ciency appropriation to cover circumstances that had occurred in 1968 and was not a continuing trend. It could very well be that there is a continuing need here but that would be something for the Sergeant at Arms to bring before the committee. That is his jurisdiction. Senator COTTON. In other words, we should take it up with him when he comes in? MAIL TRANSPORTATION Mr. BRENKWORTH. Yes, sir. Next is "Mail transportation": no change. Senator BARTLETT. Are you finished with that item? Mr. BRENKWORTH. Yes, sir. Senator BARTLETT. What does mail transportation relate to? Mr. BRENKWORTH. This is the appropriation for the vehicles necessary for carrying the mails and for the official use of the offices of the Secretary and the Sergeant at Arms. This is the one Senator Cotton raised the question about a moment ago, SERGEANT AT ARMS RESPONSIBILITY Senator BARTLETT. How does this differ from the Post Office Department delivery of mail to the Senate and taking mail from the Senate to the Post Office for transportation elsewhere? Mr. BRENKWORTH. Senator, I would not know. This, of course, is something that the Sergeant at Arms would have to answer since he is in charge of the post offices. Senator BARTLETT. Let's make a note on that. Mr. BRENKWORTH. As I pointed out, this is not strictly and solely for the transportation of mail; it includes the official vehicles for the Secretary and Sergeant at Arms. That is included within this appropriation. The next item is our multipurpose appropriation of miscellaneous items. Senator COTTON. Going back to the mail transportation, I understand that, and you explained it before, but there must be some mail hauled under this item. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS Mr. BRENKWORTH. Yes, sir. In the miscellaneous items area, we have first an increase of $147,990 attributable to the eight new positions for the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare authorized on a temporary basis. We have a $25,000 increase requested by the Architect of the Capitol for payment to the Senate restaurant operation. We have an increase for the full-year revision of the Pay Act costs of $13,085. We have a reduction of $160 on the Bureau of Employee Compensation billing. The net increase: $185,915. The 1969 estimate: $4,312,425. This is the appropriation that payments are made from for office rental of Senators, office expense of Senators, telephone calls, reimbursement of Senators, transportation and mileage reimbursement, telephone and telegrams, custodial, janitorial supplies, mechanical equipment and repairs, and so forth. Senator COTTON. That is all this business of contributing to the maintenance of Senators' offices back in the States? Mr. BRENKWORTH. That would be the office expense item, Senator. In other words, your reimbursement would be on a quarterly basis and it would be based on the expenses you incurred in operating your office. You submit a voucher and you are reimbursed for it. That is part of it; yes, sir. POSTAGE STAMPS The next item is postage stamps. Public Law 90-206 increased the postal rate on air mail from 8 cents to 10 cents and Public Law 90–239 authorized an increase in the allowance of Senators. Senators east of the Mississippi and the Vice President receive $960 a year; Senators west of the Mississippi, $1,200 a year. The funds were provided on a half-year basis. The full-year revision is $9,040. In addition, we need an additional $40 for the secretaries majority and minority, $40 for the Secretary of the Senate, an additional $35 for the Sergeant at Arms; the total increase, $9,155. The request for 1969-$109,020. STATIONERY AND COMMUNICATIONS The appropriation for stationery: no change; $316,200 estimate. mate. Senator BARTLETT. What does this mean-communications? Mr. BRENKWORTH. This is a reimbursement feature that was added to supplement the allowance for telephone and telegrams. It was enacted or appropriated so that Senators who ran out of a particular allowance at the end of each year could certify not more than $150 and be reimbursed. It was intended as a backup item to either telegrams or the dual telephone allowances. This concludes the Senate items. JOINT COMMITTEE ON REDUCTION OF NONESSENTIAL FEDERAL EXPENDITURES In addition, we have certain joint items which are appropriated to and expended by the Senate. The first of these is the Joint Committee on Federal Expenditures. We have here an increase of $1,765 to a 1969 estimate of $40,600. This is for the Pay Act, Public Law 90-206, and also $1,325 to react to an increase in compensation authorized by Chairman Mahon who is now chairman of the committee. Senator BARTLETT. In reference to that, I will include in the record the table furnished by the Joint Committee on the Reduction of Nonessential Federal Expenditures, giving a breakdown of the budget estimate. Supplemental to cover Pay Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-504). 2 Supplemental estimate to cover Pay Act of 1967 (Public Law 90-206) and contribution increases. 3 Reflects 1967 Pay Act salary adjustments beginning Oct. 1, 1967. Administrative pay increase of $1,220 per annum absorbed in fiscal year 1968. JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE Senator BARTLETT. You may continue, Mr. Brenkworth. Mr. BRENKWORTH. The next item is the Joint Economic Committee. The total annual cost of the pay raise was $15,530. The full year revision in the estimate: $3,885, to a 1969 estimate of $417,150. LETTER OF SENATOR PROXMIRE, CHAIRMAN, AND JUSTIFICATIONS Senator BARTLETT. As we know, Senator Proxmire is chairman of that committee and he is a member of this subcommittee. I shall ask that his letter together with his detailed justifications be included in the record at this point. (The letter and justifications follow :) Hon. E. L. BARTLETT, CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, Chairman, Subcommittee on Legislative Branch Appropriations, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Enclosed are the customary schedules and explanatory statement in support of the Joint Economic Committee's budget request for the fiscal year 1969. We have taken the liberty of appending brief statments as to our projected activities for the coming year, as well as a statement of our projects completed during the past year. We have taken the liberty of appending brief statements as to our projected need. This material is also being submitted to the House Appropriation Committee in response to their request. Sincerely, WILLIAM PROXMIRE, Chairman. EXPENDITURES: ACTUAL, FISCAL YEAR 1967, AND ESTIMATED, FISCAL YEAR 1968 AND FISCAL YEAR 1969 JUSTIFICATION OF APPROPRIATION FOR FISCAL 1969 The Joint Economic Committee's budget request for the coming fiscal year is $417,295. This figure contemplates the continuation of the existing level of activity. The difference from last year is $15,675, covering the pay act increases enacted during the past year. Our current rate of expenditures is approximately $25,000 under the fiscal 1968 appropriation of $401,620, because of temporary openings in our staff complement. We have engaged an economist who is not yet on the rolls on a full-time basis, and we are in the process of recruiting one secretary and another economist. The Committee has always maintained its policy of recruiting only highly trained economists for its staff openings and for its consultants. While this is sometimes a barrier to prompt recruitment, we would prefer to return part of our appropriation rather than incur the risk of lowering our personnel standards in any way. The Committee has already held extensive hearings on the President's Economic Report, as well as on the important wage-price issue. Because economic policy faces particularly difficult questions at the present time, it is our intention to continue hearings throughout the year on major economic policy issues such as monetary and fiscal policy and their interrelation, international balance of payments, and price inflation. It is also intended to continue our inquiries into the impacts of defense procurement on the economy; the evaluation of public expenditures through program budgeting and other methods; the problems of financing municipal facilities; the economic returns derived from human resource investment; the nature and role of pensions in our economy; the need for improved statistical data; and the economic problems of urban areas. There are other projects contemplated as well, including a continuing review of the economy of communist China. It is also very likely that we shall be asked to undertake other projects during the year. The Senate has already passed a resolution directing the Committee to undertake a broad-ranging population survey exploring the economic effects of population movements on investment, economic growth, and area development, among other things. And, the Congress had previously directed the Committee to conduct an inquiry into the extent and quality of education in economics. The Committee held hearings on this subject last year and intends to continue them during the current year. The Committee has 8 active Subcommittees and in this Congress was expanded from 16 to 20 members. In view of the great range and challenge of the economic issues that face public policymakers, the Committee feels that our request is the minimum amount needed to do our job effectively and acquit ourselves in a responsible manner. It has been carefully reviewed, and takes full account of any savings made possible. Whenever possible, the Committee has utilized parttime consultants to collaborate with staff rather than take on staff members to do assignments. Also, we have at all times endeavored to make maximum use of the Library of Congress and other available public services, as well as the relatively free services of universities. A case in point is an analysis done for us by the Harvard Economic Research Project. Full Committee: PROGRAM FOR 1968 Hearings on the President's Economic Report. Hearings to continue throughout the year on major policy objectives under the Employment Act and monetary, international (including gold), and fiscal policies to achieve these objectives. Economy of Mainland China. Economy in Government Subcommittee: The Planning-Programming-Budgeting System: Preparation of compendium. Federal Procurement Practices-continuation of the Subcommittee's work on defense procurement problems. Economic Progress Subcommittee: Financing Municipal Facilities-a continuation of hearings on bond ratings, tax exemption, availability of funds, and related matters. Economic Education-hearings on the teaching of economics, pursuant to S. Res. 316. Human Resources Study-completion of compendium of expert opinion. Foreign Economic Policy Subcommittee: Completion of latest review of Soviet economy. International Exchange and Payments Subcommittee: Staff study of the Eurodollar. Staff study of balance-of-payments effects of military programs. Inter-American Economic Relationships Subcommittee: Program to be determined later. Fiscal Policy Subcommittee: Completion of the comprehensive pension staff study. Analysis of negative income tax, guaranteed annual income, and other proposals for income maintenance. Completion of Subcommittee report on revenue sharing. Urban Affairs Subcommittee: Continuation of studies on basic economic problems of urban areas. Economic Statistics Subcommittee: Program to be determined. FULL COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE PROJECTS IN THE YEAR 1967 Full Committee January 1967 Economic Report of the President In February the full committee held 12 days of hearings on the 1967 Economic Report of the President, receiving testimony from the Council of Economic Advisers, the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Labor, the Under Secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, the Acting Secretary of Commerce, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, academic experts, and representatives of industry, agriculture and labor. The printed record of the hearings, in five parts. contains in the final volume invited comments from organizations representing bankers. business, labor, agriculture, and economic research groups. The 1967 Joint Economic Report The annual economic report of the committee was filed with the Congress on March 17, the March 1 deadline having been extended by unanimous consent of both Houses of Congress. This report also contains minority and supplemental views. (S. Rpt. 73, 90th Cong., 1st Sess.) |