TABLE 1.-Office of the Legislative Counsel, House of Representatives "Jobs" done for committees and Members (in the drafting of bills and resolutions and amendments thereto, preparation of legal opinions, etc.) since 1948 1 1 In this work record, a request for assistance is counted as a single "job," whether the work took an hour or 2 or whether it took most of the time of 1 or 2 men for weeks (as often happens in the case of bills worked on for committees). No record is kept of many instances (running into the hundreds during each session) in which Members or their secretaries request assistance on drafting or legal problems, but where no written material is prepared by the office. TABLE 2.-Office of the Legislative Counsel, House of Representatives-Table showing size of the office staff in each of the years 1948-59 Mr. NORRELL. Any questions on that? CLERK HIRE, MEMBERS AND DELEGATES If not, we will go to the next item, "Clerk hire, Members and Delegates." Mr. ROBERTS. For clerk hire necessary for employees of each Member and Delegate and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, in the discharge of their official and representative duties, $16,500,000, as compared with $16,425,000, appropriated for 1959, or an increase of $75,000. Our estimate is based largely on experience, but we have no way of knowing exactly how much will be used. The precise amount required depends on salaries designated by the Members to the employees of their staffs, based upon the limitations of the law. As of March 31, 1959, the Members were employing 2,579 clerks at a gross monthly salary of $1,287,433, while under the law 3,581 clerks could be employed. Of this latter number, 77 Members, with a constituency of over 500,000, could employ 9 clerks each, while all other Members are limited to 8 clerks. Mr. NORRELL. Have you further questions? Mr. STEED. Does that take into account the fact that the admission of Alaska as a State and the admission of Hawaii as a State will, until the next census, permit reallocation of the seats, actually have the effect of increasing the total House membership by one or more seats? Has that been taken into account in the estimates? Mr. ROBERTS. This will adequately take care of 1960. CONTINGENT EXPENSES OF THE HOUSE Mr. NORRELL. We will now take up the item of "Contingent expenses of the House." FURNITURE Mr. ROBERTS. The first item covers the furniture and repair department. For furniture, material, and the repair of same, including labor; tools; material and supplies for the repair shops; purchase of bew furniture and equipment; trunks, or so-called packing boxes; Tags or carpets; cleaning and repairing of same; we have submitted an estimate of $245,130, for the fiscal year 1960, as compared with 244.463, appropriated for 1959, or an increase of $667. This small increase results from the fact that the pay act increase request for fiscal year 1959, in the second supplemental, was reduced by that amount. Our budget for 1960 is based on $146,630, for gross salaries of employees of the furniture and repair shops; $25,000, for purchase of supplies and materials; $26,500, for purchase of furniture and equipment; $7,000, for cleaning, repair work, and remaking of old rugs; $20.000, for purchase of new carpet; $8,000, for trunks, or so-called packing boxes, for the 2d session ssion of the 86th Congress; $10,000, for purchase of new drapery material, drapery supplies, and sewing; $2.000, for handling of insect extermination work. Mr. NORRELL. How much do you have unobligated for labor and other items? Mr. ROBERTS. For materials we have unobligated $48,667.39; salaries $32,804.42, or a total of $81,471.81. Mr. NORRELL. If you are not going to spend all of it why is it Lecessary that we appropriate it? Mr. ROBERTS. Well, we have held down expenses as much as possible for the last 3 or 4 years. In fact, we have not spent any money for carpets in 4 years with the exception of 500 yards. We have eld down expenditures on everything else-desks, file cabinets, and forth. It may be necessary to spend more in the next year or two. We do most of our purchasing in May and June of each year, and that s one of the main reasons why so much has not been spent up to this Ime. Most of it will be obligated next month. Mr. NORRELL. You would not suggest that perhaps we could cut Cat item a little next year? Tell me what you think about it? Mr. ROBERTS. I think that we could cut it somewhat, Mr. Chair Can. Mr. Bow. With regard to the $81,000 that you have not used, Wat does that entail-carpeting, drapes, and things of that kind for Members? Mr. ROBERTS. Yes. Mr. Bow. Have you had any requests from Members for new arpets? Mr. ROBERTS. We are getting a few now. Mr. Bow. Did the ones who requested them get them? Mr. ROBERTS. They were taken care of out of the 500 yards. Mr. Bow. Every request that you have had for new carpets from Members has been filled? Mr. ROBERTS. Not quite. The 500 yards did not take care of it all. Then we have the problem of committee carpeting. Mr. Bow. Have any of the committees requested carpeting? Mr. ROBERTS. The Ways and Means Committee. Mr. Bow. What did you turn back in previous years? Mr. ROBERTS. Last year we turned back $9,000. Mr. Bow. Are you talking about the fiscal year or the calendar year? Mr. ROBERTS. The fiscal year 1958. Mr. Bow. And you turned back $9,000 in the fiscal year 1958? Mr. ROBERTS. Yes. Mr. Bow. Now, in the fiscal year 1958 did you make any transfers from this fund? Mr. ROBERTS. $55,824. Mr. Bow. Where was that transferred? Mr. ROBERTS. To meet the 10 percent increase in all salaries. Mr. Bow. So, actually, unused for the purpose for which it was appropriated was something over $60,000? Mr. ROBERTS. That is right. Mr. Bow. That is all. (COMMITTEE NOTE. - The following statement was submitted by the Clerk of the House bearing generally on the foregoing subject and is included at this point:) A substantial portion of the money appropriated for the Clerk's office is for the Office of the Property Custodian which is charged with the responsibility of supplying offices of the House with carpet, file cabinets, furniture, and other office equipment. I assure you that these appropriations are guarded carefully, and additional items are purchased only when absolutely necessary. It may appeal at times that we are slow to fill requests for furniture items; but I also assure you that if that is the case, it is the result of our effort to utilize every possible piece of furniture or equipment we have on hand before purchasing new equipment. Specifically, no rugs had been purchased for 4 years until this year, and ther only 500 yards. It may be necessary to make an additional purchase, but I shal not do so unless I feel it absolutely necessary. Many furniture items such as the old rolltop desks, chairs, tables, sofas, and couches, have been reworked, refinished and put back into use. When I tool office in 1955, the basement corridors of the Old House Office Building were literall lined with old furniture discarded as no longer having any usefulness. Eac piece is now back in use. I believe that I would be safe in saying that the refur bishing program saved at least $100,000. You may have observed from the detailed breakdown that all money appr: priated for the property custodian for this year has not been obligated, but w usually do more buying in May and June when we are able better to determin what the requirements will be. With the election of more than 80 new Member causing 150 moves and rearrangements of offices, I assure you that the deman has been heavy and only by the most careful scrutiny of the operation have been able to live within the funds appropriated. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS W Mr. NORRELL. We will now take up the item of "Miscellaneou items." You show an increase here. Mr. ROBERTS. It was necessary for the Clerk's Office to set up 2 various allocations for miscellaneous items, covering the appropriatio of $2,319,900, for the fiscal year 1959. We submit for the record, a statement listing these 23 allocation showing the amount of each allocation, the amount expended throug March 31, 1959, and the balance remaining as of April 1, 1959; a though, in reality, the expenditures only cover obligations up to th end of February and March 1959. In some cases a great many of these monthly bills have not as yet been submitted for payment, and, accordingly, such payments are not reflected on this statement. These figures, that is the amounts allocated, are in most cases more or less arbitrary, and, if necessary, must be changed from time to time during the fiscal year as conditions may require. It is impossible to forecast at the beginning, or for that matter, during the fiscal year, the exact amount which may be necessary for each allocation. (The statement referred to is as follows:) Trebursing office, House of Representatives-miscellaneous items, 1959, July 1, 1958, through Mar. 31, 1959 Mr. ROBERTS. These allocations will be taken up in their order and xplained briefly as follows: (1) Miscellaneous equipment, supplies and materials, such as hand towels, paper towels, paper cups, toilet paper, soap, cleaning powder, eaning equipment, and any other miscellaneous articles that may be required. 1-A) Photostatic and duplication work, including Members' entification cards. 1-B) Official blank checks for the use of the Clerk's Office and the ice of the Sergeant at Arms. 1-C) Special office equipment, maintenance and repairs. (3) Standard or manual typewriter machines. (3-A) Typewriter repairs (manual). (4) Ice. (5) Laundry service, including hand towels, for the House side of the Capitol, and both House Office Buildings. (6) Covers gratuities, as authorized by the Legislative Appropriation Act of 1955. (7) Miscellaneous payrolls by House resolutions, payable out of the contingent fund of the House, until otherwise provided by law. (8) Material for folding, in handling speeches, pamphlets, and other necessary work required of the House folding room. (9) Payment of premiums on official bonds required for the protection of the offices and personnel of the Sergeant at Arms, the Clerk of the House and Postmaster. (10) The House restaurant, for which $65,000 is specifically provided in the appropriation paragraph for payment to the Architect of the Capitol, as authorized by law, toward the upkeep and operation of the House restaurants. (11) Exchange, operation, and repair of the Clerk's motor vehicles. (12) Exchange, operation, and repairs of the post office motor vehicles. (13) Exchange, operation, and repairs of the folding room motor truck. (14) Hire of automobile for the Sergeant at Arms. (15) Stationery for standing committees, officers, and departments of the House. (16) Electrical and mechanical office equipment for the Members, including committees, officers, and departments of the House. (17) Services and repairs to electrical and mechanical office equipment furnished under allocation No. 16. (18) Rental of office space for Members of Congress in their home districts, as provided in the appropriation paragraph. (19) Official expenses of Members not to exceed $150 quarterly for office expenses incurred outside the District of Columbia. (20) Government contribution for Federal employees' group life insurance. (21) Government contribution for civil service retirement fund. (22) Contested election cases. (23) Exchange, operation, driving, and repairs for former Speaker's car. For the fiscal year 1960, we are requesting an appropriation of $2,500,000, or an increase of $180,100, more than that appropriated for the current fiscal year 1959. The price on many items of merchandise purchased has increased (for example, in the prices of electrical equipment, one type of electric typewriter has increased from $403 each to $427; executive type from $571 to $600); dictating equipment and transcribers have increased in proportion. Also, the Architect of the Capitol has requested an increase of $15,000 for the House restaurant. In addition, the monthly Government contributions, for both the retirement fund and the Federal employees' group life insurance, can increase considerably if more of the House employees take advantage of these programs. |