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Additions:
Wage-rate increase authorized by Public Law 763, 83d Cong-

Under the provisions of Public Law 763, 83d Cong., 287
laborers and mechanics on the Senate Office Buildings roll
are compensated on a wage board, prevailing-rate basis.
Public Law 763 provides that the compensation of such em-
ployees 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 $32,576 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 Wash-
ington metropolitan area, conducted during the past year. The
new rates went into effect Dec. 4, 1966, pursuant to the
provisions of Public Law 85-872, 85th Congress. The
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 1968 in accordance with
present prevailing rates.

An increase of $5,594 is requested for 1968 to meet the cost
of within-grade promotions and other changes authorized
by Public Law 763 under the wage board system for em-
ployees compensated under that act.
Within-grade promotions under the Classification Act of 1949, as
amended, for employees compensated under that act__.
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, $34,500. Of this amount, $13,500 was absorbed through
savings for the fiscal year 1967, necessitating a sup-
plemental appropriation of $21,000 for that year. This leaves
a balance of $13,500 necessary to cover a full-year cost in
1968. However, we propose to meet $8,500 of this balance
through proposed lapse savings in 1968, thereby reducing the
additional amount necessary to request for 1968 to $5,000.
Overtime pay allotment increased from $235,485 to $241,885_.

Of this increase, $1,400 results from increase in basic pay rates. The additional $5,000 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 one 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 $5,000 allowed under that allotment for 1967 has been deleted from that allotment for 1968 and transferred for 1968 to the "Overtime pay" allotment.

$38, 170

3,520

5,000

6, 400

4 air-conditioning mechanics, 2 wage-board 10 at $6,677 per annum each; 2 wage-board 9 at $6,448 per annum each___

It has been the practice for many years to operate the Capitol Power Plant's refrigeration plant, during the cooling season, from early April to late November, only during the period 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., daily. Under this 16-hour operating schedule, it has been necessary before the buildings supplied by the refrigeration plant can be provided with comfortable conditions, to extract, during the period 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., the residual heat that is absorbed by the system during the shutdown period. This means that the Capitol, Senate, and House Office Buildings, and other buildings supplied with cooling from the refrigeration plant are without cooling during the period 11 p.m. to 8:30 a.m., daily, and working conditions during such period are most uncomfortable.

Complaints of discomfort are being received from Members of Congress and their staffs who commence work in their offices earlier than 8:30 a.m.

In addition, working conditions in these buildings are most uncomfortable during the shutdown period for 105 charwomen, 39 night laborers, 2 attendants, and 1 service officer in the Senate Office Buildings, for 177 charwomen, and a force of night laborers and mechanics in the House Office Buildings, and 17 charwomen in the Capitol, who have to perform their duties during this period. The charwomen in the Senate and House Office Buildings work 6 hours daily during the shutdown period.

During the shutdown period, there is virtually no circulation of air in the buildings after the air-supply fans are shut down, since the windows in the air-conditioned buildings are, in most instances, permanently closed.

It is therefore recommended that funds be allowed for 1968 for the necessary additional personnel to keep the refrigeration plant at the Capitol Power Plant and the airconditioning systems in the Capitol group of buildings in operation on a 24-hour-a-day basis. If this recommendation is approved, it will be necessary to add 3 mechanics to the "Capitol Power Plant" roll; 2 mechanics to the "House Office Buildings" roll; and 4 mechanics to the "Senate Office Buildings" roll. The cost of adding the 4 mechanics to the Senate Office Building maintenance appropriation is $26,250. Contribution to retirement fund increased from $111,155 to $114,715

This increase results from increase in basic pay rates and the proposed addition of 4 new employees for 1968. This allotment covers the cost of Government contribution to retirement fund required by Public Law 854, 84th Cong., "Title IV: Civil Service Retirement Act Amendments of 1956." Modernization of elevator No. 11, Old Senate Office Building, nonrecurring item

A nonrecurring amount of $45,000 is requested for 1968 for the modernization of elevator No. 11 in order to improve elevator service at the southeast corner of the Old Senate Office Building.

Elevator No. 11 is located adjacent to elevator No. 10 in the southeast corner of the old building near the Constitution Ave. entrance. It is near the tunnel leading to the New Senate Office Building where there is a heavy flow of traffic.

Both elevators are manually operated and controlled by a common flashlight annunciator system. When the operators leave at the end of their shift, both elevators are shut down, since they cannot be automatically operated, leaving this section of the building without elevator service for anyone working after regular office hours.

$26, 250

3,560

45, 000

Elevator No. 11 was installed in 1935. When the building power supply was converted to alternating current in 1955, a new motor generator and starter were installed. No further improvements have been made on this elevator since that time. Its capacity is 3,000 pounds and operates at a speed of 500 feet per minute.

In order to improve the elevator service in this corner of the building, elevator No. 11 should be modernized for both manual and automatic operation, and the old hoistway and control equipment, which is now 30 years old, should be replaced with new equipment.

Under the amount of $45,000, it is proposed to provide a new controller and selector, including new wiring and connections to elevator No. 10; new car-operating fixtures, new power door operator, new car doors and hangers, new hoistway door hangers, new top-of-car operating device, new fascia plates extending across both elevator fronts to eliminate potential hazard at door headers and sills, new bronze panels in lieu of glass panels in hoistway doors, new carbutton fixtures with additional wiring, and the elevator cab is to be refinished.

Installation of 3 additional elevators in New Senate Office Building, nonrecurring item___.

An estimate of $470,000 is submitted for 1968 for the installation of 3 additional passenger elevators in the southwest corner of the New Senate Office Building, in order to correct present congested conditions in this location, particularly at the basement level, and to provide more expeditious elevator service for Senators, their staff, and the public.

It is proposed to remove the existing stairway now located directly east of, and adjacent to, the shaft presently occupied by the 2 large passenger elevators, known as Nos. 8 and 9, and 1 slow-speed passenger-freight elevator, known as Elevator No. 7, now located at the southwest corner, and to install the 3 new elevators in the adjacent stairway location.

When the New Senate Office Building was constructed, this stairway was installed, as at that time its installation was a requisite under the fire regulations then prevailing. Since then, building code revisions, issued in 1963 and currently in force, relaxed some of the former requirements, and under the current regulations, this stairway can be eliminated without jeopardizing the emergency evacuation of the building occupants. The only change necessary will be the installation of a new fire exit stairway between the subbasement and basement levels, and installation of a new single-flight stairway between the 7th floor and the roof deck.

It is, however, recommended, as a matter of convenience, that there also be installed a convenience stairway from the cafeteria on the basement level to the 1st and ground floor levels. Although this stairway is not a rigorous requirement, its availability would relieve to some degree the traffic imposed on all elevators in the southwest corner of the building. Installation of this stairway would absorb some of the space on the basement floor level presently occupied by the electric shop and would necessitate the elimination of the men's rooms and part of the women's rooms at the southwest corner on the ground and 1st floor levels. There are, however, adequate toilet facilities elsewhere on these 2 floors.

$470,000

Under the plan proposed, each of the proposed elevators will accommodate 11 passengers, plus an attendant. Provisions will be included for automatic operation, thus making use of the elevators available to Senators and others without the presence of an attendant. When operated without an attendant, the cars will accommodate 13 passengers each. All cars will travel at a speed of 500 feet per minute, the optimum rate of travel for the floor heights in this building. It is estimated that the average waiting time at floor landings will be 30 seconds or less. The potential handling capacity of the bank of 3 elevators will be 100 passengers in 5 minutes, or 1,200 passengers each hour. The 3 smaller cars proposed for this installation will provide more expeditious service than 2 larger cars.

Each of the new cars will be equipped with floor-level indicators visible from the interior of the car. A car-position indicator will be provided at each floor landing for the convenience of waiting passengers. Car-call devices will include provision for a 3-ring audible signal.

The use of the stairwell, to be elimiated, as an elevator shaft will necessitate the relocation of some air ducts, a ventilating fan and low-pressure steam main. It is proposed to install fire doors in the present open entrance to the basement-level pedestrian tunnel leading to the Old Senate Office Building, and also in the subway terminal entrance. Normally, such fire doors will be secured in their open position by electromagnetic door holders. Sensitive smoke detecting devices will automatically release the tunnel and subway entrance doors to their closed position by the presence of products of combustion.

Replacement of 3 revolving doors, Old Senate Office Building, nonrecurring item____

For 1968, $5,000 is requested to replace 3 of the 8 revolving doors in the Old Senate Office Building. No funds are requested for the other 5, as at the Rotunda 1 was installed in 1950, and 4 in the First St. wing in 1933, and these 5 doors are in satisfactory operating condition.

The 3 doors, proposed to be replaced, were installed in 1909 and have been in continuous service since the building was originally constructed and occupied. One is located on the 1st floor at the First and C St. entrance; 1 on the basement floor at the Delaware Ave. near C St. entrance; and 1 on the 1st floor at the Delaware Ave. near Constitution Ave. entrance.

These 3 doors are wooden revolving doors and have now deteriorated to the point where their continued use presents a hazard. They can no longer be kept in satisfactory working order. They have been repeatedly repaired over the years in an effort to keep them in working condition. Replacement parts are no longer available, as the doors are now of obsolete design. They are a constant source of trouble and complaints and, in the event of an accident, could prove costly to the government under the Federal Tort Claims Act; also, they are not of fireproof construction.

Under the estimate of $5,000, it is proposed to replace these 3 revolving doors with 5 new double doors constructed of aluminum, with medium bronze finish, and glass panels. The new doors will not be of the revolving type. An exterior double door and an interior double door will be installed at the First and C St. and Delaware Ave. and C. St. entrances, and the remaining double door will be installed at the Delaware and Constitution entrance, which is so constructed as to permit the installation of only 1 double door.

Total, estimate for 1968 (including $485,900 budget
amendment)

5,000

+602, 900

3,174,900

AIR-CONDITIONING MECHANICS

Senator BARTLETT. First, $26,250 was requested for employing four additional air-conditioning mechanics. Please explain the necessity for these new positions at this time.

Mr. STEWART. Four additional air-conditioning mechanics, are requested for 1968; two wage board grade 10 at $6,677 per annum each, and two wage board grade 9 at $6,448 per annum each, totaling $26,

250.

It has been the practice for many years to operate the Capitol Power Plant's refrigeration plant, during the cooling season, from early April to late November, only during the period 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Under this 16-hour operating schedule, it has been necessary before the buildings supplied by the refrigeration plant can be provided with comfortable conditions, to extract, during the period 7 to 8:30 a.m., the residual heat that is absorbed by the system during the shutdown period. This means that the Capitol, Senate and House Office Buildings, and other buildings supplied with cooling from the refrigeration plant are without cooling during the period 11 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. daily and working conditions during such period are most uncomfortable. Complaints of discomfort are being received from Members of Congress and their staffs who commence work in their offices earlier than 8:30 a.m.

In addition, working conditions in these buildings are most uncomfortable during the shutdown period for 105 charwomen, 39 night laborers, two attendants and one service officer in the Senate Office Building; for 177 charwomen and a force of night laborers and mechanics in the House Office Buildings; and 17 charwomen in the Capitol, who have to perform their duties during this period. The charwomen in the Senate and House Office Buildings work 6 hours daily during the shutdown period.

During the shutdown period there is virtually no circulation of air in the buildings after the air-supply fans are shut down, since the windows in the air-conditioned buildings are, in most instances, permanently closed.

It is therefore recommended that funds be allowed for 1968 for the necessary additional personnel to keep the refrigeration plant at the Capitol Power Plant and the air-conditioning systems in the Capitol group of buildings in operation on a 24-hour-a-day basis. If this recommendation is approved, it will be necessary to add three mechanics to the Capitol Power Plant roll, two mechanics to the House Office Buildings roll; and four mechanics to the Senate Office Buildings roll. The cost of adding the four mechanics to the Senate Office Building maintenance appropriation is $26,250.

HOUSE ALLOWANCE OF OTHER AIR-CONDITIONING MECHANICS AND NONCONSIDERATION OF SENATE ITEM

Mr. HENLOCK. The House allowed the four requested for the House Office Buildings and the three requested for the Capitol Power Plant. They did not take up the Senate items.

Senator BARTLETT. We only have to worry about the Senate?
Mr. HENLOCK. That is right.

Senator BARTLETT. Is the air-conditioning system in operation now?
Mr. HENLOCK. Yes, sir.

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