Structural and mechanical care.... Salaries and expenses.. Printing and binding.. Office of Superintendent of Documents, salaries and expenses. Revolving Fund 8. Salaries and expenses (Positions) 9 See footnotes at end of table, p. 26. COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF POSITIONS FOR 1984 AND 1985 AND ESTIMATES FOR 1986-Continued (Excludes Senate items and items under Architect of the Capitol for the Senate] Positions, funded through the GPO Revolving Fund, were shown in this chart, for the first time, in the fiscal year 1984 Subcommittee Print. The General Accounting Office budget is based on "Average Positions" rather than "Positions". Position figures are shown here for comparability purposes. 10 The General Accounting Office is requesting 24 additional positions and average positions in a FY 1985 program supplemental. I am pleased to submit herewith the appropriations request of the Joint Economic Committee for fiscal year 1986. The Committee is requesting $2,679,250, which represents an increase of 1.8 percent over fiscal year 1985. The Committee believes the funds requested will provide the flexibility necessary to accomplish the goals envisioned during the period under consideration and to properly respond to increased requests from Members of Congress. - For the first time in nine years, the Committee is requesting an increase in personnel a request that results from increased demands for immediate information from Members of Congress who are seeking instant interpretation of economic events and economic impact analysis of pending legislation. We are asking for one additional person so the Committee can take full advantage of new computer technology in the economic field, a move we feel will bring added efficiency to the Committee and thus to Congress as its Members interpret economic events and market influence. The Committee has received the first two of what eventually will be IBM PC XTs for each professional staff member and for several administrative staff. Because existing staff is being required to operate the new equipment, a full-time computer policy analyst is necessary to provide expertise for the large amount of software required. The Committee, along with the President's Council of Economic Advisers, was established by the Employment Act of 1946. The Committee is the economic arm of Congress, advising on a broad spectrum of economic issues currently facing the Nation. The Committee must, as its statuator responsibility, issue an annual report to Congress in response to the Economic Report of the President and provide continuing oversight of economic activities. The Committee, however, goes well beyond its required duties to respond to a wide range of Congressional needs. It has particularly increased its awareness of the need to integrate its work into the Congressional Budget and legislative process and to emphasize timely, politically-realistic economic issues while maintaining its traditional, valued ability to study and recommend long-range economic goals. For example, the Committee in the 98th Congress took the lead in examining the infrastructure needs of the country, plus our ability to pay for them. On June 27, 1984, Chairman James Howard of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee and I (Hamilton) jointly introduced HR 5948, The National Infrastructure Act. The bill followed the outlines of earlier Joint Economic Committee studies' recommendations. Chairman Howard intends to reintroduce the bill in the 99th Congress. Further, the Committee took the lead in examining the FAIR and FĂST tax proposals. Too, its work the past two years has helped set the stage for intelligent debate in the 99th Congress of a major farm bill. An example of the Commitee's ability to respond immediately to economic issues was the November issuance of a study comparing the Treasury Department's tax reform proposal with existing reform plans. The timely comparison was hailed by many Members of Congress and by the general public as an outstanding contribution to the tax reform debate. A copy of the study is attached. More than 1000 copies have been ordered by public and private agencies since its release. Internally, the Joint Economic Committee works within a unique framework of equal party representation, a representation reflected in staff assignments as well. Committee party leaders have met this challenge with the splendid support of Republican and Democratic Members alike. Our subcommittees are organized to reflect this bipartisan effort, with three chaired by Democrats and three by Republicans. During the past year, the Committee has released 49 reports and studies, and has held 83 days of hearings. The Committee has held field hearings in California, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts and New York. We have heard from more than 300 witnesses, including many Members of Congress, Cabinet Members, business women and men, academics, and other experts in their respective fields. As the attached publication list shows, the Committee has worked to provide an authentic forum for debate on such economic issues as: Tax Reform. Industrial policy, economic growth and the competitiveness of Toward the next generation of farm policy. America's infrastructure needs and our ability to pay for them. The economies of the Soviet Union. American women: three decades of economic change. The American-Mexican border economy. Comparable activities are expected in fiscal year 1986, with added emphasis on rapid responses to requests of Congress described earlier. While some provisions have been made in our budget request for increases in the related costs, the Committee again maintains its excellent record of careful use of public funds and we are again requesting an appropriation we feel is lean and justifiable. With this appropriation, we are confident we can continue to provide the high quality of service which Members of Congress and the public have come to demand. |