Victor Fazio: “I want to point out the effects of this amendment on the legislative branch. Section 2401 of the amendment to the…”

“I want to point out the effects of this amendment on the legislative branch. Section 2401 of the amendment to the disaster supplemental rescinds 2.8 percent of the funds appropriated in the fiscal year 1994 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, except for funds for Senate operations and House official mail. House mail is rescinded by $5 million in section 2402. Penny-Kasich had a comparable 7.5-percent rescission, but earlier in the year. At this point in the budget year, the section 2401--2.8 percent will probably equate to close to 6 percent of remaining balances. This assumes an early to mid-February approval of the bill by the President and one month to develop an employee and administrative cost reduction plan to achieve the $50 million savings required. Our employees are among the lowest in average salary in Federal service. For the approximately 23,000 legislative branch staff covered by this amendment, and assuming an average annual salary and benefit compensation of $50,000, a $50 million rescission would equate to about 2,000 staff at this time of the year--a 9 percent staffing reduction.”