Appropriations for FY1999: Legislative Branch (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised March 11, 1999 |
| Report Number |
98-212 |
| Authors |
Paul Dwyer, Government Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
On October 21, 1998, President Clinton signed H.R. 4112 , the FY1999 Legislative
Branch Appropriations Bill, into P.L. 105-275 . The act contains $2.350 billion, a 2.7% increase over
the FY1998 appropriation of $2.288 billion. Later the same day, the President signed into law an
omnibus appropriations bill that contains FY1999 emergency funding of $223.7 million for
legislative branch activities. These funds were made available to cover expenses associated with the
Year-2000 conversion of "information technology systems" ($16.9 million), to the Capitol Police
Board for security of the Capitol complex and the Library of Congress ($106.8 million), and to the
Architect of the Capitol for expenses of "planning, engineering, design, and construction" of a
Capitol Visitor Center ($100 million).
On June 5, 1998, the Senate Committee on Appropriations reported S. 2137 , its
version of the FY1999 legislative branch budget ( S.Rept. 105-204 ). On June 23, the House
Committee on Appropriations reported its version, H.R. 4112 ( H.Rept. 105-595 ). On
June 25, the House passed H.R. 4112 (235-179), after agreeing to two amendments,
and, on July 21, the Senate passed H.R. 4112 , as amended (90-9). Conferees met and
cleared the bill on September 18, and the House Appropriations Committee issued the conference
report on September 22, 1998 ( H.Rept. 105-734 ). The House adopted the report on September 24,
by a vote of 356-65, and the Senate adopted it the following day, by voice vote.
Among the issues considered by both houses were the --
(1) Number of additional staff and amount of funds necessary to ensure that
Congress makes
its computers Year-2000 compliant;
(2) Funds for additional Capitol complex security, including construction of a Capitol Visitor
Center;
(3) Level of funding needed for capital improvements requested by the Architect of the
Capitol;
(4) Pay of the U.S. Capitol Police;
(5) Appropriations needed for technology development, including online information,
electronic document printing, and continued development of a legislative information
system; and
(6) Funding levels for the congressional support agencies, including the Government Printing
Office, the Congressional Budget Office, the Library of Congress (including the
Congressional Research Service), and the General Accounting Office.
The legislative budget is not particularly large, only 0.15% of the total federal budget.
