MONDAY, MARCH 1, 1976.

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE

WITNESSES

ALICE M. RIVLIN, DIRECTOR

ROBERT A. LEVINE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR

STANLEY GREIGG, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL

RELATIONS

ALFRED B. FITT, GENERAL COUNSEL

ROBERT D. HARRIS, DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR BUDGET CONCEPTS

HOWARD M. MESSNER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

Mr. SHIPLEY. The committee will come to order.

INTRODUCTION OF WITNESSES

We are pleased to have Dr. Rivlin and members of her staff with us this morning to discuss the budget for the Congressional Budget Office. I might note that accompanying you this morning you have Robert Levine, Deputy Director, Stanley L. Greigg, Director, Office of Intergovernmental Relations; Alfred B. Fitt, General Counsel; Robert D. Harris, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Concepts and Howard M. Messner, Assistant Director for Management Programs.

ADJUSTMENTS IN BUDGET ESTIMATES

The amount in the budget for the operation of the Congressional Budget Office for fiscal year 1977 totals $10,159,000, with a staff of 259. However, Dr. Rivlin, I understand you are proposing that the total dollar request be reduced to $9,319,200, and staffing be at a level of 208 positions.

Dr. RIVLIN. Yes, we are, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. SHIPLEY. All right. We will go into the budget in more detail a little later.

BUDGET SCHEDULE AND JUSTIFICATION MATERIAL

We will insert the budget schedule and pages 14 through 23 of the justifications in the record at this point.

[The material referred to follows:]

(1031)

1 Includes capital outlay as follows: 1976, $60 thousand; TQ, $15 thousand; 1977, $65 thousand. Reflects direct appropriation commencing January 1, 1976.

CROSSWALK OF FY 1977

BUDGET ESTIMATE BY OBJECT CLASS

1

345,600

99,300 2,923,700 611,200 540,900 714,400

1,199,600 849,600 595,600

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE

EXPLANATION OF OBJECT CLASS SUMMARY

11.1

11.3

12.0

Permanent Positions ($4,815,200) Salaries of permanent
positions include a request for 15 additional positions
above our FY 1976 ceiling of 193. The total request is
for $4,815,200. This is 51 positions and $1,069,200
less than the President's FY 1977 Budget, and $534,800
above an annualization of our FY 1976 appropriation.

Positions Other than Permanent ($257,000) This category
includes estimated costs for pay for intermittent
employment of experts and consultants ($197,000) and pay
for 30 summer interns at $2,000 each for ten weeks
($60,000). This is a reduction of $84,775 from the
President's FY 1977 Budget, and $68,500 below an
annualization of our FY 1976 appropriation.

Personnel Benefits ($432,100) - This estimate is the cost
for employer contributions towards employee retirement,
health, and life insurance. It is calculated at 9 percent
of object class 11.1 and amounts to $432,100. This is
a reduction of $97,460 from the President's FY 1977 Budget,
and an increase of $46,900 above an annualization of our
FY 1976 appropriation.

21.0 Travel ($75,000)- This item includes travel costs for fulltime staff ($35,000) and consultants ($40,000) including commercial carrier fares, per diem, and local transportation costs for taxis. The amount requested does not represent an increase over an annualization of last year's appropriation for travel. This amount is a reduction of $206,700 from the President's FY 1977 Budget.

22.0

23.0

Transportation of Things ($6,000) - This item includes freight charges for delivery of office equipment and supplies including books for the CBO reference library. This request is a reduction of $1,000 from the President's FY 1977 Budget and also $1,000 less than an annualization of our FY 1976 appropriation.

This item

Rent, Communications, and Utilities ($244,000)
includes the cost of rental of Xerox copying equipment,
automatic typewriters, computer terminals, telephones,
installation and connection charges for telephones, postage,
and mail handling. This represents a reduction of $36,500
from the President's FY 1977 Budget, and an increase of
$ 3,200 above an annualization of our FY 1976 appropriation.