[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 107 (Wednesday, June 28, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1347]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1347]]


              LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1996

                                 ______


                               speech of

                             HON. VIC FAZIO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 22, 1995

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1854) making 
     appropriations for the legislative branch for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 1996, and for other purposes:

  Mr. FAZIO. Mr. Chairman, this is a particularly ill-considered 
amendment offered today by the gentleman from Wisconsin, [Mr. Klug], 
and I oppose it strongly. It gives little thought to the reductions to 
the Government Printing Office already contained in the bill or the 
significant reductions to GPO over many years due to its modernization 
efforts. Let me describe those efforts for my colleagues.
  In 1975, GPO had 8,500 full-time equivalents, or FTE's. The 
committee-mandated level of 3,900 FTE's means GPO has reduced its staff 
by over 50 percent since that time.
  In just the past 2 years--since February 1993--total GPO employment 
has fallen by 13 percent. FTE's have been reduced from 4,893 to 4,250, 
a reduction of 646 positions at a cost savings of $32 million. During 
those 2 years and based on the retirement incentive program, which was 
authorized by law, 357 positions, primarily managers and supervisors, 
were eliminated representing about 7 percent of GPO's work force.
  GPO's authorized level has been reduced in this bill from 4,293 FTE's 
to 3,900 FTE's. In addition, GPO has typically employed fewer FTE's 
than authorized by law. For example, in fiscal year 1994, GPO utilized 
4,364 FTE's compared with an authorized level of 4,493. In the current 
fiscal year, 1995, GPO is utilizing 4,250 FTE's compared with an 
authorized level of 4,293, and their objective is to reduce FTE's 
further in this fiscal year--to 4,200.
  Clearly, the trend over many years has been to reduce employees at 
GPO, to take advantage of modern equipment, to bring management-to-
employee ratios into equality with those throughout the Government, and 
to use even fewer FTE's than authorized by law.
  This amendment offers absolutely no guidance as to where a 350-
employee reduction would come from. GPO's core printing and binding 
function--which utilizes the vast majority of FTE's--could be affected 
adversely.
  Perhaps more important, an amendment of this nature sends a terrible 
message to an important agency and to the employees who would be 
affected. It sends the message that no matter what strides GPO makes in 
downsizing, we will never consider it enough. No matter what type of 
planning they start to undertake for cost-effective long-term 
downsizing, we will always throw another curve at them.
  There are $155 million of cuts in this bill, and GPO has already been 
dealt its fair share of cuts as we seek to reduce the legislative 
branch. Let's leave GPO alone. I urge a ``no'' vote on the Klug 
amendment.


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