JOINT ITEMS JOINT COMMITTEE ON REDUCTION OF NON ESSENTIAL Mr. ANDREWS. We now turn to the section of the bill dealing with joint items, beginning on page 55 of the committee print. The first item under this heading is for the Joint Committee on Reduction of Nonessential Federal Expenditures on page 55 of the committee print. You do not, Mr. Jennings, address this item in your statement because, I take it, it is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate rather than by you. Mr. JENNINGS. That is correct. Mr. ANDREWS. The request is for $40,600, an increase over the current appropriation of $3,075. I believe a pay supplemental of $1,310 for fiscal 1968 is also pending. There seems to be only two employees involved in this request, which would be no change from the current provision. We will insert the schedule appearing on page 56 of the committee print. (The schedule follows:) 1 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 agency contribution increases. 3 Administrative pay increase of $1,220 per annum absorbed in fiscal year 1968. 4 Reflects 1967 Pay Act salary adjustments beginning Oct. 1, 1967. JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE Mr. ANDREWS. The next joint item appears on page 57 of the committee print, a request of $417,150 for the Joint Economic Committee, which is another item disbursed by the Senate and which you, there fore, have not addressed in your statement. The current appropriation is $401,620, so that would be an increase of $15,530, which would be narrowed by any pay supplemental for 1968. Without objection, we will insert the schedule from the bottom of page 57 of the print and the material appearing on pages 58 and 59 which was supplied by the Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, Senator Proxmire. (The pages follow:) CLERK'S NOTE.-The following was supplied on March 9, 1968, by the Joint Committee Chairman. 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 92-655-6832 economics. The committee held hearings on this subject last year and intends to continue them during the current year. The committee has eight 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. Wherever possible, the committee has utilized part-time 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. JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE PROGRAM FOR 1968 FULL COMMITTEE 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-programing-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 Senate Resolution 316. Human resources study-completion of compendium of expert opinion. FOREIGN ECONOMIC POLICY SUBCOMMITTEE Completion of later 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. JOINT COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC ENERGY Mr. ANDREWs. The next item is for the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, a request for $380,785 as compared to $367,000 appropriated to date for fiscal 1968, an increase of $13,785, which appears to relate solely to the annualization of the pay increase of last October. Without objection we will insert the letter appearing on page 60 of the print and the breakdown from page 61. (The information follows:) Hon. GEORGE W. ANDREWS, Chairman, Subcommittee on Legislative Appropriations, House Committee on Appropriations, Washington, D.C. MARCH 25, 1968. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: As you requested in your letter of February 21, 1968, I am forwarding the Joint Committee's budget estimate for fiscal year 1969. The fiscal year 1969 budget is $380,785. The difference between $380,785 and the amount requested by the Joint Committee for fiscal year 1968 is $13,785. This amount represents the pay increase authorized by Public Law 90–206. The Joint Committee serves both Houses and unlike many other committees of the Congress, does not maintain separate and additional staffs for its subcommittees. The committee does not receive separate appropriations for investigative purposes. Please let us know if you need additional information or further explanation in support of the $380,785 budget of the Joint Committee. Sincerely yours, CHET HOLIFIELD, Vice Chaiman. JOINT COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC ENERGY JUSTIFICATION OF BUDGET ESTIMATE, FISCAL YEAR 1969-$380,785 JOINT COMMITTEE ON PRINTING Mr. ANDREWS. The next item is for the Joint Committee on Printing, on page 62 of the print. The request is for $198,440, an increase of $8,440 over the 1968 appropriation. That increase seems to relate only to annualization of last October's pay increase. I have here a letter of March 29 from Senator Hayden, chairman of the joint committee, which, without objection, we will include at this point along with the schedule appearing at the bottom of page 62. CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES. March 29, 1968. Hon. GEORGE W. ANDREWS, Chairman, Subcommittee on Legislative Appropriations, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: In response to your letter of February 21, 1968, I am sending you the joint committee's justification of budget estimates for fiscal year 1969. The 1969 budget request of $198,440 is equivalent to the previous committee appropriation of $190,000, plus $8,440 necessary to cover the Postal Revenue and Federal Salary Act of 1967 (Public Law 90-206), effective October 1, 1967, on a full-year basis for fiscal year 1969. During the past year the Joint Committee on Printing has effected a number of noteworthy gains, some of which probably have already come to your attention. For example, the new practices of achieving a truer account of debates and proceedings in the two branches of Congress, as reflected in the Congressional Record. An indexed listing of Extensions of Remarks now is easily accessible on the back page of the daily Record and, of course, all of this material ultimately will be preserved in the Permanent Bound Record. The response of the congressional membership to this arrangement has been particularly well received, and the many expressions of public acknowledgment are gratifying. Also, considerable strides in developing cost consciousness in congressional printing generally have been made, aided materially by the cooperative attitude of committee staffs. Another important activity is the revision and codification of title 44, United States Code, and I am pleased to say that is is progressing steadily. Considering the constant growth of Federal printing and the steady decentralizing trend of the departments and agencies, one of the truly significant new policy directions recently established by the Joint Committee on Printing is the Regional Procurement Center program whereby a larger part of the total workload will be contracted by the Public Printer with commercial printers. Three such centers have been set up -St. Louis, Mo., Boston, Mass., and Philadelphia, Pa.—and others will follow until a national service is in being, all designed to create a more responsive and advantageous service. Last, though far from least, is the operational success of the Linotron, the high-speed photocomposition system which resulted from the joint committeedirected research and development program. As evidence that it is meeting our high expectation, we advise that the first production job composed at the Government Printing Office on the Linotron: namely, the "Department of Defense Master Cross Reference List," will result in an estimated annual savings of $321,000. The staff is currently underway with other programs designed to effect greater efficiency and economy in Federal printing, and its report of up-to-date progress are gratifying. Your very sincerely, Chairman. |