$1,500 Contribution to retirement fund increased from $36,000 to $37,500_ Total, estimate for 1968... 678, 200 CONTINGENT EXPENSES Senator BARTLETT. For contingent expenses you are requesting the same amount as last year, $50,000? Mr. STEWART. Yes, sir. Senator BARTLETT. Please explain the purposes of this account and under what circumstances funds are expended therefrom. Mr. STEWART. This is the same amount we were allowed in 1967. This is an item allowed for the first time in fiscal year 1956 and is needed to facilitate the work of 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. 1967 EXPENDITURES During the fiscal year 1967, allocations totaling $22,581 have been made against the contingent expense appropriation of $50,000. Of the total of $22,581, the amount of $10,581 has been expended for the purchase of 90 walnut chairs, smaller than chairs formerly in use, and eight walnut plastic table tops for use in the main dining room, House restaurants, Members' side, to accommodate more Members; and $12,000 for installation of a refrigerated meat room in the House restaurant's kitchen, basement, House side of the Capitol, to provide adequate refrigerated space for the storage of meat. Both of these items were approved by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. There were originally 132 chairs in the Members' dining room. We kept 62 of those chairs in the room and replaced the other 70 chairs with 90 smaller chairs, in order to accommodate more Members in the main dining room during the rush hours and afford more space between tables. Senator BARTLETT. How much of the $50,000 will be spent or obligated by June 30, would you estimate? Mr. STEWART. That is all we expect, $22,581. Senator BARTLETT. But you still feel that you should have $50,000, the same amount, for the next year? Mr. STEWART. Yes, sir. Senator BARTLETT. Will the remainder of the 1967 appropriation revert to the Treasury? Mr. STEWART. Yes, sir; assuming there are no further emergency items between now and June 30. CAPITOL BUILDINGS Senator BARTLETT. For Capitol buildings you are requesting $1,676,600, a net decrease of $146,300 from your 1967 appropriations. Mr. STEWART. Yes sir. Senator BARTLETT. I ask unanimous consent that pages 19 through 23 from the justifications be placed in the record. (The justifications follow:) Capitol buildings 1967 appropriation in annual act__ Pay supplemental (Public Law 89-504, $1,500; wage board, Total appropriations, 1967----. Deductions: "Pay above the stated annual rate" allotment eliminated for This item represents a decrease of $5,595 under the Remodeling of House Press Gallery, nonrecurring item allowed for 1967, not required for 1968- Installation of 2 toilets, House radio-television facility, nonrecurring item allowed for 1967, not required for 1968__. Converting space on second floor, Senate wing, for additional accommodation for Senate disbursing office, nonrecurring item allowed for 1967, not required for 1968-- Base for 1968__. $1, 786, 000 18, 000 18, 900 1,822, 900 2,200 5, 595 100, 000 65, 000 8,000 18,000 (-)198, 795 1,624, 105 Additions: Wage-Rate Increases authorized by Public Law 763, 83rd Congress Under the provisions of Public Law 763, 83d Congress, 115 laborers and mechanics on the Capitol Buildings Roll are 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 $15,000 is requested for 1968 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 effect December 4, 1966, in accordance with the provisions of Public Law 85-872, 85th Congress. This increase is necessary in order that the Capitol Buildings Wage-Board employees may be compensated on a full-year basis in the fiscal year 1968 in accordance with present prevailing rates. An increase of 3,388 is requested for 1968 to meet the cost of within-grade promotions and other changes falling due in that year, authorized by Public Law 763 under the Wage-Board System, for employees compensated under that Act. Within-grade salary advancements and other changes authorized by the Classification Act of 1949, as amended__. Increased Pay Costs due to Public Law 89-504, approved July 18, 1966, "Federal Salary and Fringe Benefits Act of 1966__. The increases authorized by this act cost, on an annual basis, $18,000. Of this amount, $16,500 was absorbed through savings for the fiscal year 1967, necessitating a supplemental appropriation of $1,500 for that year. This leaves a balance of $16,500 necessary to cover a full-year cost in 1968. However, we propose to meet $7,200 of this balance through proposed lapse savings in 1968, thereby reducing the additional amount necessary to request for 1968 to $9,300. Overtime and Holiday Pay allotment increased from $195,500 to $199,400 Of this increase, $1,700 results from increase in basic pay rates. The additional $2,200 results from transfer of such amount from the "Pay above the stated annual rate" allotment. Next year being Leap Year, there would normally be 2 excess basic workdays to be compensated. However, in the fiscal year 1968, the 2 excess days fall on a Saturday and Sunday. Most of the employees under the Architect are required to work 4 hours on Saturdays at time and one-half pay, and a skeleton maintenance force is required to work on Sundays, also at time and one-half pay. It is estimated that the amount normally provided under the "Pay above the stated annual rate" allotment, covering 1 full 8-hour day for all employees, will equal and offset the cost of work required on the excess Saturday and Sunday in 1968. Accordingly, the amount of $2,200 allowed under that allotment for 1967 has been deleted from that allotment for 1968 and transferred for 1968 to the "Overtime pay" allotment. $18, 388 7,312 9, 300 3, 900 Temporary labor allotment increased from $16,000 to $25,000‒‒‒ This increase is necessary in order to meet the current cost of temporary labor. No increase has been provided under this allotment since 1957 and in the ensuing 10 years the cost of such labor has risen approximately 50 percent. Expenditures have exceeded the allotment for the past several years and it is requested that the allotment for 1968 be adjusted to present-day labor costs. Whereas, unskilled labor was being paid $1.57 per hour in 1957, the current rate is $2.36; and the rate per hour for skilled labor has risen from $1.74 in 1957 to $2.63, the present rate. Temporary labor is required to be employed to supplement the regular maintenance force during periods when Congress is not in session and is utilized for washing walls, painting, cleaning chandeliers, and other miscellaneous housekeeping work that must be completed during the adjournment of Congress in order to have the building in proper condition by the convening of Congress in January. Payment to employees' life insurance fund increased from $2,600 to $3,800__. This item is required to cover the cost of the Government's payment to employees' life insurance fund required by Public Law 598, 83d Cong. The amount of $3,800 requested for 1968 is based on actual cost figures; the amount of $3.738 having been expended for this item for the fiscal year 1966. The last increase provided under this allotment was in 1962. Contribution to retirement fund increased from $57,810 to $59,705 This item is required to cover the cost of Government contribution to retirement fund required by Public Law 854, 84th Cong. The additional cost results from increase in basic pay rates. Penalty mail increased from $2,000 to $3,000___. This amount is needed to reimburse the post office for all penalty mail costs incurred by the Office of the Architect of the Capitol. Such reimbursement is required to be made, annually, by Public Law 286, 83d Cong. The increase of $1,000 for 1968 is based on current costs. No increase has been provided under this allotment since 1961. Maintenance and repair, lighting system grounds increased from $17,500 to $18,000-- The increase of $500 for 1968 is for maintenance of 25 street lights in squares 732 and 639 transferred to the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol during the past year, not previously provided for. This allotment provides for the maintenance of the dome flood lighting system and street and park lighting systems of the Capitol Grounds, including lamps, processing of lamps, external glassware, cutouts. transformers, parts and repair parts for luminaries, paint for standards and transformers, cleaning materials for the glassware, and maintenance of the special truck used in this work. The equipment includes 798 lights, 1 4,160 KVA transformer, 1 3-pole, 4,160-volt circuit breaker, 6 30 KVA constant-current regulators, 1 112.5 KVA, 60-cycle stepup transformer, 1 automatic switch, 528 lighting standards, 167 transformers with single and double secondaries, 629 globes and canopies, 350 handholes, with interconnecting ducts; the floodlighting system of the grounds and dome; also, 81 lighting units formerly under the District Government. $9,000 1, 200 1,895 1,000 500 Total estimate for 1968 (including $10,200 budget amend- (+)52,495 1,676, 600 MANDATORY WAGE RATE INCREASE Senator BARTLETT. Please explain this net decrease. Mr. HENLOCK. The net decrease results from increases totaling $52,495, offset by decreases totaling $198,795. The first five items of increase, Mr. Chairman, are for mandatory pay increases, such as wage board increases. The first item of increase other than those mandatory items is shown on page 22, where the item of temporary labor is increased from $16,000 to $25,000, an increase of $9,000. Mr. STEWART. There has been no increase provided under this allotment since 1957 and in the ensuing 10 years the cost of such labor has risen approximately 50 percent. The expenditures have exceeded the allotment in the past several years and it is requested that the allotment for 1968 be adjusted to the present-day labor costs. Whereas unskilled labor was paid $1.57 per hour in 1957, the current rate being paid is $2.36; and the rate per hour for skilled labor has risen from $1.74 in 1957 to $2.63, the present rate. Temporary labor is required to be employed to supplement the regular maintenance force during periods when Congress is not in session and is utilized for washing walls, painting, cleaning chandeliers, and other miscellaneous housekeeping work that must be completed during the adjournment of Congress in order to have the building in proper condition for the convening of the Congress in January. RETIREMENT FUND CONTRIBUTIONS AND LIFE INSURANCE PAYMENTS The next two items-the Government contribution to the retirement fund and the Government payment to the employees' life insurance fund are required by law. PENALTY MAIL REIMBURSEMENTS The item of penalty mail has been increased from $2,000 to $3,000. This amount is needed to reimburse the Post Office for all penalty mail costs incurred by the Office of the Architect of the Capitol. Such reimbursement is required to be made annually by Public Law 286, 83d Congress. The increase for 1968 of $1,000 is based on current costs. No increase has been provided under this allotment since 1961. MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF GROUND LIGHTING SYSTEM Our next item, maintenance and repair of the lighting system on the grounds, is increased from $17,500 to $18,000, a $500 increase. The increase of $500 in 1968 is for maintenance of 25 street lights in squares 732 and 639 transferred to the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol during the past year, not previously provided for. This allotment provides for the maintenance of the dome flood lighting system and street and park lighting systems of the Capitol Grounds, including lamps, processing of lamps, external glassware, cutouts, transformers, parts and repair parts for luminaries, paint for standards and transformers, cleaning materials for the glassware, and maintenance of the special truck used in this work. The equipment includes 798 lights, one 4,160 KVA transformer, one three-pole, 4,160volt circuit breaker, and many other items. If you want me to read them, I will read them in detail. |