As explained to the committee last year, the Congress, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, the Government Printing Office, and the Washington city post office are all dependent upon the Capitol Power Plant for services essential to their operation, and any major breakdown in these services would adversely affect the Nation's interest. The changes and improvements authorized by Public Law 413, 81st Congress, are being carried forward to prevent such a breakdown, as the age and condition of the existing equipment in the plant, its distribution systems and related facilities are such as to take such a breakdown a continued imminence unless the changes and improvements authorized by Public Law 413 are effected without delay or interruption.

The scope of this project affects steam heating, electric lighting and power, and air-conditioning services. Buildings affected include the Capitol Building, Old and New House Office Buildings, Senate Office building, Main and Annex Library of Congress Buildings, United States Supreme Court Building, Government Printing Office, city post office, Capitol Power Plant, Legislative Garage, Botanic Garden, and the Capitol Grounds street, park, and flood-lighting systems. Due to the National industrial situation that has existed, work under the project has not proceeded as promptly as expected, as the scarcity of critical materials has necessitated delayed scheduling and rescheduling of deliveries of materials and equipment required for the project.

All contracts required for the boiler plant changes and improvements have been let. As indicated in the foregoing table of obligations, the boiler-plant contracts, let during the period November 30, 1950-August 21, 1952, include installation of: three new steam generators, with a total steam generating capacity of 360,000 pounds per hour, replacing 16 existing small steam generating units which have been in service for the past 29 years; mechanical and electrostatic dust-collecting equipment being installed in connection with the new steam generators; ashhandling equipment; boiler-plant alterations to accommodate the new steam generators and auxiliary equipment; also piping, electrical, mechanical, and other auxiliary work. Work under these contracts is now well under way, and the new steam generators and auxiliary equipment are expected to be placed in operation during the first half of the fiscal year 1954.

As also indicated in the foregoing table, the contract for the new walk-through tunnel from the Capitol Power Plant to the Senate Office Building, including the steam and chilled-water lines housed in the new tunnel, was let September 12, 1951. Work under this contract is now well under way and is also expected to be completed during the first half of the fiscal year 1954. The old tunnel being replaced is located, in part, on earth fill over the railroad tunnel under First Street between the Old House Office Building and the Senate Office Building. This old tunnel has settled and cracked to such an extent during the 44 years it has been in service, that there is imminent danger of a failure of existing steam lines. Such a failure would result in a prolonged disruption of service to the Congress, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, the Government Printing Office, and the Washington City post office, and would endanger the lives of maintenance crews working in the tunnel at the time of failure.

Generation of electrical energy at the Capitol Power Plant was discontinued during the fiscal year 1952 and 25-cycle alternating current has since been supplied temporarily by the Potomac Electric Power Co. The existing electrical systems in the various buildings and grounds require the use of 25-cycle alternating current, part of which is converted to direct current through electrical substations located in the buildings. The electrical systems, authorized to be converted for use of 60-cycle alternating current, are, in part, more than 40 years old. These systems, because of their age, are in a seriously deteriorated condition, are unsafe and uneconomical; with respect to the various buildings, there exists constant danger of fire resulting from the heat generated by circuit overloading, and continuous danger of failure of obsolete and inadequate protective equipment. To remedy such conditions, all of the old systems are being converted from 25-· cycle alternating and direct current to 60-cycle alternating current.

Contracts have been placed for converting the Old and New House Office Buildings, the Senate Office Building, and the Botanic Garden from 25-cycle alternating and direct current to 60-cycle alternating current. Work in the Old House Office Building is expected to be completed October 1953; in the New House Office Building and the Botanic Garden November 1953; and in the Senate Office Building October 1954. Surveys, plans, and specifications are now in various stages of preparation for converting the Capitol, Library, Supreme Court Building and grounds, and the legislative garage. Contracts for such version will continue to be let on a progressive basis.

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Contracts for refrigeration changes at the powerplant are also expected to be let during the fiscal year 1954.

All work is being carried forward by the Architect of the Capitol under the direction of the House Office Building Commission.

Mr. HENLOCK. Those pages detail, in table form, every contract that has been let.

Page 112 gives an explanation, in brief, of those tables, and also shows that the Congress, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, the Government Printing Office, and the Washington City post office are all dependent upon the Capitol Power Plant for services essential to their operation, and any major breakdown in these services would adversely affect the Nation's interest. Mr. Lynn feels it is very urgent to continue the improvement program without delay or interruption.

The scope of this project affects steam heating, electric lighting and power, and air-conditioning services.

REIMBURSEMENT

Mr. HORAN. Are we reimbursed by the District government for the power used in the city post office?

Mr. LYNN. We are reimbursed for steam furnished the Government Printing Office and Washington City post office. I have here a list of reimbursements for steam furnished the Government Printing Office and the Washington City post office by the Capitol Power Plant, covering the period fiscal years 1943 to 1953.

Mr. HORAN. Without objection, it will be inserted in the record at this point.

(The matter referred to is as follows:)

Reimbursements for steam furnished the Government Printing Office and Washington City post office by the Capitol Power Plant, fiscal years 1943 to 1953

Reimbursements for steam furnished the Government Printing Office and Washington City post office by the Capitol Power Plant, fiscal years 1943 to 1953-Continued

Mr. HENLOCK. We have had to reschedule deliveries of materials and equipment required for this project, due to present industrial conditions.

All contracts required for the boiler plant changes and improvements have been let. As shown on page 113, we expect the new plant to go into operation sometime during the first half of the fiscal year 1954. We hope it will be sometime in the fall.

NEW TUNNEL

The same is true of the new tunnel that extends from the Capitol Power Plant to the Senate Office Building, which replaces the old tunnel located, in part, on earth fill over the railroad tunnel under First Street between the Old House Office Building and the Senate Office Building, which is in a dangerously deteriorated condition.

Mr. Lynn has with him an article from one of the newspapers showing where two lives were recently lost in a steam tunnel at Howard University. Our new tunnel is designed to prevent such accidents. It is 10 feet, 6 inches wide; 11 feet high; has a 42-inch clearance, in width, for mechanics working in or walking through the tunnel; is well ventilated; and is equipped with telephone facilities.

ELECTRICAL CONVERSIONS

We further show in our statement that the electrical conversion program is well under way; that the conversion work in the Old and New House Office Buildings is expected to be completed in early fall, as well as work in the Botanic Garden; and work in the Senate Office Building is exptected to be completed in October 1954. We have requested bids for converting the Supreme Court Building, and expect to award that contract the latter part of June. That will leave the Capitol, the Library Buildings and the grounds and legislative garage to be placed under contracts.

REFRIGERATION CHANGES

Contracts for refrigeration changes at the powerplant are expected to be let in November of this year.

All work is being carried forward by the Architect of the Capitol under the direction of the House Office Building Commission.

LIBRARY BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS

Mr. HENLOCK. We come now to the "Library buildings and grounds, structural and mechanical care." Mr. Lynn asked Mr. Clapp and Mr. Wagman to be present and they are outside. We have to depend on them for the Library's programs and needs. Do you wish to have them come in?

Mr. HORAN. I think we should. It is an item in which they are greatly interested.

The committee has before it Mr. Verner W. Clapp, Chief Assistant Librarian of Congress, and Mr. Frederick H. Wagman, Director of Administration.

We have come to the item of "Library Buildings and grounds, structural and mechanical care," under the appropriation for the Architect of the Capitol.

Will you please continue, Mr. Henlock.

Mr. HENLOCK. I will digest it, and Mr. Clapp and Mr. Wagman are available to answer your questions.

A total of $335,000 was appropriated under this heading for 1953. The items that are being dropped for 1954, because they are nonrecurring total $17,150. Increases have been requested totaling $396,050. The total estimate for 1954 is $713,900.

I ask that page 115 of the justifications be inserted in the record. Mr. HORAN. Without objection it is so ordered, (The matter referred to is as follows:)