[Senate Report 105-49]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 112
105th Congress SENATE Report
1st Session 105-49
_______________________________________________________________________
TREASURY AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATION BILL, 1998
_______
July 16, 1997.--Ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
Mr. Campbell, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 1023]
The Committee on Appropriations, to which was referred the
bill (H.R. 0000) making appropriations for the Treasury
Department, the United States Postal Service, the Executive
Office of the President, and certain Independent Agencies for
the fiscal year ending September 30, 1998, and for other
purposes, reports the same to the Senate with amendments and
recommends that the bill as amended do pass. deg.
The Committee on Appropriations reports the bill (S. 1023)
making appropriations for the Treasury Department, the United
States Postal Service, the Executive Office of the President,
and certain Independent Agencies for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 1998, and for other purposes, reports favorably
thereon and recommends that the bill do pass.
Amount of bill as reported to the Senate................ $25,206,539,000
Amount of estimate...................................... 25,662,405,000
The bill as reported to the Senate:
Above the appropriations provided in 1997........... 1,104,916,000
Below the estimates for 1998........................ 455,866,000
C O N T E N T S
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Page
General statement and summary of bill............................ 3
Title I--Department of the Treasury.............................. 6
Title II--United States Postal Service........................... 39
Title III--Executive Office of the President and Funds
Appropriated to the President.................................. 41
Title IV--Independent Agencies:
Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely
Disabled................................................... 53
Federal Election Commission.................................. 54
Federal Labor Relations Authority............................ 54
General Services Administration.............................. 55
John F. Kennedy Assassination Review Board................... 64
Merit Systems Protection Board............................... 65
National Archives and Records Administration................. 65
National Historical Publications and Records Commission...... 67
Office of Government Ethics.................................. 68
Office of Personnel Management............................... 68
Office of Special Counsel.................................... 72
U.S. Tax Court............................................... 73
Title V--General provisions, this act............................ 75
Title VI--General provisions, departments, agencies, and
corporations................................................... 76
Compliance with paragraph 7, rule XVI, of the Standing Rules of
the Senate..................................................... 79
Compliance with paragraph 7(c), rule XXVI of the Standing Rules
of the Senate.................................................. 80
Compliance with paragraph 12, rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of
the Senate..................................................... 81
Tables........................................................... 93
General Statement and Summary of the Bill
The accompanying bill contains recommendations for new
budget (obligational) authority for the Treasury Department,
the United States Postal Service, the Executive Office of the
President, and certain independent agencies for the fiscal year
ending September 30, 1998.
The Committee considered budget estimates for fiscal year
1998 in the aggregate amount of $25,662,405,000. Compared to
that amount, the accompanying bill recommends new budget
authority totaling $25,206,539,000 which is $455,866,000 less
than the amount requested by the administration.
The Committee recommendations are consistent with the
fiscal year 1998 section 602(b) budget authority and outlay
allocations for the Treasury and General Government
Subcommittee.
reprogramming requirements
The Committee is concerned about the number of
reprogramming requests submitted by agencies for congressional
review. Agencies are again reminded that only those requests
which meet the reprogramming criteria listed below will be
considered, that reprogramming should be reserved for critical
circumstances, and that reprogramming proposals will not be
considered, except in extraordinary circumstances, if received
45 or fewer days prior to the end of the fiscal year.
The reprogramming guidelines to be used to determine
whether or not a reprogramming shall be submitted to the
Committee for prior approval are as follows:
(1) For agencies, departments, or offices receiving
appropriations in excess of $20,000,000, a reprogramming must
be submitted if the amount to be shifted to or from any object
class, budget activity, program line item, or program activity
involved is in excess of $500,000 or 10 percent of the object
class, budget activity, program line item, or program activity;
(2) For agencies, departments, or offices receiving
appropriations less than $20,000,000, a reprogramming must be
submitted if the amount to be shifted to or from any object
class, budget activity, program line item, or program activity
involved is in excess of $50,000 or 10 percent of the object
class, budget activity, program line item, or program activity;
(3) For any actions which would result in a major change
contrary to the program or item presented to and approved by
the Committee or the Congress;
(4) For any action where the cumulative effect or past
reprogramming actions added to the new reprogramming would
exceed the dollar threshold mentioned above;
(5) For any actions where funds earmarked for a specific
activity are proposed to be used for another activity; and
(6) For any actions where funds earmarked for a specific
activity are in excess to meet the project or activity
requirement, and are proposed to be used for another activity.
government performance and results act
The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993,
commonly called GPRA, was enacted to improve management of
Federal agencies by requiring an emphasis on planning and
results. Future funding decisions will be based upon an
agency's ability to meet the goals outlined in the strategic
plan submitted the previous year.
Draft strategic plans must be submitted to the Office of
Management and Budget by August 15, 1997, and final strategic
plans are to be presented to Congress by September 30, 1997.
However, Federal agencies were required to consult with
Congress and other stakeholders on their draft strategic plans
and incorporate suggestions or concerns in the plan submitted
to OMB.
The Committee is encouraged that Federal agencies are
trying to fulfill the requirements of GPRA. Some agencies have
been more successful than others. For example, the U.S. Mint
did an exemplary job and was recognized by the General
Accounting Office for their plan. The Committee was also
impressed with the strategic plan submitted by the Federal
Labor Relations Authority, whose approach could be used as an
example to other small agencies.
On the other hand, some of the plans reviewed did not live
up to expectations and, unfortunately, the Financial Crimes
Enforcement Network within the Department of the Treasury has
not yet submitted a draft plan. The Committee strongly
encourages agencies to continue to refine their strategic plans
so that the fiscal year 1999 budget submission is accompanied
by a plan which is both complete and clearly articulated.
Further, the Committee strongly encourages agencies to ensure
that the fiscal year 1999 budget submission displays amounts
requested against program activity structures for which annual
performance goals and indicators have been established.
vehicles
The Committee has provided Treasury law enforcement
agencies over $34,000,000 for vehicle replacements and
upgrades. The Committee is concerned that rather than following
the prescribed surplus equipment procedures agencies are
providing law enforcement personnel vehicles although their
position does not necessitate direct protective, investigative,
or emergency response. This practice should not be continued
because it provides law enforcement personnel vehicles not
available to other Federal employees. In addition, including
these vehicles in the law enforcement agencies vehicle
inventory skews reports on the age, mileage and number of
vehicles. Agencies are requested to review internal vehicle use
policies and to surplus all vehicles not used to accomplish the
requirements of the job.
The Committee requests that GAO review the utilization of
vehicles by law enforcement agencies and report to the House
and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 6 months after
enactment of this bill on the age and mileage of current
vehicles, agency policies on usage, and agency enforcement of
those policies.
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Departmental Offices
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $112,048,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 116,314,000
Committee recommendation................................ 114,794,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $114,794,000
for salaries and expenses for departmental offices of the
Treasury Department. The amount provided by the Committee is
$1,520,000 less than the budget estimate.
The departmental offices function of the Treasury
Department provides basic support to the Secretary in his roles
as the chief financial officer of the Government, major policy
adviser to the President, and Executive Director of the
Treasury Department. The Secretary's responsibilities include:
recommending and implementing U.S. domestic and international
economic policy, fiscal policy, and tax policy; managing the
fiscal operations of the Government; managing the public debt;
overseeing the major law enforcement functions carried out by
the Treasury Department; serving as the U.S. representative to
the various international financial organizations; and
directing the general administrative operations of the Treasury
Department.
In support of the Secretary, the departmental offices
function provides policy formulation and implementation in
areas such as tax and economic affairs, trade and financial
operations, and general fiscal policy. This function also
provides advice and technical assistance on administrative and
legislative programs and establishes and coordinates
departmental administrative policies in areas such as budget,
accounting, personnel, procurement, information systems
development and management, telecommunications, and equal
employment opportunity.
The international affairs programs involve the formulation
and execution of Treasury policy in a wide range of important
economic areas. This activity includes those offices
responsible for providing staff analysis and support for the
Secretary and other senior officials involved in formulating
and implementing international economic and financial policies.
The issues involved within this activity include: international
monetary affairs; international development financing policy;
U.S. policy toward, and participation in, the work of the
various international financial organizations; international
economic analysis; international trade and investment policy;
financial aspects of commodities and natural resources policy.
Transcript Review
The Committee continues to be displeased with the
Department's inability to respond to questions for the record
in a timely manner. As indicated in last year's report, the
Committee has no choice but to take action in the only manner
it can. As a result, the Committee has provided an appropriate
adjustment to the ``Departmental offices'' appropriation.
office of foreign assets control
The Committee has provided that the Office of Foreign
Assets Control [OFAC] be funded at the fiscal year 1998
request, $6,745,000. OFAC is responsible for enforcing economic
sanctions as well as oversight and investigations of the
illegal operations conducted by foreign agents and businesses.
The Committee expects that this funding level will allow for 60
permanent full-time staffing positions, of which at least 10
are criminal investigators.
Study of Taggants in Black and Smokeless Powder
Section 113(2) of the Fiscal Year 1997 Commerce, Justice,
State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act
required that the Secretary enter into a contract with the
National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study of the tagging
of smokeless and black powder by any viable technology for
purposes of detection and identification. The academy was
directed to appoint an independent panel of five experts for
this study. That report was to be presented to Congress 12
months after enactment, or September 30, 1997. Because the
academy and the Secretary have not yet agreed upon a statement
of work, the Committee has included language to extend this
deadline to September 30, 1998.
Private Sector Tax Debt Collection
The Committee is concerned that funding provided for a
private sector debt collection program during fiscal years
1996-97 has not produced a successful program. As a result of a
General Accounting Office review, unobligated funds for these
programs have been reprogrammed. The Committee strongly urges
IRS to work with the General Accounting Office to develop
legislative proposals necessary to conduct a successful private
sector debt collection program in the near future.
INTERNATIONAL CRIME
The Committee is concerned about the increase in crime
abroad and the direct and indirect impact of international
crime on the United States. As a result, the Committee supports
the international crime initiative included in the Foreign
Operations appropriations bill for fiscal year 1998 and
encourages the Secretary of the Treasury to participate in and
provide support for this initiative, as many of the concerns
relating to international crime directly impact bureaus under
the Department of the Treasury.
Office of Professional Responsibility
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $1,500,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 1,625,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,250,000
The Committee has provided $1,250,000 for the Office of
Professional Responsibility. The amount provided by the
Committee is $375,000 less than the budget estimate. The
Committee does not disagree with the concept of an office to
oversee law enforcement bureaus, but believes that the Office
of Professional Responsibility should not exercise operational
control over Treasury's law enforcement bureaus and
organizations. In determining the fiscal year 1998 funding
level, the Committee realized a fiscal year 1997 unobligated
balance of $1,250,000. It is the recommendation that the Office
of Professional Responsibility submit a request for 50 percent
of that amount for use as operating funds for fiscal year 1998.
Automation Enhancements
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $27,100,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 29,389,000
Committee recommendation................................ 29,389,000
The Committee has provided a total of $29,389,000 for
development and acquisition of automatic data processing
equipment, software, and services for the Department of the
Treasury. These funds are made available for 2 years and may be
transferred to accounts and in amounts as necessary to satisfy
the requirements of the departmental offices, bureaus, and
organizations. These funds shall be in addition to amounts
appropriated in this act. The funds should be provided and
transferred as follows:
Departmental offices.................................... $8,789,000
Departmental offices, international trade data system
[ITDS].............................................. 5,600,000
U.S. Customs Service, automated commercial environment
project [ACE]....................................... 15,000,000
Of the $5,600,000 provided for the international trade data
system, funding shall be provided to complete the International
Trade Compliance Center study.
The General Accounting Office continues to document
problems with the Customs Service's automated commercial
environment [ACE]. Funding provided in fiscal year 1997, which
was fenced, has not been released due to Customs' inability to
provide clear planning for architectural designs. It is the
Committee's hope that this funding can be used to provide the
much needed technology for Customs to perform its mission.
However, the Committee has provided $15,000,000 in fiscal year
1998 for the Customs Service ACE project. This funding shall
remain unavailable until September 1, 1998, and shall only be
available after that date following Committee approval of the
ACE systems architecture, milestone schedule, and a final
estimate of the funds required to complete this capital
investment. The Committee restates its strong support for
computer modernization efforts; however, it remains committed
to ensuring that Federal funds in this area are well spent.
Office of the Inspector General
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $29,770,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 31,333,000
Committee recommendation................................ 30,719,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $30,719,000
for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Inspector
General.
The statutory Office of the Inspector General of the
Department of the Treasury was authorized under the Inspector
General Act Amendments of 1988, Public Law 100-504. That act
required the consolidation of the staff and responsibilities
for the internal audit functions at the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms, the U.S. Customs Service, and the U.S.
Secret Service, with the Department of the Treasury's existing
Office of the Inspector General.
The Office of the Inspector General is organizationally
independent of all other offices and bureaus within the
Department of the Treasury and is under the general supervision
of the Secretary of the Treasury or his Deputy. The Office is
responsible for: (1) the conduct, supervision, and coordination
of audits with the Department; (2) the conduct of
investigations within the nonlaw enforcement bureaus of the
Department; (3) the oversight of investigations in the law
enforcement bureaus or the conduct of such investigations, if
appropriate; (4) the review of legislation and regulations of
the Department; and (5) reporting to the Secretary and the
Congress as set forth in the law.
The Committee has included language directing that $16,695
be transferred to the ``Departmental offices'' appropriation to
reimburse Secret Service agents for legal costs incurred during
an apparent investigation of their testimony before Congress.
While the inspector general has testified that these two agents
were not subjects of a criminal investigation, it was
subsequently discovered that the investigation was at one time
labeled as criminal. As a result, these agents retained legal
counsel and incurred legal expenses in preparation for the
investigation. The agents should be reimbursed for these fees.
This action is not without precedent. The Merit Systems
Protection Board has authority to grant attorney fees to
employees whose allegations of agency prohibited personnel
practices have been upheld. The same authority is also provided
to the Office of Special Counsel, which prosecutes, among other
things, whistleblower cases.
repair and restoration of the treasury building and annex
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $28,213,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 12,484,000
Committee recommendation................................ 10,484,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $10,484,000
for the repair and restoration of the Treasury Building and
Annex. This amount is $2,000,000 below the budget request.
This account is used to operate and maintain the Department
of the Treasury Building and Annex. The fiscal year 1998
request assumes a reduction of $2,000,000 associated with the
one-time reprogramming provided Treasury as a result of fire
damage. The fiscal year 1997 additional funds were a one-time
requirement and are, therefore, reflected as a reduction in the
Committee's fiscal year 1998 recommendation.
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $22,387,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 23,006,000
Committee recommendation................................ 22,835,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $22,835,000
for the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network [FinCEN] for
fiscal year 1998. This amount is $171,000 below the budget
request. This funding level allows FinCEN to maintain current
levels with a 2-percent inflation factor.
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network [FinCEN] was
created on April 25, 1990, by Treasury Order 105-08. The
Treasury Department established FinCEN to implement the
President's national drug control strategy recommendations
calling for increased efforts to combat drug money laundering.
FinCEN was created to serve as a central source for the
systematic identification, collation, and analysis of
intelligence in support of law enforcement operations. It also
exercises the Department's responsibilities under the Bank
Secrecy Act.
FinCEN provides a Governmentwide multisource intelligence
and analytical network to support Federal, State, local, and
foreign law enforcement and regulatory agencies in the
detection, investigation, prosecution of money laundering, and
other financial crimes. Toward this end, FinCEN is charged with
linking together and analyzing financial, law enforcement, and
public data sources, to provide leads on criminal financial
activity that might otherwise go undetected.
In support of this mission, FinCEN is staffed with
permanent FinCEN employees, analysts and computer specialists,
as well as special agents, analysts, and other Federal
employees on nonreimbursable details from Federal Government
agencies.
The Committee includes in the violent crime trust fund
$3,000,000 to enhance FinCEN's efforts to combat emerging money
laundering threats and to develop an encrypted transmission
network.
OUTREACH TO AND ACCESS BY STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
Last year the Committee expressed its desire to see a
greater emphasis placed upon making FinCEN's resources more
available to and better known by Federal law enforcement
officers. Along with this, State and local law enforcement is
increasingly becoming engaged in efforts to break trafficking
organizations that make use of money laundering techniques and
other forms of financial crime that may be vulnerable to the
resources that FinCEN can bring to bear. The Committee would
like to see an effort made to increase the access by local law
enforcement to the tools FinCEN can provide, such as its
GATEWAY system. FinCEN should also explore ways in which it can
cooperate with technological efforts being made by local law
enforcement agencies in money laundering investigations, such
as those being supported by the Counterdrug Technology
Assessment Center.
treasury forfeiture fund
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $10,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 9,500,000
Committee recommendation................................................
The Treasury forfeiture fund was established on October 1,
1993, in Public Law 102-393. It has two accounts, one which is
funded through permanent indefinite authority and the other
which is funded through a direct annual appropriation. The
direct appropriation represents the annual congressional
limitation on the use of the proceeds from seized and forfeited
assets. Forfeited cash and the proceeds of forfeited monetary
instruments are deposited into the fund. Proceeds from the sale
of other seized and forfeited assets are also deposited into
the fund.
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Funding
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $97,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 118,178,000
Committee recommendation................................ 130,955,000
violent crime reduction program
The Committee has provided $130,955,000 for Treasury
enforcement activities as follows:
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms:
GREAT Program grants................................ $10,000,000
GREAT administration/training....................... 3,000,000
Firearms trafficking initiatives (including the
youth crime gun initiative, Project LEAD, and the
National Tracing Cen- ter)........................ 6,000,000
CEASEFIRE/IBIS...................................... 5,200,000
Vehicles............................................ 8,215,000
Collection of information on arson and explosives... 1,608,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.... 34,023,000
========================================================
____________________________________________________
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network:
Money laundering threat initiative.................. 2,000,000
Secure Outreach/Encrypted Transmission Program...... 1,000,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network....... 3,000,000
========================================================
____________________________________________________
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center:
Rural law enforcement officers training............. 1,000,000
Master plan construction............................ 18,619,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total Federal Law Enforcement Training Center..... 19,619,000
========================================================
____________________________________________________
U.S. Customs Service:
High energy container x-ray system.................. 15,000,000
Laboratory modernization............................ 5,735,000
Vehicles replacement................................ 10,000,000
Automated license plate readers..................... 7,800,000
Canopy construction along the Southwest border...... 1,100,000
Vehicle and container inspection systems [VACIS].... 5,000,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total, U.S. Customs Service....................... 44,635,000
========================================================
____________________________________________________
U.S. Secret Service:
White House security................................ 15,664,000
Counterfeiting investigations....................... 3,000,000
Forensic and related support of investigations of
missing and exploited children.................... 2,514,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total, U.S. Secret Service...................... 21,178,000
========================================================
____________________________________________________
Funds appropriated to the President:
Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center............ 5,500,000
Rocky Mountain HIDTA................................ 3,000,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total, funds appropriated to the President........ 8,500,000
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
The Committee has included $5,200,000 for the CEASEFIRE/
IBIS program. Of this amount, $1,200,000 is for maintenance of
existing systems and $4,000,000 is to allow ATF to comply with
requests from State and local law enforcement entities for the
technology. The Committee understands that there are requests
pending at ATF from the West Virginia State Police in
Charlestown; the Guilford County, North Carolina Sheriff's
Department; the Cumberland, North Carolina Sheriff's
Department; Kentucky State Police; the Allegheny County
Forensic Laboratory in Pennsylvania; the Mississippi State
Laboratory; the Washoe County Laboratory in Reno, NV; the
Georgia Bureau of Investigations in Savanna; the Alabama
Department of Forensic Science; and the Stickney, Illinois
Police Department.
GREAT Program
The Committee supports funding for the Gang Resistance
Education and Training [GREAT] Program through the VCRTF, and
provides $10,000,000 for grants to local law enforcement
organizations and $3,000,000 for ATF administrative support,
training, and related activities.
U.S. Secret Service
The Committee has provided full funding of the
administration's request for White House security through the
VCRTF. However, the Committee is concerned with the
accelerating costs associated with developing necessary
security measures at the White House. The Committee hopes to
continue to work with the Secret Service to identify the
highest priority requirements related to protecting the
President.
The Committee has provided $2,514,000 for forensic and
related support of investigations of missing and exploited
children.
U.S. Customs Service
The Committee has provided $5,000,000 for the vehicle and
container inspection systems. These systems use highly
penetrative gamma-rays to nonintrusively inspect freight
contained on pallets, in truck cargo containers, and in
passenger vehicles.
The Committee did not provide funding for the Agent
Relocation Program. It is the Committee's recommendation that
if the Customs Service identifies this program as a high
priority, it reduce funding under its ``Salaries and expenses''
account to cover the costs associated with this initiative.
COUNTERDRUG TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAM
The Committee provides $5,500,000 to the Counterdrug
Technology Assessment Center [CTAC] of the Office of National
Drug Control Policy to establish a program for transferring
technology to State and local law enforcement agencies. CTAC
works with many law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to
find technological solutions to critical enforcement problems.
The Committee directs the funding be used to initiate a pilot
program to transfer these technologies to agencies who may
otherwise be unable to profit from the developments due to
limited budgets or a lack of technological expertise. The
Committee directs CTAC to initiate this program under the
direction of the chief scientist, ONDCP, with the advice of
experts from State and local law enforcement, including sheriff
departments, and link the programs with high-intensity drug
trafficking area [HIDTA] programs to identify the technologies
to transfer and the locations to be served.
HIGH-INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING PROGRAM
The Committee has provided an additional $3,000,000 for the
Rocky Mountain HIDTA in order to accommodate the increased need
for HIDTA activity in the region.
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $56,185,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 65,663,000
Committee recommendation................................ 64,663,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $64,663,000
for salaries and expenses of the Federal Law Enforcement
Training Center [FLETC]. This amount is $1,000,000 below the
budget request.
The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center provides the
necessary facilities, equipment, and support services for
conducting basic and advanced training for Federal law
enforcement personnel of its participating organizations.
Center personnel conduct the instructional programs for the
basic recruit training and also selected portions of the
advanced training. In addition, the Center furnishes training
on a space-available basis to personnel from several Federal
organizations which are not formal participants under the
memorandum of understanding.
In October 1982, the President directed that a national
center for State and local training be established as a part of
the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. The major program
goals are to present advanced and specialized training and to
provide basic technical assistance to State and local law
enforcement agencies.
In recent years, considerable funding has been provided
Federal law enforcement agencies to hire and train additional
personnel. The Committee has included funding to ensure that
FLETC can meet the demands of agencies for training their
personnel.
acquisition, construction, improvements, and related expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $21,584,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 11,111,000
Committee recommendation................................ 13,930,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $13,930,000
for acquisition, construction, improvements, and related
expenses of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. This
amount is $2,819,000 above the budget request.
The ``Acquisition, construction, improvements, and related
expenses'' account covers major maintenance and facility
improvements, construction, renovation, capital improvements,
and related equipment at FLETC facilities in Glynco, GA, and
Artesia, NM.
The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center was established
in 1970 as the single interagency training organization for
Federal law enforcement agencies. FLETC's concept of
Governmentwide, consolidated law enforcement training is
directed at promoting the highest quality training at the most
reasonable cost to the American taxpayer through multiple
agency support and use. FLETC, through its principal facility
in Glynco, GA, now serves the basic and advanced training needs
of 72 participating Federal agencies.
In June 1989, the Training Center completed its development
of a master plan which will enable FLETC to better serve the
training demands of Federal, State, and local law enforcement
agencies. This master plan calls for the construction of
additional facilities at both Center locations. The Committee
expects the Department to periodically update the master plan
to include new requirements demanded by the user agencies for
effective law enforcement training.
The funding level includes $2,819,000 for fiber optics
replacement requested in the VCRTF.
The Committee has provided $18,619,000 for master plan
construction in the VCRTF. This funding has been provided to
assist in completing the master plan in order to meet
increasing demands for consolidated law enforcement training.
The Committee has also provided $1,000,000 in the VCRTF for
rural law enforcement officers training.
Interagency Law Enforcement
Appropriations, 1997 \1\................................................
Budget estimate, 1998................................... $73,794,000
Committee recommendation................................ 73,794,000
\1\ Funded through the Commerce, Justice, State, and the Judiciary
appropriations bill in fiscal year 1997.
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $73,794,000
for the interagency crime and drug enforcement task force
[ICDEF]. This amount is equal to the budget estimate.
ICDEF consolidates the resources of 11 Federal agencies to
target and destroy major narcotics trafficking and money
laundering organizations. The portion of ICDEF funds formerly
appropriated to the Department of Justice, for reimbursing
Treasury law enforcement bureaus participating in the program,
are now being directly appropriated to the Department of the
Treasury. This amount will be administered by Treasury's
departmental offices for continued ICDEF participation by law
enforcement personnel in three Treasury bureaus.
Financial Management Service
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $196,518,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 202,560,000
Committee recommendation................................ 202,490,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $202,490,000
for salaries and expenses of the Financial Management Service
[FMS] in fiscal year 1998.
In its financial management leadership role, the Service
must manage effectively the movement of Federal funds as well
as make the optimal use of Federal financial information. By
doing so, FMS fulfills an obligation to the public by improving
the Federal Government's overall financial position and helping
to reduce the Federal deficit.
FMS oversees the Government's overall financial operations
through the financial and accounting services it provides to
its customers--Congress, other Federal agencies, financial
institutions, and the public.
Service responsibilities include: regulation and management
of the Government's collection systems; development and
implementation of innovative cash management and credit
administration practices in the administration of Federal
programs; central payment services for all civilian executive
agencies except the U.S. Postal Service, U.S. marshals, and
certain Government corporations; processing claims on all lost,
stolen, and forged checks including those not issued by the
Treasury; providing central accounting services for the
Government; compiling and publishing financial reports; and
managing trust, revolving, and deposit fund accounts.
Public Law 104-134 included the Debt Collection Improvement
Act of 1996, which designated the Financial Management Service
as the primary agency collecting nontax debt which is due and
owed to the Government. FMS is charged with coordinating the
effort among Federal agencies to collect the debt.
Permanent Indefinite Appropriation
The Committee has included language to establish a
permanent indefinite appropriation to reimburse Federal Reserve
banks for services in their capacity as depositaries and fiscal
agents on behalf of the Treasury Department.
No amounts are to be paid to the Federal Reserve until they
have been certified by the Treasury's Financial Management
Service as appropriate for these purposes, and all amounts
expended from this account are to be offset from corresponding
Federal Reserve receipts in the same amount.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $460,394,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 496,954,000
Committee recommendation................................ 472,490,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $472,490,000
for salaries and expenses of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and
Firearms [ATF]. This amount is $24,464,000 below the
administration's request.
The mission of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
is: (1) to reduce the criminal use of firearms and to assist
other Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies in
reducing crime and violence by effective enforcement of the
Federal firearms laws; (2) to provide safety for the public by
reducing the criminal misuse of explosives, combating arson-
for-profit schemes, and removing safety hazards caused by
improper and unsafe storage of explosive materials; (3) to
assure the collection of all alcohol and tobacco tax revenues
and obtain a high level of compliance with the alcohol and
tobacco tax statutes; (4) to suppress commercial bribery,
consumer deception, and other prohibited trade practices in the
alcohol beverage industry by effective enforcement and
administration of the Federal Alcohol Administration [FAA] Act;
and (5) to suppress illicit manufacture and sale of nontax paid
alcohol beverages.
The Bureau's program objectives are as follows:
Alcohol and tobacco programs.--Ensure the collection of all
taxes due; prevent organized crime or other unqualified
applicants from obtaining permits to enter the alcohol and
tobacco industries; ensure an open, competitive market for
alcohol beverages; ensure protection for the consumer in
alcohol beverage products; and undertake projects on regulatory
reform and programs offering assistance to other agencies (both
regulatory and law enforcement), industry, and the public.
Firearms program.--Reduce illegal trafficking in firearms;
assist Federal, State, and local law enforcement and regulatory
agencies in reducing illegal trafficking in weapons, reducing
firearms-related crime, and investigating firearms-related
cases; and identify and investigate violence-prone individuals
who use firearms in criminal acts.
Explosives and arson programs.--Reduce criminal misuse of
explosives; ensure public safety regarding the storage of legal
explosives; reduce arson incidents; and assist Federal, State,
and local investigative and regulatory agencies in explosives
and arson-related areas.
Federal alcohol administration act
The Committee recognizes alcoholic beverages as among the
most socially sensitive commodities marketed in the United
States. In this connection, marketing, labeling, and
advertising of alcoholic beverages must be accomplished in an
environment which fosters fair and healthy competition while
protecting the interests of the American consumer. The
Committee expects that there be no diminution of regulatory and
oversight functions in fiscal year 1998.
armed career criminal apprehension program
The Armed Career Criminal Act, signed into law in 1984 and
expanded by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, provides mandatory
sentences for certain violent repeat offenders who carry
firearms. The Bureau, given its jurisdiction over firearms
laws, has a unique opportunity to effect the apprehension of
violent offenders. The success to date of the Bureau's Repeat
Offender Program has surpassed initial expectations regarding
apprehension, prosecution, and conviction of career criminals.
The Committee notes that over 80 percent of the defendants
apprehended under this program have had direct involvement in
illegal narcotics trafficking.
STAFFING LEVELS IN SMALLER STATES AND RURAL STATES
Over the past several years the number of ATF agents in the
smaller States and rural areas have steadily declined, in favor
of placing agent resources in larger States with large
metropolitan centers. These staffing trends have not always
reflected the needs of these areas. Wisconsin is an example.
Although ATF staffing has increased almost 8 percent since
1990, the staffing in Milwaukee has declined over 50 percent.
The Committee urges ATF, as it reviews its staffing, to examine
allocations for rural areas and small and medium States.
Achilles Task Force Program
The Committee continues to support the Achilles Task Force
Program and is pleased to note that the administration's
request for this program will result in continued operations at
existing levels at both the Albuquerque and Houston-based
sites.
GREAT Program
Since its inception the Gang Resistance Education and
Training [GREAT] Program has proved successful. The proof is
reflected in the large number of State and local police
agencies currently participating, and the number of those
seeking to participate in the program. The Committee has
included funding in the VCRTF for continuation of the currently
operating programs, as well as additional funding for expansion
of the program. Special consideration should be given to
several Vermont cities and others which have expressed
considerable interest in participating in this program.
Base Restoration
The Committee has provided $14,262,000 to restore ATF's
base, including $1,400,000 for agent cashier informant/buys,
$5,800,000 for year 2000 conversion and telecommunications, and
$462,000 for laboratory and investigative supplies. In
addition, $5,200,000 was provided under the VCRTF for the
maintenance and restoration of the CEASEFIRE/IBIS base.
National Tracing Center
The Committee supports the practice of compiling
information for the purpose of identifying individual criminal
offenders and alleged offenders related to specific criminal
and civil investigations. However, the Committee is concerned
that ATF's current policy appears to set no time limit on how
long such records can be maintained, since the trace record
data base was created 8 years ago and we understand no records
have yet been deleted. The Committee, therefore, directs AFT to
clarify its practices related to the collection and maintenance
of records on the acquisition and disposition of firearms by
Federal firearms licensees for use in criminal or civil
enforcement or firearms trace systems, and in particular on the
length of time such records are kept.
Separation Incentives
Separation incentives authorized by Public Law 104-863 are
available until the end of calendar year 1998. It is expected
that agencies may utilize this authority to a greater extent
early in fiscal year 1998. As a result, the Committee has
continued a provision requiring ATF to seek approval of plans
to offer separation incentives from the House Committee on
Government Reform and Oversight and the Senate Committee on
Governmental Affairs.
Safety and Security Standards
The Committee is concerned about the apparent lack of
safety and security standards for federally licensed firearms
dealers. Guns stolen from licensed gun dealers pose an
increasingly significant public safety threat. It is clear that
the industry and ATF need to work together to address these
problems. Therefore, the Committee directs ATF to make
identifying and addressing minimum mandatory security
requirements for Federal firearms licensees a priority at the
next firearms industry discussion group which will convene
later this year.
Criminal Gang Activity on Indian Reservations
The Committee recognizes that criminal gang activity on
Indian reservations has steadily increased over the past
decade, and urges the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
to help curtail this problem by implementing, where needed,
gang resistance and education training programs within Indian
country.
return of stolen firearms
The Committee understands there may have been instances
where individuals who subsequently legally own a registered
firearm reported as stolen and found as a result of law
enforcement efforts utilizing the Federal trace system have not
been notified of the recovery of the firearm and have not had
the firearm returned to them despite the fact that the owner
was not under criminal investigation, and the firearm had not
been seized as evidence or legally forfeited. The Committee
also understands that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and
Firearms makes every effort to notify such individuals and
arrange for the return of the legally owned firearm. Further,
there have been indications that many State and local law
enforcement offices lack sufficient resources to identify and
contact the lawful owner of a firearm. Therefore, the Committee
directs ATF to cooperate with State and local law enforcement
to ensure the prompt return of recovered firearms to their
legal owners where (1) the firearms were reported as stolen by
its lawful owner; (2) the firearms have not been seized as
evidence or forfeited in accordance with law; (3) the lawful
owner is not the subject of a criminal investigation; and (4)
the lawful owner is not prohibited by law from possessing a
firearm.
laboratory facilities
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $6,978,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 55,022,000
Committee recommendation................................ 55,022,000
The Committee recommends $55,022,000 for construction of a
new laboratory. This amount is equal to the administration's
request.
The administration requested funding for construction of
the ATF national laboratory and fire investigation, research,
and development center. The Committee has provided funding for
the construction of this facility.
U.S. Customs Service
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $1,549,585,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 1,566,826,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,551,028,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,551,028,000
for salaries and expenses of the U.S. Customs Service. This
amount is $15,789,000 less than the budget estimate.
The U.S. Customs Service is the primary border enforcement
agency and a major revenue producer. Customs administers and
enforces the Tariff Act of 1930 and some 400 other provisions
of laws and regulations of 40 other Federal agencies governing
international traffic and trade. The mission is multifaceted
and mandates the Service to:
--Control, regulate, and facilitate the movement of carriers,
persons, and commodities between the United States and
other nations;
--Protect the American consumer and the environment against
the introduction of hazardous and noxious products; and
protect American industry and the American worker
against unfair competition from foreign manufacturers;
--Assess, collect, and protect the revenue accruing to the
United States from duties, taxes, and fees incident to
international traffic and trade;
--Detect, interdict, and/or investigate:
Smuggling and other illegal practices designed to gain
illicit entry into the United States of prohibited
articles, narcotics, and other contraband;
Fraudulent activities calculated to avoid the payment
of taxes and fees, or to evade the legal
requirements of international traffic and trade;
Illegal transfers of critical technology to foreign
nations for the building of their military systems,
thus posing a threat to our national security; and
Illegal international trafficking in arms, munitions,
and currency.
Antidrug Efforts on the Southwest Border
The Customs Service has been on the forefront of the drug
effort for many years. The Committee has provided constant
support to those efforts through those years, whether drugs
have been on the front pages, or not. This bill includes the
administration request of $76,600,000. Of this amount,
$38,200,000 is provided for infrastructure initiatives,
including $29,200,000 for border station facilities to meet
increased efforts along the Southwest border, and $10,000,000
for vehicle replacements, which will impact Customs' ability to
carry out operational priorities along the Southwest border.
Additionally, $33,400,000 has been provided for operational
initiatives in the ``Salaries and expenses'' and ``Violent
crime reduction trust funds'' accounts. This funding level
includes land border automation, antismuggling initiatives,
license plate readers, and outbound lane canopies. It is
necessary to note that this problem is not a quadrennial one,
it has been a significant problem which is with us year in and
year out.
montana world trade center
The Committee has provided $2,500,000 in one-time funding
for the Global Trade and Research Program at the Montana World
Trade Center. This program promotes practical research and
information dissemination on issues designed to explore,
define, and measure contributions to economic globalization.
SOFTWOOD LUMBER AGREEMENTS
The Committee has provided $2,000,000 to U.S. Customs
Service to supply additional resources for monitoring and
enforcing the United States/Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement.
The lumber agreement, established in April 1996, addresses the
problem of subsidized Canadian lumber imports. This additional
funding will provide Customs adequate resources to reconcile
United States import data with Canadian export data. The
resources will also ensure Customs conducts the Northern border
inspections and analyzes the trade statistics necessary to
support the softwood lumber agreement.
Separation Incentives
Separation incentives authorized by Public Law 104-863 are
available until the end of calendar year 1998. It is expected
that agencies may utilize this authority to a greater extent
early in fiscal year 1998. As a result, the Committee has
continued a provision requiring the Customs Service to seek
approval of plans to offer separation incentives from the House
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight and the Senate
Committee on Governmental Affairs.
Automation Enhancements
The Administration had requested that $5,600,000 be
transferred from the Customs Service to the departmental
offices for the international trade data system [ITDS]. These
funds are included in the ``Automation enhancements'' account
for the departmental offices.
Staffing and Service Levels at Customs Ports of Entry
The Committee continues to believe that the services
provided through the Charleston, WV, Customs office are very
important to the State of West Virginia and the Nation as a
whole. For this reason, the Committee expects the Service to
maintain the level of services provided in fiscal year 1996
through fiscal year 1998 at this office.
The Committee continues to believe that the policy of
providing part-time and temporary inspectors at the Honolulu
International Airport is an effective way to handle the large
and increasing volume of passengers arriving and departing this
very busy airport in Hawaii. The Committee has again included
$750,000 for part-time and temporary positions in the Honolulu
Customs District. This action is intended to enhance and not
supplant current staffing levels. Amounts included in this
account are sufficient to maintain staffing levels at this
airport through fiscal year 1998 at the fiscal year 1997 level.
The Committee expects the Customs Service to ensure that
staffing levels are sufficient to staff and operate the newly
operational Santa Teresa, NM, border facility.
Legitimate, as well as illicit, trade and traffic continue
to grow in the State of Florida. Customs should give a high
priority to funding sufficient inspection personnel at ports of
entry in Florida for fiscal year 1998.
The Committee understands that increasing trade between
Canada and the United States may require improvements in
Customs Service facilities to prevent congestion or backups.
The Committee directs the Customs Service to continue to
provide adequate personnel to meet current border crossing
needs along the Northern border. The Committee also directs the
Service to provide the Committee with a report by March 1,
1998, on improvements in Customs stations and border crossings
which will be needed to deal effectively with increased United
States-Canada trade along the Northern border States.
Over the years Customs personnel in smaller States as well
as rural areas have declined considerably. Problems facing
these areas have not necessarily declined, and the Committee
urges Customs, as it reviews its staffing requirements, to
consider the allocation to smaller States and rural areas with
particular emphasis on Montana and Vermont.
Stanton Street Bridge Dedicated Commuter Lane, El Paso, TX
The Committee continues to recognize the need to facilitate
the flow of traffic and trade between the United States and
Mexico in El Paso, TX. To help achieve this objective, the U.S.
Customs Service, the Immigration and Naturalization Service,
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the El Paso business
and trade community have been analyzing a plan to locate a
dedicated commuter lane [DCL] at the Stanton Street Bridge
site--a site preferred by both the United States and Mexico
trade communities and selected by the U.S. Customs Service in
its February 1997 report to Congress.
The Committee expects the Customs Service to work with the
Immigration and Naturalization Service and the United States
and Mexico trade communities to successfully implement the
Stanton Street Bridge DCL. The Committee also expects the
Customs Service to report on at least a quarterly basis
regarding the progress in carrying out this directive.
Technology Research
The Committee has once again included funding for research
into technologies which will assist Customs in performing its
inspection and enforcement duties. The Committee commends
Customs on the excellent job it has done with regard to
technologies unique to inspection and urges that appropriate
funding be given to development of technology to look at
commercial vehicles.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMPLIANCE CENTER STUDY
The Committee instructs the Customs Service to provide no
less than $500,000 to complete a feasibility study and
implementation plan for the creation of a international freight
processing center in Kansas City. The Committee expects that
the study will examine the freight impact of rail service to
and from Mexico and any necessary improvements or changes
needed within Customs to make it easier for United States
businesses to conduct international trade with our NAFTA
partners.
child pornography
The Committee is concerned that there has been steady and
significant decrease in the number of calls placed to the child
pornography tipline. Tipline calls have, in the past, resulted
in a substantial number of successful prosecutions for child
pornography violations. The Committee, therefore, directs the
U.S. Customs Service to provide $75,000 from available funds to
promote public awareness for the child pornography tipline,
including ongoing eforts to make children aware of the tipline,
in fiscal year 1998. The Committee recommends that the U.S.
Customs Service coordinate this promotional effort with the
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the U.S.
Postal Service to ensure that the publicity is diversified and
effective.
Project ALERT
The Committee instructs the Customs Service to provide no
less than $200,000 to the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children for the training of retired law enforcement
officers to assist in the investigation of unsolved missing
children cases nationwide. The Committee anticipates that these
funds will be in addition to other funds available to the
center for these purposes.
atlantic tunas
The Committee is concerned about the importation of fish
and fish products taken in violation of the International
Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, and urges
the Customs Service and other relevant agencies to address this
situation.
Customs Facilities, Construction, Improvements
Appropriations, 1997....................................................
Budget estimate, 1998................................... $5,512,000
Committee recommendation................................................
MISSION
This account would provide funding for major Customs
construction, repair, and facility improvements.
RECOMMENDATION
The Committee denies funding at this time for a second
hangar at Corpus Christi to house the new P-3 AEW aircraft. The
Committee recognizes that such facilities, which would provide
protection from corrosive weather conditions, are important to
extending the useful flying life of the aircraft. However, it
appears the delay in the delivery schedule for the aircraft may
not justify present expenditure for new construction. The
Committee will be willing to consider this request at such time
as Customs reports that the P-3 delivery schedule is firm. The
Committee would not object if the Secretary chose to fund such
construction from any surplus that might become available in
the Treasury forfeiture fund with advance approval from the
Committee.
operation and maintenance, air and marine interdiction programs
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $83,363,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 92,758,000
Committee recommendation................................ 92,758,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $92,758,000
for operation and maintenance activities of the Customs air and
marine interdiction programs. This amount equals the budget
request.
The operation and maintenance, air and marine interdiction
programs will cover expenses incurred by the Customs Service
for operating and maintaining aircraft, boats, radar, and
equipment necessary to carry out its air and marine
interdiction missions. This account also includes operational
training, mission-related travel, and special operations
directly associated with the air and marine interdiction
programs. This account covers the essential costs associated
with operating and maintaining the military aircraft and
equipment that has been, and will continue to be, loaned to
Customs for use in its air interdiction mission.
The Customs Service is the frontline in drug interdiction.
The air and marine efforts compose a major element of the
country's firstline interdiction effort. In recent years the
strategy has changed, but the problem remains the same. The
Committee has iterated over and over how important air and
marine efforts are to deterring narcotics smuggling. These
efforts have proven extremely effective. The change in the drug
control strategy does not eliminate the need for continued
vigilance. The Committee continues to maintain a keen interest
in air and marine activities and reminds the Service that air
and marine interdiction are and shall be a top priority.
Air and Marine Operations
Through the years Customs has had to react to changing
smuggling modes. Air and marine interdiction methods have been
adjusted to challenge this ever changing threat. This effort
has proved effective through the years. Yet, vigilance remains
the watchword. Currently, emphasis is being placed on
interdiction efforts in Caribbean waters around Puerto Rico and
the U.S. Virgin Islands. Lessons learned from efforts off the
Florida coast have proved very successful. The Committee
reminds Customs that the threat can shift very quickly, and
that appropriate attention should be given to ensure that the
Florida coast is adequately covered by air and marine assets.
The Committee suggests the Customs Service review the
configuration based management system [CBMS] being used by the
Coast Guard and Air Force for potential cost savings in the
Customs Air Program.
P-3 Airborne Early Operations
The Committee last year provided funding for the
retrofitting of two P-3 AEW aircraft to enhance the Nation's
counterdrug efforts in the source and transit zones, which
would bring this total number in the Customs fleet to six. The
Committee is concerned that the funding provided to the
Department of Defense has not been transferred to Customs to
permit work to begin on the second P-3, and thus the delivery
date of that aircraft has been unnecessarily delayed. The P-3
surveillance mission is critical to the Nation's interdiction
effort, and the Committee is concerned that there may be a gap
in coverage as the Defense Department reduces its mission
operations. The Committee requests Customs to report by January
31, 1998, on the status of the P-3 retrofitting program,
including an assessment of the current operational requirements
and the potential impact on interdiction effectiveness were the
fleet to be expanded by one or two additional P-3 AEW aircraft.
customs services at small airports
(to be derived from fees collected)
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $2,406,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 2,406,000
Committee recommendation................................ 2,406,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $2,406,000 for
customs services at certain small airports. These services are
to be paid from user fees collected at each of these small
airports. The Committee funding recommendation for fiscal year
1998 for this account is the same as the budget request.
The Trade and Tariff Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-573)
authorizes the U.S. Customs Service to impose user fees for
services at certain small airports where the volume or value of
business is insufficient to justify the availability of customs
services. The fee will be equal to the expenses incurred in
providing the services.
The legislation authorizes Customs to charge a fee for
services at certain designated airports and locations
designated by the Secretary of the Treasury. (The Governor of
the State in which such airport is located must also approve
the designation.)
Fees which are collected at each airport are deposited into
an account within the Treasury of the United States
specifically designated for that airport. The funds in the
account are only available for expenditures relating to the
provision of customs services at each airport, including
salaries and expenses of personnel employed to provide such
services. Currently service is provided to 31 airports
throughout the country in this program.
harbor maintenance fee collection
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $3,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 3,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 3,000,000
The Committee concurs with the budget request which
provides $3,000,000 to be transferred from the harbor
maintenance trust fund to the Customs Service ``Salaries and
expenses'' appropriation.
The harbor maintenance fee was established to provide
resources to the Army Corps of Engineers for the improvement of
American channels and harbors. The fee is assessed on the value
of commercial imports and exports delivered to and from certain
specified ports. The fee is collected by the Customs Service
and deposited into the harbor maintenance trust fund. The
transferred funds will offset the costs incurred by Customs in
collecting these fees.
U.S. Mint
The Mint manufactures coins, receives gold and silver
bullion, safeguards the Government's holdings of monetary
metals, and refines gold and silver bullion. The manufacture of
domestic coins is the major activity of the Mint. Coins are
ordered from the Mint by the Federal Reserve banks in
quantities required for the country's business transactions.
Thus, the volume of the coinage program is determined by the
public need for coins.
Public Law 104-52 established the U.S. Mint public
enterprise fund which authorizes the U.S. Mint to use proceeds
from the sale of coins to finance the cost of its operations.
The enactment of this legislation has eliminated the need for
future appropriations to support the mission of the Mint.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the world's largest
securities manufacturing establishment, operates on the basis
of authority conferred upon the Secretary of the Treasury by 31
U.S.C. 321(a)(4) to engrave and print currency and security
documents. Additional authority is derived from past
appropriations made to the Bureau for work to be undertaken.
The operations of the Bureau are currently financed by means of
a revolving fund established in accordance with the provisions
of Public Law 81-656, August 4, 1950 (31 U.S.C. 5142). This
fund is reimbursed by other Government agencies for the direct
and indirect costs of the Bureau, including its administrative
expenses, incidental to performing the work or services
requisitioned.
Public Law 95-81, July 31, 1977, (31 U.S.C. 5142(c)(3))
increased the Bureau's fund and authorized the establishment of
reimbursement prices from customer agencies at a level intended
to provide funding for the acquisition of capital equipment and
future working capital. This should preclude future requests
for appropriations.
The Bureau designs, manufactures, and supplies most of the
major evidences of a financial character issued by the United
States. It is the sole source of U.S. currency, various public
debt instruments, as well as most other evidences of a
financial character issued by the United States, such as
postage stamps. The Bureau executes certain printings for
various territories administered by the United States,
particularly postage and revenue stamps. It conducts extensive
research and development programs for improving the quality of
products, reducing manufacturing costs, and for strengthening
deterrents to the counterfeiting of Government securities. It
manufactures inks and plates used for its products; purchases
materials, supplies, and equipment; provides maintenance
services for its buildings and plant machinery and equipment;
and stores and delivers its products in accordance with
requirements of customer agencies. The Bureau is responsible
for the accountability and destruction of its security waste
products. The Bureau also renders services to other Government
agencies such as security, custodial, and elevator services in
areas of its buildings occupied by another Treasury bureau.
The budget estimates are determined primarily by two
factors; namely, (1) the volume of production of the various
items needed to meet the estimated requirements of customer
agencies, and (2) the unit cost of manufacturing each type of
item produced. The unit cost of production of each item
manufactured is developed through a detailed system of cost
accounting and adjusted to reflect all known factors which will
affect the cost of production during the current budget year.
Such factors include pay rate and material price increases
expected to occur during the current year, as well as estimated
savings resulting from improvements in production procedures.
No direct appropriation is required to cover the activities
of the Bureau.
Bureau of the Public Debt
administering the public debt
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $165,335,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 169,426,000
Committee recommendation................................ 169,426,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $169,426,000
for the Bureau of the Public Debt in fiscal year 1998. The
Committee recommendation equals the budget estimate.
The Bureau of the Public Debt is responsible for
administering the laws and regulations pertaining to public
debt financing and operations within the framework of policies
established by the Secretary of the Treasury. The Bureau's
primary concerns are with the issuance, servicing, and
retirement of public debt securities, and accounting for the
public debt and its related interest cost. It also has a
general responsibility for the conduct or direction of
transactions in public issues of those Government agencies for
which the Treasury acts as agent.
This appropriation currently provides funds for: the direct
operating costs of the Bureau of the Public Debt including the
Office of U.S. Savings Bonds; the payment of fees at stipulated
rates to financial institutions and others; and the payment of
postage and registry fees to the U.S. Postal Service for
delivering securities.
The Office of U.S. Savings Bonds is charged with reducing
Federal spending by promoting the sale and retention of U.S.
savings bonds. In addition to helping the U.S. Government
finance its debts in the least expensive and least inflationary
way possible, savings bonds provide Americans with an
effective, systematic way to save through the payroll savings
plan. The program is also intended to create a partnership of
direct participation of American business, labor, banking,
media, and community groups, as well as to provide the
opportunity for all citizens to voluntarily participate in the
financing of their Government.
Internal Revenue Service
summary
The Committee has recommended a total of $7,694,383,000 for
the Internal Revenue Service [IRS] in fiscal year 1998. This
amount is $175,000,000 below the budget estimate and
$651,256,000 above the fiscal year 1997 enacted level.
REALIGNMENT OF IRS BUDGET PRESENTATION
The fiscal year 1998 budget request realigned the budget
structure moving several compliance-related functions from the
``Tax law enforcement'' appropriation to the ``Processing,
assistance, and management'' appropriation and established a
new category for telephone and correspondence program.
According to IRS the proposed structure more closely aligns the
budget activities with the Service's business lines. This is
consistent with the Government Performance and Results Act
requirements that agencies will align resources in the budget
to match the way that programs are managed and will link
resources to program outcomes. This will facilitate a clean
audit opinion, provide maximum flexibility in balancing
programs, and delineate between operational expenses and
capital investments.
A key element of the new structure is the consolidation of
activities in which the IRS interacts with taxpayers by
telephone and correspondence providing increased IRS
flexibility to handle telephone calls and balance resources for
peak periods for assistance and taxpayer account work. The
Committee reserves judgment on the flexibility provided by the
realigned structure but is hopeful that the realignment will
result in increased management and oversight of resources.
The Committee remains concerned about the ability to
identify costs associated with both customer service and
compliance as defined in the fiscal year 1997 structure. In
order to be completely aware of these costs the Committee
directs the IRS to provide a complete breakout of costs
associated with customer service and compliance activities and
to institute procedures to track these costs based on the
fiscal year 1997 definitions, under the new structure.
processing, assistance, and management
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $1,790,288,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 2,943,174,000
Committee recommendation................................ 2,943,174,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $2,943,174,000
for processing, tax assistance, and management. This amount is
$1,152,886,000 above the fiscal year 1997 request.
The ``Processing, assistance, and management''
appropriation provides for processing tax returns and related
documents; assisting taxpayers in filing of their returns and
in paying taxes that are due; matching information returns with
tax returns; internal audit and internal security; and
management of financial resources, rent, and utilities.
Mission statements of each of the program activities under
this account are as follows:
Submission processing.--Provide for all actions associated
with receipt of completed returns and payments, deposit of
those payments, processing and accounting for revenue
collections and Federal Tax Deposits, and verification of the
accuracy of information provided by the taxpayer through an
automated master file system. Provide for payment of refunds,
offset of refunds against delinquent accounts, issuance of
notices that payments are overdue, identification of possible
nonfilers for investigation, and assistance in the selection of
tax returns for audit.
Telephone and correspondence.--Aid voluntary compliance
with Federal tax laws by informing taxpayers of their
responsibilities and by providing services and information
through various media which assist them in meeting their
obligations. Provide for responding to inquiries concerning tax
laws, IRS bills and notices, and resolving tax account
problems.
Document matching.--Process information returns, such as
wage, dividend, and interest statements and matches them with
related individual income tax returns. This enables the Service
to identify income reporting discrepancies, unsubstantiated
deductions, and nonfiling of tax returns and to verify facts
and amounts in question through taxpayer contact prior to
assessing additional tax or refunding excess credits.
Inspection.--Protect public confidence in the integrity of
the IRS. Internal audit independently reviews service programs
at the national, regional, and local levels to ensure that laws
and regulations are being followed, that management and
financial internal controls are in place, that programs and
major ADP systems are functioning effectively and efficiently,
and that appropriated funds are spent as authorized. Internal
security conducts background investigations to maintain the
integrity of the IRS work force against fraud and drug abuse
and protect the Service against outside attempts to bribe,
intimidate, or harass its employees.
Management services.--Set policies and goals, provide
leadership and direction for the Service, and provide
servicewide policy guidance for managing contract
administration and procurement programs, conducting strategic
and organizational planning, and developing and managing the
human, logistical, and financial resources required to fulfill
the Service's mission in performing tax administration. Also
provides all administrative services for IRS national office
and field installations.
Rent and utilities.--Provide rent and utilities for the
entire Service.
Financial Management
The Committee continues to be very concerned with the
financial management of the IRS and the IRS' inability to
adequately justify costs and performance. GAO's February 1997
high-risk series notes that the IRS has made some progress in
addressing its problems, but is still unable to pass a
financial audit.
The Committee remains very concerned with the IRS'
inability to adequately justify costs and performance, and the
Committee continues to remain very concerned about the
financial management of the IRS.
IRS Staffing Plans
The Committee continues to support adequate staffing levels
for effective tax administration and supports the staffing
plans for the Internal Revenue Service facilities in the
communities of Martinsburg and Beckley, WV. Therefore, the
Committee urges the IRS, within the constraints of the fiscal
year 1998 funding levels, to make only minimal, if any,
staffing reductions at the Martinsburg National Computer Center
and the programmed level at the Administrative Services Center
in Beckley, WV.
Newport, VT
The Committee understands that the Newport IRS office has
been unable to fill five positions from within the Service.
These positions must be filled if the Newport office is to be
able to continue its excellent performance as one of two
national centers for processing SS 8 forms. If the reduction-
in-force announcement issued by the IRS on July 7, 1997, does
not result in the Newport positions being filled, the Committee
urges the Service to approve a waiver for external hiring to
allow the office to fill these positions from outside of the
IRS.
Field Reorganization
The fiscal year 1997 appropriations bill for IRS included a
provision (section 105) which required the IRS to provide a
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on
the impact of the planned field organization before it could
implement the reorganization. The Committee found the report
lacking, particularly with regard to its cost/benefit analysis
and its analysis of how adequate taxpayer service will be
provided in the future. The Committee, therefore, directs the
IRS to continue to delay its planned field reduction in force
until it submits another report to the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations with a detailed plan on how the
IRS will ensure adequate taxpayer service in the future. In
addition, the Committee directs the IRS to include a detailed
analysis of the impact of the field reorganization on the
adequacy of taxpayer services in rural areas of the country in
this report.
tax counseling for the elderly
The Committee once again believes that the Tax Counseling
Program for the Elderly has proven to be most successful. To
meet the goals of this program, $3,700,000 is included within
the aggregate amount recommended by the Committee for
processing tax returns and assistance in fiscal year 1998. This
amount represents the same level as provided for this program
in fiscal year 1997. To ensure that the full effect of the
program is accomplished, the IRS is directed to cover
administrative expenses within existing funds.
Taxpayer Services in Alaska and Hawaii
Given the remote distance of Alaska and Hawaii from the
U.S. mainland, the many tax compliance issues unique to the
communities and geography in these States, and the difficulty
in receiving needed assistance by the national toll-free line,
the Committee believes that the Internal Revenue Service should
maintain a problem resolution specialist position, current
problem resolution positions assisting the problem resolution
officer and associate problem resolution officers, and tax
examination personnel of appropriate number and grade within
each of the States of Alaska and Hawaii.
problem resolution office
The Committee notes the success in fiscal year 1997 of
having the Alaska and Hawaii offices retain problem resolution
staff to support the many tax compliance, tax education,
taxpayer protection, and tax administration functions each
local problem resolution office performs. The Committee
concludes that this approach to handling such taxpayer service
issues under the district office consolidation has merit for
each State. Therefore, the Committee instructs the IRS to study
the feasibility of providing one fully staffed problem
resolution office in each State and provide a cost-benefit
analysis of this proposal by February 1, 1998.
IRS RENTAL RATES
The Committee directs the IRS to submit a plan indicating
its progress in reducing space requirements commensurate with
reduced staffing levels. The Committee believes a 10-percent
reduction in space by the year 2001 to be a reasonable target.
As a result, the Committee expects annual reports showing the
Service's progress toward this goal. The first report is to be
submitted to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
by December 30, 1997.
Tax Exempt Organizations and the Tour Industry
The fiscal year 1997 conference report incorporated a
provision that cited the emerging problem of tax-exempt
competition with small business in the travel and tour
industry. Because of increased growth in the number of tax-
exempt organizations that choose to engage in commercial
activities and ambiguities in the definition of what is and
what is not taxable, last year the Committee directed the IRS
to review this situation and take steps, if necessary, to
develop regulations clarifying the substantially related test
as it applies to tax-exempt travel and tour activities.
The Committee believes that this matter would be best
resolved through the issuance of a regulation, thereby
providing the fullest opportunity for public notice and
comment. The Committee, therefore, directs the IRS to address
this matter through a regulation within the next 6 months.
tax law enforcement
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $4,104,211,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 3,153,722,000
Committee recommendation................................ 3,153,722,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,153,722,000
for tax law enforcement activities in fiscal year 1998. This
amount is equal to the budget estimate.
The ``Tax law enforcement'' appropriation provides for the
examination of tax returns, both domestic and international,
and the administrative and judicial settlement of taxpayer
appeals of examination findings. It also provides for technical
rulings, monitoring employee pension plans, determining
qualifications of organizations seeking tax-exempt status,
examining tax returns of exempt organizations, enforcing
statutes relating to detection and investigation of criminal
violations of the internal revenue laws, collecting unpaid
accounts, compiling statistics of income and compliance
research, and securing unfiled tax returns and payments.
Criminal investigations.--Provides for enforcement of
criminal statutes relating to violations of internal revenue
laws. Investigates cases of suspected intent to defraud,
recommends prosecution as warranted, and assists in the
preparation and trial of criminal tax cases. Financial
investigations expose money laundering schemes through a
variety of methods, including currency transaction reports.
Examination.--Encourages voluntary compliance with the
internal revenue laws through the determination of correct tax
liability by the selective examination of tax returns, the
correction of errors, and explanation of these corrections to
taxpayers. The appeals portion of this activity provides
staffing, training, and direct support to allow for an
administrative review process that provides a channel for
impartial case settlement prior to cases being docketed in a
court of law.
Collection.--Collects unpaid accounts and secures
delinquent returns; develops and implements programs to prevent
tax accounts from becoming delinquent; determines and analyzes
reasons for tax accounts that become delinquent; and develops,
implements, and measures programs that analyze the reasons for
types and degrees of nonfiling.
Employee plans and exempt organizations.--Monitors private
pension plans to ensure compliance with the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. Organizations apply
for tax-exempt status, which is determined by this activity,
through the application of certain tests. By examining tax
returns of tax-exempt organizations, it monitors and ensures
compliance with current tax laws regarding tax-exempt
organizations.
Statistics of income.--Publishes statistics of income
reports on the operation of income tax laws, as required by the
Internal Revenue Code for the Congress and its committees; for
administrative use by the Secretary of the Treasury and the
Commissioner of Internal Revenue; and for the Federal benchmark
statistical programs on income, wealth, and finance.
Private Sector Debt Collection
The Committee has previously provided a total of
$32,000,000 for a private sector debt collection pilot
projects. GAO recently reported that the pilot project, as
structured, cannot collect adequate levels of overdue taxes.
The Committee has requested that GAO work with the IRS to
structure a pilot program and provide the legislative changes
that would be necessary for a successful private debt
collection pilot project.
Taxpayer Protection
The Committee remains concerned that taxpayers receive
adequate protection from undue enforcement actions particularly
when no intentional misconduct is alleged by the IRS. The
Committee intends to continue to ensure that taxpayers rights
are being respected by the IRS and that taxpayers are treated
equitably under the law.
information systems
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $1,323,075,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 1,272,487,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,272,487,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,272,487,000
for information systems activities in fiscal year 1998. The
Committee recommendation is equal to the budget request.
The ``Information systems'' appropriation provides for
servicewide data processing support, including the evaluation,
development, and implementation of computer systems, including
software and hardware requirements.
Operational information systems.--Provides for servicewide
automation support for the processing, assistance and
management, and tax law enforcement appropriations. This
activity also includes those tax system modernization projects
that have advanced from the developmental phase to an
operational mode after servicewide implementation and
acceptance.
Developmental information systems.--Provides for major
redesign and acquisition of the basic information systems
infrastructure needed to achieve a fully integrated framework
for tax administration operations. This includes implementing a
redesigned tax administration system, developing a target
architecture, replacing equipment at major field installations,
and executing other major redesign efforts.
Modernization Efforts
The Committee is pleased that the IRS has produced a
modernization blueprint which was presented to Congress on May
15, 1997. While there have been a number of plans in the past,
this blueprint appears to be a product the IRS can use to
develop a more detailed plan for implementation. The Committee
believes the most important thing for the IRS, at this point,
is to follow through on the processes and procedures it has
established for investment review and systems life cycle. There
is much that can be done to implement modernization and the IRS
should not delay this process. In 1997, Congress directed the
IRS to turn over a majority of its tax systems modernization
work to the private sector. The Committee is pleased that the
IRS is planing to develop and implement the modernization plan
through new partnerships with the private sector.
Century Date Change
The Committee believes that the century date change is and
should be the IRS' highest priority. Once the requirements of
the century date change are fulfilled, the IRS will need to
focus attentions on the modernization effort.
The Committee believes strongly that all efforts related to
the century date change be funded as the IRS priority, and that
no efforts strictly related to the modernization program be
included as a century date change cost.
CENTURY DATE CHANGE AND DATA CENTER CONSOLIDATION
The Committee supports the data center consolidation as
part of the century date change and is pleased at the
efficiencies the IRS believes will result from this
consolidation. According to the IRS the efficiencies include:
replacing outdated technology, setting the platform for the
future implementation of the modernization architecture,
producing $300,000,000 in savings through future cost
reductions, and reducing 600 positions over a 2-year period.
To ensure the century date change compliance initiative and
the data center consolidation occur, the Committee directs IRS
to transfer $130,000,000 requested for development and
deployment in fiscal year 1998 funds and to transfer
$102,500,000 provided for development and deployment in fiscal
year 1997 to the century date change and data center
consolidation initiatives. In addition, the IRS is directed to
apply $32,000,000 from the tax law enforcement private sector
debt collection initiative.
In transferring the fiscal year 1997 funding the Committee
directs that development and deployment funding be continued
for automated tax law programs, the telephone routing
interactive systems, the compliance research information
system, the customer service integrated case processing system,
the electronic fraud detection system, the Telefile system, and
a portion of the integrated submission processing strategy and
workload management system.
The Committee believes it is critical that the IRS verifies
the conversion of all equipment prior to the year 2000. The
Committee recommends that the IRS keep in mind the requirement
that the program should be functional for a full calendar year
prior to the year 2000.
Seizure and Sale of Limited Entry Commercial Fishing Permits
The Committee has included a new administrative provision
to provide a long overdue solution to a conflict involving the
seizure and sale by the IRS of State-issued limited entry
commercial fishing permits. Section 6334 of the Internal
Revenue Code exempts from levy tools of trade in certain
circumstances and section 6343 gives the Secretary additional
authority to release levies where the release will facilitate
the collection of a tax liability. State limited entry
commercial fishing permits are a unique tool of trade that
generally exceed the dollar value threshold established under
section 6334. It has come to the Committee's attention that the
Secretary has not exercised the alternative authority under
section 6343 to release levies on State commercial fishing
permits even where the continued use of the permit would be
more likely than a seizure and sale to result in the full
collection of a tax liability. The Committee has, therefore,
included a provision which prohibits the Secretary from
expending funds to collect a tax liability by levy on a State
limited entry permit unless the Secretary has first determined,
in writing and by clear and convincing evidence, that the levy
will facilitate the full collection of the liability.
Information Technology Investments
Appropriations, 1997....................................................
Budget estimate, 1998................................... $500,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 325,000,000
The Committee has denied the request for $500,000,000 for a
capital investment account for future computer systems
modernization efforts. The Committee supports wholeheartedly
the IRS modernization efforts thus far; however, much more work
needs to be done before this Committee can, in all good
conscience, appropriate more money for any modernization
effort.
However, the Committee has provided an additional
$325,000,000 in this account for the capital asset acquisition
of information technology systems as they relate to the century
date change and data center consolidation. Those funds will
become available for obligation on September 1, 1998.
IRS--administrative provisions
The Committee has recommended approval of the following
administrative provisions for the Internal Revenue Service:
Section 101 authorizes the IRS to transfer up to 5 percent
of any appropriation made available to the agency in fiscal
year 1998, to any other IRS account. The IRS is directed to
follow the Committee's reprogramming procedures outlined
earlier in this report.
Section 102 is a provision which maintains a training
program in taxpayer's rights and cross-cultural relations.
Section 103 requires the IRS to maintain taxpayer services
at not less than 1995 levels.
Section 104 prohibits the expenditure of funds for the
collection of taxes unless the conduct of officers and
employees of the IRS complies with the Fair Debt Collection
Practices Act.
Section 105 requires the IRS to institute and enforce
policies and procedures which will safeguard the
confidentiality of taxpayer information.
Section 106 directs that funds shall be available for
improved facilities and increased manpower to provide
sufficient and effective 1-800 telephone assistance and that
the Commissioner shall continue to make this a priority.
Section 107 provides that no field support reorganization
shall be undertaken in Aberdeen, SD, until the IRS toll-free
help phone line assistance program reaches at least an 80
percent service level, certified by the Commissioner.
Section 108 provides that no reorganization of the field
office structure of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal
Investigation Division will result in a reduction of criminal
investigators in Wisconsin from the 1996 level.
Section 109 prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury from
expending funds to collect a tax liability by levy on a State-
limited entry permit unless the Secretary has determined that
the levy will facilitate the full collection of the liability.
U.S. Secret Service
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $531,288,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 575,971,000
Committee recommendation................................ 570,809,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $570,809,000
for the U.S. Secret Service in fiscal year 1998. This amount is
$39,521,000 above the fiscal year 1997 enacted level.
secret service functions
Investigations, protection, and uniformed activities.--The
Service must provide for the protection of the President of the
United States, members of his immediate family, the President-
elect, the Vice President, or other officer next in the order
of succession to the Office of the President, and the Vice
President-elect, and the members of their immediate families
unless the members decline such protection; protection of the
person of a visiting head and accompanying spouse of a foreign
state or foreign government and, at the direction of the
President, other distinguished foreign visitors to the United
States and official representatives of the United States
performing special missions abroad; the protection of the
person of former Presidents, their spouses and minor children
unless such protection is declined. The Service is also
responsible for the detection and arrest of persons engaged in
counterfeiting, forging, or altering of any of the obligations
or other securities of the United States and foreign
governments; the investigation of thefts and frauds relating to
Treasury electronic fund transfers; fraudulent use of debit and
credit cards; fraud and related activity in connection with
Government identification documents; computer fraud; food
coupon fraud; and the investigation of personnel, tort claims,
and other criminal and noncriminal cases.
The Secret Service Uniformed Division protects the
Executive Residence and grounds in the District of Columbia;
any building in which White House offices are located; the
President and members of his immediate family; the official
residence and grounds of the Vice President in the District of
Columbia; the Vice President and members of his immediate
family; foreign diplomatic missions located in the Washington
metropolitan area; and the Treasury Building, its annex and
grounds, and such other areas as the President may direct on a
case-by-case basis.
Presidential candidate protective activities.--The Secret
Service is authorized to protect major Presidential and Vice
Presidential candidates, as determined by the Secretary of the
Treasury after consultation with an advisory committee. In
addition, the Service is authorized to protect the spouses of
major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates; however,
such protection may not commence more than 120 days prior to
the general Presidential election.
The Committee has provided $6,568,000 for continued White
House security enhancements, $1,623,000 for fixed site and
security maintenance, $2,830,000 for LAN replacement,
$1,000,000 for year 2000 date conversion, $6,100,000 for
FLEWUG/SNET, and $6,700,000 for vehicle replacement. The
Committee has agreed to the administration's request to
transfer $5,000,000 for anticounterfeiting from the violent
crime reduction trust fund to this account.
Identity-Based Crime Prevention
The Committee is concerned with the growing number of
identity-based crimes in the United States. In 1994 alone,
Federal and State officials spent an estimated $3,500,000,000
on 350,000 cases of fraud, counterfeiting, and forgery, much of
which is identity-based. The U.S. Government, citizens, and
businesses lose well over $25,000,000,000 per year in identity-
based crimes. The Committee recognizes that the Secret Service
has the primary Federal law enforcement jurisdiction in
combating these crimes. Additionally, the Secret Service has
demonstrated a leadership role in providing risk analysis of
various identity-based crimes. Based upon this demonstrated
success in this area, the Committee provides $1,460,000 in
order for the Secret Service to provide technical assistance
and to assess the effectiveness of this new technology which is
intended to combat identity-based crimes. This technology is
being developed in an effort to better verify identification
securely and quickly, and will reduce crime in financial
transactions.
Missing and Exploited Children
The Committee has included funding from the violent crime
trust fund for the Service's operational costs of the Exploited
Child Unit, associated with its continued efforts with the
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
acquisition, construction, improvement and related expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $37,365,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 9,176,000
Committee recommendation................................ 9,176,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $9,176,000 for
the ``Acquisition, construction, improvement and related
expenses'' account in fiscal year 1998. This amount equals the
budget estimate.
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
General Provisions
The Committee recommends that certain general provisions be
included in the Senate bill. The provisions do the following:
Section 111 pertains to reprogramming instructions for
unobligated funds.
Section 112 authorizes certain basic services within the
Treasury Department in fiscal year 1998, including purchase of
uniforms; maintenance, repairs, and cleaning; purchase of
insurance for official motor vehicles operated in foreign
countries; and contracts with the Department of State for
health and medical services to employees and their dependents
serving in foreign countries.
Section 113 requires that funds provided to ATF for fiscal
year 1998 will be expended in such a manner so as not to
diminish enforcement efforts with respect to section 105 of the
Federal Alcohol Administration Act.
Section 114 authorizes transfers, up to 2 percent, between
law enforcement appropriations under certain circumstances.
Section 115 authorizes transfers, up to 2 percent, between
Departmental Offices, Office of Inspector General, Financial
Management Service, and the Bureau of the Public Debt
appropriations under certain circumstances.
Section 116 requires the reimbursement of Secret Service
personnel for certain fees and costs.
Section 117 adjusts the compensation for the Secretary of
the Treasury. This adjustment will take effect with the
appointment of the next Secretary.
The Committee understands that when former Secretary of the
Treasury Lloyd Bentsen assumed the Office of the Secretary, the
pay of that position was reduced by Public Law 103-2 (107 Stat.
4 (1993)), in order to avoid the prohibition in article 1,
section 6, clause 2 of the Constitution. The Constitution does
not allow a Senator or Representative to be appointed to any
office whose emoluments or pay have been increased as a result
of congressional action during the tenure of that Senator or
Representative. The Committee has included bill language to
prospectively remedy this situation which will go into effect
for the next Secretary.
Section 118 establishes a consolidated pay system for the
Uniformed Division of the Secret Service.
Section 119 repeals section 117 of the fiscal year 1997
appropriation dealing with the second private sector debt
collection project.
Section 120 designates the Port of Kodiak, AK, as a port of
entry and waives the requirement of the U.S. Customs Service to
establish a full-time office. The Committee intends to minimize
costs to the U.S. Customs Service by allowing the Customs
Service office in Anchorage, AK, to use existing personnel to
perform Customs functions in Kodiak on an as-needed basis.
TITLE II--U.S. POSTAL SERVICE
Payment to the Postal Service Fund
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $90,463,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 86,274,000
Committee recommendation................................ 86,274,000
The Committee has recommended an appropriation of
$86,274,000 in fiscal year 1998 for payment to the Postal
Service fund. This amount is equal to the President's budget
request.
Revenue forgone on free and reduced-rate mail enables
postage rates to be set at levels below the unsubsidized rates
for certain second-class, third-class, and fourth-class mail as
authorized by subsections (c) and (d) of section 2401 of title
39, United States Code. Free mail for the blind and overseas
voters will continue to be provided at the funding level
recommended by the Committee.
The funding provided by the Committee is allocated for the
following purposes: $57,274,000 for free mail for the blind and
overseas voters and $29,000,000 for the reimbursement to the
Postal Service for subsidies provided for the revenue forgone
program.
The Committee includes provisions in the bill that would
assure that mail for overseas voting and mail for the blind
shall continue to be free; that 6-day delivery and rural
delivery of mail shall continue at the 1983 level; and that
none of the funds provided be used to consolidate or close
small rural and other small post offices in fiscal year 1998.
These are services that must be maintained in fiscal year 1998
and beyond. The Committee believes that, despite the lack of
public service appropriations, these critical postal services
are the linchpin of services that the public deserves and
expects.
Pest Introductions
The Committee directs the Postal Service to continue its
work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Hawaii
Department of Agriculture. This effort is directed at combating
the recent introduction of plant and animal pests and diseases
into the State of Hawaii through the U.S. mail system. Such
introductions have severe consequences for U.S. agriculture,
biodiversity, and public health and safety.
Newark, NJ
The Committee understands that the Postal Service is
interested in constructing a carrier and retail facility in the
University Heights redevelopment area of Newark, NJ. The
Committee supports this effect but understands that the Postal
Service cannot move ahead with this project until funding has
been authorized through the appropriate Committees for the
cleanup of the environmental hazardous waste.
Payment to the Postal Service Fund for Nonfunded Liabilities
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $35,536,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 34,850,000
Committee recommendation................................ 34,850,000
The Committee has recommended an appropriation of
$34,850,000 in fiscal year 1998 for payment to the Postal
Service fund for nonfunded liabilities. This amount is equal to
the President's budget request.
TITLE III--EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AND FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO
THE PRESIDENT
Summary
The President's fiscal year 1998 budget request for the 14
accounts funded under this title totals $485,225,000. This
amount is $61,884,000 above the total fiscal year 1997
appropriations.
These 14 accounts include: Compensation of the President,
Office of Administration, the White House Office, the Executive
Residence at the White House, the Official Residence of the
Vice President, Special Assistance to the President, the
Council of Economic Advisers, the Office of Policy Development,
the National Security Council, the Office of Administration,
the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of National
Drug Control Policy, high-intensity drug trafficking areas, and
unanticipated needs. For accounts included in this title, the
Committee recommends a total funding level of $429,826,000 for
fiscal year 1998, equal to the total funding level requested by
the President.
computer systems modernization
The Committee has funded requests from the White House in
previous years for modernizing computer systems. The Committee
feels that the President should be provided with the support to
operate at the highest levels of efficiency. However, it is
necessary to have a plan and blueprint for modernization
efforts, so that computer equipment is not procured for the
sake of being state of the art. The Committee has included the
funding the President has requested for automation
enhancements, but has fenced all funding for requests over
$50,000 pending the submission and approval of a systems
architecture, milestone schedule, and estimate of funds
required.
compensation of the president
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $250,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 250,000
Committee recommendation................................ 250,000
The fiscal year 1998 budget request for compensation of the
President is $250,000. This amount includes $200,000 for the
direct salary of the President as authorized by 3 U.S.C. 102,
and a $50,000 expense account for official expenses, with any
unused portions reverting to the Treasury. This expense account
is not considered as taxable to the President.
The Committee recommends the full budget request of
$250,000 for compensation of the President.
The White House Office
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $40,193,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 51,199,000
Committee recommendation................................ 51,199,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $51,199,000
for the White House Office. The Committee recommendation equals
the budget estimate.
These funds provide the President with staff assistance and
provide administrative services for the direct support of the
President. Public Law 95-570 authorizes appropriations for the
White House Office and codifies the activities of the White
House Office. In addition, the Committee has fenced $873,000 of
the funds appropriated in anticipation of a system
architecture, milestone schedule, and an estimate of the funds
required to support the capital investment.
WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY
As requested by the administration, the Committee has
included $9,800,000 for the reimbursement of support services
to the White House Office from the White House Communications
Agency [WHCA]. These funds have been transferred from the
Department of Defense in accordance with Public Law 104-201,
the 1997 Defense Authorization Act.
Executive Residence at the White House
operating expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $7,827,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 8,045,000
Committee recommendation................................ 8,045,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $8,045,000 for
the Executive Residence at the White House. The Committee
recommendation equals the budget estimate.
These funds provide for the care, maintenance,
refurnishing, improvement, heating, and lighting, including
electrical power and fixtures, of the Executive Residence.
The Executive Residence staff provides for the operation of
the Executive Residence. A staff of 36 domestic employees
accomplish general housekeeping, prepare and serve meals, greet
visitors, and provide services as required in support of
official and ceremonial functions. A staff of 33 tradespersons,
including plumbers, carpenters, painters, on a single shift;
electricians on a double shift; and operating engineers on a
24-hour basis, maintains and makes repairs, minor
modifications, and improvements to the 132 rooms and the
mechanical systems, and provides support for official and
ceremonial functions.
A staff of 12 specialized employees provide services
necessary to the operation of the White House and official and
ceremonial functions. This staff includes four florists, four
curators, and four calligraphers.
An administrative staff consists of the chief usher, four
assistant ushers, one executive grounds superintendent, one
operating accountant, and one administrative officer. This
staff is charged with management and administrative functions
of the Executive Residence. This requires coordination with the
Executive Office of the President, the National Park Service,
the military, the U.S. Secret Service, the General Services
Administration, and other agencies.
During larger events, the Executive Residence staff is
assisted by contract personnel under personal services contract
agreements (service by agreement) to provide additional help as
required for official and ceremonial functions.
White House Repair and Restoration
Appropriations, 1997....................................................
Budget estimate, 1998................................... $200,000
Committee recommendation................................ 200,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $200,000 for
White House repair and restoration. The Committee
recommendation equals the budget estimate.
Special Assistance to the President
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $3,280,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 3,378,000
Committee recommendation................................ 3,378,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,378,000 for
special assistance to the President. The Committee
recommendation equals the budget estimate.
The ``Special assistance to the President'' account was
established on September 26, 1970, to enable the Vice President
to provide assistance to the President. This assistance takes
the form of directed and special Presidentially assigned
functions.
The objective of the Office of the Vice President is to
efficiently and effectively advise, assist, and support the
President in the areas of domestic policy, national security
affairs, counsel, administration, press, scheduling, advance,
special projects, and assignments. Assistance is also provided
for the wife of the Vice President.
The Vice President also has a staff funded by the Senate to
assist him in the performance of his duties in the legislative
branch.
The level of funding recommended by the Committee will
allow for 21 full-time permanent positions in fiscal year 1998
or the same as funded in fiscal years 1996-97.
Official Residence of the Vice President
operating expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $324,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 334,000
Committee recommendation................................ 334,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $334,000 for
the official residence of the Vice President. This amount
equals the budget estimate.
The ``Official Residence of the Vice President
(residence)'' account was established by Public Law 93-346 on
July 12, 1974. The residence is located on the grounds of the
Naval Observatory in the District of Columbia and serves as a
facility for official and ceremonial functions and as a home
for the Vice President and his family.
The objective of the ``Residence'' account is to provide
for the care of, operation, maintenance, refurnishing,
improvement, and heating and lighting of the residence and to
provide such appropriate equipment, furnishings, dining
facilities, services, and provisions as may be required to
enable the Vice President to perform and discharge the duties,
functions, and obligations associated with his high office.
Funds to renovate the residence are provided to the
residence through the Department of the Navy budget. The
Committee has had a longstanding interest in the condition of
the residence and expects to be kept fully apprised by the Vice
President's office of any and all renovations and alterations
made to the residence by the Navy.
The funding level provided by the Committee will support
one full-time equivalent position or the same level as funded
in fiscal years 1996-97.
Council of Economic Advisers
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $3,439,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 3,542,000
Committee recommendation................................ 3,542,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,542,000 for
salaries and expenses of the Council of Economic Advisers. The
Committee recommendation equals the budget estimate.
The activities of the Council are set forth in the
Employment Act of 1946. They include the following: To assist
and advise the President in the preparation of the ``Economic
Report''; to gather and analyze timely information concerning
current and prospective economic developments and report
regularly to the President on the relationship of these
developments to the achievement of maximum employment,
production, and purchasing power as prescribed in the act; to
appraise and report to the President on the extent to which the
various programs and activities of the Federal Government
contribute to the carrying out of the purposes of the act; to
develop and recommend to the President national economic
policies to foster and promote competitive enterprise, to avoid
economic fluctuations, and to maintain maximum employment,
production, and purchasing power; and to make such studies,
reports, and recommendations on Federal economic policy and
legislation as the President may request.
In carrying out these duties, the Council consults
regularly with other Government agencies and departments, as
well as the Congress, and representatives of business, labor,
consumers, agriculture, State, and local governments, and the
economics profession. In addition, the members and staff of the
Council are frequently called upon to serve on Cabinet Council
working groups in a wide variety of fields.
Included in the Council's staff is a statistical unit which
is responsible for the monthly publication ``Economic
Indicators'' and the preparation of the statistical material in
the annual ``Economic Report of the President,'' as well as for
providing continuous assistance to the Council and professional
staff.
Office of Policy Development
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $3,867,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 3,983,000
Committee recommendation................................ 3,983,000
The Committee recommends $3,983,000 for the Office of
Policy Development. The Committee recommendation equals the
budget estimate.
The Office of Policy Development supports the National
Economic Council and the Domestic Policy Council, in carrying
out their responsibilities to advise and assist the President
in the formulation, coordination, and implementation of
economic and domestic policy. The Office of Policy Development
also provides support for other domestic policy development and
implementation activities as directed by the President.
National Security Council
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $6,648,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 6,648,000
Committee recommendation................................ 6,648,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $6,648,000 for
the salaries and expenses of the National Security Council
[NSC]. The Committee recommendation equals the budget estimate.
The primary purpose of the Council is to advise the
President with respect to the integration of domestic, foreign,
and military policies relating to the national security.
Subject to direction by the President, it is the responsibility
of the Council to assess and appraise the objectives,
commitments, and risks of the United States in relation to
actual and potential military power, to consider policies on
matters of common interest to the departments and agencies of
the Government, and to make recommendations and other reports
to the President.
The funding level provided by the Committee will support 60
full-time equivalent positions, or the same as the fiscal years
1996-97 levels for the normal activities of the NSC.
Office of Administration
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $26,100,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 28,883,000
Committee recommendation................................ 28,883,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $28,883,000
for the Office of Administration in fiscal year 1998. The
Committee recommendation equals the budget estimate.
The Office of Administration [OA] was created by
Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1977 and formally established by
Executive Order 12028. The purpose of the Office of
Administration provides financial and personnel management
services, information management, library and records
management services, and general services support to all
agencies within the Executive Office of the President [EOP] and
upon request, services in direct support of the President.
The Office of Administration is composed of six functional
divisions which are: Personnel Management Division, Financial
Management Division, Administrative Operations Division,
Library and Research Services Division, the Information
Services and Technology Division, and Facilities Management
Division. Of the funding provided for the Office of
Administration, $2,000,000 of the funds may not be obligated
until the director has submitted a systems architecture,
milestone schedule, and an estimate of the funds required to
support the capital investment.
Office of Management and Budget
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $55,573,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 57,240,000
Committee recommendation................................ 57,240,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $57,240,000.
The Committee recommendation equals the budget estimate.
The Office of Management and Budget [OMB] assists the
President in the discharge of his budgetary, management, and
other executive responsibilities.
National security and international affairs; general
Government; natural resources, energy, and science; human
resources; and health and personnel.--Agency programs, budget
requests, and management activities are examined,
appropriations are apportioned, proposed changes in agency
functions are studied, and special analyses aimed at
establishing goals and objectives that would result in long-
and short-range improvements in the agencies' financial,
administrative, and operational management are conducted.
Implementation of Governmentwide policies as developed by the
statutory management offices is carried out. Governmentwide
supply and facility acquisition, credit and cash management,
and personnel management policies are evaluated. Also,
leadership and support is provided for program evaluation and
Federal-State-local relations.
Director's office/OMB-wide offices.--Executive direction
and coordination for all Office of Management and Budget
activities is provided. This includes the Director's immediate
office as well as staff support in the areas of administration,
public affairs, legislative reference, legislative affairs,
economic policy, budget review, and general counsel. Budget
instructions and procedures are developed, review of agency
estimates is coordinated, budget data systems are maintained,
agency financial management plans are reviewed, the budget
document is prepared, and scorekeeping is accomplished.
Financial management.--Governmentwide policy guidance for
financial statements, financial systems, and internal controls
is provided to agencies; evaluation of agency performance and
progress is carried out; and a Governmentwide financial
management plan is prepared.
Information and regulatory affairs.--Agency proposals to
implement or revise Federal regulations and information
collection requirements are reviewed and coordinated.
Information resource management and statistical policies and
practices are analyzed and developed.
Procurement policy.--The Office of Federal Procurement
Policy is responsible for promoting economy, efficiency, and
effectiveness in the procurement of property and services by
and for the executive branch.
transcript review
The Committee has continued language in the bill that would
prohibit OMB from altering certain transcripts. The Committee
is very concerned about the timeliness of administration
responses to questions the Committee asks for the record during
the hearing cycle. When agencies are queried, the most often
cited reason is that the answers have not yet cleared OMB. The
Committee is not naive enough to believe that OMB is solely to
blame for these delays. However, because of OMB's position, it
is important that answers to these questions are responded to
in a timely manner. The Committee directs OMB to work with all
departments and agencies to ensure the Committee is given the
courtesy of timely responses.
YEAR 2000 SOFTWARE CONVERSION
The Committee continues to have significant concerns
regarding the Government's ability to have its computer systems
ready for the century date conversion in the year 2000.
Specifically, the Committee is concerned that the
Governmentwide estimate of $2,300,000,000 for the conversion is
understated and that agencies are not allowing adequate time
for the validation of the converted systems. Therefore, the
Committee directs OMB to report to the Senate Committee on
Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Governmental
Affairs, on a quarterly basis, on the progress being made on
the year 2000 conversion. The reports should include a summary
of agency costs to date, and a summary of agency validation
schedules, in addition to contingency plans in the event the
validation schedule is not met. Finally, the Committee directs
OMB to identify other Governmentwide systems that are date
sensitive as part of the first quarterly report provided to the
Committees by January 1, 1998.
TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT INITIATIVES
The Committee strongly supports OMB Directive M-97-02,
dated October 25, 1996, regarding Governmentwide technology
investment initiatives. The Committee urges OMB to continue
aggressive oversight of agency technology needs and to submit
only those requests which meet the criteria set forth in the
directive in the President's fiscal year 1999 budget request.
ENERGY CONSERVATION
The Committee continues to believe that the Federal
Government needs to give greater priority to reducing the
energy costs associated with the facilities it owns, leases,
and operates. Therefore, the Committee directs that the report
which was required by the Committee in Public Law 104-208 be
furnished annually. The Committee further directs that the
acquisition of all energy conservation measures or related
services by any Federal agency should be obtained in a
competitive manner.
The Committee provides that no funds in this act, or any
other act hereinafter enacted, may be used for the sole source
procurement of energy conservation measures or any related
services applied to Federal buildings pursuant to part 3 of
title V (42 U.S.C. 8251 et seq.) and title VIII (42 U.S.C. 8287
et seq.) of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act or
section 201(a) of the Federal Property and Administrative
Services Act (40 U.S.C. 481(a)) or section 2801(a) of Public
Law 102-484 (10 U.S.C. 2865(d)). However, the special
procurement authorities under section 8(a) of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637a) shall remain available for the
acquisition of energy conservation measures or any related
services by any Federal agency.
Office of National Drug Control Policy
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $35,838,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 36,016,000
Committee recommendation................................ 36,016,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $36,016,000.
This recommendation equals the budget estimate.
The Office of National Drug Control Policy [ONDCP] was
established pursuant to section 1002 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act
of 1988, Public Law 100-690. The ONDCP is the President's
primary executive branch agency for drug policy and program
oversight. The Director is charged by law with the formulation,
evaluation, coordination, and oversight of both international
and domestic antidrug abuse functions of all executive branch
agencies, and to ensure that such functions sustain and
complement State and local antidrug abuse efforts.
counterdrug technology assessment center
The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, Public Law 100-690, was
amended during 1990 to provide for the establishment of a
Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center within the Office of
National Drug Control Policy. This Office is authorized to
serve as the central counternarcotics enforcement research and
development organization of the U.S. Government. The law
provides for the appointment of a chief scientist to head up
this new center, to make a priority ranking of scientific needs
according to fiscal and technological feasibility as part of
the national counterdrug enforcement research and development
strategy.
The Committee has provided $26,500,000, including funding
through VCRTF, for counternarcotics research and development
projects in fiscal year 1998.
The Committee expects multiagency research and development
programs to be coordinated by the Counterdrug Technology
Assessment Center in order to prevent duplication of effort and
to assure that whenever possible, those efforts provide
capabilities that transcend the need of any single Federal
agency. Prior to the obligation of these funds, the Committee
expects to be notified by the chief scientist on how these
funds will be spent; it also expects to receive periodic
reports from the chief scientist on the priority counterdrug
enforcement research and development requirements identified by
the Center and on the status of projects funded by CTAC.
The Committee believes CTAC should work closely and
cooperatively with the individual law enforcement agencies in
the definition of a national research and development program
which addresses agency requirements with respect to timeliness,
operational utility, and consistency with agency budget plans.
CTAC should develop a true blueprint for the program to include
identification and assignment of priority projects, expected
results, and funding projections based on agency priorities and
expected results. This effort should be led by CTAC with input,
review, and consensus from drug control agencies. The blueprint
should include descriptions of the necessary conference and
outreach efforts. The national blueprint shall also include the
rationale for allocation of funding among demand, supply, and
State and local efforts. The Committee expects agencies to
support CTAC by defining the expected value of the projects
they advocate and placing them in the context with agency and
national goals and programs. Agencies should also identify the
expected cost and benefits of procuring sufficient quantities
of equipment under development, assuming it is successful. The
Committee believes CTAC should recognize the ultimate
requirements for technology procurement if technology
development is successful and advocate funding requests for
such equipment. Finally, the Committee believes CTAC should
recognize and support agency contributions to research and
development and work to strengthen those capabilities.
unanticipated needs
Appropriations, 1997....................................................
Budget estimate, 1998................................... $1,000,000
Committee recommendation................................................
The Committee recommendation is $1,000,000 less than the
budget request.
Funds Appropriated to the President
Federal drug control programs
high-intensity drug trafficking areas
(including transfer of funds)
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $127,102,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 140,207,000
Committee recommendation................................ 140,207,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $140,207,000.
This amount is equal to the President's request.
Section 1005 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 authorized
the Director of ONDCP to designate certain areas in the United
States, as high-intensity drug trafficking areas [HIDTA's] for
the purpose of providing increased Federal assistance to
alleviate drug-related problems. The most critical drug
trafficking areas of the country are designated as HIDTA's.
There are currently 15 HIDTA's: New York, Miami, Houston,
Los Angeles, Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area, Puerto
Rico-Virgin Islands, the Southwest border, Chicago, Atlanta,
Philadelphia-Camden, the gulf coast, Lake County, IN, the
Midwest (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota), the
Pacific Northwest (Washington Cascades), and the Rocky Mountain
(Colorado, Utah, Wyoming). The Committee directs that funding
shall be provided for the existing HIDTA's at no less than the
fiscal year 1997 level.
A total of not less than $71,000,000 is provided in this
account specifically for assistance to State and local drug
control agencies in the 15 HIDTA's. In allocating these funds,
the Committee expects the Director of the Office of National
Drug Control Policy to ensure that the activities receiving
these limited additional resources are used strictly for
implementing the strategy for each HIDTA, taking into
consideration local conditions and resource requirements. These
funds should not be used to supplant existing support for
ongoing Federal, State, or local drug control operations
normally funded out of the operating budgets of each agency.
The remaining funds may be transferred to Federal agencies and
departments to support Federal antidrug activities.
The Committee believes that the Director should take steps
to ensure that the HIDTA funds are transferred to the
appropriate drug control agencies expeditiously. To ensure that
the funding allocations meet the priorities outlined in the
strategies, the Committee instructs the Director to submit the
strategies, along with the identification of how the funds will
be spent, to the Committee for review prior to the obligation
of the funds. The Committee also expects to be notified if any
changes are made in the spending plans presented to it during
the course of the fiscal year. The Committee further instructs
the Director to submit the updated 1998 strategies for each of
the HIDTA's to the Committee for review and to obligate the
HIDTA funds within 120 days of enactment of this act. This
provision may be waived if a request is made to the Committee
and has been approved in advance according to the normal
reprogramming procedures. The Committee expects the Director to
take actions necessary to ensure that all HIDTA funds are being
used to support only those activities which are directly linked
to the individual HIDTA strategies recommended by the HIDTA
coordinators and which support the goals and objectives
outlined in each of these strategies.
Violent Crime Trust Fund
The Committee has provided an additional $3,000,000 for the
HIDTA's in the violent crime trust fund. These funds are
intended to supplement the existing funding for the Rocky
Mountain HIDTA. The Director is instructed to provide this
funding to the Rocky Mountain HIDTA along with full funding
level provided for in the 1998 request. The Committee expects
the Director to consult the Committee with regard to
distribution of funds following established procedures.
Special Forfeiture Fund
Appropriation, fiscal year 1997......................... $112,900,000
Budget estimate, fiscal year 1998....................... 175,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 145,300,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $145,300,000.
This amount is $32,400,000 more than the fiscal year 1997
request.
The special forfeiture fund was established by the Anti-
Drug Abuse Act of 1988, as amended, to be administered by the
Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. While
the fund was originally authorized to receive deposits from the
Department of Justice assets forfeiture fund and the Treasury
forfeiture fund, its current source of funding is ``General
fund'' appropriations.
Of the funds provided, $110,000,000 is for a national media
campaign to reduce and prevent drug use among young Americans,
$10,000,000 shall be to initiate a program of matching grants
to drugfree communities, as authorized by the Drug-Free
Communities Act of 1997, $10,000,000 is to continue and expand
the methamphetamine reduction efforts, $6,000,000 is for the
establishment of a Federal drugfree prison demonstration
project, and $9,300,000 is provided to continue to support the
reduction of drug use for those involved in the criminal
justice system.
National Media Campaign
ONDCP proposed a 5-year media campaign at a total cost to
the Federal Government of $875,000,000. An explicit assumption
of this proposal is that the Federal funds will be matched by
private contributions. Together, this will represent an
investment of nearly $1,800,000,000. Although the Committee is
pleased that the administration has revived its commitment to
drug-reduction efforts, the Committee is disappointed in the
lack of information and planning efforts associated with this
proposal that has been provided to the Committee. The Committee
believes the national media campaign proposed by the
administration is meritorious; however, the Committee also
believes that fully funding this program at the requested level
is premature at this time. As a result, this Committee has
provided $110,000,000 to conduct a national media campaign.
In order to ensure accountability, the Committee requires
the Director of ONDCP to certify that these funds will neither
displace nor replace current antidrug community-based coalition
efforts, and that no funds will be used for partisan political
purposes. Additionally, the Committee requires ONDCP to develop
a system to measure success in terms of outcomes of the
campaign and report to Congress on their progress within 1
year. The Committee believes that quantifiable performance
measures should capture the use of all categories of drugs as
well as changes in the attitudes of youth toward drug use.
The Committee directs ONDCP to assess all media vehicles
available for this campaign including, but not limited to,
broadcast and print media, and the Internet. Further, the
Committee believes ONDCP should consult with media and drug
experts, such as the Ad Counsel and the Partnership for a Drug-
Free America, in an effort to draw from the experience and
expertise of individuals and organizations that have experience
in this field. The Committee believes that close consultation
with the private sector on the development and implementation
of this national campaign is critical to its success.
The Committee believes this national media campaign, if
properly executed, has the potential to produce concrete
results. The Committee will closely track this national
campaign and its contribution to achieving a drugfree America,
and directs ONDCP to submit quarterly reports on the obligation
of funds as well as the specific parameters of the pilot
campaign. The Committee anticipates that future funding will be
based upon results.
Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997
The accelerating rate of drug use by young Americans is a
major concern that must be addressed. The Committee, therefore,
provides $10,000,000 to support the initiation of matching
grants to drugfree communities, as authorized in the Drug-Free
Communities Act of 1997. These funds will be used to support
the establishment of local counterdrug efforts that are
characterized by strong conditions for local initiatives,
support, and accountability. In addition, the requirement for
participating communities to match funding will help ensure the
degree of commitment necessary to succeed.
METHAMPHETAMINE FUNDING
The Committee recognizes the importance of drug
interdiction initiatives being conducted high-intensity drug
trafficking areas [HIDTA's], especially their role in
coordinating the activities of State and local agencies in our
Nation's war against drugs. The Committee is concerned about
statistics which reveal the proliferation of methamphetamine
[meth] use in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions. The rural
Midwest and Rocky Mountains are a popular location for the
manufacture as well as distribution and transportation of
methamphetamine throughout these areas. As a result, the
Committee directs ONDCP to conduct a pilot in Colorado and
Wisconsin to address this issue and encourages ONDCP to work
with local law enforcement, police, and sheriffs to improve
efforts to combat the meth problem.
REDUCING DRUG USE AMONG THOSE INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
The Committee would like to continue the work that was done
by the Office of National Drug Control Policy by providing
$9,300,000 for further development of this program. The
Committee expects that the program will continue to target a
reduction in drug use, crime, and violence by linking criminal
justice and drug treatment systems.
TITLE IV--INDEPENDENT AGENCIES
Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $1,800,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 1,940,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,940,000
The Committee recommends $1,940,000 for the Committee for
Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled
[CPPBSD]. The Committee recommendation equals the budget
estimate.
The CPPBSD was established by the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act
of 1971. The CPPBSD's primary objective is to increase the
employment opportunities for the blind and other severely
handicapped and, whenever possible, to prepare them to engage
in normal competitive employment. The CPPBSD determines which
commodities and services are suitable for Government
procurement from qualified, nonprofit agencies serving the
blind and other severely handicapped; publishes a procurement
list of such commodities and services; determines the fair
market price for commodities and services on the procurement
list; and makes rules and regulations necessary to carry out
the purposes of the act.
The CPPBSD staff supervises the selection and assignment of
new commodities and services, assists in establishing prices,
reviews and adjusts these prices, verifies the qualifications
of workshops, and monitors their performance.
The Committee recognizes the importance of the Javits-
Wagner-O'Day [JWOD] Act in providing much needed employment
opportunities to blind and other severely handicapped
Americans, while at the same time providing quality goods and
services to the Federal Government at fair market prices.
In this regard, the Committee intends that CPPBSD, in its
monitoring of the designated central nonprofit agencies, assure
that all funds acquired by each such agency from nonprofit
agencies for the blind and other severely handicapped in
conjunction with the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Program be used solely
for activities that are consistent with the goal of the
program, which is to generate employment and training
opportunities for persons who are blind or have other severe
disabilities.
The Congress further recognizes that research, promotional,
and advocacy efforts aimed at strengthening and expanding the
program are both a statutory and necessary function in order
for the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or
Severely Disabled to fulfill its obligations under the JWOD
Act. The Congress supports efforts by the CPPBSD to initiate
such research and advocacy activities.
Federal Election Commission
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $28,165,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 34,516,000
Committee recommendation................................ 29,000,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $29,000,000
for the Federal Election Commission [FEC]. The Committee
recommendation is $5,516,000 below the budget request.
The Federal Election Commission is charged with
implementing and enforcing the Federal Election Campaign Act
[FECA] as amended. This includes: promoting public disclosure
of campaign finance activity; providing information to the
public, press, and campaign officials on the FECA and campaign
finance; obtaining voluntary compliance with the disclosure and
limitation provisions of the FECA; and enforcing that
disclosure and compliance through audits, investigations, and/
or litigation. The Commission is also charged with implementing
the Presidential campaign funding programs for both primary and
general election campaigns of qualified Presidential
candidates. This includes certification, audit, and enforcement
of the provisions of the Federal funding legislation concerning
the use of Federal funds.
Federal Labor Relations Authority
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $21,588,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 22,039,000
Committee recommendation................................ 22,039,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $22,039,000
for the Federal Labor Relations Authority [FLRA]. This amount
is equal to the budget request.
The FLRA was established to administer title VII of the
Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 and to serve as a neutral
third party in the resolution of labor-management disputes
arising among unions, employees, and Federal agencies. The
effective resolution of these labor-management disputes has an
important impact on the operations of the Government. These
disputes arise with nearly all agencies of the executive
branch, the Library of Congress, and the Government Printing
Office, in locations throughout the United States and overseas.
Authority members.--Provides leadership in the
establishment of policies and guidance relating to matters
under title VII of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978.
Specifically, the authority is empowered to: (1) determine the
appropriateness of units for labor organization representation;
(2) supervise or conduct elections to determine whether a labor
organization has been selected as an exclusive representative
by a majority of the employees in an appropriate unit; (3)
otherwise administer the provisions relating to the according
of exclusive recognition to labor organizations; (4) prescribe
criteria and resolve issues relating to the granting of
national consultation rights; (5) prescribe and resolve issues
relating to determining compelling need for agency rules and
regulations; (6) resolve issues relating to the duty to bargain
in good faith; (7) prescribe criteria relating to the granting
of consultation rights with respect to conditions of
employment; (8) conduct hearings involving complaints of unfair
labor practices; (9) resolve exceptions to arbitrators' awards;
and (10) take such other actions as necessary and appropriate
to effectively administer the provisions of title VII of the
Civil Service Reform Act of 1978.
General Counsel.--Has discharged responsibilities mandated
in the Federal service-management relations statute and
additional responsibilities which are delegated from the
authority. The functions of the Office of the General Counsel
are to: (1) investigate all alleged unfair labor practices
under the Federal service labor-management relations statute
and under the foreign service labor-management relations
statute; (2) exercise final authority over the issuance of all
complaints and the prosecution of all complaints arising under
the statutes listed above; (3) review and decide all appeals of
decisions of the regional directors refusing to issue
complaint; (4) exercise delegated authority for investigating
and taking dispositive action on all representation petitions;
(5) exercise delegated authority for supervising or conducting
all representation elections and certifying the results of
these elections to the parties; (6) exercise delegated
authority for conducting hearings in all representation
petitions where issues of fact are in dispute; (7) exercise
delegated authority for the preparation of final decisions and
orders based on the hearings held in representation cases; and
(8) manage regional offices, including directing and
supervising all employees of the regional offices. The regional
offices are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,
Denver, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. Subregional offices
are located in Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, and
Cleveland.
Federal services impasses panel [FSIP].--An entity within
the FLRA, assists Federal agencies and unions representing
Federal employees in resolving impasses which arise in labor
negotiations. The FSIP assists the parties through informal
meetings, factfinding and, if necessary, arbitration. The
professional staff aids the panel members by promptly
investigating requests for assistance; bringing about informal
settlements; conducting factfinding and arbitration hearings;
and drafting report recommendations as well as binding
decisions for the FSIP members. Further, the staff supports the
Foreign Service impasses disputes panel in resolving
negotiation impasses arising under the Foreign Service Act of
1980.
General Services Administration
Federal buildings fund--limitations on availability of revenue
construction and acquisition
Limitation on availability of revenue, 1997............. $657,711,000
Limitation on availability of revenue, 1998.............................
Committee recommendation................................................
The Committee recommends no revenues coming into the
Federal buildings fund [FBF] be used for new construction or
acquisition in fiscal year 1998. As a result of a shortfall to
the fund, revenues normally used to provide for new
construction or acquisition are being applied to previously
authorized projects.
The Committee agrees with the administration's proposal,
the consequence of which is at least a 1-year moratorium on new
construction. Due to the inability of GSA to accurately
calculate the amount of income coming into the FBF and to
correctly estimate the completion date of construction
projects, the administration and the Congress have, in past
appropriations action, assumed a greater level of funds
available for FBF activities than was actually collected.
The Committee is further concerned at GSA's inability to
complete a revised RENT system. Since agencies are currently
developing fiscal year 1999 budget requests, the lack of a
revised system indicates the problems existing within the FBF
will not be resolved expeditiously. Because the Committee could
not fund any new construction projects, including site
acquisition, in fiscal year 1998 based on GSA's 5-year
courthouse construction plan, it fully intends to begin with
those prioritized projects when funding becomes available.
DENVER, CO
The Administrator of General Services is directed to report
to the Committee within 60 days of enactment of this act on a
proposal for the reacquisition of the parcel of land on block
111, East Denver, Denver, CO, which was sold at public auction
by the Federal Government in 1988.
Courthouse Construction
The Committee takes this opportunity to congratulate the
General Services Administration, as well as the Administrative
Office of the Courts [AOC] for their efforts reducing the cost
of construction of Federal courthouses. Questions have arisen
in the past about the need and scope of courthouse
construction. Significant strides have been made over the past
year. The Committee required the AOC to provide a 5-year plan
outlining in priority order the need for court space.
The Committee has included a provision requiring that no
funds made available shall be used to transmit a fiscal year
1999 request for U.S. courthouse construction that does not
meet the design guide standards for construction established
and approved by the General Services Administration, the
Judicial Conference of the United States, and the Office of
Management and Budget. In addition, the request must reflect
the priorities of the Judicial Conference and set out its
approved 5-year construction plan. Finally, the fiscal year
1999 request must be accompanied by a standardized courtroom
utilization study of each facility to be constructed, replaced,
or expanded.
WHITE OAK, MD
The Committee strongly supports the consolidation of the
Food and Drug Administration [FDA] at the White Oak Naval
Surface Warfare Center in Maryland and directs the General
Services Administration [GSA] to proceed expeditiously in
developing a business plan and implementation strategy to
provide new space and facilities for the FDA. Furthermore, the
Committee urges GSA to continue working with the Food and Drug
Administration to identify potential sources of funds required
to complete the project in a timely manner.
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
The Committee recognizes the public health mission of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] and commends
CDC for its history of success in preventing and responding to
the public health concerns of the country. The Committee is
also aware of the delay in the construction of the CDC's new
laboratory and research facilities as a result of the lack of
available General Services Administration funds in fiscal year
1998 for new construction. The CDC fee laboratory, located in
Atlanta, GA, is currently in the first of a two-phase
construction project to replace their current facility. The
Committee recognizes the need for the completion of this
facility and urges GSA to give the project priority
consideration within GSA's new construction guidelines.
The Committee also recognizes that the Division of Vector-
Borne Infectious Diseases [DVID] for the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention [CDC], in Fort Collins, CO, is
responsible for surveillance, prevention and control of vector-
borne viral and bacterial diseases. The current facility is 30
years old and has numerous age-related biosafety and security
issues which need to be addressed for the purposes of CDC's
public health and safety mission. The Committee recognizes the
complication of the situation in that CDC leases its DVID
laboratory space. Therefore, the Committee urges GSA to
continue to work with CDC in developing a solution to CDC's
DVID laboratory facilities needs.
repairs and alterations
Limitation on availability, 1997........................ $639,000,000
Limitation on availability, 1998........................ 434,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 350,000,000
The Committee recommends new obligational authority of
$350,000,000 for repairs and alterations in fiscal year 1998.
The Committee recommendation is $84,000,000 below the budget
estimate.
Under this activity, the General Services Administration
[GSA] executes its responsibility for repairs and alterations
[R&A] of both Government-owned and leased facilities under the
control of GSA. The major goal of this activity is to provide
commercially equivalent space to tenant agencies. Safety,
quality, and operating efficiency of facilities are given
primary consideration in carrying out this responsibility. A
major portion of the fiscal year 1998 program is devoted to
nondiscretionary work necessary to meet this goal and keep the
buildings in an occupiable condition.
R&A workload requirements originate with scheduled onsite
inspections of buildings by qualified regional engineers and
building managers. The work identified through these
inspections is programmed in order of priority into the repairs
and alterations construction automated tracking system [RACATS]
and incorporated into a 5-year plan for accomplishment, based
upon funding availability, urgency, and the volume of R&A work
that GSA has the capability to execute annually. Beginning in
fiscal year 1995, design and construction services activities
associated with the repair and alteration projects are funded
in this account.
The R&A program, for purposes of funds control, is divided
into two types of projects--line item and nonline item. The
following is a definition of each category of projects:
Line item projects.--Line item projects are those larger
projects for which a prospectus is required under the
provisions of the Public Buildings Act of 1959. Generally, line
item projects are similar to construction projects in the scope
of work involved and the multiyear timeframe for project
completion. Line item projects are listed individually in GSA's
appropriations acts and the obligational authority for each
project is limited to the amount shown therein.
Nonline item projects.--Projects included in this category
are generally short term in nature and funds can normally be
obligated within a 1-year period. This category also includes
projects which are recurring in nature, such as cyclic painting
and the minor repair of defective building systems; for
example, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, fire safety, and
elevator system components.
PROSPECTUS LEVEL REPAIRS AND ALTERATIONS
Due to the Federal buildings fund [FBF] inability to
predict rent revenue for fiscal year 1997, utilizing accurate
technical assumption to determine construction completion dates
and to project the impact of downsizing on agencies space
requirements the fund can not support prospectus level repairs
and alterations in fiscal year 1998. Over the past 5 years the
funding of building modernizations, to ensure the proper
maintenance of the Federal Government's assets, has been a
priority for both the administration and Congress. GSA, through
the application of inaccurate financial information, has
created a situation where this priority program will be halted
in fiscal year 1998. As a result, the Committee is displeased
and concerned that GSA is not able to carry out its stewardship
role of maintaining the Federal assets for the future.
In the past the FBF has been able to function as a quasi-
revolving fund with agencies rents paying for the necessary
repairs, alterations, operations, and rental of space. This
system obviously is not working. As a result, the Committee
directs GSA to include in its revised rent system an
identifiable component which will provide funding for the
modernization of each Federal facility at the end of its useful
life, which is typically considered to be at least 30 years. In
addition, GSA will report, by December 30, 1997, to the House
and Senate Committees on Appropriations on the feasibility of
developing repair and alteration sinking funds to ensure the
necessary funds are available when needed.
Below is the list of line item projects recommended for
funding by the Committee for fiscal year 1998.
Repairs and alterations:
Chlorofluorocarbons program......................... $50,000,000
Basic repairs and alterations....................... 300,000,000
Building Security Enhancements
The Committee has included the funding requested by the
administration to enhance Federal building security. The
Committee expects to be kept apprized of the plans for
security, as well as the cooperation of tenant agencies, in
efforts to better secure Federal facilities. The GSA should
also make every effort to seek out and utilize the most modern
technology in this effort. The Committee urges the GSA to
address the costs of retrofitting Federal facilities with
security window film to mitigate potential losses, as
stipulated in the June 28, 1995, Presidential memorandum, and
report to the Committee, as a part of the fiscal year 1999
budget submission.
PHILADELPHIA, PA
The Committee is aware of the need for repairs to the
Byrne-Greene Federal complex in Philadelphia, PA. It is
estimated that $12,500,000 will be required to undertake this
necessary work. The Committee urges the General Services
Administration to give priority consideration to the need for
repairs at the Byrne-Greene Federal complex, consistent with
General Services Administration's repairs and alterations
priority projects.
PITTSBURGH, PA
The Committee is also aware of the need for repairs to the
U.S. Post Office and courthouse in Pittsburgh, PA. It is
estimated that $3,600,000 will be required for the design of
this project. The Committee urges the General Services
Administration to give priority consideration to the need for
repairs at the Pittsburgh Post Office and courthouse,
consistent with General Services Administration's repairs and
alterations priority projects.
AVONDALE, MD
The Committee is aware of concerns about trespassing,
vandalism, and the general deteriorating condition of the
former Bureau of Mines property in Avondale, MD. The Committee
understands that GSA is in the process of disposing of the
property and directs GSA to maintain the necessary level of
security to ensure that the buildings and grounds are protected
until such time as the property is disposed.
installment acquisition payments
Limitation on availability, 1997........................ $173,075,000
Limitation on availability, 1998........................ 142,542,000
Committee recommendation................................ 142,542,000
The Committee recommends a limitation of $142,542,000 for
installment acquisition payments. The Committee recommendation
equals the budget estimate.
The Public Buildings Amendments of 1972 enables GSA to
enter into contractual arrangements for the construction of a
backlog of approved but unfunded projects. The purchase
contracts require the Government to make periodic payments on
these facilities over varying periods until title is
transferred to the Government. This activity provides for the
payment of principal, interest, taxes, and other required
obligations related to facilities acquired pursuant to the
Public Buildings Amendments of 1972 (40 U.S.C. 602a).
Rental of Space
Limitation on availability, 1997........................ $2,343,795,000
Limitation on availability, 1998........................ 2,275,340,000
Committee recommendation................................ 2,275,340,000
The Committee recommends a limitation of $2,275,340,000 for
rental of space. The Committee recommendation is equal to the
budget estimate.
The General Services Administration is responsible for
leasing general purpose space and land incident thereto for
Federal agencies, except cases where the GSA has delegated its
leasing authority (for example, the Department of Veterans
Affairs, as well as the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce,
and Defense). The GSA's policy is to lease privately owned
buildings and land only when: (1) Federal space needs cannot be
otherwise accommodated satisfactorily in existing Government-
owned or leased space; (2) leasing proves to be more efficient
than the construction or alteration of a Federal building; (3)
construction or alteration is not warranted because
requirements in the community are insufficient or are
indefinite in scope or duration; or (4) completion of a new
Federal building within a reasonable time cannot be assured.
Building Operations
Limitation on availability, 1997........................ $1,552,651,000
Limitation on availability, 1977........................ 1,331,789,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,331,789,000
The Committee recommends a limitation of $1,331,789,000 for
building operations. The Committee recommendation is equal to
the budget estimate.
This activity provides for the operation of all Government-
owned facilities under the jurisdiction of the GSA and building
services in GSA-leased space where the terms of the lease do
not require the lessor to furnish such services. Services
included in building operations are cleaning, protection,
maintenance, payments for utilities and fuel, grounds
maintenance, and elevator operations. Other related supporting
services include various real property management and staff
support activities such as space acquisition and assignment;
the moving of Federal agencies as a result of space alterations
in order to provide better space utilization in existing
buildings; onsite inspection of building services and
operations accomplished by private contractors; and various
highly specialized contract administration support functions.
The space, operations, and services referred to above are
furnished by the GSA to its tenant agencies in return for
payment of rent. Due to considerations unique to their
operation, the GSA also provides varying levels of above-
standard services in agency headquarter facilities, including
those occupied by the Executive Office of the President, such
as the east and west wings of the White House.
policy and operations
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $110,173,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 104,487,000
Committee recommendation................................ 104,487,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $104,487,000
for salaries and expenses for the policy and operations of the
General Services Administration. The Committee recommendation
equals the budget request.
The Committee provides full funding for Governmentwide
policy and evaluation functions associated with asset
management activities; utilization and donation of surplus
personal property; Governmentwide and internal responsibilities
related to automated data development, telecommunications, and
information systems. The Office of Governmentwide Policy shall
work cooperatively with other agencies to provide the
leadership necessary to achieve the most cost-effective
solutions for the delivery of administrative services.
Child Care Centers
The Committee recommends that of the funds provided the
Office of Policy and Oversight, up to $900,000 be used to issue
and enforce regulations requiring any entity operating a child
care center in a facility owned or leased by an executive
agency to (1) comply with applicable State and local licensing
requirements related to the provision of child care and (2)
comply with center-based accreditation standards specified by
the Administrator, if such a regulatory program is authorized.
Surplus Equipment to Schools and Educational Institutions
The Committee urges the General Services Administration, in
line with its responsibilities for the disposal of excess and
surplus Federal personal property, to promote and foster the
transfer of excess and surplus computer equipment directly to
schools and to the appropriate nonprofit, community-based
educational organizations. The GSA should communicate with
other Federal agencies to heighten their ongoing awareness of
the existing opportunities at both the national and local
levels to meet the needs of the schools for such equipment and
work with agencies to ensure that the equipment is conveyed to
the school or organization quickly and at the least cost to the
institution. The Committee further directs GSA to work with the
regional Federal executive boards providing guidance and
assistance to help establish regional clearinghouses of
information on the availability of excess computer surplus
equipment in each region. This information should be made
readily available to schools.
Federal Office Building in Colorado Springs
The Federal Building located at 1520 Willamette Avenue in
Colorado Springs, CO, is owned by GSA and is currently leased
to the U.S. Air Force Space Command. It is the Committee's
understanding that Space Command is considering options to
vacate the facility when its lease expires at the end of fiscal
year 1998. In the event that Space Command does not renew its
lease and the facility becomes vacant and is deemed surplus,
the Committee urges GSA to strongly consider the United States
Olympic Committee's need for additional space and to give
priority to the USOC's request to gain title or acquire the
property.
office of inspector general
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $33,863,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 33,870,000
Committee recommendation................................ 33,870,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $33,870,000
for the Office of Inspector General, which equals the budget
estimate.
The Office of Inspector General [OIG] implements in its
entirety the provisions of the Inspector General Act.
Consistent with the Inspector General Act, the OIG has been
given total responsibility for the audit and investigative
functions of the agency. Its mission is to detect and
investigate all instances of fraud and abuse and assure that
proper corrective action is taken. The Office is also charged
with the responsibility for reporting on waste, inefficiency,
and mismanagement, and making recommendations for improvement.
Audit services provided by the OIG fall within two broad
categories: audits of GSA contracts and internal audits,
including inspections. Through the preaward and postaward
auditing of GSA contracts, the OIG provides professional advice
on accounting and financial matters related to the negotiation,
award, administration, repricing, and settlement of contracts.
Internal audits deal with all facets of GSA operations.
Inspections services provide detailed technical evaluations
of GSA operations. The investigations program provides for the
detection and investigation of illegal or unethical activities
against GSA by its employees, vendors doing business with the
agency, and by other individuals or groups of individuals.
The Inspector General Act also requires that the inspectors
general move beyond their traditional role of detecting and
preventing fraud, waste, and abuse, to also assume
responsibility for promoting economy and efficiency. The GSA
Office of Inspector General has a unique role within the
Federal structure in that its activities affect all Federal
agencies and several State programs. The broadened mandate
requires increased emphasis on more effective involvement with
other governmental agencies, identification of systemic
problems, participation in the design of new programs, review
of proposed legislation and regulations, and employee awareness
programs.
allowances and office staff for former presidents
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $2,180,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 2,250,000
Committee recommendation................................ 2,208,000
The Committee recommends $2,208,000 for allowances and
office staff for former Presidents. This recommendation is
$42,000 less than the budget request.
This program is authorized by the Former Presidents Act,
Public Law 85-745 (3 U.S.C. 102 note), of August 25, 1958, as
amended. It provides for an annual pension paid monthly to each
former President and each widow of a former President;
compensation for staff assistants employed by each former
President; and funding for office space, furnishings, and
equipment as appropriate (defined under CG Decision B-114073,
Mar. 8, 1961). The Supplemental Appropriations Act of October
21, 1968, Public Law 90-608, 82 Stat. 1192, allows for travel
and related expenses for each former President and not to
exceed two members of his staff. Title 39 U.S.C. 3214
authorizes a former President and widow to send all mail in the
United States and its territories as franked mail. Under the
Presidential Transition Act, section 3(a)(7), each former
President may use penalty mail.
This appropriation provides for the pensions, office
staffs, and related expenses for former Presidents Gerald R.
Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush and for the
pension and postal franking privileges for the widow of former
President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Below is listed a detailed breakdown of the fiscal year
1998 funding:
ALLOWANCES AND OFFICE STAFF FOR FORMER PRESIDENTS, FISCAL YEAR 1998
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Former Presidents
-------------------------------------------- Widows Total
Ford Carter Reagan Bush
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Personnel compensation........................ $96,000 $96,000 $96,000 $96,000 ......... $384,000
Personnel benefits............................ 25,000 5,000 24,000 41,000 ......... 95,000
Benefits for former personnel: Pensions....... 148,000 148,000 148,000 148,000 $20,000 612,000
Travel........................................ 50,000 2,000 26,000 50,000 ......... 128,000
Rental payment to General Services
Administration............................... 75,000 90,000 270,000 136,000 ......... 571,000
Communications, utilities, miscellaneous
charges:
Telephone................................. 17,000 30,000 15,000 24,000 ......... 86,000
Postage................................... 6,000 19,000 10,000 12,000 2,000 49,000
Printing...................................... 6,000 1,000 14,000 7,000 ......... 28,000
Other services................................ 24,000 78,000 75,000 52,000 ......... 229,000
Supplies and materials........................ 8,000 11,000 16,000 11,000 ......... 46,000
Equipment..................................... ......... 16,000 3,000 3,000 ......... 22,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Total obligations....................... 455,000 469,000 697,000 580,000 22,000 2,250,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
gsa general provisions
The Committee has recommended the inclusion of the
following general provisions:
Section 401 authorizes GSA to credit accounts with certain
funds received from Government corporations.
Section 402 authorizes GSA to use funds for the hire of
passenger motor vehicles.
Section 403 authorizes GSA to transfer funds within the
Federal buildings fund for meeting program requirements.
Section 404 modifies the provision which limits funding for
courthouse construction which does not meet certain standards
of a capital improvement plan.
Section 405 continues the provision providing no funds may
be used to increase the amount of occupiable square feet,
provide cleaning services, security enhancements, or any other
service usually provided, to any agency which does not pay the
requested rate.
Section 406 includes a new provision repealing section 10
of Public Law 100-440 which sets a limit on the number of
employees in the FPS.
Section 407 includes a new provision which allows pilot
information technology projects to be repaid from the
information technology fund.
Section 408 continues the provision ensuring the materials
used for the facade on the U.S. Courthouse Annex, Savannah, GA,
project are compatible with the existing building.
Section 409 includes a new provision repealing section 6 of
Public Law 103-123.
Section 410 includes a new provision to repeal section 1555
of Public Law 103-355.
Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental
Policy Foundation
Appropriations, 1997....................................................
Budget estimate, 1998................................... $2,000,000
Committee recommendation................................................
The Committee recommends no funding for this project.
John F. Kennedy Assassination Review Board
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $2,150,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 1,600,000
Committee recommendation................................ 1,600,000
The Committee recommends $1,600,000 for fiscal year 1998
for salaries and expenses of the John F. Kennedy Assassination
Review Board. The Committee recommendation equals the budget
request.
The John F. Kennedy Assassination Review Board was
established by Public Law 102-526, the John F. Kennedy
Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992. The Board
facilitates the public disclosure of previously public or
privately held records relating to the assassination of
President Kennedy. In addition, the Board is assisting in
dispelling longstanding myths and controversies surrounding the
assassination of President Kennedy through the release of
previously sequestered records.
This final appropriation for the Review Board includes
$100,000 for the prompt and orderly termination of the John F.
Kennedy Assassination Record Review Board to be concluded no
later than September 30, 1998.
Merit Systems Protection Board
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $23,923,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 24,450,000
Committee recommendation................................ 24,810,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $24,810,000
for the Merit Systems Protection Board. The Committee
recommendation is $360,000 greater than the budget estimate.
This funding level reflects MSPB's request for additional
funding to meet workload increases. This funding does not
provide for additional investments in capital equipment.
The Merit Systems Protection Board is an independent,
quasi-judicial agency, charged by Congress with protecting the
integrity of Federal merit systems against partisan political
and other prohibited personnel practices, ensuring adequate
protection for employees against abuses by agency management,
and requiring executive branch agencies to make employment
decisions based on individual merit. This mission is carried
out principally by: (1) adjudicating employee appeals of agency
personnel actions, such as removals, suspensions, and
demotions; (2) adjudicating actions brought by the special
counsel involving alleged abuses of the merit systems; (3)
adjudicating actions brought under the Whistleblower Protection
Act; (4) ordering compliance with final orders where necessary;
(5) conducting special studies of the civil service and other
merit systems in the executive branch to determine whether they
are free of prohibited personnel practices; (6) analyzing and
reporting on the significant actions of the Office of Personnel
Management [OPM]; and (7) reviewing regulations issued by OPM
to ensure they do not require or result in the commission of a
prohibited personnel practice.
limitation
(transfer of funds)
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $2,430,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 2,430,000
Committee recommendation................................ 2,430,000
The Committee has recommended a limitation of $2,430,000 on
the amount to be transferred from the civil service retirement
and disability fund to the Board to cover administrative
expenses to adjudicate retirement appeals cases. This amount
equals the budget request.
National Archives and Records Administration
operating expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $196,963,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 206,479,000
Committee recommendation................................ 206,479,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $206,479,000.
The Committee recommendation is equal to the budget estimate.
The National Archives and Records Administration became an
independent agency on April 1, 1985. This appropriation
provides for basic operations dealing with management of the
Government's archives and records, operation of Presidential
libraries, grants for historical publications, and for the
review for declassification of all security classified
information.
Records center.--The records center activity provides for
the accessioning, storage, reference service, and disposal of
the semiactive and noncurrent records of Federal agencies
through a nationwide system of 14 records centers. Significant
savings result from use of low-cost records storage and the
efficient and timely disposal of nonpermanent records.
Archives and related services.--This activity provides for
selecting, preserving, describing, and making available to the
general public, scholars, and Federal agencies, the permanently
valuable historical records of the Federal Government and the
historical material in Presidential libraries, related
publications and exhibit programs, and the appraisal of all
Federal records. It also provides for the publication of the
Federal Register and Code of Federal Regulations, the U.S.
Statutes at Large, Presidential documents, and for a program to
improve the quality of regulations and the public's access to
them. It provides for the National Audiovisual Center's
audiovisual information and management programs. It also
provides for the systematic review of all classified records in
the National Archives which are over 30 years old, except
intelligence and cryptological materials dated after 1945,
which are to be reviewed when 50 years old.
Program direction.--This activity provides for general
direction and program support for all programs assigned to the
National Archives and Records Administration [NARA]. Direction
is provided by the Archivist, his staff, and the Office of
Management and Administration.
Alaska Gold Rush Records Collection
Alaskan communities are preparing to celebrate the
centennial of the Alaska Gold Rush of 1898, the best known and
publicized of the gold rushes in Alaska. Within the funds
provided, the Committee recommends that the National Archives
consider providing $50,000 to the National Archives--Alaska
Region to prepare an interpretive exhibition on their Alaska
gold rush records collection.
archives facilities and presidential libraries repair and restoration
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $16,229,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 6,650,000
Committee recommendation................................ 13,650,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $13,650,000.
The Committee recommendation is $7,000,000 above the budget
estimate.
This account provides for the repair, alteration, and
improvement of the Archives facilities and Presidential
libraries nationwide, and for providing adequate storage for
archival holdings nationwide. It will better enable the
National Archives to provide adequate storage for holdings, to
maintain its facilities in proper condition for public
visitors, researchers, and employees in NARA facilities, and to
maintain the structural integrity of the buildings.
Truman Library
The Committee has provided $4,000,000 within this
appropriation for the repair, alteration, and improvements of
the Truman Library in Independence, MO.
lbj Library
The Committee has provided $3,000,000 for internal repairs
to the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library located at
the University of Texas at Austin. While it is understood that
the LBJ Library structure is a responsibility of the University
of Texas, the funds provided would be properly applied to
improvements to the internal structure of the Library facility.
National Historical Publications and Records Commission
grants program
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $5,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 4,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 5,000,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $5,000,000.
The Committee recommendation is $1,000,000 above the budget
request.
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission
[NHPRC] reviews and recommends project grants to Federal and
State governments and private nonprofit institutions, chiefly
universities and research libraries. It makes plans, estimates,
and recommendations for the publication of important historical
documents and works with various public and private
institutions in collecting, editing, and publishing papers
significant to the history of the United States. The Commission
is composed of members appointed by, and representing, the
President, Congress, Supreme Court, executive agencies, and
historical and archival societies.
Founding Fathers' Papers
The Committee is pleased with the decision by the National
Historical Publications and Records Commission to restore top
level priority in its strategic plan for projects to publish
the papers of America's Founding Fathers.
Alaska Gold Rush Records Inventory and Access Project
Alaskan communities are preparing to celebrate the
centennial of the Alaska Gold Rush of 1898, the best known and
publicized of the gold rushes in Alaska. Among the projects
developed by the Alaska gold rush centennial task force is a
statewide cooperative community project, Alaska gold rush
records inventory and access project, which would allow for the
identification and processing of a significant quantity of
historically significant Alaska gold rush records currently in
local depositories in Alaska's many remote communities. This
project would greatly increase public access and appreciation
of these historical materials. Within the funds provided, the
Committee recommends that the NHPRC consider a grant of
$100,000 to the Alaska gold rush centennial projects.
Office of Government Ethics
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $8,078,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 8,265,000
Committee recommendation................................ 8,265,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $8,265,000 for
salaries and expenses of the Office of Government Ethics in
fiscal year 1998. This amount equals the budget request.
Public Law 100-598 authorized the establishment of the
Office of Government Ethics as an independent executive branch
agency separate and apart from the Office of Personnel
Management beginning October 1, 1989.
The Office of Government Ethics functions primarily in six
areas, pursuant to the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. Those
areas are:
--Regulatory authority for conflict of interest and
postemployment statutes, standards of conduct, and
financial disclosure programs throughout the executive
branch;
--Public financial disclosure review and certification for
all advice and consent Presidential appointees, and the
monitoring of ethics agreements which are executed
incident to that review to prevent ethics violations;
--Education and training to promote understanding among
agency ethics officials and employees, as well as the
general public;
--Guidance and interpretation concerning the conflict of
interest statutes, standards of conduct, and financial
disclosure, through advisory opinions, telephone
advice, and consultation with agency ethics officials;
--Enforcement by monitoring and auditing agency ethics
programs, and ordering corrective action where
appropriate; and
--Evaluation of the effectiveness of ethics laws and
regulations, as well as agency implementation.
Office of Personnel Management
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $87,286,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 85,350,000
Committee recommendation................................ 85,350,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $85,350,000
for the salaries and expenses of the Office of Personnel
Management. The Committee recommendation equals the budget
estimate.
The Office of Personnel Management's primary
responsibilities include the Employment Service, Executive
Resource, Investigations Service, Human Resources Systems
Service, and the Merit Systems oversight and effectiveness
programs. OPM also has administrative responsibility for the
President's Commission on White House Fellowships, the Federal
Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee, and parts of the Voting
Rights Program.
The Committee has funded the initiatives requested by the
administration, as outlined in the budget justification, plus
the functions and personnel transferred from the General
Accounting Office, subsequent to enactment of Public Law 104-
53.
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
The Committee instructs OPM to expend up to $300,000 in
fiscal year 1998 to continue and expand efforts to ensure that
Federal employees and their families have ready access to
health promotion and disease prevention activities. The
Committee continues to be aware that the U.S. prevention
services task force has reported that substituting behavioral
interventions in ways to maintain good health could be more
likely to reduce morbidity and mortality in this country than
any other category of clinical intervention. The Committee
expects the OPM to continue to utilize the unique expertise
that has been demonstrated by the University of Hawaii in this
project.
Voting Rights Act
The Committee continues to include a provision requested by
the administration to allow Federal employees acting as Voting
Rights Act observers to receive per diem at their permanent
duty station. This provision makes it feasible for these
observers to work in local areas and allow the Government to
discontinue the practice of recruiting observers from distant
location and assuming the per diem, as well as travel costs.
limitation
(transfer of funds)
Limitation, 1997........................................ $94,736,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 91,236,000
Committee recommendation................................ 91,236,000
The Committee recommends a limitation of $91,236,000. This
amount equals the budget request.
These funds will be transferred from the appropriate trust
funds of the Office of Personnel Management to cover
administrative expenses for the retirement and insurance
programs.
Office of Inspector General
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $960,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 960,000
Committee recommendation................................ 960,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $960,000 for
salaries and expenses of the Office of Inspector General in
fiscal year 1998. This amount equals the budget estimate.
The Office of Inspector General was established as a
statutory entity under the Inspector General Act Amendments of
1988, Public Law 100-504, effective April 16, 1989. The Office
of Inspector General is charged with establishing policies for
conducting and coordinating efforts which promote economy,
efficiency, and integrity in the Office of Personnel
Management's activities which prevent and detect fraud, waste,
and abuse in the agency's programs. Furthermore, as a means of
assuring that inspector general offices maintain the ability to
function independently within the overall structure of their
agencies, the 1988 legislation required a direct semiannual
reporting structure among the inspector general and the agency
head and Congress and allowed inspectors general to perform a
number of internal management functions, such as budget,
personnel, and procurement, separate and apart from the
agencies' existing systems. The Office of Inspector General
carries out its programmatic mandate in three principal
operational areas: audits and inspections of OPM activities and
operations; investigations; and followup and reporting.
The administration has requested that funding for
operations of the Office of Inspector General be shifted from
its current allocation of 60 percent trust funds and 40 percent
general funds to 90 percent trust funds and 10 percent general
funds to reflect actual costs associated with actual work. This
appropriation continues to reflect that change.
(limitation on transfer from trust funds)
Limitation, 1997........................................ $8,645,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 8,645,000
Committee recommendation................................ 8,645,000
The Committee recommends a limitation on transfers from the
trust funds in support of the Office of Inspector General
activities totaling $8,645,000 for fiscal year 1998, as
requested. This amount equals the budget estimate.
government payment for annuitants, employees health benefits
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $4,059,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 4,338,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 4,338,000,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $4,338,000,000
for Government payments for annuitants, employees health
benefits. The Committee recommendation equals the budget
estimate.
This appropriation funds the Government's share of health
benefit costs for annuitants and survivors who no longer have
an agency to contribute the employer's share. The Office of
Personnel Management requests the appropriation necessary to
pay this contribution to the employees health benefits fund and
the retired employees health benefits fund. These revolving
trust funds are available for: (1) the payment of subscription
charges to approved carriers for the cost of health benefits
protection; (2) contributions for qualified retired employees
and survivors who carry private health insurance under the
Retired Employees Health Benefits Program; and (3) the payment
of expenses incurred by the Office of Personnel Management in
the administration of these programs.
Public Law 93-246 provides for Government contributions to
enrollees in the Employees Health Benefits Program equal to 60
percent of the unweighted average of the high-option premiums
of six large plans. The total obligations for fiscal year 1995
reflect the use of payments made by the U.S. Postal Service to
the employees health benefits fund to finance the cost of the
Government's contribution for annuitants health benefits as
provided in Public Law 100-203. In addition, Public Law 99-272
provides that the Government contribution for health benefits
for individuals who first become annuitants by reason of
retirement from employment with the U.S. Postal Service on or
after October 1, 1986, shall be paid by the U.S. Postal
Service.
This appropriation also provides financing for the
Government's share of health benefit costs for annuitants and
survivors covered under the Retired Employees Health Benefits
Program. Public Law 96-156 provides for increased Government
contributions toward the subscription charge for health
coverage, tied to increases in the cost of part B (medical) of
Medicare, for those annuitants who retired prior to July 1,
1960.
government payment for annuitants, employee life insurance
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $33,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 32,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 32,000,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $32,000,000
for the Government payment for annuitants, employee life
insurance in fiscal year 1998. This amount equals the budget
request.
Public Law 96-427, the Federal Employees' Group Life
Insurance Act of 1980 requires that all employees under the age
of 65 who separate from the Federal Government for purposes of
retirement on or after January 1, 1990, continue to make
contributions toward their basic life insurance coverage after
retirement until they reach the age of 65. These retirees will
contribute two-thirds of the cost of the basic life insurance
premium, identical to the amount contributed by active Federal
employees for basic life insurance coverage. As with the active
Federal employees, the Government is required to contribute
one-third of the cost of the premium for basic coverage. OPM,
acting as the payroll office on behalf of Federal retirees, has
requested, and the Committee has provided, the funding
necessary to make the required Government contribution
associated with annuitants' postretirement life insurance
coverage.
payment to civil service retirement and disability fund
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $7,989,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 8,336,000,000
Committee recommendation................................ 8,336,000,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $8,336,000,000
for payment to the civil service retirement and disability
fund. The Committee recommendation equals the budget estimate.
The civil service retirement and disability fund was
established in 1920 to administer the financing and payment of
annuities to retired Federal employees and their survivors. The
fund covers the operation of the Civil Service Retirement
System and the Federal Employees' Retirement System.
The payment to the civil service retirement and disability
fund consists of an appropriation and a permanent indefinite
authorization to pay the Government's share of retirement costs
as defined in the Civil Service Retirement Amendments of 1969
(Public Law 91-93), the Federal Employees' Retirement System
Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-335), and the Civil Service
Retirement Spouse Equity Act of 1985 (Public Law 98-615). The
payment is made directly from the general fund of the U.S.
Treasury, and is in addition to appropriated funds that will be
contributed from agency budgets in fiscal year 1998.
Public Law 91-93 provides for an annual appropriation to
amortize, over a 30-year period, all increases in Civil Service
Retirement System costs resulting from acts of Congress
granting new or liberalized benefits, extensions of coverage,
or pay raises. However, the effects of cost-of-living
adjustments are not amortized. The total current appropriation
for fiscal year 1998 is the sum of the annual payments
authorized since the law was enacted in 1969 plus the estimated
payment resulting from assumed pay raises totaling 3 percent in
January 1997. It also includes funding for the annuities of
persons employed on the construction of the Panama Canal and
widows of former Lighthouse Service employees. The total fiscal
year 1998 current appropriation request represents an increase
of $347,000,000 from the amount provided in fiscal year 1997
primarily due to increases in employees' pay.
Public Law 91-93 also provides permanent, indefinite
authorization for the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer, on
an annual basis, an amount equal to 5 percent interest on the
civil service retirement and disability fund's current unfunded
liability, calculated based on static economic assumptions, and
annuity disbursements attributable to credit for military
service. The permanent indefinite authorization in fiscal year
1998 will also include the 10th of 30 annual payments
authorized by Public Law 99-335, Federal Employees' Retirement
Act of 1986, to amortize the supplemental liability of the
Federal Employees' Retirement System [FERS]. It also includes a
payment in accordance with Public Law 98-615 which provides for
the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer an amount equal to
the annuities granted to eligible former spouses of annuitants
who died between September 1978 and May 1985, and who did not
elect survivor coverage.
Office of Special Counsel
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $8,116,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 8,450,000
Committee recommendation................................ 8,450,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $8,450,000 for
the Office of Special Counsel. The Committee recommendation is
equal to the budget estimate.
The Office of the Special Counsel is charged with
enforcement of certain provisions of the Civil Service Reform
Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-454 and 5 U.S.C. 1204-1208). The
primary functions of the office are: (1) to investigate and, if
appropriate, prosecute before the Merit Systems Protection
Board prohibited personnel practices and activities prohibited
by other civil service law, rule, or regulation; (2) to
investigate and, if appropriate, prosecute prohibited political
activities on the part of Federal and covered State and local
employees; and (3) to provide employees a protected means of
disclosing information concerning wrongdoing in Federal
agencies with assurance that the confidentiality of the
discloser will be maintained and that appropriate action will
be taken.
The statute requires OSC to investigate and, if warranted,
prosecute: all allegations of prohibited personnel practices,
including reprisal for protected disclosures of information;
prohibited political activity; arbitrary or capricious
withholding of information under the Freedom of Information
Act; involvement of any employee in any prohibited
discrimination found by any court or appropriate administrative
authority; and any other activity prohibited by civil service
law, rule, or regulation. OSC also provides a safe channel for
disclosure of information evidencing waste, fraud, and abuse
and referral of such information to agencies.
U.S. Tax Court
salaries and expenses
Appropriations, 1997.................................... $33,781,000
Budget estimate, 1998................................... 34,293,000
Committee recommendation................................ 34,293,000
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $34,293,000
for the U.S. Tax Court. This amount equals the budget estimate.
The U.S. Tax Court is an independent judicial body in the
legislative branch under article I of the Constitution of the
United States. The court is composed of a chief judge and 18
judges. Decisions by the court are reviewable by the U.S.
Courts of Appeals and, if certiorari is granted, by the Supreme
Court.
In their judicial duties the judges are assisted by senior
judges, who participate in the adjudication of regular cases,
and by special trial judges, who hear small tax cases and
certain regular cases assigned to them by the chief judge.
The court conducts trial sessions throughout the United
States, including Hawaii and Alaska.
The U.S. Tax Court hears and decides cases involving
Federal income, estate and gift tax deficiencies, and excise
taxes relating to public charities, private foundations,
qualified pension plans, real estate investment trusts, and
windfall profit tax on domestic crude oil. It also renders
declaratory judgments regarding the qualification or continuing
qualification (including revocations of rulings on the
exemptions) of retirement plans.
The Tax Court has jurisdiction to render declaratory
judgments with respect to exempt organization status
determinations pursuant to section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue
Code, and to enter declaratory judgments on the tax treatment
of interest on proposed issues of Government obligations. In
addition, the court has jurisdiction over actions to restrain
disclosure and to obtain additional disclosure with respect to
public inspection of written determinations issued by the
Internal Revenue Service, and actions to compel the disclosure
of the identity of third-party contacts relating to written
determinations made by the Internal Revenue Service.
For 1998, the court proposes a trial program of 340 weeks
consisting of 150 weeks of regular trial sessions and 90 weeks
of small tax case sessions. In addition, the court plans to
schedule special sessions for lengthy trials consisting of
approximately 100 weeks.
STATEMENT CONCERNING GENERAL PROVISIONS
Traditionally, the Treasury and General Government
appropriation bill has included general provisions which govern
both the activities of the agencies covered by the bill, and,
in some cases, activities of agencies, programs, and general
government activities that are not covered by the bill. Those
general provisions that are Governmentwide in scope are
contained in title VI of this bill.
The bill contains a number of general provisions that have
been carried in this bill for years and which are routine in
nature and scope. General provisions in the bill are explained
under this section of the report. Those general provisions that
deal with a single agency only are shown immediately following
that particular agency's or department's appropriation accounts
in the bill. Those general provisions that address activities
or directives affecting all of the agencies covered in this
bill are contained in title V of the bill.
TITLE V--GENERAL PROVISIONS
This Act
Section 501 limiting the use of appropriated funds to the
current fiscal year.
Section 502 regarding consultant services.
Section 503 prohibits the use of funds to engage in
activities which would prohibit in the enforcement of section
307 of the 1930 Tariff Act.
Section 504 prohibits the transfer of control over the
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
Section 505 regarding the use of funds for certain
propaganda purposes.
Section 506 prohibits use of funds appropriated in this act
to prevent the U.S. Postal Service employees from contacting
their Member of Congress.
Section 507 permits the Office of Personnel Management to
accept donations for the Federal Executive Institute and
executive seminar centers.
Section 508 continues the provision concerning the
employment rights of Federal employees who return to their
civilian jobs after assignment with the Armed Forces.
Section 509 requires compliance with the Buy American Act.
Section 510 states the sense of Congress regarding notice
and purchase of American-made products.
Section 511 prohibits an individual from eligibility for
Government contracts if a court determines that individual has
intentionally fraudulently affixed a ``Made in America'' label
to any product non-American made.
Section 512 provides up to 50 percent of unobligated
balances may remain available for authorized purposes in
compliance with reprogramming guidelines.
Section 513 prohibits the Executive Office of the President
from using appropriated funds to request FBI background
investigation reports.
Section 514 continues provision prohibiting Federal workers
from receiving weekend or night differential pay for hours
which they did not work.
Section 515 gives the Office of Personnel Management more
time to study and report to Congress on the methodology for
determining cost-of-living allowance [COLA] rates.
Section 516 includes a new provision to authorize the
participation of the National Association of Postmasters of the
United States in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
TITLE VI--GENERAL PROVISIONS, DEPARTMENTS, AGENCIES, AND CORPORATIONS
The Committee has recommended the inclusion of the
following general provisions:
Section 601 continues a provision authorizing agencies to
pay travel costs of the families of Federal employees on
foreign duty to return to the United States in the event of
death or a life threatening illness of an employee.
Section 602 continues a provision requiring agencies to
administer a policy designed to ensure that all of its
workplaces are free from the illegal use of controlled
substances.
Section 603 continues a provision authorizing reimbursement
for travel, transportation, and subsistence expenses incurred
for training classes, conferences, or other meetings in
connection with the provision of child care services to Federal
employees.
Section 604 continues a provision regarding price
limitations on vehicles to be purchased by the Federal
Government.
Section 605 continues a provision allowing funds made
available to agencies for travel to also be used for quarters
allowances and cost-of-living allowances.
Section 606 continues a provision prohibiting the
Government, with certain specified exceptions, from employing
non-U.S. citizens whose posts of duty would be in the
continental United States.
Section 607 continues a provision ensuring that agencies
will have authority to pay the General Services Administration
bills for space renovation and other services.
Section 608 continues a provision allowing agencies to
finance the costs of recycling and waste prevention programs
with proceeds from the sale of materials recovered through such
programs.
Section 609 continues a provision providing that funds may
be used to pay rent and other service costs in the District of
Columbia.
Section 610 continues a provision prohibiting the use of
appropriated funds to pay the salary of any nominee after the
Senate voted not to approve the nomination.
Section 611 continues a provision precluding interagency
financing of groups absent prior statutory approval.
Section 612 continues a provision authorizing the Postal
Service to employ guards.
Section 613 continues a provision prohibiting the use of
appropriated funds for enforcing regulations disapproved in
accordance with the applicable law of the United States.
Section 614 continues a provision limiting the pay
increases of certain prevailing rate employees.
Section 615 continues a provision limiting the amount that
can be used for redecoration of offices under certain
circumstances.
Section 616 continues a provision prohibiting the
expenditure of appropriated funds for the acquisition of
additional law enforcement training facilities without the
advance approval of the Committees on Appropriations.
Section 617 continues a provision permitting interagency
funding of national security and emergency preparedness
telecommunications initiatives, which benefit multiple Federal
departments, agencies, and entities.
Section 618 continues a provision requiring agencies to
certify that a schedule C appointment was not created solely or
primarily to detail the employee to the White House.
Section 619 continues a provision requiring agencies to
administer a policy designed to ensure that all of its
workplaces are free from discrimination and sexual harassment.
Section 620 continues a provision prohibiting the use of
appropriated funds for travel expenses not directly related to
official governmental duties.
Section 621 continues a provision requiring the President
to certify that persons responsible for administering the Drug
Free Workplace Program are not themselves the subject of random
drug testing.
Section 622 prohibits training not directly related to the
performance of official duties.
Section 623 continues a provision prohibiting the
expenditure of funds for the implementation of agreements in
certain nondisclosure policies unless certain provisions are
included in the policies.
Section 624 prohibits use of appropriated funds for
publicity or propaganda designed to support or defeat
legislation pending before Congress.
Section 625 requires the Office of Management and Budget to
do an accounting statement and associated report on the
cumulative costs and benefits of Federal regulatory programs.
Section 626 prohibits use of appropriated funds by an
agency to provide Federal employees home address to labor
organizations.
Section 627 prohibits the use of appropriated funds to
provide nonpublic information such as mailing or telephone
lists to any person or organization outside of the Government.
Section 628 prohibits the use of appropriated funds for
publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States not
authorized by Congress.
Section 629 prohibits the use of appropriated funds in this
or any other act to acquire information technology which does
not comply with part 39.106 (year 2000 compliance) of the
Federal acquisition regulations.
Section 630 includes a new provision prohibiting the use of
appropriated funds for the sole source procurement of energy
conservation measures.
Section 631 includes a new provision with respect to the
enforceability of gold clauses.
Section 632 includes a new provision requiring the Office
of Management and Budget to establish an object class to track
costs associated with Federal employee relocation expenses.
The Committee continues to be concerned about the cost of
Federal employee relocation. The General Accounting Office
stated in a recent report (GGD-97-119) that collecting exact
cost information for relocation travel is difficult because
such obligations and expenditures are captured in at least four
different object classes along with costs not related to
relocation travel. Therefore, in order to be able to capture
this information, the Committee has directed OMB to establish a
separate object class for these costs.
COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7, RULE XVI, OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE
Paragraph 7 of rule XVI requires that Committee reports on
general appropriations bills identify each Committee amendment
to the House bill ``which proposes an item of appropriation
which is not made to carry out the provisions of an existing
law, a treaty stipulation, or an act or resolution previously
passed by the Senate during that session.''
The Committee recommends the following appropriations which
lack authorization:
Department of the Treasury:
Departmental Offices:
Salaries and expenses, $114,794,000
Automation enhancements, $29,389,000
Treasury Building and annex, repair and
restoration, $10,484,000
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, salaries and
expenses, $22,835,000
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center:
Salaries and expenses, $64,663,000
Acquisition, construction, improvements, and
related expenses, $13,930,000
Financial Management Service, salaries and expenses,
$202,490,000
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms:
Salaries and expenses, $472,490,000
Laboratory facilities, $55,022,000
U.S. Customs Service:
Salaries and expenses, $1,551,028,000
Operation and maintenance, air and marine
interdiction programs, $92,758,000
Internal Revenue Service:
Processing, assistance, and management,
$2,943,174,000
Tax law enforcement, $3,153,722,000
Information systems, $1,272,487,000
Executive Office of the President:
The White House Office, salaries and
expenses, $51,199,000
Executive Residence at the White House,
operating expenses, $8,045,000
Special Assistance to the President, salaries
and expenses, $3,378,000
Council of Economic Advisers, salaries and
expenses, $3,542,000
National Security Council, salaries and
expenses, $6,648,000
Office of Administration, salaries and
expenses, $28,883,000
Office of Management and Budget, salaries and
expenses, $57,240,000
Office of National Drug Control Policy, salaries and
expenses, $36,016,000
Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center, salaries and
expenses, $17,000,000
Counternarcotics research and development projects,
$1,000,000
Counternarcotics, State conferences on model State drug
laws, $1,000,000
High-intensity drug trafficking areas, $140,207,000
State and local drug control activities,
$71,000,000
Federal agency drug control activities,
$69,207,000
Federal Election Commission, salaries and expenses,
$29,000,000
Federal Labor Relations Authority, salaries and expenses,
$22,039,000
General Services Administration, Federal buildings fund,
limitations on availability of revenue:
Repairs and alterations, $350,000,000
Nationwide:
Chlorofluorcarbons program,
$50,000,000
Basic repairs and alterations,
$300,000,000
Policy and operations, salaries and expenses,
$104,487,000
Merit Systems Protection Board, salaries and expenses,
$24,810,000
National Historical Publications and Records Commission,
$5,000,000
Office of Personnel Management, health promotion and
disease prevention activities, $300,000
Office of Special Counsel, salaries and expenses,
$8,450,000
U.S. Tax Court, salaries and expenses, $34,293,000
COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7(C), RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE
Pursuant to paragraph 7(c) of rule XXVI, the Committee
ordered reported en bloc S. 1019, an original Legislative
Branch appropriations bill and S. 1023, an original Treasury
and General Government appropriations bill, 1998, subject to
amendment and subject to their budget allocations, and S. 1022,
an original Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bill, subject
to amendment and subject to appropriate scoring, by a recorded
vote of 28-0, a quorum being present. The vote was as follows:
Yeas Nays
Chairman Stevens
Mr. Cochran
Mr. Specter
Mr. Domenici
Mr. Bond
Mr. Gorton
Mr. McConnell
Mr. Burns
Mr. Shelby
Mr. Gregg
Mr. Bennett
Mr. Campbell
Mr. Craig
Mr. Faircloth
Mrs. Hutchison
Mr. Byrd
Mr. Inouye
Mr. Hollings
Mr. Leahy
Mr. Bumpers
Mr. Lautenberg
Mr. Harkin
Ms. Mikulski
Mr. Reid
Mr. Kohl
Mrs. Murray
Mr. Dorgan
Mrs. Boxer
COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 12, RULE XXVI OF THE STANDING RULES OF THE
SENATE
Paragraph 12 of rule XXVI requires that Committee reports
on a bill or joint resolution repealing or amending any statute
or part of any statute include ``(a) the text of the statute or
part thereof which is proposed to be repealed; and (b) a
comparative print of that part of the bill or joint resolution
making the amendment and of the statute or part thereof
proposed to be amended, showing by stricken-through type and
italics, parallel columns, or other appropriate typographical
devices the omissions and insertions which would be made by the
bill or joint resolution if enacted in the form recommended by
the committee.''
In compliance with this rule, the following changes in
existing law proposed to be made by the bill are shown as
follows: existing law to be omitted is enclosed in black
brackets; new matter is printed in italic; and existing law in
which no change is proposed is shown in roman.
* * * * * * *
Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 1997
Sec. 113. Section 732 of Public Law 104-132 (110 Stat.
1303; 18 U.S.C. 841 note) is amended--
(1) * * *
(2) * * *
* * * * * * *
``(3) Report and costs.--The study conducted under
this subsection shall be presented to Congress [12
months] 2 years after the enactment of this subsection
and be made available to the public, including any data
tapes or data used to form such recommendations. There
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out the study.''.
* * * * * * *
----------
Treasury Department Appropriations Act, 1997 (Public Law 104-208)
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
General Provisions--Department of the Treasury
* * * * * * *
[Sec. 117. Of the funds available to the Internal Revenue
Service, $13,000,000 shall be made available to continue the
private sector debt collection program which was initiated in
fiscal year 1996 and $13,000,000 shall be transferred to the
Departmental Offices appropriation to initiative a new private
sector debt collection program; Provided, That the transfer
provided herein shall be in addition to any other transfer
authority contained in this Act.]
* * * * * * *
Internal Revenue Service
* * * * * * *
information systems
For necessary expenses for data processing and
telecommunications support for Internal Revenue Service
activities, including tax systems modernization and operational
information systems; the hire of passenger motor vehicles (31
U.S.C. 1343(b)); and services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109,
at such rates as may be determined by the Commissioner,
$1,323,075,000, [of which no less than $130,075,000 shall be
available for Tax Systems Modernization (TSM) development and
deployment] which shall be available until September 30, 1999,
and of which no less than $206,200,000 shall be available for
TSM Operational Systems: Provided, That none of the funds made
available for TSM Operational Systems shall be available after
July 31, 1997, unless the Department of the Treasury has
prepared a Request for Proposal which could be used as a base
for a solicitation of a contract with an alternative or new
Prime Contractor to manage, integrate, test and implement the
TSM program: Provided further, That all activities associated
with the development of a request for proposal, contract
solicitation, and contract award for private sector assistance
on TSM (both operational systems and development and deployment
systems), beyond private sector assistance which is currently
under contract, shall be conducted by the Department of the
Treasury's Modernization Management Board: Provided further,
That if the Internal Revenue Service determines that it is
unable to meet deadlines established herein, the Secretary of
the Treasury shall notify the Committees on Appropriations of
the House and the Senate of the delay: Provided further, That
the Internal Revenue Service shall submit, by February 1, 1997,
a timetable for implementing, by October 1, 1997,
recommendations made by the General Accounting Office in its
July 1995 report, entitled: ``Tax Systems Modernization:
Management and Technical Weaknesses Must Be Corrected If
Modernization Is To Succeed'': Provided further, That the
Internal Revenue Service shall submit, by December 1, 1996, a
schedule to transfer, not later than July 31, 1997, a majority
of Tax Systems Modernization development, deployment,
management, integration, and testing, from the Internal Revenue
Service to the private sector.
* * * * * * *
----------
District of Columbia Police and Firemen's Salary Act of 1958
Sec. 501. (a) * * *
(b)(1) Effective at the beginning at the first applicable pay
period commencing on or after the first day of the month in
which an adjustment takes effect under section 5305 of title 5,
United States Code, in the rates of pay under General Schedule,
the annual rate of basic compensation of officers and members
of the United States Park Police force shall be adjusted by the
Secretary of the [Interior, and the annual rate of basic
compensation of officers and members of the United States
Secret Service Uniformed Division may be adjusted by the
Secretary of the Treasury,] Interior by an amount (rounded to
the next highest multiple of $5) equal to the percentage of
such annual rate of pay which corresponds to the overall
percentage (as set forth in the applicable report transmitted
to the Congress under such section 5305) of the adjustment made
in the rates of pay under the General Schedule.
(2) No adjustment in the annual rate of basic compensation of
such officers and members may be made except in accordance with
paragraph (1).
[(c)] (3) Any reference in any law to the salary schedule in
section 101 of this Act with respect to officers and members of
the United States Park Police force [or to officers and members
of the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division] shall
be considered to be a reference to such schedule as adjusted in
accordance with [subsection (b)] this subsection.
``(c)(1) The annual rates of basic compensation of officers
and members of the United States Secret Service Uniformed
Division, serving in classes corresponding or similar to those
in the salary schedule in section 101 (District of Columbia
Code, section 4-406), shall be fixed in accordance with the
following schedule of rates:
``SALARY SCHEDULE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Service steps
Salary class and title ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class 1: Private.............. 29,215 30,088 31,559 33,009 35,331 37,681 39,128 40,593 42,052
Class 4: Sergeant............. 39,769 41,747 43,728 45,718 47,715 49,713
Class 5: Lieutenant........... 45,148 47,411 49,663 51,924 54,180
Class 7: Captain.............. 52,523 55,155 57,788 60,388
Class 8: Inspector............ 60,886 63,918 66,977 70,029
Class 9: Deputy Chief......... 71,433 76,260 81,113 85,950
Class 10: Assistant Chief..... 84,694 90,324 95,967
Class 11: Chief of the United
States Secret Service
Uniformed Division........... 98,383 104,923
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
``(2) Effective at the beginning of the first applicable pay
period commencing on or after the first day of the month in
which an adjustment takes effect under section 5303 of title 5,
United States Code (or any subsequent similar provision of
law), in the rates of pay under the General Schedule (or any
pay system that may supersede such schedule), the annual rates
of basic compensation of officers and members of the United
States Secret Service Uniformed Division shall be adjusted by
the Secretary of the Treasury by an amount equal to the
percentage of such annual rate of pay which corresponds to the
overall percentage of the adjustment made in the rates of pay
under the General Schedule.
``(3) Locality-based comparability payments authorized under
section 5304 of title 5, United States Code, shall be
applicable to the basic pay under this section, except
locality-based comparability payments may not be paid at a rate
which, when added to the rate of basic pay otherwise payable to
the officer or member, would cause the total to exceed the rate
of basic pay payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule.
``(4) Pay may not be paid, by reason of any provision of this
subsection (disregarding any comparability payment payable
under Federal law), at a rate in excess of the rate of basic
pay payable for level V of the Executive Schedule contained in
subchapter II of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code.
``(5) Any reference in any law to the salary schedule in
section 101 (District of Columbia Code, section 4-406) with
respect to officers and members of the United States Secret
Service Uniformed Division shall be considered to be a
reference to the salary schedule in paragraph (1) of this
subsection as adjusted in accordance with this subsection.
``(6)(A) Except as otherwise permitted by or under law, no
allowance, differential, bonus, award, or other similar cash
payment under this title or under title 5, United States Code,
may be paid to an officer or member of the United States Secret
Service Uniformed Division in a calendar year if, or to the
extent that, when added to the total basic pay paid or payable
to such officer or member for service performed in such
calendar year as an officer or member, such payment would cause
the total to exceed the annual rate of basic pay payable for
level I of the Executive Schedule, as of the end of such
calendar year.
``(B) This paragraph shall not apply to any payment under the
following provisions of title 5, United States Code:
``(i) Subchapter III or VII of chapter 55, or section
5596.
``(ii) Chapter 57 (other than section 5753, 5754, or
5755).
``(iii) Chapter 59 (other than section 5928).
``(7)(A) Any amount which is not paid to an officer or member
of the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division in a
calendar year because of the limitation under paragraph (6)
shall be paid to such officer or member in a lump sum at the
beginning of the following calendar year.
``(B) Any amount paid under this paragraph in a calendar year
shall be taken into account for purposes of applying the
limitations under paragraph (6) with respect to such calendar
year.
``(8) The Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe
regulations as may be necessary (consistent with section 5582
of title 5, United States Code) concerning how a lump-sum
payment under paragraph (7) shall be made with respect to any
employee who dies before an amount payable to such employee
under paragraph (7) is made.''.
* * * * * * *
----------
The Act of August 15, 1950
AN ACT To provide a five-day week for officers and members of the
Metropolitan Police force, the United States Park Police force, and the
White House Police Force.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) *
* *
* * * * * * *
(h)(1) No premium pay provided by this Act shall be paid to,
and no compensatory time off is authorized for, [any officer or
member] an officer or member of the Metropolitan Police force,
of the Fire Department of the District of Columbia, or of the
United States Park Police whose rate of basic compensation
equals or exceeds the minimum scheduled rate of basic
compensation provided for service step 1 in the salary class
applicable to the Fire Chief and Chief of Police of the
District of Columbia Police and Firemen's Salary Act of 1958,
as amended.
(2) In the case of [any officer or member] an officer or
member of the Metropolitan Police force, of the Fire Department
of the District of Columbia, or of the United States Park
Police whose rate of basic compensation is less than the
minimum scheduled rate of basic compensation provided for
service step 1 in the salary class applicable to the Fire Chief
and Chief of Police of the Police and Firemen's Salary Act of
1958, as amended, such premium pay may be paid only to the
extent that such payment would not cause his aggregate rate of
compensation to exceed such minimum scheduled rate with respect
to any pay period.
``(3)(A) no premium pay provided by this section
shall be paid to, and no compensatory time is
authorized for, any officer or member of the United
States Secret Service Uniformed Division whose rate of
basic pay, combined with any applicable locality-based
comparability payment, equals or exceeds the lesser
of--
``(i) 150 percent of the minimum rate payable
for grade GS-15 of the General Schedule
(including any applicable locality-based
comparability payment under section 5304 of
title 5, United States Code or any similar
provision of law, and any applicable special
rate of pay under section 5305 of title 5,
United States Code or any similar provision of
law); or
``(ii) the rate payable for level V of the
Executive Schedule contained in subchapter II
of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code.
``(B) In the case of any officer or member of the
United States Secret Service Uniformed Division whose
rate of basic pay, combined with any applicable
locality-based comparability payment, is less than the
lesser of--
``(i) 150 percent of the minimum rate payable
for grade GS-15 of the General Schedule
(including any applicable locality-based
comparability payment under section 5304 of
title 5, United States Code or any similar
provision of law, and any applicable special
rate of pay under section 5305 of title 5,
United States Code or any similar provision of
law); or
``(ii) the rate payable for level V of the
Executive Schedule contained in subchapter II
of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code,
such premium pay may be paid only to the extent that
such payment would not cause such officer or member's
aggregate rate of compensation to exceed such lesser
amount with respect to any pay period.''
[(3)] (i) Each authorizing official is authorized to
promulgate such regulations and issue such orders as are
necessary to carry out the intent and purpose of this Act, and
to delegate to a designated agent or agents any of the
functions vested in the authorizing official by this Act.
* * * * * * *
----------
Federal Law Enforcement Pay Reform Act of 1990
SEC. 405. SAME BENEFITS FOR OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
(a) * * *
(b) This subsection applies with respect to any--
[(1) member of the United States Secret Service
Uniformed Division;]
* * * * * * *
(c) For the purposes of this section, the term ``appropriate
agency head'' means--
[(1) with respect to any individual under subsection
(b)(1), the Secretary of the Treasury;]
* * * * * * *
----------
Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1989 (Public Law 100-440)
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION--GENERAL PROVISIONS
* * * * * * *
[Sec. 10. The Administrator of General Services is authorized
and directed to hire up to and maintain an annual average of
not less that one thousand full-time equivalent positions for
Federal Protective Officers. This shall be accomplished by
increasing existing staff levels at the end of fiscal year 1988
at a rate of not less than fifty positions per year until the
full-time equivalency of one thousand is attained by not later
than fiscal year 1992.]
* * * * * * *
----------
The Act of August 25, 1958
An Act to provide retirement, clerical assistants, and free mailing
privileges to former Presidents of the United States, and for other
purposes.
* * * * * * *
[Sec. 2. The entitlements of a former President under
subsections (b) and (c) of the first section shall be
available--
[(1) in the case of an individual who is a former
President on the effective date of this section, for 5
years, commencing on such effective date; and
[(2) in the case of an individual who becomes a
former President after such effective date, for 4 years
and 6 months, commencing at the expiration of the
period for which services and facilities are authorized
to be provided under section 4 of the Presidential
Transition Act of 1968 (8 U.S.C. 102 note.)]
* * * * * * *
----------
TITLE 39, UNITED STATES CODE
Sec. 3214. Mailing privilege of former President; surviving spouse of
former President
[(a) Subject to subsection (b), a] A former President and
the surviving spouse of a former President may send
nonpolitical mail within the United States and its territories
and possessions as franked mail. Such mail of a former
President and of the surviving spouse of a former President
marked ``Postage and Fees Paid'' in the manner prescribed by
the Postal Service shall be accepted by the Postal Service for
transmission in the international mails.
[(B) Subsection (a) shall cease to apply--
[(1) 5 years after the effective date of this
subsection, in the case of any individual who, on such
effective date--
[(A) is a former President (including any
individual who might become entitled to the
mailing privilege under subsection (a) as the
surviving spouse of such a former President);
or
[(B) is the surviving spouse of a former
President; and
[(2) 4 years and 6 months after the expiration of the
period for which services and facilities are authorized
to be provided under section 4 of the Presidential
Transaction Act of 1968 (3 U.S.C. 102 note), in the
case of an individual who becomes a former President
after such effective date (including any surviving
spouse of such individual, as described in the
parenthetical matter in paragraph (1)(A)).]
* * * * * * *
----------
Section 515 of the title V General Provisions amends
section 1 under the subheading ``General Provision'' under the
heading ``Office of Personnel Management'' under title IV of
the Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government
Appropriations Act, 1992 (Public Law 102-141; 105 Stat. 861; 5
U.S.C. 5941 note), as amended by section 532 of the Treasury,
Postal Service, and General Government Appropriations Act, 1995
(Public Law 103-329; 108 Stat. 2413), and by section 5 under
the hearing ``General Provisions--Office of Personnel
Management'' under title IV of the Treasury, Postal Service,
and General Government Appropriations Act, 1996 (Public Law
104-52; 109 Stat. 490), as follows:
SECTION 1. The Allowance provided to employees at rates set
under section 5941 of title 5, United States Code, and
Executive Order Numbered 10000 as in effect on the date of
enactment of this Act through December 31, [1998] 2000:
Provided, That no later than March 1, [1998] 2000, the Office
of Personnel Management shall conduct a study and submit a
report to the Congress proposing appropriate changes in the
method of fixing compensation for affected employees, including
any necessary legislative changes. Such study shall include--
(1) an examination of the pay practices of other
employers in the affected areas;
(2) a consideration of alternative approaches to
dealing with the unusual and unique circumstances of
the affected areas, including modifications to the
current methodology for calculating allowances to take
into account all costs of living in the geographic
areas of the affected employee; and
(3) an evaluation of the likely impact of the
different approaches on the Government's ability to
recruit and retain a well-qualified workforce.
* * * * * * *
----------
TITLE 31--MONEY AND FINANCE
* * * * * * *
SUBTITLE IV--MONEY
* * * * * * *
CHAPTER 51--COINS AND CURRENCY
* * * * * * *
SUBCHAPTER II--GENERAL AUTHORITY
* * * * * * *
Sec. 5118. Gold clauses and consent to sue
(a) In this section--
(1) * * *
* * * * * * *
(d)(1) In this subsection, ``obligation'' means any
obligation (except United States currency) payable in United
States money.
(2) An obligation issued containing a gold clause or
governed by a gold clause is discharged on payment (dollar for
dollar) in United States coin or currency that is legal tender
at the time of payment. This paragraph does not apply to an
obligation issued after October 27, 1977. [This paragraph shall
apply to any obligation issued on or before October 27, 1977,
notwithstanding any assignment or novation of such obligatoin
after October 27, 1977, unless all parties to the assignment or
novation specifically agree to include a gold clause in the new
agreement. Nothing in the preceeding sentence shall be
construed to affect the enforceability of a Gold Clause
contained in any obligatoin issued after October 27, 1977 if
the enforceability of that Gold Clause has been finally
adjudicated before the date of enactment of the Economic Growth
and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act of 1996.]
* * * * * * *
----------
Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended
SEC. 201. PROCUREMENTS, WAREHOUSING, AND RELATED ACTIVITIES.
(a) The Administrator shall, in respect of executive
agencies, and to the extent that he determines that so doing is
advantageous to the Government in terms of economy, efficiency,
or service, and with due regard to the program activities of
the agencies concerned--
(1) subject to regulations prescribed by the
Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy pursuant
to the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act,
prescribe policies and methods of procurement and
supply of personal property and nonpersonal services,
including related functions such as contracting,
inspection, storage, issue, property identification and
classification, transportation and traffic management,
management of public utility services, and repairing
and converting; and
(2) operate, and, after consultation with the
executive agencies affected, consolidate, take over, or
arrange for the operation by any executive agency of
warehouses, supply centers, repair shops, fuel yards,
and other similar facilities; and
(3) procure and supply personal property and
nonpersonal services for the use of executive agencies
in the proper discharge of their responsibilities, and
perform functions related to procurement and supply
such as those mentioned above in subparagraph (1) of
this subsection: Provided, That contracts for public
utility services may be made for periods not exceeding
ten years; and
(4) with respect to transportation and other public
utility services for the use of executive agencies,
represent such agencies in negotiations with carriers
and other public utilities and in proceedings involving
carriers or other public utilities before Federal and
State regulatory bodies;
Provided, That the Secretary of Defense may from time to time,
and unless the President shall otherwise direct, exempt the
Department of Defense from action taken or which may be taken
by the Administrator under clauses (1)-(4) of this subsection
whenever he determines such exemption to be in the best
interests of national security.
[(b)(1) The Administrator shall, as far as practicable,
provide any of the services specified in subsection (a) of this
section to any other Federal agency, mixed-ownership Government
corporation (as defined in section 9101 of title 31, United
States code), or the District of Columbia, upon its request.
[(2)(A) The Administrator may provide for the use of
Federal supply schedules of the General Services Administration
by any of the following entities upon request:
[(i) A State, any department or agency of a State,
and any political subdivision of a State, including a
local government.
[(ii) The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
[(iii) The government of an Indian tribe (as defined
in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(e))).
[(B) Subparagraph (A) may not be construed to authorize an
entity referred to in that subparagraph to order existing stock
or inventory from federally owned and operated, or federally
owned and contractor operated, supply depots, warehouses, or
similar facilities.
[(C) In any case in which an entity listed in subparagraph
(A) uses a Federal supply schedule, the Administrator may
require the entity to reimburse the General Services
Administration for any administrative costs of using the
schedule.
[(3)(A) Upon the request of a qualified nonprofit agency
for the blind or other severely handicapped that is to provide
a commodity or service to the Federal Government under the
Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46 et seq.), the
Administrator may provide any of the services specified in
subsection (a) to such agency to the extent practicable.
[(B) A nonprofit agency receiving services under the
authority of subparagraph (A) shall use the services directly
in making or providing an approved commodity or approved
service to the Federal Government.
[(C) In this paragraph:
[(i) The term ``qualified nonprofit agency for the
blind or other severely handicapped'' means--
[(I) a qualified nonprofit agency for the
blind, as defined in section 5(3) of the
Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act (41 U.S.C. 48b(3)); and
[(II) a qualified nonprofit agency for other
severely handicapped, as defined in section
5(4) of such Act (41 U.S.C. 48b(4)).
[(ii) The terms ``approved commodity'' and ``approved
service'' mean a commodity and a service, respectively,
that has been determined by the Committee for Purchase
from the Blind and Other Severely Handicapped under
section 2 of the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act (41 U.S.C. 47)
to be suitable for procurement by the Federal
Government.]
(b) The Administrator shall as far as practicable provide
any of the services specified in subsection (a) of this section
to any other Federal agency, mixed ownership corporation (as
defined in chapter 91 of title 31, United States Code), or the
District of Columbia, upon its request.
[(c)] (b) In acquiring personal property, any executive
agency, under regulations to be prescribed by the
Administrator, subject to regulations prescribed by the
Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy pursuant to the
Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act, may exchange or sell
similar items and may apply the exchange allowance or proceeds
of sale in such cases in whole or in part payment for the
property acquired: Provided, That any transaction carried out
under the authority of this subsection shall be evidenced in
writing. Sales of property pursuant to this subsection shall be
governed by section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5),
except that fixed price sales may be conducted in the same
manner and subject to the same conditions as are applicable to
the sale of property pursuant to section 203(e)(5) of this Act.
[(d)] (c) In conformity with policies prescribed by the
Administrator under subsection (a) of this section, any
executive agency may utilize the services, work, materials, and
equipment of any other executive agency, for the inspection of
personal property incident to the procurement thereof, and
notwithstanding section 3678 of the Revised Statutes (31 U.S.C.
628) or any other provision of law such other executive agency
may furnish such services, work, materials, and equipment for
that purpose without reimbursement or transfer of funds.
[(e)] (d) Whenever the head of any executive agency
determines that the remaining storage or shelf life of any
medical materials or medical supplies held by such agency for
national emergency purposes is of too short duration to justify
their continued retention for such purposes and that their
transfer or disposal would be in the interest of the United
States, such materials or supplies shall be considered for the
purposes of section 202 of this Act to be excess property. In
accordance with the regulations of the Administrator, such
excess materials or supplies may thereupon be transferred to or
exchanged with any other Federal agency for other medical
materials or supplies. Any proceeds derived from such transfers
may be credited to the current applicable appropriation or fund
of the transferor agency and shall be available only for the
purchase of medical materials or supplies to be held for
national emergency purposes. If such materials or supplies are
not transferred to or exchanged with any other Federal agency,
they shall be disposed of as surplus property. To the greatest
extent practicable, the head of the executive agency holding
such medical materials or supplies shall make the determination
provided for in the first sentence of this subsection at such
times as to insure that such medical materials or medical
supplies can be transferred or otherwise disposed of in
sufficient time to permit their use before their shelf life
expires and they are rendered unfit for human use.
BUDGETARY IMPACT OF BILL
PREPARED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE PURSUANT TO SEC. 308(a), PUBLIC LAW 93-344, AS
AMENDED
[In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget authority Outlays
---------------------------------------------------
Committee Amount of Committee Amount of
allocation bill allocation bill
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comparison of amounts in the bill with Committee allocations
to its subcommittees of amounts in the First Concurrent
Resolution for 1998: Subcommittee on Treasury and General
Government:
Defense discretionary................................... ........... ........... ........... ...........
Nondefense discretionary................................ 12,501 12,464 12,269 \1\ 12,269
Violent crime reduction fund............................ 131 131 127 78
Mandatory............................................... 12,713 12,713 12,712 12,712
Projections of outlays associated with the recommendation:
1998.................................................... ........... ........... ........... \2\ 22,252
1999.................................................... ........... ........... ........... 1,646
2000.................................................... ........... ........... ........... 604
2001.................................................... ........... ........... ........... 346
2002 and future year.................................... ........... ........... ........... 167
Financial assistance to State and local governments for 1998
in bill.................................................... NA 12 NA 7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes outlays from prior-year budget authority.
\2\ Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.
NA: Not applicable.
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 1997 AND BUDGET ESTIMATES AND AMOUNTS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL FOR FISCAL YEAR 1998
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Senate Committee recommendation compared with (+ or -
)
Item 1997 appropriation Budget House allowance Committee -------------------------------------------------------
estimate deg. recommendation Budget House
1997 appropriation estimate allowance deg.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Departmental Offices......................................... $112,048,000 $116,314,000 $114,794,000 +$2,746,000 -$1,520,000
Counterterrorism fund.................................... 15,000,000 .................. .................. -15,000,000 ..................
Supplemental funding (Public Law 105-18)................. 1,950,000 .................. .................. -1,950,000 ..................
Automation Enhancement....................................... 27,100,000 29,389,000 29,389,000 +2,289,000 ..................
Office of Inspector General.................................. 29,770,000 31,333,000 30,719,000 +949,000 -614,000
Office of Professional Responsibility........................ 1,500,000 1,625,000 1,250,000 -250,000 -375,000
Treasury Buildings and Annex Repair and Restoration.......... 28,213,000 12,484,000 10,484,000 -17,729,000 -2,000,000
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network......................... 22,387,000 23,006,000 22,835,000 +448,000 -171,000
Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund (limitation on
availability of deposits)................................... 10,000,000 9,500,000 .................. -10,000,000 -9,500,000
Violent Crime Reduction Programs:
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.................. 36,595,000 42,378,000 24,023,000 -12,572,000 -18,355,000
Departmental Offices..................................... 18,300,000 .................. .................. -18,300,000 ..................
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network..................... 1,000,000 3,000,000 3,000,000 +2,000,000 ..................
United States Secret Service............................. 20,000,000 20,700,000 21,178,000 +1,178,000 +478,000
ONDCP--HIDTA............................................. 13,105,000 .................. 8,500,000 -4,605,000 +8,500,000
Gang Resistance Education and Training: Grants........... 8,000,000 8,000,000 10,000,000 +2,000,000 +2,000,000
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.................. .................. 24,000,000 19,619,000 +19,619,000 -4,381,000
United States Customs Service............................ .................. 20,100,000 44,635,000 +44,635,000 +24,535,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Violent Crime Reduction Programs................ 97,000,000 118,178,000 130,955,000 +33,955,000 +12,777,000
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center:
Salaries and Expenses.................................... 56,185,000 65,663,000 64,663,000 +8,478,000 -1,000,000
Acquisition, Construction, Improvements, and Related
Expenses................................................ 21,584,000 11,111,000 13,930,000 -7,654,000 +2,819,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center......... 77,769,000 76,774,000 78,593,000 +824,000 +1,819,000
Interagency Law Enforcement: Interagency crime and drug
enforce- ment \1\.......................................... .................. 73,794,000 73,794,000 +73,794,000 ..................
Financial Management Service................................. 196,518,000 202,560,000 202,490,000 +5,972,000 -70,000
Reimburse Federal Reserve Bank (indefinite).............. .................. 122,000,000 .................. .................. -122,000,000
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms:
Salaries and Expenses.................................... 460,394,000 496,954,000 472,490,000 +12,096,000 -24,464,000
Laboratory facilities.................................... 6,978,000 55,022,000 55,022,000 +48,044,000 ..................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms......... 467,372,000 551,976,000 527,512,000 +60,140,000 -24,464,000
United States Customs Service:
Salaries and Expenses.................................... 1,549,585,000 1,566,826,000 1,551,028,000 +1,443,000 -15,798,000
Customs facilities, construction, improvements........... .................. 5,512,000 .................. .................. -5,512,000
Operation and Maintenance, Air and Marine Interdiction
Programs................................................ 83,363,000 92,758,000 92,758,000 +9,395,000 ..................
Customs Services at Small Airports (to be derived from
fees collected)......................................... 2,406,000 2,000,000 2,406,000 .................. +406,000
Harbor Maintenance Fee Collection........................ 3,000,000 3,000,000 3,000,000 .................. ..................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, United States Customs Service................... 1,638,354,000 1,670,096,000 1,649,192,000 +10,838,000 -20,904,000
Bureau of the Public Debt.................................... 165,335,000 169,426,000 169,426,000 +4,091,000 ..................
Internal Revenue Service:
Processing, Assistance, and Management................... 1,790,288,000 2,943,174,000 2,943,174,000 +1,152,886,000 ..................
Tax Law Enforcement...................................... 4,104,211,000 3,153,722,000 3,153,722,000 -950,489,000 ..................
Rescission........................................... .................. .................. .................. .................. ..................
Information Systems...................................... 1,323,075,000 1,272,487,000 1,272,487,000 -50,588,000 ..................
Rescission........................................... -174,447,000 .................. .................. +174,447,000 ..................
Information technology investments....................... .................. 500,000,000 325,000,000 +325,000,000 -175,000,000
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Net total, Internal Revenue Service.................... 7,043,127,000 7,869,383,000 7,694,383,000 +651,256,000 -175,000,000
United States Secret Service:
Salaries and Expenses.................................... 531,288,000 575,971,000 570,809,000 +39,521,000 -5,162,000
Rescission........................................... -7,600,000 .................. .................. +7,600,000 ..................
Acquisition, Construction, Improvement, and Related
Expenses................................................ 37,365,000 9,176,000 9,176,000 -28,189,000 ..................
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Total, United States Secret Service.................... 561,053,000 585,147,000 579,985,000 +18,932,000 -5,162,000
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Net total, title I, Department of the Treasury......... 10,494,496,000 11,662,985,000 11,315,801,000 +821,305,000 -347,184,000
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TITLE II--POSTAL SERVICE
Payments to the Postal Service
Payment to the Postal Service Fund........................... 85,080,000 86,274,000 86,274,000 +1,194,000 ..................
Supplemental funding (Public Law 105-18)................. 5,383,000 .................. .................. -5,383,000 ..................
Payment to the Postal Service Fund for Nonfunded Liabilities. 35,536,000 34,850,000 34,850,000 -686,000 ..................
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Total, title II, Postal Service........................ 125,999,000 121,124,000 121,124,000 -4,875,000 ..................
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TITLE III--EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AND FUNDS
APPROPRIATED TO THE PRESIDENT
Compensation of the President and the White House Office:
Compensation of the President............................ 250,000 250,000 250,000 .................. ..................
Salaries and Expenses.................................... 40,193,000 51,199,000 51,199,000 +11,006,000 ..................
Executive Residence at the White House:
Operating Expenses....................................... 7,827,000 8,045,000 8,045,000 +218,000 ..................
White House Repair and Restoration....................... .................. 200,000 200,000 +200,000 ..................
Special Assistance to the President and the Official
Residence of the Vice President:
Salaries and Expenses.................................... 3,280,000 3,378,000 3,378,000 +98,000 ..................
Operating expenses....................................... 324,000 334,000 334,000 +10,000 ..................
Council of Economic Advisers................................. 3,439,000 3,542,000 3,542,000 +103,000 ..................
Office of Policy Development................................. 3,867,000 3,983,000 3,983,000 +116,000 ..................
National Security Council.................................... 6,648,000 6,648,000 6,648,000 .................. ..................
Office of Administration..................................... 26,100,000 28,883,000 28,883,000 +2,783,000 ..................
Office of Management and Budget.............................. 55,573,000 57,240,000 57,240,000 +1,667,000 ..................
Office of National Drug Control Policy....................... 35,838,000 36,016,000 36,016,000 +178,000 ..................
Unanticipated Needs.......................................... .................. 1,000,000 .................. .................. -1,000,000
Federal Drug Control Programs: High Intensity Drug
Trafficking Areas Program................................... 127,102,000 140,207,000 140,207,000 +13,105,000 ..................
Special forfeiture fund...................................... 112,900,000 175,000,000 145,300,000 +32,400,000 -29,700,000
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Total, title III, Executive Office of the President and
Funds Appropriated to the President................... 423,341,000 515,925,000 485,225,000 +61,884,000 -30,700,000
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TITLE IV--INDEPENDENT AGENCIES
Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely
Dis- abled................................................. 1,800,000 1,940,000 1,940,000 +140,000 ..................
Federal Election Commission.................................. 28,165,000 29,300,000 29,000,000 +835,000 -300,000
Federal Labor Relations Authority............................ 21,588,000 22,039,000 22,039,000 +451,000 ..................
General Services Administration:
Federal Buildings Fund:
Appropriation........................................ 400,544,000 84,000,000 .................. -400,544,000 -84,000,000
Limitations on availability of revenue:
Construction and acquisition of facilities....... (657,711,000) .................. .................. (-657,711,000) ..................
Environmental cleanup activities................. (20,000,000) .................. .................. (-20,000,000) ..................
Consolidated Federal Law Enforcement Bldg........ (81,000,000) .................. .................. (-81,000,000) ..................
Repairs and alterations.......................... (639,000,000) (434,000,000) (350,000,000) (-289,000,000) (-84,000,000)
Installment acquisition payments................. (173,075,000) (142,542,000) (142,542,000) (-30,533,000) ..................
Operations and rental of space................... .................. .................. .................. .................. ..................
Rental of space.................................. (2,343,795,000) (2,275,340,000) (2,275,340,000) (-68,455,000) ..................
Building Operations.............................. (1,552,651,000) (1,331,789,000) (1,331,789,000) (-220,862,000) ..................
Repayment of Debt................................ (88,312,000) (105,720,000) (105,720,000) (+17,408,000) ..................
Previously appropriated activities............... .................. (680,543,000) (680,543,000) (+680,543,000) ..................
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Total, Federal Buildings Fund.................. 400,544,000 84,000,000 .................. -400,544,000 -84,000,000
(Limitations).............................. (5,555,544,000) (4,969,934,000) (4,885,934,000) (-669,610,000) (-84,000,000)
Policy and Operations.................................... 110,173,000 104,487,000 104,487,000 -5,686,000 ..................
Office of Inspector General.............................. 33,863,000 33,870,000 33,870,000 +7,000 ..................
Allowances and Office Staff for Former Presidents........ 2,180,000 2,250,000 2,208,000 +28,000 -42,000
Expenses, presidential transition........................ 5,600,000 .................. .................. -5,600,000 ..................
Rescission (Public Law 105-18)....................... -5,600,000 .................. .................. +5,600,000 ..................
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Total, General Services Administration............. 546,760,000 224,607,000 140,565,000 -406,195,000 -84,042,000
John F. Kennedy Assassination Record Review Board............ 2,150,000 1,600,000 1,600,000 -550,000 ..................
Merit Systems Protection Board:
Salaries and Expenses.................................... 23,923,000 24,450,000 24,810,000 +887,000 +360,000
(Limitation on administrative expenses).................. (2,430,000) (2,430,000) (2,430,000) .................. ..................
Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National
Environmental Policy Foundation............................. .................. 2,000,000 .................. .................. -2,000,000
National Archives and Records Administration:
Operating expenses....................................... 196,963,000 206,479,000 206,479,000 +9,516,000 ..................
Reduction of debt........................................ -4,012,000 -4,012,000 -4,012,000 .................. ..................
Archives Facilities and Presidential Libraries:
Repairs and Restoration................................ 16,229,000 6,650,000 13,650,000 -2,579,000 +7,000,000
National Historical Publications and Records Commission:
Grants program.......................................... 5,000,000 4,000,000 5,000,000 .................. +1,000,000
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Total, National Archives and Records Administration.. 214,180,000 213,117,000 221,117,000 +6,937,000 +8,000,000
Office of Government Ethics.................................. 8,078,000 8,265,000 8,265,000 +187,000 ..................
Office of Personnel Management:
Salaries and Expenses.................................... 87,286,000 85,350,000 85,350,000 -1,936,000 ..................
(Limitation on administrative expenses).............. (94,736,000) (91,236,000) (91,236,000) (-3,500,000) ..................
Office of Inspector General.............................. 960,000 960,000 960,000 .................. ..................
(Limitation on administrative expenses).............. (8,645,000) (8,645,000) (8,645,000) .................. ..................
Government Payment for Annuitants, Employees Health
Benefits................................................ 4,059,000,000 4,338,000,000 4,338,000,000 +279,000,000 ..................
Government Payment for Annuitants, Employee Life
Insurance............................................... 33,000,000 32,000,000 32,000,000 -1,000,000 ..................
Payment to Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund.. 7,989,000,000 8,336,000,000 8,336,000,000 +347,000,000 ..................
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Total, Office of Personnel Management.................. 12,169,246,000 12,792,310,000 12,792,310,000 +623,064,000 ..................
Office of Special Counsel.................................... 8,116,000 8,450,000 8,450,000 +334,000 ..................
United States Tax Court...................................... 33,781,000 34,293,000 34,293,000 +512,000 ..................
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Total, title IV, Independent Agencies.................. 13,057,787,000 13,362,371,000 13,284,389,000 +226,602,000 -77,982,000
(Limitation on administrative expenses)............ (5,661,355,000) (5,072,245,000) (4,988,245,000) (-673,110,000) (-84,000,000)
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Net grand total........................................ 24,101,623,000 25,662,405,000 25,206,539,000 +1,104,916,000 -455,866,000
Appropriations................................. (24,289,270,000) (25,662,405,000) (25,206,539,000) (+917,269,000) (-455,866,000)
Rescissions.................................... (-187,647,000) .................. .................. (+187,647,000) ..................
Emergency funding (Public Law 105-18).......... .................. .................. .................. .................. ..................
(Limitations)...................................... (5,661,355,000) (5,072,245,000) (4,988,245,000) (-673,110,000) (-84,000,000)
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\1\ Funded in Commerce, Justice, State, the Judiciary bill in fiscal year 1997.