Mr. FAZIO. And normally, we find that what we have provided is adequate. I don't believe there have been examples of, in total, the funds being Mr. HENY. No, there has not. You are correct. Mr. FAZIO. Go ahead, Donn. Mr. ANDERSON. Mr. Chairman, if you would like at this time to recognize Chairman Rose so that he can keep his schedule. Mr. FAZIO. I think that is the appropriate time and place to do it. Maybe after the Chairman makes his statement, we can take up HIS with Hamish and then return. Charlie, do you want to sit up there? HOUSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS Mr. ROSE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and members of the committee. I very much appreciate your accommodating me this way. I think we also should note with a great deal of pride that you, Mr. Chairman, received the top vote as the unsung hero of the House of Representatives in the recent Roll Call poll. Mr. FAZIO. Oh, really? Mr. Rose. That is why I was seeking a copy of it. All we know around here we read in Roll Call, you understand. Mr. FAZIO. I will try to sing out a little more this year. Mr. Rose. We all recognize you as the unsung hero of the House of Representatives, but I am glad to see that the staff in this place does, also. I am pleased to present the House Information Systems budget for the fiscal year 1993. HIS is asking for an increase of $2.86 million or 14.3 percent for overall operations above the $20 million authorized for fiscal year 1992. This increase should be viewed in the perspective of almost level funding for the two prior years. In fiscal year 1991, actual obligations were $19.58 million; in fiscal year 1992 the ceiling for obligations is $20 million, a difference of 2.3 percent. EXPLANATION OF FY 1992 ACTIVITY As you know, the FY 92 budget submitted last January represented a tight, current services approach. Allowances were included for two ongoing developments, namely the Wide Area Data Communications Network and the integration of information data bases. Even if we had had a good crystal ball for 1992 and the time to use it, I doubt that we could have forecast the new demands to be made on HIS, demands that were not anticipated in the 1992 budget. Changes in the Franking Regulations launched HIS into programming and operational support for the Postmaster's and the Doorkeeper's new equipment for handling the mail. HIS embarked on the process of obtaining certification by the U.S. Postal Service in order to acquire and utilize their National Change of Address System. The swiftness of Members and committees to adopt new communications technology for Wide and Local Area Networks far exceeded expectations. Likewise, the demands on HIS training and trouble-shooting staff were much heavier than envisioned. The Mr. FAZIO. There seem to be no Committees in particular trouble in terms of shortfalls. Donn, just for the information that was given to all of us, what happens to a Committee that exceeds its budget by some misjudgment along the way? I have seen it happen during my years here. Mr. ANDERSON. I think I am going to let the new Chief of Finance respond. Mr. HENY. Mr. Chairman, if that situation occurred, then those expenses would not be paid from our office. The committee then would have to seek relief from the Committee on House Administration for those expenses. Mr. FAZIO. Typically, what does that mean, Mike? Do they just roll it into the next year and in effect take it off the top? Mr. HENY. I think generally we are seeing that most committees, or actually all the committees, are living within their authorizations that they received during the year. Their budget management is pretty good and they have good forecasting methods now to ensure they don't have any unforeseen expenses that might carry them over. Mr. FAZIO. The problems we have seen a few years ago were rectified? Mr. HENY. That is correct. Mr. FAZIO. What about unexpended balances? Mr. HENY. Mr. Chairman, as you know, the amounts are only authorizations, the authorizations are not fully funded. If the authorization is unspent, it means it is just an unspent amount. Mr. FAZIO. So it is very analogous then, to the Clerk hire account. Mr. HENY. Yes that is correct. Mr. FAZIO. The House Administration Committee sets an authorized limit, the Members do not normally expend up to that limit, and those funds revert after three years? Mr. HENY. That is correct. Currently, as you know, we have language in the appropriation bill which makes those funds available until expended. But the authorization again is only an authorization. We don't fully fund that. Mr. FAZIO. To the Legislative Branch, not to the committee. Mr. FAZIO. In this case, the Committees are not expending something close to $5 million out of the $60 million that they were authorized to spend? Mr. HENY. That is the authorization, that is correct. Mr. FAZIO. Is that about normal? Mr. HENY. After all the bills are paid, we still have obligations coming in for that year, we are going to end up about 95 percent expended. Mr. FAZIO. Our committee, as Ed reminds me, doesn't normally appropriate the whole amount that you request under the circumstances. So there are several layers here. There is the first authorized amount which you don't fully request, and then an appropriated amount which is short of what you request. So there are several cuts at this. Mr. FAZIO. And normally, we find that what we have provided is adequate. I don't believe there have been examples of, in total, the funds being Mr. HENY. No, there has not. You are correct. Mr. FAZIO. Go ahead, Donn. Mr. ANDERSON. Mr. Chairman, if you would like at this time to recognize Chairman Rose so that he can keep his schedule. Mr. FAZIO. I think that is the appropriate time and place to do it. Maybe after the Chairman makes his statement, we can take up HIS with Hamish and then return. Charlie, do you want to sit up there? HOUSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS Mr. Rose. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and members of the committee. I very much appreciate your accommodating me this way. I think we also should note with a great deal of pride that you, Mr. Chairman, received the top vote as the unsung hero of the House of Representatives in the recent Roll Call poll. Mr. FAZIO. Oh, really? Mr. ROSE. That is why I was seeking a copy of it. All we know around here we read in Roll Call, you understand. Mr. FAZIO. I will try to sing out a little more this year. Mr. ROSE. We all recognize you as the unsung hero of the House of Representatives, but I am glad to see that the staff in this place does, also. I am pleased to present the House Information Systems budget for the fiscal year 1993. HIS is asking for an increase of $2.86 million or 14.3 percent for overall operations above the $20 million authorized for fiscal year 1992. This increase should be viewed in the perspective of almost level funding for the two prior years. In fiscal year 1991, actual obligations were $19.58 million; in fiscal year 1992 the ceiling for obligations is $20 million, a difference of 2.3 percent. EXPLANATION OF FY 1992 ACTIVITY As you know, the FY 92 budget submitted last January represented a tight, current services approach. Allowances were included for two ongoing developments, namely the Wide Area Data Communications Network and the integration of information data bases. Even if we had had a good crystal ball for 1992 and the time to use it, I doubt that we could have forecast the new demands to be made on HIS, demands that were not anticipated in the 1992 budget. Changes in the Franking Regulations launched HIS into programming and operational support for the Postmaster's and the Doorkeeper's new equipment for handling the mail. HIS embarked on the process of obtaining certification by the U.S. Postal Service in order to acquire and utilize their National Change of Address System. The swiftness of Members and committees to adopt new communications technology for Wide and Local Area Networks far exceeded expectations. Likewise, the demands on HIS training and trouble-shooting staff were much heavier than envisioned. The Legislative Branch to communicate via electronic mail with each other, with the Executive Branch, and with other mail networks was also a task that deserved attention and resources. My point is that HIS has had to deal with a large and unforeseen increase in its workload. Other examples are the work resulting from the changed status of the House restaurant and the request for Electronic Funds Transfer by the Sergeant at Arms. EFFECT ON NEW MAINFRAME PURCHASE Perhaps a more important point is that HIS has been able to stay within its 1992 funding ceiling. The reason came from an unexpected weakness in the data processing industry's market for mainframe computers. This allowed us to replace our existing mainframe system at HIS, creating a substantial savings for HIS, reducing our costs, and with those savings we were able to underwrite much of the work that has been described. Installed after competitive bidding, the replacement mainframe by IBM is a powerful computer with 83 million instructions per second, and it has additional memory capacity and offers us a fiber optic connective ability that was not there before. To accomplish the new objectives, a build-up of staff would continue over the next 20 months, from February 1992 to September 1993. The divisions in HIS have identified 16 staff positions, of which 11 they say are needed during fiscal year 1992 and five during 1993. Communications Division of HIS is asking for four new employees to handle its networks and to assist the rewiring of House offices; Administrative Systems Division needs three to support the Postmaster's and the Doorkeeper's mailing operations, and the publication needs of the Office of Legislative Counsel; the Computer Center requests three people who would deal with mainframe mailing operations and electronic mail. Customer services needs three people to support training and on the PC networks; Customer Applications Division asks for three people to continue to phase out the obsolete PDP 11 minicomputers and to deal with the changing role in the committee utilization of the DEC VAX system. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS Much of the impact of the increase in workload will be felt in 1993 as the new salaries are annualized and additional funds are needed to complete work in progress. Two object classes, one being Salaries and the other being the Purchase of Equipment, Software and Supplies, together account for $2.29 million, which is 80 percent of the increase. The salaries I have summarized. I will expand briefly on what the budget contains so far as purchase is concerned. PURCHASES Approximately $900,000 is in the communications area. The main items include the beginning of the upgrade of our fiber network from Ethernet to what is called FDDI in order to increase network capacity-it will actually increase its capacity ten-fold, converting the wide area network from analog to digital for more ard communication hubs as part of the rewiring of all Member offices to reduce service costs and inconvenience associate with system moves and upgrades. In the mainframe area, $465,000 is allocated for improved interfaces for office systems that provide quicker, more convenient access to Member Information Network databases, for expanded disk storage for our paying customers, and for hardware and software to complete the interconnection of House EMAIL systems. In addition, $300,000 are needed for new text management and database management software to continue the integration of office and mainframe systems. In the office automation area, $485,000 are needed for hardware and $465,000 for software to support a variety of client systems and to complete development work. These amounts include the upgrading of HIS hardware and software to stay current with systems in Member offices, and they also provide for security and for CDROM facilities to support committee and Law Revision Counsel initiatives. I would be happy to answer any questions. I am very glad to have beside me Hamish Murray, the Director of HIS, who can provide further details. Mr. Chairman and members, thank you very much. Mr. FAZIO. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Hamish, do you have a comment or statement you wish to make which would augment, place in the record, whatever you wish? MR. MURRAY'S REMARKS Mr. MURRAY. The only thing I would like to emphasize is, as the chairman_remarked, we went into 1992 anticipating no increase in work load. As you can see from the recitation of what we were faced with, we haven't been as busy for a long time. I realize we are asking for a substantial increase, but the workload has increased substantially. HIS' MAJOR CUSTOMERS Mr. FAZIO. Who are your major customers that provide us with the reimbursements of almost $13 million? Mr. MURRAY. The major customers are the Clerk, who will provide us with $6.6 million, General Accounting Office, $4 million, Congressional Budget Office, $1.4 million. There is a Prospective Payment Assessment Commission, which is doing long-range medical costs I think it is funded out of HHS-they provide $510,000, we get $100,000 from Eastern Europe, and the balance from other customers like the Doorkeeper, Law Revision Counsel. Mr. FAZIO. On that Eastern European issue, we are doing some work, I understand, through a task force chaired by Martin Frost, that maps the emerging democracies in Eastern European parliaments. Could you tell us what HIS is doing in liaison with that group? Mr. MURRAY. Yes, Mr. Chairman. I have actually a list here, a couple of pages of the functions of the technical team. To be brief, I can give some of the highlights: To conduct preliminary onsite |