we don't have a final number on the 12 appropriations bills between chairman hal rogers of kentucky and chairman barbara mcculls ki. we may take a whack there because there are other competing priorities. but it gives us a place to start. we have cut members' offices by about 20% in the last several years. funding for their offices and that leads to staff in cuts. and i suspect it did in most other members' offices. we reduce what we spend on the library of congress and the capitol building, those type things. so you can make a pretty compelling case for stopping the cutting and at least trying to make sure that the essentials are done well. we will be looking for savings. and you'll find both sides work pretty hard. i don't think there is a democrat-republican difference but what is the adequate level of security. those type things, we are cuss towedians of the greatest symbol of freedom. host: is that on track to begin to refurbish. guest: we work pretty closely with the architect of the capitol. a lot of confidence on his staff. we haven't done much to it except paint it and there is

hal rogers and his committee are hard at work to bring appropriations bills. each appropriations bill, in regular order, the committee works on it and brings it to the floor to be amended by members. it takes about a week. three or four days of floor time to get those done. i am hopeful we can do all 12 appropriations bills in regular order this year. host: a zero-based budget. now, the budget gets marked up every single year to adjust for inflation automatically. i prefer a zero-based land budget. what that does -- it forces me as a member of congress to look at an agency and say are you doing what you are supposed to be doing with the money you have? is what you are doing still relevant to our 21st-century economy? and then adjusting the budget. host: another tweet. "to what extent does the committee considered the allocation of spending people want?" patricia, wisconsin, democrat caller. caller: good morning. i would like to see the congress and the senate, their pay, cut. and all their little perks. who pays for their flying back and forth? amount of time