Senate Ends Impasse on Committee Funding

Associated Press

[RCW2001]

Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, January 15, 2003; 9:16 PM

WASHINGTON –– Senate leaders reached agreement Wednesday on how the two parties will divide up committee funding, ending an impasse that had deflected the Senate from its legislative business and clouded the debut of new Majority Leader Bill Frist.

With the deal on committee organization, coming eight days after the 108th Congress opened, committee chairmanships will finally be turned over to the new Republican majority and 11 Senate freshmen will get their promised seats on the 20 Senate committees.

Frist, R-Tenn., said the deal was fair to both sides, and, with it done, the Senate can begin to "accomplish what we are all about, which is to proceed with the nation's business."

The completion of that normally routine housekeeping chore removes a distraction that had postponed hearings still nominally under Democratic chairmen and delayed action on a $385 billion catchall spending bill for the fiscal year starting last Oct. 1. The last Congress failed to act on the legislation to fund non-defense federal agencies.

The dispute made for a contentious start to the new session and its new leader, Frist, with Democrats claiming they were being treated unfairly and Republicans accusing Democrats of ignoring the results of last November's election that put the GOP back in the majority.

There was never a problem with numbers: In the last Congress, Democrats held a one-seat advantage on committees and in this session, Republicans will gain a one-seat edge.

But Democrats said that traditional committee funding ratios, where the minority got as little as one-third of the money going to each committee, was no longer relevant in light of the last Congress when the funds were divided nearly equally.

The 107th Congress began in a 50-50 tie, and the parties agreed to a formula of near parity in seats, funds and space. There were only minor changes in the funding ratio when Sen. James Jeffords, I-Vt., left the Republicans and shifted power to the Democrats.

Under the agreement outlined in a joint leadership letter, committee budgets will reflect the current ratio of the Senate, where Republicans have 51 seats and the Democrats, with Jeffords, have 49. An additional 10 percent will be given to the Republican chairman of each committee for administrative expenses.

Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota said the agreement was "the mirror image of the resolution we passed in the 107th Congress," when Democrats were up by 51-49. "We are very pleased with the outcome of the negotiations." Daschle said he hoped the precedent of committee structures being proportionate to Senate seats would continue in the future.

As in the past, individual committees will still be able to make adjustments in the formula.

© 2003 The Associated Press

[copycat]

Giving the Dims from 33 percent to 40 percent is a cave where I come from. It's a 20 percent increase, and they lost the election! LOL

It's worse than that. I am as staunch a supporter of the R's as anyone, but here is the fact. The Democrats demanded the same funding as last year, 51-49 with 10% additional funds for the chairman. They got it.

We didn't bend to sixty-forty. We capitulated COMPLETELY.

[Sabertooth]

This compromise with unreasonableness only encourages them ... for similar examples, look at Yasir Arafat and the North Koreans.

Oh, those are fighting words to a Vichy Republican.

You're in for some serious negotiation now.

[Fred Mertz]

We'll add you to the anti-bushbot list too!

[deport]

What was the ratio for the 107th after the democrats became the majority at 51-49 (with Jumping JJ)? Do you know. I know they reogranized in June of 01 but not sure what the final funding levels were, etc.

[MJY1288]

Until we have a 60 to 40 seat majority in the Senate! the fact is we have no choice but to deal with the democrats. But as long as we have the majority, We set the agenda, and that's a huge change from last year.

[Intolerant in NJ]

FOX News has reported this as a Republican VICTORY...Brit Hume started his discussion with his panel tonight saying the same thing - by the time they were done talking it over, he had changed his mind - "sounds like the Democrats came out ahead on this" (or words thereabout), he said.......

[TLBSHOW]

anti-bushbot

LOL

[speekinout]

The funding and the staff ratio is not important.

It's beyond my ken as to why people don't see this. Control of the Committees is what counts. People who are complaining about funding levels are really trying hard to find ways to demean the GOP. It's a silly exercise.

[MissAmericanPie]

Who didn't know that Republicans "win" big like this all the time, and evidently always will, which is why we are most likely looking at the very last time there is a Republican house, senate and President.

[JoeSixPack1]

Hillary gets to go to the ARMED SERVICE COMMITTEE!

We are doomed! ACK!

[deport]

107th beginning organization resolution when the Senate was 50/50.... then the democrat control from whence they were neogiating from for this session...

---

1st Session

S. RES. 8

Relative to Senate procedure in the 107th Congress.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

January 5, 2001

Mr. DASCHLE (for himself and Mr. LOTT) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

---

RESOLUTION

Relative to Senate procedure in the 107th Congress.

Resolved, That notwithstanding the provisions of rule XXV, or any other provision of the Standing Rules or Standing Orders of the Senate, the committees of the Senate, including Joint and Special Committees, for the 107th Congress shall be composed equally of members of both parties, to be appointed at a later time by the two Leaders; that the budgets and office space for such committees, and all other subgroups, shall likewise be equal, with up to an additional 10 percent to be allocated for administrative expenses to be determined by the Rules Committee, with the total administrative expenses allocation for all committees not to exceed historic levels; and that the Chairman of a full committee may discharge a subcommittee of any Legislative or Executive Calendar item which has not been reported because of a tie vote and place it on the full committee's agenda.

SEC. 2. Provided, That such committee ratios shall remain in effect for the remainder of the 107th Congress, except that if at any time during the 107th Congress either party attains a majority of the whole number of Senators, then each committee ratio shall be adjusted to reflect the ratio of the parties in the Senate, and the provisions of this resolution shall have no further effect, except that the members appointed by the two Leaders, pursuant to this resolution, shall no longer be members of the committees, and the committee chairmanships shall be held by the party which has attained a majority of the whole number of Senators.

SEC. 3. Pursuant to the provisions and exceptions listed above, the following additional Standing Orders shall be in effect for the 107th Congress:

(1) If a committee has not reported out a legislative item or nomination because of a tie vote, then, after notice of such tie vote has been transmitted to the Senate by that committee and printed in the Record, the Majority Leader or the Minority Leader may, only after consultation with the Chairman and Ranking Member of the committee, make a motion to discharge such legislative item or nomination, and time for debate on such motion shall be limited to 4 hours, to be equally divided between the two Leaders, with no other motions, points of order, or amendments in order: Provided, That following the use or yielding back of time, a vote occur on the motion to discharge, without any intervening action, motion, or debate, and if agreed to it be placed immediately on the Calendar of Business (in the case of legislation) or the Executive Calendar (in the case of a nomination).

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of rule XXII, to insure that any cloture motion shall be offered for the purpose of bringing to a close debate, in no case shall it be in order for any cloture motion to be made on an amendable item during its first 12 hours of Senate debate: Provided, That all other provisions of rule XXII remain in status quo.

(3) Both Leaders shall seek to attain an equal balance of the interests of the two parties when scheduling and debating legislative and executive business generally, and in keeping with the present Senate precedents, a motion to proceed to any Legislative or Executive Calendar item shall continue to be considered the prerogative of the Majority Leader, although the Senate Rules do not prohibit the right of the Democratic Leader, or any other Senator, to move to proceed to any item.

---

The resolution after the Democrats took over in June

107th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. RES. 120

Relative to the organization of the Senate during the remainder of the 107th Congress.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 29, 2001

Mr. DASCHLE (for himself and Mr. LOTT) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

---

RESOLUTION

Relative to the organization of the Senate during the remainder of the 107th Congress.

Resolved, That the Majority Party of the Senate for the 107th Congress shall have a one seat majority on every committee of the Senate, except that the Select Committee on Ethics shall continue to be composed equally of members from both parties. No Senator shall lose his or her current committee assignments by virtue of this resolution.

SEC. 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of Rule XXV the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate are hereby authorized to appoint their members of the committees consistent with this resolution.

SEC. 3. Subject to the authority of the Standing Rules of the Senate, any agreements entered into regarding committee funding and space prior to June 5, 2001, between the Chairman and Ranking member of each committee shall remain in effect, unless modified by subsequent agreement between the Chairman and Ranking member.

SEC. 4. The provisions of this resolution shall cease to be effective, except for Sec. 3, if the ratio in the full Senate on the date of adoption of this resolution changes.

---

[Quicksilver]

they threatened a filibuster if they didn't get 50/50 funding, and they took 40%

While details are a bit sketchy, it appears to me that they settled for 49%, excluding the 10% for the committee chairman. My slipstick (sliderule) says that's about 56% to 44% overall split. They would not have taken the traditional 33%, IMO.

[Intolerant in NJ]

We can thank Trent Lott for this. It was his power sharing resolution in 2001 that give these stinking RATS the inch they needed to take a mile...according to Rush Limbaugh today, the 50/50 split in funding during the last session started after Jeffords bolted and actually left the republicans in the minority, 50-49. At 49% of the votes and 50% of the funding, it would seem that under Lott at the time the 'pubs really managed to hold the dims to a better deal than the one they pulled off today...but given the current group-think that Lott is a spineless imbecile, that obviously can't be true......

[deport]

according to Rush Limbaugh today, the 50/50 split in funding during the last session started after Jeffords bolted and actually left the republicans in the minority, 50-49.

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Nope read SR 8 a couple of post up and you'll see the equal funding was at the beginning and continued after the democrats got control.

[RCW2001]

Speaking of Rush, wonder what shade of 'lipstick' he will smear on this 'pig'...tomorrow??

[deport]

Speaking of Rush

---

I have no idea as I've not listened to him in many many moons and don't intend to begin anytime soon.

[Xenalyte]

When will the GOP stop playing prevent defense?

When some Republican not yet elected takes his 'nads to Washington with him.

[BibChr]

Didn't Spectre vote against Bork?

Dan

[Intolerant in NJ]

Nope read SR 8 a couple of post up and you'll see the equal funding was at the beginning and continued after the democrats got control...seems reasonable, since the committees were split 50/50 at the time - but for the 'pubs to hold on to 50%, or by some accounts 49% after they went into the minority, still beats the 40+/-% of funding the 48% dims came up with today.....

[Blackyce]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but....wouldnt the Dems retain control of the chairmanships if the senate could not come to a new power sharing agreement. If the senate doesnt pass a new agreement, it reverts back to the old agreement. This was hardly worth arguing over when you look at the big picture.