Date: 2007-06-22
Speaker: WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

Madam Chair. this is a fiscally responsible bill. Again. we have held the bill to a 4.1 percent increase. only $122 million over actual spending in fiscal year 2007. and if you take into consideration the $50 million rescission in the CR. we are at a 2.3 percent increase. That is $276 million below the total budget request. Again. I want to point to the minority views. where the minority agreed this bill is fiscally responsible. They say. "On balance. the funding provided in this bill to operate the legislative branch agencies is fiscally responsible." This bill funds the musthaves. not the nicetohaves. by targeting increases towards keeping the agencies running. providing Congress with the tools it needs to perform its oversight responsibility. and funding critical security and life safety projects. The amendment. if adopted. would eliminate $50 million worth of critical health and safety and security projects that we would be unable to fund if a 4 percent acrosstheboard reduction were adopted. This amendment would eliminate funding for things like the $5 million we have in this bill to ensure that the Capitol Police have interoperable radios. According to the new police chief. a new radio system is their number one priority. The existing radio system is 20 years old. It is antiquated and outdated. It is not encrypted nor secure. and it is not interoperable. Hurricane Katrina showed the importance of interoperable communications during a crisis. It also would eliminate funding potentially monitoring the utility tunnel abatement. We. had tunnel workers who were subjected to horrendous conditions and have been exposed to asbestos. and we are endeavoring to make sure that we can make up for that and provide the funding for the abatement. That would be impossible if this amendment were adopted. We provide $1.2 million for escape hoods for our Library visitors. $1 million for emergency exit signs and lighting in the capital. and emergency lighting upgrades in Rayburn. The amendment would also impair our agencys work. It would put the legislative branch agencies back to a fiscal year 2006 funding level since there was no increase -in 2007. In practical terms.the impact of this would be less capability on the part of GAO to assist Congress in its oversight responsibilities. fewer and less timely products from CRS to assist Members in their legislative duties. a further reduction in CBOs ability to score Member bills. which was pointed out in the Rules Committee as already being a problem. elimination of the digital talking book conversion program for the blind. a reduced ability for the Office of Compliance to pursue health safety issues around the Capitol complex. even as we get ready to add new space with the approaching opening of the CVC. the Architects operations would be strained to keep up with increases in utility costs. and. finally. since 77 percent of this bill is labor costs. as is most of the increase. this amendment would surely result in a reduction in our workforce. It is irresponsible. Mr. WAMP and I have endeavored to put forward a bill that is fiscally responsible. fiscally tight. and ensures the life. safety and security needs of the people who work and visit here. I reserve the balance of my time.