Omnibus Spending Package Increases Congressional Budgets By Millions

Congress, when passing the $1.3 trillion omnibus spending package, also increased their own budgets by millions, according to a summary of the bill.

The Senate budget is now $919.9 million, or $48.8 million over the enacted level in fiscal year 2017 and $28.3 million below the FY2017 budget request, the summary states. The House of Representatives' budget, meanwhile, is now $1.2 billion, or $10.9 million over the FY2017 enacted level and $23.2 million below the FY2018 request.

For the Senate, "The increase provides funding necessary for critical modernization and upgrades of the Senate financial management system and investments in IT security."  A reason was not given for the House increase.

The legislation also increases Senate staffers' salaries from $182 million in 2017 to $194.8 million, or an increase of $12.58 million, reports The Washington Free Beacon. Senators will also enjoy increases in expense allowances, which will go from $177,000 to $192,000, for an increase of $15,000.

The salary budget in the House, though, stayed the same, at $22.3 million, while expenses were lowered by $4.4 million.

The final bill also allows an increase of $22.9 million in salaries for committee offices, which went up to $204.4 million from $181.5 million in 2017.

Other entities in the legislative branch obtained raises in their budget through the new omnibus bill, according to the summary, including:

• U.S. Capitol Police – $426.5 million for the U.S. Capitol Police, $33.2 million above the FY2017 enacted level and $4.2 million above the FY2018 budget request.
• Architect of the Capitol (AOC) – $712.1 million, $94 million above the FY2016 enacted level and $70.9 million below the FY2018 budget request, to allow the AOC to maintain current operations and prioritize the critical projects that address safety concerns for all who visit and work in the Capitol complex.
• Congressional Budget Office – $49.9 million for the Congressional Budget Office, $3.4 million above the FY2017 enacted level and equal to the FY2018 budget request. 
• Library of Congress (LOC) – $669.9 million, $37.9 million above the FY2017 enacted level and $33.5 million below the FY2018 budget request.
• Government Publishing Office (GPO) – $117 million, the same as the FY2017 enacted level and the FY2018 budget request.
• Government Accountability Office (GAO) – $578.9 million, $34.4 million above the FY2017 enacted level and $11.7 million below the FY2018 budget request. 

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