Note: We also have one all wheel drive vehicle: A 1959 International (ex-fire truck) which is equipped as bomb disposal vehicle and is used to respond to bomb threats. Question. For the record, break down your actual expenses for 1984 by the components of each cost category, and do the same for the current 1985 estimate and the 1986 budget plan. QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY MR. PORTER Mr. FAZIO. Mr. Porter has also submitted a few questions to be answered for the record. [The questions and responses follow:] How many former Members of Congress are currently receiving pensions greater than the salary they received while serving in Congress? The Office of the Sergeant at Arms has no records of Members' accounts after their service in the House has ended. The U.S. Civil Service Retirement System is administered by the Office of Personnel Management. Data supplied by the Office of Personnel Management indicates that as of July 31, 1984 there were approximately 125 former Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Members of the U.S. Senate receiving annuities greater than their final salaries. How can we stop this from occurring in the future? PL 97-253 (Budget Reconciliation Act of 1982) provides that the annuity of a retired Member of Congress shall not be increased by any cost of living adjustment which would cause the annuity to exceed the final pay of a Member increased by the overall annual average percentage adjustments (compounded) in the rates of pay of the General schedule. During the time Members of Congress were receiving little or no pay increases, retirees were continuing to receive regular cost of living adjustments. In recent years Members have received the same pay comparability increases as the rest of the government and the situation of retired Members receiving annuities larger than the pay of current Members has been largely alleviated. CAPITOL GUIDE SERVICE FUNDING Mr. FAZIO. We are also interested in a number of points that relate to Mr. Russ' responsibilities including one that many people are not as aware of, and that is the Capitol Guide Service. The budget request is $954,000, up $124,000, or a 15 percent increase. Also, there is a request to increase the permanent staff by five positions. What is the particular need there? Mr. Russ. The funding for the Capitol Guide Force comes out of the Senate. I was Chairman of the Guide Force last year; I am not this year. The 3.5 percent pay increase effective January 1st was inadvertently left out of the figures I presented for the 1986 budget request, and the request is correct in the subcommittee print-an increase of $124,000. That is only because the 3.5 was left out. Mr. FAZIO. What will these people be doing? Mr. Russ. I can't tell you what the job is these people do in the service. Constituents come in the Capitol. These are the only officials they might see. So it is imperative that we pay them adequately and keep them well-trained, and that they have the proper respect of the Congress. Mr. FAZIO. What do we pay them now? Mr. Russ. Starting salary? Mr. FAZIO. Yes. Mr. Russ. I would have to check. I think around $16,000. Mr. FAZIO. That is for an eight-hour day? Mr. Russ. Eight-hour day, six days a week. Mr. FAZIO. They all work six days? Mr. Russ. Excuse me, sir, I believe the junior ones used to work six days a week. All guides now work five days a week. Mr. MYERS. Are they on overtime? Mr. FAZIO. Was the decision to increase the number of staff made last year? Mr. Russ. Yes. It was something we had to do. Mr. FAZIO. So now you have asked to provide funding in the fiscal 1986 bill, even though the Senate already made the decision to add this new staff-I am not being argumentative. I am trying to understand this increase. We may need to have some further clarification about how this was done. I am not objecting, at this point, the need to make them whole for their 32 percent increase, or perhaps to increase the staff, or in effect to ratify the increase. But somehow this has fallen through the cracks as to how it was done. And for purposes of accountability, we have to take a look at this. Mr. Russ. Mr. Chairman, the 3.5% comparability increase is the increase all federal workers received in January 1985. The Senate Sergeant at Arms disburses the Tour Guides' salaries, therefore they follow the pay schedule on the Senate side. In 1983 the Senate Sergeant at Arms terminated all longevity salary increases, so although tour guides get the annual federal comparability increase, meritorious increases are now the only means of rewarding exceptional employees. This request includes $6,665 for five meritorious increases. The additional five positions which are in this request are necessary because in 1984 we recognized a need to have personnel assigned to the Old Senate and Old Supreme Court Chambers. Because of the sheer volume of people visiting the Capitol every day tours start approximately every 4 to 5 minutes. The Old Supreme Court and Old Senate Chambers were taken off the regular tour route last year because large groups cannot fit into the small chambers and because the tours had to be shortened to allow tours more frequently. The Senate Sergeant at Arms hired five people on his payroll to be assigned to the Old Senate and Old Supreme Court Chambers so when people visit these rooms at their leisure there is a guide there to assist them. Last summer the Tour Guide Board decided to ask that these five positions become permanent, funded as regular tour guide positions in the FY 86 appropriation. ID CARDS Mrs. Boggs. I would like to thank you, Jack, for the nice size of the new staff ID cards. They will fit in a lady's purse. Mr. Russ. We have done a lot of work along with the Clerk's department on the IDs. Mr. MYERS. The calendar fits in my wife's purse, that you give out, Ben. Mr. GUTHRIE. That is a large purse. Mr. Russ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. OFFICE OF THE DOORKEEPER Mr. FAZIO. Ben, why don't we proceed with the Office of the Doorkeeper |