PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS If you refer to page 2 of the general statement, you will note that we have limited our 1954 requests to maintenance items, with the exception of funds for the following four public works items. The first public work is the $2.5 million budget item, since revised to $1 million, as just indicated, for continuation of the changes and improvements relating to the Capital Power Plant, its distribution systems, and the buildings and grounds served by the plant; the second is $25,000 for preparation of preliminary plans and estimates of cost for extension and completion of the east central front of the Capitol Building. The Senate has twice passed legislation authorizing this project, but in each instance the House did not act on the proposed legislation. Mr. HORAN. When was that? Mr. HENLOCK. In 1935 and again in 1937; but in each of those instances, we asked for authorization acts. If you will turn to page 35 of the justifications, you will find the complete story. Continuing on the public works items, the third request is $837,000 for reconstruction, repairs, alteration and improvement of the terraces of the Capitol Building, and the fourth and final item is $760,000 for reconstruction of the plaza, roadways, driveways, sidewalks, and drainage and sewer systems in the old Capitol Grounds; reconstruction of paving over the legislative garage and adjacent areas in the enlarged section of the Capitol Grounds, lying north of Constitution Avenue. No funds have been included in the 1954 budget for the following three public works items heretofore under consideration: (1) Construction of an additional office building for the United States Senate, authorized by Public Law 785, 80th Congress, for which a site has been acquired and for which plans have been completed. Mr. LYNN. Plans have been completed and we were ready to take bids in 1949, but the Senate ordered the project deferred, because of the Korean situation. Mr. HENLOCK. (2) In 1947 the Congress authorized an appropriation of $25,000 to prepare preliminary plans and estimates of cost for providing additional office and other accommodations for the House of Representatives, but funds requested in 1947 for that purpose were not granted. We have not since been directed by the House Office Building Commission, having jurisdiction of this matter, to resubmit the estimate. (3) In 1942 we were allowed to have preliminary plans and estimates prepared for air conditioning the main Library of Congress Building, but funds subsequently requested to carry out this project were not granted. SALARIES, OFFICE OF THE ARCHITECT Mr. HENLOCK. We start the individual appropriation items on page 57 of the committee print, and page 9 of the justifications. The first item is for "Salaries, Office of the Architect of the Capitol, $144,000". The only increase asked for 1954 is $800 for within-grade salary advancements, which occur from year to year under the Classification Act. There is no other change in this item. TRAVEL EXPENSE The next item is on page 58 of the committee print, page 12 of the justification. It is not a request for an appropriation, but simply a limitation on the amount that may be used under all of our appropriations in any one fiscal year for travel. The limitation is fixed. at $3,000, and we ask no change in that limitation. As you will note in our table, travel is only performed when actually required in connection with work under the office; otherwise there is no expenditure. Mr. HORAN. What was the reason, if you will refresh my memory, in 1949 for the expenditure of $2,140 from this fund? Mr. LYNN. That was due to the reconstruction of the House and Senate roofs and Chambers, which necessitated more travel than usual. MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION, CAPITOL BUILDINGS Mr. HENLOCK. The next item is on page 59 of the committee print, page 13 of the justification, for maintenance and operation of the Capitol Building. For 1953, we were allowed $695,800, plus a supplemental item of $800 or a total of $696,600 for the present fiscal year. We have dropped nonrecurring items totaling $57,645 and are asking for additions totaling $40,445 for items of increase, making our total request for 1954 $679,400. If the full amount requested is allowed for 1954, there would still be a net decrease of $17,200 under the amount allowed for 1953. Customarily, Mr. Chairman, you have allowed us to insert in the record our blue or control sheets under each appropriation. Mr. HORAN. Without objection, they will be included in the record. (The statements referred to follow:) 1953 appropriation in annual act Capitol Buildings Second Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1953 (Public 11). $695, 800 800 696, 600 $6,000 3,000 Air filter systems for 8 dehumidifiers. Renew steam supply line, House wing, serving House Replace old Supreme Court section of roof Install copper flashing over north and south walls of original Capitol Building Replace with hollow metal doors the old wooden doors, ground floor, Senate and House connecting corridors.. New kalamein doors, House kitchen.. Repairs to marble stairway, law library entrance. Base for 1954. Additions: Capitol Buildings-Continued Within-grade salary advancements. General annual repairs and alterations increased from 1. $2,500 to renew with copper tubing the hot and 2. $1,500 to renew the steam line serving the old 3. $1,000 to install a garbage can sterilizer, with 4. $3,500 for structural and other necessary work on 5. $500 for repairs to marble floor in elevator lobby, Total-5 special items-General annual re- Maintenance air-conditioning system increased from Pointing exterior stonework, Senate and House wings and $4, 400 2,000 9, 000 1,500 15,000 Additions Continued Capitol Buildings—Continued Repairs, works of art-clean, reline, restore, and varnish 2 Bierstadt paintings acquired in 1875-78 at cost of $20,000, and repair, clean, gold-leaf, and tone their frames. This work is necessary for proper preservation of the costly paintings. Maintenance and repair, lighting systems, grounds, increased from $9,210 to $9,255 to round total estimate.. Total estimate for 1954_... INCREASES REQUESTED $8, 500 45+$40, 445 679, 400 Mr. HENLOCK. The only increase under salaries is $4,400 for within-grade promotions under the Classification Act. Starting on page 14 of the blue sheets, there is a detail of the other items of increase. The first is an increase for elevator repairs and improvements, from $2,250 to $4,250, to permit the elevator at the Supreme Court entrance to the Capitol to be equipped with an automatic floor-leveling device, the same as all other elevators in the Capitol. Mr. LYNN. This is a floor-leveling device to bring the elevators to the proper level of the floor. At present, the leveling is dependent upon manual control. Mr. HENLOCK. General annual repairs and alterations is increased from $23,000 to $32,000 to provide for special repairs and replacements, or an increase of $9,000. There are five items, that make up this increase. The first is $2,500 to renew with copper tubing the hot and cold water lines in the Senate wing, which are galvanized iron, over 35 years old, badly corroded, leaking and in need of replacement. The second is Mr. HORAN. Unless there are some questions, we will go over to the next page. Mr. HENLOCK. On page 15 of the justification, are the rest of our housekeeping or maintenance increases. The first is an increase from $3,800 to $5,300 to meet increased air-conditioning maintenance costs. Only one $800 increase has been granted under this allotment since original installation of the air-conditioning system in 1938. Seven hundred dollars of the 1954 increase is to provide replacement filters for new air-purifying equipment installed under funds allowed for 1953; and $800 for increased costs of supplies and materials and for special supplies required for servicing the new House and Senate. Chamber air-conditioning equipment. Mr. LYNN. The replacement filters cost $1 apiece. They are for purifying the air. Mr. HENLOCK. The largest item of increase on page 15 is $15,000, to begin a program of pointing up the exterior stonework of the Senate and House wings and terraces of the Capitol, which were last repointed 25 years ago. Examination of the stonework indicates it is now necessary to commence a renewal program for the proper preservation of the building. An examination shows some deterioration starting. Under this amount, $3,000 would be expended for materials and scaffolding, and $12,000 for labor. Mr. GARY. The $15,000 is to cover the whole job? Mr. HENLOCK. Just for the beginning. Mr. GARY. The work would be continued beyond the next fiscal year? Mr. HENLOCK. For several years. Mr. GARY. How much is the estimated total cost? Mr. HENLOCK. The complete cost is not yet determined. We cannot make an accurate forecast until scaffolding has been erected and a closer inspection can be made of the upper joints to determine the full extent of the repair work required; but we do know that at least $15,000 is immediately needed. Then we are asking $8,500 for repairs to works of art, to clean, reline, restore, and varnish the two Bierstadt paintings acquired 75 or more years ago at a cost of $10,000 each; also to repair, clean, and goldleaf and tone their frames. This work is necessary to preserve these costly paintings. Page 17 contains language change urged to permit the Architect of the Capitol to contract for professional services of artists, without competitive bids. It is very difficult to arrive at satisfactory contracts for work of this kind under the competitive-bid system, and we find it is often more costly, in fact, to do the work in such a manner. Mr. LYNN. In fact, I have discussed the matter with the Director of the National Gallery of Arts, and he advises me to request the funds be made available without competitive bids. Mr. HENLOCK. On page 16 the objectives of this appropriation are given. Page 17 contains the language change just referred to, which, as indicated, is to allow the procurement of artists' services without competitive bids. Actually, we have explained all of the items of increase for the Capitol Building, and unless there are questions with respect to the annual repeat items, under which no changes occur, we are ready to take up the next appropriation. EXTENSION AND COMPLETION OF EAST CENTRAL FRONT OF CAPITOL BUILDING Mr. HORAN. Without objection, we will turn now to the blue page 34 of the justification. Mr. HENLOCK. That item is found on page 62 of the committee print. Page 34, which is the control sheet, is submitted for the record. We would also like to insert pages 35 to 37. (The material referred to follows:) Preliminary plans and estimates, extension and completion of east central front of 1953 appropriation in annual act.. None $25, 000 Repeated efforts have been made since 1865 to secure enactment of enabling legislation for the extension and completion of the east front of the Capitol; but, to date, neither the necessary legislative authority nor appropriation required to effect this improvement has been provided. The act of February 14, 1902, expressly provides that "No change in the architectural features of the Capitol Building or in the landscape features of the Capitol Grounds shall be made except on plans to be approved by Congress." |