[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 233]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           COMMITTEE FUNDING

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, in the 112th Congress the Senate 
adopted a new funding allocation for Senate committees. This approach 
has served the Senate well for the past three Congresses. I believe 
this approach will continue to serve the interests of the Senate and 
the public, regardless of which party is in the majority, by helping to 
retain core committee staff with institutional knowledge. This funding 
allocation 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, the minority share of the majority and minority 
salary baseline will never be less than 40 percent, and the majority 
share will not exceed 60 percent. It is my intent that this approach 
will continue to serve the Senate for this Congress and future 
Congresses.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, this approach met our needs for the last 
three Congresses, and I too would like to see it continue. In addition, 
special reserves have been restored to its historic purpose. We should 
continue to fund special reserves to the extent possible in order to be 
able to assist committees that face urgent, unanticipated, nonrecurring 
needs. Recognizing the tight budgets we will face for the foreseeable 
future, it is necessary to continue to bring funding authorizations 
more in line with our actual resources while ensuring that committees 
are able to fulfill their responsibilities. I look forward to 
continuing to work with the majority leader to accomplish this.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I 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 115th Congress:
       The Rules Committee is to determine the budgets of the 
     committees of the Senate. The budgets of the committees, 
     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%) from the majority and minority salary baseline to be 
     allocated to the chairman for administrative expenses.
       Special Reserves has been 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 the Senate rules and practices of 
     the 114th Congress.
       The division of committee office space shall be 
     commensurate with this funding agreement.
       The chairman and ranking member of any committee may, by 
     mutual agreement, modify the apportionment of committee 
     funding and office space.

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