[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 16 (Thursday, February 3, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S556]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           COMMITTEE FUNDING

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, over the last 20 years, the apportionment of 
committee funding has gone a straight two-thirds for majority and one-
third for minority during the 1990s, regardless of the size of the 
majority and minority, to biannual negotiations during the past decade. 
It is my intention that the approach adopted for this Congress will be 
used in the future. This new funding allocation for Senate committees 
is based on the party division of the Senate, with 10 percent of the 
total majority and minority salary baseline going to the majority for 
administrative expenses. However, regardless of the party division of 
the Senate, it is also intended that the minority share will never be 
less than 40 percent, and the majority share will never exceed 60 
percent.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, it is my intention also that this new 
approach will serve us for the Congress and future Congresses. In 
addition, we are making a transition to restore Special Reserves to its 
historic purpose. We know that we will face tight budgets for the 
foreseeable future and cannot expect increases in funding. We have to 
move toward funding authorizations that are in line with our actual 
resources and I look forward to working with my friend, the majority 
leader, to accomplish this.
  Mr. REID. I thank my friend, the Republican leader, and ask unanimous 
consent that a joint leadership letter be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                        Joint Leadership Letter

       We mutually commit to the following for the 112th Congress:
       The budgets of the Committees of the Senate, including 
     Joint and Special Committees, and all other subgroups, shall 
     be apportioned to reflect the ratio of the Senate as of this 
     date, including an additional ten percent (10%) to be 
     allocated to the Chairmen for administrative expenses, to be 
     determined by the Rules Committee. However, the amount of 
     funding authorized for each individual Committee in the 112th 
     Congress is being reduced by the amount that was allocated to 
     that Committee from Special Reserves in the last Congress.
       Special Reserves is being restored to its historic purpose. 
     Requests for funding will only be considered when submitted 
     by a Committee Chairman and Ranking Member for unanticipated, 
     non-recurring needs. Such requests shall be granted only upon 
     the approval of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Rules 
     Committee.
       Funds for Committee expenses shall be available to each 
     Chairman consistent with Senate rules and practices of the 
     111th Congress.
       The Chairman and Ranking Member of any Committee may, by 
     mutual agreement, modify the apportionment of Committee 
     funding and office space.
       The division of Committee office space shall be 
     commensurate with this funding agreement.

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