HOUSE NONACTION Two of our items-the appropriation requests for maintenance and operation of the Senate Office Buildings and of the Senate garagebeing Senate items, were not acted on by the House but, in accordance with custom, were left for consideration and intial action by the Senate committee. These two items total $2,587,900. HOUSE REDUCTIONS Of the appropriation requests considered by the House, all items were allowed, with the exception of the following: LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENT OF CAPITOL PLAZA AREAS Under the Capitol Grounds appropriation item, a cut of $100,000 was made. Of this cut, $64,500 represented a request for funds for the landscape improvement of the Northeast and Southeast triangular park areas at the Capitol Plaza. Senator MONRONEY. Where is that? Mr. STEWART. One triangle is located near the Northeast approach to the plaza, and the other near the Southeast approach. Senator MONRONEY. That whole area is a central park. Mr. Roof. These [indicating on drawing] are the small triangles referred to. This is the Senate side and this is the House side. They are in front of the two Chambers. Senator MONRONEY. Is this a little triangular quadrant about 200 feet by 100 feet? Mr. PINCUS. About a quarter of an acre, each. Mr. STEWART. It was proposed to develop these two triangles into parklike resting areas, planted with flowerbeds, flowering trees and shrubs. Nine granite benches were to be placed around each area, and each triangle was to contain a small granite pool, complete with appurtenances. The existing defective sidewalks were to be removed and replaced with new exposed aggregate sidewalks and additional walks of exposed aggregate paving were to be constructed, leading into the pool areas. The House committee, in eliminating funds for this item, deferred the proposed improvements without prejudice to their merits. We do not ask for restoration of the cut for 1967. PARTIAL ALLOWANCE OF REQUESTED NEW EMPLOYEES We also asked under this appropriation item $43,203 for seven additional gardeners and one additional tree culture worker helper. Of the seven gardeners requested, three were asked for care of the areas to be landscaped in the early part of the fiscal year 1967 above the two underground garages being constructed in squares 637 and 691, adjacent to the House Office Buildings. Senator MONRONEY. That is the rear of the office building? One was for care and maintenance of landscaped areas, south of Independence Avenue, surrounding the Cannon and Longworth House Office Buildings, which have recently been planted with flowering trees d shrubs; one for care and maintenance of landscaped areas, north of Constitution Avenue, surrounding the Old and New Senate Office Buildings the areas surrounding the Old Senate Office Building having been extensively planted with flowering trees and shrubs during the past year; one to augment the present gardener force for maintaining the old Capitol Grounds located between Constitution and Independence Avenues. The House committee cut $35,500 of this request-allowing only two of the additional positions requested. Senator MONRONEY. That is only two out of the seven? Mr. STEWART. Two of the seven gardeners requested. The committee did not specify which of the two gardener positions were actually approved. We accept the cut of the tree culture worker helper and of four of the seven gardener positions, but appeal for restoration of one of the gardener positions cut. If this appeal is granted, it would add $5,429 to the amount allowed by the House, and the appropriation would then provide for three additional gardeners for 1967-one for Capitol Grounds areas south of Independence Avenue; one for Capitol Grounds areas north of Constitution Avenue; and one for Capitol Grounds areas between Independence and Constitution Avenues. This would aid materially in the proper maintenance of the Capitol Grounds. REPAIR OF MAIN LIBRARY BUILDING MARBLE FLOORS Under the "Library buildings and grounds, structural and mechanical care" appropriation, the Architect and the Librarian both asked that a budget item of $31,000 for continuing the work of repairs to the marble floors in the main Library Building be reduced for 1967 from $31,000 to $10,000. It was originally intended to make repairs to the marble floor in both the east and west lobbies of the ground floor, in 1967, but it now develops that the west lobby should be deferred until a later date, as the present traffic in the west lobby is too great to permit both of the lobbies to be done at the same time without a considerable amount of disruption and inconvenience. The House committee reduced this item by $21,000 as requested. No other cut was made. LIBRARY BUILDINGS FURNITURE AND FURNISHINGS Under the "Library buildings and grounds, furniture and furnishings" appropriation, a general cut of $24,000 was made-reducing the budget request from $349,000 to $325,000. We do not appeal restoration of this cut. REPAIRING METAL DOORS AND WINDOW FRAMES OF BOTANIC GARDEN CONSERVATORY Under the appropriation of $538,000 requested for 1967 for maintenance and operation of the Botanic Garden, a cut of $28,000 was made. This cut covered a request for funds for cleaning, refinishing, and repairing the metal doors and window frames and grilles in the main conservatory, which have not had a major cleaning or refinishing in the 33 years in which the conservatory has been occupied. The House committee, in deferring this item, did so without prejudice, recognizing it as a good project on the grounds of appearance, but one that can wait. We do not request restoration of this cut for 1967. JUSTIFICATION FOR APPROPRIATION INCREASES At this point, it is customary to insert in the record pages 4 to 9, inclusive, of the justifications, which contain a detail of increases under each appropriation; also, a comparative table of 1966 appropriations and 1967 appropriation requests. I present them for insertion at this point. (The justification follows:) The gross budget increase of $1,652,100 is summarized as follows: PERSONAL SERVICES Increased pay costs, wage-board employees, authorized by Public Law 763, 83d Cong- $199, 917 Increased pay costs authorized by Public Law 89-301, Federal Employees Salary Act of 1965__ 29, 705 Within-grade salary advancements and other changes authorized by the Classification Act-- Overtime and holiday pay increased costs-. Additional positions: 23, OSS 20,000 Salaries, Office of the Architect of the Capitol: 1 architectural engineer, GS-13; 1 payroll clerk, GS-5--. 17, 690 Capitol Grounds: 7 gardeners, wage-board 6; 1 tree culture worker helper, wage-board 5- 43, 203 House Office Buildings: 1 stonemason, wage-board 9; 1 labor foreman, wage-board 5; 5 night laborers, wage-board 3.. 32, 157 Total___. 365, 760 OTHER ANNUAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS Contribution to retirement fund, Public Law 854, 84th Cong_. Total. SPECIAL NONRECURRING MAINTENANCE ITEMS Capitol Grounds, Senate Office Buildings, House Office Buildings, Library buildings and grounds_-_ Total_--_ Total gross increase requested for 1967 25,065 13.875 57,900 96, 840 179, 500 1, 010, 000 1, 189, 500 1,652, 100 |