[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 1054]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            JOINT LEADERSHIP AGREEMENT ON COMMITTEE FUNDING

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, before we proceed to the resolutions 
appointing our committee membership, I want to thank the majority 
leader for his assistance in working on this joint leadership 
agreement. As was agreed to in the 108th Congress, we have included 
language which keeps the current minority staff salary baseline from 
going below the allocation in the 109th if those funds are available. 
Given the possibility of a continuing resolution, the majority leader 
and the chairman of the Rules Committee have agreed to provide each 
ranking member, if requested, an allocation equal to 49 percent of the 
10 percent that was available to the chairman in the 109th Congress. I 
would further say that this money is available out of existing funds 
and is not considered as supplemental funds above the current funding 
levels.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I concur with the remarks of the Republican 
leader. The baseline was not reduced for Democratic staff in the 108th 
Congress. This agreement allows for that same accommodation for the 
Republican side in the 110th, if that money is available. Further, 
since additional funds may not be available, we have agreed that each 
ranking member will be allocated the amount mentioned above, if they so 
request, and those funds will be made available from existing funds 
provided by the Rules Committee.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter signed by the 
two leaders be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  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 110th 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, and 
     effective on this date, with up to an additional ten percent 
     (10%), to be allocated to the Chairmen for administrative 
     expenses, to be determined by the Rules Committee, with the 
     total administrative expenses allocation for all Committees 
     not to exceed historic levels. The additional administrative 
     expenses described above shall be available to be expended by 
     a Committee Chairman, after consultation with the Ranking 
     Member of the Committee. Funds for committee expenses shall 
     be available to Chairmen consistent with the Senate rules and 
     practices of the 109th Congress. No committee budget shall be 
     allocated to reduce the Republican staff salary baseline 
     below that of fiscal year 2006 if that money is available. 
     The Chairman and Ranking Member of any committee may, by 
     mutual agreement, modify the apportionment of Committee 
     funding, including the additional ten percent (10%) allocated 
     for administrative expenses, referenced in this letter. The 
     division of Committee office space shall be commensurate with 
     this funding agreement.

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