FEC Submits 2001 Budget Request

Federal Election Commission News Releases/Media Advisories

FEC SUBMITS FY2001 BUDGET REQUEST

WASHINGTON – The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has submitted its FY2001 budget request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and to Congress, seeking $41,323,000 and a total of 356 personnel -- a funding figure of 8% over the FY2000 budget and an increase of four personnel over the current fiscal year’s authorized staff level. Current fiscal year (2000) funding for the FEC is $38,278,000, with 352 authorized personnel.*

FEC Chairman Scott E. Thomas, noting that the President has made full funding of the Federal Election Commission’s budget request a priority in previous years, said in a cover letter to OMB and members of Congress, "We believe that continuing these efforts to provide the Commission with sufficient resources will be vital during this election cycle, for which all indicators point to a new record level of spending in federal campaigns. We anticipate that highly competitive congressional elections, and an open presidential nomination election for both major parties, will result in even higher workloads for the FEC."

The Executive Summary of the submitted budget request points out that a funding level of $41.3 million for FY2001 will enable the Commission to:

-- Continue its progress on implementation of the PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) audit recommendations.

-- Complete the 2000 Presidential audits within two years of the election.

-- Conduct 40 to 45 "for cause" audits as opposed to the 20 to 25 in the previous election cycles.

-- Maintain a timely and enhanced campaign finance disclosure program.

-- Ensure that significant efforts are made to enforce the disclosure and limitation provisions of the FECA.

-- Complete the revision of the Voting Systems Standards and conduct a national conference of elections officials to introduce the new standards.

-- Develop and maintain enhanced computer capabilities, including the implementation of a mandatory electronic filing program; conversion to a client server environment; expansion of the FEC’s Web site; reengineering the disclosure imaging system; the implementation of the state filing waiver initiative; development of a Commission-wide document management system; and operation of a case management system.

FEC Chairman Thomas’ letter concludes, "The Commission strongly urges the full support of our FY2001 budget request which will enable the Commission to perform its statutory mission and meet its program goals and objectives."

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*The Treasury-Postal FY2000 appropriations bill provided $38,152,000 for the FEC, which was supplemented by a carryover of $270,000 in FY1999 funds. But an across-the-board government rescission of .38% in the Consolidated Appropriations Act -- signed by the President on November 29 -- trimmed the FEC appropriation by $144,000, establishing the total FY2000 budget for the FEC at $38,278,000.