Six thousand dollars is requested for installation of floor tile in several areas in the two buildings requiring such attention. IMPROVED LIGHTING Thirty-five thousand dollars is requested to provide improved lighting in certain office areas in the two buildings. The item is explained on page 185 of the justification, which I would like to read at this time. With funds provided in fiscal 1964, the inefficient lighting in all perimeter office areas on the first floor of the annex building is now in the process of being replaced with modern fluorescent lighting. Almost all other areas in both buildings are in need of improved illumination in order to bring it up to present-day standards for library work (75-foot candles). Design problems, a lack of realistic cost estimates, and other factors, however, preclude the feasibility of attempting to make needed improvements throughout both buildings in 1 fiscal year. Funds requested for fiscal 1966, therefore, would be used to the extent possible for certain selected areas determined to be the most critical-manuscript, music, prints, and photographs, congressional, law and periodical reading rooms, law library and prints and photographs work areas, and Legislative Reference Service headquarters office. I would like to read from the justifications, pages 185 and 186, covering the next two items. REPLACEMENT OF BOOK CONVEYOR Sixty-five thousand dollars for replacement of book conveyor between the main building and Capitol Building. The present conveyor has been in service more than 65 years. It is now obsolete, it is subject to frequent breakdowns, with resulting interruptions to service, and is difficult and costly to maintain, since repair parts are not readily available and consequently have to be specially made. This conveyor transports books and other materials between the main Library building and the Capitol Building and is essential for prompt and efficient service to the Congress. It is proposed to replace the existing mechanical conveyor with a pneumatic tube system; the new system will be much faster, frequently a vital factor in filling congressional requests, and considerably more efficient and reliable. SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT AND EQUIPMENT HANDLING Senator MONRONEY. You want replacement of sidewalk, materials and handling equipment? Mr. STEWART. $11,000 is requested for cleaning and handling equipment-$5,000 for a forklift truck to replace wornout equipment; $2,500 for a battery-operated transporter used for moving furniture and other bulky items within the two buildings, to replace wornout equipment-$5,000 for a forklift truck to replace wornout equipment; $3,500 for a power sweeper used for sweeping sidewalks and parking areas around both buildings. Senator MONRONEY. All right. Mr. STEWART. The last item is $10,000 for a new paper baler. LIBRARY BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS: FURNITURE AND FURNISHINGS Senator MONRONEY. The justification for the appropriation, "Library buildings and grounds, furniture and furnishings," will be placed in the record. The request for 1966 was $274,000 and the House has allowed that amount. This is an increase of $54,000 over the 1965 appropriation. Will these funds supply all the equipment and furnishings the Library needs for the present? Mr. STEWART. Yes, sir. (The justification referred to follows:) LIBRARY BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS: FURNITURE AND FURNISHINGS 1965 appropriation in annual act___ $220,000 DEDUCTIONS Catalog cases, Copyright Office: 124 15-drawer sections for current additions and normal growth, and for replacement of obsolete equipment in the Copyright Card Catalog: 2d year allotment under a 5year replacement program_. 9 microfilm reading machines for Serial Division and Stack and Reader Division____ Motion picture equipment: Prints and Photographs Division: primarily to replace existing obsolete equipment: 1st year allotment under a 2-year replacement program.... Visible file cases: 5 for Personnel Office, 4 for Serial Record Division, Rotary files, Copyright Office: 7 4-tier units for current working files__ Steel trays and cases, Card Division: 32,000 trays and 230 cases in Roller shelf units, Map Division: for atlases used in Map Reading Total____ Base for 1966__. 8, 700 4,500 13, 400 4,300 3,100 2,500 2,200 2,300 58,000 10,000 1,000 -110, 000 110,000 ADDITIONS Annual maintenance and repair, office machines and devices: in- Annual office furniture, equipment and office machines: increased 5,000 15,000 3, 900 16,000 Collator, 12-station, Office of the Secretary: replacement for existing collator over 12 years old which is subject to frequent breakdowns and is totally depreciated.. Duplicator, offset, Office of the Secretary: to replace existing model 1250 offset duplicator which is 10 years old and subject to frequent breakdown and costly repairs_-_. 5,000 Exhibit panels, free standing, Exhibits Office: to provide proper display of prints, photographs, and other materials in exhibit halls as supplement to exhibit cases and to compensate for loss of exhibit space elsewhere__ Motion picture equipment, Prints and Photographs Division: primar- Chairs, readers' desks, main reading room, main building: to re- Adding and calculating machines, various divisions: Catalog Mainte- Card catalog cases, Copyright Office: 100 15-drawer metal sections for Rotary files, Copyright Office: 4 7-tier files needed for expansion of working files; these will also replace conventional files and save floor space__ Tables and chairs, Manuscript Division: 15 tables and 75 chairs to re- Microfilm reading machines, Stack and Reader Division: two reading Equipment and office machines, Card Division: the following equipment and office machines are needed for Card Division operations: expenses for the Card Division are recovered through revenue from the sale of catalog cards and deposited into Treasury Miscellaneous Receipts: 1 calculator and 9 adding machines; 1 accounting machine to replace one 11 years old; 45 letter-size and 25 legal-size filing cabinets to replace existing cabinets in bad condition and to provide filing space for records now improperly housed; 30 72-drawer wood 3 by 5 card cabinets to replace existing cabinets in use over 25 years; steel cases and trays to accommodate planned expansion of card catalog stocks maintained for sale______. Stage curtain, Coolidge Auditorium: to replace present curtain over 10 years old, worn and not flameproof. Total estimate for 1966__ $10,000 9,600 12,000 4,000 2,600 12,000 5,800 8,700 1, 800 8,000 1,800 1,600 1, 200 37, 700 2,300 +164,000 274,000 BUDGET REQUEST AND HOUSE ALLOWANCE Mr. STEWART. For 1965, we were allowed $220,000 under this heading. For 1966, we are asking, and were allowed by the House, $274,000-a net increase of $54,000-resulting from increases totaling $164,000, offset by decreases totaling $110,000 due to dropping of 11 nonrecurring items allowed for 1965. Senator MONRONEY. Those are listed on page 209, is that correct? Mr. STEWART. Yes. BOTANIC GARDEN Senator MONRONEY. For the "Botanic Garden," the House allowed the full estimate, $467,000. A few pages of justifications will be placed in the record at this point. (The material referred to follows:) SALARIES AND EXPENSES, BOTANIC GARDEN 1965 appropriation in annual act--- DEDUCTIONS Replacement of temperature controls, valves and other items on the Painting structural steel and heating pipes in main conservatory-non- Subtotal__. Base for 1966__ ADDITIONS $500,000 25, 000 13, 500 15,000 3, 000 -56, 500 443, 500 Wage-rate increases authorized by Public Law 763, 83d Cong_. An increase of $8,414 is requested for 1966 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 Dec. 6, 1964, in accordance with the provisions of Public Law 85-872, 85th Cong. This increase is necessary in order that the Botanic Garden wage board employees may be compensated on a full-year basis in the fiscal year 1966 in accordance with present prevailing rates. An increase of $2,059 is requested for 1966 to meet the cost of within-grade promotions falling due in that year, authorized by Public Law 763 under the wage board system, for employees compensated under that act. Within-grade promotions and other changes falling due in that year authorized by the Classification Act of 1949, as amended, for employees compensated under that act.. 10,473 965 Increased pay costs due to Public Law 88-426, approved Aug. 14, 1964, The total number of employees allowed for the Botanic Garden remained fixed at 48 from 1943 to 1962, at which time the total was increased by the addition of 3 gardeners in 1962 and 1 laborer in 1963 to provide for the care of 6 acres of land at Poplar Point Nursery rehabilitated and developed in that year as a tree and shrub nursery. There has, however, been no increase allowed since 1943 in the number of employees who actually grow and propagate plants in the 16 greenhouses at Poplar Point Nursery, fertilize, spray, arrange floral decorations, deliver and set up decorations for congressional functions, in addition to performing the duties of weeding, watering, flowerbed and seed preparation, transplanting, insect and disease control, cultivating, and maintaining temperature and heat controls. The demand for the services performed by this group of employees has been increasing annually. With occupancy of the Rayburn House Office Building in 1965, the need for potted plants on loan to the congressional offices will, in itself, increase considerably. It is necessary to augment the existing force by the addition of 1 position of greenhouse man, wage board 6, for 1966, to properly take care of the work of propagation, potting, arranging, delivery, and care of plant material, to meet 1966 requirements. Utility services-Increased from $2,300 to $3,300 This item provides for the annual cost of electric service at Poplar Point Nursery and provides for electric current for lighting the greenhouses and grounds, and power for the pumps at the nursery which circulate water in the heating system serving the 16 greenhouses at the nursery. Wtih the installation of the new greenhouses at the nursery in 1962, there has been a gradual increase in the utilities cost annually, and the cost is now running at the rate of $271.50 per month and is now at a stabilized point. In order to meet current costs, it is requested that the annual allotment be increased from $2,300 to $3,300. General annual repairs-Increased from $6,500 to $8,500 An increase of $2,000 for 1966 is requested to provide for a gradual increase in maintenance costs. The plant benches in the 8 original greenhouses at Poplar Point Nursery, which have been in service for many years, are now in constant need of repairs and replacement parts. Most of these benches are from 10 to 30 years old. There are 10 benches, each 6 feet wide by 95 feet long, and 14 benches, each 3 feet wide by 95 feet long. The bottoms of these benches being constructed of corrugated asbestos rock do not need replacement, but the sides, crossmembers, and legs of the benches must be replaced as they deteriorate. It is proposed to replace the deteriorated sections of 3 benches annually, until they are all in good condition. The requested increase will also cover a gradual rise in maintenance costs of the main conservatory and the buildings and equipment at the nursery. New delivery truck-Nonrecurring item__. For 1965, $6,000 was requested for the replacement of 2 old delivery trucks. $3,000 was allowed for replacement of the older of the 2 trucks-a 1949 International truck. The request for $3,000 to replace the 2d truck-a 1953 International truck-is resubmitted for 1966 for consideration by the committee. These trucks are required for delivery of plant materials, potted plants, cut flowers and center pieces to the Capitol and other buildings in the legislative group of buildings. The old 1953 truck is no longer dependable and requires frequent repairs. Its continued use is not economically feasible. Under the funds requested for 1966, it is proposed to replace this truck with a new 6-cylinder panel truck, with standard transmission and a heated body necessary for winter use. Subtotal____ Total estimate for 1966_. $800 5, 262 1,000 2,000 3,000 (+)23, 500 467,000 |