Mr. ANDREWS. How much did you get for the car? Mr. JENNINGS. $3,500. Mr. ANDREWS. Who bought it? Mr. JENNINGS. Capitol Cadillac. Mr. ANDREWS. The item for the former Speaker also included the salary for the driver? Mr. JENNINGS. Yes, sir. Mr. ANDREWS. What has become of that position? Mr. JENNINGS. The position has been abolished. He is now working over on the Senate side. EMPLOYEE TRIPS TO HOME DISTRICTS Mr. ANDREWS. Item 32, employees' transportation expense. Have you any figures on the extent Members' office personnel are using this allowance, how many Members authorize it, et cetera? What is the provision of law on this subject? Mr. JENNINGS. We will be glad to include the statute here, Mr. Chairman, for the record. Three hundred and three Members' staff were reimbursed for two trips; 66 Members' staff were reimbursed for less than two trips; and 67 Members' staff had no trips. As you know, they are entitled to two trips, and maybe one or two employees, paid at the actual transportation rate or 12 cents per mile. Mr. ANDREWS. I wish you would insert in the record a copy of the statute. Mr. JENNINGS. Yes, sir. Mr. ANDREWS. Did it come from the House Administration Committee? Mr. JENNINGS. Yes, sir. Mr. ANDREWS. What period are those figures for? Mr. JENNINGS. Calendar year 1966. Mr. ANDREWS. How much are you requesting for this item in 1967? Mr. JENNINGS. $171,301 is roughly the amount that we are requesting. All this is lumped together here in the $7 million. (The statute follows:) Public Law 89-147, Section 3, August 28, 1965, 79 Statute 583, 2 U.S.C., Section 127a (Supplement 1965). "The contingent fund of the House of Representatives is made available after August 28, 1965, for reimbursement of transportation expenses incurred by not to exceed two employees in the office of a Member of the House of Representatives (including the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico) for one round trip each, or incurred by not to exceed one employee for two round trips, in any calendar year between Washington, District of Columbia, and the place of residence of the Member representing the congressional district involved. Such payment shall be made only upon vouchers approved by the Member containing a certification by him that such travel was performed in line of official duty, but the mileage allowed for any such trip shall not exceed the round trip mileage by the nearest usual route between Washington, District of Columbia, and the Member's place of residence in the congressional district involved. The Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives shall make such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section." RENTAL OF HOME DISTRICT OFFICE SPACE Mr. ANDREWS. Item 23, rental of office space. How many Members are using the allowance for rental of office space? That means office space in the district. Mr. JENNINGS. That is correct. As of March 31, 1967, we have automatic rental vouchers in the total amount of $33.148.82. That includes 229 Members that have one district office; 27 Members that have two district offices; 63 Members who use the full $200 with one office; and 21 Members who use the full $200 with two offices. Then in the same month of March we have reimbursed Members on voucher, $3,050, which included 17 Members that have one district. office; one Member who has two district offices; and out of that group, 12 Members who used the full $200. We have no idea how much Government space is provided for the Members in their district offices. This is the exact payments. Mr. ANDREWS. What is the authority for the rental of offices? Mr. JENNINGS. A public law, and it was amended last year to provide two offices and up to $200 per month, and not to exceed two offices. Mr. ANDREWS. Please place a copy of that law in the record at this point. Mr. JENNINGS. Yes, sir. (The law follows:) Public Law 89-211, Section 1(a), as amended, September 29, 1965, 79 Statute 857, 2 U.S.C., Section 122 (Supplement 1965). "Each Member shall be entitled to office space suitable for his use in the district he represents, at not more than two places designated by him in such district. The Sergeant at Arms shall secure office space satisfactory to the Member in post offices or other Federal buildings if such space is available. Office space to which a Member is entitled under this section which is not secured by the Sergeant at Arms may be secured by the Member, and the Clerk shall approve for payment from the contingent fund of the House of Representatives vouchers covering bona fide statements of amounts due for such office space not exceeding $2,400 per annum. As used in this section the term "Member" means each Member of the House of Representatives and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico; the term "district" means each congressional district, Puerto Rico, and in the case of a Representative at Large, a State and the term "clerk" means the Clerk of the House of Representatives." (Discussion off the record.) MEMBERS TRIPS TO HOME DISTRICTS Mr. ANDREWS. How many Members use all four allowed trips to their districts? It is a total of five, is it not? Mr. LIVINGSTON. Four that we pay and one that the Sergeant at Arms pays. Mr. JENNINGS. 367 Members were reimbursed for four trips: 54 Members were reimbursed for less than four trips; and 15 Members had no trips; 367 Members were reimbursed for four trips; 87 Members elected to take $300 in lieu of the four round trips. Under the resolution, a Member may take $300 rather than his trips. If he is close by, he takes the $300 rather than the actual expense or the 12 cents a mile for his trip. Eighty-seven Members elected to take $300 in lieu of the four trips. Of course, that does not include the one trip that is paid by the Sergeant at Arms, coming here at the beginning and going back at the end of the session. SUNDRY STATUTORY PROVISIONS ON ALLOWANCES Mr. ANDREWS. We will insert at this point the Clerk's note on page 41 of the committee print. (The document follows:) CLERK'S NOTE.-The following statutory allowances for Members are funded in the appropriation "Miscellaneous items": 1. Office rental, district offices.-Under P.L. 89-211, Sept. 29, 1965, a fiscal years allowance of not to exceed $2,400 for not more than two official offices in the respective districts (previously $1,200 a year). 2. Expenses, district offices.-Effective January 1, 1965, under terms of H. Res. 831, 88th Cong., agreed to August 14, 1964, allowance of not to exceed $300 each quarter for official district office expenses incurred. (Previously from July 1, 1955, under P.L. 470, 83d Cong., the allowance was $150 a quarter.) 3. Office equipment.-For electrical and mechanical equipment in Members offices, $2,500 allowances plus, additionally, 4 electric typewriters. (Public Law 420, 84th Cong., of February 25, 1956, increased allowance from $1,500 to $2,500). House Administration has set 10 percent annual depreciation factor against the allowance. But for Members with more than 500,000 constituency, Act of July 25, 1961, Public Law 87-107, provided $3,000, and additionally, 5 electric typewriters. Public Law 89-122, August 13, 1965, expanded the equipment allowance provisions (in reference to automatic letter openers and sealers). 4. Mileage.-Under P.L. 88-70, beginning with calendar 1963 (88-1st), reimbursement of transportation incurred on official business, by nearest usual route, between Washington and any point in Member's district for two round trips each calendar year. Briefly, this involves actual plane, rail, or bus fare, or 12 cents a mile if private car used plus turnpike or bridge tolls. Additionally, under P.L. 89-147, August 28, 1965, Members are allowed, beginning with calendar 1965, two additional round trips (making a total of four) per calendar year. At the option of the Member, a lump sum of $300 may be claimed in lieu of the four round trip claims. The same law also authorized for staff in a Member's office, up to two round trips per year for one staff member or one round trip per year for up to two staff members-all payable from the contingent fund. 5. Student congressional intern. Under H. Res. 416, 89th., 1st., adopted June 16, 1965, each Member and the Resident Commissioner is authorized to employ, for up to 22 months during period June 1-August 31, each year, one additional employee, known as "student congressional intern", at gross rate of $300 per month, but not over $750 gross during the period. Mr. ANDREWS. Are there any questions, Mr. Steed? Mr. STEED. Against the item of miscellaneous payroll, what other major claims are made? Mr. JENNINGS. Any jobs that are approved by the House Administration Committee or any resolution until such time as they become a part of the appropriation, are paid out of this fund. Mr. STEED. Do you anticipate any sizable variation in the total this year? Mr. JENNINGS. No sizable variation. We do not know what the House might do. As I pointed out, there are several requests before the House Administration Committee. For instance, there is a request for an additional intern. There are also several others. There is a request for one trip per month for the Members. There is a request to use mobile homes. These are some that I know about. I do not know what else would happen. It would depend on the House Administration Committee. Mr. STEED. There has been a very sizable increase in the total of this item in the last 3 years. Is it not true that the major reason for this has been in the area of transportation for Members and employees back to their districts, for electrical equipment, and for the staffing of the district office? Mr. JENNINGS. And the intern program, yes, sir. Mr. STEED. That is all, Mr. Chairman. Mr. ANDREWs. Mr. Langen. Mr. LANGEN. Mr. Chairman, I do not know that I have quite followed all the figures presented. I gather that in your justification, column 3 supposedly represents the expenditures as of February 28 of this year. That, of course, also means that any bills that had not come in as of that time which have not been paid are not included. Mr. JENNINGS. That is correct. Mr. LANGEN. So, those figures are not indicative of the expense rate, because it may be higher. Mr. JENNINGS. That is very definitely true, Mr. Langen. I have been surprised at the delay in bills that we have received and the number of people who have come in saying their bills have not been paid since last year. PAYMENT FOR RESTAURANT OPERATIONS Mr. LANGEN. The only exception to that seems to be the House restaurant. That would be the total amount. Mr. JENNINGS. This is the amount that was requested by the Architect, and was paid to the Architect. The full amount was paid to the Architect for the operation of the restaurant. Mr. LANGEN. $332,000 has been paid? Mr. JENNINGS. Yes, sir. Mr. LANGEN. The reduction will come next year? Mr. JENNINGS. Yes, sir. Any reduction will show in next year's request. That is what was appropriated, and that is the reason it is shown that $332,000 was expended as of February 28. The same figure will be true as of June 30, also. In other words, that is all of it. Mr. ANDREWS. Does he operate on a calendar year basis? Mr. WILSON. He operates on a revolving fund for the restaurant. Mr. LANGEN. This means that, come the end of this fiscal year, in the event the loss was not that great, there would be a credit, or wouldn't there? Mr. JENNINGS. No; there would be no credit. He could reduce his request for next year by that amount. It amounts to the same thing; yes, sir. We have requested the amount that was paid last year. This is something that the committee could adjust. I have no knowledge of that operation. In other words, whatever this committee and the House appropriate, we write a check to the revolving fund for the operation of the restaurant. VARYING REQUIREMENTS FOR ITEMS Mr. LANGEN. In view of what we have said about bills not having come in, and so on, I note some of these items seem to have substantial reductions. I realize they might not be. In gratuities, for instance, there is a terrific drop from 1965 to 1966. The figures now indicate it. probably will not be any more than in 1966. Is that right? If so, what accounts for that? Mr. JENNINGS. We have no way of knowing. That is based on deaths. We just pay the gratuities on the deaths that have occurred and have been submitted. We have no way of knowing how many people are going to die. For staff employees, reimbursement under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act when they skin their shins, and things of that nature we pay back to the Labor Department downtown. Mr. LANGEN. Does this figure include both Members and employees? Mr. JENNINGS. No, sir. Mr. LANGEN. This is only employees? Mr. JENNINGS. This is only employees. (Off the record.) Mr. LANGEN. That is all, Mr. Chairman. Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Andrews. Mr. ANDREWS of North Dakota. No questions, Mr. Chairman. REPORTING HEARINGS Mr. ANDREWS. We turn to page 33 of the Clerk's report, page 42 of the committee print. Mr. JENNINGS. For stenographic reports of committee hearings, other than special and select committees, $223,000. This is the same as appropriated in 1967. As you can see, that was cut pretty close in 1966. As of February there was $182,187.65 unexpended. Here again, this represents 6 months' time. So, I imagine the balance available will come down. I have no way of knowing. Whatever is submitted we have to pay. Mr. ANDREWS. How much did you actually spend in 1966? Mr. JENNINGS. $176,048.66. Mr. ANDREWS. There are not any employees paid from this? Mr. ANDREWS. These funds are used to contract for services to supplement the regular official reporters to the committees? Mr. JENNINGS. Yes. The fee is set by the House Administration Committee. Mr. ANDREWs. Any questions about this item? (No response.) SPECIAL AND SELECT COMMITTEES Mr. ANDREWS. Next we shall turn to page 43 of the committee print, 33 of the Clerk's statement. Mr. JENNINGS. For the information of the committee, we submit for the record a tabulated statement showing the various committee investigations authorized during the 89th and 90th Congresses, as of March 31, 1967. This statement shows the total amounts authorized, the amounts expended, and the unexpended balances. The committee should take into consideration that the authorizations are on a session or term basis, whereas the appropriations are on a fiscal year basis. The total authorized for the 89th Congress as of March 31, 1967, totals $9,149,250. |