FEDERALhearing transcript

Library of Congress Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Hearing

Original title: LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2016

January 1, 2015

Library of Congress Federal Budget Appropriations Congressional Research Service Information Technology Staffing

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The Frame

What this does

The Library of Congress is requesting a $660 million budget for 2016, which includes a 5.7% increase over 2015 levels to address aging infrastructure and staffing needs, while simultaneously planning to cut 405 full-time positions.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Library of Congress Employees

The agency plans to reduce the total number of authorized full-time equivalent positions by 405.

Congressional Research Service

The agency identified a need to fill critical gaps in expertise within this department due to attrition.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2015.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The Senate Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch held a hearing to review the Library of Congress's proposed $660 million budget for fiscal year 2016. The Librarian of Congress requested a 5.7% increase to cover mandatory pay raises, infrastructure repairs, and IT upgrades, while noting a planned reduction in staff.

Key Facts

The Library of Congress requested a total budget of approximately $660 million for fiscal year 2016.
The request represents a 5.7% increase over the fiscal year 2015 funding level.
The Library plans to reduce its authorized full-time equivalent (FTE) staff by 405 positions, or 11%.
$21.9 million of the requested increase is designated for mandatory pay raises and price level increases.
$13.9 million of the requested increase is designated for physical infrastructure, IT upgrades, and filling critical expertise gaps.
The Library's total appropriation has decreased by over $53 million (nearly 8%) since fiscal year 2010.
The Library has lost 1,429 full-time equivalent positions since 1992.
The hearing was held on March 17, 2015, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Library of Congress asking for more money if they are cutting staff?

The Library states that the requested increase is needed to cover mandatory pay raises, unavoidable price increases, and critical investments in aging infrastructure and IT, which cannot be supported under current funding levels.

How many staff members does the Library plan to cut?

The Library plans to reduce its authorized staff by 405 positions, which is an 11% reduction.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Long-term Staffing Decline

The Library has experienced a consistent trend of reducing staff (1,429 positions lost since 1992) while simultaneously expanding digital programs.

Library of Congress

Connected Entities

personDavid Mao“Deputy Librarian of Congress”Map →

personShelley Moore Capito“Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch”Map →

personRobert Newlen“Chief of Staff of the Library of Congress”Map →

personJames H. Billington“Librarian of Congress”Map →

other405“Number of full-time equivalent positions to be reduced”Map →

personStephen Ayers“Architect of the Capitol”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy20
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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