EXTENSION OF SENATE OFFICE BUILDING REQUIRES AUTHORIZATION Senator Yarborough says, "I hope the subcommittee will obtain from the Architect information on what is needed to begin this work during the next fiscal year" on the extension of the Senate Office Building. Mr. STEWART. We have made no studies for such extension. Mr. HENLOCK. Yes, sir. Senator MONRONEY. In other words, to change the Capitol, you can do it with the Commission on the Extension of the Capitol but to enlarge the Senate Office Buildings or the House Office Buildings it would take authorizing legislation by the Congress. Mr. STEWART. We have on the statute books now legislation authorizing the extension of the Capitol and additional House Office Building projects. We would require similar authorizing legislation to add to the present Senate Office Buildings. Senator MONRONEY. There are no plans at all for extending the New Senate Office Buildings? Mr. STEWART. No, sir. SALARIES, OFFICE OF THE ARCHITECT Senator MONRONEY. We will proceed with the next items, "Salaries of the Office of the Architect." I request that pages 10 to 14 of the justification be placed in the record at this point. (The justification follows:) 1966 appropriation in annual act_ $587, 600 Pay increase supplemental, Public Law 89-301, in H. Doc. 405__. 13, 900 Total appropriations, 1966-- 601, 500 Additions Within-grade salary advancements and other changes authorized by Overtime and holiday pay increased by $6,500 to meet increased pay 2 additional positions: 1 architectural engineer, GS-13, at $12,510 per annum; 1 payroll clerk, GS-5 at $5,180 per annum__. The need for these positions is explained, as follows: Architectural Engineer This position, requested last year but not allowed, is again requested for 1967. It is to provide, on the permanent rolls, an assistant to the Assistant Architect of the Capitol who carries a heavy workload and should have help, on a permanent basis, in the conduct of his duties. The Assistant Architect acts as chief advisor to the Architect of the Capitol in matters pertaining to architectural design, changes and improvements in the Capitol and other buildings and projects under the Architect. Major projects currently in effect include the Library of ngress Madison Memorial Building; remodeling of the Cannon 12, 872 1,943 4, 970 6,500 17,690 Additions-Continued House Office Building; plans for Extension of the West Central Front of the Capitol; repairs, improvements, and changes in the various buildings under the Architect. Future proposed projects include remodeling of the Longworth House Office Building and restoration of the Old Senate Chamber and Old Supreme Court Chamber in the Capitol. Although the workload fluctuates to some extent from time to time, it is constantly a heavy one and one that is very time-consuming. The assistant, requested for 1967, would share in and relieve part of this workload. It is necessary that he be trained and informed in the programs under the Assistant Architect and be competent to represent him in liaison work with consulting architects and engineers, the field construction staff, and professional and administrative personnel both within and outside the government, and with Members of Congress and their staffs. The proposed assistant would develop criteria, schematic and preliminary architectural design studies for proposed new buildings and for alterations, repairs and restoration to existing buildings. Although outside professional architects are normally engaged for major projects, nevertheless, their work must be developed, planned, and accomplished in collaboration with the Architect of the Capitol and the Assistant Architect of the Capitol. The proposed assistant's duties would include the preparation of schematic plans, elevations, sections, and supporting data; examination of site conditions to determine the extent of construction, or repair proposed, compatibility and tie-in with existing structures, condition of existing structures, condition of existing improvements, public utilities, underground structures, grades to be maintained, and development of preliminary project directives outlining the scope of the project, facilities to be included, and material and finishes to be used. His duties would also include assisting in the preparation of preliminary estimates of costs of improvements and projects; coordination of work of technical, architectural and engineering specialists in the development of working drawings and specifications; consultation with private practicing architects and engineers for projects, during the development of sketches, preliminary plans and reports on new projects; and other miscellaneous duties of such nature as would relieve the Assistant Architect of time-consuming details involved in the planning and execution of projects and other improvements. This position is requested in the interest of efficient and orderly administration. Payroll clerk For many years, the work of preparation of payrolls and related activities was combined with all other personnel work under the Architect's Office. During the past year, in the interest of efficiency and in conformity with guidelines laid down by the General Accounting Office, two separate units were established to handle this work. The Payroll Office now operates, separately, as a part of the Accounting Division of the Architect's Office. This Payroll Unit is responsible for the computation of weekly, bi-weekly, and semi-monthly payrolls for approximately 1,800 employees; maintenance of time, leave, and retirement records; preparation of tax withholding statements, and other duties associated with payroll functions. All other work of a personnel nature, such as appointments, transfers, promotions, separations, employees' compensation, preparation and maintenance of personnel files and records, rules and regulations, is now performed by a separate Personnel Unit. Prior to this organizational change, four permanent employees were engaged in this overall work. With the reorganization and a simultaneous material increase in workload, two of the employees were necessarily assigned to the Personnel Unit and the other two to the Payroll Unit. As two employees have not been able to handle the large amount of work now necessary to be done by the Payroll Unit, it has been necessary as a temporary expedient to utilize, on a part-time loan basis, one of the personnel clerks on the House Office Buildings Roll and to employ a fourth employee on a temporary roll basis. Additions-Continued Since this change in organizational setup, the number of employee accounts under the Architect-permanent and temporary-has increased from 1,800 to 2,100 annually, due to the staffing of the Rayburn Building, installation of an air-conditioning system in the Library of Congress, installation of electronic equipment in the Legislative Buildings, and other changes and improvements effected in the interim. This represents an increase of 20 percent in payroll and personnel workload. The payroll operations for the Architect's Office are more complicated than normally occurs in other agencies, due to the high rate of pay changes caused by constantly fluctuating overtime necessitated by late Sessions of Congress, the necessary maintenance of 24-hours shift operations, and an exceptionally high turnover rate among patronage and temporary employees. The payroll and related workload has also been further increased by enactment of the Contract Work Hours Act of 1962, the recent payment of fringe benefits to temporary skilled tradesmen engaged for construction and repair work on a prevailing wage basis, and will be further increased by the more complicated income tax withholding plan to go in effect in May 1966. In other government agencies, performing payroll operations in a similar manner, it is the normal practice to have one payroll clerk for every 400 to 500 accounts. If the employee requested for 1967 is allowed, the workload of our three permanent employees will require each clerk to handle approximately 700 accounts. Even if we are able to continue part-time assistance from other units under the Architect, the workload will still amount to more than 500 accounts per employee. In order that we may have available an adequate force to handle the workload of the Payroll Unit in a proper manner, it is urged that the additional position of Payroll Clerk requested for 1967 be approved. Contribution to retirement fund-increased from $38,175 to $40,400 This increase results from increases in basic pay rates and the proposed addition of 2 positions, and is required to cover the cost of Government contribution to retirement fund authorized by Public Law 854, 84th Cong... Total estimate for 1967_____ $2,225 +46, 200 647, 700 ADDITIONAL POSITIONS REQUESTED Senator MONRONEY. You are requesting two additional positions on the permanent rolls, one of which is architect-engineer at $12,500 per annum. This is the same position requested last year, is it not? Mr. HENLOCK. Yes, sir. Senator MONRONEY. And we turned you down? Mr. HENLOCK. That is correct. Senator MONRONEY. You are requesting that the architect-engineer now on the construction roll be transferred to your permanent staff. or are you talking about an entirely new position which, if granted, would allow you the services of two architect-engineers? Mr. HENLOCK. We would not put another on our construction rolls. The argument is the same as we gave you last year, except in the meantime, as we have just discussed, we have been authorized to proceed with preliminary plans for the James Madison Memorial Library, extension of the Capitol, remodeling of the Cannon House Office Building; and later expect to proceed with remodeling of the Longworth House Office Building and restoration of the Old Senate and Supreme Court Chambers. The assistant requested would relieve Mr. Campioli of part of his present heavy workload. Senator MONRONEY. This would provide for one position only! Mr. HENLOCK. Yes, sir. Senator MONRONEY. With regard to the additional payroll clerk, $5,180 base, you state on page 13 of the justification "In addition to the two employees assigned to payroll work, it is necessary to utilize two additional employees from other rolls to help out." Why, then, are you requesting only one new employee? Why not two, if they are needed? Mr. HENLOCK. We are hoping to be able to continue to get temporary help to some extent and hope with three permanent employees to keep the work fairly well abreast. This was brought about by a division made between the personnel and the payroll work in accordance with guidelines in the General Accounting Office manual, and also due to the fact that our organization has increased from 1,500 to 1,800 employees, due to the fact that the Rayburn Building was staffed and other jobs added in the last 2 or 3 years. Taking into consideration normal turnover means there are 2,100 accounts for these 4 employees to maintain. Most Government agencies have 1 payroll clerk for every 400 to 500 employee accounts. SUPPORT OF HOUSE ACTION Senator MONRONEY. One payroll clerk has been allowed by the House. They turned you down on one; is that correct? Mr. HENLOCK. We only asked for one additional. We said we would try to get along next year with only one more. Senator MONRONEY. You support the action on that? Mr. HENLOCK. Yes, sir. CONTINGENT EXPENSES Senator MONRONEY. From the contingent expense item, you are requesting $50,000 which the House allowed you. I am inserting pages 19 and 20 of the justifications in the record. (The justification follows:) Contingent expenses, $50,000 This is the same amount as allowed for 1966. This is an item allowed for the first time in the fiscal year 1956, and is required in order to facilitate the work performed by the Architect of the Capitol in behalf of the Congress. Its purpose is to enable the Architect of the Capitol to make surveys and studies and to meet unforeseen expenses in connection with activities under the care of the Architect. As stated in previous Hearings, it is considered desirable as problems arise in connection with the needs of the Congress that there be available, annually, a limited fund upon which the Architect may draw to employ necessary assistance and to incur such other expenses as may be necessary to make surveys and studies required to ascertain facts, solutions, and estimates of cost to meet such problems. As also stated in previous Hearings, it is likewise considered desirable, when the work of Committees and Commissions of the Congress might be expedited, such as by the extension of a rostrum, rearrangement of lighting, erection of partitions, installation of a public address system, or emergency repairs to mechanical equipment, that the Architect of the Capitol be in a position to meet these conditions promptly, without waiting the delays necessarily incident to the securing of a supplemental appropriation for items costing only a few thousand dollars. During the fiscal year 1966, allocations totaling $45,600 have been made against this fund, of which $31,712 has been for repairs to damage caused by a fire in the Old Senate Office Building, approved by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations: $7,000 for replacement of the refrigerated drinking water system in the New Senate Office Building, approved by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations; $2,500 for installation of a bronze rail ing in the family gallery of the Senate Chamber, approved by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations; $2,200 for installation of bronze railings in the galleries of the House Chamber, approved by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; $2,188 for emergency repairs to the sewer system serving the Supreme Court Building. INSTALLATION OF BRONZE RAILING Senator MONRONEY. I can appreciate why this fund was used for such items as fire damage, sewer repairs, and so forth. What was the emergency which necessitated the installation of the bronze railing in the House and Senate Chambers? Mr. CAMPIOLI. Mr. Chairman, the Speaker of the House requested that we provide some safety railings at the foot of and along side of the steps leading down from the gallery. Apparently there were some near accidents that occurred that could have resulted in somebody falling over the balcony or gallery railing. On the Senate side, I believe the request was from Senator Jordan, chairman of the Committee on Rules and Administration, to replace a rope railing with a bronze railing on one end of the Senate Chamber in the gallery. CAPITOL BUILDINGS Senator MONRONEY. For Capitol buildings you requested $1,713,000. The House allowed you $1,786,000, which is $73,000 over the estimate. Pages 21 to 23 of the justification will be inserted in the record. (The justification follows:) 1966 appropriation in annual act__ Pay increase supplementals, Public Law 89-301 and wage board in Total appropriations, 1966– DEDUCTIONS $1, 640, 000 40,000 1,680,000 Annual painting-decreased by omission of nonrecurring Replacement of firehose and fog nozzles: Nonrecurring Base for 1967__. $23,000 4,800 67,000 4,100 (-) 98, 900 1,581, 100 |