EXPLANATION OF ITEMS MAKING UP SENATE OFFICE BUILDINGS APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST

Personnel compensation, increased from $2,074,700 to $2,120,500

The total for "Personnel compensation" for 1965, including $50,000 pay supplemental in H. Doc. 98, is $2,074,700 and covers the salaries of 373 employees, of which 268 are full-time employees and 105 are part-time charwomen. Of the present total of 373 employees, 23 are compensated under the Classification Act of 1949, as amended; 287 at prevailing wage rates under Public Law 763, 83d Congress; and 63 under title V of the Federal Employees Pay Act of 1945, as amended.

For 1966, $2,120,500 is requested for the salaries of 373 employees-an increase of $45,800 over the amount for 1965, explained as follows:

Under the provisions of Public Law 763, 83d Congress, 287 laborers and mechanics on the Senate Office Buildings' roll are at present compensated on a wage-board, prevailing-rate basis. Public Law 763 provides that the compensation of such employees shall be fixed and adjusted from time to time as nearly as is consistent with the public interest in accordance with prevailing

rates.

An increase of $35,131 is requested for 1966 to meet on a full-year basis the cost of increased wage rates established for these wage-board positions as a result of a general survey of Government and industrial employees' wages in the Washington metropolitan area, conducted during the past year. The new rates went into effiect December 6, 1964, pursuant to the provisions of Public Law 85-872, 85th Congress. This increase is necessary in order that the Senate Office Buildings' wage-board employees may be compensated on a full-year basis in the fiscal year 1966 in accordance with present prevailing rates.

An increase of $7,749 is requested for 1966 to meet the cost of within-grade promotions and other changes authorized by Publie Law 763 under the wageboard system, for the employees compensated under that act.

An increase of $2,920 is requested for 1966 to meet the cost of within-grade promotions and other changes under the Classification Act of 1949, as amended, for the employees compensated under that act.

Payment to employees' health benefits fund, $19,500, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and is required to cover the cost of Government contribution to employees' health benefits fund required by Public Law 86-382, 86th Congress, Federal Employees' Health Benefits Act of 1959, approved September 28, 1959, and effective July 1, 1960.

Payment to employees' life insurance fund, $4,800, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and is to cover the cost of Government's payment to employees' life insurance fund required by Public Law 598, 83d Congress, Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Act of 1954.

Contribution to retirement fund, increased from $99,500 to $108,500

For 1965, $99,500 was allowed. For 1966, $108,500 is requested-an increase of $9,000. The amount requested is to cover the cost of Government contribution to retirement fund required by Public Law 854, 84th Congress, Title IV, Civil Service Retirement Act Amendments of 1956. The additional cost results from increase in basic pay rates.

Uniform allowances, $200, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and is for the cost of uniforms authorized by the act of September 1, 1954, as amended (5 U.S.C. 2131).

Elevator repairs and improvements, $5,000, no change

The regular annual amount of $5,000, the same as allowed for 1965, provides for repair, maintenance, and upkeep of the 14 elevators and 1 lift in the Old Senate Office Building, and the 10 elevators and 1 lift in the New Senate Office Building. The amount provides for such items as cable, repair parts, lubricants, oil, grease, tools, and cleaning fluids.

Furniture repairs, $7,500, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and provides for the necessary materials for refinishing, reupholstering, and other repairs to furniture throughout the two buildings.

General annual repairs, $23,000, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and provides for annual repairs to the roof, skylights, revolving doors, vacuum cleaners, scrubbing machines, electric spraying machines, hand trucks, and other equipment for the Senate Office Buildings; also, for their general structural care and repair.

The amount requested also includes an allotment of $8,000 necessary for the maintenance and upkeep of the subway cars, tracks, and electrical equipment of the new subway transportation system.

Annual painting, $30,000, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and provides for the painting of offices, -corridors, and other areas, for the refinishing of woodwork, cleaning marble, and washing corridor walls. The breakdown of the estimate follows:

Breakdown of estimate

200 suite rooms, ceilings and walls, both buildings, at $100 per room_. Cleaning and painting corridor walls and venetian blinds, both buildings_ 20 suite rooms, refinishing woodwork (trim and doors), at $250 per

$20,000

5,000

room_

5,000

Total, painting estimate___.

30,000

Laundry, $10,000, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and provides for laundering of bags, pillowcases, couch covers, sheets, nurses' uniforms, window curtains, hand and bath towels, roller towels, dropcloths, mops.

Ice, $1,000, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and provides for maintenance and repair of the ice machine and for purchase of ice during periods when the machine is out of service for adjustments or minor repairs.

Maintenance, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems, increased from $14,000 to $19,700

For 1965, $14,000 was allowed. For 1966, $19,700 is requested-a net increase of $5,700, resulting from a nonrecurring increase of $10,000, partially offset by the omission of a nonrecurring item of $4,300 for 1965 allowed for painting 18 central air-conditioning units in the attic fan rooms of the Old Senate Office Building.

The nonrecurring increase of $10,000 is explained, as follows:

Two of the three compressors supplying refrigerated drinking water for the New Senate Office Building failed during the past year and it was thought that it would be necessary to replace these compressors with new compressors at a cost of $10,000, and funds for such purpose were accordingly included at the time in the 1966 budget. However, after the compressors were dismantled, it was found that they could be repaired; repairs have been made, and the compressors are again in operation. Accordingly, the request for an increase of $10,000 for 1966 is withdrawn. If further failures should occur in the future, it may then be necessary to renew this request at a later date.

The regular annual amount of $9,700 provides for maintenance, repair, and upkeep of the air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. The allotment provides filters, oil, grease, cleaning equipment, tools, paint, refrigerant, waste, antifreeze liquid, repairs, and minor improvements of the systems in the two Senate Office Buildings; also, for cleaning and chemically treating kitchen ducts and hoods in Senate Restaurant facilities located in those buildings. The break-down of the estimate follows:

Cleaning and chemically treating kitchen ducts and hoods in restaurant

and cafeteria in Senate Office Buildings__.

Total, regular annual estimate____

$2,100

250

385

400

2, 200

900

900

400

200

965

1,000

9, 700

Supplies and materials, $60,000, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and provides cleaning, plumbing, carpentry, heating, electrical, hardware, toilet, and general miscellaneous supplies for the care of the two Senate Office Buildings. The allotment also includes funds for replacing all fluorescent tubes in both buildings over a 2-year period, taking one building each year.

Equipment, decreased from $80,300 to $59,000

The following is a comaprison of the items comprising this estimate:

The items of equipment under which no changes occur are explained as follows:

Annual rugs and floor coverings, $25,000, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and provides for the annual replacement of rugs, cushions, and floor coverings in the Old Senate Office Building.

Annual machinery, tools, and miscellaneous, $3,000, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and provides for the annual replacement of machinery, tools, and other miscellaneous equipment.

Annual furniture and furnishings, $5,000, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and provides for the annual purchase of typewriter stands, tables, chairs, and other miscellaneous items of furniture and furnishings.

Revolving armchairs for offices, $3,650, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and provides for the purchase of 48 new revolving armchairs, in continuation of the program of replacement of obsolete chairs now in use in the old building, which have reached the point of age and wear where they can no longer be kept in satisfactory repair.

Typist chairs for offices, $1,350, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and provides for the purchase of 48 new typist chairs, in continuation of the program of replacement of obsolete typist chairs now in use in the old building.

File cabinets, $5,000, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and provides for the purchase of 5-drawer letter and legal cabinets, and 2-drawer letter and legal file cabinets, conforming to the type of file cabinets presently in use in the new building. The amount requested provides for normal basic needs.

New typewriter desks and flattop desks, $6,000, no change

This is the same as allowed for 1965 and provides for the purchase of 25 rightcompartment typewriter desks, 25 left-compartment typewriter desks, and 10 flattop desks, in order to fill service requirements in the old building.

The total, therefore, requested for maintenance and operation of the Senate Office Buildings, for the fiscal year 1966, amounts to $2,468,700.

PERSONNEL FOR WHICH APPROPRIATION CARRIES NO HOUSE COUNTERPART

Senator PROXMIRE. Can you tell me what proportion of your personnel, Mr. Caraway, is engaged in this maintenance work which the House does not have on a comparable basis? Did you say with regard to your furniture and your equipment?

Mr. CARAWAY. I cannot answer questions on the House. I could get that information for you.

Senator PROXMIRE. On page 79, where there is an excellent summary, it appears that supplies and material and equipment are a very modest amount of this, about 90 percent or more than 90 percent is personnel or related to personnel costs and you have a number of people who are engaged in this furniture and repair work. The number would have to be, I should think, 40, 50, 60 people.

Mr. CARAWAY. There are only seven or eight carpenters, four upholsterers, and four or five painter-finishers.

DISCREPANCY IN SENATE AND HOUSE COSTS

Senator PROXMIRE. Then it seems to me there is a very big discrepancy in the costs between the House and Senate.

Mr. CARAWAY. I think someone went into that 3 or 4 years ago.

FURNITURE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR

Mr. ROOF. We developed something on that some years ago, Senator, and the biggest item of difference was furniture, maintenance, and repair.

SUBWAY PERSONNEL AND MAINTENANCE

Of course, at that time, we had a subway operation which the House did not have and the Old House Office Buildings do not now have.

The House now has only subway cars from the Capitol to the new Rayburn Building which was just recently opened. Those are the two large items.

Senator PROXMIRE. There are only eight or nine people involved in the subway operation.

Senator MONRONEY. There are a lot of repairs to the subway.

Senator PROXMIRE. Then you have a regular repairman on duty in addition to the operators.

Mr. ROOF. You have operators, plus in the Senate you have three mechanics. That is offset somewhat now on the House side. You have one subway over there where you have two here.

INSTALLATION OF GLASS WINDSHIELDS

Senator MONRONEY. Our one is longer to a considerable degree than the Rayburn one.

I wish you could find out on behalf of our lady Members how much it would cost to install the glass windshields.

Mr. CARAWAY. We have already asked that that be done.

Senator MONRONEY. I understand from the lady Members of the Senate that the House protects their hair-and I notice all the passengers generally are trying to avoid getting windblown.

Mr. RUBEL. Mr. Chairman, that has been a persistent complaint ever since the Senate subway went into operation. The so-called windshields on the Senate subway cars are 15 inches high. We made the windshields on the House subway cars as high as practicable. They are 27 inches high. It has made an improvement but I happened to ride in the House car yesterday behind a lady and she still was holding her hair in place. You can't eliminate the draft entirely. The higher windshields are an improvement, but they are not eliminating the drafts 100 percent.

Senator PROXMIRE. Blowing hair is one thing I don't have to worry about, but it seems to me the only way you could solve it satisfactorily would be a bubbletop. Only two or three people can ride in front and if you have a Senator or Senator's wife riding there then everybody behind is not helped much by the windshield. Would a bubbletop be very expensive?

Mr. RUBEL. We have thought of the bubbletop. There are several practical problems connected with such an installation.

First of all, it is necessary to have high openings in the bubbletop so that people can enter the car. That introduces wide spaces for air to come in and that alone would defeat part of the gain derived from a bubbletop.

The other problem is the need for making periodic adjustments or repairs on the Senate subway cars, I am sure you have observed us doing that many time. We have to raise the cars on the hydraulic lifts in the Senate terminal. That would require the removal of the bubbletop, increasing the length of service interruptions.

Senator MONRONEY. Perhaps it would be better to advocate a style of windblown bobs for lady Members.

Mr. RUBEL. I hope you will do that.