We have opened three new First Aid Rooms during the past several months and anticipate opening an additional First Aid Room at 400 North Capitol Street within the near future. Presently, there are First Aid Rooms located in each of the House and Senate Office Buildings (Four First Aid Rooms on the House side, Four First Aid Rooms on the Senate side and one First Aid Room in the Capitol). Tourists are seen on an emergency basis and staff personnel may visit these units for minor ailments where simple over-the-counter medications are dispensed, if needed. In order to save staff employees time away from their desks we also give certain injections, i.e. allergy, B-12, etc. on advise of their personal physician.

At the request of the House Subcommittee on Legislative Branch Appropriations, we have assumed the physical examination function for the Capitol Police Recruits. These examinations were previously performed by the U.S. Public Health Service on a reimbursable basis. In addition, at the request of the Capitol Police Board, we have instituted an annual physical examination program for Capitol Police Officers over 55 years of age.

We are presently in the process of training approximately 2000-3000 staff volunteers in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation. Nearly all of the House and Senate Doorkeepers have been recently certified in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation.

During the period FY 76 and FY 77, my office recorded 77,814 visits in FY 76 and 78,558 visits in FY 77 which in addition included the following:

*In addition, 60,430 over-the-counter units were dispensed

through the First Aid Rooms during FY 77.

I am pleased to report that even though our workload continues to increase, our staff is essentially the same as it has been for the past several years.

I hope this information is useful and if I can be of any further assistance, please let me know.

Yours sincerely,

Freen 4 C

FREEMAN H. CARY, M.D.

FHC:eci

CC: Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives

OFFICIAL MAIL COSTS

Mr. COLLEY. The fiscal year 1979 budget estimate for franked mail costs (all mail sent by the House and Senate) is $64,944,000. We have a letter from the U.S. Postal Service wherein the service has revised its fiscal year 1978 estimated upward, and indicates that the fiscal year 1979 estimate would be $49,934,000.

Mr. Chairman, there is a considerable "lag" between the time within which delivery service is rendered to franked mail by the Postal Service and when we are actually billed for such service. For example, we have not yet received a billing for any mail costs for fiscal year 1978 and we are in the fifth month of the fiscal year. We have just received the final fourth quarter bill for fiscal year 1977. Thus, in order to have funds available whenever needed, and since the total number of pieces of mail that House and Senate members may send within a year is very difficult to estimate, our appropriation bill always contains language to make funds immediately available upon enactment.

Mr. SHIPLEY. Why is that more than first class mail?

Mr. COLLEY. We are billed on the actual postage rate for each class of mail.

The Clerk has disbursed funds to the Post Service for fiscal year 1977 in the total amount of $46,904,000. This payment is for 293,301,798 pieces of franked mail at an average rate of $.1342 per piece. This total represents 211,879,788 pieces of mail for the House and 81,422,010 for the Senate.

Mr. Chairman, the payments for fiscal year 1977 are illustrative of the difficulty in providing and maintaining a firm estimate on the number of pieces of franked mail. Our fiscal year 1977 funds were utilized to some extent to complete payments for fiscal year 1976 and the transition quarter. We have now used fiscal year 1978 funds in the amount of $9,827,621 to complete the fiscal year 1977 payments. Thus, the fiscal year 1979 estimate of $64,944,000 represents the funds we now believe are needed to "catch up" with the payment cycle and make payments for the next fiscal year.

There has been a change in the procedures for handling "postal patron" or bulk mail from the House. This refers to some of the Postmaster's problems. We have obtained a third class mail permit and postal patron mail has been dispatched under this procedure at a combined third class/express rate that is much less than the first class rate of 13 cents per piece. During the third and fourth quarters of fiscal year 1977, aproximately 103.9 million pieces of postal patron mail were sent from the House. At the rate of 13 cents per piece, this cost would have been approximately $13.5 million. At the new average rate of approximately 8.75 cents per piece, the cost was something over $9 million or a savings of approximately $4.4 million for the two quarters.

Mr. COUGHLIN. Where is the savings reflected?

Mr. COLLEY. We would have paid $9 million if we had sent the postal patron mail at 13 cents apiece rather than $4.4 million. Mr. COUGHLIN. So, to make things comfortable, you add $9 million?

Mr. COLLEY. We are saving $9 million a year by using the third class rate.

STATEMENTS OF APPROPRIATIONS

For fiscal year 1979 a request of $13,000, one-half to be disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate and one-half to be disbursed by the clerk of the House. This is the same as fiscal year 1978. The preparation of the Statements of Appropriations is required by law.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

If any House Resolutions are to be made permanent law, they are normally inserted in this provision of the Legislative Branch Appropriation Bill. I submit copies of House Resolution 12, approved August 5, 1977, relating to employees contributions to certain charitable organizations. House Resolution 315, approved November 1, 1977 relating to House Beauty Shop employees compensation classification system, House Resolution 661, approved July 29, 1977, providing two additional positions for the Capitol Police Force and section 3 relating to the compensation of the Chaplain of the House of Representatives; House Resolution 687, approved September 20, 1977, relating to district office space for Members; and House Resolution 959, approved January 23, 1978, vested in the Clerk, appointment of Reporters of the House.

This, Mr. Chairman, concludes the Clerk's statement concerning the various items in the budget estimates for the operation of the House of Representatives plus certain Joint Items, for the Fiscal Year 1979.

[The resolutions referred to follow:]

H. Res. 12

In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

August 5, 1977.

Resolved, That (a) until otherwise provided by law and except as provided in subsection (c), the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall

(1) notify employees of the opportunity to have amounts withheld from their compensation for contribution to charitable organizations; and

(2) if an employee files with such officer a voluntary request specifying the amount to be withheld and one Combined Federal Campaign Center in the Washington metropolitan area to receive such amount—

(A) withhold such amount from the compensation of such employee, and

(B) transit (not less than once each calendar quarter) the amount so withheld to the Combined

Federal Campaign Center as specified in such request. (b) The Clerk shall, to the extent practicable, carry out

subsection (a) at or about the time of the Combined Federal Campaign and other fundraising in the executive branch of the