SALARIES, MILEAGE FOR THE MEMBERS, AND EXPENSE ALLOWANCE FOR THE SPEAKER Mr. ROBERTS. With your permission, we will now take up the first estimate covering salaries, mileage, and expenses of Members as appearing in the subcommittee print on page 1. For compensation of Members of the House of Representatives, and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, fiscal year 1961, $10,672,530, which is based on a salary of $22,500 each; $12,500 additional per annum for the salary of the Speaker, $740,000 estimated for Government contribution to the retirement fund; $29,500 estimated as contribution to Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance, and $3,530 estimated as contribution to Federal Employees' Health Benefits Act, or an increase of $35,530 over that appropriated for fiscal year 1960. Mr. Chairman, these figures vary slightly from those carried in your subcommittee print because the Sergeant at Arms notified me that the figure he submitted to the Budget in connection with the health program was in error. Mr. NORRELL. How much do the figures vary from the budget? Mr. ROBERTS. Very little. Mr. NORRELL. How much? Mr. HARPER. $31,000. The Sergeant at Arms gave us a figure of $3,625 when in fact it should have been $35,530 to cover the Members' health program. So there is a $31,905 difference and that is in the item relating to the health benefits program. Mr. NORRELL. Is the increase $35,530 over the 1960 appropriation, as you state, or is it $34,530? Have you doublechecked that? Mr. ROBERTS. The correct figure is $34,530. MEMBERS' PARTICIPATION IN HEALTH, RETIREMENT, AND INSURANCE PROGRAM Mr. NORRELL. How many members are assumed to participate in the new medical program? Mr. HARPER. We do not know, but the Sergeant at Arms used the formula laid down by the Civil Service Commission mentioned previously. Mr. NORRELL. How many now participate in the retirement and insurance programs? Mr. HARPER. Mr. Chairman, the Sergeant at formula in arriving at the figures that we use. with him, but we put that formula in the record. Arms uses the same I did not check those They have not been registered. Members will be asked to register during the month of June the same as employees. Mr. NORRELL. It is assumed how many will enroll? Mr. HARPER. We presume 85 percent of those eligible will enroll, from among the employees. Mr. NORRELL. What is 85 percent of the membership? Mr. HARPER. The Sergeant at Arms requested funds to cover the entire membership. Mr. NORRELL. How many now participate in retirement and insurance programs? Mr. ROBERTS. Do you refer to the Members, or the employees? Mr. ROBERTS. The Sergeant at Arms keeps those records. Mr. HARPER. We will have to get those supplied for the record because the Sergeant at Arms keeps the retirement and the insurance records of the Members. (The requested information follows:) 430 Members of the House participate in the retirement program. 427 Members of the House participate in the insurance program. Mr. NORRELL. If there are no further questions you may proceed. MEMBERS' MILEAGE AND EXPENSE ALLOWANCE Mr. ROBERTS. For mileage and expense allowance for 1961, the estimates specify $200,000, which is based upon a mileage allowance of $190,000 and an expense allowance of $10,000 for the Speaker. This is the same as appropriated for 1960. Mr. NORRELL. How much was expended under the mileage item last year? Mr. ROBERTS. We will have to supply that for the record. (The requested information follows:) For fiscal year 1959, $174,822.48 was expended. Up to date, and in fiscal year 1960, $175,549.28 has been expended. Mr. NORRELL. You may continue. APPLICABLE HOUSE RESOLUTIONS, 86TH CONGRESS Mr. ROBERTS. At this point I would like to have printed in the record the following resolutions: (1) House Resolution No. 314, adopted July 27, 1959. (2) House Resolution No. 335, adopted August 18, 1959. H. RES. 314 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S., July 13, 1959. Resolved, That, until otherwise provided by law, there shall be paid out of the contingent fund of the House of Representatives an additional allowance of $600 per regular session for stationery for each Member of the House of Representatives, Delegate, and Resident Commissioner. SEC. 2. The first section of this resolution shall take effect January 7, 1959. Attest: H. RES. 335 RALPH R. ROBERTS, Clerk. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S., Resolved, That effective August 1, 1959, the basic compensation of the clerk to the Official Reporters of Debates shall be at the rate of $4,800 per annum. The basic compensation of the No. 1 assistant clerk to the Official Reporters of Debates shall be at the rate of $3,750 per annum, and the basic compensation of No. 2 assistant clerk to the Official Reporters of Debates shall be at the rate of $3,500 per annum. The basic compensation to the clerk of the Official Committee Reporters shall be at the rate of $4,800 per annum. The additional amounts necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall be paid out of the contingent fund of the House until otherwise provided by law. Attest: H. RES. 340 RALPH R. ROBERTS, Clerk. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S., August 10, 1959. Resolved, That, effective January 3, 1960, until otherwise provided by law, there shall be paid from the contingent fund of the House of Representatives, compensation for the employment of two additional assistants in the document room, Office of the Doorkeeper, at the basic salary rate of $2,000 per annum, each: such service to continue until the end of the month during which the Congress adjourns sine die, or recesses, or the 14th day after such adjournment or recess, whichever is the later date. Attest: H. RES. 418 RALPH R. ROBERTS, Clerk. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S., January 13, 1960. Resolved, That effective January 1, 1960, there shall be paid out of the contingent fund of the House, until otherwise provided by law, compensation at the basic rate of $5,300 per annum for the services of a special assistant superintendent of the House Press Gallery: Provided, however, That the authorization and appropriation herein contained shall terminate whenever a vacancy occurs in the position herein created. Attest: RALPH R. ROBERTS, Clerk. Mr. NORRELL. There is a limitation in the last one-only until a vacancy occurs in the position herein created. Explain that. Mr. ROBERTS. The superintendent of the House Press Gallery is Mr. William Donaldson who has been an employee there for the last 40 or 50 years. This refers to his position. Mr. NORRELL. Any questions? If not, you may proceed. H. RES. 429 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S., January 26, 1960. Resolved, That effective February 1, 1960, there shall be paid out of the contingent fund of the House, until otherwise provided by law, compensation for the employment of an assistant superintendent in the House Periodical Press Gallery, at the basic salary of $2,580 per annum. Attest: H. RES. 493 RALPH R. ROBERTS, Clerk. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S., Resolved, That effective April 1, 1960, there shall be paid out of the contingent fund of the House, until otherwise provided by law, additional compensation payable monthly to the technical assistant, Office of the Attending Physician, at the basic salary rate of $1,200 per annum. Attest: 54877-60 -17 RALPH R. ROBERTS, Clerk. H. RES. 500 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S., April 11, 1960. Resolved, That effective April 1, 1960, there shall be allocated from the contingent fund of the House, until otherwise provided by law, for personal services in the office of the majority floor leader of the House, an additional basic sum of $1,500 per annum. Attest: Mr. NORRELL. Are there any questions? RALPH R. ROBERTS, Clerk. Mr. HORAN. These all came out of the House Committee on Administration? Mr. ROBERTS. It is mandatory by action of the House, but they are not necessarily from the committee. Mr. HARPER. The normal course would be to come through the committee, but in all instances they do not. Mr. HORAN. To your knowledge were all these considered by the House Committee on Administration? Mr. ROBERTS. They were approved by the House committee or they would have objected to them. Mr. NORRELL. Are those all the resolutions? Mr. ROBERTS. Those are all. These resolutions were adopted during the 86th Congress. In some instances new positions were created and, in others, schedules of certain salaries have been changed. These resolutions provide for expenditures out of the contingent fund of the House of Representatives until otherwise provided by law. They are now being financed out of the contingent fund. In the applicable individual estimates for 1961, they have been provided for as will be seen as we reach the paragraph involved. Following the customary procedure, we respectfully request that they be made permanent law in this bill. They will be referred to by the appropriation paragraphs affected, as each such paragraph is reached in the budget estimates. Mr. NORRELL. Were all of these resolutions passed by the House since the last legislative appropriation bill was passed by the House? Mr. ROBERTS. Yes. Mr. NORRELL. You may proceed. SALARIES, OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES Mr. ROBERTS. We will now take up the individual items under "Salaries, Officers and Employees," the first of which commences on page 4 of the subcommittee print. OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER For the Office of the Speaker, $58,510; the same as that appropriated for the current fiscal year, there being no change in this paragraph. OFFICE OF THE PARLIAMENTARIAN For the Office of the Parliamentarian, $60,265; the same as that appropriated for the current fiscal year, there being no change in this paragraph. OFFICE OF THE CHAPLAIN For the Office of the Chaplain, $8,195; the same as that appropriated for the current fiscal year 1960. OFFICE OF THE CLERK For the Office of the Clerk, $1,073,150, compared with $1,060,150 appropriated for 1960, or an increase of $13,000. RECORDING STUDIO I have a letter here from Mr. Campbell in support of the additional employee for the Recording Studio, if the committee wants me to read it or have it inserted in the record. Mr. NORRELL. Very well. Insert it. (The letter referred to follows:) HOUSE RECORDING STUDIO, Hon. RALPH R. ROBERTS, Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, DEAR MR. ROBERTS: As approved in the Recording Committee meeting of September 1, the following additional position in our operation is submitted, together with recommended salary, for inclusion in the 1961 legislative appropriation bill next May: Laboratory technician-processor : Base, $2,800. Gross, $5,931.33. As you know, the bottleneck in our operation pertaining to the motion picture department is in the processing. With the fourth man (making two laboratory technician-processors) we can make use of our standby machine which is used now only for maintenance, since one processing technician cannot supervise two machines, together with a print processor, all at the same time. In industry, two men are utilized for a processing machine, one for the dry end (going in) and one for the wet end (coming out). Our setup would permit two men to run two negative processors and one positive processor at the same time. Respectfully submitted. CHAS. E. CAMPBELL, Administrative Director. Mr. ROBERTS. Insofar as the Clerk's Office is concerned you will observe that we are asking for the same amount of funds as requested last year with two exceptions: HOUSE RECORDING STUDIO (1) For the House recording studio, funds are included to create a new position as laboratory technician which increases the amount for the recording studio from $105,545 appropriated last year to $111,480. This position was discussed and approved by the special committee appointed by the Speaker to supervise the House recording studio at a meeting held on September 1, 1959. Mr. NORRELL. As to the additional laboratory technician for the recording studio, at the apparent salary of $5,935, what is the justification? Has the volume of work really and truly increased? |