Authorizing Expenditures By Committees of the Senate for the Periods March Through September October Through September and October Through February 2025

Floor Speech

Joint Leadership Letter

We mutually commit to the following for the 118th Congress: The Committee on Rules and Administration is to determine the budgets of the committees of the Senate. The budgets of the committees, including joint and special committees, and all other subgroups, shall be apportioned to reflect the ratio of the Senate as of this date, including an additional ten percent (10%) from the majority and minority salary baseline to be allocated to the chair for administrative expenses.

Special Reserves has been restored to its historic purpose. Requests for funding will only be considered when submitted by a committee chairman and ranking member for unanticipated, nonrecurring needs. Such requests shall be granted only upon the approval of the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Rules and Administration. Funds for committee expenses shall be available to each chairman consistent with the Senate rules and practices.

The division of committee office space shall be commensurate with this funding agreement. The chairman and ranking member of any committee may, by mutual agreement, modify the apportionment of committee funding and office space.

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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, in the 112th Congress, the Senate adopted a new funding allocation for Senate committees. This approach has served the Senate well for the five of the past six Congresses, excluding last Congress when the evenly divided Senate adopted a power- sharing agreement by resolution. I believe this approach will continue to serve the interests of the Senate and the public, regardless of which party is in the majority, by helping to retain core committee staff with institutional knowledge. This funding allocation is based on the party division of the Senate, with 10 percent of the total majority and minority salary baseline going to the majority for administrative expenses. However, regardless of the party division of the Senate, the minority share of the majority and minority salary baseline will never be less than 40 percent, and the majority share will not exceed 60 percent. It is my intent that this approach will continue to serve the Senate for this Congress and future Congresses.

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