HOUSE DEMOCRATIC STEERING COMMITTEE Mr. BENJAMIN. Let us return to the House Democratic Steering Committee. Mr. HENSHAW. The House Democratic Steering Committee. For salaries and expenses of the House Democratic Steering Committee, $323,000. This is an increase of $14,100 over the amount appropriated for fiscal year 1979, which is attributed to pay increases. [The information follows:] EXPLANATION OF INCREASE IN AVERAGE SALARY Mr. BENJAMIN. On that particular one, would you please provide for the record an explanation for the increase in the average salary of employees of the House Democratic Steering Committee which was $25,601 in 1978 to $37,647 estimated in fiscal 1980, which I calculate out to be about 47 percent. I would also appreciate for the record an explanation if they have replaced these photographers that have been transferred to other positions, and, if so, what other positions. [The information follows:] STATEMENT OF S. ARIEL WEISS The Committee has asked for an explanation of the projected increase in average employee salaries. As this increase is entirely the result of payraises granted before my selection as Director of the Committee, I have asked the previous two Directors for an explanation. They inform me that in fiscal year 1978 there were twelve Committee employees with an average salary of $25,601, including six photographers, of whom four received salaries of $20,000 or less. Effective October 1, 1978, these photographers were transferred to the Office of the Doorkeeper. This transfer and the October 1978 cost-of-living increase account, I am told, for the increase in average salary. The Committee has also asked for an explanation of the effect of the photographers' transfer on the Steering and Policy Committee budget. My predecessor informs me that in response to the transfer of this $150,000 "payroll" the subcommittee agreed to this request to reduce the Steering and Policy Committee budget by $100,000. I understand that the minority was granted an equivalent $50,000 increase in its budget. HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS Mr. BENJAMIN. Go ahead to the Caucus. Mr. HENSHAW. House Democratic Caucus. For salaries and expenses of the House Democratic Caucus $85,600. This represents an increase of $2,000 over the amount appropriated for fiscal year 1979, which is attributed to pay in Mr. BENJAMIN. Proceed. Mr. HENSHAW. House Republican Conference. For salaries and expenses of the House Republican Conference, $566,900. This increase of $24,400 over the amount appropriated for fiscal year 1979 is attributed to pay increases. [The information follows:] APPROPRIATIONS, ACTUAL EXPENDITURES, UNEXPENDED BALANCES EQUALITY BETWEEN DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS Mr. MICHEL. Is that amount for the House Republican Conference supposed to match the total of the Democratic Steering Committee and Democratic Caucus? It doesn't quite, I guess, does it? How do you arrive at that figure for the conference, with the unofficial rule of thumb around here that whatever one side gets the other side gets? Mr. HENSHAW. I can answer that. I know that they have kept pretty close to parallel in the expenditure in that amount. I was just going to refer here a little further to the Democratic photographers who were transferred from the House Democratic Steering Committee to the Office of the Doorkeeper. Therefore, the amounts funded for the Democratic Steering Committee, Democratic Caucus, and the portion of the Doorkeeper's funds which pertain to the photographers are equal to the funds for the Republican Conference. Mr. MICHEL. So if you took the amount of the photographers Mr. HENSHAW. When you switch back over. Mr. MICHEL.—with the Doorkeeper, add that to the Steering Committee and the Caucus, then you come up to what the Republican Conference figure is? Mr. HENSHAW. Yes, sir. Mr. MICHEL. Do you have a breakdown for the record? Mr. HENSHAW. Yes, sir. Mr. CONTE. Could we ask for a breakdown of both of those? [The information follows:] Statement of equality-House Democratic Steering and Caucus to House House Democratic Steering House Democratic Caucus Transfer of funds $150,000 in fiscal year 1979.. Total House Republican Conference.... 'Transferred to the Office of the Doorkeeper and adjusted for cost of living. "A rounded estimate for Budget purposes. Estimate $323,000 85,600 '158,250 566,850 2 566,900 JOB LEVELS AND JOB DESCRIPTIONS OF DEMOCRATIC STEERING, DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS AND REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE Mr. CONTE. I would like to see the breakdown of that budget, both Democrats and Republicans. Mr. BENJAMIN. Do obtain that and put that in the record. You are speaking of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, the Democratic Caucus, and the Republican Conference? Mr. CONTE. Exactly. Mr. COLLEY. You want something other than in the Subcommittee Print? The jobs are listed on page 42 of the Subcommittee Print. It shows the various things they expend their funds for, other than personnel. We could try to get an estimate for those items. Mr. BENJAMIN. Let's go ahead and put it into the record by job level, job description. [The information follows:] DEMOCRATIC STEERING & POLICY COMMITTEE On instructions from the Speaker who is also Chairman of the Steering and Policy Committee, the staff is expected to work closely with Committee staff in order to monitor the flow of legislation. Specifically, the staff attempts to review committees' progress in meeting the deadlines imposed by the budget process and to keep informed as to legislative controversies. In addition, the staff assists the Steering and Policy Committee in responding to Caucus resolutions, mandating consideration of means to improve oversight, sunset, and a number of other process issues. As the Executive Director of the Steering and Policy Committee is new to his position, the specific responsibilities of each staffer are in flux. Each professional staffer will, however, retain responsibility for keeping informed as to the activities of several committees. The current staff alignment is as follows: |