Items of increase in estimates for 1944-Continued 9 new positions-Continued. Library buildings and grounds: 1 CU-4 mechanic helper for Sunday Total (9 new positions)___ Total increase under "Personal services". Increased maintenance items: Capitol power plant, increase in cost of fuel from $423,940 to $482,160_ New nonrecurring items: Capitol Building, painting dome and central portion of building--. Total increase, estimates 1944__. $350 15,710 88, 699 58,220 36, 735 183, 654 SALARIES, OFFICE OF THE ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL Mr. O'NEAL. Proceeding now to an examination of the individual items, the first item is for salaries, on page 67 of the committee print and page 10 of the justifications. The appropriation for 1943 was $63,665, and the estimate for 1944 is $64,100. We will be glad to hear you, Mr. Lynn, in reference to that item. Mr. LYNN. The first item, Mr. Chairman, for salaries, Office of the Architect of the Capitol, represents an increase of $435 which is to complete in 1944, the 1943 within-grade promotions authorized by Public Law 200, Seventy-seventh Congress, approved August 1, 1941. There is no other change under this item. DEFERMENTS FROM MILITARY SERVICE Mr. ONEAL. I would like to ask you whether, under you, any deferments from military service have been asked for? Mr. HENLOCK. Deferments have been asked for 13 men, in all, Mr. Chairman. Nine of the men are 38 years of age or older. One is 44; one 43; two 41; two 39; and three 38. Two of the others are 37, and two are 30. All are married, but one. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES ON DUTY WITH THE ARMED FORCES Mr. O'NEAL. You have furnished us with a list of employees under the Office of the Architect of the Capitol who are on military duty. I think there is a total of 58 on that list. Mr. HENLOCK. Yes, sir; 58 of our permanent, classified employees are now on military duty. We do not have any information as to how many of the patronage employees, whose services have been terminated by direction of the patronage committees, are now on military duty, as their positions do not, of course, carry with them reemployment rights, as in the case of our permanent employees. TURN-OVER AMONG EMPLOYEES Mr. O'NEAL. How much of a turn-over have you had during the past fiscal year? Mr. HENLOCK. We have 915 employees in our regular organization. I would say, exclusive of patronage employees, the turn-over has been from 10 to 15 percent. Mr. LYNN. What has been the turn-over among patronage employees? Mr. HENLOCK. That has been as high as 200 percent. Mr. O'NEAL. Among the employees for whom the estimate for 1944 is $64,100, how much of a turn-over have you had in that list, about the same percentage? Mr. HENLOCK. There was one man inducted into the military service. Mr. O'NEAL. Only one out of that list? Mr. HENLOCK. Yes, sir. EXPENSES OF TRAVEL ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS Mr. O'NEAL. The next item is in reference to the expenses of travel on official business, for which there is provided a limitation of $750. How much did you use in the last fiscal year? Mr. LYNN. This is not a request for an appropriation, Mr. Chairman. It is only a limitation on the total amount under all funds which may be expended by the Architect of the Capitol in any one year. I have here a table showing the amount of the limitation and the actual expenditures for each fiscal year back to 1932. Mr. O'NEAL. How much have you expended up to the present time in this year? Mr. LYNN. We have expended, up to December 31, 1942, $111.24. TYPE OF TRAVEL REQUIRED Mr. O'NEAL. What type of travel is necessary for the Architect of the Capitol to engage in? Mr. LYNN. Traveling is done by our power-plant, elevator, airconditioning, electrical, and other engineers in connection with the purchase, repair, or improvement of equipment; also visits to nurseries in connection with purchase of plant material are made by our horticulturist. For 1942 we spent $350. For 1943 we have expended up to December 31, 1942, $111.24. Mr. O'NEAL. How does that run over a period of years; fairly uniform? Mr. LYNN. We have a table showing the amount spent for the last 10 or 12 years. Mr. O'NEAL. Have you expended $750 a year as a rule? Mr. LYNN. Sometimes we have expended a great deal more than that. It depends on the nature and volume of work authorized each year. In 1932, for instance, we spent $4,188.96. Then in 1933 we expended $2,106. Mr. O'NEAL. In recent years when there have been no major repairs, the amount spent for travel has not been so large? Mr. LYNN. No; it has not. It dropped in 1939 to $562.59; in 1940 it was $606.87; in 1941 it was only $280.51, and in 1942 it was $350.24. For the first half of the present fiscal year is was only $111.24. CAPITOL BUILDINGS AND REPAIRS Mr. O'NEAL. The next item, on page 69 of the committee print, is for the Capitol Buildings and Grounds: For necessary expenditures for the Capitol Building and electrical substations of the Senate and House Office Buildings, under the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol, including minor improvements, maintenance, repair, equipment, supplies, material, fuel oil, waste, and appurtenances, and so forth, for which the amount received in 1943 was $289,900, ITEMS OF INCREASE IN ESTIMATE Will you explain that increase and tell us what this amount of Mr. LYNN. For the Capitol Building and repairs for 1944 there is There is one 1943 nonrecurring item omitted for 1944 for recondi- tioning space in the Senate Library, $1,559. There are three increases, totaling $47,653 asked for 1944, of which two total $10,918 under personal services, including $3,385 for within- grade salary promotions and $7,533 for legislative changes in salary There is one nonrecurring increase, the only new, nonrecurring item contained in the Architect's entire estimate for 1944 and that is for painting the dome and exterior of the central portion of the Capitol Mr. O'NEAL. The amount of the expenditure in 1943, under the $289,900 appropriation, is broken down on page 14 of the justifica- Capitol building and repairs, 1944-Details of estimate, with comparison to 1943 Miscellaneous equipment and furnishings. 71 202 31, 1942. Total expended and obligated of 1943 appropriation to Dec. Balance of 1943 appropriation available to June 30, 1943. Total estimate or appropriation......... 141,962 147,938 335, 994 289,900 289,900 84459-43--5 PERSONAL SERVICES Mr. O'NEAL. The item for personal services covers 141 regular employees, and the amount of expenditure for that item up to December 31, 1942, was $103,915. Mr. LYNN. Yes, sir. Mr. O'NEAL. What are those employees? What are the types of jobs in which they are engaged? We would like to know the types of work they are engaged in. Mr. LYNN. They include the mechanical force and the labor and cleaning force. Mr. PLOESER. Can this number be reduced? Are all of these people absolutely necessary? Mr. LYNN. I do not see how we can successfully operate, Mr. Ploeser, if we have to reduce that number. Mr O.'NEAL. How much of a turn-over have you had in that personnel of 141 people? What has been the percentage of turn-over? Mr. HENLOCK. There has been an average of four vacancies. Mr. O'NEAL. Four at a time? Mr. HENLOCK. Yes; if you averaged it over 6 months. Mr. O'NEAL. Do you not think you will have that number during the fiscal year 1944? Mr. HENLOCK. Possibly, on the regular force, Mr. Chairman; but as you will note, we are making expenditures for temporary labor at the rate of $15,000 per year, whereas our full-year allotment for such labor is only $9,598. The excess cost is being paid out of vacancy and other lapse savings. Due to the shortage of help on the regular force, we are having to use these savings to hire extra employees on the temporary roll to fill in until qualified employees for the regular roll vacancies can be found. Mr. O'NEAL. If you have more of a turn-over there, is not that reflecting some saving in the appropriation? Mr. HENLOCK. Yes, sir. Mr. O'NEAL. Do you not anticipate that there will be some saving in this appropriation due to the fact that there is a turn-over and that there will be lapses? Mr. HENLOCK. If identical conditions of employment obtain? Mr. HENLOCK. For next year? Am I to understand that we are not to consider the deficiency caused by the 10 percent additional compensation authorized by the act of December 22, 1942, in giving these figures? Mr. O'NEAL. You are asking for an increase on the base of the within-grade salary promotions and legislative changes, and you are absorbing the 10 percent? Mr. HENLOCK. No, sir; we will not be able to absorb any part of the 10 percent. This additional compensation will cost about $23,000. In fact we will only be able to absorb part of the cost of the legislative changes in salary ranges and within-grade promotions. The 10 percent additional compensation is not provided for at all under either the 1943 funds or the 1944 estimate. Mr. O'NEAL. As I understand it, the 10 percent will be taken care of probably by action with reference to all of the departments later, and you do not have to figure on that. But could not this item, if you do not have to figure on that, stand a little trimming, because you have some vacancies on an average of four at a time? Mr. HENLOCK. If in 1944 the cost of additional compensation will be handled entirely in a separate bill, then we might reduce the personal services estimate for 1944 by about 2 percent. REDUCTION IN ESTIMATE FOR ANNUAL PAINTING Mr. O'NEAL. In reference to these items on page 14 of the justifica-. tions, have these various itemizations been fairly uniform over a period of years? I notice there are some increases due largely to the increased cost of material. But as to the other items, such as that for painting, $10,-000, that amount was appropriated for that purpose in 1943. Has. that been uniform over a period of years? Mr. LYNN. For quite a number of years, $17,500 was allowed for annual painting. The item was reduced to $10,000 for 1943. This was due to the fact that the usual amount of painting could not be carried forward on account of the continuous session of the Congress. If the committee wishes, we can reduce the annual item for 1944 by 50 percent. In addition to our annual painting item, our 1944 estimates also contain a special item of $36,735 for painting the Dome and central portions of the building. Mr. O'NEAL. We will take up the building items later. Mr. LYNN. I am willing to have you reduce the annual painting item from $10,000 to $5,000. Mr. O'NEAL. The estimate for 1944 is $10,000. Mr. LYNN. Yes, sir. Mr. O'NEAL. You are willing to take a $5,000 reduction on that? Mr. LYNN. Yes. I would not, however, recommend eliminating the item entirely, as a number of rooms require painting, and I would like to have $5,000 allowed to paint such rooms. PLUMBING RENEWALS Mr. O'NEAL. Is there any other item, judging from your experience in the last few years, that could take a cut? Mr. LYNN. We have an item for plumbing renewals amounting to $5,000. It appears now that we will not be able to get the material to do the work, under this item, so I think that might go out. Mr. PLOESER. Have you any materials on hand? Mr. LYNN. We can get parts for making necessary repairs. Mr. LYNN. Yes, sir. However, the special item of $5,000 is to put in entirely new equipment. It was asked to continue a program, started in 1936, for modernization of toilet rooms and equipment in the Capitol, including renewal of plumbing fixtures, partitions, and hot and cold water lines. ELEVATOR REPAIRS Mr. PLOESER. What about the amount for elevator repairs? Mr. LYNN. We need that. There is no question about the need for that item. |