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Hearing of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee - Budget Hearing - Architect of the Capitol - Architect of the Capitol

Statement

Date: Feb. 9, 2012
Issues: Arts, Entertainment, and History Government Budget and Spending

Today we will receive testimony from the Architect of the Capitol, the Honorable Stephen T. Ayers

The fiscal year 2013 budget request that we will consider is $589 million ($588,796,000) and represents a $92 million ($92,415,000) or 18.6 percent increase above fiscal year 2012. This is exclusive of the Senate Office Buildings which total $79 million ($79,392,000). Continuing with the tradition of comity,
those items will be considered by the other body.

The Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) budget fiscal year 2013 budget request is the largest both in dollars and percentage of all the Legislative Branch agencies. The Subcommittee fully understands that your budget is highly project driven which makes your budget request rather large. Utilizing your "dynamic project
prioritization process" you continue to address life-safety issues, energy-savings opportunities, security requirements and the ever increasing deferred maintenance projects. You have stated that AOC is "leading by example" becoming "more efficient" in an effort to "save taxpayer money." These efforts are both large and small most of which resulted in "cost avoidances."

Unlike most of the agencies in the Legislative Branch, including the House of Representatives, the AOC full-time equivalents (FTEs) for fiscal year 2012 are projected to increase over your fiscal year 2011 level. Within the projected allocation the Subcommittee will receive for fiscal year 2013 it is very unlikely that
the projected FTEs and projects requested will be totally funded. In fact the AOC needs to prepare itself for the likely hood that for fiscal year 2013 you will need to make reductions in FTEs and funded projects at the fiscal year 2012 level or lower.

Mr. Ayers, your full statement will be inserted in the record at this time. Please summarize your remarks and introduce your staff that are accompanying you today.


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