Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Hearing: Library of Congress and Architect of the Capitol

• •The Library of Congress requested a total budget of $803 million for fiscal year 2020, an increase of $51 million (7.3%) over 2019.
• •The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) requested a total budget of $832 million for fiscal year 2020, an increase of $98 million (13.3%) over 2019.
• •The AOC faces a $1.5 billion maintenance backlog.
• •The Library of Congress budget request includes funding for IT modernization, Congress.gov improvements, and an enhanced visitor experience at the Thomas Jefferson Building.
• •The AOC budget request includes $24 million for project management, IT services, and cybersecurity.
• •The subcommittee warned that current law could lead to a 9% cut to agency budgets if a new budget agreement is not reached.
• •Senator Murphy noted a recent layoff of approximately 30 staff members within the AOC's Construction Division.
• •The hearing took place on March 27, 2019, in room SD-124 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

This hearing initiates the budget process for two major federal agencies, determining the funding levels for the maintenance of the U.S. Capitol campus and the operations of the Library of Congress for the 2020 fiscal year.

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