[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 27, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S1519]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                               S. Res. 70

  Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, on February 13 the Rules Committee approved 
S. Res. 70, which authorizes funding for the Senate's committees from 
March 1, 2019, through February 28, 2021. For this 24-month period, the 
18 committees covered by this resolution are authorized to spend up to 
$214,055,860. This is a small increase over the funding authorized by 
the current committee funding resolution, S. Res. 62. For the 
information of my colleagues, committee funding authorized by S. Res. 
70 remains 13 percent below levels from a decade ago.
  Committees are the lifeblood of the legislative process. It is in our 
committees that policy is created and programs and agencies are 
overseen. Our committees are where the Senate first exercises its 
advice and consent function over the executive branch's nominees. Well-
functioning committees are crucial to the Senate's role as a separate 
but equal branch of the government.
  The resolution before the Senate is the result of a bipartisan 
process Senator Klobuchar, the Rules Committee's ranking member, and I 
undertook this year to solicit more input from committee chairmen and 
ranking members. The resolution reflects the needs identified by our 
colleagues and will help ensure our committees are able to carry out 
their responsibilities and duties.
  I would like to thank Fitz Elder and Rachelle Schroeder from my 
committee staff; Lizzy Peluso and Lindsey Kerr from Senator Klobuchar's 
committee staff; and Cindy Qualley, the Rules Committee's chief clerk. 
Additionally, I would like to thank Ileana Garcia and Ted Ruckner from 
the Disbursing Office and John Henderson from the Office of Legislative 
Counsel. I greatly appreciate their hard work in developing this 
resolution.

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