Mr. PINCUS. Yes, but we have no record of their exact age. Mr. YATES. I understand one was planted in George Washington's time. Mr. Roof. The one you are talking about, Congressman Yates, known as the Washington elm, died about 15 years ago. That is the one we made gavels out of. Mr. ANDREWS. How many gavels did you make and do you have any left? Mr. HENLOCK. No sir. That was during Mr. Stewart's predecessor's time. You asked about the salary of tree surgeons. For grade W-11, the initial rate is $7,363 and it goes up to a maximum of $8,154. REFLECTING POOL AT FOOT OF CAPITOL HILL Mr. ANDREWS. What do you know about a reflecting pool I understand is being built or to be built just west of the Grant statue? Mr. HENLOCK. All we can tell you is there was an Executive Order issued in April of 1967 that established a temporary Commission on Pennsylvania Avenue, of which Mr. Stewart was made a member. They came up with a plan that called for a reflecting pool immediately west of the Grant memorial and not on our property. But before Mr. Stewart would participate in any discussion he advised the Chairman of the Commission he should take the matter up with the Vice President and the Speaker of the House, who have general control over the Capitol Grounds, and he suggested he talk to the chairmen and ranking minority members of the House and Senate Public Works Committees. He did and they were agreeable to the plan. We have been contacted from time to time. The District Highway Department is handling the pool item as a part of the construction of the freeway tunnel that goes under part of our property. And on February 5, 1968, I believe, they advertised for bids for the reflecting pool. We understand, informally, bids were received, but I do not believe a contract has yet been awarded. Mr. ANDREWS. Do you have any idea what it will cost? Mr. ROOF. The low bid is $1,628,000, we understand. Mr. ANDREWS. I understand the reflecting pool is being built by the District Highway Department and, if so, will be 90 percent financed by the highway program. Mr. Roor. It was advertised by the Highway Department of the District government. Mr. ANDREWS. There is no request in this budget for any money for that reflecting pool? Mr. HENLOCK. No, sir. Mr. ANDREWs. Off the record. (Discussion off the record.) MAINTENANCE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS Mr. ANDREWS. Are there any questions on Capitol Grounds? Mr. YATES. Yes. Do we have a staff of nurserymen taking care of these trees? Mr. PINCUS. Yes, five. Mr. YATES. Are they able to take care of keeping the grounds in good shape? Mr. PINCUS. Yes. There are five tree surgeons and helpers. Mr. YATES. What about the lawns? Mr. PINCUS. We have gardeners for that work. Mr. YATES. How many gardeners? Mr. HENLOCK. We have 28 gardeners in all. In addition, we have five men for tree surgery work; five men on lawn irrigation systems; 12 men for cleaning walkways, approaches, porticos, and terraces, and assisting in heavy landscape and gardening work; four men on sewer and concrete work; one man operating heavy equipment, such as grader, bulldozer, and tractor loader; five men for maintenance of motor and other mechanical equipment; 12 men on trucks, hauling and removing trash and debris from the Capitol Grounds and the buildings in the legislative group; one man for janitorial work in locker rooms and toilets; and five men for direction, supervision, and clerical work. Mr. ANDREWS of North Dakota. How many trees do you have on the Capitol Grounds? Mr. PINCUS. 2,600. Mr. ANDREWs of North Dakota. That is one tree surgeon for every 500 trees? Mr. PINCUS. One tree surgeon for every 870 trees. We have three tree surgeons and two helpers. Mr. ANDREWS of North Dakota. But roughly you could spend 1 day out of every year for two trees so you could spend half a day holding a tree's hand. Mr. YATES. How many trees do you lose a year? Mr. PINCUS. This year we lost 45. Mr. YATES. Of what, old age? Mr. PINCUS. Old age, disease, storm damage, but the number we are losing is getting less and less. Mr. YATES. Do you have a replanting program? Mr. PINCUS. Yes, we replanted 222 this last season. Mr. ANDREWS. Speaking of planting trees in memory of people, how much does that cost? Mr. PINCUS. Any Senator or Representative can plant a tree in memory of a State or an individual if he so requests, provided he has permission to do so from the Speaker and Vice President. Mr. ANDREWS. Can he plant one in his own memory? Mr. PINCUS. No, sir. Mr. ANDREWS. What about this Senator Cameron tree, was that planted after he died? Mr. PINCUS. He was alive when he planted it, sir. Mr. YATES When did they start calling it the Senator Cameron tree? Mr. PINCUS. They are usually called a State tree and are sponsored by a Member. Mr. ANDREWS. Any further questions on Capitol Grounds? Mr. ANDREWS. The next item is for the House Office Buildings, for which $4,845,600 is requested for fiscal year 1969, an increase of $241,100 over the total for 1968 including the pending wage board supplemental. The item is on page 89 of the committee print. We will insert pages 87 through 92 of the justifications. (The pages follow:) 1968 appropriation in annual act-. Wage-board pay supplemental__ Total appropriations-1968--- $4,481, 000 123, 500 4,604, 500 ADDITIONS Wage-Rate Increases authorized by Public Law 763, 83d Congress__ Under the provisions of Public Law 763, 83d Congress, 556 laborers and mechanics on the House Office Buildings roll are compensated on a wage-board, prevailing rate basis. Public Law 763 provides that the compensation for such employees shall be adjusted from time to time as nearly as is consistent with the public interest in accordance with prevailing rates. An increase of $49,000 is requested for 1969 to meet on a fullyear 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 October 22, 1967, in accordance with the provisions of Public Law 85-872, 85th Congress. This increase is necessary in order that the House Office Buildings Wage-Board employees may be compensated on a full-year basis in the fiscal year 1969 in accordance with present prevailing rates. An increase of $46,320 is requested for 1969 to meet the cost of within-grade promotions and other changes authorized by Public Law 763 under the Wage-Board System, for employees compensated under that act. Within-grade promotions and other changes authorized by the Classification Act of 1949, as amended, for employees compensated under that act--- Pay above the stated annual rate allotment-Increase_. Normally, it is necessary to provide, annually, for 1 additional day's pay above the regular 260-basic workdays per year, since usually the extra day falls on a basic workday (Monday to Friday). This allotment is determined by deducting 52 Saturdays and 52 Sundays from the total of 365 calendar days in a normal year. Last year (leap year), one additional day fell on a Saturday and the other on a Sunday, resulting in the elimination of the need for this allotment for 1968. For 1969, the additional day falls on a basic workday, necessitating the need for restoration of this allotment for 1969. Increased pay costs due to Public Law 90-206 "Federal Salary Act of 1967," approved December 16, 1967___ Increases authorized by this act went into effect October 8. 1967. The cost for the fiscal year 1968 amounts to $18,300. Due to delay in filling 30 new jobs allowed for 1968, it is possible to absorb this cost in 1968. However, since such savings will not recur in 1969, it is necessary to request for 1969 the full annual cost of $25,400 for next year. Overtime and holiday pay-increased from $473,300 to $481,700--- This allotment is adjusted to conform to increased costs resulting from base pay increases under Public Law 763, 83d Congress, and Public Law 90-206. Nightwork and Sunday differential pay-increased from $120,500 to $167,800---- This increase is necessary to meet the cost on a current expenditure basis of work performed under this allotment. Costs under this allotment have been gradually increasing over the past several years, due to annual wage-rate increases provided by law and the addition of personnel, and the point has now been reached where a realistic adjustment under this allotment is necessary. Payment to employees' life insurance fund-increased from $9,800 to $20,800---. This item is required to cover the cost of the Government's payment to employees' life insurance fund required by Public Law 598, 83d Congress. The increase of $11,000 is due to additional costs resulting from enactment of Public Law 90-206, which provides for additional amounts of insurance for all Federal employees and establishes a new minimum insurance coverage of $10,000 for those employees whose annual basic salary is $8,000 or less. $95, 320 4,880 13,000 25, 400 8, 400 47,300 11,000 Contribution to retirement fund-increased from $208,500 to $220,100 This item is required to cover the cost of Government contribution to retirement fund required by Public Law 854, 84th Congress. The additional cost results from increase in basic pay rates. Annual painting-increased from $35,000 to $40,000__ Due to the remodeling of the Cannon Building, no funds for painting in this building are included in the 1969 estimate. The 1969 estimate is based on painting approximately 130 suites in the Longworth and Rayburn Buildings-the same number as in 1968, and some of the corridors in the Longworth Building. The $5,000 increase is due, primarily, to increased labor costs. The 1968 estimate was based on painters' wages, including fringe benefits, of $4.81 per hour, whereas the 1969 estimate is based on painters' wages, including fringe benefits, of $5.31 per hourthe new rate which will go into effect in May of this year. Elevator and escalator repairs-increased from $13,655 to $20,555-- The allotment of $13,655 was established in 1965. An additional amount of $6,900 is requested for 1969 to provide, adequately, for maintenance of the increased elevator and escalator equipment now in use. The allotment provides for the regular annual maintenance and repair of 21 elevators and 1 lift in the Cannon and Longworth Buildings, 30 elevators and 23 escalators in the Rayburn Building, and two elevators and two escalators in the underground garages in squares 637 and 691, and provides for the purchase of such items as cable, minor replacement and repair parts, lubricants, oil, grease, tools, and cleaning fluid. Maintenance, air-conditioning systems-increased from $18,700 to $31,000 No increase has been provided under this allotment since 1965, when the Rayburn Building was occupied. An increase of $12,300 is requested for 1969, of which $2,800 is asked to meet increased annual maintenance costs; $1,000 to provide for maintenance of the air-conditioning, heating and ventilating systems placed in operation in the underground garages in June 1967 when the garage shops were occupied and placed in service; $1,000 to cover additional cost of filter replacements in the air-conditioning system serving the areas of the Cannon Building remodeled under the first phase of remodeling work; $7,500 to provide a prefilter system for the Rayburn Building air-conditioning system. The additional amount of $1,000 for the underground garages is based on an annual cost of $500 for filter replacements and $500 for oil, grease, cleaning equipment, tools, paint, and other miscellaneous maintenance items. The additional amount of $1,000 for the Cannon Building is based on an annual filter replacement cost of $3,400 in lieu of an annual expenditure of $2,400 required for such purpose prior to the remodeling project. Under the remodeling project, high efficiency, cloth-type air filters have been installed in the airconditioning system, displacing the original throwaway-type filters used since 1938. High efficiency air filters of the cloth type, introduced by the industry in 1961, result in reduced maintenance hours, higher output of heating and cooling coils, less smudging of ceiling and wall surfaces, and more healthful conditions for the building occupants. The higher replacement cost of the clothtype filters will be offset to some extent by their longer useful life. The additional amount of $7,500 for the Rayburn Building is to offset the effects of air pollution conditions in the vicinity of the building, improve operating results, and lower maintenance costs. When the mechanical installations for the Rayburn Building were designed in 1957, electrostatic air filters of the type included in the superstructure contract were considered to be essential adjuncts for a high grade air-conditioning installation in buildings generally. Operating experience with numerous installations of this type has revealed the desirability for some form of pre-filtering at the inlets of electrostatic air filters in order to prolong $11,600 5,000 6,900 12,300 |