For six minority employees, $125,200, this is the same as appropriated for 1967. These are the special and minority employees of officers of the House. Mr. STEED. The difference of approximately $4,000 is the automatic pay? Mr. JENNINGS. The automatic increases in the classification and the health benefits. Mr. STEED. Any questions on this item? (No response.) HOUSE DEMOCRATIC STEERING COMMITTEE Mr. STEED. We will go to the next item on page 25 of the bill. Mr. JENNINGS. The next is the House Democratic Steering Committee. For the House Democratic Steering Committee, $47,800, compared with $42,660 appropriated for 1967, or an increase of $5,140. This estimate was submitted as requested. Mr. STEED. Who made the request for the $5,140 increase? Mr. JENNINGS. Mr. Madden is chairman of that committee, and I would assume it was made by Mr. Madden. Mr. STEED. According to page 25 of our print, the increase is assigned to their lump-sum allocation. Mr. JENNINGS. Yes, sir, that is correct. Mr. STEED. Any questions on this item? (No response.) HOUSE REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE Mr. STEED. We will take up the next item. Mr. JENNINGS. The next is the House Republican Conference Committee, on page 26 of the committee print. This reflects the same increase as the Democratic Steering Committee, and for exactly the same reason, $47,800, compared with $42,660 appropriated for 1967, or an increase of $5,140. This estimate was submitted as requested. Mr. STEED. Will this be for the same situation as applied to the other item? Mr. JENNINGS. Yes, sir. Melvin Laird is the chairman of that group, and we have letters signed by Mr. Laird and signed by Mr. Madden. Mr. STEED. Any questions on this item? (No response.) OFFICE OF THE MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER Mr. STEED. We shall go to the next item appearing on page 27 of the print. Mr. JENNINGS. The next item is the "Office of the Majority Floor Leader." For the Office of the Majority Floor Leader including $3,000 for the official expenses of the majority floor leader, $102,500; this is the same as appropriated for 1967. Mr. STEED. The justifications show that in the 1966 budget there was item of $10,417.60 unused, and as of February 28 there was $37,1.22 still available for this year. Is the present rate about the same as ast year? Mr. JENNINGS. Yes, sir, it is, except for the ordinary increases. Mr. STEED. Traditionally, the majority floor leader's office does not use the full amount. Mr. JENNINGS. Very seldom do they use it, but we have no way of Eowing when the majority or minority leader will use the full amount, 30 we request the full amount. Mr. STEED. The increase in the amount is the automatic pay increase? Mr. JENNINGS. That is correct. OFFICE OF THE MINORITY FLOOR LEADER Mr. STEED. We shall go to the next item on page 28. : Mr. JENNINGS. That is the "Office of the Minority Floor Leader." For six minority employees, $125,200, this is the same as appropriated for 1967. These are the special and minority employees of officers of the House. Mr. STEED. The difference of approximately $4,000 is the automatic pay? Mr. JENNINGS. The automatic increases in the classification and the health benefits. Mr. STEED. Any questions on this item? (No response.) HOUSE DEMOCRATIC STEERING COMMITTEE Mr. STEED. We will go to the next item on page 25 of the bill. Mr. JENNINGS. The next is the House Democratic Steering Committee. For the House Democratic Steering Committee, $47,800, compared with $42,660 appropriated for 1967, or an increase of $5,140. This estimate was submitted as requested. Mr. STEED. Who made the request for the $5,140 increase? Mr. JENNINGS. Mr. Madden is chairman of that committee, and: would assume it was made by Mr. Madden. Mr. STEED. According to page 25 of our print, the increase is as signed to their lump-sum allocation. Mr. JENNINGS. Yes, sir, that is correct. Mr. STEED. Any questions on this item? (No response.) HOUSE REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE Mr. STEED. We will take up the next item. Mr. JENNINGS. The next is the House Republican Conference Com mittee, on page 26 of the committee print. This reflects the same increase as the Democratic Steering Com mittee, and for exactly the same reason, $47,800, compared with $42,66 appropriated for 1967, or an increase of $5,140. This estimate was submitted as requested. Mr. STEED. Will this be for the same situation as applied to the other item? Mr. JENNINGS. Yes, sir. Melvin Laird is the chairman of that group, and we have letters signed by Mr. Laird and signed by Mr. Madden. Mr. STEED. Any questions on this item? (No response.) OFFICE OF THE MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER Mr. STEED. We shall go to the next item appearing on page 27 of the print. Mr. JENNINGS. The next item is the "Office of the Majority Floor Leader." For the Office of the Majority Floor Leader including $3,000 for the official expenses of the majority floor leader, $102,500; this is the same as appropriated for 1967. Mr. STEED. The justifications show that in the 1966 budget there was an item of $10,417.60 unused, and as of February 28 there was $37,230.22 still available for this year. Is the present rate about the same as last year? Mr. JENNINGS. Yes, sir, it is, except for the ordinary increases. Mr. STEED. Traditionally, the majority floor leader's office does not use the full amount. Mr. JENNINGS. Very seldom do they use it, but we have no way of knowing when the majority or minority leader will use the full amount, so we request the full amount. Mr. STEED. The increase in the amount is the automatic pay increase? Mr. JENNINGS. That is correct. OFFICE OF THE MINORITY FLOOR LEADER Mr. STEED. We shall go to the next item on page 28. Mr. JENNINGS. That is the "Office of the Minority Floor Leader." For the Office of the Minority Floor Leader, including $3,000 for the official expenses of the minority floor leader, $93,100, compared with $93,050 appropriated for 1967, or an increase of $50. We will show in a few places an increase of $50, but it represents no monetary increase. It is just an increase adjusting to the even figure. Last year it happened to fall down and this year it comes up closer to the even figure. In fairness, it is not an increase to the minority floor leader of $50. It is an increase that shows up in the bookkeeping. We have this in a few other instances as well. Mr. STEED. The tabulation in the justification on page 25 indicates that this item has been drawn on even less up to this point than in the majority leader's office. This would indicate sufficient remains to finish the year. Mr. JENNINGS. I would think so; yes, sir. I do not think there is any doubt that there will be sufficient funds to finish the year. Mr. STEED. Any questions on this item? (No response.) OFFICE OF THE MAJORITY AND MINORITY WHIPS Mr. STEED. The next item appears on page 29 of the committee print. Mr. JENNINGS. The next item is the Office of the Majority Whip. For the Office of the Majority Whip, $69,000, compared with $68,950 appropriated for 1967, or an increase of $50. For the Office of the Minority Whip, $69,000, compared with $68,95 appropriated for 1967, or an increase of $50. This is the same as requested last year, although, as in the previo item, it shows a $50 increase. This is a bookkeeping increase rath than a dollar increase. |