1 Selected resources as of June 30 are as follows: Unpaid, undelivered orders, 1965, $220,000; 1966, $200,000 Mr. EVINS. We have with us the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, John W. Macy, Jr., together with some of his capable staff. Mr. Chairman, we are always glad to see you. We respect you and your agency. We gave you an appropriation, the Senate concurred, the President concurred, and here it is Labor Day and you come back and tell us we are wrong and that you need more money. You are requesting a total of $3,330,000, as contained in House Document No. 278. GENERAL STATEMENT We will be glad to hear your statement. Mr. MACY. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I hasten to say we don't feel you are wrong. To the contrary, the Commission has been required to perform some additional functions and we want to explain what they are. I appreciate the opportunity to present to you the Commission's need for supplemental funds for fiscal year 1966 to handle additional and new workloads which were not known at the time our budget request for the current year was considered. The additional funds, totaling $3,330,000, are required in our "Salaries and expenses appropriation" and consist of three items which I will outline briefly. First, investigation of character and fitness for employment: The Commission is experiencing increased receipts of national agency check and inquiry cases as a result of certain increases in Federal employment which were not contemplated in our budget request. We expect a minimum of 48,600 cases this year over our previous estimate,. and we are requesting $400,000 to enable us to keep backlogs from accumulating in this vital area. Second, developing programs and standards: There is an urgent need to extend the scope of the natioanl survey of professional, administrative, technical, and clerical pay which provides fundamental data essential to the President and the Congress in the evaluation of the Federal salary structure. We are requesting $230,000 to enable the Commission and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to move ahead with this important work. Third, administration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965: This item represents a new responsibility recently assigned to the Commission by Public Law 89-110, approved August 6, 1965. The Commission is actively engaged in carrying out its responsibilities under this legislation. We are pleased with the results which have been achieved since the Voting Rights Act was passed, and we expect our commitment to this activity to grow rapidly in the months ahead. The Commission is requesting $2,700,000 to enable it to meet its commitments in fiscal year 1966. The document furnished to you sets forth these needs in more detail and we shall be glad to answer any questions the committee may have, with respect to this statement or this document or any other matters pertaining to the responsibility of the Civil Service Commission. JUSTIFICATION MATERIAL Mr. EVINS. We will place in the record at this point justification pages 1 through 29. (The pages follow :) SALARIES AND EXPENSES, FISCAL YEAR 1966 Salaries and expenses, Civil Service Commission Additional amount required--- $3, 330, 000 GENERAL STATEMENT The Civil Service Commission requires supplemental funds in the amount of $3.330.000 under this heading to (A) process increased workloads of national agency check and inquiry cases, (B) extend the national survey of professional, administrative, technical, and clerical pay to include salaries of State and local government employees, as well as ascertain fringe benefits provided by other employers, and (C) accomplish its responsibilities under the "Voting Rights Act of 1965.” Such funds will provide: Salaries and related costs, travel, printing. supplies, and miscellaneous operating expenses. The supplemental requirement in activity 2, investigation of character and fitness for employment, is the result of an increase in national agency check and inquiry cases above the level estimated in the 1966 budget. This arises 53-537-65- -10 from additional employment by the Department of Defense, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and the Post Office Department. Estimates were obtained from the first two Departments and the authorized increase of personnel in the Post Office is provided for in Public Law 89-57, 89th Congress. The requirement for activity 5 arises from the increasing need to extend the scope of the present national survey of professional, administrative, technical, and clerical pay, both in respect to coverage of such sectors not now included, as State and local government employees, and in respect to a type of data urgently needed that relates to fringe benefits. The amount required for Activity 9: Administration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, will enable the Commission to carry out its newly assigned respon sibilities under the act to include (1) listing of voters; (2) conduct of hear ings in connection with voter challenges; and (3) related miscellaneous and administrative functions. Supplemental budget request, fiscal year 1966—summary by object classification COMPARATIVE SUMMARY STATEMENT BY FUNCTION Activity 2-Investigation of character and fitness for employment SUMMARY STATEMENT BY FUNCTION Activity 2-Investigation of character and fitness for employment Personnel compensation: Fiscal year 1966 Average Cost positions Conducting national agency check and inquiry cases (N.A.C. & I.)..... Subtotal. Other obligations.. 35,900 Total supplemental request.. 57 400,000 ACTIVITY 2-INVESTIGATION OF CHARACTER AND FITNESS FOR EMPLOYMENT GENERAL STATEMENT Under Executive Order 10450, the Commission is required to conduct investigations and perform other services which will enable agencies to comply with the provisions of the order. In addition, the information resulting from the investigation required under section 3a of the order provides economical and effective means of determining the suitability of applicants for, and appointees to Federal positions. These services include the conduct of national agency check and inquiries, limited suitability investigations when a national agency check and inquiry case develops adverse information, and the maintenance of a security investigations index file. This workload is not controllable, since it is either specifically required by the Executive order or arises as a byproduct. The national agency check and inquiry cases arise as a result of appointments to positions in the Federal service. It became apparent late in fiscal year 1965 that receipts of national agency check and inquiry cases were increasing to a level substantially above that estimated in the Commission's 1966 budget request. For example, receipts during June of fiscal year 1964 averaged 4.165 cases per week whereas receipts during June of fiscal year 1965 averaged 5,543 cases per week. Receipts during July of the current fiscal year showed an alarming continuation of this trend, averaging 6,572 cases per week as compared to 4,899 cases per week the year before. In addition to the trend of increased receipts, the Commission has learned of planned, known increases which will originate in fiscal year 1966 as a result of authorized higher employment levels in the following agencies: Department of Defense (Vietnam buildup). Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (medicare program). Post Office (funds for additional positions approved in Public Law 89-57, 89th Congress) -- 35,000 7,000 6, 600 Total increase‒‒‒‒ 48, 600 The planned increases cited above are the result of recent legislation and the buildup of American forces in Vietnam. Because of the recency of determinations which create these additional authorizations they have very little to do with the increased trends experienced during the last 2 or 3 months. It is urgent therefore that additional funds be made available as early in the current fiscal year as practicable in order to process promptly the increased workloads. In view of the requirements of Executive Order 10450 and the fact that the increased workloads are related primarily to civilian staffing, it is extremely important that backlogs not be allowed to accumulate in this function. The supplemental funds of $400,000 requested for this activity should be sufficient to process the additional workloads expected from the agencies listed above. Should receipts continue at the July 1965 level, exclusive of the increases discussed above, the amount requested will be insufficient and it will be necessary to reappraise financial requirements later in the fiscal year. |