	FY2018 Consideration: Overview of Actions

The first section of this report provides an overview of the consideration of FY2018 legislative branch appropriations, with subsections covering each action, including
the initial submission of the request on May 23, 2017; hearings held by the House and Senate Legislative Branch Subcommittees in May and June, 2017; the House subcommittee markup on June 23, 2017; the House full committee markup on June 29, 2017; the July 18, 2017, inclusion of the text of the legislative branch bill, H.R. 3162 , in a print issued by the House Rules Committee; the meeting of the House Rules Committee on July 24 and 25, 2017, to consider a special rule for consideration of H.R. 3219 , which included legislative branch funding as Division B; consideration of H.R. 3219 in the House on July 26 and passage on July 27; the markup and reporting by the Senate Appropriations Committee of its version of the legislative branch appropriations bill on July 27 ( S. 1648 ); the enactment on September 8, of a continuing resolution providing funding through December 8, 2017; the agreement in the House on September 14 to H.Res. H.R. 115-96 , through January 19, 2018; P.L. 115-120 , through February 8, 2018; and P.L. 115-123 , through March 23, 2018); and the enactment of the FY2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act ( P.L. In general, FY2018 legislative branch budget requests had already been developed and submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) prior to the enactment of funding for FY2017, which occurred on May 5. The following amendments were considered:
a manager's amendment, offered by Chairman Yoder of Kansas, with technical changes, which was agreed to by voice vote; an amendment offered by Representative McCollum of Minnesota, related to the public release of CRS reports, which was not agreed to by voice vote; an amendment offered by Representative Lee of California, related to House staff diversity and addressing bias in hiring and promotion, which was agreed to by voice vote; an amendment offered by Representative Wasserman Schultz of Florida, related to the House historic buildings revitalization trust fund, which was withdrawn. The bill was reported out of committee by voice vote ( H.R. 3162 , H.Rept. 115-199 ). 3162 was included in a print issued by the House Rules Committee referred to as the Make America Secure Appropriations Act, 2018, and short titled the "Defense, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Legislative Branch, and Energy and Water Development National Security Appropriations Act, 2018" (Committee Print 115-30). A total of 34 amendments were considered by the committee for Division B (including 7 the committee considered late or late revised). Ten amendments to Division B were made in order under the rule reported by the House Rules Committee ( H.Res. 115-259 ). 3219 on July 26. Of the 10 amendments to Division B made in order, 9 were offered. Three failed by roll call vote: 
H.Amdt. 217 , which would have reduced funding for the Congressional Budget Office; and H.Amdt. H.R. 3219 was passed in the House the next day (235-192, Roll no. 115-137 ). S. 1648 would have provided $3.171 billion, not including House items, an increase of $122.4 million (+4.0%) from the comparable FY2017 enacted level. 115-56 ). Inclusion of Text of H.R. H.R. Enactment of Further Continuing Appropriations Resolutions and the FY2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act

Additional continuing appropriations resolutions provided funding through
December 22, 2017 ( P.L. 115-141 ) provides $4.700 billion for legislative branch activities, an increase of $260.0 million (5.9%) from the FY2017 level. The $4.440 billion provided by the act represented a $77.0 million increase (+1.7%) from the FY2016 enacted level. The $4.300 billion provided by the act represented an increase of $41.7 million (+1.0%) from FY2014. The act funded legislative branch accounts at the FY2012 enacted level, with some exceptions (also known as "anomalies"), not including across-the-board rescissions required by Section 3004 of P.L. 112-74 ) provided $4.307 billion for the legislative branch. This level was $236.9 million below (-5.2%) the FY2011 enacted level. This level represented a $125.1 million decrease from the $4.668 billion provided in the FY2010 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act ( P.L. 2. 3. 4. 1. 2. 3. The FY2013 House-reported bill would have provided $1.0 million, a decrease of $9.0 million (-90.0%), from the $10.0 million provided in FY2012 and requested for FY2013. The FY2012 act contained the Senate-reported level.
The legislative branch appropriations bill provides funding for the Senate; House of Representatives; Joint Items; Capitol Police; Office of Compliance; Congressional Budget Office (CBO); Architect of the Capitol (AOC); Library of Congress (LOC), including the Congressional Research Service (CRS); Government Publishing Office (GPO); Government Accountability Office (GAO); Open World Leadership Center; and the John C. Stennis Center.
The FY2018 legislative branch budget request of $4.865 billion was submitted on May 23, 2017. In general, FY2018 legislative branch budget requests were developed and submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) prior to the enactment of FY2017 funding. By law, the President includes the legislative branch request in the annual budget submission without change.
On June 23, 2017, the House Appropriations Committee Legislative Branch Subcommittee held a markup of the draft bill. The bill was ordered reported to the full committee by voice vote. On June 29, the House Appropriations Committee held a markup of the bill. The bill was ordered reported by voice vote. It would have provided $3.580 billion, not including Senate items (H.R. 3162, H.Rept. 115-199). On July 18, the text of H.R. 3162 was included in a print issued by the House Rules Committee entitled, "Text of the Defense, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Legislative Branch, and Energy And Water Development National Security Appropriations Act, 2018" (Committee Print 115-30, which also contained the text of H.R. 3219, H.R. 2998, and H.R. 3266). On July 24 and 25, the House Rules Committee met to consider a special rule for the consideration of H.R. 3219, which included legislative branch funding as Division B. A total of 34 proposed amendments were considered by the committee (including 7 the committee considered late or late revised). Ten amendments to Division B were made in order. The rule for consideration (H.Res. 473, H.Rept. 115-259) was agreed to in the House on July 26, 2017. On July 26, the House proceeded to consideration of H.R. 3219. Of the 10 amendments to Division B made in order by H.Res. 473, 9 were offered (4 agreed to by voice vote, 2 failed by voice vote, and 3 failed by roll call vote). H.R. 3219 was passed in the House the next day.
On July 27, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported S. 1648 (S.Rept. 115-137), which would have provided $3.171 billion, not including House items.
On September 8, a continuing appropriations resolution providing funding for legislative branch activities through December 8, 2017, was enacted (P.L. 115-56). Additional continuing appropriations resolutions (P.L. 115-90, through December 22, 2017; P.L. 115-96, through January 19, 2018; P.L. 115-120, through February 8, 2018; and P.L. 115-123, through March 23, 2018) provided funding until the enactment of the FY2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 115-141). The act provides $4.700 billion for FY2018, an increase of $260.0 million (5.9%) from FY2017.
The FY2017 level of $4.440 billion was an increase of $77.0 million (+1.7%) from FY2016. The FY2016 level of $4.363 billion represented an increase of $63 million (+1.5%) from the FY2015 level of $4.300 billion, and the FY2015 level represented an increase of $41.7 million (+1.0%) from the FY2014 funding level of $4.259 billion. The FY2013 act funded legislative branch accounts at the FY2012 enacted level, with some exceptions (also known as "anomalies"), less across-the-board rescissions that applied to all appropriations in the act, and not including sequestration reductions implemented on March 1. The FY2012 level of $4.307 billion represented a decrease of $236.9 million (-5.2%) from the FY2011 level, which itself represented a decrease of $125.1 million (-2.7%) from FY2010.
The smallest of the appropriations bills, the legislative branch comprises approximately 0.4% of total discretionary budget authority.