritization process identified $171.5 million for Capitol
    projects, of this $92.7 or 54 percent are projects that did not
    receive funding in fiscal year 2021. This includes projects to
    address identified fire and life safety deficiencies stemming
    from the lack of a building-wide sprinkler system in the U.S.
    Capitol building, which would bring it to code compliance. If
    not funded, the building remains at risk of flame spread in the
    event of a fire.
        In addition, the lack of funding for a full sprinkler
    protection system leaves the Capitol building reliant on fire
    departments to suppress all but the smallest fires,
    jeopardizing life safety, as well as the historic assets.
        The agency also requests funding for critical--critical
    utility distribution projects at the Capitol Power Plant an
    offsite facility.
        Funding is required for Phase 5 of the Refrigeration Plant
    Revitalization program, which will remove 40-year-old piping
    and provide additions to the older West Refrigeration Plant
    equipment to bring it up to date.
        Earlier this year, chilled water pipe broke and spilled
    over 200,000 gallons of water a day, it impacted servers and
    congressional recording studio spaces. Phase 5 of the
    Refrigeration Plant Revitalization is imperative to prevent a
    complete shutdown of various congressional operations if
    another pipe breaks. Off campus, we need to replace aging
    refrigeration units with dual-use, energy-efficient units
    within the data centers to reduce the risk of interruption to
    daily operations, reduce energy consumption and reduce our
    carbon footprint.

                         FUTURE FACILITY SECURITY NEEDS

        Finally, as we continue to address the Capitol's future
    facilities' needs in the aftermath of January 6 breach, I would
    like to take a moment to thank the subcommittee for your
    support of a campus-wide facility assessment. This assessment
    will coordinate and collaborate with campus partners, including
    the two sitting next to me, to identify necessary security
    upgrades to facilities and infrastructure on the Capitol.
        It will evaluate options and the engineering requirements
    necessary to accomplish those options and provide the
    subcommittee with budget-level details needed to make decisions
    on potential project resource needs.
        I look forward to continuing working with you and with my
    colleagues joining me on this panel today, as we assess the
    physical security needs. This physical assessment is underway,
    and I expect to have initial information with you in the coming
    weeks.
        During my selection and confirmation process, I promise to
    transform the AOC. This budget request is the first step of
    that transformation.
        Additionally, last year I promised to emphasize deferred
    maintenance and emergent needs for our facilities. I am
    confident this request coupled with the changes we are actively
    incorporating throughout our agency, represent a major step
    forward in the beginning of the future of AOC.
        I appreciate your thoughtful consideration for our budget
    request. Thank you for your time. I am happy to answer your
    questions.

        [The statement follows:]
     Prepared Statement of Hon. J. Brett Blanton, Architect of the Capitol
        Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Braun and Members of the
    subcommittee, I appreciate the opportunity to present the Architect of
    the Capitol's (AOC) fiscal year 2022 budget request of $865 million.
        It has been a whirlwind year since I began my tenure as the 12th
    Architect of the Capitol. In that time, I have been amazed by the level
    of commitment and professionalism displayed by our staff. We have been
    in pandemic operations for nearly a year, we supported four lying in
    state or honor ceremonies, we survived a building breach on January 6
    and we successfully prepared and supported the presidential
    inauguration.
        As a part of the agency's fiscal year 2021 budget request, I
    committed to conducting a top-down assessment of the agency to identify
    the most urgent needs and address the critical issues. The agency's
    fiscal year 2022 budget request is the result of that review and serves
    as the beginning of the transformation of the AOC into a world-class
    service agency. Additionally, this budget request serves as the
    foundation for the future of the Capitol campus.
        This request introduces several new initiatives that will address
    many of the most critical needs of the AOC and the Capitol community,
    including committing ourselves to long-term planning and developing
    strategies that will prepare the campus for the next century and begin
    to address the agency's $1.8 billion backlog in strategic and
    systematic manner.
        One of these strategies is the development of an Enterprise Asset
    Management (EAM) system to aid decisionmaking regarding operating,
    maintaining and renewing facilities and infrastructure assets such as
    buildings, plants, machinery, vehicles and construction equipment in a
    manner that achieves industry standards and best business practices.
    Coupled with a commitment to better ensure our request is aligned with
    expected service levels, we will use EAM to proactively administer
    maintenance-based strategies and reduce the deferred maintenance
    backlog, which includes more than $220 million in work in the Senate
    buildings under our care. In addition, EAM will allow us to mitigate
    obsolescence, restore reliability, reduce long-term costs and provide a
    system to forecast resource needs requirements to ensure assets are
    secured, maintained and meet industry standards for viability. Numerous
    studies have shown that the ISO 55000 certified EAM system we will
    implement has a return on investment of approximately 5 years.
        This budget also reinforces my commitment to the AOC's employees by
    developing a human capital strategy that will bolster our efforts to
    acquire, develop, train and retain a talented, diverse and highly
    skilled workforce that is prepared for the future. We aim to transform
    the AOC's human capital landscape by ensuring workforce readiness,
    closing skills gaps and maximizing employees' talents, skill sets and
    competencies.
        In addition, we will strengthen access to skills training by
    establishing a new AOC University, which will ensure people have the
    skills to perform their jobs well and can improve their skills to
    better position themselves for advancement. It will also transform the
    organization and culture of the AOC by investing in employee outreach
    and training programs that focus on skill-building activities designed
    to improve employee and stakeholder experiences, teach conflict
    resolution skills and improve teamwork and customer service.
        As I have said since my first day with the agency, the overall
    success of the AOC begins with our staff. The ability of our central
    services to support our front-line operations is critical to the
    organization's success. Included in this budget request is an
    aggressive plan to on-board needed staff who are essential toward
    supporting the needs and services of Congress.
        The safety of Members and staff on the Capitol campus is my highest
    priority. As such, code compliance, including the Americans with
    Disabilities Act (ADA), is another area where we are seeking
    transformative change. Under the proposed Building Official Program,
    dedicated experts will ensure stakeholders follow the same set of
    established building codes and request approval of their work through a
    permit process. The agency will track all construction and
    infrastructure work in a centralized data, management and oversight
    system. This proposal allows for independent verification that
    infrastructure and construction work performed at AOC-managed
    facilities and grounds consistently meets established building codes
    and enterprise facility standards. This is similar to the model used by
    many at State and local governments and will ensure safe and code-
    compliant work on the Capitol campus.
        Additional staffing is also required to meet the emerging
    requirements to ensure the cleanliness of the Capitol campus as we
    transition to a new normal after the COVID threat. This budget request
    introduces the concept of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for
    janitorial services. These SLAs transparently outline specific levels
    of cleanliness and the associated cost for these services. In future
    budgets, we will expand these SLAs to all products and services the AOC
    delivers so there are measurable standards of service on the Capitol
    campus.
        Regarding our continued COVID-19 response, our commitment toward
    ensuring that adequate measures are taken to mitigate the threat of
    COVID-19 across the Capitol campus has not been met with the required
    financial support. Other than our initial installment of funding, which
    is fully obligated, the AOC has been forced to use our critical
    infrastructure and security project funding to support Congress at a
    service level required for enhanced cleaning and acquire necessary
    personal protective equipment (PPE).
        Maintaining vigilant and strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols,
    the AOC has successfully continued facility operations and delivered
    quality projects to Congress and our legislative and judicial branch
    partners. Several ongoing projects remain on-schedule, including the
    multi-year, multi-phase exterior stone restoration projects at the U.S.
    Capitol and Russell Senate Office Building. Also, as of the end of
    April, we have completed over 70 percent of the Senate moves, with 16
    of the 22 offices selected in the 117th Congress moved into their
    renovated spaces. This effort represents the renovation of over 61,000
    square feet of office space in the Russell, Dirksen and Hart Senate
    Office Buildings.
        With the committee's encouragement, we launched the Urban
    Agriculture Resilience Program last spring to support food-growing
    programs at public gardens affected by COVID-19 and to address emerging
    food insecurities due to the global pandemic. We assisted 19 States and
    Washington, D.C. in the growing and distribution of produce to
    communities with food access challenges. This model was a success, and
    now with lessons learned and an experienced team in partnership
    agreements on board at the U.S. Botanic Garden, we believe this
    community support can be successfully expanded to encourage more COVID
    gardens.
        In addition to this critical work, I am proud to announce that the
    AOC received its 16th consecutive unmodified clean audit opinion of its
    financial statement. We also received our ninth consecutive Certificate
    of Excellence in Accountability Reporting award from the Association of
    Government Accountants. These recognitions are evidence of our
    excellence in financial management and provide transparency of our
    stewardship of the public's funds.
        The agency's fiscal year 2022 capital budget request seeks to
    continue this progress by addressing over $78 million in deferred
    maintenance needs across campus to begin our process of reducing the
    backlog. It also invests almost $90 million in projects that renew or
    improve aging infrastructure such as fire alarms, campus intrusion,
    environmental systems and electrical distribution.
        The AOC's risk-based project prioritization process identified
    $171.5 million for capital projects. Of this, $92.7 million, or 54
    percent, is for projects that did not receive funding in fiscal year
    2021. This includes the project to address identified fire and life
    safety deficiencies stemming from the lack of a building-wide sprinkler
    system to bring the U.S. Capitol into code compliance. If not funded,
    the building remains at increased risk of flame spread in the event of
    a fire. In addition, the lack of full sprinkler protection leaves the
    U.S. Capitol building reliant on the fire department to suppress all
    but the smallest fires, jeopardizing life safety as well as historic
    assets and features.
        The agency is also requesting funding for critical utility
    distribution projects at the Capitol Power Plant and offsite
    facilities. Funding is required for Phase 5 of the Refrigeration Plant
    Revitalization program, which will remove 40-year-old piping and
    includes various replacements and additions to bring the older West
    Refrigeration Plant equipment up to date. Earlier this year, chilled
    water piping broke and spilled over 200,000 gallons of water a day,
    impacting servers and congressional recording studio spaces. Phase 5 of
    the Refrigeration Plant Revitalization is imperative to prevent a
    complete shutdown of various congressional operations if another pipe
    breaks. Off-campus, we need to replace aging units with dual-use,
    energy-efficient units within the data centers to reduce the risk of
    interruption to daily operations, reduce energy consumption and reduce
    our carbon footprint.
        As I mentioned earlier, code compliance is an important element in
    this request. We are seeking to address critical upgrades to life
    safety systems across campus. Fire alarm and sprinkler system upgrades
    at the U.S. Capitol, U.S. Botanic Garden and the James Madison Memorial
    Building will address code deficiencies, reduce the risk of system
    failure and improve facility safety for building occupants.
        I would also like to mention the continued need to address a
    growing backlog of work at the aging Library of Congress facilities.
    Stained-glass window and roof repairs at the Thomas Jefferson Building
    are long overdue, and the failure to properly address water
    infiltration stemming from the James Madison Memorial Building's sixth
    floor terrace poses a threat to the historical collections housed in
    this facility.
        Finally, as we continue to assess the Capitol's future facility
    needs in the aftermath of the January sixth breach, I would also like
    to take a moment to thank the subcommittee for your support of a
    campus-wide facility assessment. This assessment will identify
    necessary security upgrades to the facilities and infrastructure on
    Capitol Hill through coordination and collaboration with campus
    partners. It will evaluate options, and the engineering requirements
    necessary to accomplish those options, to provide the committee with
    budget-level details needed to make decisions on potential project and
    resource needs. This assessment is underway and I expect to have
    initial information to you in the coming weeks.
        During my selection and confirmation process, I promised to
    transform the AOC. This budget request is the first step in that
    transformation. Additionally, last year, I promised to emphasize
    deferred maintenance and emergent needs required for our facilities. I
    am confident that this request, coupled with the changes we are
    actively incorporating throughout the agency, represents a major step
    forward and the beginning of the future for the AOC.
        I appreciate your thoughtful consideration of our fiscal year 2022
    budget request.
        Thank you for your time. I'm happy to answer your questions.

        Senator Reed. Thank you very much, Mr. Blanton.
        General Gibson, please.
    STATEMENT OF HON. KAREN H. GIBSON, SERGEANT AT ARMS AND
                DOORKEEPER OF THE SENATE
        General Gibson. Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Braun,
    Members of the subcommittee, I appreciate the opportunity to
    discuss the Sergeant at Arms fiscal year 2022 budget request.
        I have served as the 42nd Sergeant at Arms for 30 days. I
    did not seek this position, but I am grateful for the
    opportunity, and gladly accept my responsibilities.
        Like so many Americans I was aghast, appalled and deeply
    angered to watch the violence that unfolded at the Capitol on
    January 6. I volunteered my services to the House Security
    Review Task Force because I wanted to do all that I could to
    ensure such an assault never happens again.
        As a member of that security review team, Task Force 1-6, I
    gained valuable insights into many of the operational and
    institutional challenges associated with securing the Capitol.
    Now that I am at work in the Senate, I continue to learn about
    processes that need improvement or additional resources. My top
    priority is to develop, with my partners, a comprehensive plan
    to keep the Capitol and its occupants safe.
        As the Sergeant at Arms identifies and refines requirements
    for improvement or enhancement, we will work closely with and
    rely on the Architect of the Capitol for design and
    construction expertise, and the United States Capitol Police to
    provide operational capabilities. We are guided throughout by
    the desire to maintain a secure open campus that balances
    access and security.
        I believe the Congress will likely need supplemental
    appropriations beyond this baseline budget request to
    strengthen our physical security infrastructure and improve
    operational readiness.
        I look forward to working in partnership with the
    subcommittee as we make responsible decisions on topics such as
    fencing, technology and building access points. Together, we
    will make informed decisions when allocating appropriated
    funds.
        For fiscal year 2022 the Sergeant at Arms requests an
    increase of $53.7 million and 30 additional personnel to
    support the Senate. Fully funding our request would provide the
    Sergeant at Arms with $281.7 million and 957 employees to
    directly support the Senators, staff and constituents we serve.
        The majority of this requested increase will support the
    Senate's business continuity and disaster recovery needs. For
    instance, when the COVID pandemic hit last spring, the Sergeant
    at Arms incurred $2 million in unanticipated costs to support
    Senate operations during the ensuing quarantine period
    expanding IT bandwidth and buying needed equipment to quickly
    transition to virtual hearings and a remote work environment.
    Nor had the Sergeant at Arms forecast requirements associated
    with Hurricane Laura, which destroyed two State offices last
    summer. Establishing a $25 million dollar business continuity
    and disaster recovery fund will position the Sergeant at Arms
    to quickly respond to the requirements that often develop
    immediately in the wake of an unplanned event or natural
    disaster. We would treat any expenditures from this fund as
    reprogramming requests, requiring your express approval as part
    of our commitment to transparency.
        Of the 30 additional FTEs requested, 14 respond to the
    increased level of threats against Senators' physical security,
    as mentioned by Chief Pittman. These new hires will coordinate
    with the Capitol Police, as well as local, State and Federal
    law enforcement, the House Sergeant at Arms, and Executive
    Branch partners to improve our threat intelligence and
    information-sharing capacity. Their coordinated efforts will
    help us plan against and better prepare to respond to known or
    anticipated threats.
        That said, the Senate's most persistent threats are in the
    cyber domain with daily intrusion attempts by increasingly
    sophisticated and aggressive cyber adversaries. This budget
    supports year four of the Sergeant at Arms' proactive work to
    detect, react to, and when needed, recover the Senate network
    from advanced cybersecurity threats.
        Eleven new hires will support the Chief Information
    Officer, strengthening the resiliency of our IT systems,
    improving the quality of applications developed for Senate
    users, and expanding capacity to respond to Help Desk requests
    and equipment needs.
        Five new hires will provide additional services for the
    Senate community. I appreciate the subcommittee's support of
    the FTE we were able to forward hire this fiscal year for the
    Employee Assistance program, as well as a second FTE requested.
        Two licensed counselors joined the EAP this month,
    responding to increased demand for their services. Thanks to
    your support, the EAP remains a free and confidential resource
    to the Senate as we collectively navigate our way through
    challenging circumstances.
        Finally, three additional FTE will improve the quality of
    our acquisition packages, support Senate staff in utilizing new
    technology, and implement a customer-focused parking management
    system.
        I mentioned the Sergeant at Arms work to transition to a
    remote hearing posture as part of the pandemic response. By the
    end of the week the Senate recording studio will have produced
    390 remote or hybrid remote hearings.
        Given the importance of technology to conducting our
    legislative business, the Sergeant at Arms is coordinating with
    the Architect of the Capitol and the Committee on Rules and
    Administration to replace the audio visual equipment and
    systems in Senate hearing rooms that is near to, or past, the
    end of its serviceable life. We will replace critical equipment
    in three hearing rooms this fiscal year, including Hart 216,
    which repeatedly lost audio during the confirmation hearing for
    Justice Barrett. We request $5 million for the next phase of
    this long-term effort.
        I will close by saying that as I began my second month in
    this job, and familiarize myself with our diverse Sergeant at
    Arms operations, I am impressed daily by the professionalism
    and commitment of the women and men who work behind the scenes.
    We are committed to honoring the Senate's traditions while
    embracing innovation to better secure and support the Senate's
    operations.
        I am ready to answer your questions. And thank you for your
    support.

        [The statement follows:]
       Prepared Statement of Hon. Karen H. Gibson, Sergeant at Arms and
                            Doorkeeper of the Senate
        The Office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms (SAA) respectfully
    requests $281.774M in appropriations for fiscal year 2022, a 23.5
    percent increase from the fiscal year 2021 enacted level. The increase
    will better position the SAA to strengthen the security of the Capitol
    Complex and the Members, staff and their constituents we serve, support
    the business continuity and disaster recovery needs of the Senate, and
    harden our cybersecurity while modernizing the Senate's information
    technology (IT) systems. We need 30 additional staff in support of
    these priorities, which would bring our total end strength to 957 full-
    time equivalents (FTE).
        The events of January 6 and April 2 require the SAA, in
    coordination with the House Sergeant at Arms (HSAA), Architect of the
    Capitol (AOC), and United States Capitol Police (USCP) to assess our
    physical security infrastructure and staffing posture. This
    collaborative review and commitment to strengthening our operational
    readiness has identified a number of near-term improvements. We
    anticipate additional requirements as we continue our collective
    assessment. We remain mindful of the desire for a more accessible
    campus, both in the near-term and following the pandemic.
        As we define these critical requirements and implement solutions,
    the SAA will rely on the AOC for its design and construction expertise,
    as well as the USCP for its operational requirements. Together, we will
    make informed decisions as responsible stewards of appropriated funds.
        The following narrative provides additional information on the
    SAA's fiscal year 2022 request and management of previously
    appropriated dollars in support of the Senate.
                  physical security and emergency preparedness
    Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
        $25 million in no-year funds is requested to allow the Senate to
    quickly meet unanticipated needs, whether a natural disaster, pandemic,
    or events such as those of January 6, 2021. The Business Continuity and
    Disaster Recovery fund will ensure Senate essential services continue
    without interruption. This includes IT disaster recovery planning and
    operations, business continuity planning and operations, emergency
    communications, and general contingency capabilities, positioning the
    Senate to operate under any environment.
        Emerging requirements often develop quickly, post event. This
    became apparent after the pandemic, where we executed over $2 million
    in support of IT software, hardware, increased Internet bandwidth,
    conferencing services, applications, and burst increase for the Virtual
    Private Network (VPN). January 6th identified the need for new
    technologies and applications that provide better situational
    awareness, encryption, and enhanced communications capabilities.
    Contingency Programs
        Level funding is requested to develop, maintain, and exercise our
    continuity plans. In fiscal year 2022, the SAA will continue testing
    and exercising Senate capabilities with its partners, including the
    Secretary of the Senate. One week-long mobility and relocation exercise
    will task the Senate continuity community with deploying vehicles,
    equipment, and staff to an offsite location; setting up functioning
    offices; and performing essential functions as if the Senate had
    relocated to a continuity site. We expect exercise results to
    contribute to the refinement of plans, reinforce training, identify
    capability gaps, and inform future investments.
    Emergency Preparedness
        An increase of $1,237,000 and one additional FTE is requested for
    emergency preparedness. The SAA continues to educate, train, and
    exercise emergency plans and procedures to ensure Members and staff are
    equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills, and tools to prepare
    for, respond to, and recover from a variety of emergencies.
        We updated 157 Emergency Action Plans in 2020, and plan to update a
    similar number in both 2021 and 2022. These plans provide information
    such as detailed evacuation routes, elevator locations for the
    mobility-impaired, and office specific procedures for evacuation,
    shelter in place, relocation/internal relocation, and escape hood use.
    A custom office emergency reference card staff can adhere to their
    badges is also produced upon Emergency Action Plan finalization. For
    fiscal year 2022 and fiscal year 2023, we plan to streamline the
    Emergency Action Plan process by moving it to an online application,
    which will make it easier for Office Emergency Coordinators to review,
    update, and finalize plans.
        We assisted 52 Member offices and committees with completing their
    Continuity of Operations plans and trained 28 Member office and
    committee staff on continuity planning, strengthening the Senate's
    ability to continue performing its essential functions during and after
    disruptive events. We updated the Member office and committee COOP plan
    templates with lessons learned from the Russell Senate Office Building
    fire incident and the pandemic. We also moved all Member office COOP
    plans to the online Accountability and Emergency Roster System
    (ALERTS), making it easier for COOP Action Officers to review, update,
    and finalize documentation.
        In the past year we developed virtual training for remote staff on
    topics such as Escape Hood and Emergency Preparedness, Office Emergency
    Coordinator, ALERTS, Remote Check In, Emergency Action Planning, and
    Personal Preparedness. Approximately 900 Senate staff took advantage of
    this opportunity. The Member Emergency Preparedness training was
    provided virtually to seven new Senators.
        In addition to trainings, our office distributed guides informing
    staff on how to respond to threatening situations, protestors, and
    other emergencies. Our office created and released a new customizable
    Personal Preparedness Plan for the Senate community.
        We supplied and maintained emergency supply kits, annunciators,
    victim rescue units, and escape hoods (including baby escape hoods) for
    Senate offices. The fiscal year 2022 budget request includes an
    increase of $117,000 to support the replacement and replenishment of
    victim rescue units and $995,000 for escape hoods that have reached the
    end of their useful life.
        The Emergency Preparedness office worked with the CIO to
    restructure USCP alert messages in ALERTS by separating them into life
    safety alerts and administrative alerts. All DC staff now receive life
    safety alerts whenever a protective action is required on Capitol Hill.
    Administrative alerts for routine events such as road closures,
    suspicious packages, demonstrations, and door closures continue to be
    optional for Senate staff. For fiscal year 2022 and fiscal year 2023,
    we will update the Remote Check-In application to better capture
    accountability data from the Senate community pertaining to life safety
    events.
        Our fiscal year 2022 initiative to bring the Personnel
    Accountability System (PAS) under joint Senate and House of
    Representatives management will improve the Senate's ability to conduct
    Member and staff boarding and manifesting during emergencies, as well
    as ensure accurate accountability rosters at various locations.
        We are expanding our Call Center and Family Assistance Center
    planning efforts by engaging with the District of Columbia should this
    service be needed during a mass casualty event affecting Capitol Hill.
        We appreciate the Committee's support to provide funds needed to
    replace the legacy annunciator system with the Joint Audible Warning
    System (JAWS). The new system will provide an encrypted, remotely-
    manageable audible warning system with coverage in required areas of
    the Capitol complex. The project has been divided into two phases: the
    first phase consists of in-building design and radio frequency
    collection and study work to lead to a final proposal; the second
    optional phase includes equipment purchase and installation. The
    project is currently in phase one and detailed building walkthroughs of
    the entire Capitol complex are complete. The vendor and the project
    team are now working on detailed analyses of each building to properly
    scope and design the system. As of February 2021, the following items
    remained to be completed in phase one: AOC to complete a cable path
    design in the Cannon House Office Building; vendor to recommend and the
    team to determine feasibility of additional transmission sites; and
    additional technology design work for in-building Distributed Antenna
    System to provide coverage in limited areas where rooftop transmitters
    cannot reach. The latter requires coordination with the SAA program
    manager to validate the concept and ensure it does not impact the
    reception coverage needed in the Capitol complex. This plan will be
    briefed to Leadership and the Committee regarding any changes in design
    or cost before phase two initiation, once the vendor submits a final
    proposal expected in April 2021. This budget submission includes an
    increase of $125,000 to ensure radios and other equipment can be
    replaced at the end of their expected lifecycle.
        In fiscal year 2019/2020 we completed a year-long pilot program
    with the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to install an alert
    beacon in their hearing room for silent visual notification to the
    Chief Clerk, who can then determine a response to the emergency
    message. Although expansion was paused due to pandemic restrictions, we
    look forward to expanding this feature to other committees in the
    upcoming year.
        We are collaborating with the House, USCP, AOC, and Library of
    Congress to update, manage, and exercise joint communications plans and
    procedures for various communications devices. We are working with the
    Executive Branch and other partners to expand priority and preemption
    cellular services to select Senate users, as well as provide access to
    secure communications devices as needed during highly congested events.
    Intelligence and Protective Services
        $2,125,000 and an additional nine FTE are requested for the Office
    of Intelligence and Protective Services. We expect an increase in
    Member-specific requests throughout fiscal year 2022 similar to the
    significant increase in perimeter and personal security requests during
    Inauguration, following the events of January 6. Four Intelligence and
    Critical Infrastructure Security Analysts are needed to engage with the
    intelligence community and obtain information needed to make
    operational decisions. These analysts will participate in offsite task
    force assignments focusing on trends regarding domestic and
    international incidents, as well as threat and cybersecurity
    vulnerabilities affecting Members and the Capitol. Three Open Source
    Analysts and two Threat Management Analysts are needed to prevent
    reporting gaps to investigative authorities and to ensure timely work
    products as threat activity volume increases, particularly threat
    activity directed towards Members and their families. These analysts
    will monitor and inform Members, their staff, and SAA leadership of
    known criminal threat cases by actively engaging with the Federal
    Bureau of Investigation, USCP, and other intelligence agencies to
    receive and share data while following open source information and
    threat assessment reports.
        We proactively research and analyze such material and engage with
    community partners and subject matter experts to maintain security-
    related situational awareness and identify threat data against Members,
    their families, and staff. In the first half of fiscal year 2021, we
    discovered over 456 comments of concern, which we referred to USCP,
    resulting in more than 190 criminal threat violations, an already 102
    percent increase over fiscal year 2020. We anticipate an increased use
    of social media, as well as encrypted messaging, to intensify
    disinformation and extremist ideologies, ultimately leading to
    exponentially more threat discoveries in fiscal year 2022.
        SAA collaborates with USCP and other law enforcement agencies to
    ensure appropriate notification and communication with specifically
    targeted Members and staff while continuously monitoring, evaluating,
    and conducting vulnerability, risk, and threat assessments to determine
    and apply suitable security measures and protective operations
    coverage. For the first half of fiscal year 2021, we tracked,
    monitored, and updated Members and staff on over 292 active criminal
    threat cases, already more than a 24 percent increase from fiscal year
    2020.
    Member Outreach and Security Coordination
        An additional four FTE are requested for the SAA Office of Member
    Outreach and Security Coordination (MOSC), which provides security
    support to Senators and staff in DC and State offices. Support includes
    security assessments and law enforcement coordination for public and
    private events; law enforcement notifications for identified rest
    overnight locations; escort coordination at airports, train stations,
    and other mass transit locations; enhanced residence patrols;
    assessment and law enforcement coordination for security assistance at
    public events; overseas travel assessments and coordination; tools for
    off campus safety and reporting procedures; SAA security training
    initiatives; and overall security posture enhancements.
        MOSC has engaged in active outreach and discussions regarding
    active threat and criminal cases directed at Members and staff, as well
    as weekly reinforcement messages to Chiefs of Staff, Administrative
    Managers, State Directors, Chief Clerks, and Schedulers regarding
    campus safety initiatives. Additionally, MOSC participates in security
    awareness briefings for Senate office staff alongside USCP
    counterparts.
        Each effort is undertaken to ensure Members and their staff receive
    the necessary guidance, tools, and support when planning and attending
    national public events. We provide offices with a final product
    highlighting the overall threat level, specific areas of concern, and
    local law enforcement contact information. Through this extensive
    outreach initiative, MOSC has completed approximately 139 law
    enforcement coordination and assessment requests, 509 law enforcement
    escort requests, 151 travel notifications, and 39 rest overnight
    notifications and enhanced patrols during the first half of fiscal year
    2021. This represent a 320 percent increase over the same timeframe
    last year. We are on track to nearly triple the approximately 437 total
    requests completed in fiscal year 2020.
    Security Planning and Police Operations
        Level funding is requested to coordinate law enforcement support
    for the Senate community in collaboration with the USCP. fiscal year
    2020/2021 efforts include coordinating 520 Senate campus access
    requests; working with the Committee on Rules and Administration and
    USCP to identify and publish numerous door and barricade restrictions
    during recess periods, special events, and holidays. The SAA
    coordinated security coverage for 314 committee hearings and 15 Member-
    specific security requests. We partnered with USCP to support
    residential security assessments for Members. We reinstituted Security
    Awareness Briefings for Senate staff, and have held more than 50
    sessions to provide information covering a variety of security-related
    topics thus far in 2021.
        Our office provides real-time situational awareness through USCP
    Command Center support. Our staff are on duty all hours the Senate is
    in session, and throughout normal business hours during periods of
    recess, to allow for regular contact between our office, USCP, and the
    Senate community throughout routine operations, special events, and
    emergencies. We monitored approximately 421 security events through
    this program in 2020.
        The overall Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness
    information technology infrastructure consists of at least 10
    interconnected and stand-alone systems that provide alert notification
    and accountability support to offices, incident management, parking
    operations, badge production, campus access, fleet management, and
    secure communications for the Senate. There are two complex legacy
    systems that need focused effort to modernize, specifically the Parking
    Management System that manages parking operations for SAA parking lots,
    and the Identification System that produces Senate IDs. These systems
    require an additional, dedicated FTE who can manage development and
    maintenance in coordination with the CIO.
                        information systems and security
    Cybersecurity
        The SAA endured a number of cyber events, to include the recent
    Solar Winds hack that impacted a number of executive branch and
    commercial organizations. The Senate remained unaffected. To remain
    ahead of potential cyber threats, we request an increase of $1,850,000
    to: replace a legacy ticketing system with modern technology that also
    manages cyber incident response tickets; procure the next generation
    firewall and cloud-based filtering technology to better defend cloud
    services; acquire an application that will actively identify
    vulnerabilities on Senate devices; secure the ability to predict and
    adapt to intelligence feeds from malign actors in social media; and
    mature the method by which Senate users connect to the Senate network.
        During fiscal year 2022, we will focus on our five main lines of
    effort: Cybersecurity Resilience Assessment Methodology (CRAM), Office
    CRAM, Insider Threat, Awareness, and Cloud.
        We completed the development of the CRAM methodology, and are
    finalizing the testing of the standardized methodology to ensure it is
    effective and efficient. Next, we will conduct advanced cybersecurity
    resiliency assessments for Senate offices and committees that include
    coordinated penetration tests, vulnerability assessments, and advanced
    phishing assessments, among other actions. These advanced assessments
    will also evaluate the effectiveness of the Cyber Security Operations
    Center, as well as information technology systems supporting the Senate
    network. We will concentrate on mitigating risk associated with the
    potential insider threat, through education and technical means. We
    will mature our cybersecurity awareness campaign in collaboration with
    other agencies. Finally, we will evaluate gaps in cyber and privacy
    security as it relates to cloud-based services and other technologies,
    and will work to develop and post relevant cybersecurity policies to
    the Senate community. Through the standup of a contracting review
    board, we review all awarded contracts for legal, cybersecurity, and
    privacy risks.
    End User Technology Innovation
        Our ability to innovate for the end user lags, due to day-to-day
    operational requirements. Building applications and applying
    configuration standards to secure computing platforms, while
    maintaining maximum convenience and flexibility from the end user's
    point of view, will help to ensure successful deployment, increased use
    and greater end user productivity. To support this effort, the fiscal
    year 2022 budget includes a request for two additional FTE. An IT
    Manager is needed to supervise existing personnel responsible for the
    innovation and evaluation of solutions that are delivered directly to
    end users. This includes the assessment of new desktops, laptops,
    printing and scanning solutions, smartphones and tablets and how we
    provision, deploy, and update them. A Principal Quality Assurance
    Analyst is needed to strengthen the quality of custom applications
    before they are released to production.
    Secure and Mobile Communications
        $988,000 and two additional FTE are requested to oversee the
    engineering, implementation, and operations for the Senate's IT
    Continuity and Disaster Recovery Programs. This includes management of
    the Senate's radio infrastructure, communication security (COMSEC),
    mobile command vehicles, satellite communications, voice and data
    connections to continuity sites, as well as datacenter resiliency and
    continuity.
        The requested funding and additional staff will enhance the
    Senate's continuity resiliency and further protect our Continuity of
    Operations assets. This includes the acquisition of radio management
    software to allow for remote configuration and management of both
    mobile and portable radios; the protected storage for a mobile
    communication vehicle and satellite communication assets; and
    additional hardware (laptops and radio infrastructure) to facilitate a
    more robust continuity response.
    Security Enhancements
        We work closely with offices on multi-factor authentication (MFA)
    to enhance the security of the Senate IT infrastructure. In fiscal year
    2021, we further secured access to critical Senate services and data
    with the implementation of Duo Trusted Endpoints (DTE). DTE prevents
    unauthorized device access to Senate services protected by MFA.
    Throughout fiscal year 2022, we will enhance integration of MFA with
    more Senate applications and additional developments in secure
    password-less authentication.
        To address the ongoing need for increased security of highly
    privileged accounts, we expanded enrollment into Privileged Access
    Management (PAM) to include accounts used by office System
    Administrators. PAM significantly increases the security posture of the
    Senate information systems, protecting the most sensitive data by
    limiting exposure of privileged credentials and protecting access to
    those credentials with MFA.
        The Identity and Access Management (IAM) program remains
    strategically important as it ensures users of IT resources have the
    right access to the right systems and data from initial onboarding
    through their tenure at the Senate. IAM ensures access to all systems
    and data terminates once a staff member is no longer an employee of the
    Senate. SAA CIO plans to deploy IAM in a pilot program late in 2021.
    With the increased adoption of cloud services across the IT and mobile
    device landscape, it is essential that a user's access to the proper
    systems and data can be managed efficiently and securely. Additionally,
    cloud products rely on user licenses to access these services, and the
    ability to correctly license and delicense users is essential to
    control costs. Our fiscal year 2022 budget request identifies a need
    for an additional FTE to configure and support the IAM system.
    Enterprise and Network Services
        $1,648,000 is requested in fiscal year 2022 for the data centers
    and related network operations. An additional $750,000 is requested to
    cover the expenses associated with the joint encrypted communications
    study and related implementation.
        In fiscal year 2020, we refined the data center modernization
    strategy to include a transition to two geographically-separated Tier 3
    colocation facilities, enhanced resiliency of critical IT services, and
    improved physical security. During fiscal year 2020 and fiscal year
    2021, we completed network infrastructure and extended critical IT
    services to the first colocation data center facility. Efforts to
    extend additional services to the facility will be completed in fiscal
    year 2021. As part of the refined data center strategy, we identified
    and contracted a regional data center location to establish another
    facility with enhanced physical security, power, cooling, and network
    redundancy. We will relocate the Site A data center to the new facility
    in fiscal year 2021. Remaining implementation and migration activities
    for the two colocation facilities will be completed in fiscal year
    2022.
        Ultimately, some services will run out of the new data centers
    while other services will run from cloud providers. We are undertaking
    additional analysis to ensure we provide the right mix of cost
    effective and modern services between a mix of data centers and the
    cloud.
    Help Desk Support
        One additional FTE is requested to implement a new IT service
    management platform, which will improve customer service when staff
    utilize the Help Desk for IT service requests.
    IT Support Communications
        The SAA continues with the expansion of the digital signage system
    to approximately 63 locations within the Hart, Dirksen, and Russell
    buildings. Seven locations currently have digital signage, with a plan
    to add 56 new locations over the next 5 years. The expanded digital
    signage system will display graphical wayfinding information and
    emergency notifications, in addition to existing directory information
    and hearing schedules. The new digital signs will connect to the Joint
    Emergency Mass Notification System.
        The multi-year effort to upgrade and modernize the State office
    telephony infrastructure for all 460-plus State offices is underway
    and, to date, we have completed 273. Due to the pandemic, we have
    experienced delays in migration and are unable to complete as initially
    planned. The funding for this contract is in place and must be
    obligated. However, as a result, there is a need to fund support of the
    legacy systems that were not replaced during fiscal year 2022. The
    pandemic has also required additional work orders for services such as
    call forwarding to be placed on these same legacy lines. The legacy
    features are at a cost and therefore require additional funding as
    well. As a result, we require a one-time increase of $5,775,000 for
    support of the legacy system and a permanent increase of $1,879,000 to
    support the continued migration and monthly usage and maintenance of
    the new system.
        Further we require two additional FTE to support the Telecom
    Assistance Center. These new hires will support the additional work
    resulting from the increase in supported technologies. The
    responsibilities of the TAC have expanded significantly due to virtual
    conferencing, the updating and expansion of in-building wireless, and a
    need to have more rigorous program management to keep this project on
    track.
        The funds received in the fiscal year 2021 enacted budget in
    support of the Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) platform
    have allowed us to complete Phase I: Discovery and Requirements
    Gathering, Phase II: Analysis and Research, and Phase III: Procurement
    Planning. In fiscal year 2021, we began Phase IV: Implementation and
    Migration. The UCC Implementation and Migration phase of the project
    will continue in fiscal year 2022. This will create a mobile,
    collaborative, and unified environment that is easy to use and
    intuitive for the end-user. The SAA, along with a leading UCC
    integrator, will design a system that support communication and
    collaboration anytime, anywhere, and on any connected device. This
    includes voice messaging, voice-to-text transcription, Microsoft Teams
    integration, conferencing, common directory, Contact Center, mass
    notification, and enhanced 9-1-1 (E911). The UCC implementation will
    focus on five key priorities: security and privacy, systems
    integration, collaboration, mobility, and user interface and self-
    service.
        To support Senate offices, our request includes $550,000 for year
    three of a 5-year plan to ensure adequate funds are available to
    support the Senate IT needs through the Economic Allocation Fund. The
    fiscal year 2022 budget request also includes $412,000 and one
    additional FTE for the wireless services and equipment to meet demand.
    Program Management
        Two additional FTE are requested to support the coordination of all
    IT projects and equipment orders.
                                support services
    Acquisition
        An increase of $38,000 and one additional FTE is requested to
    support the Senate's procurement needs, including continued development
    of quality procurement packages. SAA acquisition personnel are working
    to obtain their Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-
    C) to professionalize the SAA Acquisition workforce consistent with
    other legislative entities and Federal agencies. To date, one-third of
    SAA Acquisition personnel have obtained FAC-C Level 1 certification or
    higher. Funding will allow for acquisition personnel to obtain the
    appropriate FAC-C certification level based on their position and
    complete required continuous learning of 80 hours every 2 years to
    maintain certification.
    Appointment Desk
        Level funding is requested to support the network of Appointment
    Desks located on the first floor of the Capitol, in the basements of
    the Russell and Hart buildings, and in the Capitol Visitor Center
    (CVC). During fiscal year 2019, the Appointment Desk processed
    approximately 205,000 visitors. Of these, more than 120,000 visitors
    were in the Capitol complex for official business or for a meeting with
    a Member, a Member's office, or a committee. The remaining 85,000
    visitors consisted of staff-led tours that were processed through the
    Russell Appointment Desk. In addition, nearly 30,000 international
    visitors relied on the CVC Appointment Desk for Senate Gallery Passes
    and information. Although the pandemic required a significant
    curtailment in operations beginning March 2020, required support will
    steadily increase in fiscal year 2021 and into fiscal year 2022 as
    Members and staff return to normal operations. In fiscal year 2021,
    Appointment Desk staff provided auxiliary staff support to the New
    Member Suites post-election and the Impeachment trial.
    Capitol Facilities
        Level funding is requested in fiscal year 2022 to provide a clean,
    professional environment in the Capitol. The Environmental Services
    Division cleans Capitol offices, hallways, and restrooms; moves
    furniture for offices; and provides special event setups for 15 meeting
    rooms in the Capitol and the Senate expansion space in the Capitol
    Visitor Center. During the pandemic, in addition to the standard
    nightly cleaning services, the Environmental Services Division procured
    and utilized advanced equipment and chemicals to disinfect offices,
    restrooms, and hallways. Supplies, including masks, disinfecting wipes
    and hand sanitizers, were provided to Capitol offices in partnership
    with the AOC.
        In fiscal year 2021, the Furnishings Division completed the
    refurbishment of the third floor corridors surrounding the Senate
    Chamber and seating in the Senate Galleries, providing furnishings
    consistent with the significance of the Senate. The Furnishings
    Division created custom furniture for the winter 2021 impeachment trial
    to facilitate accessibility and egress.
    Doorkeepers
        Level funding is requested for the Senate Doorkeepers, who provide
    access to those with Senate floor privileges; enforce the rules of the
    Senate floor; and facilitate the needs of Senators, Senate floor staff,
    and Senate Pages, including emergency preparedness.
    Employee Assistance Program
        Level funding and two additional FTE are requested in fiscal year
    2022 for the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which offers a variety
    of emotional, behavioral, and work-related support resources and
    services to staff, their family members, Senate Pages, and interns. The
    overarching mission of the EAP is enhancing resilience and preparedness
    across the Senate community, and this past year has demonstrated the
    effectiveness of our strategies.
        In 2020, the EAP met the increased demand for services as a result
    of the COVID-19 pandemic by immediately standing up telehealth support
    services, providing customized trainings to requesting Senate offices,
    contracting an additional counselor, and distributing regular
    communications to Senate staff. During this time, more than 40 percent
    of Senate staff accessed EAP services across nearly 95 percent of
    Senate offices. Additionally, 312 employees took an online mental
    health screening; 2,087 employees attended an EAP training activity;
    and 1,923 employees accessed resources for personalized information and
    referrals addressing childcare, parenting, adult care, aging,
    education, legal concerns, and/or financial issues.
        As of March 2021, the demand for services has increased
    significantly and will exceed the 2020 statistics by the end of 2021.
    It is worth noting that the EAP has already reached 25 percent of our
    clinical service numbers and 42 percent of training outreach within the
    first 2 months of 2021, compared with all of 2020. In response to
    January 6, 2021, and April 2, 2021, the EAP continued to meet or exceed
    service levels, including providing trauma support to entities outside
    of the normal programmatic purview.
    Fleet Operations
        Level funding is requested to procure, manage, and maintain Senate
    vehicles; operate the Senate Daily Shuttle service; and provide the
    Senate with emergency transportation and logistics support. The SAA
    fleet includes trucks, vans, buses, SUVs, electric vehicles,
    handicapped-accessible vehicles, and Segways. SAA staff transported
    more than 22,000 passengers through the SAA Shuttle Service in fiscal
    year 2019. We expect these levels to return as Members and staff are
    vaccinated and return onsite. In addition to staff regularly sanitizing
    vehicles, the SAA is procuring anti-bacterial air filters for passenger
    buses. We plan is to exchange several obsolete vehicles that can
    instead be leased, for a cost savings to the Senate.
    Human Resources
        An increase of $43,000 is requested to support the SAA Human
    Resources office, which provides personnel services and advice to SAA
    managers and employees, administers the internship program, executes
    personnel and payroll administration, oversees the SAA safety office,
    coordinates workers compensation, manages the SAA transit subsidy
    program, and oversees the Placement Office. The Placement Office
    assists Senators and committees with filling entry level through
    professional staff vacancies by providing resumes of qualified
    candidates. During fiscal year 2020, the Senate Placement Office
    received 562 requests for recruitment assistance from Senate offices
    and processed 16,980 resumes from applicants seeking Senate employment.
    ID Office
        Level funding is requested to support the Senate ID Office. The SAA
    has assisted 6,100 customers in 2021, including Senate staff, support
    personnel and credentialed media. Almost 18,000 new and updated
    Congressional and Press identification badges were issued in fiscal
    year 2020. We anticipate our fiscal year 2022 volume to increase in
    support of greater security measures at the Capitol complex and State
    offices. The ID office is working to support various capabilities, as
    outlined in the Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12,
    including email encryption and two-factor secure remote network access
    in fiscal year 2021.
        The SAA has upgraded badge production hardware, printers, and
    cameras to best support the growing demand for SmartCards and
    proximity-based IDs, as well as replace end of life production
    equipment. SmartCards used for digital signatures in the Senate
    financial management system have been offered to all Member, committee,
    and support offices, increasing by 30 percent each Congress dating back
    to the 114th Congress. As the FMIS system expands its functionality and
    user population, we expect this number to grow throughout fiscal year
    2021 and fiscal year 2022. We are actively researching additional uses
    for SmartCards, such as point of entry, as this badge becomes more
    prevalent across the Capitol complex.
    Media Galleries
        Level funding is requested in fiscal year 2022 to support the
    Senate's four media galleries: Daily Press, Periodical Press, Press
    Photographers, and Radio/TV. The media galleries serve as liaisons
    between members of the media and the Senate community. Each gallery
    reviews applications and issues credential to its respective news
    photographers and reporters, then facilitates their interactions with
    Senators. Gallery staff also coordinate press coverage of hearings,
    news conferences, stakeouts, and other media events in the Capitol and
    Senate office buildings. The Senate Radio/TV gallery maintains the
    studio and technical infrastructure Senators use for news conferences.
    Outside of the ongoing pandemic, during which press pooled their
    reporting to limit the number of individuals in the Capitol and Senate
    office buildings, media presence on Capitol Hill has increased over the
    past few years.
    Page Program
        The Senate Page Program, which provides an opportunity for high
    school students across the Nation to become immersed in the legislative
    process and the workings of the Senate. In March fiscal year 2020, in
    consultation with the Office of Attending Physician, we swiftly
    returned pages to their homes at the beginning of the pandemic. We have
    focused our attention and resources on needed improvements to Daniel J.
    Webster Residence Hall in partnership with the AOC. An increase of
    $7,000 is needed to cover licensing costs for a software system that
    supports the health and safety of pages.
    Parking Operations
        An increase of $100,000 and one additional FTE is requested to
    provide a customer-focused, secure parking management system for the
    Senate. The SAA purchased new permit printers and tablets to enhance
    onsite customer service in fiscal year 2021. An increase in fiscal year
    2022 is needed to purchase additional handheld devices. Software for
    these devices is being developed to instantly identify vehicles and any
    associated issues by scanning permit barcodes or license plates,
    capturing photos, and print and document parking violations and other
    issues that need to be addressed by permit holders.
    Photographic Services
        Level funding is requested in fiscal year 2022 to provide photo-
    imaging services for Senate offices and committees. The SAA
    Photographic Services team manages and maintains a unified digital
    photo browser application that provides Senate offices a secure,
    accessible archive of all photos accumulated during a Senator's term in
    office. Currently, the photo browser contains more than 1.4 million
    photo image files. Following a survey of Senate offices, Photographic
    Services will replace its photo browser with a more modern and
    customer-friendly version. This will give the Senate community access
    to a unified repository of photographs with the ability to order a
    preexisting or uploaded image. In fiscal year 2020, our staff
    photographed nearly 51,000 images, produced more than 22,000 photo
    prints, and coordinated scanning for end of term archiving of more than
    17,000 photo images for Senators leaving office. We are providing the
    same level of service in fiscal year 2021 with consistent funding.
    Post Office
        Level funding is requested to support the Senate Post Office. Post
    Office staff test and deliver mail and packages to more than 180
    locations within the Capitol complex, while providing a messenger
    service to multiple locations throughout the Washington metropolitan
    area. In fiscal year 2020, the Post Office safely processed and
    delivered more than 6.17 million incoming mail items, while
    intercepting five suspicious mailings that required an immediate
    response by the USCP. We prevented delivery of an additional 7,961
    mailings bearing characteristics with the intent to disrupt Senate
    business and requiring further scrutiny by USCP.
        During the pandemic, we established a temporary free forwarding
    service for State offices so their mail could be sent to the Capitol.
    For 15 participating offices, we delivered this mail to PGDM so that it
    could be scanned and sent electronically. To assist with the timely
    delivery of checks and invoices, we have been notifying both Senate and
    SAA offices via email with a digital scan to confirm receipt. This not
    only assisted in the safety of staff during the pandemic, but also
    allowed staff to quickly obtain constituent mail and promptly respond.
        Providing mail safety and security training for both DC and State
    offices remains vital to ensure all Senate staff know how to respond to
    potentially dangerous situations. We continue to offer training through
    the web (static video), VTC, and webinars and accomplish it in
    coordination with the State Office Operations team.
    Printing, Graphics and Direct Mail
        Level funding is requested for Printing, Graphics and Direct Mail
    (PGDM), which provides support to the Senate community through graphic
    design, printing, photocopying, mailing, document preservation,
    logistics, and secure offsite transfer of Senate material. During
    fiscal year 2020 and fiscal year 2021, PGDM replaced its color digital
    press and digital ink jet production press.
        PGDM is providing digital publications for various offices, while
    ensuring that items, such as 508 compliance, are applied. Those digital
    solutions have generated additional printed material that requires
    enhanced printing technology, which has been implemented in fiscal year
    2021. As a result of the pandemic, we successfully reconfigured our
    processes, and are able to scan Senators' mail and forward this mail
    electronically so staff members can quickly respond to constituents.
        PGDM is offering remote services, to include ordering and
    processing flag requests online in partnership with the Secretary of
    the Senate. As of March 2021, 82 offices have participated in remote
    flag processing and 30 offices have used the PGDM Custom Flag
    Certificate. Through software updates and enhanced training, we have
    streamlined our remote ordering processes with sophisticated web-to-
    print software and a new storefront for customers. The platform will
    give the Senate community the ability to access pre-approved templates
    and allow users to customize, order, and produce proofs. The storefront
    will also generate additional printed materials that require enhanced
    printing technology such as an Inkjet Press, which will also be
    implemented in fiscal year 2021 and into fiscal year 2022. PGDM seeks
    and provides training through various methods and resources to ensure
    its staff meet or exceed industry standards.
    Recording Studio
        The fiscal year 2022 budget includes a request for $5 million in
    no-year funding to enable the SAA to replace audiovisual equipment and
    systems in Senate Hearing Rooms that is at, or near, the end of its
    serviceable life. This project will be coordinated the Committee on
    Rules and Administration and the Architect of the Capitol (AOC). During
    fiscal year 2019, the Senate Recording Studio (SRS) fully renovated two
    hearing rooms, replacing audiovisual equipment that had exceeded its
    useful life. During fiscal year 2020, our plan to complete Dirksen 106
    was delayed due to the pandemic. During fiscal year 2021, we plan to
    make targeted replacements of at-risk systems in three hearing rooms:
    SH-216, SR-332, and SD-215.
        In fiscal year 2020, the SRS provided 964 hours of gavel-to-gavel
    coverage of Senate floor proceedings, including 6,189 livestreamed page
    views to 624 unique visitors on the Senate's website www.senate.gov, as
    well as archiving of the proceedings. We supported 402 committee
    hearings, of which 216 were hybrid or remote. The Senate has come to
    rely upon this capability for reasons that transcend the pandemic, and
    it is unlikely that demand will decrease after the pandemic.
        The SRS enables Senators working in DC to communicate with their
    constituents and news outlets back home. In calendar year 2020, the
    studio produced 606 television productions and 836 radio productions.
    State Office Operations
        We appreciate the Committee's support in fiscal year 2021 to
    adequately fund the State office rent program, reimbursement to the
    General Services Administration for Federal occupancy agreements, and
    increases in Federal Protective Service security costs for Senate
    offices housed in Federal buildings. The fiscal year 2022 budget
    includes the GSA rent inflation factor from GSA exhibit 54.
        The SAA works closely with commercial landlords, the GSA, and the
    FPS to ensure Members' operational and security preparedness needs are
    met in their State offices. As of March 2021, we support 458 State
    offices for rental payments; renovations; installation, maintenance and
    monitoring of physical security measures; and emergency supplies and
    security preparedness planning and training.
        In 2020, the SAA completed 88 unique State office projects,
    coordinating construction, security, furniture, equipment, and delivery
    of IT services. In 2021, we anticipate completing nearly 200 State
    office openings, relocations, renovations, and security projects as we
    support the transitions associated with the 117th Congress, and make up
    for postponements due to COVID-19 related restrictions across the
    country. Our success in managing the State Office Operations portfolio
    hinges on our close and collaborative working relationship with Senate
    staff, commercial landlords, and our Federal partners.
        We remain committed to ensuring the safety of Members and staff,
    and continue to provide customized security systems, monitoring
    services, and enhanced office security construction designs to State
    offices without affecting Member office budgets. Currently, over 98
    percent of State offices have adopted some level of recommended
    security enhancements. In fiscal year 2020, we provided initial
    physical security enhancements for 32 State offices and enhanced
    existing security for 20 others. We believe that emergency preparedness
    training and familiarity with security equipment equates to higher
    levels of compliance and readiness. The State Office Operations team
    offered twice monthly emergency preparedness webinars and worked
    closely with USCP on State office Security Awareness Briefings (SABs),
    transitioning to a virtual platform due to COVID-19 related travel
    restrictions. Since the deployment of these new virtual SABs earlier
    this year, 88 Senate State staff have participated in training and
    detailed security reviews. Our focus on State office readiness will
    continue into fiscal year 2022 and, to ensure our physical security
    enhancement program continues to be state-of-the-art, we are requesting
    a small one-time budget increase of $250,000 to undertake a detailed
    independent review of the program.
        A major challenge and area of focus is support to the Senate State
    offices contending with operational impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    In fiscal year 2021, State Office Operations is working closely with
    State offices around the country, ensuring they have the resources
    needed to continue operations and serve their constituents. In the
    early stages of the public health emergency, a significant outreach
    effort was undertaken, including a new streamlined COOP planning
    template that helped offices quickly shift to remote work posture.
    Recognizing the need for State staff to get accurate information about
    COVID-19 when considering operational status or staffing level changes,
    we developed a briefing based on current Office of Attending Physician
    guidance and available SAA services and supplies. Each briefing was
    customized, including office floor plans (to support social distance
    planning) and lists of local resources and public health authorities in
    each State. To date, 92 senior staff representing 41 Member offices
    have participated in these briefings. Our team also worked closely with
    commercial landlords and our GSA partners to coordinate 152 enhanced
    cleanings of State offices (many as a result of confirmed or suspected
    COVID-19 exposures). We focused on efforts to make facilities safer by
    helping offices assess floor plans to better plan for staggered
    staffing. We funded and coordinated furniture relocation and the
    procurement and placement of 68 plexiglass partitions to support social
    distancing. State Office Operations reorganized its existing supply
    program to include an expanded inventory of COVID-19 supplies in
    partnership with the AOC. To date, we have provided 87,700 face
    coverings and distributed thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer, as
    well as sanitizing wipes, disinfectant spray, and nitrile gloves to
    State staff. In addition, we coordinated the order and delivery of 307
    COVID-19 guidance posters and 160 social distancing floor stickers. Our
    COVID-19 support to State offices is expected to continue in fiscal
    year 2022.
    Training and Development
        Level funding and one additional FTE is requested for the Joint
    Office of Training & Development, which provides training, coaching,
    and professional development to Senate staff. During fiscal year 2020,
    Training & Development was able to provide all of its services
    remotely. The office provided more than 300 online classes and more
    than 200 facilitated conversations, one-on-one coaching, and
    consultations. The office interacted with 5,000 Senate staff through
    these services. In fiscal year 2020, the office provided virtual
    roundtables for State staff, which provided the benefits of networking
    and learning from each other, without any travel. Outside of the
    classroom, Training & Development staff have assisted over 500 staff in
    informal learning encounters. The additional FTE will respond to the
    increased need for technical documentation and training on Senate-
    supported applications and software utilized by Senate offices.
        The mandated Health Promotion section provides activities and
    events for the Senate community that promote healthy living. Each year,
    this section coordinates and hosts the 2-day Wellness Fair, which
    averages nearly 3,000 participants. The fair offers health promotion
    activities, such as screening for glucose, cholesterol, and blood
    pressure; exercise demonstrations; and seminars on topics including
    healthy eating and cancer prevention. Although the Senate Wellness Fair
    was cancelled in fiscal year 2020, we are investigating options to
    provide online sessions to Senate staff in fiscal year 2021. Health
    Promotion continues to coordinate with the American College of Surgeons
    (ACS) and the Stop the Bleed Coalition to provide bleeding control
    training for DC Senate staff. ACS cancelled the in-person training 2020
    and will offer a virtual training in May for Senate staff. The Health
    Promotion section will work with ACS to schedule hands-on training,
    starting in June.
                                   conclusion
        Thank you for the opportunity to discuss the SAA's fiscal year 2022
    budget request. As I familiarize with the SAA's diverse operations, I
    am deeply impressed by the professionalism and pride of the SAA team.
    Together, we will ensure the traditions of the Senate are upheld and
    respected while embracing innovation.

        Senator Reed. Thank you, General Gibson.
        Let me begin with a question for all of you, and I will
    start with Chief Pittman. But all of the agencies are
    responsible for protection and security of the Capitol, that
    means anticipating threats and preparing for those threats, but
    each agency plays a different role, but you must coordinate to
    effectively protect the Capitol.
        So, this is a foundational question for my benefit, if not
    for my colleagues. Can you each clarify what your agency is
    responsible for, and how do you coordinate with the other
    agency?

                        CAPITOL POLICE RESPONSIBILITIES

        Chief Pittman.
        Acting Chief Pittman. Absolutely. So, for U.S. Capitol
    Police, our primary responsibility is to secure the entire
    Capitol Complex. We also provide nationwide protective services
    for Members of the congressional leadership, as well as
    investigation of threats against Members of Congress and their
    immediate families.
        I work very closely with the Capitol Police Board to the
    right of me, if there are any security questions as they have
    oversight of the U.S. Capitol Police, and are a mediary between
    the U.S. Capitol Police and the Members of Congress. For the
    operational security plans on the Campus, the chief does have a
    bit of autonomy, but I do make my counterparts aware of the
    security and operational planning for the campus.
        Senator Reed. Thank you, Chief.
        Mr. Blanton, please.
        Mr. Blanton. Yes. As the Architect of the Capitol, I am in
    charge of the maintenance, care and upkeep of the entire
    Capitol Complex, including the Capitol building, the House and
    Senate office buildings, the Supreme Court, Library of Congress
    and the Botanic Gardens, and some other buildings, as well.
        As it relates to the Capitol Police Board, my primary role
    is to advise the Board on the physical implications of security
    decisions on infrastructure, and to plan, design and construct
    security infrastructure projects that are appropriated by
    Congress.
        Senator Reed. Thank you.
        And General Gibson, could you indicate your
    responsibilities and coordination?
        General Gibson. Certainly, Senator. I am solely responsible
    for cybersecurity of the Senate IT infrastructure, and I am
    responsible, I believe, for securing Senators, the staff on the
    Capitol Complex, and the home offices.
        I do not command or direct the operations of the Capitol
    Police or others who perform the physical security and
    protection of those Members, staffs and officers. Rather, I
    exercise oversight and provide guidance to the Capitol Police
    through my authorities as a member of the Capitol Police Board.
    I coordinate and communicate Senate security priorities to the
    Capitol Police and to the Architect. I coordinate, as
    necessary, with external agencies like the Federal Air
    Marshals.
        I fund, install, manage and monitor safety and security
    programs at the home offices. I provide training to staff and
    Members on emergency response, preparedness and continuity or
    contingency response.

                        TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

        Senator Reed. Well, let me follow that question up, and
    start with General Gibson. Have the events of January 6 caused
    you, and I think it has, to rethink your responsibilities and
    the coordination mechanism? All roads, based on your testimony,
    seem to lead back to the Capitol Police Board, and your
    experience, General, which is just, and also I think Mr.
    Blanton and the Chief said: in a crisis committees do not
    function very well, and we have to prepare for crises.
        So, could you comment on what changes you think should be
    enacted in responsibilities and coordination?
        General Gibson. Certainly. I definitely think you need the
    Capitol Police Board, and largely as it is currently
    constituted. There are some improvements that could be made in
    terms of responsiveness and transparency.
        That said, I do think there need to be mechanisms by which
    the Capitol Police Chief can seek additional assistance in an
    emergency without having to get the permission of the Capitol
    Police Board. In fact, the counsels from all of our offices are
    working together to draft language to that effect, whether that
    might result in a regulation that is issued by the Capitol
    Police Board or legislation, that would permit the Capitol
    Police Chief, in exigent circumstances, to request the
    emergency assistance that is required.
        Senator Reed. Mr. Blanton, your comments.
        Mr. Blanton. Thank you. I do agree as well that there needs
    to be much more transparency and accountability in the Capitol
    Police Board. I also concur that as currently constituted, it
    can be an effective board with some changes that are made.
        When it comes to the role of physical infrastructure, one
    of the key outcomes to me is that we need to look across the
    entire Campus, comprehensively, at our physical infrastructure,
    and in doing so that includes other entities that we support,
    as the Architect of the Capitol, that are on the Capitol
    Complex, that are not necessarily under the purview of
    Congress, such as the Supreme Court.
        Senator Reed. Yes.
        Mr. Blanton. So that is why we requested that the transfer
    of authority for the funds to do the comprehensive security
    assessment, to look at the entire campus so we do not have weak
    spots in some locations and harder spots in the other locations
    on the Capitol Complex.
        Senator Reed. Thank you.

               IMPACT OF JANUARY 6 EVENT ON THE SECURITY POSTURE

        And Chief Pittman, please.
        Acting Chief Pittman. Yes, certainly. The mission for the
    U.S. Capitol Police has not changed, it has expanded, and I do
    agree with General Gibson in her assessment that the U.S.
    Capitol Police Chief should have the autonomy to bypass the
    Board in a crisis situation. The events of January 6, will have
    an impact on our workforce and will also change our security
    posture on the campus.
        We know that in a crisis situation time is not always on or
    believed to be on our side, and it is my belief, along with
    leadership at the U.S. Capitol Police, that in those situations
    we are fighting for everything. Everything we say and do is to
    make sure we put our workforce, our officers in the best
    position to defend the U.S. Capitol, so they can, essentially,
    protect the Members of Congress.
        With that said, we have been working closely with the
    members of the Capitol Police Board, to come up with some of
    the language so that the Chief of Police can have the right or
    autonomy to at least solicit the help of the DC National Guard
    in a time of crisis.
        So, with the Board Chair we will work through those
    challenges, to grant the police chief that authority, and I
    believe that through the partnership with myself and the Board,
    we will be able to come to a helpful resolution so that we can
    provide the maximum support for the workforce as well as for
    the Congress.

                                PERIMETER FENCE

        Senator Reed. Thank you, Chief.
        I am going to recognize Senator Braun. I will also ask him
    to run the show while I run to the vote. I will be back very
    quickly. So, thank you.

                   OUTER PERIMETER FENCING AROUND THE CAPITOL

        Senator Braun. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        This will be for Chief Pittman and General Gibson. It is my
    understanding that this week the Capitol Police Board made a
    determination to put the outer perimeter fence back up in
    expectation of potential activity around the Capitol grounds.
    While the decision was later reversed, this would have been the
    first time the outer fence I think was redeployed, and I think
    it would be helpful to understand the decisionmaking process.
        Chief Pittman, and General Gibson, can you let me know, or
    let this committee know what informed the decisionmaking
    process? And then also address why oversight committees were
    not consulted in advance of either decision.
        Acting Chief Pittman. I do not mind starting, General, if
    that is okay with you.
        General Gibson. Neither do I. Go ahead.
        Acting Chief Pittman. Okay.
        Thank you, sir, for the question. So naturally since
    January 6, the U.S. Capitol Police's hearts have been extremely
    heavy. As you know, sir, we have lost three officers in a 3-
    month period of time.
        I have gone around to roll calls and talking to my officers
    who are traumatized, since the events of January 6, and I have
    always shared with them that I believe that law enforcement is
    a calling, and like any calling one must be prepared.
        However, there is nothing that prepares you, as a Chief or
    as a member of the workforce, for losing three members of your
    police family in such a horrific manner, back-to-back as we
    have experienced.
        The Capitol Police has based our security posture on three
    primary things: threats to the community, the limitations of
    the infrastructure on the campus, as well as the limitations to
    the USCP.
        So, I think one point of clarification is that the
    department, along with the Capitol Police Board had extensive
    discussions about deploying an additional layer of fencing to
    the outer perimeter based on those three primary things.
        We know that there are still limitations, repairs that need
    to be made to the infrastructure. We know that U.S. Capitol
    Police does have the support of its law enforcement partners,
    but there are still some limitations there, and there was a
    concern--at that time--of violence, and threats to the
    community.

                          SECURING THE CAPITOL CAMPUS

        The Capitol Police Board had a conversation, or several
    conversations, about the best options to securing the campus.
    The decision, I do not think, General Gibson, you can correct
    me if I am wrong, was a final decision to actually deploy the
    fencing, but we were preparing if the fencing needed to be
    deployed, along with the Architect of the Capitol, to ensure
    that we would have the tools and resources that we needed in
    place to keep the workforce safe.
        As the target would have been law enforcement, it was
    imperative to me that I provide the support needed for those
    officers who have already been traumatized and, in turn, they
    would not be able to keep the Capitol Complex safe.
        Senator Braun. With the oversight committees?
        General Gibson. I informed the senior staff of the
    oversight committees within 5 minutes of my conversation with
    leadership staff of both the Majority and Minority. That was,
    as shortly as practicable following our conversations. That was
    my interaction with the oversight committees for which I felt
    responsible.
         I would like to, if I could, Senator, expand on, the
    Chief's comments regarding the decision that was made. It was
    made considering the domestic environment of increasing
    interactions with police and activation of National Guard
    across the Nation, to include a shooting of a National
    Guardsman in Minnesota.
        The lack of backup for our Capitol Police here, or for the
    Metropolitan Police Department, due to the demands on National
    Guard and others, was discussed with the MPD, the U.S. Park
    Police, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Federal Protective
    Service. Our actions were entirely consistent with the
    additional measures that the Executive Branch was taking to
    protect facilities in the city.
        There had been vandalism associated with these protests at
    Columbus Circle, which is very close to our Senate office
    buildings, as you know.
        It was not our intent to erect the fence that existed in
    January, February, and March, but to put up selective portions
    of the fence without razor wire, leaving all avenues open for
    pedestrian access, for motorists, and for city residents. It
    would represent no impediment to people who worked on the
    Capitol Complex.
        We discussed what had been done last summer, which was--as
    I understand--police officers with bicycle racks and felt that
    a more effective and efficient way to secure the Capitol in
    terms of manpower would be to extend the current stand-off
    distance from the building for any protestors that might come.
        Finally, I would say I did not feel that we reversed our
    decision, but suspended it. We wanted to see how the city would
    respond. Last night we suspended implementation and it was a
    calm night. In fact, our deputies met again today to discuss
    what the final disposition might be.
        Senator Braun. Thank you.

                        REDEPLOYMENT COST OF OUTER FENCE

        Mr. Blanton, what was the anticipated cost for redeploying
    the outer fence? And what was the AOC's plan for absorbing that
    cost, along with the continued costs of the inner perimeter
    fencing remaining up? What was the cost had it gone through?
        Mr. Blanton. Yes, Senator. It would all depend on how long
    that fence was up. If it was a notional week, it would be
    around a million dollars a week. For funding of that fence, we
    have money that was transferred earlier this year from one of
    my construction projects at the Library of Congress for fencing
    on the Capitol. It would have come out of the remainder of
    those funds. Then it would have effectively taken the same
    amount of time we could have had the inner fence up, we reduced
    that time because we would have run out of money sooner.
        Senator Braun. One quick follow-up question.
        Senator Leahy. The Board has been going along for 16
    minutes.
        Senator Braun. For 16 minutes, okay. Do you want to refer--
    --
        Senator Leahy. No. I am going to ask questions before I go
    vote.
        Senator Braun. Go ahead, Senator Leahy.

                   LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE JANUARY 6 EVENTS

        Senator Leahy. I do not in any way minimize the tasks you
    have ahead of you. I have been here for 47 years. I never
    thought I would see anything as horrific as we saw in January.
    It is a long way from, as a teenager coming, walking through
    unguarded halls, open halls with my parents, to what we saw
    there.
        So, I do not question anyway, that you have a difficult
    time ahead of you. And as I knew, the three officers who died I
    knew quite well. And I feel that, and for their families.
        But in February I asked the former Chief in Sergeant at
    Arms that the Appropriations Committee, and ultimately the
    Congress, had met their requests for salaries and operating
    expenses in every fiscal year.
        The response was a firm, ``yes''. So it leads me to believe
    that the failures we saw in January 6 were the results of a
    failure of leadership, to either deploy officers, or equip them
    properly, or to provide them with needed intelligence that a
    mob was on its way to the Capitol, not a lack of resources.
        Since then, of course, you have had a chance to do a lot of
    retrospective review. What have you learned about your agency's
    needs in terms of new and merging operations, training,
    intelligence, physical security capabilities, and your fiscal
    year 2022 budget request for emergency supplementals reflect
    those changes?
        Chief I will start with you.

                      AGENCY NEEDS AND MERGING OPERATIONS

        Acting Chief Pittman. Yes, sir. We have learned a number of
    things. We welcome the assessments that have been provided, not
    only by the Office of Inspector General, but General Gibson
    also participated on General Honore's 1-6 Task Force that did
    an overall assessment of the department. We also have the GAO
    who is providing an assessment, as to what went wrong, and
    lessons that should be learned from January 6.
        From the very beginning the leadership team here has
    welcomed those assessments. We have had a chance to review at
    least the IG's first flash report, and we have already done a
    number of things to improve.

      ENSURING THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET ADDRESSES EMERGING REQUIREMENTS

        Senator Leahy. But--do your budget requests--sorry to cut
    you off.
        Acting Chief Pittman. Okay.
        Senator Leahy. This vote is underway. Did your budget
    request reflect what you have seen as the needs?
        Acting Chief Pittman. Absolutely. The budget requests
    reflect the needs for our most valuable asset, which is our
    officers.
        Senator Leahy. Yes.
        Acting Chief Pittman. The budget is requesting 212 new-
    sworn officers, as well as 47 new civilian positions that would
    fill some of those things that you mentioned, in terms of
    intelligence gaps, technology capabilities, expanding those
    roles. There are a number of items primarily related around
    staffing, and then there are some residual costs that will
    result from increasing those staffing. We can provide that
    information to the subcommittee.
        Senator Leahy. Yes, I would note, Chief, that the security
    detail provided to the president pro tempore, as one who served
    in law enforcement, I can say they are among the most qualified
    and expert people I have seen.
        Acting Chief Pittman. Thank you.
        Senator Leahy. Mr. Blanton, does your budget request
    emergency supplemental meet the requirements you have?
        Mr. Blanton. My fiscal year 2022 budget request does not
    meet the requirements of the Capitol community.
        Senator Leahy. With the supplemental?
        Mr. Blanton. Yes, with the supplemental, yes, it would. For
    the known threats that are identified currently.
        Senator Leahy. Okay. Thank you. You will let us know if
    that changes?
        Mr. Blanton. It will be informed by the comprehensive
    security assessment that we are doing, and then we will notify
    Congress--as we get additional information.
        Senator Leahy. Thank you very much.
        General.
        General Gibson. My answer would be much the same as the
    Architect's. If our fiscal year 2022 budget, in and of itself,
    is not sufficient, a supplemental that will include some of the
    things we have identified with the Architect in terms of garage
    doors, tunnel doors, repairing windows and doors, as well as
    the potential to possibly expand secure workspace that is
    available to the Senate community, would be sufficient. And
    certainly we would let you know if it were not.
        Senator Leahy. As I mentioned before, we approved a
    transfer of $10 million to the AOC for what they need to do for
    a physical security assessment of the Capitol campus.
        I wanted to submit my other questions, Chairman, for the
    record. Just so that you all know, I believe in a Capitol as
    open as we can, safely. We are the symbol of democracy. I hear
    from people not only all of our country, but all over the
    world, how much it has meant to them when they walk through,
    look at the history, paintings, talk to people, having Members
    of Congress and staff, everybody has been able to stop and talk
    to them as they go through.
        I have also been in countries where they do not have that
    freedom. There is a marked difference, I want us to have the
    freedom, I want the security, but I want the freedom. We are
    relying on you folks to do that.
        Thank you for, Mr. Chairman.

             USCP COORDINATING WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

        Senator Reed. Thank you, Chairman Leahy. Thank you for your
    very thoughtful and eloquent remarks, very much.
        Let me return again to ask questions regarding the
    ramifications of the January 6. It exposed sort of the lack of
    coordination, not only internally, but externally too, with
    particularly police departments and other law enforcement
    agencies.

                         COMMUNICATION BETWEEN AGENCIES

        Chief, have you adjusted your coordination, and your day-
    to-day relationships with other law enforcement agencies,
    Federal, local, et cetera? Are we still waiting,--I think you
    suggested before--waiting on a decision about giving you
    emergency powers, or giving you powers in an emergency, is that
    still pending?
        Acting Chief Pittman. Yes, sir. That is still pending. We
    are still working, the General Counsel for the U.S. Capitol
    Police as well as the General Counsels for the Capitol Police
    Board are working together closely. I believe that we will be
    able to strike that balance relatively quickly, so that the
    Police Chief can have some autonomy to call at least the DC
    National Guard during an emergency or a crisis. There is some
    additional details within those parameters that we still have
    to work out.
        As it relates to the relationships that the U.S. Capitol
    Police has with its partners, I am proud to say that we work
    closely with State, Federal, as well as local authorities.
        I talk to a Chief of Police, Robert Contee of the
    Metropolitan Police Department almost daily. I have had
    conversations, routinely, with the U.S. Secret Service, Police
    Chief, as well as U.S. Park Police. We have been working
    closely with the FBI on a task force after January 6.
        At this point we have arrested, with their assistance, over
    350 participants in that insurrection. We have identified
    hundreds of individuals, and we are working daily to make sure
    that everyone that came here on January 6 and violated various
    aspects of the law are being held accountable.

                     IMPROVEMENTS IN INTER-AGENCY TRAINING

        Senator Reed. Do you anticipate with this new authority
    that you will on a regular basis, train with and exercise with
    these other law enforcement or National Guard units?

                                    TRAINING

        Acting Chief Pittman. Yes. The Capitol Police has already
    expanded its training capabilities. Right now, we are training
    our workforce along with the National Guard. We recognize that
    that was a training gap in vulnerability. The DC National Guard
    has allowed us the use of their facilities. We have also
    conducted several trainings--in addition to what we do at the
    DC Armory, we have conducted several trainings on the campus,
    and we are scheduled to train with several of our Federal
    partners.
        We meet every Friday with the DOD to establish a National
    Capitol Region response plan to any type of crisis to
    Washington DC. So, we are currently working on those
    initiatives.
        Senator Reed. Thank you.
        And, General.
        General Gibson. Yes.
        Senator Reed. This seems to be a question that you should
    be able to field very well, which is, January 6 representative
    an intelligence failure, not estimating what would happen and
    not being prepared for contingencies. My presumption is that
    you do not have a direct role in intelligence. From your
    observations, have we done enough to improve on a systematic
    basis, the intelligence available to Capitol Police, and to
    everyone else, even to Members?
        General Gibson. Thank you, Senator, that is an excellent
    question.
        First, I would like to say there were some significant
    intelligence failures leading up to January 6. I am personally
    reluctant to use that expression because it tends to let the
    rest of the community off the hook. Sometimes we cease our
    introspection into the other areas where we failed, whether
    that was leadership, coordination, training, et cetera.
        But you are correct, there were some significant gaps, not
    only at the Capitol, but across the Washington DC area, and
    with some of our Federal partners for failing to recognize that
    this was not only a possible scenario, but perhaps quite
    likely.
        I have seen since my participation in the task force on the
    House side, improvements in information sharing, collaboration,
    and cooperation, within the intelligence functions that are
    performed by the Capitol Police.
        Senator Reed. Yes.
        General Gibson. Yesterday they hosted us for an excellent
    classified discussion of some of the threats to the region. I
    believe those will be regular occurrences.
        There is still room for improvement. Task Force 1-6
    recommended a modest increase in the number of trained
    intelligence professionals in the Capitol Police. This is work
    that should probably be done by intelligence analysts, as
    opposed to sworn officers or others who might be employed
    elsewhere.
        For some of our FTEs that the Sergeant at Arms is
    requesting, we need to look at hiring intelligence
    professionals to perform these tasks, not necessarily people
    who formerly worked in security fields at the campus. I am
    heartened by the improvements that I have seen, but there is
    still work to be done.

                      CAPITOL POLICE BOARD ACCOUNTABILITY

        Senator Reed. Thank you. All roads seem to lead back to the
    Police Board, I will just ask another fundamental question.

                              CAPITOL POLICE BOARD

        In your view, I will start with Mr. Blanton just to vary
    that okay, who does the Police Board report to? In a realistic
    sense, who are they accountable to?
        Mr. Blanton. The Police Board itself, and I have to limit
    this more towards my functions on the Police Board.
        Senator Reed. Yes.
        Mr. Blanton. What I serve on a Police Board and the
    functions I preserve, it is oversight for CHA and rules on the
    Senate; and then for the projects itself that we implement it
    is a notification of, or an approval of appropriations to
    execute those projects.
        Senator Reed. Chief Pittman, what is your sense of the
    overarching responsible agency for the Police Board?
        Acting Chief Pittman. I am sorry, sir. Is your question,
    who do they report to?
        Senator Reed. Well, no.
        Acting Chief Pittman. Okay.
        Senator Reed. Do they report to anyone? You know, who
    ultimately is accountable--or who are they accountable to on a
    regular basis? I know annually they have to request, or you
    request on their behalf, funds, but who are they accountable to
    on a daily basis?
        Acting Chief Pittman. It is my understanding that they
    would be accountable to the congressional leadership, but they
    do serve as more of a liaison for the Capitol Police, it is my
    understanding that they would report to the leaderships there.
        Senator Reed. And your comments, General.
        General Gibson. Yes, Senator, I believe we are responsible
    both to leadership and to the Committee on Rules and
    Administration and this Appropriations Subcommittee.
        Senator Reed. One of the issues that has confronted--and
    you have mentioned it, has been the traumatic experiences
    witnessed by so many people here, and many of your colleagues.
    Every one of you, I think, is requesting resources to deal on a
    regular basis with counseling and trauma.
        Is that correct?
        Acting Chief Pittman. That is correct.
        Senator Reed. That is correct. Okay.

                                 CYBERSECURITY

        Just one final question, General, it is that, you know,
    cybersecurity, every day, it reveals a new challenge, and you
    are solely responsible for the cybersecurity of the Senate. You
    have your counterpart in the House responsible. Does it make
    sense to even have those types of, you know, competing, or at
    least different? Then I presume also you would be responsible
    for the cybersecurity and the electronic operations of the
    Capitol Police?
        General Gibson. I am not responsible for the cybersecurity
    of the Capitol Police networks.

                               USCP CYBERSECURITY

        Senator Reed. Who is responsible for Capitol,
    cybersecurity, Chief?
        Acting Chief Pittman. Yes, so we have our own office of
    information systems. There is a cyber component there, and then
    we have a task force agent that is embedded with the FBI cyber
    task force.
        Senator Reed. Well, again, just a suggestion, I think this
    is an area that we have to look at, particularly in cyber. I am
    glad you mentioned the FBI, Chief, because it would make sense,
    I think to coordinate, and that is a polite word, with the
    House at least.
        Acting Chief Pittman. Yes.
        Senator Reed. And probably the Supreme Court. I do not know
    who controls their cybersecurity, but certainly the FBI and the
    Department of Homeland Security because, again, the threats are
    communicated so quickly on cyber.
        Acting Chief Pittman. Yes.
        Senator Reed. And just the, you know, quick knowledge of
    deficiencies is absolutely essential. So I think that is,
    again, something that you might consider and present to us in a
    coherent way.
        With that, let me represent--excuse me--let me recognize,
    Senator Braun.

                  USCP STAFFING LEVELS AND HIRING DIFFICULTIES

        Senator Braun. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        This question is for Chief Pittman. In 2019 and 2020, the
    Capitol Police staffing level had been below the requested
    level by hundreds of officers, even though the requests have
    been fully funded by the Appropriations Committee. What has
    prevented the department from hiring the requested and
    subsequently enacted number of officers?
        Acting Chief Pittman. Yes, sir. Primarily, during the 2020
    COVID-19 pandemic there were significant challenges for U.S.
    Capitol Police to fulfill its staffing request that was
    requested in previous years.
        The U.S. Capitol Police trains its police officers at the
    Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. At
    the time of the pandemic, FLETC Georgia, as well as FLETC in
    Cheltenham, Maryland, where we have our training facilities,
    were closed.
        U.S. Capitol Police had to mitigate being closed, we had to
    suspend several classes that pushed us behind. In addition to
    that, we had to transition to training our officers in an all-
    virtual platform.
        Senator Braun. That makes sense for 2020, but weren't you
    struggling back in 2019 as well?
        Acting Chief Pittman. If I may pause, because I was not in
    this role at that time, and turn to one of my counterparts.
        Mr. Braddock is the CAO, chief administrative officer for
    the department, and in 2019, there were challenges of competing
    with other departments as well as what was going on at FLETC
    for 2020.
        Senator Braun. And that is a--I think a more significant
    issue because it begs the question, how you would ever staff a
    much larger Capitol police force as well. It is also indicative
    of how hard it is to get many jobs filled across the country
    that require particular training, and the time it takes to lead
    up to that.
        So just something that besets, I think, not only hiring law
    enforcement, but many other sectors of the economy, career
    technical education, workforce development.
        Acting Chief Pittman. So, if I could follow up with that?
        Senator Braun. Yes.
        Acting Chief Pittman. Since becoming Acting on January 8, I
    have worked very closely with Mr. Braddock. I have taken in the
    recommendations of the various task force and assessments. I
    also have listened to the Fraternal Order of Police President
    that has also made a request that the congressional leadership
    help U.S. Capitol Police out, not only in terms of the
    supplemental bill, but with our staffing challenges.
        Right now, the department has 1,843 officers. We were
    approved up to 2,072, and in fiscal year 2022 we are requesting
    an additional 212 officers.
        It lends to what you were saying, Senator. How will we
    supply the bandwidth? Do we even have the bandwidth to bring on
    that many officers in such a short period of time? I have
    directed that we have a command official at the inspector level
    to implement a massive recruitment program for Capitol Police.
        We are also working closely with the Board Members
    specifically the Architect of the Capitol, because there are
    residual concerns when you are bringing on that many officers.
    How will we find spacing for them? Will FLETC in Georgia and in
    Cheltenham have enough spaces, because we are at their mercy
    for the number of classes that they are allowing Capitol Police
    to have seats in. How will we provide them lockers, parking, et
    cetera?
        We have developed a task force to handle the recruitment
    for the officers. We have realized the strain that we have had
    on our workforce that is on the campus since January 6. They
    have been working a tremendous amount of overtime, leave has
    been limited, and the impacts to not only them but their
    families have been our primary concern. We are working
    extremely close with our partners to make sure that we can
    facilitate. And from my team, they have assured me that we can
    bring on those 212 officers within the year.
        Senator Braun. Thank you.
        Do I have time for one more, a quick question?
        Senator Reed. Sure.
        Senator Braun. Okay. Thank you.

                             DISASTER RELIEF FUNDS

        This is for General Gibson. I know in the 2022 budget
    request it includes $25 million to establish a business
    continuity disaster relief fund. We had one back in Indiana
    called the Rainy Day Fund. That is just something that is ready
    to go for the unforeseen. How would things, you think, have
    been different? Would that have been enough to deal with the
    immensity of what occurred on a situation like January 6, and
    then what you had to do following that?
        General Gibson. Thank you, Senator. I appreciate the
    opportunity to talk about this fund. I cited two examples in my
    opening remarks, one regarding our response to the pandemic,
    and a need to move to virtual hearings and remote work
    environment. The second, rebuilding the State offices that were
    destroyed by Hurricane Laura.
        The Sergeant at Arms did not incur significant additional
    costs as a result of January 6. Most of the costs, I think,
    that have been incurred are the Architect's bills for the
    physical damage.
        We do believe that this money would help with many of our
    potential IT requirements for backup data centers as part of a
    reliable and resilient infrastructure. It would help us
    maintain readiness of fixed and mobile contingency sites. Had
    there been a need to relocate away from Capitol Hill, the
    Sergeant at Arms, at that point, may have incurred some costs.
        Senator Braun. Could the Architect of the Capitol draw out
    of that as well, or would you have to have your own emergency
    fund?
        Mr. Blanton. We would have to work out some sort of
    agreement on that.
        General Gibson. Yes.
        Mr. Blanton. Because it is a transfer of appropriations at
    that point.
        General Gibson. Yes. We had envisioned it largely for
    unexpected IT and communication kinds of requirements. I am not
    sure $25 million goes as far for the Architect as it does for
    me, but certainly it is something for which we would work with
    the Committee.
        Senator Braun. Thank you.
        Senator Reed. Thank you very much, Senator Braun.
        And this concludes the Legislative Branch Appropriations
    subcommittee hearing regarding the fiscal year 2022 funding for
    the Architect of the Capitol, the Senate Sergeant at Arms, and
    U.S. Capitol Police.
        I want to thank Mr. Blanton, General Gibson, and Chief
    Pittman for testifying today. Thank you very much.
        And again, convey our thanks, and appreciation, and respect
    for your colleagues who have done so much to protect us.

                         ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE QUESTIONS

        The hearing record will remain open for 7 days, allowing
    Members to submit statements and/or questions for the record,
    which should be sent to the subcommittee by close of business
    on Wednesday, April 28th, 2021.
        [The following questions were not asked at the hearing, but
    were submitted to the Agencies for response subsequent to the
    hearing:]
       Questions Submitted to Chief Yogananda Pittman, USCP Acting Chief
                    Questions Submitted by Senator Jack Reed
                           capitol police oig report
        Question. On March 31, the Capitol Police Office of Inspector
    General released its second independent review of the elements of the
    Department that played a role in the planning for and response to the
    events of January 6. This review focused on the Civil Disturbance Unit
    (CDU) and intelligence. The Inspector General is calling for a
    ``cultural change'' toward anticipating and preventing future attacks,
    recommending that the force must move away from the ``traditional
    posture of a police department'' and start acting instead like ``a
    protection agency'' focused not on responding to disturbances but on
    preventing events like the January 6 riot.

      --How is the Department responding to the OIG report?

        Answer. The United States Capitol Police (USCP) Office of Inspector
    General (OIG) Flash Report B on the Department's Civil Disturbance Unit
    (CDU) and Intelligence (Investigative Number 2021-I-0003-B) included 26
    recommendations specific to the Department's CDU and Intelligence
    operations. Of the 26 recommendations, 17 were specific to CDU
    operations and touched multiple aspects, including the development of
    policies and procedures to formalize CDU mission, objectives, roles and
    responsibilities, increasing the training on and deployment of less
    lethal munitions, incentivizing greater participation, and improving
    controls on equipment inventories. Nine (9) of the 26 OIG
    recommendations in Flash Report B pertain to Intelligence operations,
    including recommendations to improve the collection, processing and
    dissemination of intelligence as well as to codify and document
    specific training requirements. Flash Report B also recommends the
    Department reorganize its intelligence resources into a Bureau-level
    entity.
        The Department appreciates and generally agrees with the
    recommendations made in Flash Report B. It has long emphasized its
    mission is like no other in that its capabilities include those of
    typical law enforcement as well as protective services and national
    security agencies. The Department also believes that, like the `83
    Senate bombing, the `98 shooting, 9/11 and the anthrax attacks, January
    6 was a pivotal event that will spur needed evolution of its
    capabilities. With the support of Congressional stakeholders, the
    Department looks forward to the transformative years ahead as it
    implements the many OIG recommendations as well as its own proactive
    initiatives, like regionalization, and those recommended by subsequent
    reviews and assessments.

        Question. The report includes recommendations to improve the
    following deficiencies seen on Jan. 6: (1) a dedicated, full-time CDU
    (or several individual units) with specific training and strict
    standards and internal controls for CDU equipment; (2) continuous
    training; (3) establishing a full-time, 24/7 intelligence bureau; and
    (4) recruitment of experienced officers and hiring and retention
    incentives.
        Is the Department considering any of these recommendations and how
    do you intend to implement them? Would funding in your fiscal year 2022
    request cover such operational and staffing changes?

        Answer. As mentioned, the Department generally agrees with the
    recommendations in the OIG's Flash Report B and it is actively working
    on implementing them and/or obtaining the authorizations and resources
    necessary for implementation.
        To the Department's knowledge, the OIG did not recommend that CDU
    have officers dedicated to its mission 100 percent of the time and that
    it be a standalone entity within the Department.
        However, that concept has been considered by the Department. In
    fact, the Department's fiscal year 2022 request included funding for an
    additional 212 sworn officers. If approved and funded, the Department
    would dedicate 80 of those officers to a standby quick response force
    (CDU). Provided the Department does not have a 24/7 365 need for CDU
    capabilities, creating such an entity within the Department could
    provide a rotating opportunity to train officers on CDU tactics as well
    as provide other critical training while officers are not on campus in
    a CDU capacity.
        The Department is in the process of developing a reorganization
    plan for consideration by the Capitol Police Board and Congressional
    Oversight committees that will include the establishment of an
    Intelligence Bureau that, once established, will maintain 24/7
    operations.
        The Department has requested consideration of funding in the
    Security Supplemental to support the hiring of intelligence analysts
    for both USCP headquarters and regional locations; significant
    technology enhancements to enhance intelligence and open source
    analysis; and training related to threats management, tactical
    intelligence and intelligence analysis. Should the Security
    Supplemental not be enacted, the Department has discussed with the
    committees of jurisdiction the need to support funding for these items
    in the fiscal year 2022 appropriation. Further, funding must be added
    to the fiscal year 2022 appropriation and in out-years to support any
    personnel included in the Security Supplemental should it pass.
        As for CDU functions, the Department has requested in the Security
    Supplemental critical life-safety equipment that specifically enables
    all sworn employees to be prepared for civil disturbance response(s).
    Further funding was requested to provide for the reimbursement of
    redirected fiscal year 2021 funds used to replenish less-than-lethal
    items used following the events of January 6. The supplemental request
    also includes funding for vehicles, equipment and training to support
    the overall CDU function across the Department. Again, should the
    Security Supplemental not be enacted, the Department has discussed with
    the committees of jurisdiction the need to support funding for these
    items in the fiscal year 2022 appropriation.
        Lastly, in order for the Department to backfill current sworn
    attrition, meet Department identified new mission sets and those raised
    in the various reports since the events of January 6, the Department
    would need to hire at its full capacity for nearly eight (8) years.
    This assumes that the Department can obtain the maximum of 288 training
    slots from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) and that
    the Department can recruit and hire 288 recruit officer candidates per
    year who meet the established employment suitability standards.
    Currently, the Department must process approximately 18 applicants in
    order to find 1 applicant who meets these standards for becoming a USCP
    Officer. Recruiting and hiring at this level will maximize the
    Department's capacity to conduct the USCP Academy at the FLETC-
    Cheltenham facility. The USCP has limited space at this location, which
    must be used for not only recruit officer training, but also in-
    service, Dignitary Protection and specialty unit training. Staffing for
    this facility will also need to be increased in order to run two
    training shifts per day to meet these increased training requirements.
                      staff hiring and retention obstacles
        Question. Chief Pittman, the Department's budget requests $22
    million to hire up to 212 sworn officers, in addition to the additional
    192 officers provided in fiscal year 2021. I understand it takes some
    time to recruit, select, and fully train new officers. In a normal
    year, you would be right in the middle of seeing new recruits at the
    doors as well as training in progress. COVID has affected your ability
    to do that. I am also concerned that the January 6 attacks, coupled
    with upcoming mandatory and voluntary retirement factors, will hurt the
    Department's hiring and retention efforts.

      --If you are having trouble meeting your hiring goals, what factors
            are keeping you from meeting them?

        Answer. The Department experiences between 90 and 120 sworn
    attritions per fiscal year due to mandatory, voluntary and disability
    retirements, as well as resignations for various reasons. To backfill
    this attrition, the Department must recruit, hire, train and deploy new
    sworn officers. The Department is constantly recruiting potential
    applicants for our sworn hiring process. In addition, this effort
    focuses on recruiting under-represented populations in order to better
    diversify the Department. Currently, the Department must process
    approximately 18 applicants in order to find one applicant who meets
    the Department's Employment Suitability Standards (ESS).
        The Department established ESS to ensure that persons selected to
    serve as both sworn and civilian employees of the Department meet
    established standards. Since the events of January 6, the Department
    has seen an uptick in applicants for sworn positions who have indicated
    during testing issues related to intercultural awareness, which is
    inconsistent with the ESS.
        Additionally, the public debate on police reform and efforts to
    defund police entities have created public discord regarding law
    enforcement. This public debate has impacted the decision of applicants
    who have withdrawn from the Department's selection process based on a
    perceived lack of public trust and support for law enforcement. This
    not only affects current applicants, but also influences potential
    applicants as they decide on participation in the process.
        Finally, the Department was unable to hire backfill sworn personnel
    because of COVID-19. The Department's hiring process had to be
    converted to a virtual platform and all law enforcement training at the
    Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers was canceled on multiple
    occasions during most of 2020 due to the pandemic. When training was
    restarted, the Department was provided with limited training slots due
    to continued pandemic-related restrictions, which further limited our
    ability to narrow our attrition gap.
        All of these factors have impacted the Department's ability to meet
    its hiring projections. This has an impact on overtime utilization,
    workforce agility and future hiring efforts.

      --How do you intend to accommodate the large influx of new staff--
            both new sworn officers and the additional 47 new civilian
            personnel requested? What are the challenges and how are you
            managing them?

        Answer. In fiscal year 2022, the Department is seeking new sworn
    officers for new mission requirements. This new mission includes
    additional Dignitary Protection Agents, Threat Assessment Agents and a
    stand-by Civil Disturbance Unit. Further, it is seeking 47 new civilian
    positions to serve in the areas of criminal research, victim witness
    coordination, intelligence analysis, event planning specialists,
    dignitary protection travel coordination, information technology and
    cyber-security support, property and asset management, vehicle
    maintenance, records management, and wellness and resiliency.
        Beyond the challenges associated with recruiting and hiring highly
    qualified applicants who meet the Department's Employment Suitability
    Standards, the Department must also equip, train and provide facilities
    and logistics support for these new employees.
        For sworn, the Department must obtain the maximum of 288 training
    slots from FLETC and must recruit and hire 288 recruit officer
    candidates who meet the established employment suitability standards.
    Currently, the Department must process approximately 18 applicants in
    order to find 1 applicant who meets these standards for becoming a USCP
    Officer. Recruiting and hiring at this level will maximize the
    Department's capacity to conduct the USCP Academy at the FLETC-
    Cheltenham facility. The USCP has limited space at this location, which
    must be used for not only recruit officer training, but also in-
    service, Dignitary Protection and specialty unit training. Staffing for
    this facility will also need to be increased in order to run two
    training shifts per day to meet these increased training requirements.
        For both sworn and civilian positions, the Department must provide
    lockers, roll call and meeting space, and office space. Further, the
    Department must have increased training and warehouse space to support
    expanded services. Additionally, the Department must provide equipment
    and support infrastructure to support not only the new positions, but
    also the inherent support functions needed to support the overall
    workforce.

        Question. On retention, can you highlight for us some of the
    options you are exploring so that officers and staff want to stay on
    the job? Your budget request includes $2.5 million for Student Loan
    Repayment. What else are you looking at in terms of incentives?

        Answer. The Department has requested funding consideration for
    student loan repayment and retention bonuses in the Security
    Supplemental. Should the Security Supplemental not be enacted, the
    Department has discussed with the committees of jurisdiction the need
    to support funding for these items in the fiscal year 2022
    appropriation and in out-years going forward.
        Further, the Department has established a Wellness and Resiliency
    Program for its workforce. This program is intended to consist of self-
    care techniques, physical fitness, nutritional fitness, financial
    wellness, employee assistance programs, and peer support. Funding was
    requested within the Security Supplemental to support these efforts.
    Should the Security Supplemental not be enacted, the Department has
    discussed with the committees of jurisdiction the need to support
    funding for these items in the fiscal year 2022 appropriation.
        Additionally, the Department is reviewing pay and benefits concepts
    for consideration to retool its sworn pay schedule, as well as
    retirement calculation formulation. Once these concepts are further
    developed, the Department will vet those options considered to be
    viable with the Capitol Police Board for further review and
    consideration.
        Finally, the Department is working to review ways to better manage
    the impacts of the mission requirements on the workforce, ways to
    enhance administration of leave within the operational divisions,
    training opportunities and broadening access to additional equipment
    for its workforce. Many of these efforts are dependent on receiving
    additional funding either through the Security Supplemental or the
    fiscal year 2022 appropriation process.
                                     ______

       Questions Submitted to Chief Yogananda Pittman, USCP Acting Chief
                   Questions Submitted by Senator Mike Braun
        Question. Chief Pittman, during a hearing before the Committee on
    House Administration last week, Inspector General Bolton testified
    about his findings and recommendations related to failures of Capitol
    Police Civil Disturbance Unit and Intelligence operations on January 6.
    Two recommendations he cited as important were establishing a
    standalone Civil Disturbance Unit and establishing a separate,
    comprehensive Intelligence Bureau.

        1.  Does the Department plan to implement these two recommendations
    made by the Inspector General report?

        Answer. The United States Capitol Police (USCP) Office of Inspector
    General (OIG) Flash Report B on the Department's Civil Disturbance Unit
    (CDU) and Intelligence (Investigative Number 2021-I-0003-B) included 26
    recommendations specific to the Department's CDU and Intelligence
    operations. Of the 26 recommendations, 17 were specific to CDU
    operations and touched multiple aspects, including the development of
    policies and procedures to formalize CDU mission, objectives, roles and
    responsibilities, increasing the training on and deployment of less
    lethal munitions, incentivizing greater participation, and improving
    controls on equipment inventories. To the Department's knowledge, the
    OIG did not recommend that CDU have officers dedicated to its mission
    100 percent of the time and that it be a standalone entity within the
    Department.
        However, that concept has been considered by the Department. In
    fact, the Department's fiscal year 2022 request included funding for an
    additional 212 sworn officers. If approved and funded, the Department
    would dedicate 80 of those officers to a standby quick response force
    (CDU). Provided the Department does not have a 24/7 365 need for CDU
    capabilities, creating such an entity within the Department could
    provide a rotating opportunity to train officers on CDU tactics as well
    as provide other critical training while officers are not on campus in
    a CDU capacity.
        Nine (9) of the 26 OIG recommendations in Flash Report B pertain to
    Intelligence operations and include the recommendation to elevate and
    reorganize the Department's intelligence resources into a Bureau-level
    entity. The Department has also considered this concept and concurs
    with the recommendation. The Department is in the process of developing
    a reorganization plan for consideration of the Capitol Police Board and
    Congressional Oversight committees that will include the establishment
    of an Intelligence Bureau.

        Question.

        2.  Are these Inspector General recommendations reflected at all in
    the fiscal year 2022 budget request? What additional resources would
    the Department need to implement these recommendations?

        Answer. The Department has requested consideration of funding in
    the Security Supplemental to support the hiring of intelligence
    analysts for both USCP headquarters and regional locations; significant
    technology enhancements to enhance intelligence and open source
    analysis; and training related to threats management, tactical
    intelligence and intelligence analysis. Should the Security
    Supplemental not be enacted, the Department has discussed with the
    committees of jurisdiction the need to support funding for these items
    in the fiscal year 2022 appropriation. Further, funding must be added
    to fiscal year 2022 and in out-years to support any personnel included
    in the Security Supplemental should it pass.
        As for CDU functions, the Department has requested in the Security
    Supplemental critical life-safety equipment that specifically enables
    all sworn employees to be prepared for civil disturbance response(s).
    Further funding was requested to provide for the reimbursement of
    redirected fiscal year 2021 and No-Year funds used to replenish less-
    than-lethal items used in response to the events of January 6. The
    supplemental request also includes funding for vehicles, equipment and
    training to support the overall CDU function across the Department.
    Again, should the Security Supplemental not be enacted, the Department
    has discussed with the committees of jurisdiction the need to support
    funding for these items in the fiscal year 2022 appropriation.

        Question. Chief Pittman, in fiscal year 2019 and fiscal year 2020,
    the Capitol Police staffing level has been below the requested level by
    hundreds of officers even though the requests have been fully funded by
    the Appropriations Committees. I also understand the Capitol Police
    often uses a significant amount of overtime with its staff.

        3.  Does the agency have estimates about how increasing staffing to
    the appropriated level, and thus decreasing the use of overtime, could
    help save the USCP personnel funds?

        Answer. In order to reduce overtime, the Department must recruit,
    hire, train and deploy the nearly 250 officers it is currently down
    from its funded strength and no additional mission can be added to the
    workload of the Department. Even when operating at its fully funded
    levels, the Department has mission requirements that exceed those
    onboard sworn staffing levels by nearly 250 sworn officers. That said,
    the Department would not advocate eliminating all overtime, as it
    provides mission flexibility, which creates efficiencies in fiscal
    expenditures and human capital utilization.
        In fiscal year 2022, the Department is seeking new sworn officers
    for new mission requirements. This new mission includes additional
    Dignitary Protection Agents, Threat Assessment Agents and a stand-by
    Civil Disturbance Unit. Because these are identified new mission
    requirements resulting from increased threats to Members and the
    Legislative Branch, as well as enhanced response capacity resulting
    from the events of January 6, these new sworn officers will not reduce
    overtime. Again, the current overtime levels are based on pre-pandemic
    and pre-January 6 requirements.
        Our fiscal year 2021 overtime threshold of $50 million was
    projected based on a sworn strength of 2,072 and with a specific
    mission set. Since the events of January 6, the Department's mission
    set has increased. While the Department has been actively recruiting
    and hiring new sworn officers in 2021, it has been challenged to find
    applicants who meet the established employment suitability standards.
        It should be noted that in 2020, the Department was unable to hire
    backfill sworn personnel because of COVID-19. The Department's hiring
    process had to be converted to a virtual platform and all law
    enforcement training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers
    was canceled on multiple occasions during most of 2020 due to the
    pandemic. When training was restarted, the Department was provided with
    limited training slots due to continued pandemic-related restrictions,
    which further limited our ability to narrow our attrition gap.
        Until the Department's post-January 6 mission set is evaluated and
    codified; and, sworn recruiting, hiring, training and deployment of
    attrition is met, new estimates regarding overtime utilization and ways
    to decrease that usage cannot be provided or considered. The Department
    will continue to work with the committees of jurisdiction as these
    evaluations are conducted.

        Question.

        4.  The Task Force 1-6 report led by General Honore recommended
    over 800 new personnel authorizations. Could you speak to the
    Department's ability to implement this recommendation assuming it was
    funded? How long would it take to the Department to hire that many
    officers under normal hiring procedures?

        Answer. In order for the Department to backfill current sworn
    attrition, meet Department identified new mission sets and those raised
    in the Task Force 1-6 report, it would take the Department nearly eight
    (8) years to meet this hiring goal. This assumes that the Department
    can obtain the maximum of 288 training slots from the Federal Law
    Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) and that the Department can recruit
    and hire 288 recruit officer candidates per year who meet the
    established employment suitability standards. Currently, the Department
    must process approximately 18 applicants in order to find 1 applicant
    who meets these standards for becoming a USCP Officer. Recruiting and
    hiring at this level will maximize the Department's capacity to conduct
    the USCP Academy at the FLETC-Cheltenham facility. The USCP has limited
    space at this location, which must be used for not only recruit officer
    training, but also in-service, Dignitary Protection and specialty unit
    training. Staffing for this facility will also need to be increased in
    order to run two training shifts per day to meet these increased
    training requirements.

        Question. Chief Pittman, in his report released March 31, Inspector
    General Bolton stated that on January 6 the Capitol Police Civil
    Disturbance Unit did not use all available less-lethal weapons, and
    that heavier less-lethal weapons, such as sting balls, were not used
    because of orders from leadership.

        5.  Who in leadership provided the order not to use heavier less-
    lethal weapons and why was that order given?

        Answer. In addition to the use of lethal force on January 6, 2021,
    USCP officers used oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray, batons, and physical
    force, including defensive blows, to combat insurrectionists. USCP CDU
    platoons and SWAT teams also deployed various mass munition deployment
    systems, including FN303 weapon systems, MK-9 and MK-6 OC Spray
    Systems, and flash bang grenades.
        There were multiple less lethal munition systems that the
    Department did not deploy on January 6. However, the decision not to
    use them was a carryover from the Department's response to the June 1
    incident in Lafayette Square where Federal law enforcement used tear
    gas on protestors. After that incident, the Department reviewed its
    less lethal munitions and determined that it lacked the policy and
    training necessary to safely deploy certain less lethal munitions
    within its arsenal. Additionally, one system was not deployed because
    it was deemed obsolete. Decisions to not use these weapons were not
    related to January 6. Further, it is worth noting that some of the
    munitions the USCP did not deploy on January 6 were deployed by
    Metropolitan Police Officers in efforts to stop insurrectionists.

        Question.

        6.  Does the fiscal year 2022 budget request include funds to
    update any dated heavier less-lethal equipment and provide training to
    officers on how to properly use those weapons?

        Answer. Following the events of January 6, the Department
    redirected fiscal year 21 funds to support the immediate replenishment
    of critical less-than-lethal equipment. The Department also immediately
    began to train new sworn officers who were awaiting CDU training. In
    the Security Supplemental request, the Department has asked for
    consideration for funds to replenish the redirected funding and to
    provide funding for supervisor training related to CDU functions. The
    Department has also requested in the Security Supplemental critical
    life-safety equipment that specifically enables all sworn employees to
    be prepared for civil disturbance response(s). Further funding was
    requested to provide for the reimbursement of redirected fiscal year
    2021 and No-Year funds used to replenish less-than-lethal items used in
    response to the events of January 6. The supplemental request also
    includes funding for vehicles, equipment and training to support the
    overall CDU function across the Department. Again, should the Security
    Supplemental not be enacted, the Department has discussed with the
    committees of jurisdiction the need to support funding for these items
    in the fiscal year 2022 appropriation.

        Question. Chief Pittman, events of national significance are often
    designated a National Security Special Event. Under this designation,
    the Secret Service takes the lead on coordinating and implementing the
    security of the events.

        7.  How many events per year does the Capitol Police typically
    participate in that are designated as a National Security Special
    Event?

        Answer. The number of National Security Special Events (NSSE) that
    USCP participates in annually varies depending on the year. The most
    common re-occurring NSSEs that include USCP are State of the Union,
    Democratic and Republican national conventions, Inauguration and
    summits that include Congressional participants. For the events hosted
    on Capitol Grounds, USCP participates as a member of the NSSE Executive
    Steering Committee for the purpose of planning and coordination.

        Question.

        8.  In light of January 6, would the Capitol Police now advise the
    Capitol Police Board to seek a National Security Special Event
    designation in a greater number of instances for events at the Capitol?

        Answer. Currently, once an event is designated as an NSSE, the
    security of that event is coordinated and, in large part, governed, by
    the Executive Branch, specifically the Department of Homeland Security.
    Though the NSSE process spurs needed coordination and support from
    multiple participating law enforcement entities, all authorities
    including final decision authority for NSSEs are derived exclusively
    from an Executive Order.
        As a Legislative Branch entity charged with protecting the Congress
    and often Congress-specific events, the Department would like to work
    with the Capitol Police Board and Congressional Oversight Committees to
    implement a similar process that spurs the same level of coordination
    led by the Legislative Branch.
                                     ______

     Questions Submitted to Hon. J. Brett Blanton, Architect of the Capitol
                    Questions Submitted by Senator Jack Reed
                      capitol security physical assessment
        Question: Mr. Blanton, we recently approved a transfer of $10
    million so that the AOC can contract for a physical assessment of the
    security of Capitol facilities, on and off campus. This is one of the
    last reviews needed for us to get a full understanding of what went
    wrong on January 6 and what the Capitol campus lacks in physical
    security.

      --Please detail for us what the assessment will look at, and how long
            that will take. Have you awarded the contract yet? Who is the
            contractor and why did you select this contractor?

        Answer. The purpose of the effort is to obtain an accurate threat
    assessment for the Capitol Complex and associated off-site facilities,
    an assessment of physical security measures that currently exist, an
    assessment of planned projects, identification of measures that are
    recommended to alleviate gaps or weaknesses in physical security within
    the next 60 to 90 days after award, and measures that are recommended
    to enhance long-term security. The assessment will consider physical
    security and antiterrorism for historical and monumental buildings and
    grounds, options to secure entry points, improve standoff, establish
    compartmentalized security options for the key facilities, improve
    safety lighting and assess measures for security postings. Each
    recommendation shall include an estimated cost break out and schedule
    to implement as well as total ownership costs (TOC). We expect the
    assessment to be completed by the end of the year.
        The assessment was awarded to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and
    includes personnel from the Protective Design Center, which is the
    preeminent governmental authority regarding the two primary concerns of
    physical security: prevention and protection.
                           aoc institutional reforms
        Question. You have been the Architect for just over a year. In
    addition to the unanticipated demands of dealing with pandemic
    operations and the attacks on the Capitol, you also came to an AOC in
    need of transformation. In your opening statement, you mention that you
    committed to conducting a top-down assessment of the agency to identify
    the most urgent needs and address the critical issues. The AOC's fiscal
    year 2022 budget request reflects that with several new initiatives,
    but these cost money.

      --Can you highlight for us why these initiatives are important to the
            AOC and what would happen if we can't implement them? Where
            would that leave the Architect of the Capitol as an
            organization, as well as the Capitol community?

        Answer. One of the reasons I was selected as the Architect of the
    Capitol was my relevant background in and commitment to modernizing the
    agency, improving use of Federal resources and increasing support to
    our tenants. I pledged to be a transformational leader who will build
    upon our successes and usher in a new era. The solutions included in
    the agency's budget request are strategic, cost effective and far-
    reaching in their intended goals and outcomes. Specifically, I have
    included in the fiscal year 2022 budget request $3 million to begin our
    organizational and cultural behavior transformation initiatives
    designed to ensure we deliver a high-quality customer experience. These
    initiatives will provide our employees with personal development
    including workplace respect, accountability, and diversity inclusion
    skills.
        Additionally, the agency has not had dedicated funding for capital
    project planning. As a result, construction budgets for projects have
    often been incorrect and required reprogramming of funds to complete
    the project. This request provides for a dedicated planning budget to
    provide better estimates for projects in future budgets.
        Other initiatives such as Enterprise Asset Management have been
    shown to shown to have a documented Return on Investment (ROI) of under
    5 years when implemented. This initiative will also significantly
    address deferred maintenance by enabling the agency to prioritize
    projects that produce the greatest impact in reducing deferred
    maintenance.
        My understanding is that Congress expects more out of the agency
    and these changes will result in a higher level of service,
    transparency and accountability to meet your expectations. Unfunded, no
    transformation will proceed.
                                     ______

     Questions Submitted to Hon. J. Brett Blanton, Architect of the Capitol
                   Questions Submitted by Senator Mike Braun
        Question 1. Mr. Blanton, as the Architect of the Capitol, your
    agency handles physical security infrastructure for the Capitol
    complex. Following January 6, there has been significant discussion of
    physical security systems on the Capitol campus. The AOC recently
    transferred funds to begin a campus wide security assessment which will
    produce recommendations for enhancing short and long term security.
        When do you expect this assessment to be complete? And do you plan
    on making any investments in physical security prior to this assessment
    being completed?

        Answer. We expect the assessment to be completed by the end of the
    year. The AOC is not in the position to develop or implement any
    security upgrade projects in response to January 6 without the
    assessment's recommendations and estimated costs and schedules. In-kind
    repairs are being made.

        Question 2. Once the assessment provides recommendations,
    congressional stakeholder engagement will be important so that there is
    broad buy-in on potential physical infrastructure changes to the
    Capitol and the surrounding campus. Will you commit to seeking full
    stakeholder involvement before moving ahead with any recommendation
    from the assessment?

        Answer. Yes, stakeholder engagement is a priority. The AOC is
    conducting this assessment for the benefit of campus stakeholders, so
    that you are able to make fully-informed decisions about the future
    physical security posture. There will be ample opportunity for all
    stakeholders to weigh in. Additionally, Congress will be responsible
    for providing the agency with proper resources as the agency does not
    have the funding or personnel that will be required to implement many
    decisions made.

        Question 3. In your view, does operational security, such as
    Capitol Police presence or structure, influence decisions about
    physical security?

        Answer. The physical security assessment team includes
    representatives from the United States Capitol Police (USCP). The USCP
    will inform the assessment team of the impact of recommendations on
    operational security and will also use the physical security
    recommendations to inform their on-going operational security
    assessments.
                                     ______

       Questions Submitted to Hon. Karen H. Gibson, Sergeant at Arms and
                            Doorkeeper of the Senate
                    Questions Submitted by Senator Jack Reed
        Question. The Senate SAA fiscal Year 2022 budget requests $25
    million to establish a Business Continuity Disaster Recovery revolving
    fund, which you mention in your opening statement.

      --General Gibson. Why does the Senate SAA need such a fund? Can you
            provide examples for us on what the SAA would use such a fund
            or that you currently cannot do? Are there things during COVID
            or post-January 6 that such a fund would have been useful in
            response efforts?

        Answer. The Senate Sergeant at Arms (SAA) needs a no-year Business
    Continuity Disaster Recovery (BCDR) fund to allow the Senate to develop
    and maintain continuity capabilities and to quickly meet unanticipated
    needs. The BCDR fund could cover the cost of Information Technology
    (IT) disaster recovery planning and operations, business continuity
    planning and operations, emergency communications, and general
    contingency planning.

        Tangible examples include the following:

      --Technology for Senators to ensure robust communications during
            emergencies, including when Senators are located away from
            Capitol grounds;
      --Establishing a joint Senate Operations Center;
      --Backup data centers and related infrastructure;
      --Lifecycle replacement (IT hardware and software used to support
            continuity/disaster recovery on Capitol grounds and at
            alternate locations);
      --Information security (Secure IT equipment and testing/training/
            exercises);
      --Emergency Communications(Telecommunications, Synchronous Optical
            Networking (SONET) ring), hardware and software maintenance,
            cellular on wheels, mobile broadcast vehicles, IT equipment,
            Senators and staff accountability tools;
      --Alternate Chamber Locations (Maintain readiness of fixed and mobile
            contingency sites);
      --Continuity Planning (Planning and related exercises).

        Emerging requirements often develop quickly following an event. For
    example, due to COVID, in March 2020, the SAA executed more than $2M in
    support of IT software, hardware, increased internet bandwidth,
    conferencing services, and Virtual Private Network (VPN) upgrades.
    Additionally, with Rules' direction/approval, the SAA is now authorized
    to provide additional state facilities, services, equipment, and office
    space in connection with a federally declared disaster. In 2020, two of
    our state offices were destroyed by Hurricane Laura. This BCDR fund
    ensures that the SAA can move quickly to re-establish state operations
    for Senators whose offices have been impacted. Further, the events of
    January 6 identified a need for better situational awareness,
    information sharing, encryption, and better communications
    capabilities, providing another potential use of BCDR funds. While some
    solutions have been identified, others will take time to ascertain. The
    appropriations cycle does not always align with stakeholder
    requirements identification and decision-making following an
    unanticipated event, making this fund critical to providing
    capabilities to the Senate in a timely manner.

        Question. Can you provide us with assurance that any obligation
    from the fund is to be treated as a reprogramming request to this
    committee, and not just a notification that you intend to obligate
    these funds? I ask because we want to ensure tight control,
    accountability and oversight of a large, new pool of funding.

        Answer. We would treat any obligation of funds from this account
    similar to how we treat procurements over $100K and reprogramming
    actions. Contracts are not awarded and reprogramming actions are not
    executed without written approval from either the Rules or
    Appropriations Committee.

        Question. General Gibson, you have been on the job for roughly 3
    weeks. You come to SAA after a long career in the Army in intelligence
    and cybersecurity, as well as serving on the Honore task force review
    of Capitol security. You bring a set of fresh eyes to the Senate.

      --What are some of the things you were surprised at that the Senate
            does or doesn't do in terms of how it operates? What are some
            of the ways we can modernize how the Senate functions?

        Answer. Some of the things I was surprised to learn is how each of
    the Senate offices operates differently, and while some offices are
    more IT independent, others are in need of better IT support.
    Additionally, the distributed nature of the offices presents a number
    of challenges to include cybersecurity and modernization, as offices
    comfort level at adopting new and modern technologies is different.
    However, COVID did propel the Senate to more quickly adopt Cloud-based
    technologies toward the path of modernizing. For example, the rapid
    adoption of modern, secure, and reliable video and audio-conferencing
    technologies during the pandemic (Webex, Teams, and ZOOM) paved the way
    for supporting large-scale remote work, as well as remote and hybrid
    Committee Hearings. Additionally, major improvements were made to the
    Senate network and data center posture to support large scale telework
    operations, which included reconfiguration of network equipment,
    increasing internet bandwidth, and refreshing IT equipment.
        Moving forward, we will modernize and replace our existing
    telephone system and legacy video/audio conference solution (Skype)
    through our Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) effort,
    which will upgrade the legacy Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
    telephones, core switch, and associated subsystems, which are nearing
    end of life. This includes: voicemail, instant messaging, contact
    center, integrated voice response systems, audio/video conferencing,
    and other collaboration tools that support Senate offices. We will
    continue to follow a cloud-smart approach guided by our Hybrid Cloud
    Strategy and look for opportunities to use cloud services to meet
    customer needs. This includes modernizing and securing Senate public
    facing websites; implementing modern and top tier customer ticketing
    systems; modernizing the Constituent Services Systems; and better
    posturing the Senate network through our data center modernization
    effort which includes geographically disbursed data centers, as well as
    increased use of Cloud services.
        The Cloud has a number of benefits to include: delivering secure
    and modem services more quickly; scaling services up and down based on
    customer demand which allows the SAA to be more agile based on
    fluctuating needs and to only pay for what is consumed, rather than
    having to make a large, upfront capital investment; improved
    reliability and availability of data and services; and future
    innovation at reduced costs. With the recent passing of the
    Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), 2021, which included language
    that protects Senate data when using cloud or electronic communications
    services, it now opens the door to greatly expand the use of these
    secure and robust Cloud technologies to modernize the Senate.

        Question. With cybersecurity playing such a huge role in the SAA's
    responsibilities, what do you plan to do to protect the Senate's
    computer networks? Does this include an examination of current
    procedures/operations?

        Answer. There are several areas that can help to better protect the
    Senate network, and most of them involve changes to current procedures
    and operations, and less on new technologies. The following 4 areas are
    key:

    1. Policy Development and Enforcement
        In July 2020, the SAA began to roll out Cybersecurity policies and
    is in the process of developing the full suite of Cybersecurity
    policies by the end of CY21. To date, these first few policies have had
    a major impact on reducing the cyber risk across the Senate. For
    example, the Identity and Access Management (IAM) Policy signed in July
    2020 helped to drive the Senate from less than 20 offices to now 122
    offices and Committees that are using a secure tool to protect the
    offices most privileged accounts, a huge reduction in risk. If these
    privileged accounts were compromised--it is much more damaging than a
    regular user account--because these are the accounts that can create,
    delete, and perform privileged actions on other accounts. Similarly,
    the Trusted Device Policy has laid the foundation to enable digital
    certificates to be pushed to all Senate devices (mobile and computers)
    that restricts access to the Senate network for only Senate issued
    devices--greatly reducing risk from rogue and untrusted devices. We
    plan to complete this effort by summer 2021. Future policies will focus
    on some of the key areas identified in the House Task Force report,
    like restricting the forwarding of official email to unsecure email
    platforms, and potentially blocking thumb drives.
    2. Auditing for Compliance to Policy
        Conducting technical and policy audits to ensure that cybersecurity
    policies are being followed is key to enhanced cybersecurity. The
    Cybersecurity Department has developed a methodology to not only
    evaluate the network for risk, but also a reporting strategy to advise
    offices and committees on a biannual basis of their compliance to
    policy and to the associated level of risk they are accepting from a
    cybersecurity perspective.
    3. Expanded Penetration/Vulnerability Testing
        To date, the SAA conducts penetration testing (to see who can get
    into our systems) against all of our high-value SAA Enterprise systems,
    including Exchange (email), Active Directory, and others. The
    Cybersecurity Department will be expanding the penetration testing to
    the Committees and offices to better identify and mitigate issues on a
    reoccurring annual basis.
    4. Maturing the Risk Assessment Process and Reducing of Shadow IT
        The SAA will continue to improve and mature the Cybersecurity Risk
    Assessment process, and will be soon publishing a policy on this
    effort. The policy will require all technologies used on the Senate
    network to have a risk assessment conducted. If the technologies are
    rated as a high risk--they will not be used on the Senate network,
    moderate and low can be used with the proper mitigation controls. This
    will greatly reduce the risk to the Senate network and data, and will
    help to reduce the amount of unapproved and risky technologies that are
    currently in use.

        Question. To the extent you can speak publically, how do you intend
    to improve protection of Senators? What are you doing to ensure that
    SAA and the Capitol Police are more proactive on communicating about
    Member events and travel? And what are you doing to make sure Senate
    Offices participate in the assessment process?

        Answer. Over the past 12 months we have had scheduled calls with
    the Chief of Staff (COS) from each office to proactively reach out and
    offer our services when it comes to member events and travel, security
    awareness briefs and security tips to staff when planning, scheduling
    and advancing events for their Senator's.
        Our goal with asking for 4 new Member Outreach and Security
    Coordination Analysts is to better provide coverage for time zones west
    of the District of Columbia (DC), with more use of the Law Enforcement
    Coordination (LECOR) program and airport escorts from States further
    west. These additional Full Time Equivalents (FTE) will allow for more
    office coverage and more timely responses to requests.
        Every Monday we send a notice out to COS's, clerks, schedulers and
    Admin Directors reminding them of the LECOR program we have in place in
    coordination with United States Capitol Police (USCP).
        One additional time in the week (depending on the Senate schedule)
    we send another notice to the same group asking for their travel
    itinerary in order to provide airport escorts both in the National
    Capitol Region (NCR) and wherever their travels may take them. This
    information allows the staff to have a Security Point of Contact (POC)
    at the airports even if they just wish to notify us of their travel and
    are not asking for an escort. This information flows through the newly
    formed USCP Dignitary Protection Division (DPD) Air Ops group.
        The State Office Operations Group meets regularly with Federal
    Protective Services (FPS) to share information/best practices and
    explore options for providing additional support/security to Members in
    State offices.
        We have commissioned an independent study of our existing suite of
    physical security enhancements offered for State offices to ensure they
    still meet or exceed Federal and industry standards and address the
    evolving threat posture of our Members.
        While 98.5 percent of State offices have adopted some level of SAA-
    recommended security enhancements, we are conducting more aggressive
    outreach and offering virtual Security Awareness Briefings (SABs) to
    State staff to ensure higher levels of fluency in emergency
    preparedness issues and more frequent/consistent use of security
    enhancements.
                                     ______

       Questions Submitted to Hon. Karen H. Gibson, Sergeant at Arms and
                            Doorkeeper of the Senate
                   Questions Submitted by Senator Mike Braun
        Question 1. General Gibson, in his report of March 31st, USCP
    Inspector General Bolton recommended reorganizing intelligence
    operations into a single intelligence bureau within the Department, and
    made several other recommendations related to training and guidance for
    intelligence processes. You come from a background in intelligence and
    as a member of the Capitol Police Board will play a role in any reforms
    made to the Capitol Police.
        What is your view on the recommendation to establish a separate
    intelligence bureau within the Capitol Police?

        Answer. I agree with the United States Capitol Police (USCP)
    Inspector General (IG) on the need to ensure USCP's intelligence
    function is structured in a way that supports effective dissemination
    of intelligence throughout the department. USCP sworn and civilian
    personnel supporting the intelligence function must be properly trained
    and supported through continuous learning. The establishment of a
    separate Intelligence Bureau within the U.S. Capitol Police
    organizational structure is something that should be carefully
    considered. I am encouraged by the immediate actions that the Capitol
    Police are focused on to improve their current intelligence capability.
    These action include providing additional human resources to the
    current Intelligence and Interagency Coordination Division (IICD) and
    developing stronger and more formal working relationships with other
    law enforcement organizations both inside and outside the National
    Capital Region. In addition, the Capitol Police are also working to
    identify and employ the most current technology tools used in the law
    enforcement intelligence field. Beyond improving the intelligence
    function, the Capitol Police are focused on ensuring that their
    organization's intelligence capability is closely linked to the right
    police leadership at all levels so that the right operational decisions
    can be made in a timely manner. Intelligence informs operational
    decisions and the two have to be closely linked in organizational
    structure, standard operating procedures and most importantly everyday
    practice.

        Question 2. The Senate Sergeant at Arms also has an intelligence
    component that the budget request seeks funding to expand. It is
    critically important moving forward that the Legislative Branch improve
    its intelligence practices. How will you improve the Senate Sergeant at
    Arm's intelligence function and ensure that it works in better
    coordination with Capitol Police?

        Answer. I am looking at everything we do in my office as it relates
    to improving our intelligence function. To be specific, we are focusing
    on improving our internal ability to identify threats to the U.S.
    Senate. This includes threats to individual Senators, our facilities
    here in Washington, D.C., the Senate State offices and our cyber
    systems and platforms. We intend to reinforce a proactive approach by
    expanding our team dedicated to these functions, and ensuring we are
    equipped to meet those challenges as threat activity volumes increase
    and evolve. Our main focus remains better resourcing our current threat
    identification capability and leveraging formal relationships with
    other intelligence organizations. These relationships include but are
    not limited to the USCP, State Intel Fusion Centers, the U.S. Secret
    Service, the U.S. Marshal Service, the U.S. State Department's
    Diplomatic Security Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and
    other organizations with the shared interest of protecting people and
    critical infrastructure. At the same time, we are expanding our threat
    identification capability, improving our ability to ensure these
    threats are coordinated with the right organization and executing
    continuous follow up until the threat is reduced. Finally, in an effort
    to be a leader in the ever-changing environment of open source
    protective intelligence and threat discovery, we will focus on
    researching and applying agency best practices and industry standards
    while leveraging the available technologies to meet these ends.

        Question 3. General Gibson, we've discussed at length physical
    security of the campus but equally important is the cybersecurity of
    the Legislative Branch. Across government we've seen increasing cyber-
    attacks from hostile governments and other bad actors. The SAA's budget
    request calls for significant and continued investment in cybersecurity
    capacity.
        How would you describe the cyber threat level the Senate faces and
    our readiness to meet sophisticated cyber-attacks?

        Answer. The cybersecurity threat continues to remain high,
    especially with the recent reporting of the SolarWinds, FireEye,
    Microsoft and Colonial Pipeline breaches. The Cybersecurity Department
    continues to implement a state of the art approach to defending the
    network and continued investments will support maintaining and
    enhancing this capability to keep pace with the evolving cybersecurity
    threat. Here are some examples to describe our readiness to
    sophisticated cyber-attacks:

              Awareness.--We have developed a multi-dimensional approach to
            advise the user community of cybersecurity threats. We do this
            by publishing cybersecurity advisories, briefing Senate offices
            and bringing guest speakers from the commercial sector, as well
            as, academia, to brief the user community on real-world
            threats.
              Evaluation of Risk.--We have developed a methodology, using
            international and Federal standards, to evaluate the level of
            risk being accepted when procuring information technology (IT)
            products. These assessment reports are published to the offices
            procuring the technology so they are aware of the risks
            associated with the product or service.
              Cloud-based Services.--As many products and services move to
            the cloud, the cybersecurity adversary is moving to the cloud
            as well and as a result, cybersecurity defenses must address
            this too. The SAA Cybersecurity Department continues to
            implement cloud based defenses to secure the Senate's use of
            the cloud. The cloud brings robust and modern capabilities to
            the Senate quickly, which increases business productivity and
            customer satisfaction.

        Question 4. What initiatives are included in the request to further
    improve the Senate's cybersecurity readiness?

        Answer. There are six initiatives being executed to improve the
    Senate's cybersecurity readiness. These include the following:

              Modern Event Ticketing System.--The SAA Cybersecurity
            Department is currently migrating from an antiquated ticketing
            system to a modern system designed to effectively track and
            manage cyber-related customer requests, in order to triage and
            communicate timely information to resolve cyber incidents.
            Additionally, this same system will also be used to replace the
            legacy Help Desk ticketing system, and will provide a common
            ticketing system for the entire CIO organization.
              Next Generation Firewall.--This state of the art cloud-based
            capability will provide several benefits to include the
            replacement of the legacy on premise platform to filter web
            traffic for malicious activity, and will improve the
            performance and user experience for staff working remotely or
            in State offices, as the tool is made to support a remote
            workforce and cloud services more efficiently.

        Another new technology being introduced is the cloud access
    security broker (CASB). The CASB is a critical element in the SAA
    Cybersecurity Department's ability to defend Senate users and data
    while accessing cloud based systems. This system will ensure that only
    authorized users and authorized Senate devices will access Senate data
    in the cloud and will alert Cybersecurity staff if there is a breach.
        To ensure the readiness of the Senate endpoints (laptops and
    desktops), the Cybersecurity Department is upgrading its current
    antivirus to latest cloud enabled version. Through this upgrade, remote
    and State office users will be better protected even if they are not
    connected to the Senate virtual private network (VPN), and
    cybersecurity defenders will have real-time visibility to attacks (such
    as ransomware) against these devices 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365
    days a year.
        The use of social media continues to be on the rise, not only by
    users, but also by the attacker. The Cybersecurity Department is
    implementing a technology to improve its ability to detect impersonated
    social media accounts and advise offices and committees of these
    violations.
        Lastly, as referenced above, due to a large number of users being
    remote, identifying vulnerabilities on endpoints is a challenge. The
    Cybersecurity Department is procuring an updated version of the
    existing vulnerability scanner to install on all endpoints. With this
    procurement, the Cybersecurity Department will have real-time analysis
    of vulnerabilities and be able to immediately notify offices of any
    issues, and to quickly remediate and prevent cybersecurity attacks such
    as ransomware or data exfiltration.

                              SUBCOMMITTEE RECESS

        The next hearing of the subcommittee will be held on
    Wednesday, April 28th, at 2:00 p.m., in Dirksen 192, when we
    will hear testimony from the Librarian of Congress, the
    Comptroller of the Government Accountability Office, and the
    Director of the Congressional Budget Office regarding the
    fiscal year 2022 budget requests.
        Until then, the committee stands the adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 3:11 p.m., Wednesday, April 21, the
    subcommittee was recessed, to reconvene subject to the call of
    the Chair.]

             LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022

                                  ----------

                           WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021

                                           U.S. Senate,
               Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations,
                                                        Washington, DC.

        The subcommittee met at 2:00 p.m., in room SD-192, Dirksen
    Senate Office Building, Hon. Jack Reed (Chairman) presiding.
        Present: Senators Reed, Murphy, Heinrich, Braun, Shelby,
    and Rubio.

    CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE, AND THE
                             LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS

                     OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR JACK REED

        Senator Reed. Good afternoon. The subcommittee will come to
    order. I'd like to welcome everyone to the second of our fiscal
    year 2022 budget hearings for the Legislative Branch
    Appropriations Subcommittee. And I'm joined by my Ranking
    Member, Senator Braun and Senator Heinrich, and we're delighted
    to welcome our witnesses. Today, we have with us the Librarian
    of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden; the Comptroller General of the
    US Government Accountability Office, Gene Dodaro; and the
    Director of the Congressional Budget Office, Dr. Phillip
    Swagel.
        Welcome, and thank you all for joining us here today to
    testify. The roles that the Library, CBO, and GAO all play are
    critically important to making sure that Congress can serve the
    American people well. Your agencies help Congress, supporting
    us on our basic responsibilities to be informed and educated on
    behalf of our constituents.
        Let me begin by thanking the women and men of your
    agencies. The past year has been difficult from the COVID-19
    pandemic to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. You have had
    to spend regular appropriations beyond what we provided last
    year on the CAREs Act on unanticipated IT enhancements, PPE,
    cleaning, and security course. Because the Senate and the House
    continue to meet, the already heavy workloads of CRS, GAO, and
    the CBO have increased to meet congressional requests for
    reports, analysis, and orders to inform legislative responding
    to the pandemic.
        The Library, for example, has delayed the construction of a
    needed storage module at Fort Meade so we could use the $40
    million to cover Emergency Capitol Campus Security and COVID-19
    course. And as I mentioned the support to Congress, I'd like to
    think the GAO for letting Elizabeth Field come and testify
    before the Armed Service Committee on Tuesday, another example
    of your contribution to our efforts.
        But as I said, these challenges didn't stop the Library,
    the CBO, and GAO from delivering for Congress and the American
    people. CBO has turned out reports. GAO is auditing the
    trillions of dollars provided by Congress for the Government
    Live Response to COVID-19 and continues its important oversight
    role to make sure those funds are spent responsibly.
        CRS increased its science and technology, analytical
    capacity to repair and update more than 1,000 new products on
    COVID-19 related issues. And the Library ramped up its public
    outreach, to include a variety of virtual events, webinars, and
    workshops so that researchers, teachers, parents, and
    especially our children could still access and learn from its
    rich and diverse collections.
        As our Nation gradually opens and your agencies responsibly
    resume in-person operations, we owe it to your employees not
    only to provide the resources they need to do the job, but also
    to meeting any new demands or innovations identified in the
    pandemic. I hope we can soon deliver on our promise to make you
    whole with an emergency supplemental. Meanwhile, I want to know
    how those unanticipated course have impacted your missions.
        Our public libraries serve the common good and are
    destinations and catalysts for advancement. So, Dr. Hayden,
    we'll want to hear from you on the progress of the Library's
    Visitor Experience Project. This is an exciting public/private
    partnership that will make the Library's treasures more
    accessible to students, researchers, and visitors to the
    Nation's Capitol for generations to come. The Library's fiscal
    year 2022 requests also include critical investments to cover
    gaps in security and communications that came to light on
    January 6.
        Finally, it continues a common thread across all Library
    components: IT, modernization, and cyber security. We need to
    make sure the Library can provide access to its collections in
    order to better serve the public; but also, able to protect
    sensitive information from CRS, the Copyright Office, and the
    Law Library; and guard against cyber criminals using Library
    assets as a gateway to hack the Congress.
        Comptroller General Dodaro, GAO serves as Congress'
    independent and non-partisan watchdog. We provided $107 million
    for GAO to conduct oversight of the trillions of dollars
    provided by the Federal Government beginning more than a year
    ago for Coronavirus Response and Recovery efforts. You spent
    roughly a third of that funding on dozens of pandemic-focused
    engagements already. I'm interested in learning more about
    GAO's current and future work, evaluating how we can improve
    decisions in our national response to ongoing pandemic
    challenges. It's good to know that GAO can and will continue to
    provide an eye on the ground for us. We owe it to the American
    people to get recovery funds out the door quickly and ensure
    that they are spent effectively and efficiently. Your COVID-19
    oversight duties are on top of GAO's ongoing efforts to improve
    Government efficiency and effectiveness, and root out waste,
    fraud, and abuse.
        Director Swagel, Congress relies on CBO to offer expert and
    non-partisan analysis to inform budget decisions and economic
    deliberations essential to the legislative process. CBO's
    budget request seeks to make CBO's work even more transparent
    and responsive to Congress. The bills you analyze only grow in
    complexity and demands for your cost and this estimates have
    increased. Your budget continues to reflect your priority to
    get it right and to quickly and effectively inform Congress of
    your findings. For fiscal year 2022, CBO request adding four
    new staff to respond more quickly to questions related to your
    models and during times of high demand, particularly with an
    eye toward more analysis of infrastructure, energy, and climate
    change issues.
        In this subcommittee, we want to make sure the Library,
    CBO, and GAO can help keep Congress informed and educated so we
    can make good decisions on behalf of the American people. We
    should not skimp on these investments, because in the end, they
    help us better serve our constituents, yet, we will have to
    balance the needs of all of the legislative agencies against
    our resources. That includes supporting your agencies while
    also making sure other priorities are protected in our bill.
        Now, I want to thank you all, again, for coming; and I look
    forward to our discussion today. Now, let me turn it over to
    Ranking Member, Braun.

                    OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR MIKE BRAUN

        Senator Braun. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Dr. Hayden, Mr.
    Dodaro, and Dr. Swagel, welcome. Thanks for being here. Each of
    your agencies plays an important role in supporting the work of
    Congress.
        Dr. Hayden, we spoke earlier this month about the Library
    of Congress' valuable service; both in support of legislative
    function and in making the congressional process more
    transparent for the American people. The Library provides
    information and expert research on a wide range of topics both
    to members and staff, and to the public at large, and it
    delivers an incredible resource as you preserve our national
    history.
        The GAO and the Congressional Budget Office both serve
    critical roles in ensuring Congress can make informed
    decisions, particularly with respect to evaluating the
    budgetary impact of new laws.
        I am particularly concerned by Congress' seeming inability
    to address the slow-moving national debt crisis. In CBO's most
    recent long-term budget outlook, the agency writes that
    persistently rising debt as a percentage of the GDP poses
    significant risks to the Nation's fiscal and economic outlook.
    CBO further notes that Congress' inability to balance its
    budget weakens the American economy by crowding out private
    investment and increasing the risk of a financial crisis. GAO
    has made similar warnings, writing in its fiscal year 2020
    Financial Audit that Congress should consider including fiscal
    rules and targets, such as debt-to-GDP targets as part of a
    long-term fiscal plan. I know we've talked about that a lot.
    I've only been here a little over 2 years; and I know it's been
    discussed long before that. It seems to be a subject few are
    interested in. I support this approach, and have introduced
    bicameral legislation called The MAPP Act, which would attach
    spending targets to GDP. Even though the Legislative Branch
    Appropriations bill is only a small part of Federal spending,
    our debt crisis threatens every congressional priority.
        We must remain diligent to ensure that every taxpayer
    dollar advances the interests of the Nation. Each day we wait,
    the economic consequences increase, making the problem harder
    to solve, pushing it on to our kids and our grandkids; and to
    run a place like this, and borrow 23 percent of our annual
    budget, let alone the debt we've added on here recently to me
    is cause for concern.
        Thank you, again, to our witnesses for being here. I look
    forward to your testimony.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Reed. Thank you, Senator Braun. Are any of my other
    colleagues wishing to make a statement? Thank you. At this
    time, I'll recognize, beginning with Dr. Hayden, all of our
    witnesses, to give brief opening statements, approximately 5
    minutes. Dr. Hayden, you can begin, and then we'll go to Mr.
    Dodaro.
    STATEMENT OF HON. DR. CARLA HAYDEN, LIBRARIAN OF
                CONGRESS
        Dr. Hayden. Thank you, Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Braun,
    and Members of the subcommittee for this opportunity to testify
    in support of the Library's fiscal 2022 budget.
        And a little over a year ago, we had to close the Library's
    doors to everyone as the pandemic began. We opened other
    avenues that allowed us to serve Congress and the American
    people in new and innovative ways. And thanks to your support
    and investments in the Library's IT infrastructure, the network
    was able to handle an 800 percent increase in the remote
    workforce and essential services, including the CRS and the
    Copyright Office were able to operate largely as normal. We
    transformed the Library's public outreach by moving events
    online. We created new digital programs, and we even reimagined
    others, developing new audiences for the Library beyond those
    who couldn't visit us in person. And with congressional support
    and private philanthropy, we are on schedule to unveil the
    Visitor Experience in phases, beginning in late calendar 2022.
        Worthy of special note during this time is the National
    Library for the Blind and Print Disabled, NLS, with its network
    of State and local library circulated more than 20 million
    copies of braille, audio, and large print items. And I'd like
    to take this opportunity to recognize NLS director, Karen
    Kininger, who joined the Library in 2012, and will retire at
    the end of May. Her priorities were to leverage advancing
    technology and expand content for all print disabled person.
    She accomplished these goals and so much more for the NLS.
        I'd also like to express my gratitude for your support in
    the fiscal year 2021 funding bill for high-priority needs, such
    as cyber security enhancements, state of the art shelving for
    the Law Library, and enhanced science and technology capacity
    for CRS. And thank you, as well, for your support for the
    Library's new preservation strategy and collection storaging
    modules at Fort Meade as part of the Architect of the Capitol's
    budget.
        I would like to note that the funding from the AOC's budget
    designated for Storage Module 7 was reprogrammed for the
    fencing surrounding the Capitol Campus after January 6; and we
    would ask that this vital funding be restored to the AOC's
    budget as part of any Security Supplemental Bill that the
    committee may consider.
        I come before you today to discuss the Library of Congress'
    fiscal year 2022 appropriations request for approximately 846
    million, a 5.5 percent increase over the Library's fiscal year
    2021 enacted appropriation. This request includes 24.2 million
    in mandatory pay and price level increases. The balance of the
    increase represents critical program investments necessary to
    fulfill the Library's role, continue modernization efforts, and
    ensure the safety and security of the Library's collections and
    work force.
        The budget request seeks to replace the Legacy Integrated
    Library System that was installed in 1999 in preparation for
    Y2K with a modern Library Collections Access Platform that will
    be the heart of the Library's collection management, physical
    and digital, for the next generation.
        We're requesting funding to continue to modernize and
    optimize our financial management and planning by establishing
    a new Enterprise Planning and Management Program, and the
    budget seeks to modernize the Library's nearly 20-year-old
    Integrated Electronic Security System that's used both by the
    Library and the U.S. Capitol Police for physical security
    monitoring of Library facilities and collections.
        We're asking for funding to replace the Library's End of
    Life 3G Cellular System that provides connectivity for only
    about 50 percent of the Library's facilities.
        And I'd like to note that these two requests were very
    important, and continue to be important, for life, safety, and
    security, and would be good candidates for any Supplemental
    Security Bills as well.
        We also want to have funding to implement the same level of
    IT security across both the Library's data centers and the
    cloud-hosting environments. And then, in addition to supporting
    Library employees with advanced, virtual collaboration tools
    that were highlighted this year, we are requesting funding to
    expedite the transition from Microsoft Office to Microsoft 365.
        So finally, I'd like to acknowledge our new Register of
    Copyrights, Shira Perlmutter, and this budget request funds the
    implementation of the Copyright Alternative and Small Claims
    Act, or the CASE Act, with the creation of a small claims
    court.
        So, in closing, the Library's 2022 congressional budget
    continues a sequence of strategically planned modernization
    efforts across the Library, supports the security of our vast
    collections, and enhances the safety of our workforce and
    visitors.

        [Statements of Dr. Carla Hayden, Shira Perlmutter, and Mary
    B. Mazanec follows:]
                  Prepared Statement of Hon. Dr. Carla Hayden
    Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Braun, and Members of the subcommittee:

        Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony in support of
    the Library's fiscal 2022 budget.
        The Library of Congress has built one of the largest collection of
    human knowledge ever assembled in support of its mission to engage,
    inspire, and inform Congress and the American people with a universal
    and enduring source of information and creativity. We are an
    authoritative source of knowledge to be used for a purpose. My top
    priority as Librarian of Congress remains expanded user access to the
    Library's resources and services. We constantly strive to find ways to
    share our extraordinary riches more broadly and deeply.
        When the pandemic struck a little over a year ago, the Library
    needed to move rapidly to adopt new approaches to carrying out its
    mission of serving the Congress and the American people while at the
    same time ensuring that employees and contractors were able to work in
    safety. Thanks to congressional support for investments in IT
    infrastructure over the past several years, the Library's network was
    able to handle an 800 percent increase in the remote workforce.
    Essential services including CRS and the United States Copyright Office
    were able to operate largely as normal. The Library continued to
    provide public access by creating new programs, reimagining others, and
    offering them online. The 20th National Book Festival was hosted
    entirely online. When many schools closed, the Library created teacher
    webinars, virtual student workshops, and a loc.gov/engage page with
    information about resources, activities and programs. Planned digital
    initiatives, such as the LC Collections mobile app and innovator-in-
    residence projects, moved forward quickly to provide new ways for
    Congress and the public to engage with the Library. We just launched a
    new initiative to assemble and preserve a well-balanced collection of
    archived pandemic-related web content that will fully tell the story of
    COVID-19 for researchers of tomorrow. In addition, with congressional
    support and private philanthropy, we remained on schedule to open the
    Visitor Experience in phases beginning in late calendar 2022. Although
    planning is ongoing for a phased return to in-person operations and
    reopening to visitors and onsite researchers as conditions allow, it is
    clear that the Library needs to ensure that digital innovations can be
    sustained and even accelerated to meet evolving expectations.
        This was certainly a challenging year and I am pleased to report
    that we continued to make progress in sharing more of the Library's
    collections, programming, and staff expertise. Today, the Library holds
    more than 171 million items, including special collections consisting
    of audio materials, maps, moving images, sheet music and much more.
    Over 6.8 million preservation actions were performed on the physical
    collections. The Library responded to 802,676 reference requests from
    Congress, the public, and other Federal agencies, including direct use
    of CRS reports. The Copyright Office issued over 443,911 copyright
    registrations and recorded 7,098 documents containing 233,694 titles.
    In fiscal 2020, Library web properties experienced the largest volume
    of traffic in Library history. Those properties (excluding congress.gov
    and copyright.gov) recorded more than 117 million visits and 647
    million page views--increases of 39 percent and 58 percent,
    respectively. Mobile visits made up 46 percent of those visits, an
    increase of nine percentage points over the previous fiscal year. And
    before the mid-March closing to the public, the Library welcomed
    565,388 in-person visitors.
        The Library also continued direct services to the public with the
    Veterans History Project and Teaching with Primary Sources, a program
    that allows teachers in the local districts to create curricula and
    develop apps using the Library's digitized primary sources.
        Of special note is the National Library Service for the Blind and
    Print Disabled (NLS) and its network of State and local libraries,
    which circulated more than 20.3 million copies of braille, audio and
    large print items to patrons. I would like to recognize NLS Director
    Karen Keninger, who joined the Library in 2012 after serving as
    director of the Iowa Department for the Blind and as regional librarian
    for the Iowa Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Ms.
    Keninger's priorities for NLS at the outset were to leverage advancing
    technology and expand content for all print-disabled persons. Under her
    leadership, NLS embraced innovative technology, in just one example, by
    providing braille digitally with new refreshable braille technology.
    Working with the communities, Ms. Keninger expanded eligibility for NLS
    programs and advocated for a name change to highlight service to the
    print disabled. She made a special commitment to working with veterans'
    groups. She also developed partnerships with major audiobook producers
    that doubled the output of new talking books and implemented
    international partnerships to enable the cross-border exchange of
    materials. Karen Keninger will retire at the end of May.
        I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the outstanding
    support that this committee and the entire Congress give to the
    Library. In particular, I appreciate the funding you have provided for
    our fiscal 2021 requests to meet high-priority needs such as
    cybersecurity enhancements to protect sensitive information from CRS,
    the Law Library, the Copyright Office, and other high-value assets.
    Modernization efforts funded in fiscal 2021 also supported state-of-the
    art shelving for Law Library collections in Quad B and enhanced science
    and technology research capacity in CRS.
        I also thank you for your continued support for the collections
    storage modules at Fort Meade as part of the Architect of the Capitol's
    budget. Construction is underway for Storage Module 6, the first
    double-wide unit. Although initial designs for Storage Module 7 are now
    complete, following the attack on January 6, $30 million from the AOC's
    budget designated for Storage Module 7 was diverted to pay for the
    fencing surrounding the campus. We understood the necessity to cover
    this immediate security need of the campus, and ask that this vital
    funding for Ft. Meade Storage Module 7 be restored to the AOC's budget
    as part of any security supplemental spending bill.
        I come before you today to discuss the Library's fiscal 2022
    appropriations request. The funding request aligns with the strategic
    goals set forth in the Library's Strategic Plan: expand access, enhance
    services, optimize resources, and measure impact.
        The Library of Congress fiscal 2022 budget request is for
    approximately $845.982 million, which represents a 5.5 percent increase
    over the Library's fiscal 2021 enacted appropriation. This request
    includes $24.28 million in mandatory pay and price level increases. The
    balance of the increase represents critical program investments
    necessary to fulfill the Library's role and to continue to modernize
    our operations and technology, ensure the safety and security of
    Library collections and our workforce, and adjust to rapidly changing
    needs.
        The budget seeks to modernize the legacy Integrated Library System
    (ILS) and several related systems that provide access to the Library's
    collections. The existing ILS is 25-year-old technology that the
    Library put into place in 1999 in preparation for Y2K. The ILS is at
    the end of its life, with systems that cannot interface, and is likely
    to fail within the next few years. The replacement, a modern Library
    Collections Access Platform (L-CAP), used in major academic libraries,
    will be the heart of Library collections management, physical and
    digital, for the next generation. Designed to be closely integrated
    with a wide range of Library systems, L-CAP will employ the latest
    technology to manage the acquisition, description and inventory of
    Library collections and facilitate access for Library employees,
    Congress and the public. The Library is ready for the L-CAP now because
    substantial IT infrastructure improvements are in place and we have
    gained experience with other major IT modernization efforts. We will
    use continuous integration and continuous delivery development
    practices to sustain the system to allow L-CAP to meet the Library's
    evolving needs, including management of exponentially growing digital
    collections and advancements in technology.
        In another move toward modernization, in this case to take the next
    step in beginning to optimize and modernize financial management and
    planning in the Financial Services Directorate and across the Library,
    we are requesting funding to establish a new Enterprise Planning &
    Management (EPM) program. Financial modernization is an iterative
    process that must continue to stabilize current accounting activities
    and at the same time move forward to introduce new capabilities and
    principles. To meet audit findings concerning cost estimating and cost
    accounting, this initial EPM funding request will build a base of
    expertise in the Library in cost management as well as data science and
    data architecture, and develop processes necessary to optimize cost
    management practices and lay the foundation necessary for the
    implementation of more advanced financial planning capabilities and
    technology. Ultimately, the EPM program will use the Library's
    financial management and planning data to drive decisionmaking to
    improve performance in programs, projects, and activities surrounding
    the Library's investments.
        Pandemic operations, as well as heightened physical security
    threats for U.S. Government agencies, particularly legislative branch
    agencies, have focused attention on necessary enhancements to ensure
    the safety and security of the Library's workforce and its collections.
    The Library is working closely with the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) and
    the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) to ensure that safety and security
    measures are appropriately implemented. The most recent security
    incident on April 2nd reminded us that we will have to remain more
    vigilant for the foreseeable future.
        The budget request includes a funding request to modernize the
    Library's nearly 20-year-old Integrated Electronic Security System
    (IESS), which is used by both the Library and the USCP for physical
    security monitoring of Library facilities and access from the Library
    to the broader Capitol Complex. The system is at the center of a
    complex network of more than 10,000 cameras, motion sensors, electronic
    door locks, and other controls that regulate access to Library
    facilities and safeguard staff, visitors, collections, and high-value
    assets. The outdated analog video camera components lack the high-
    resolution necessary to fully monitor and investigate pedestrian and
    vehicle traffic in and around our buildings. The request will allow the
    Library to completely overhaul the security system components with a
    sustainable life-cycle management program, and modernize the IESS IT
    network infrastructure, bringing it into compliance with Library IT
    security standards.
        Funding is also requested to allow the Library to replace its
    outdated and inadequate 3G Cellular Distributed Antenna System. The
    current 3G system, installed in 2004, covers only about 50 percent of
    Library facilities. It is at the end of its service life and is
    incompatible with advanced 5G connectivity. On January 6, USCP and AOC
    employees reported multiple dropped cellular connections and the
    inability to initiate calls out of Library facilities, delaying time-
    critical communications and coordination. The request will allow the
    Library to implement a modern cellular solution that will ensure
    connectivity, and by extension, improve safety for the USCP, AOC and
    Library staff, and congressional and Library visitors.
        The budget requests increased funding to allow the Library to
    implement the same advanced level of IT security across both its on-
    premises data centers and Cloud hosting environments. This will ensure
    that Library data, including congressional and copyright information,
    are secured at all times, leveraging artificial intelligence to
    identify anomalous and malicious behavior.
        Remote work during the pandemic highlighted the need to better
    support Library employees with work-anywhere-anytime functionality and
    advanced virtual collaboration tools. The budget requests funding to
    expedite the transition of the Library from legacy Microsoft Office
    tools to the Microsoft 365 Government productivity platform for all
    staff. The request aligns the Library with congressional adoption of
    Microsoft 365 and ensures a smooth transition away from the Office
    suite, which Microsoft has announced will no longer be supported after
    2025.
        Finally, this budget requests the funding required to fully
    implement the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement (CASE)
    Act with the creation of a ``small claims court'' within the Copyright
    Office. The Copyright Claims Board (CCB) will work to resolve civil
    copyright claims, counterclaims, and defenses in the CCB as an
    efficient and inexpensive alternative to using the Federal courts. The
    request will support the necessary staffing for the CCB and the
    implementation of an electronic filing and case management system with
    electronic acceptance of claims filings, fees, and litigation
    pleadings.
        In closing, the 2022 Congressional Budget Justification continues a
    sequence of strategically planned modernization efforts of all types
    across the enterprise. The Library's budget request also seeks to
    support the security of the collections and the safety of our workforce
    and visitors, and to help the Library meet quickly changing needs.
    Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Braun, and Members of the subcommittee,
    thank you again for supporting the Library of Congress and for your
    consideration of our fiscal 2022 request.
                                     ______

      Prepared Statement of Shira Perlmutter, Register of Copyrights and
                        Director, U.S. Copyright Office
    Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Braun, and Members of the subcommittee:

        Thank you for the opportunity to submit the United States Copyright
    Office's fiscal 2022 budget request.
        As the principal Federal entity charged with administering the
    Copyright Act, the Copyright Office has many responsibilities,
    including overseeing the national copyright registration and
    recordation systems, advising Congress on copyright policy and
    legislation, working with the Department of Justice and other Federal
    agencies on copyright litigation, conducting administrative and
    regulatory activity with respect to statutory copyright licenses, and
    educating the public about copyright law. We do all of this with a lean
    staff of less than 450 employees who pursue copyright's Constitutional
    mission of ``promot[ing] the progress of science and useful arts.'' \1\
    Since I joined the Copyright Office in late October, I have been
    privileged to oversee the impressive work performed by the Office's
    dedicated staff.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ U.S. Const. art. I, Sec. 8, cl. 8.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           summary of this past year
        This past year, the Office has achieved many noteworthy successes
    while addressing significant operational challenges, including those
    posed by limits on onsite operations as a result of the global
    pandemic. When the Library shut down the Madison building on March 13,
    2020, the Office quickly transitioned most staff to telework. Some of
    our work, however, involves physical materials (including paper-based
    recordation documents, paper-based registration claims, and physical
    copyright deposits). Office staff was unable to process these materials
    until June 2020, when limited in-office work resumed, as discussed
    below.
        We have accomplished a lot this past year in administering the
    national registration and recordation systems. In fiscal 2020, the
    Office registered 443,911 claims to copyright involving millions of
    works. Ninety-eight percent of registration applications closed were
    received electronically and 2 percent by mail. Even with the pandemic,
    we made significant strides in improving processing time: the average
    overall processing time for examining all copyright claims dropped from
    4.0 months in the second half of fiscal 2019 to 2.6 months in the
    second half of fiscal 2020, representing a 35 percent decrease. The
    average processing times for fully electronic claims that did not
    require correspondence (74 percent of all electronic claims) dropped
    from 3.0 months to 1.6 months, and those that did require
    correspondence (26 percent) dropped from 6.0 months to 3.6 months.
    Despite the overall reduction, however, the pandemic did negatively
    impact processing times for electronic applications that required the
    submission of physical deposits, as well as paper applications, which
    make up less than 3 percent of all registration applications the Office
    receives, as registration staff was not on-site for many months.\2\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ Registration processing times are posted on our website at
    https://copyright.gov/registration/docs/processing-times-faqs.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        With respect to recordation work in fiscal 2020, the Office
    recorded 7,098 documents, on paper and through the new electronic
    pilot, containing titles of 233,694 works. The average time from
    submission to generation of the public record for electronic pilot
    submissions was within weeks of receipt for most submissions. The
    average processing time for paper submissions was approximately 11.5
    months; this was an increase of 3.5 months from the average fiscal 2019
    processing times and again reflects the impact of the pandemic on
    physical operations.\3\ Recordation staff were unable to retrieve
    submissions from March 2020 until some on-site work resumed in June
    2020.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ Recordation processing times are posted on our website at
    https://copyright.gov/
    recordation/. We are currently processing September 2019 basic
    recordation filings and April 2020 notices of termination. Also due to
    COVID-19, the Copyright Office mail unit is now processing mail
    submitted in August 2020.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Limited on-site operations also impacted the Office's acquisition
    of physical materials for Library collections in the third and fourth
    quarters of fiscal 2020. The Office was able, however, to maintain an
    effective e-deposit program throughout the fiscal year. E-serial and,
    in particular, e-book acquisitions made up a significant portion of the
    Office's contributions to the Library's collections. For fiscal 2020,
    the value of deposits, $40.03 million, was just shy of the previous
    year's total. The value of the access that special relief relationships
    with major e-serial and e-book publishers provided for Library staff
    and patrons increased from $69.87 million in fiscal 2019 to $75.26
    million in fiscal 2020.
        The Office was able to continue our longstanding role of providing
    expert legal and policy advice without interruption. This included
    promulgating regulations to implement various provisions of the Music
    Modernization Act (MMA),\4\ as well as to update rules to facilitate
    new practices for group registrations, deposit of electronic books for
    the Library's collections, and improved administration with respect to
    recordation of notices of termination. The Office has also commenced
    regulatory activities to implement the Copyright Alternative in Small-
    Claims Enforcement Act (CASE Act), as discussed further below. On the
    policy front, the Office issued a comprehensive study on section 512 of
    the Copyright Act last May, and continues work on three other studies
    (unclaimed music royalties, sovereign immunity, and the market impact
    of termination of certain section 119 licenses), to be completed later
    in 2021. The Office also continued to provide legal advice and
    assistance across the government regarding complex and emerging areas
    of copyright law and policy, including Supreme Court and appellate
    litigation and work with executive branch agencies on international
    matters.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \4\ Orrin G. Hatch--Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act, Public
    Law No. 115-264, 132 Stat. 3676 (2018).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The Office has engaged in numerous outreach activities to provide
    accurate and unbiased information on copyright law. We continued to
    produce events to educate the public and stakeholders about copyright,
    including specifically to reach music and songwriter communities around
    the world with information about the MMA. In fiscal 2020, the Office
    answered some 170,000 public inquiries regarding copyright, helping
    people understand copyright and the Office's services. We also
    continued our effective stewardship of the over $1.4 billion in
    statutory licensing revenues; for the third consecutive year, the
    Office received an unmodified or ``clean'' audit opinion of the
    statutory licensing fiduciary asset financial statements.
        Regarding information technology (IT), fiscal 2019 marked the first
    year Congress appropriated funds specifically for IT modernization (for
    5 years, recurring). This allowed the Office and the Library of
    Congress's Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) to continue
    making progress on a modernized Office IT system. The Office worked
    closely with OCIO to provide the business information needed for OCIO
    to undertake the development work. In fiscal 2020, we met our
    objectives on three major IT modernization work streams: the April 2020
    launch of an electronic recordation pilot; the September 2020 release
    of an internal version and a December 2020 public version of a new
    interface for the Copyright Public Records System; and the year-end
    internal release of a clickable prototype of the planned new
    registration system. More details on our plans for fiscal 2022 follow
    below.
        To be sure, modernization involves more than just IT; it also
    involves updates to Office processes, organization, and culture. The
    Office has made significant progress in business process reengineering
    efforts--last summer we completed work with a consultant on 66 distinct
    processes for improvement. We are now reviewing those results and
    moving forward to identify processes that can benefit from IT support
    as well as those that can be implemented without it. In addition, the
    Office continues to work with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
    on organizational issues. After a review of the Office's organization
    and structural needs for modernization, OPM is now assisting us in
    devising competency models for two of our most populated occupation
    series in order to improve succession planning and talent management.
    Finally, last summer the Office completed work with a consultant on an
    organizational change initiative, which involves the development of key
    change management processes and documents, staff training, and
    strategic coaching on structuring and leading business transformation.
    The Office is pivoting to apply these skills internally, and we have
    created a community of practice to spread and better integrate them
    within our workforce.
    Adapting Operations to the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
        While fiscal 2020 brought unexpected and unprecedented adversities
    for the Office, our staff rose to the challenges. The Office
    implemented a pandemic response plan in March 2020, successfully
    transitioning 98 percent of the staff to full or partial telework
    within just a few weeks. More staff gradually returned on-site
    throughout the summer and fall, in accordance with the Library's plan
    for restored on-site operations. We currently have about 27 percent of
    our staff on-site, either full-time or on rotating schedules; the rest
    are teleworking.
        As noted above, the bulk of the Office's operations have been
    largely unaffected by the transition to telework operations, including
    all legal and policy work, registration processing of fully electronic
    claims, and ongoing modernization activities. Although processing of
    physical materials was suspended for several months after the Madison
    building was closed in March 2020, the Office issued a new rule that
    allows us to offer an electronic option for some services that
    previously required paper submission. We also adjusted practices to
    receive certain additional applications and submissions via email
    during pandemic operations.
        To further relieve the impact of constraints imposed by the
    pandemic on users of Office services, the Acting Register had
    exercised, and I am now exercising, the authority granted by Congress
    in the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES
    Act). So far, we have issued notices that temporarily adjust certain
    timing provisions and I continue to review conditions to determine
    whether further extensions are needed. The Office is also monitoring
    the impact of COVID-19 on our fee receipts. While there has not yet
    been a significant shortfall, the Office appreciates the Committee's
    support going forward if funding flexibility is needed to adjust to
    disruptions in operations or to address increased workloads when normal
    operations and backlog processing resume.
        In sum, the Office is proud to have accomplished so much during
    this challenging year, and to have continued to serve the country and
    the copyright system well. Our budget request would enable this
    important work to continue in fiscal 2022.
                 funding and overall fiscal 2022 budget request
        The recurring financial support for the Office's modernization
    efforts, initially funded as part of the fiscal 2019 budget, continues
    for fiscal 2022, and the Office is pleased to provide an update on a
    number of initiatives that are now fully underway. In addition to
    ongoing modernization, the Office and the Copyright Royalty Judges
    (CRJ) are fully engaged in addressing new responsibilities under the
    MMA. Congress provided an additional $1.6 million in fiscal 2021,
    primarily for Office and CRJ staffing. To support implementation of the
    CASE Act, enacted as part of the fiscal 2021 omnibus appropriations
    legislation on December 27, 2020, the Office is requesting $3.2 million
    in additional funding for fiscal 2022 as described further below.
        The Copyright Office's overall budget is composed of three separate
    budgets or program areas:

        (1)  Basic Budget, which funds most of the Office's core
    operations, including the majority of payroll-related expenses.
    Historically the basic budget has been composed of a combination of
    appropriated dollars and authority to spend fee revenue, with fees
    constituting a majority of this funding (generally in the range of 50
    percent to 67 percent);
        (2)  Licensing Budget, which is derived completely from licensing
    royalty collections otherwise payable to copyright owners and filing
    fees paid by cable and satellite licensees pursuant to statutory
    licenses administered by the Office; and
        (3)  Copyright Royalty Judges Budget. Although the CRJ program is
    not a part of the Office, the Office provides it with budget
    formulation and execution support on behalf of the Library of Congress.

        For fiscal 2022, the Office requests a combined total of $98.0
    million in funding and 472 FTEs, of which $45.0 million would be funded
    through offsetting collections of fees collected in fiscal 2022 and in
    prior years.

        The Office's fiscal 2022 requests are:

      --Basic Budget: $88.7 million and 439 FTEs. $38.0 million in
            offsetting fee collections (43 percent) and $50.7 million (57
            percent) in appropriated dollars. The request includes
            mandatory pay-related and price level increases of $1.209
            million and a program increase of $3.2 million for staffing,
            facilities, computer and audiovisual technology, and services
            to implement the CASE Act. Of this latter amount, $1.0 million
            is one-time funding for IT system development, audiovisual
            system acquisition, and facilities expenses, and $2.2 million
            is permanent funding for staff, operations and maintenance, and
            services.
      --Licensing Division Budget: $6.4 million and 26 FTEs, all of which
            are to be funded via filing and royalty fees. The requested
            increase includes mandatory pay-related and price level
            increases of $0.2 million.
      --Copyright Royalty Judges Budget: $2.9 million and 7 FTEs, with $0.1
            million to support mandatory pay-related and price level
            increases. Of the total, royalties and participation fees
            offset $0.5 million (for non-personnel-related expenses). The
            remainder, $2.4 million in appropriated dollars, is to cover
            the personnel and other related expenses of the judges and
            their staff.
                      our focus for fiscal 2022 activities
        The Copyright Office's fiscal 2022 funding request seeks resources
    necessary to continue the progress already underway towards
    accomplishment of the Office's strategic goals, which include focus
    areas such as providing expert law and policy advice, modernizing
    information technology, as well as to fulfilling the additional
    responsibilities entrusted to the Office by Congress as part of the MMA
    and CASE Act. To advance these goals, the Office is seeking specific
    funding: (1) implementing the CASE Act by standing up the Copyright
    Claims Board (CCB); (2) meeting the mandates of the MMA; (3)
    modernizing the Office's IT systems and applications, including the
    Office's historical records initiative. Our modernization webpage \5\
    reflects ongoing work for both IT and non-IT initiatives.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \5\ See https://www.copyright.gov/copyright-modernization/.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    CASE Act
        The CASE Act established the new CCB in the Copyright Office to
    serve as an ``alternative forum in which parties may voluntarily seek
    to resolve certain copyright claims regarding any category of
    copyrighted work.'' \6\ The Copyright Office is undertaking a number of
    work streams in support of standing up the CCB over the next several
    quarters. Last month, the Office published an educational webpage with
    FAQs about the CCB that will be regularly updated to keep the public
    informed of its progress. The Library and the Office has publicized job
    postings to recruit the three Copyright Claims Officers. The Office
    also has issued a notice of inquiry to solicit public comment regarding
    all aspects of regulatory implementation. The Office, OCIO, and other
    Library units are collaborating to identify and ready the IT
    technology, office space, and other needs for the CCB within the
    statutorily required timeframe.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \6\ Copyright Alternatives in Small Claims Act, 17 U.S.C. Sec. 1502
    (2020).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        In support of these activities, the Office's fiscal 2022 budget
    includes a program increase request of $3.2 million and 8 FTEs. This
    amount includes $1.0 million in one-time costs for office construction
    and furniture, audiovisual system acquisition, and development of an
    online case management system; and $2.2 million in recurring costs for
    the 8 FTEs ($1.7 for salary, benefits, and related costs and $500
    thousand for systems operation and maintenance, printing, and other
    services).
    MMA
        The enactment of the MMA assigned new responsibilities to both the
    Copyright Office and the CRJ. The MMA requires the Register of
    Copyrights to ``engage in public outreach and educational activities''
    regarding the amendments made to section 115 of title 17, in addition
    to a number of rulemakings.\7\ Specifically, the Register must engage
    in public education and other outreach activities to inform interested
    members of the public and songwriters about the process by which a
    copyright owner may claim ownership of musical works through the
    mechanical licensing collective (MLC), which will administer a blanket
    licensing system for digital music providers to make and distribute
    digital phonorecord deliveries (e.g., permanent downloads, interactive
    streams). The Office has produced several dozen outreach events over
    the past year to inform the public about the requirements of the MMA,
    and in fiscal 2021 the Office requested and Congress provided a program
    increase that included three additional FTEs to ensure these efforts
    are fully resourced.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \7\ Orrin G. Hatch--Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act, Public
    Law No. 115-264, Sec. 102(e), 132 Stat. 3676, 3722 (2018).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The MMA also assigned additional responsibilities to the CRJ,
    requiring it to ascertain the reasonableness of the MLC's operating
    budget and the allocation of contributions to that budget by the
    various licensees or licensee representative groups.\8\ Previously,
    under section 802(b) of the Copyright Act, the number of support staff
    authorized to support the CRJ was capped at three. A proviso in the
    fiscal 2020 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act permanently removed
    the staffing cap, allowing for the new hires requested in fiscal
    2021.\9\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \8\ Id. Sec. 102(c).
        \9\ Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, Public Law No.
    116-94, Sec. 1405, 133 Stat. 2534, 3208 (2019).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Copyright IT Modernization
        The Office has a number of accomplishments to report in the third
    year of the congressionally-appropriated 5-year funding for
    modernization. OCIO is working alongside the Office on software
    development activities, which are progressing across multiple
    programmatic areas--including registration, recordation, statutory
    licensing, and access to public records. Building on our agile software
    foundation, this year the Office implemented the Scaled Agile Framework
    (SAFe) to improve collaboration across all of our projects and to
    improve our program-level view of the IT modernization work.
        We are pleased to report that we met our target of a spring launch
    for the public pilot of the new electronic recordation system, which
    went live on April 27, 2020. The pilot was initially available to a
    limited number of public users, enabling them to record documents
    related to copyright ownership that fall under section 205 of title 17.
    We are now incorporating user feedback from this pilot into iterative
    improvements, with four point releases behind us. In this continuous
    development phase, additional functionality and additional waves of
    users will be added, with this year's focus turning to recordation of
    notices of termination.
        The pilot for the new Copyright Public Records System, an endeavor
    that will eventually replace the existing Copyright Office Online
    Public Catalog, also launched this past year. The initial public
    release in late 2020 has already been supplemented by our first point
    release incorporating bug fixes and user feedback, and the process of
    point releases is expected to continue into the coming year.
        In addition, moderated user testing has begun on a limited
    prototype for the copyright registration standard application, from
    which we will gather public feedback and commence with improvements and
    a second round of user testing. Iterative development of internal
    workflows has also begun, and a second development team is expected to
    join the team working on this functionality over the summer.
        User Experience Design for licensing components begun earlier this
    year, with development against these requirements expected to begin
    later in the spring.
        As part of our historical records project and commitment to the
    preservation of and access to records, a comprehensive effort is
    underway to digitize print and microfilm records and make them
    available online; this includes the card catalog, record books, and the
    Catalogs of Copyright Entries (CCE). The Office is currently working
    with the Library's experts in digital collections management to ensure
    that the digitization of the Office's more than 26,000 physical
    copyright record books incorporates best practices and the resulting
    records can be made available for public, online viewing. These record
    books contain well over 20 million pages of records from between 1870
    and 1977, covering works as diverse as books, photographs, musical
    compositions, sound recordings, motion pictures, and more. A contract
    for the digitization of these record books has been awarded. Another
    contract is underway to perfect the metadata and improve access to the
    more than 40 million registration application and index cards that are
    already publicly viewable using the Office's Virtual Card Catalog
    (VCC). The Office also has a contract to create a data-mapping schedule
    for the historical record collections to use in the development of the
    Copyright Public Records System. These efforts will enhance the
    public's user experience by providing more accurate online search
    capability.
        As directed by the Committee, the Office has developed an
    integrated master schedule (IMS) for IT modernization activities. The
    Office brought in expert consulting services to assist in developing a
    program for IMS management that allows for continuous improvement and
    refinement of the IMS and its estimates. The consultant services were
    procured in early calendar 2020 as the first task order under the
    Library's contract for Library-wide performance planning and
    measurement services. After a slight COVID-19-related delay in the
    start of these services, the work commenced and was completed in
    February of this year.
    Consolidation of Copyright Office Storage Facilities
        The Copyright Office has made great progress in the planned
    consolidation of copyright materials from several geographically
    dispersed storage facilities into a single, modern facility. The
    collaborative warehouse construction project between the Library, the
    Office, and Architect of the Capitol was completed ahead of schedule,
    and the Copyright Office moved into the new facility in November 2020.
    This facility will allow the Office to provide faster location
    services, better tracking, and improved security of the significant
    inventory of copyright deposits. The Office is now working to bring
    copyright materials stored in other locations to Cabin Branch in order
    to fully consolidate our materials.
                          more flexible fee authority
        The Copyright Office's operations would benefit significantly from
    greater flexibility in the use of our fee collections, specifically the
    authority to use existing fee balances to provide services to the
    public in the event of a lapse in appropriations. As we have noted
    before, flexibility in management of fee balances across budget cycles
    also would provide for more efficient and cost-effective administration
    of large, non-recurring projects related to modernization and other
    capital expenditures. To that end, once authorized, the Office
    anticipates including in a future budget request two changes in
    appropriations language: (1) to make 20 percent of the balance of fees
    collected in prior years available each year, in addition to
    appropriated amounts, for obligation without fiscal year limitation,
    and (2) to allow the Office to access existing fee balances to continue
    operations during a lapse in appropriations.

                                     * * *

        The Copyright Office appreciates the subcommittee's and Committee's
    continued support of the Office's efforts to modernize both our
    technology and services, and of the work involved in the operation of
    the copyright system overall.
                                     ______

    Prepared Statement of Mary B. Mazanec, Director, Congressional Research
                                    Service
    Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Braun, and Members of the subcommittee,

        Thank you for the opportunity to present the fiscal year 2022
    budget request for the Congressional Research Service (CRS). At the
    outset, I would like to express my appreciation for the Committee's
    support of our fiscal year 2021 request. CRS has already begun efforts
    to recruit the expertise needed to strengthen CRS's science and
    technology-related analytical capacity. We also continue to work with
    the Library's Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) to
    modernize CRS's IT systems.
        Fiscal year 2020 was a year like no other. The emergence and spread
    of COVID-19 exacted a toll on human life and the national economy that
    was unprecedented. And yet, despite the enormous disruption caused by
    the global pandemic, I am pleased to report that CRS continued to
    successfully carry out its mission to provide Congress with ``the
    highest quality of research, analysis, information, and confidential
    consultation, to support the exercise of its legislative,
    representational, and oversight duties.'' This would not have been
    possible but-for the resilience and dedication of CRS staff and I would
    like to thank my colleagues for their hard work in fulfilling this
    important responsibility.
        In addition to outlining CRS's budget requirements for the coming
    year, my testimony today will highlight a selection of noteworthy
    support the Service provided to Congress during fiscal year 2020. I
    will also bring you up to date on developments related to a number of
    our strategic initiatives.
                   fiscal 2022 budget request and priorities
        The CRS budget request for fiscal year 2022 is $129.6 million
    dollars, an increase of 4.1 million dollars (or 3.1 percent) from the
    amount appropriated for fiscal year 2021. As in previous years,
    approximately 90 percent of the requested amount would be dedicated to
    staff pay and benefits. CRS is requesting no additional funding beyond
    that which is necessary to cover mandatory pay and price level cost
    increases.
        During this time of national crisis, CRS's top priority is to
    ensure sufficient capacity to continue the delivery of its core
    services to meet Congress's research and analytical needs. In fiscal
    year 2022, CRS will continue to bolster analytical capacity, especially
    in the area of science and technology policy. This additional expertise
    will better enable CRS to support Congress in areas of increasing
    complexity and importance. In addition, the Service will continue to
    work closely with OCIO to meet the next milestones in modernizing its
    IT infrastructure. Moreover, CRS will build on its efforts to recruit,
    retain, and develop a diverse, professional workforce, with the skills
    and expertise necessary to provide Congress with exceptional service.
                              service to congress
        In March of 2020, as news of the impending pandemic grew
    increasingly dire, CRS worked quickly to execute the CRS pandemic plan
    to ensure that it would continue to support Congress's needs during any
    prolonged pandemic event. Within 24 hours, the Service transitioned its
    entire operation, expanding existing workplace flexibilities to enable
    staff to work remotely full-time. As a result, CRS was well positioned
    to provide Congress with timely analysis, information, and consultative
    support as it considered the plethora of issues presented by this
    public health crisis. From March through September 2020, CRS prepared
    and regularly updated over 1000 new products on COVID-19-related
    issues. To enable expedited access to these products, a COVID-19
    resource page was developed on the CRS.gov and Congress.gov websites,
    organizing CRS prepared material under 26 issue areas, covering topics
    ranging from the temporary moratorium on evictions provided under the
    Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to
    frequently asked questions regarding testing for COVID-19. Several of
    these products incorporated custom CRS graphics. In addition, CRS
    experts responded to over 8200 COVID-related inquiries and conducted
    over 80 briefings for congressional staff on COVID-related subjects.
    CRS continues to support Congress as the issues presented by the
    pandemic evolve.
        In addition to COVID-19 related issues, CRS assisted Congress in
    its consideration of many other policy and legal questions. CRS experts
    provided extensive research and analytical support as Congress explored
    the market power of large Internet based companies; environmental
    justice; Medicare and Medicaid program authorizations; asylum
    processing at the U.S. border; tax law and policy; veterans issues; and
    law enforcement reform, among others. The Service worked closely with
    lawmakers as they considered legislation to reauthorize the Older
    Americans Act, the Higher Education Act and the Family Violence
    Prevention and Services Act. In addition, analysts and attorneys
    advised Members and congressional staff on the legal and procedural
    questions associated with impeachment proceedings and supported the
    Senate's consideration of various judicial nominations, including that
    of a Supreme Court Justice.
        The Service supported Congress's examination of various foreign
    affairs, defense, and trade related matters, such as developments in
    the Middle East region, the use of delegated trade authorities, the
    national security implications of foreign investment in U.S.
    corporations and renegotiation of the North American Free Trade
    Agreement, and emerging technology in advanced weapons systems. CRS
    experts also provided guidance on the legislative process,
    congressional oversight, and the annual appropriations bills. In
    addition, CRS continued its offering of seminars and programs for
    congressional staff, including sessions on the Global Implications and
    Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic; Fiscal Year 2021 Federal Research and
    Development (R&D) Funding; and the perennially popular Federal Law
    Update series. Due to the pandemic, many of CRS's programs were
    presented virtually during the fiscal year, and the Service quickly
    transitioned its in-person institutes to webinar format.
        In total, during fiscal year 2020, CRS experts responded to over
    75,000 congressional requests; prepared over 1300 new products; updated
    over 2500 existing products; and conducted live and virtual seminars
    that were attended by approximately 8500 congressional staff. As in
    previous years, the Service provided support to almost every Member and
    committee office through the provision of its products and services.
                             strategic initiatives
        CRS remains engaged in accomplishing the goals and objectives
    identified in its 2019-2023 Directional Plan. The following is a
    summary of the Service's progress during fiscal year 2020 in advancing
    some of the key initiatives undertaken to achieve these goals.
    Gallup, Inc. Survey and Addressing the Full Range of Congressional
            Information Needs
        In fiscal year 2020, CRS contracted with Gallup, Inc., to conduct a
    survey of congressional staff designed to gauge the value and utility
    of various research products and consultative services offered by CRS,
    as well as to gather information about how such products and services
    are used by Congress. Gallup contacted over 13,700 congressional staff
    from early February through mid-March 2020 and received survey
    responses from over 1300 district, State, and DC-based staff members.
    CRS continues to evaluate and consider the results as it develops and
    delivers research products and services to Congress.
    IT Modernization/Integrated Research and Information Systems (IRIS)
        CRS continues to work with the Library's Office of the Chief
    Information Officer (OCIO) to modernize its IT infrastructure with the
    deployment of new tools and software to enhance support to
    congressional stakeholders. The Integrated Research and Information
    System (IRIS) initiative is a multi-year effort to update the Service's
    mission-specific information technology to provide CRS staff with the
    best resources to create and deliver products and services to Congress.
    CRS and OCIO are currently implementing several major work streams.
    These efforts include updating the client relationship management and
    workforce information management systems, improving the text analysis
    program to provide greater ease of conducting legislative analysis and
    comparisons, streamlining the content management system, and enhancing
    the taxonomy tool for better search results. These improvements are in
    varying stages of development and implementation.
    Congress.gov
        In fiscal year 2020, CRS and the Library continued efforts to
    enhance Congress.gov and improve congressional user support with a
    number of developments, such as offering weekly alerts of future
    committee meetings and increasing access to legislative amendments,
    committee prints, and committee hearing transcripts. CRS also conducted
    live onsite and webinar training for congressional staff from 54 Senate
    Member offices and committees, as well as supporting more than 12,000
    requests for assistance. In addition to ongoing enhancements, CRS
    partnered with OCIO and the Law Library to focus on multiple projects
    to retire legacy backend systems that, once replaced, will improve the
    functionality of Congress.gov. Other projects accomplished in fiscal
    year 2020 include modernizing the Member and committee data interchange
    between the Office of the Secretary of the Senate and the Library;
    developing tools and data standards for curating legislative data;
    exploring opportunities for efficient collaboration on bill text
    analysis; and sustaining and streamlining the CRS Bill Summary
    analysis, authoring, and publishing processes. CRS and its Library
    colleagues are appreciative of the ongoing high-performing partnership
    with Office of the Secretary of the Senate as legislative data
    workflows, tools, and standards are modernized.
    Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and
            Interpretation (CONAN) Modernization
        Known officially as the ``Constitution of the United States of
    America: Analysis and Interpretation,'' CONAN serves as the official
    record of the U.S. Constitution for Congress. In 2019, CRS collaborated
    with OCIO and the Law Library to introduce a new website for CONAN:
    constitution.congress.gov. The new site features hundreds of pages of
    updated constitutional analysis and content. In fiscal year 2020, CRS
    legislative attorneys have continued to provide comprehensive analysis
    of the Supreme Court's jurisprudence as it relates to every provision
    of the U.S. Constitution, including the implications of recently
    decided cases. Since the launch of the public website in 2019, CONAN
    has received over three million unique visitors to the site and its
    pages have been viewed over seven million times.
    Improving Recruitment and Retention of a Diverse and Productive
            Workforce
        CRS continued its efforts to recruit, retain, and professionally
    develop a highly skilled staff. For example, in fiscal year 2020, the
    Service provided training on core presentation skills for virtual
    briefings, as well as encouraged participation learning sessions on
    diversity and inclusion. In addition, the CRS Diversity and Inclusion
    Working Group continued to meet throughout fiscal year 2020, and
    discussed, among other things, outreach strategies for improving the
    diversity of applicant pools for CRS positions and fostering an
    inclusive workplace.
                                   conclusion
        Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Braun and Members of the subcommittee,
    CRS is honored to serve as a trusted and reliable resource for Congress
    during this difficult period in our Nation's history. The
    accomplishments outlined above are a testament to CRS's commitment to
    support Congress with timely, authoritative research, analysis and
    information, undeterred by the challenges that we now face. On behalf
    of my colleagues at CRS, I would like to express my appreciation to the
    Committee for your continued support and for your consideration of our
    fiscal year 2022 request.

        Senator Reed. Thank you, Madam Librarian. And now let me
    recognize Comptroller Dodaro.
    STATEMENT OF HON. GENE L. DODARO, U.S. COMPTROLLER
                GENERAL, GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE
        Mr. Dodaro. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good afternoon to you
    Ranking Member Senator Braun, Senator Heinrich. I'm pleased to
    be able to be here today to discuss GAO's budget request for
    fiscal year 2022.
        First, I want to thank the Committee very much for its
    support that's enabled us to meet our new responsibilities
    under the Pandemic Relief Legislation; and also, to continue to
    have a strong performance across the full spectrum of GAO's
    responsibilities.

                       GAO'S FISCAL YEAR 2021 PERFORMANCE

        Last year, we were able to have GAO recommendations
    implemented that resulted in financial benefits to the
    government for over $77 billion. That's $114 returned for every
    dollar invested in GAO. We also had over 1,300 other
    recommendations implemented that improve services to the
    public, improve public health and security and safety, and also
    led to a wide range of program and operational improvements
    across the full breadth of the Federal Government's
    responsibilities.

                            GAO'S PANDEMIC RESPONSE

        With regard to the Pandemic Relief Legislation, we were
    charged with looking at the use of all the funds to determine
    the impact on public health and the economy, and the impact on
    private and public sector institutions. We were required, which
    we have done, to provide monthly briefings to a set of
    congressional committees, and also bi-monthly reports to the
    Congress and the public, starting in June 2020. Since then,
    we've issued six government-wide status reports covering the
    entire Federal Government.
        We've made over 70 recommendations. Last September, for
    example, we urged the administration to put a vaccine
    distribution and communication plan in place. We urged that
    there be a strategy to address gaps in the medical supply
    chain. We made recommendations for a national testing strategy.
    A lot of the testing information wasn't complete and
    consistent. It was hard to target results. Also, we made
    recommendations to collect better data on the disparate impact
    of the pandemic on certain segments of our population,
    including racial minorities and others. We made similar
    recommendations on the vaccine strategy, to collect information
    on who's being vaccinated and whether vaccines are reaching the
    people most vulnerable to COVID-19. So, we've also had a number
    of recommendations on Program Integrity issues, and
    transparency and accountability.
        As apropos to the emergency, a lot of emphasis was placed
    on quickly distributing the money, and as a result, there were
    a lot of trade-off decisions made that resulted in the
    transparency and accountability goals and expectations that
    were not met in many cases. There was a lot of fraud in the
    Unemployment Insurance area, the Paycheck Protection Program,
    and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program. We made
    recommendations that there be stronger oversight over those
    programs and activities; and gradually those recommendations
    are being addressed. But I don't think they were addressed as
    fast as we would have liked, or the Congress would have
    expected. So, there is a ways to go.
        Most of our 70-some recommendations are still being
    implemented, and they haven't been fully implemented yet; so,
    we're going to keep working with the new administration to get
    them implemented over time.
        We've issued a lot of individual, specific reports: for
    example, one we used our new science and technology team to
    look at vaccine development and ensure the public that vaccine
    development goals were being met in a lot of cases.

                               GAO HIGH RISK LIST

        We also updated our high-risk list this year, which we
    provide to the Congress. We added not only the Emergency Loan
    Programs under SBA, but also the Federal efforts to prepare
    for, respond to, and recover from drug misuse. From 2002 to
    2019, 800,000 Americans died from an overdose. From May 2019 to
    May 2020, 80,000 people died. It was the highest annual figure;
    and that rate just picked up as the pandemic began. There's not
    strong Federal leadership in this area. It needs better
    coordination among Federal agencies as well as with the State
    and local sectors.

               SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT, AND ANALYTICS TEAM

        We've done a lot of work to build our capacity, including
    in the science and technology area. I'll be happy to talk more
    about questions about this going forward.
        I appreciate your careful consideration of our request so
    we can continue this important work for the Congress. Thank
    you.

        [The statement follows:]

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        Senator Reed. Thank you, Comptroller. Now let me recognize
    the Director, Dr. Swagel.
    STATEMENT OF HON. DR. PHILLIP L. SWAGEL, DIRECTOR,
                CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
        Dr. Swagel. Thank you, Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Braun,
    and Members of the subcommittee. Thank you for the opportunity
    to present the CBO's budget request. It's a privilege to lead
    the Congressional Budget Office, and to work with my hard-
    working and talented colleagues as we work to serve and support
    the Congress.
        The CBO is requesting an appropriation of $61 million for
    2022; and that's an increase of $3.7 million, or 6.4 percent
    from the amount provided in fiscal year 2021.
        The proposed increase would support our goal to be even
    more responsive to the Congress. Since 2019, since before I was
    Director, the Congress has increased CBO's budget to bolster
    our capacity, to make our work more responsive, and more
    transparent; and we've been working hard to accomplish those
    objectives. We've been expanding staffing in high-demand areas
    such as health care. We've been organizing our staff to work on
    broader, shared portfolios; and we've been doing more to
    document and to explain our work.
        Now, about half of the requested increase for next year
    would be for added staffing. So, this would cover a full year's
    salaries and benefits for the seven staff members hired in
    2021; and then allow us to hire four more staff members to
    support our work next year. And those people will focus on the
    areas of high interest in the Congress. This would be
    infrastructure, energy, and climate. So, the areas in which
    we--you know, we know legislation is coming at us.
        And like GAO, CBO is also working to improve our capability
    to analyze the affects of legislation on people in different
    demographic groups and different income groups.
        The remainder of the increase in our budget request would
    largely cover increases in costs for the existing personnel,
    and to a lesser extent, IT enhancements as well.
        Let me just very briefly highlight CBO's work over the last
    year and connect that to our budget request. As you can
    imagine, we've worked intensively over the past year on
    legislation related to the pandemic. We provided frequent
    updates of budget projections, of economic projections, and
    provided technical assistance and cost estimates on COVID
    Relief Packages, on the annual appropriations, and on other
    legislation. We've also produced reports on a wide range of
    issues; expansions of health insurance coverage, a variety of
    defense-related issues, you know, such as the potential cost of
    the New START Treaty had been allowed to expire. Student Loans,
    veteran incomes, immigration, climate, and so on. We had a
    report on the connection between climate and the budget, the
    ways in which climate change affects the budget that came out
    just yesterday, so just an example.
        So, looking ahead, the requested funding would allow us to
    do the following for the Congress:
        So, continue to produce the budget and economic projections
    over the coming decade as usual. We do a long-term budget
    projections, looking at 30 years. We do some analysis over
    longer terms; for Social Security, for example, 75 years and
    beyond.
        We produce about 700 formal cost estimates, most of which
    are for the authorizing committees after Bills are reported.
        And we fulfill thousands of requests for technical
    assistance from committees and from members on the potential
    budgetary impact of proposals as members are developing
    legislation. And we produce about 100 score-keeping reports and
    estimates, including account-level estimates for individual
    appropriation bills.
        And then, we do summary tables as well, showing the status
    of the discretionary appropriations and running totals on a
    year-to-date basis.
        And then, we do about 70 or so analytic reports and papers
    each year. These are generally either required by law, such as
    some of our budget outlooks, or prepared in response to
    requests from, you know, generally the Chairs or Ranking
    Members of key committees of jurisdiction.
        And then we produce a wide variety of other products.
        So, in summary, to achieve our goal to be as responsive as
    possible, CBO requests an increase of $3.7 million. With your
    support, we look forward to continuing to provide timely and
    high-quality analysis to the Congress. Thank you very much.

        [The statement follows:]

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                   LIBRARY OF CONGRESS--VISITOR'S EXPERIENCE

        Senator Reed. Well, thank you very much, Director. And let
    me first address the question to the Librarian of Congress.
        We both mentioned the Visitor Experience. This would be the
    fourth year of a request for $10 million for a total of $40
    million, which would be matched by $20 million from private
    donations. So that's a public/private partnership; and it would
    be an extraordinary way to showcase all the Library's true
    treasures. You mentioned your target date. Can you just give us
    an update on the status, Madam Librarian?
        Dr. Hayden. Visitor Experience will greatly expand access
    to the Library's collections and services, primarily in the
    iconic Thomas Jefferson Building. The three components are all
    on schedule. The first component is the Orientation Center, and
    that should open in December of 2024. First time ever
    Treasure's Gallery, the second component, on schedule to open
    in December of 2022. And the Youth Center, on schedule to open
    in the summer of 2024.
        It has been really heartening to work on this project
    during this past year because there was quite a bit of input
    from design firms. And the public/private partnership, the $20
    million that was part of the private philanthropy effort to
    match Congress' investment of $40; this year would be the last
    of the $40 million for the public part.
        To date, we have total, in pledges and commitments, firm
    commitments, of the $20, $12.5 million. And we anticipate and
    would have loved to have been able to say it exactly today, but
    within the next 6 months, we will complete the $20 million for
    the private component. And so, we are very pleased that with
    the release of last year's funding, there will be a contract
    for the Treasure's Gallery, audiovisual interactives, and the
    exhibit fabrication, meaning the exhibits will be made. And,
    we'll be able to transfer funds to the Architect of the Capitol
    for staircase and egress construction.
        So, the Architect of the Capitol, I want to take this
    opportunity to say that they have been partners from the very
    beginning, and been very, very helpful with the entire project.
    Also, the Capitol Police, in terms of safety issues with the
    new ways of the public coming in.
        And then the funding for this year, the final public
    funding, would allow the AOC to start construction of the
    Orientation Gallery and the Welcome area. And so, we're very
    excited, and we hope to have designs and plans to show this
    Committee very shortly. We look forward to that.
        Senator Reed. Thank you, Madam. Comptroller, you indicated
    that one of the major challenges of the last year for you is at
    our request, looking at the spending of the Pandemic Programs.
    There were multiple programs. You've mentioned some suggestions
    you made, but could you identify some of the key areas that you
    discovered that needed significant improvements in these
    programs?

                 KEY GAO FINDINGS RELATED TO PANDEMIC RESPONSE

        Mr. Dodaro. Yes. First, in the public health area, we
    thought there should have been a vaccine communication and
    distribution plan much earlier in the process that would have
    set better expectations. We recommended this last September,
    and it was based upon our experience looking at H1N1 vaccine
    issues. There was a problem with communication back then that
    resulted in vaccine hesitancy because the Government didn't
    deliver on time.
        And, sure enough, because there wasn't a plan, there was a
    difficult start to the COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
    Fortunately, it's picked up now that supplies are in place, and
    things are moving. I thought they should have had a vaccine
    distribution plan in place even before the Emergency Use
    Authorizations to set expectations and allow the State and
    local governments to prepare.
        The same thing happened with the medical supply chain. The
    agencies did a lot, and I don't want to detract from that. I
    think Operation Warp Speed was the biggest success story coming
    out of this whole endeavor in the vaccine area. Agencies worked
    hard on the supply chain, but there were still critical gaps,
    particularly with nitrile gloves, syringes, and other things.
        We surveyed hospitals and others, and there was a
    reluctance to get a plan in place to deal with these gaps as
    the pandemic unfolded. The government needed a plan for the
    remaining challenges of the pandemic. We raised this issue
    again with the initial vaccine distribution plans, because
    there was a lot of concern about not having enough syringes. As
    far as the National Testing Strategy, we still don't really
    have that in place.
        GAO also uncovered the painful reality of the fragility of
    the Nation's public health system and its surveillance
    capabilities. There really is not a very robust system in place
    to be able to track what's going on, to be able to target the
    Federal response, and to be able to monitor progress.
        Regarding communicating clearly to the public, there was a
    lot of confusion about wearing a mask, and when to not wear a
    mask. There was confusion about who should be tested. What
    about asymptomatic people? Guidance changed. A lot of Emergency
    Use Authorizations were granted, but we thought there could
    have been better explanations of the scientific underpinnings
    behind those authorizations to give more confidence to the
    public.
        GAO also made many recommendations in the Program Integrity
    area. For instance, SBA should have done a fraud assessment and
    a risk analysis upfront. There was too much reliance on self-
    certification. There should have been some minimum checks in
    place. But even if they didn't do that initially, I wanted them
    to quickly have an oversight plan because those loans would be
    forgiven if they are used properly and they're legitimate. It
    has not been until relatively recently that SBA has responded
    to those recommendations. I think they were too slow to act in
    that regard.
        And we have many others in the----
        Senator Reed. Just a minute. Let me ask a quick question,
    finally, before I recognize Senator Braun; and I'll, on the
    second round, get to the Director.
        Typically, these types of investigations of this scope take
    several years. Do you anticipate that you'll have work with
    respect to these issues going forward for several years and
    require additional funding?

                      OUTLOOK FOR FUTURE GAO PANDEMIC WORK

        Mr. Dodaro. Probably. Yes. Actually, I'd point out we're
    still auditing the remnants of the TARP Program back from 2008
    because the housing part of that is still in place.
        We're still auditing the Federal response to the 2017-2018
    hurricanes and issues with Puerto Rico and others. This will
    continue on for a while. We're planning at least for the next 2
    years. We've got about 100 audits underway right now. We're
    going to move the quarterly Government-wide status reports, but
    we'll issue probably another 80 reports on specific areas of
    the pandemic.
        Of course, there's new programs now under the American
    Rescue Plan. There's a lot more money going to the State and
    local level. I want to have a real-time effort to observe
    what's going on there, because a lot of money is going directly
    to localities as well as to the States.
        I'm anxious to see what Treasury is going to do with their
    reporting requirements to get some idea upfront where the money
    is going to go. I talked yesterday to Secretary Yellen and her
    team. I've been meeting with all of the Cabinet officials and
    giving them my advice on how to handle these things. That's
    part of what I normally do, anyway.
        Senator Reed. Thank you very much, Comptroller. Senator
    Braun.
        Senator Braun. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I've got a question
    for each witness, and I want to get them in on the first round,
    so about a minute and a half on the first two.

                            CBO TRANSPARENCY EFFORTS

        Dr. Swagel, over the last few years, there's been money put
    into your agency for transparency. I think it's so important to
    be able to be clear about what you're doing. How many
    individuals have worked specifically on transparency? Just
    explain briefly what you've been able to accomplish with that
    extra funding.
        Dr. Swagel. Okay. No. Absolutely. So, there's a couple of
    people who are specifically working on transparency: one on
    data, one in cost estimates, and then there's some others in
    our management system. And then, across the agency,
    transparency is now--you know, it's something we're working on
    across the agency, and it comes up in a variety of ways.
        So, with cost estimates, for example, we have much more
    information on the basis for the cost estimate and the sources
    of uncertainty for the cost estimate. In our budget projections
    and our economic projections, again, we have much more
    information than CBO has done in the past on the uncertainty,
    you know, both qualitatively and quantitively.
        We put data on our website. We put computer programs on our
    website. You know, with complicated subjects like, you know,
    our work on drug prices and the innovation effects of changes
    in drug prices, we've put out working papers to explain the
    technical basis for what we've done. So, there's some of the
    ways in which we've tried to answer the call for transparency.
        Senator Braun. Thank you. Comptroller, we have recently
    spent in the neighborhood of $4 to $5 trillion last year,
    particularly devoted to COVID issues. And when you look at
    what's on the table currently, $1.9 trillion I think in the
    Rescue Act; in the American Jobs Act, $2.5 trillion; and I
    think $1.5 trillion for the American Family Plan. That is a lot
    of additional spending. What in total may be $10 to $11 billion
    or trillion over the span of 2 years? Do you have the ability--
    I see there is a request for a budget increase. How can you
    possibly absorb the oversight portion when you've got that much
    spending dumped into the system?

                         GAO ABSORBING ADDITIONAL WORK

        Mr. Dodaro. Yes. We've been coordinating our work with the
    Inspector Generals. There was additional resources given to the
    Inspector General community and to the Pandemic Response
    Accountability Committee, which coordinates them and leverages
    their responsibilities. We've been doing a risk-based planning
    effort in GAO, particularly where there are new programs that
    have no prior history.
        We'll need additional resources if additional legislative
    packages are put in place regarding infrastructure, or other
    issues down the road. Our budget request was based upon what we
    knew was on the horizon last year, but a lot of developments
    have occurred. If we need more resources, I won't be shy about
    asking for them.
        Senator Braun. Well, that's good. And what is the
    capability of the agencies to actually spend this money in a
    way that would be done in a manner that it's going where it
    needs to go and is being done efficiently?

       GOVERNMENT AGENCY CAPABILITIES TO EFFICIENTLY USE PANDEMIC FUNDING

        Mr. Dodaro. There are capabilities there, but I think
    Congress has to be careful. I think SBA, quite frankly, is
    overwhelmed with their new responsibilities, plus they're
    getting two additional programs now with shuttered venues and
    the restaurant programs. And they were unable to pass an audit
    this past year, an independent financial audit, because they
    couldn't support the figures for their loan programs and other
    issues. So now, other agencies are better positioned to be able
    to do this.
        A lot depends on how funding gets distributed, whether it
    goes through the State and local governments, through
    contracting, or other means. There are a lot of well-
    established programs at the State and local level that could
    handle it without a big effort, if you will, to set up new
    systems. But it will be a challenge to be able to do it
    effectively and efficiently. But if properly planned, it can be
    executed.
        Senator Braun. I only raise that, and you don't need to
    comment further on it, but my observation is on any entity,
    well oiled, with the rigor of maybe the marketplace making you
    maybe a little more efficient than what this place might be.
    When you increase anything in categories of 5, 10 percent, or
    15 percent, which this is a lot more than that, it stretches
    and strains any organization to do things efficiently.

                   LIBRARY OF CONGRESS--MASS DEACIDIFICATION

        Last question, Dr. Hayden, I found it interesting that I
    think a year ago there was actually a request from your office
    to end funding for mass deacidification, which is a method, I
    guess, to preserve documents. You said you did not need it. You
    were given that money anyway. I think there's a company that's
    been supplying that service for a long time from Pennsylvania.
    A couple of House Cardinals were interested in seeing it
    maintained. Ended up, I think it was about $2.5 million instead
    of $5.5. You again, I think, have said that you do not need it.
    Do you think you'll be successful this time around when you get
    the forces of a place like this that ended up basically making
    you take the money when you didn't want it a year ago? What are
    your chances this year of having your request honored?
        Dr. Hayden. I want to thank the subcommittee for supporting
    the Library and rebalancing the way we care for our physical,
    and now growingly, our digital collections, and that
    rebalancing is underway and going very well.
        The deacidification process that you correctly said that it
    had been for a number of years, and it started almost 20 years
    ago, and most of the materials that require that type of
    response have been taken care of. And the rebalancing is to
    give the Library an opportunity to continue to preserve and
    conserve materials that do not require that method, and to
    focus on what is increasingly becoming something that the
    Library and most Libraries are having to plan for; and that's
    ingesting and storing digital content.
        Most of the materials, especially periodicals, and
    journals, and things are coming in. So, we were able to, in
    fact, use the contracting authority from the CAREs Act to work
    with that particular company to make sure that they were able
    to continue working at different points when there weren't many
    on-site opportunities for anyone at the Library. And we are
    using the additional funding to start with the Digital
    Conservation Program as well as to make sure that we continue
    to preserve and conserve other materials.
        Senator Braun. Thank you. And my office will be watching
    closely to see how that rebalancing act is going on, and that,
    in fact, that it is rebalanced, and not the same old thing
    occurring again because lobbyist and House Cardinals may want
    it to be. Thank you.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Reed. Thank you, Senator Braun. Senator Heinrich,
    please.
        Senator Heinrich. Thank you, Chairman. Mr. Dodaro,
    approximately 1.6 million people live in border communities
    referred to as colonias, which are settlements along the U.S.
    side of the U.S./Mexico border, often characterized by
    inadequate housing, a lack of basic infrastructure, including
    water, electricity, and broadband in many cases. And while the
    GAO mentions colonias in a few reports on rural housing, the
    last time the GAO reported specifically on colonias was in
    1990. I believe these communities deserve more attention than
    that, and I'll be submitting a request to GAO to provide us
    with a report, and with recommendations on how to address the
    infrastructure shortfalls. Moving forward, how can we ensure
    that these communities are accounted for in GAO's reports?

                              GAO REQUEST PROTOCOL

        Mr. Dodaro. We do our work in response to three different
    types of congressional requests, Senator. The first way is
    through a provision law, a statutory requirement or a mention
    in conference or committee reports. So that's important.
        Second, we respond to requests from Chairs and Ranking
    Members of Committees of jurisdiction. We're a non-partisan
    organization. We treat both the same.
        That accounts for 95 percent of all of our work. And then I
    reserve about 5 percent of GAO work to identify areas that I
    think warrant more attention. The Comptroller General has broad
    authority to initiate work involving Federal funds or a Federal
    nexus that is of broad interest. GAO develops a long-range
    strategic plan for serving the Congress. We're updating the
    plan right now.

                         GAO'S RECENT INDIAN TRIBE WORK

        We're happy to look at this issue that you mentioned and
    identified. For example, we've done more work recently on
    Indian Tribes. In fact, we identified Indian Federal programs
    that support Indians as a high-risk area a few years ago, both
    in the education and health care area and in a lack of support
    for developing their own energy resources.

           GAO WILLINGNESS TO LOOK AT U.S./MEXICO BORDER SETTLEMENTS

        I'm happy to take a look at this issue, but we have a
    challenge at our current resource levels responding to all
    requests from Congress, in particular requests from individual
    Members. Requests from Chairs and Ranking Members, as I
    mentioned are our primary means of focusing our work.

    LETTER REQUESTING GAO RECOMMENDATIONS ON FEDERAL FIREFIGHTING WORKFORCE

        Senator Heinrich. Thank you. I'll be sure to follow up on
    that. Yesterday, several of my colleagues sent you a letter
    asking the GAO to make recommendations additionally on how
    Federal Land Management agencies can improve the Federal
    Firefighting Workforce.
        Western States are bracing for a historic wildfire season.
    Unfortunately, that season has already started in New Mexico
    with the Three Rivers Fire. And the seasons are getting longer
    on both ends each year.
        So, I just want to highlight this letter for you today and
    hope that GAO will review and report on recommendations to
    improve hiring and retention for Federal Firefighters. And I
    would ask unanimous consent to insert a copy of the letter into
    the record.
        Senator Reed. Without objection.

        [The letter follows:]

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                   LIBRARY OF CONGRESS--SURPLUS BOOKS PROGRAM

        Senator Heinrich. Dr. Hayden, recently a very ambitious and
    dedicated group of interns in my office led policy workshops
    with local university students. And each of those groups
    focused on issues that were important to the community that
    they were in. One group proposed an expansion of the Federal
    definition of the word ``Library'' to include mobile libraries
    and even community centers with rooms that are devoted to
    housing library materials. First, I wanted to just take a
    moment to recognize the work that these interns did and that
    all of the students that actually participated in those policy
    workshops did, but second, I wanted to ask you, do you have
    thoughts on how can Congress work with the Library of Congress
    to get more materials out to rural communities, to expand the
    reach, in particular, of your Surplus Books Program?
        Dr. Hayden. Thank you for that, because the Surplus Books
    Program is a very effective way to provide brand new books and
    materials that are selected by congressional offices to send
    to, in particular, libraries, schools, and other entities that
    provide literacy services in cases of emergencies, especially
    hurricanes. And we've been doing that for a number of
    hurricanes, and fires, and things like that, when the
    collections in a local community are either destroyed or
    they're not available.
        And so, being able--and we've been working with
    congressional offices to make sure, even during this time, that
    we make it easier for staff members to work with communities
    and specify what types of books, what types of materials they
    could use. And we see that, as a program, we've been able to
    talk about that during virtual Town Halls this past year with
    members. And we mentioned the Surplus Books Program.
        And just, if I may, libraries in general consider their
    mobile services as extensions, and that's part of it. So, thank
    you for mentioning that.

                 CBO PROJECTIONS CONSIDERING DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP

        Senator Heinrich. Thank you for your focus on that. Dr.
    Swagel, in your testimony, you mentioned that CBO is working to
    improve its capability to analyze the effects of proposed
    legislation on people in different demographic and income
    groups.
        New Mexico's population is currently 49 percent Hispanic,
    11 percent Native American. Ensuring that CBO projections are
    considering demographic makeup is incredibly important to
    States like mine. Can you expand on your efforts to analyze the
    effects on people in different demographic and income groups?
        Dr. Swagel. Yes, Senator. You know, we realize it's a
    crucial topic for our analysis. We do some. So, we have long-
    standing work on income distribution and looking at the
    progressivity of the tax system that doesn't get broken down by
    racial or ethnic group. And so, we've been working hard on the
    data to be able to address that. And some of the challenge is
    that the data sources don't always include the racial or ethnic
    information we need. Our healthcare work, for example, relies
    heavily on data from the IRS. And that doesn't have race or
    ethnicity. So, we've been working to--essentially infer that,
    you know, to do our best in statistical ways to figure out how
    to analyze policies by different racial groups in addition to
    ethnic groups.
        We do a lot of work on immigration as well. The effect of
    immigration legislation, the role, and the contributions of
    immigrants to our society and our economy, so we do some of it,
    but we're working to do more.
        Senator Heinrich. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

                   CBO POLICY ON EXAMINING PREVIOUS ANALYSES

        Senator Reed. Thank you, Senator Heinrich. Dr. Swagel, as
    you pointed out in your testimony, CBO aspires to, and must
    maintain a non-partisan, independent, and reliable record on
    the Hill. One way to sort of validate or check that is go back
    and look at your work. Do you have, as a policy, returning to
    previous analyses, examining those, see if they're off and why
    they're off, and with a feedback process of improving your
    analysis? Is that something you do regularly?
        Dr. Swagel. It is. It's something we do both on our
    economic projections and in our fiscal projections of spending
    and revenue. We do it some on our cost estimates. There it's
    harder, it seems, to figure out why a cost estimate is right or
    wrong, but we try to do that as well.
        Senator Reed. And when you--are those lessons shared
    externally as well as internally within CBO?
        Dr. Swagel. Yes. They are. So, we do an annual--two annual
    reports: one on the economic side; one on the fiscal side. And
    then we engage with outsiders with--we have two panels of
    outside advisors. And then every report, we go out and ask
    outside experts to review reports and then engage with them
    afterward.

             CBO CYBERSECURITY AND COORDINATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES

        Senator Reed. Thank you. And I have got a question for the
    whole panel. I'll start with Dr. Swagel, to be fair. And no
    surprise, cyber security is the issue de jure and will be, I
    think, for the rest of our lives, but how would you rate--two
    questions, starting with Dr. Swagel: How would you rate your
    cybersecurity in CBO today? And also, how is your relate or
    rate, rather--your coordination with other congressional
    agencies?
        Dr. Swagel. Okay. So, I think we're doing pretty well. And
    obviously, you know, I say that with some trepidation since
    none of us know what we don't know.
        Senator Reed. Right.
        Dr. Swagel. You know we have put a lot of effort into our
    cyber security, starting with the move to the cloud. So, you
    know, across the agency, our email servers have been long in
    the cloud, so we were instance protected from some of the, you
    know, the recent hacks based there. And other things. We have
    tax data that we work with the IRS and the Joint Committee on
    Taxation to make sure that that's secure as well. So, I think
    we're in good shape. You know, I say that cautiously.
        On coordination, so I'll highlight just very briefly two
    avenues of coordination: One is what I just hinted at with the
    IRS and JCT. You know, they have authority over particular
    data, and we work closely with them to secure it. There is also
    coordination across the Legislative Branch agencies. There is
    several councils that our Chief Information Officer
    participates in to share best practices, to share threats. And
    there's one across the government that we participate in to
    share, essentially, again information and best practices.
        Senator Reed. Thank you. Comptroller Dodaro.

                           GAO'S CYBER SECURITY FOCUS

        Mr. Dodaro. This has been an issue of mine for a long time.
    GAO first designated cyber security as a high-risk area across
    the entire Federal Government in 1997. That was the first time
    we ever said anything was government high risk. I added
    critical infrastructure protection in 2003: electricity grid,
    financial markets, telecommunications, et cetera. So, this has
    always been on my mind, and we manage GAO accordingly.
        We've had outside experts come in and take a look at our
    system. I think we're in pretty good shape, as good as anybody
    could be. I mean you're not going to be at zero risk, but we've
    been very fortunate. It's always a top priority for us.
        Part of our budget request will be to continue to update
    GAO's cyber security capacity. We have to keep working on it.
    Threats evolve and change. I still don't believe the Federal
    Government's operating at a pace commensurate with the evolving
    grave threats.
        This issue will get more complicated with artificial
    intelligence, quantum computing, et cetera. And that's what we
    have our new Science and Technology Group focused on too,
    looking at this in the future aspects of this issue.
        We also have a responsibility to look at cyber and
    electronic threats to the Congress, and to report to a number
    of committees, so we do that. From time to time, we're brought
    in to look at Congress' own operations with regard to cyber
    security to provide technical advice. We've got a great group
    of experts in cyber security.
        GAO is doing more and more work on this area. It's
    intertwined, as you say, with almost everything. People want to
    know about it. And we participate, as Phil mentioned, with the
    Legislative Branch Councils. GAO's Chief Information Officer
    and our Chief Information Security Officer participate in those
    events. We've looked at this issue in the past, at the Library,
    Copyright Office, and the Office of Congressional Workplace
    Relations, and have made some recommendations there.
        And I would add that the Library has been, particularly
    under Carla's leadership, very responsive to our
    recommendations.
        Senator Reed. But you will take this on as an important--as
    you said, you have 5 percent of sort of the responsibility--
    ability to assign. This will be at the top of your list, I
    presume?
        Mr. Dodaro. Absolutely. But I don't have to anymore. I used
    to. We built a computer lab facility in the 1990s to
    demonstrate to agencies how easy it was to hack their systems.
    At the time nobody seemed concerned. Nobody was paying
    attention to it. I said, ``Well, that's a problem.'' You could
    see this coming as we were becoming more and more reliant on
    computer networks. Nobody was building in computer security
    upfront in those days, and we're still not doing it. For
    example, we just did work, not that long ago, at the Defense
    Department showing they weren't focused enough on developing
    new weapons systems with cyber security protections. This is
    also an issue with satellites and a wide range of other issues.
    It's not just information systems.
        We're moving to an air traffic control system that's going
    to be satellite based, not radar based, which was a pretty
    self-contained system. So, there is increased risk there.
        The Internet of things also introduces risk. Anything that
    touches the Internet has the potential to become a problem.
        Senator Reed. Thank you----
        Mr. Dodaro. You're welcome.

                       LIBRARY OF CONGRESS--CYBERSECURITY

        Senator Reed [continuing]. Very much. And Madam Librarian--
    --
        Dr. Hayden. Yes. And IT----
        Senator Reed [continuing]. Your comments?
        Dr. Hayden. Yes. And IT security is very serious at the
    Library, not just for our data, but also our interactions with
    other legislative branch agencies; and we have two divisions:
    The Congressional Research Service, and the Copyright, where we
    are very concerned, and need to make sure that our cyber
    security is more than sufficient.
        And we have implemented all of the GAO recommendations
    under IT security; and we are adhering to the NIST Security
    Standards. We are part--and I'd like to say we're a very active
    part of the Legislative Branch Cyber Security Working Group.
    And we work closely, too, with the Senate Sergeant of Arms and
    all of the other technology offices as well.
        So, we definitely know that that is a major part of what we
    have to be concerned about as we modernize and work on our IT
    structures.

                        CLOSING STATEMENT--CHAIRMAN REED

        Senator Reed. Thank you very much. Senator Braun, I believe
    you have no questions? Thank you very much. Well, this will
    conclude the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee
    hearing regarding fiscal year 2022 funding for the Library of
    Congress, the Government Accountability Office, and the
    Congressional Budget Office.
        I want to thank Dr. Hayden, Comptroller Dodaro, and Dr.
    Swagel for your testimony today. I appreciate it very much.

                         ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE QUESTIONS

        The hearing record will remain open for 7 days, allowing
    Members to submit statements and/or questions for the records,
    which should be sent to the subcommittee by close of business
    on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.
        [The following questions were not asked at the hearing, but
    were submitted to the agencies for response subsequent to the
    hearing:]
                  Questions Submitted to Hon. Dr. Carla Hayden
                    Questions Submitted by Senator Jack Reed
           national library service for the blind and print disabled
        Question. Since 1931, the National Library Service for the Blind
    and Print Disabled (NLS) has utilized a national network of libraries
    to provide books and magazines, among other printed texts, in braille
    and recorded formats to blind and print disabled individuals in the
    United States, and to Americans living abroad. The unique services NLS
    provides helps hundreds of thousands of readers--people who may not be
    able to hold a book in their hands, or veterans who have difficulty
    reading standard print--enjoy the freedom to read in their own way.

      --Can you give an update on NLS' modernization efforts, including the
            roll-out of braille eReaders and the Braille and Audio Reading
            Download (BARD) Infrastructure Modernization?

        Answer. Now celebrating its ninetieth anniversary, the Library of
    Congress' National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled
    (NLS) continues to innovate and adapt to meet the reading needs of
    blind and print disabled Americans across the Nation and oversees.
    Given that it's institutional history traverses phonographic records,
    cassette players and tapes, digital talking book machines and flash
    memory cartridges, and the Internet, all the while continuing to supply
    hard copy braille materials, it should be no surprise that NLS again
    sits at the precipice of an exciting modernized future.
        In the last few years, NLS has updated its name, amended its laws
    and regulations, gone through an agency-wide reorganization, created a
    Modernization Program Office (MPO), and centralized and integrated its
    IT designs, resources, and business plans into a new, proactive,
    productive, and collaborative partnership with the Library's Office of
    the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), all important facets of its
    forward-thinking modernization efforts.
        Related to the eReader initiative specifically (and thanks to the
    annually requested (fiscal year 2020-fiscal year 2024) $2.375M included
    in NLS's fiscal year 2021 appropriation), NLS is particularly pleased
    with the progress it is making to provide braille content in a
    modernized format (i.e., affordable, refreshable braille devices, or
    braille eReaders) to NLS's braille patrons and in furtherance of
    implementing a digital braille program.
        In fiscal year 2021, NLS began a pilot to study all aspects of
    distribution implementation and the functionality of two prototype
    eBraille devices before a full-scale Nation-wide network distribution,
    collection of feedback from pilot patrons, and validation of
    distribution processes at network libraries, can commence. The pilot
    program with seven total libraries began in August. NLS procured 3,000
    additional eReader devices for this pilot program and instructed pilot
    libraries on the enrollment of patrons, the assistance of pilot
    participants, the execution of patron surveys for data collection and
    analysis, and the distribution of devices. NLS also continues to
    provide technical training and quality assurance support, monitor two
    active listservs for regular feedback from patrons and library staff,
    and evaluate how much training, support, and maintenance will be
    necessary to deploy devices to the network in the future.
        The initial pilot feedback has been very promising. In comparing
    braille downloads from fiscal year 2019 to fiscal year 2020, non-pilot
    libraries had a 20 percent increase while pilot libraries had a 126
    percent increase. In the first 2 months of fiscal year 2021, pilot
    libraries saw a 515 percent increase in braille downloads over fiscal
    year 2020. This distribution, evaluation and assessment work will
    continue through fiscal year 2024. In addition, as also included in
    this NEPR programming, NLS procured 460 Stop-Gap Talking Book Players
    needed to maintain necessary patron-based inventory. This particular
    commercial interim device contains additional features NLS will test as
    it moves toward some form of digital delivery.
        NLS is also pleased with the progress it is making on its Braille
    and Audio Download (BARD) infrastructure modernization. Building on
    several years' work, NLS and OCIO successfully moved BARD to the cloud
    in January 2021, more than tripling its capacity for NLS users while
    making it both faster and more stable. Work is now underway on what
    OCIO and NLS are calling BARD 2.0, which is a complete redesign of the
    system to ensure it can meet the needs of NLS's growing patron base and
    serve as the focal point for future methods of content delivery. The
    new BARD will ultimately be able to support 10 times as many people
    with a more user-friendly interface and increased IT security. Whether
    it be a refreshable braille device, smart speakers, smart phones, or a
    talking book machine that can utilize traditional cartridges but also
    connect to the Internet and allow voice user interface, a fully
    operational BARD 2.0 will be the key mechanism and centerpiece in
    getting NLS content into patrons' hands.
        At the same time, OCIO and NLS are exploring options for the next-
    generation NLS device, including testing voice navigation, cellular
    delivery, and other advanced options for user interface and content
    management. They have also jointly developed a multi-year NLS
    Technology Roadmap, setting a path forward for the replacement of out-
    of-date legacy NLS systems that manage the full array of NLS's
    functionality for its network, its patrons, its staff, and its
    connections to the rest of the Library--from content delivery services,
    to content production services, to better communications and marketing,
    to enhanced customer service, to state-of-the-art enablers to allow for
    secure and efficient use of NLS' systems.
        Finally, NLS has instituted the aforementioned Modernization
    Program Office (MPO) to assist NLS in better exhibiting modern project
    management best practices as it relates to these modernization projects
    and initiatives. The MPO will be working closely with the OCIO Project
    Management Office (PMO) on adopting the Library's Project Management
    Life Cycle (PMLC) and Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) within NLS
    to ensure full compliance with industry best practices (e.g., Project
    Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK), GAO's Cost Estimating Guide,
    GAO's Schedule Assessment Guide) while executing the new eReader
    projects. In addition, the MPO is collaborating with the OCIO to ensure
    the agile Technology Roadmap is helping to lead and guide the asset and
    resource management, procurement, and strategic timing of key
    modernization initiatives.
        In their efforts to continue to elevate digital experiences and to
    strategically enhance Library services, from digital braille
    implementation, to new modern IT systems and business practices, to new
    digital means of talking book delivery, NLS and its OCIO partners in
    the Library are continuing to move NLS into a modern, integrated,
    resource-wise and properly aligned mission That All May Read.

        Question. Can you tell us about the Marrakesh Treaty ratification
    and the role of NLS in that treaty? What impact will that have on NLS
    and the United States?

        Answer. The Library of Congress and its National Library Service
    for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) continue to be very excited
    about the Marrakesh Treaty and its implementation.
        The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for
    Persons Who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled
    concluded at Marrakesh, Morocco in June, 2013, and the United States
    signed the Treaty in October of that year. In June, 2018, the U.S.
    Senate ratified the Treaty and also passed the Marrakesh Treaty
    Implementation Act to amend U.S. law in accordance with the Treaty. The
    House passed the Act that September and it was signed into law in
    October 2018.
        The Treaty entered into force in the U.S. in May 2019. In addition,
    the Library of Congress Technical Corrections Act was included as part
    of the fiscal year 2020 omnibus bill passed and signed into law in
    December of 2019. That legislation incorporated the terminology of the
    Treaty into NLS's authorizing statute. It also statutorily allowed NLS
    to participate in the international exchange of digital content whereas
    NLS's services were previously restricted to U.S. citizens and
    residents. Currently, there are now 79 contracting parties to the
    Treaty, including the European Union.
        As you know, the Marrakesh Treaty seeks to increase access to
    printed materials for those who are blind, visually impaired, or
    otherwise print disabled by allowing cross-border exchange of
    accessible texts either directly or through authorized entities (AEs)
    such as libraries for the blind. Through the Treaty and the vital work
    of NLS, visually impaired Americans are gaining access to the world's
    languages, literature, and knowledge in accessible formats, primarily
    digital file exchange. On behalf of its patrons, NLS is acquiring, at
    minimal cost, thousands of titles in English and other languages from
    its counterparts around the world. Likewise, via Marrakesh, NLS, the
    Library, and the United States can contribute to substantially reducing
    the global ``book famine,'' as less than 7 percent of all the books
    published each year are available in an accessible format. This famine
    is exacerbated by the fact that 90 percent of the world's 285 million
    people who are blind or visually impaired have low incomes and live in
    developing countries. Given that NLS has one of the largest accessible
    collections in the world, sharing it with other countries can make a
    tremendous difference.
        Because of the Treaty, NLS is adding a rich array of accessible
    versions of books in foreign languages and English more inexpensively
    and more quickly than previously possible. NLS is able to immediately
    access materials in foreign languages that expand beyond our
    traditional collection to better match current demographics. NLS
    currently holds titles in at least 36 different foreign languages, but
    the majority of our foreign language collection is in Spanish. This
    makes sense given that about 70 percent of potential patrons who speak
    a language other than English speak Spanish. But we know from census
    data that they also speak French, Tagalog, German, Russian and Arabic,
    among many others. And now, NLS can work to better meet their needs.
        To these ends, NLS is developing partnerships with international
    AEs to exchange collections. Current partners include the World
    Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and their Accessible Book
    Consortium (ABC), Canada's Center for Equitable Library Access (CELA),
    the UK's Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), the Fundacion
    Chile Musica y Braille, and Germany's Deutsches Zentrum fur
    barrierefreies Lesen (DZB Lesen). As well, NLS will continue to refine
    its internal collections, conversion, and cataloging processes and
    workflows to convert and import this content into our Braille and Audio
    Download (BARD) system.
        The Library and NLS remain strongly committed to Marrakesh. Our
    efforts are already visible, impactful, and bearing important fruit for
    our patrons and blind and print disabled individuals worldwide!
        More information about NLS's implementation of the treaty can be
    found at www.loc.gov/nls/about/organization/laws-regulations/marrakesh-
    treaty, www.loc.gov/nls/about/organization/laws-regulations/marrakesh-
    treaty/marrakesh-treaty-
    implementation, and www.loc.gov/nls/about/organization/standards-
    guidelines/
    collection-building-policy.
        Further information about ABC can be found at www.accessiblebooks
    consortium.org/portal/en/index.html and
    www.accessiblebooksconsortium.org/global
    books/en.
        Finally, a very informative Marrakesh update from the U.S. Register
    of Copyrights earlier this year can be found at https://blogs.loc.gov/
    copyright/2021/02/the-marrakesh-treaty-in-action-exciting-progress-in-
    access-to-published-works-for-the-blind-and-print-disabled-communities.
                      library collections access platform
        Question. The Library is requesting $6.5 million and nine FTE to
    replace its legacy Integrated Library System (ILS) that was implemented
    in 1999. I understand that the new system, the Library Collections
    Access Platform (L-CAP) will integrate multiple standalone systems.
    This is one of your top priorities in the Library's fiscal year 2022
    budget request.

      --How will this new system integrate and streamline disparate Library
            processes, and how will it positively impact the user
            experience?

        Answer. L-CAP is intended to consolidate the functions of several
    decades old systems into one modern IT system that is specifically
    designed to be both user friendly and adaptable for future technology
    advances. The transition to L-CAP can best be thought of as an
    evolutionary jump in the way the Library will be able to support the
    management, discovery and access to the millions of items in the
    Library's collections. The impact on user experience will be
    significant across a range of areas, including:

      --Consolidated Search across Library Collections

           L-CAP will provide Library users, including Congress and
    American citizens and their schools and libraries, with a consolidated
    user interface that will enable them to search across the Library's
    vast collections without specialized knowledge of the type of content
    they are searching. Today, the Library has two separate catalogs; the
    LC Catalog (catalog.loc.gov), which enables search of the Library's
    physical and some born-digital content; and the E-Resources Online
    Catalog (eresources.loc.gov), which enables access to the Library's
    licensed electronic resources. There is no universal search that will
    allow users to search all Library items in one place. L-CAP will enable
    users to search both types of content together in a single search
    interface.

      --Centralized Management of Descriptive Metadata & Support for New
            Format

           L-CAP will enable the Library to manage its descriptive metadata
    in a single system that will support multiple metadata formats. Today,
    the Library manages its collections metadata in the LC Catalog, the E-
    Resources Online Catalog and the Data Management Tool (DMT). The LC
    Catalog and E-Resources Catalog only support the aging MARC metadata
    format. The Library manages approximately 500,000 metadata records for
    born-digital items in DMT in a non-MARC format that is better suited to
    digital content. Consolidation of the Library's descriptive metadata in
    L-CAP will enable Library staff to work in a single system to acquire
    and catalog content of all types in the metadata formats that best
    support access to the Library's collections. L-CAP will also support
    the new Bibliographic Framework (BIBFRAME) metadata format that the
    Library is developing, which none of the legacy systems can
    incorporate.

      --Single Knowledgebase to Undergird Access to Electronic Resources

           The Library currently relies on three separate very large
    databases to track information about electronic resources, such as
    electronic journals and e-books and their availability and
    accessibility:

          1.  The Library's OpenURL resolver, branded as FindIt!,
    determines if an item such as a journal article or book is available
    electronically and what the appropriate copy for a user is.
          2.  A web-scale discovery product that searches across articles
    in the Library's licensed electronic resources.
          3.  A third-party metadata service that delivers bibliographic
    records and coverage data with customized links to the Library licensed
    electronic resources.

           Having that data in separate databases limits how the
    information can be leveraged and shared across systems. Under the new
    system all of that data will be managed within a single knowledgebase
    that will allow the above functionality to be combined seamlessly
    within L-CAP.

      --Full Support for Languages and Scripts

           The Library's legacy systems do not support the diverse range of
    languages and scripts represented in the Library's collections. Library
    users expect to be able to search in the languages and scripts they
    know. L-CAP will enable creation of the bibliographic and other data in
    non-Roman scripts to facilitate the user's ability to find collections
    materials by searching in those languages and scripts.

      --Integrate with Internal Digital Content Management Systems

           The Library's legacy systems are not able to incorporate new
    technological developments that are now available in the vendor
    marketplace, nor can they take advantage of technology modernization
    advances OCIO has implemented in the Library's IT infrastructure. As
    the Library modernizes its digital library services and storage, L-CAP
    will enable further integration across those services, and allow the
    Library to more easily adapt to innovative new technologies that become
    available.

        Question. What is the Library doing to ensure that no essential
    services are negatively impacted by the implementation of this new
    platform?

        Answer. The Library has been carefully planning for the next
    generation Library Collections Access Platform (L-CAP) for several
    years, with in-depth reviews of current Library systems, available
    technical solutions, and modern best practices. The effort will be
    jointly managed by the Library's Office of the Chief Information
    Officer and Library Services Service Units, bringing together deep
    technical and subject matter expertise to ensure that requirements and
    dependencies are fully understood and that the implementation of the
    new system will integrate smoothly with essential services.
        As an extra precaution, the Library intends to maintain and upgrade
    existing systems and essential services while implementing L-CAP. The
    Principal Deputy Librarian and Associate Deputy Librarian for Library
    Services have ensured that the Library will maintain 3 years of vendor
    maintenance support for the LC Integrated Library System (ILS) and
    Electronic Resource Management System (ERMS) while developing L-CAP. To
    prolong the operational life of essential systems, the Library is
    planning to upgrade ERMS in fiscal year 2021 and ILS in fiscal year 22.
    These upgrades will ensure the Library can maintain both key legacy
    systems in production until they can be safely retired. However, both
    systems are over 20 years old, cannot be expanded to incorporate modern
    technology, and present growing risks to their sustainability as the
    years go by.
        The request for additional staffing will enable the Library to
    operate and maintain its essential services while implementing L-CAP
    and ensure the time for a careful and coordinated transition. The
    actual migration to the new system will be carefully planned to
    transition from legacy platforms to L-CAP. For example, collections
    acquisition activities will close at the end of a fiscal year in the
    legacy ILS and start in the next fiscal year in the new L-CAP. This
    will ensure a full closeout and audit trail for the preceding fiscal
    year in the legacy system and population of subscription orders in the
    new system in the next fiscal year. Similarly, the Library will migrate
    patron data from the legacy ILS to the new L-CAP to ensure a seamless
    transition for our borrowers.
        The additional base funding requested as part of the L-CAP effort
    will also enable continuous development of the system and ensure
    adequate resources to support new functionality and meet users'
    evolving expectations.
                                     ______

                  Questions Submitted to Hon. Dr. Carla Hayden
                   Questions Submitted by Senator Mike Braun
                                    security
        Question. Dr. Hayden, the Library included in its fiscal year 2022
    budget request significant increases for security related projects.
    Ensuring the security of the Library's staff and public visitors,
    priceless collections, and cyber infrastructure are all important
    goals.

      --Can you describe the importance of the security enhancements
            included in your budget request? Particularly the needs that
            were identified before the events of January 6?

        Answer. We take the safety and security of the Library, both our
    employees and visitors and our collections and data, very seriously.
    Even before the events of January 6, we had identified three
    significant projects that are critical to continue safeguarding our
    workforce, our national treasures, and the information entrusted to us
    by Congress and the copyright community.
        The overhaul and modernization of the Library's nearly 20-year-old
    Integrated Electronic Security System (IESS) is critical to supporting
    the security missions of the Library of Congress and U.S. Capitol
    Police (USCP). The USCP relies on the IESS as a force multiplier, as it
    enables a robust platform for a networked electronic access control
    system, intrusion detection sensor monitoring, and campus-wide closed
    circuit camera coverage. The IESS is essential for the detection and
    prevention of criminal activity, providing critical security monitoring
    for the protection of both life and property at all Library facilities
    both on Capitol Hill and in outlying locations. The system safeguards
    the staff, public visitors, priceless collections, and high-value
    assets. Additionally, the IESS provides important security support and
    situational awareness for the Library and the entire Capitol Complex
    perimeter. The events of January 6, 2021, further underscore the
    importance of the IESS and the need to modernize the system.
        Over the last few decades, emergency services have also become
    increasingly reliant on the availability of reliable cellular
    connectivity for both internal command and control functions and to
    quickly and effectively communicate with the public and other external
    parties. Unfortunately, the Library's architecture precludes strong
    cellular connectivity without an internal antenna system, and the
    Library's cellular system is both outdated and inadequate to meet
    modern demands. The current legacy 3G system was installed in 2004 and
    is now at the end of its service life. The system is also incompatible
    with advanced 5G connectivity. The Library's Security and Emergency
    Preparedness Directorate, the USCP, and the Architect of the Capitol
    have all requested that the Library upgrade its cellular system to
    support safety and security operations. Our budget request will allow
    us to implement a modern cellular solution that will ensure
    connectivity for USCP, AOC, and Library staff, as well as congressional
    and other Library visitors. The timing for this project has become
    critical, because the major cellular providers are ending their support
    for 3G service. T-Mobile has announced plans to end 3G service on
    January 1, 2022. The other major carriers are expected to follow. If we
    do not move forward with a new cellular system quickly, we risk losing
    cellular service inside Library buildings.
        On the cybersecurity front, the threat to the Library and
    legislative branch data has escalated steadily over the last decade,
    with increasingly complex attacks regularly identified and prevented.
    The Library's IT security is constantly tested, with nearly 200,000
    attempted cyberattacks a year. We have implemented a very strong IT
    security program for the Library. However, over the last few years,
    Cloud technology has advanced rapidly, and it is now a critical part of
    our IT modernization efforts. As we mature our Cloud hosting, we also
    need to mature our IT security posture for the Cloud. To stay ahead of
    the growing sophistication of the most advanced and persistent threats,
    the Library must be able to maintain and consistently mature a
    comprehensive suite of cybersecurity tools and training. Our fiscal
    2022 request will let us expand the robust IT security protections
    we've implemented for our traditional IT operations to our Cloud hosted
    IT systems. We will be using the best tools available and leveraging
    artificial intelligence to make sure we can stay ahead of the growing
    threats coming out of places like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
        Following the events of January 6, the Library has identified a
    number of additional smaller projects that would enhance our ability to
    respond to emergencies. The projects range from reinforcing collection
    storage facilities and internal door improvements to replacing the
    Library's emergency public address system and securing exposed
    infrastructure cabling. We are also working with the Architect of the
    Capitol to prioritize a number of significant projects, such as the
    modernization of the Madison building's over 40-year-old fire alarm
    system and the hardening of external doors and windows to prevent
    perimeter breaches.

        Question. For security generally and post-January 6, how are you
    coordinating with other Legislative Branch entities on security?

        Answer. The Library maintains close and continuous coordination
    with the U.S. Capitol Police Operations and Command and Control
    Bureaus, Physical Security Division, and the Legislative Branch
    Emergency Management Task Force. The Library's physical security is
    coordinated through the Capitol Police, with the Library's Security and
    Emergency Preparedness Directorate an active partner.
        The Library is also a very active participant in the Legislative
    Branch Cybersecurity Working Group and the Legislative Branch Chief
    Information Security Officer Council. We coordinate closely with the
    House and Senate Sergeant at Arms, as well as all of the legislative
    branch technology offices to ensure everyone is on the same page in
    regards to the threats we are seeing. Our IT security operations center
    is tied into the Senate cybersecurity threat intelligence platform, and
    routinely talks with the House, Senate, and the U.S. Capitol Police.

                             CONCLUSION OF HEARINGS

        Senator Reed. With that, the Committee will stand
    adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 28, the hearings
    were concluded, and the subcommittee was recessed, to reconvene
    subject to the call of the Chair.]

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