[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 172 (Thursday, November 2, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S16571-S16572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1996

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate now turn 
to consideration of Calendar No. 220, H.R. 2492, the legislative branch 
appropriations bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 2492) making appropriations for the 
     legislative branch for the fiscal year ending September 30, 
     1996, and for other purposes.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the bill?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that following brief 
statements, the bill be advanced to third reading and final passage 
occur, all without further objection or amendment.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. DOLE. I will be happy to yield to the manager on the other side 
and then I will make a brief statement.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington is recognized.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I rise to support the passage of the 
bill, H.R. 2492, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act for fiscal 
year 1996. The provisions in this bill are exactly the same as those 
contained in the conference report on H.R. 1854, which overwhelmingly 
passed the Senate on September 22, 1995, by a vote of 94 to 4 but was 
subsequently vetoed by the President on October 3. At that time, as 
Members will recall, the President indicated 

[[Page S 16572]]

that because the Congress had completed action on only two 
appropriation bills for fiscal year 1996--legislative branch and 
military construction--he felt it would be inappropriate to provide 
full-year funding for Congress and its offices while most other 
activities of the Federal Government were being funded through a short-
term continuing resolution. I am hopeful that the leadership will not 
send this bill to the President until Congress receives assurances that 
he will sign it.
  For the benefit of Senators, let me briefly point out that this bill 
required many difficult decisions in order for the legislative branch 
to do its share in achieving substantial deficit reduction in fiscal 
year 1996. The bill appropriates $2,184,850,000 for fiscal year 1996 
for legislative operations, which is a reduction of over $200 million 
from the 1995 level, or approximately 10 percent. The majority leader 
has cited the important features of the bill, which I will not repeat 
at this time, but, Mr. President, I do want to again thank Senator 
Mack, the chairman of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, for his 
unfailing courtesy and to express my appreciation to him for the open 
and bipartisan spirit in which he has handled this important 
legislation throughout the year.
  I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 2492.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I thank my colleague. I am pinch-hitting for 
Senator Mack of Florida, who is, right now, involved in a very 
important hearing on the Banking Committee. Let me indicate I will 
place in the Record at this point a summary of the funding 
recommendations.
  As pointed out by my colleague from Washington, this is a reduction 
of about 8.6 percent. We believe we are setting an example for other 
branches. There are a number of areas where we made rather significant 
cuts, also terminating the OTA, for example, something that was not 
easy for many of my colleagues. But it is an indication we are 
concerned, we are sincere about a balanced budget, and we are prepared 
to do our share or more.
  The bill includes a provision relative to the disposition of the 
records and property of the Office of Technology Assessment subsequent 
to its closure. Specifically, the agreement provides that OTA's 
property and records ``shall be under the administrative control of the 
Architect of the Capitol.''
  The Office of the Senate Historian has raised a concern that this 
provision not interfere with the transfer of archival material of the 
Office of Technology Assessment to the legislative archives of the 
National Archives. It is my understanding that the conferees had no 
such intent, and that the Architect of the Capitol will only assume 
temporary, administrative control of the material before transferring 
appropriate records to the National Archives.
  It is also my understanding that the Clerk of the House, after 
discussions with the Secretary of the Senate, has agreed that OTA's 
archival material shall be treated as records of the Senate and 
administered according to Senate Resolution 474 of the 96th Congress. 
This will give the Secretary of the Senate administrative jurisdiction 
over the archival records.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent a statement of a summary of 
funding recommendations be printed in the Record at this point.
  There being no objection, the summary was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                   Summary of Funding Recommendations

       The total recommended is $2,184,856,000, a reduction of 
     $205,698,700, or 8.6%, from FY95.
       GAO is reduced 15% from FY95 levels; Committee is committed 
     to another 10% in FY97 for a 25% reduction from FY95 levels 
     over two years.
       OTA is terminated; termination costs totalling $6,115,000 
     are provided. ($3,615,000 in FY96 funds, $2,500,000 
     reappropriated from FY95.)
       Library of Congress granted $1,500,000 over FY95 for 
     digital library initiative; all other Library activities, 
     including CRS, at FY95 level.
       CBO granted $1.1 million and 13 FTE's for unfunded mandates 
     analysis.
       Architect of Capitol activities in Title I reduced 
     $16,163,000 overall (10%) from FY95 levels.
       Joint Committees reduced commensurate with Senate committee 
     cut.
       New ``Office of Compliance'' created by Congressional 
     Accountability Act funded as a joint item at $2,500,000. A 
     permanent indefinite appropriation is recommended for 
     settlements and awards arising from the new Accountability 
     Act.
       Total recommended Senate funding is $426,919,000, a 
     reduction of $33,661,500. In addition, $63,544,723.12 from 
     prior year funds is rescinded.
       Committee funding is reduced 15%; Secretary of the Senate, 
     Sergeant at Arms, and OFEP reduced 12.5%; Chaplain, Legal 
     Counsel, and Legislative Counsel frozen at FY95 levels.
       Official mail frozen at $11,000,000. (N.B. House merged 
     official mail with office accounts.)
       Statutory allowances for Senators' personal offices are not 
     reduced.

  Mr. DOLE. I also confirm the Senator from Alaska, Senator Stevens, 
has, as indicated by the Senator from Illinois, Senator Simon, agreed 
to have hearings and a markup of an amendment that Senator Simon would 
have offered to this bill.
  So there are no amendments, no objections to it proceeding.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on the third reading and 
passage of the bill.
  The bill (H.R. 2492) was ordered to a third reading, was read the 
third time, and passed.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.
  Mr. McCAIN. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call will roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Ashcroft). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to address the 
Senate for a period of up to 20 minutes as if in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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