The Senate Subcommittee on Legislative Branch did not hold a formal markup. A substantial part of the 12.5% increase requested is to meet (1)mandatory expenses, which includes funding for annual salary adjustments required by lawand related personnel expenses, such as increased government contributions to retirementbased on increased pay, and (2) expenses related to increases in the costs of goods andservices due to inflation. Senate Hearings on FY2005 Budget Requests. FY2005 302(b) Allocation for the House and Senate Subcommittees on Legislative Branch. Both houses agreed to a FY2005budget authority cap of $3.575 billion for discretionary agencies and programs under thejurisdiction of the Subcommittees on Legislative Branch. (9)
House Subcommittee Markup of FY2005 Bill. House Full Committee Markup of the FY2005 Bill. During its June 23 markup, the full committee approved thesubcommittee's recommendations after agreeing to the following six amendments: 
manager's amendment (offered by Chairman Jack Kingston) containing seven provisions: (1) expressing gratitude to House employees for assistance during thefuneral of President Ronald Reagan; (2) directing changes in the administrative reorganizationof the U.S. Capitol Police force; (3) authorizing a review of the appointment process, salarydetermination, and retirement benefits for top personnel in legislative branch agencies; (4)directing the House Chief Administrative Officer to monitor compliance by vendors withHouse prepayment policies; (5) authorizing GAO to study overlap of research on economicissues by the Joint Economic Committee, CRS, CBO, and the Joint Committee on Taxation; (11) (6) encouraging the GAO to undertake additional technology assessment studies as Congressdirects; and (7) prohibiting use of funds in the bill to pay employees of the legislative branchmore than a Member of Congress. See discussion of theHouse markup in this report. House Passage of FY2005 Bill (H.R. 4755 , amended to contain the language of S. 2666 , leavingintact language in H.R. As agreed to in conference on November19, and subsequently by both houses the following day, legislative branch report languagecontained
an overall increase of 1.2%, to $3.571 billion from $3.527 billion, subject to a 0.80% rescission; (16)
an increase of 5.7% in budget authority for the Capitol Police, to $232.3 million (from $219.8 million), which enables the force to maintain 1,592 sworn staff;and
a decrease of 12.5% ($50.3 million) in budget authority for the Architect of the Capitol, to $352.7 million from $403 million. Capitol Complex Security -- Capitol Visitors' Center

Conferees on the FY2005 bill agreed to authorize the transfer of up to $10.6 million to the Capitol Visitors' Center (CVC) from the Capitol Building account of the Architect of theCapitol. 4755 , its version of the FY2005 legislative branch funding bill, without funds for the CVC. Senate Committee Funding. (22)
Government Accountability Office. The Senate determines funding levels of these twoaccounts. figures are subject to a 0.80% rescission)
Source: House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
a. FY2004 funds are contained in P.L. c. The House does not consider appropriations for Senate office buildings. a. Additional FY2004 provisions thatdid not contain appropriations were contained in P.L.
Congress agreed to a 1.2% increase in its budget authority for FY2005, appropriating $3.57 million, subject to a 0.80% rescission. Although legislative branch agencies requested an overall12.5% increase, the chairmen and some members of the House and Senate Subcommittees onLegislative Branch indicated early in budget discussions the probability of a fairly flat FY2005budget. Subsequently, during markup the House and Senate Committees on Appropriationsapproved a freeze on FY2005 legislative branch budget authority. The House bill ( H.R. 4755 ) contained a -0.1% change from FY2004, excluding Senate items; the Senate's version of H.R. 4755 , amended to contain the language of S. 2666 , contained a+0.33% change, excluding House items. Both bills fell below the 1.3% increase agreed to earlierthis year by the House and Senate for discretionary agencies and programs under jurisdictions of theHouse and Senate Subcommittees on Legislative Branch. Among elements under considerationduring discussions on the FY2005 budget were
impact of a flat budget funded at the FY2004 level with additional appropriations to pay for mandatory expenses (annual salary increases and related increasedpersonnel costs), and for costs of goods and services increased due toinflation;
impact of a budget funded at the FY2004 level with no additional funds formandatory expenses and inflationary increases;
impact of a tight budget on funding to equip and startup the Capitol Visitors'Center (CVC) (the House bill did not contain funds, while the Senate bill contained $7.6 million;conferees authorized a transfer up to $10.6 million to the CVC;
impact of funding restrictions on implementation of additional securityenhancements within and around the Capitol complex, including funding for the CapitolPolice;
elimination of the Joint Economic Committee (proposed but postponed inHouse Subcommittee markup; not considered in full committee markup);
authorization for the Government Accountability Office (GAO), formerlynamed the General Accounting Office, to study statutory jurisdictions of the joint economic andtaxation committees to determine possible overlap (included in the House bill, but specifically notsupported in the Senate bill);
elimination of the Capitol Hill mounted police force (adopted during HouseSubcommittee markup, but supported in Senate report language); and
extension of dental and vision benefits to Members and House employees(proposed for employees but postponed during House Subcommittee markup); considered and agreedto in full committee markup (applicable to both employees and Members).
Key Policy Staff
Division abbreviations: GOV/FIN = Government and Finance