House panels press for bigger staffs, travel budgets and cybersecurity meetings at allocation hearing

Chairs and ranking members from a broad set of House authorizing committees told the House Administration Committee on Tuesday that they need increases in staff pay, travel budgets and technology to carry out heavy oversight and a larger legislative agenda.

At a multi-panel allocation hearing, representatives from Agriculture, Rules, Oversight, Veterans Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Judiciary and Armed Services emphasized a common theme: committees are handling heavier workloads and more technically complex issues while competing with the private sector and the administration for skilled staff.

The Agriculture Committee asked for a 5% increase in staff salary funding and said it seeks $438,500 for travel to support farm‑bill listening sessions and other field work. “We are here today to ask for what we need, not necessarily what we want,” said Chairman Thompson (Committee on Agriculture). Ranking Member Craig also requested a 5% increase, saying the funds would help retain and recruit experienced staff critical for a five‑year farm bill and other reauthorizations.

The Rules Committee requested a modest, targeted increase (about 2.5%, described in testimony as “just over $100,000”) to maintain the committee’s operations and fund improvements to its Committee on Rules Electronic Database…