EVALUATION OF MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1948 UNITED STATES SENATE, COMMITTEE ON EXPENDITURES IN THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS, Washington, D. C. The committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:15 a. m. in the committee room, Senate Office Building, Senator George D. Aiken (chairman of the committee) presiding. Present: Senators Aiken, Thye, McClellan, and Hoey. Also present: E. B. Van Horn, committee staff director. This is a hearing of the full Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments on the subject of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946. The act, Public Law 601 of the Seventy-ninth Congress, provides in section 102 (1) g (2) (C)— * * such committee shall have the duty of * evaluating the effects of laws enacted to reorganize the legislative and executive branches of the Government. The act is, of course, the reorganization of the legislative branch. A copy will be included in the record of the hearing at the conclusion of my statement. The act went into effect on the first day of the first session of the Eightieth Congress and many people consider it to be the most thoroughgoing reorganization which Congress has ever attempted. We have now had one full year of operation under the act and it is desirable that we take stock of our position; that we determine wherein the act has been effective; and that we attempt to strengthen it in the places where it may be weak. That is the purpose of these hearings. We wish to develop every side of the questions which will be raised and we shall have testimony from both major political parties, from congressional leaders, from committee chairmen, and from outside experts who have studied the effectiveness of the act without becoming enmeshed in its day-to-day operations. It is anticipated that hearings will be held today, tomorrow, and Wednesday, and that they will then be adjourned to February 17, at which time we hope to hear from Senator La Follette, who was one of the two authors of the act, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and others who cannot appear this week. At the conclusion of the hearings, the committee will consider the recommendations which it will wish to make to the Senate. This morning we are concerned with the broad aspects of the Legislative Reorganization Act and have invited the leaders of the Senate majority and minority parties to testify, along with Mr. 1 Robert Heller of Cleveland, Ohio. Senator Barkley is unable to be We are glad to have you with us, Senator. We would like to have (The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946, Public Law 601, [PUBLIC LAW 601-79TH CONGRESS] [CHAPTER 753-2D SESSION] [S. 2177] AN ACT To provide for increased efficiency in the legislative branch of the Government Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of SHORT TITLE That (a) this Act, divided into titles and sections according to the following PART 2-RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Sec. 121. Standing committees of the House of Representatives. Sec. 303. Detailed accounts of contributions. Sec. 304. Receipts for contributions. Sec. 305. Statements to be filed with Clerk of House. Sec. 306. Statement preserved for two years. Sec. 207. Persons to whom applicable. Sec. 308. Registration with Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House. TITLE VI-COMPENSATION AND RETIREMENT PAY OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS Sec. 601. Compensation of Members of Congress. Sec. 602. Retirement pay of Members of Congress. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE (b) If any provision of this Act or the application thereof to any person or TITLE I-CHANGES IN RULES OF SENATE AND HOUSE RULE-MAKING POWER OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE SEC. 101. The following sections of this title are enacted by the Congress: (b) With full recognition of the constitutional right of either House to change STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE SEC. 102. Rule XXV of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended to read "RULE XXV "(1) The following standing committees shall be appointed at the commence- "(a) Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, to consist of thirteen Senators, "1. Agriculture generally. "2. Inspection of livestock and meat products. "3. Animal industry and diseases of animals. "4. Adulteration of seeds, insect pests, and protection of birds and animals in "5. Agricultural colleges and experiment stations. "6. Forestry in general, and forest reserves other than those created from the "7. Agricultural economics and research. "8. Agricultural and industrial chemistry. "9. Dairy industry. "10. Entomology and plant quarantine. "11. Human nutrition and home economics. "12. Plant industry, soils, and agricultural engineering. "13. Agricultural educational extension services. "14. Extension of farm credit and farm security. |