The General Annual Repairs account is used for such items as tools, materials, supplies and parts for the Sheet Metal Shop, Industrial Mechanic Shop and the Stonemason Shop. Other items charged to this account include all specialized repairs which cannot be accomplished by Government forces such as repairs to forklifts, floor jacks, electrically operated overhead doors, bailing machine repairs, major truck repairs, specialized stone cleaning, glasswork and tools and equipment repair.

With the increased use and activities in the buildings, the maintenance and cleaning requirements have increased to the point that the equipment (scrubbers, sweepers, buffers etc.) require more operating time thus increasing costs of maintenance and repair. The increase in the use of electrically operated equipment such as delivery trucks, forklifts and pallet jacks continues to cause damage to the marble base thus requiring replacement. The need for increased frequency for the cleaning of bronze work throughout the House Office Buildings has also required additional monies.

These factors all result in the need for additional funding if the buildings are to function and be maintained to suit the needs of Congress and visitors.

Another factor which impacts on the maintenance budget is the increasing frequency of repairs required for solid state controls which were installed over 10 years ago in several buildings to replace the original electro-mechanical controls. Because this relatively new technology can present specialized problems the use of outside consultants has recently been necessary. It is anticipated that this trend will continue to increase as the solid state equipment ages.

This amount is required due to the age of the present equipment and the heavy traffic that is handled, which has resulted in an increase in the failure rate of the generators and motors. Since they are now obsolete and cannot be replaced, the generators and motors must be rewound by outside firms. This outside repair work is very costly, particularly when a priority elevator dedicated to Members' use during roll call votes or quorum calls must be returned to service under emergency conditions.

This allotment provides for the regular annual maintenance and repair of 23 elevators and 1 lift in the Cannon and Longworth Buildings, 30 elevators and 23 escalators in the Rayburn Building, 6 escalators providing the Rayburn and Longworth access between Buildings, 2 elevators and 2 escalators in the Underground Garages in Squares 637 and 691, and 3 elevators in the O'Neill House Office Building and 8 elevators in the Ford House Office Building, and provides for the purchase of such items as cable, minor replacement and repair parts, lubricants, oil, grease, tools, and cleaning fluid. Maintenance of Air Conditioning Systems increased from $140,000 to $177,000.......

This annual allotment provides for such annually recurring items as filters, refrigeration, antifreeze liquid and other materials and for repairs and minor improvements for maintenance and upkeep of the air conditioning systems servicing the House Office Buildings. Cleaning

and chemically treating kitchen ducts and hoods in House Restaurant facilities located in the office buildings are also accomplished under this allotment.

37,000

It is requested that the allotment be increased by $37,000 to provide the necessary materials to properly maintain the air conditioning systems. This increase is due to a gradual increase in the frequency of repair as a result of the age of the air conditioning equipment in the buildings and due to the increases in costs of parts. Also, as renovation projects are completed, additional building areas are air conditioned and systems are added which must be maintained. Furthermore, additional minor modifications or repairs to air conditioning controls are being identified resulting from closer system monitoring since installation of the computerized Energy Management and Control System.

The preventive maintenance program for exterior pointing and
caulking was established in fiscal year 1982. The purpose of the
program is to provide routine maintenance to the exterior stonework and
other masonry to avoid costly emergency repair work. This activity
will also be extended to walks, fountains, and other exterior stone in
addition to building walls, which may require more costly materials.
To continue the program at its current level, an inflationary increase
of $8,000 is requested.

Supplies and materials increased from $933,000 to $1,042,000,

An increase of $109,000 is requested in order to keep abreast with
increased demands as well as increased costs of supplies and materials
for maintenance and cleaning of the House Office Buildings. Expenses
in this allotment have continued to increase over the last few years to
the point where it has been necessary to reallocate monies from other
sources in order that mandatory supplies and materials could be
purchased.

The Supplies & Materials allotment is used for electrical, carpentry, plumbing and hardware maintenance activities; provides for cleaning supplies, toilet supplies and electric light bulbs and tubes, and provides supplies for Members' services such as plastic glasses, ice buckets, and huck towels.

Increased activities within the buildings have necessitated the need for more frequent cleaning and maintenance schedules, thus requiring additional supplies and materials. In addition, the advancing age of the buildings continues to increase the cost of maintaining the appearance of the buildings, as well as, maintaining the operation of the electrical and plumbing systems. The increase in special functions by the Members also impacts on the quantities of plastic glasses, ice buckets, huck towels, etc. required to meet their needs.

An increase in the budget request for Replace and Improve House Restaurant Equipment is necessary to maintain proper operation of the House Restaurant's equipment. This increase is required due to the age of the existing equipment and increased usage due to the increased volume of catered events. This allotment has not been increased in 7 years.