LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1964

HEARINGS

BEFORE A

SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE

COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

EIGHTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

SUBCOMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS

TOM STEED, Oklahoma, Chairman

COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

CLARENCE CANNON, Missouri, Chairman

KENNETH SPRANKLE, Clerk and Staff Director

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1964

TUESDAY, MAY 14, 1963.

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WITNESSES

JAMES L. HARRISON, PUBLIC PRINTER

HARRY D. MEROLD, DEPUTY PUBLIC PRINTER

FELIX E. CRISTOFANE, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE

PUBLIC PRINTER

HARRY J. HUMPHREY, DEPUTY COMPTROLLER

CARPER W. BUCKLEY, SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS

WILLIAM H. ADDISON, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS

MERRILL C. GLEASON, BUDGET AND ACCOUNTING OFFICER, OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS

Mr. STEED. The committee will be in order.

We have two new members on the Legislative Appropriation Subcommittee this year who, as chairman, I would like to welcome today, Mr. Joelson on my side of the table and Mr. Langen on Mr. Horan's side.

We are very happy to have you gentlemen join us and hope you will find this committee work as interesting as those of us who have been with it for several years.

We want to offer you every cooperation we can and encourage you to take an active interest in the work of the subcommittee.

Today we begin the hearings on the 1964 legislative branch appropriation bill. We have with us the Public Printer and his staff. You may proceed, Mr. Harrison.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF PUBLIC PRINTER

Mr. HARRISON. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I would like to express my pleasure at being here today, and to thank you for this opportunity to discuss with you the programs and plans for the Government Printing Office. After 2 years in office, I feel justifiably proud of our accomplishments and in the fact that our agency is operating at a degree of efficiency unequaled in its 100 years of existence.

The printing industry is in the midst of a technological revolution which is producing new machinery and processes at a prodigious rate. Through our Committee on Modernization of Machinery and Equipment, we endeavor to choose the best equipment for replacement purposes, with the object of increasing production and reducing costs. Recently installed in our pressroom were 2 web-fed offset presses, 2 radically new wrap-around letterpresses, and a new, highspeed embossing press. A completely automatic machine for the production of notebooks has recently been erected in the bindery. These are but a few of the many new machines that we are using to increase production and modernize our plant. All new equipment is carefully evaluated to insure a recovery of costs within a reasonably short period of time.

During the recent Cuban crisis steps were taken to preserve, by means of safe storage, personnel records, manuals, electronic tape programs, systems, rates, and other vital records, to the extent that printing services for the Government could be continued with a minimum of delay in the event that the present plant is destroyed. Much of this material is being reduced to microfilm for compact storage.

In our continuing efforts to make the Government Printing Office a leader in the industry, and with the approval of the Joint Committee on Printing, we established during the past year an electronic research program. We are now investigating and evaluating the numerous electronic devices related to the printing industry which are becoming available, especially those which actuate typesetting machines by means of electronic tape. We are constantly seeking ways to set type for the Government more economically and efficiently. Savings to be realized and the amortization of costs must be justified to the Committee on Modernization of Machinery and Equipment.

Increased emphasis placed on the incentive awards program during the last fiscal year resulted in a gratifying gain of 350 percent in the number of acceptable suggestions, with attendant monetary savings to the Office. Our position in this regard, compared to agencies employing approximately the same number of people, improved from seventh place to first place.

APPRENTICE PROGRAM

In October 1962 a class of 52 men was inducted into our apprentice school, increasing the total number receiving training to the maximum of 200 allowed by law. I am hopeful that legislation will be enacted during this session of Congress which will remove this limitation and enable me to train more nearly in line with my needs. Textbooks are being revised and republished and the school is being reorganized under a newly appointed supervisor of apprentice training. In addition to thorough instruction in trade practices, the students participate in comprehensive courses in English grammar and mathematics. These well-trained men will supply a needed reserve of manpower for replacement and expansion purposes.

To increase efficiency among our employees, 46 different training courses were held last year, involving 956 persons. So far this fiscal year, 22 separate courses have been taken by 513 employees. These courses include those held at the Office, interagency programs, and seminars conducted by private industry. This activity is in addition to apprentice training and to the editorial planning course mentioned elsewhere.

Due to the hazardous nature of much of our work, a vigorous safety program is stressed at the Government Printing Office. This has resulted in a very gratifying frequency rate of 6.8 lost-time accidents per 1 million man-hours worked, compared with a rate of 7.1 for the previous year, and with a Governmentwide rate of 8. This year, for the first time, a supervisory safety conference was held at the Office for 58 of our employees, under the auspices of the Bureau of Labor Standards.

Another indication of our efforts to work in closer harmony with those who generate Government printing is the course we present in editorial planning for printing production. This is an eightsession, 16-hour course for Federal employees engaged in writing, editing, or closely related work, designed to familiarize them with the preparation of copy and with printing processes, type use, and design techniques. This course is given twice a year and is attended by an average of 160 persons, representing practically all agencies.

Our Division of Typography and Design has been enlarged, making possible greater services to the departments and agencies. We are now able to offer consultative service covering creative artwork, special layout and editorial preparation. This has resulted in closer cooperation in fitting specifications to our facilities and is producing savings both to the customer and to the Office.

REVOLVING FUND

As you know, the Government Printing Office, through the efforts of your committee, installed a revolving fund accounting system in the fiscal year 1954. Since the inception of the revolving fund accounting system this Office has returned to the Treasury varying amounts totaling $13 million. The revolving fund operation has proved very satisfactory; however, during the past 2 years the total volume of our business increased substantially in excess of funds available for financing purposes. The total value of work for fiscal year 1962 was about 25 percent higher than fiscal year 1961. The present trend for fiscal year 1963 indicates an increase of about 10 percent over the fiscal year 1962.

This volume increase has put us in a precarious position in regard to the availability of funds. Another factor that has reduced our cash balance has been the increase in our material and paper inventories. With the advent of the crisis in Cuba we were advised that there would be a substantial increase in the printing requirements of the defense agencies. With the approval of the Joint Committee on Printing, this led us to make preparations to meet this emergency. While it will result in an eventual savings to the Government, it has reduced our available cash to a point where we are having difficulty in performing our operations in an economical manner. Volume increases also have required more funds to cover increased work-inprocess inventories as well as to cover larger accounts receivable balances pending the payment of the billings by the agencies.

For these reasons we find it necessary to request an appropriation of $11 million for which we have submitted more detailed justifications for your information.

WORKLOAD

Our total workload, as measured in orders from the Congress and the departments, amounted to 108,840 requisitions and print orders for the fiscal year 1962, an increase of 9,500, or approximately