MISCELLANEOUS PAY ROLL AND REIMBURSEMENT TO COMMITTEE STENOGRAPHERS

Allocation No. 7, covering "Miscellaneous pay roll by House Resolutions," shows a balance of $8,268. Our gross monthly pay roll at this time is running about $2,000, and this balance would ordinarily be sufficient if no further expenses for this particular item were authorized. However, the Committee on Accounts a few days ago approved the rearranging of certain schedules of salaries of two committees, and one in the office of the majority leader, effective March 1, 1946, which will call for an additional disbursement from the "Contingent Fund" of nearly $5,000, for the current fiscal year. Although not yet passed while preparing this statement, these resolutions, in all probability, will be reported and passed by the House by the time I appear before your committee-and all those were passed on the 11th day of March.

Allocation No. 8, "Reimbursement, committee stenographers," listed for information only, carries no obligations or disbursements.

MATERIALS FOR FOLDING AND HOUSE RESTAURANT

Allocation No. 9, "Materials for folding", shows a balance of $122. However, in this connection, Mr. Callahan, superintendent of the folding room, advises that his supplies and materials are practically exhausted and due to this being a campaign year, he will have to purchase more than ordinarily, and he recommends that he be allowed sufficient funds to purchase this needed material as soon as possible so that he may buy a sufficient supply to carry him over for at least one year. It is estimated that this additional material, supplies, and equipment will run about $4,000.

Allocation No. 10, "House Restaurant", which is specifically provided for in the appropriation paragraph amounting to $27,500, was disbursed to the Architect of the Capitol at the beginning of the fiscal year and no further amount will be required. Therefore, taking everything into consideration, as I have just outlined, we will run an estimated deficit of approximately $15,000, before the end of the fiscal year and which is the amount of our supplemental estimate.

REPORTING HEARINGS

The second supplemental estimate calls for an additional amount for "Stenographic reports of hearings of committees other than special and select committee", fiscal year 1946, of $5,000.

The sum of $27,500 was appropriated for this purpose by the 1946 Legislative Appropriation Act. To February 28, we expended $17,893.75 leaving a balance of $9,606.25. Our expenditures for this particular item is now running about $4,000 a month, and although it will undoubtedly drop off before the end of the fiscal year, the $9,600 balance of March 1 will not, in my opinion, be anywhere near sufficient and for that matter, it is questionable whether the $5,000 supplemental appropriation we are now asking will carry us through. Only a few days ago there were 22 committees holding hearings simultaneously and with a corps of only six regular reporters, it was, of course, necessary for them to call in a great number of outside committee stenographers. In the event that this supplemental $5,000 is not sufficient, we will have to come back and request more funds in the next deficiency appropriation bill.

SPECIAL AND SELECT COMMITTEES

The third supplemental estimate calls for an additional 'amount for expenses of "Special and select committees" authorized by the House, fiscal year 1946, of $100,000.

The 1946 Legislative Appropriation Act appropriated $400,000, for this purpose. Up to February 28, we disbursed $266,639.12 leaving a balance of $133,360.88. It must be borne in mind, however, that these figures are only from the records of the disbursing office, covering funds actually disbursed, and do not take into consideration any obligations or other expenses which the various committees may have incurred for which vouchers have not as yet been submitted for payment. For example, there are, to my knowledge, still pending vouchers of approximately $45,000 for payment to the War Department, Air Transport Command, for reimbursement of the cost of air transportation furnished to several of the investigating committees who went abroad last year. I have before me a tabulated statement listing each committee continued or authorized by the Seventy-ninth Congress. On sheet No. 1, we have listed the various standing committees who receive special authorization and funds. This statement shows the total amount allowed in each case, and the total expended to February 28, and the balance remaining available as of March 1, 1946. On sheet No. 2, we have listed the "special committees" created by the House.

A few of these committees are not very active at this time, but taking each committee listed, with the exception of three which have lapsed, they have a potential balance available amounting to $466,564.12, and although these committees remain in existence until the close of the Seventy-ninth Congress, January 3, 1947, and the last 6 months of their obligations and disbursements will be paid out of funds appropriated by the 1947 Legislative Appropriation Act. We believe that we will be called upon to disburse between $200,000 and $250,000 covering all outstanding obligations and expenses that have and may be incurred during the balance of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1946. This is an appropriation account over which we have practically no control, except the disbursement thereof, although all vouchers are carefully audited by the disbursing office and then submitted to the Committee on Accounts for approval before actual payment is made. Therefore, in order to have sufficient funds on hand to meet our estimated requirements, we urgently recommend your approving the additional $100,000, as requested.

RECENT AUTHORITY FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR SELECT COMMITTEES

Since preparing this statement, the House has taken formal action by allowing the Committee on Physically Handicapped $5,000 additional.

The House also restored to the Committee on Appropriations, the $15,000 appropriation in re: subversive activities by certain Government employees.

The House also concurred with the Senate by providing $25,000 additional for the expenses of the Pearl Harbor investigation, onehalf of which $12,500 to be paid out of the contingent funds of the House of Representatives.

The House has also passed a resolution authorizing the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce to investigate the transportation situation, which investigation will, of course, necessitate expenditure of funds, just how much we cannot say at this time, for the reason that the money resolution has not been reported by the Committee on Accounts. But, nevertheless, this new investigation must be taken into consideration in providing additional funds for "special and select committees."

I also believe the Appropriations Committee has pending a resolution asking $50,000 additional for your general investigating fund, which has not yet been acted upon, but no doubt will be.

TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE SERVICE

The fourth supplemental estimate calls for an additional amount for "Telegraph and telephone service," exclusive of personal services, fiscal year 1946, of $125,000.

The 1946 appropriation act carried $200,000 for this purpose. Up to February 28, we expended a total of $184,060.64, leaving a balance of $15,939.36. Out of this total expenditure of $184,060.64, we expended $142,791.75 for telegraph service and $41,268.89 for telephone service. Our telephone bills run approximately $6,000 a month. However, our telegraph bills will fluctuate. The average for the first 7 months of the fiscal year amounted approximately to $20,500, although the main telegraph bills have run as high as $23,000, for an individual month. We estimate that we will require $36,000 more for telephone service, and at least $105,000 for telegraph service. By taking these two estimated figures into consideration as well as our balance on hand as of March 1, 1946, amounting to approximately $16,000, it will leave us facing a deficit of approximately $125,000, which is the amount of the supplemental appropriation which we are now requesting. However, to be perfectly frank, I doubt whether the $125,000 additional will be sufficient unless the regular monthly bills for the balance of the fiscal year show a remarkable reduction, as we also have to take into consideration outstanding "pick up" bills which are delayed in reaching us for payment and sometimes these so-called pick-up bills come in from 4 to 6 months late and the only thing I can say at this time is that if this amount should prove insufficient, we will, of course, have to come back for another supplemental appropriation.

STATIONERY

The fifth and last supplemental estimate calls for an additional amount for stationery, fiscal year 1946, of $2,000.

We have indicated in House Document No. 488 that this amount is for additional stationery allowance for the second session of the Seventy-ninth Congress. This amount is required in order to provide an additional stationery allowance of $500 each for four new Members of Congress, three of whom have already been elected by special election and one which is expected to be held within the very near future which were caused by vacancies due to the resignations of former Congressmen Woodrum of Virginia; Ramspeck, of Georgia; Dickstein, of New York; and Weiss, of Pennsylvania. All four of

these resigned Members were entitled to the $500 additional stationery allowance for the second session of the Seventy-ninth Congress, and were so paid, with a result that this $500 additional allowance is not available to their successors unless an additional appropriation is made. At this point I would like to recommend that this estimate be increased from $2,000 to $2,700, for the reason that since submitting these estimates, another Member, Hon. J. Buell Snyder, of Pennsylvania, died. Mr. Snyder was a Member of Congress when both the additional and regular stationery allowances for the second session, Seventy-ninth Congress became available, and accordingly was entitled to both allowances.

Although a special election has not as yet been called, we understand that such an election will be held within the next few months and the Member elected will have no stationery allowance available to his credit unless a further amount is appropriated; and as he will be a Member of the second session, Seventy-ninth Congress, we believe an appropriation should be allowed for his use, amounting to $700, i. e., $500 additional allowance and $200 regular allowance, both allowances being carried and appropriated as "Stationery, fiscal year 1946." This, Mr. Chairman, completes our statement of explanation in connection with these five supplemental estimates of appropriations. Mr. CANNON. Are there any questions?

PURCHASE OF TYPEWRITERS

Mr. LUDLOW. Have you heard of or received any complaints of typewriter companies that they are unable or unwilling to furnish typewriters under the statutory price?

Mr. SHANKS. Only indirectly, that they are not so anxious to sell to the Government, because the price is only $80, whereas they can get $125 to $130 per machine in the commercial field; and typewriters being in such demand, they would prefer to sell to the commercial field rather than to the Government.

Mr. LUDLOW. Have you had any difficulty?

Mr. SHANKS. We have experienced some difficulty. Another consideration is, I understand, that some of the typewriter companies do not even give their salesmen a commission when they sell to the Government, and they are not so anxious to sell to us, and they frankly tell our purchasing office to that effect.

PENDING DEFICIT IN FUNDS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON INTERNAL REVENUE TAXATION

Mr. CANNON. Now, we have an item here from Mr. Stam, of the Joint Committee on Internal Revenue Taxation, reporting that the obligations of the committee are running at a rate which, if maintained, will create a deficit of about $6,000. Are you apprised as to the status of that appropriation, Mr. Shanks?

Mr. SHANKS. Yes. That matter only came to light here several days ago, and yesterday I saw a copy of the letter you have before

you.

It seems they were called upon to increase their staff and certain obligations as the committee directed. During the regular hearings last year they went on record by stating, if the usual amount appropriated was not sufficient, they would have to come in for a deficiency.

Mr. CANNON. Now, it has been the custom for them, for some time back, at least, to turn back balances.

Mr. SHANKS. Yes, sir. They have turned back around $6,000 or $7,000, I think in 1945, and about $5,000 in 1944-nearly $12,000 for the 2 fiscal years.

Mr. CANNON. What are the changed plans which warrant this increase in their obligations?

Mr. SHANKS. I believe in his letter the Chief of Staff brings out the work they were directed by the committee to perform, and also the great number of refund cases of internal revenue, amounting to over $75,000, that they have to investigate, scrutinize, and approved, and they have increased.

Mr. CANNON. Will this be a permanent increase?

Mr. SHANKS. I am afraid it will be; because in our legislative estimates for 1947 we have requested $50,000 for salaries and expenses instead of the usual $35,500, or an increase of $14,500 for the House share.

Mr. CANNON. Have you read the conditions set forth in this letter? Mr. SHANKS. I have.

Mr. CANNON. You think this will be permanent?

Mr. SHANKS. I do. Personally, we did not come in sooner because they have a lump-sum appropriation for salaries and expenses to be expended on the recommendation of the joint committee. The joint committee chairmanship alternates; one year being the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, and the next year the chairman of the Finance Committee of the Senate.

We found a week ago that they were going to run a deficit of nearly $6,000. In other words, they won't be able to meet their June pay roll, and so forth, without this additional money.

Mr. CANNON. Thank you, Mr. Shanks.

(The following tables reflect the status of appropriations as respecting the various committees of the House and the miscellaneous items of expense:)

House of Representatives-Special investigating committees continued or authorized by the Seventy-ninth Congress