has been approved by the Speaker, and we ask that the funds for this item be transferred from the Clerk to the Architect for 1961. Mr. NORRELL. Any questions? Mr. Bow. Would this $2,000 cover stationery supplies, too? Mr. Bow. How about the committees in the Capitol Building? Mr. RIDGELL. The Clerk would continue to take care of that through the custodian here. RETIREMENT FUND CONTRIBUTION Mr. STEWART. The last item of $2,010 is for contribution to the retirement fund. MAINTENANCE, AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEMS Mr. NORRELL. The $20,000 item to clean the air-conditioning system-would this work be done on a contract basis? Mr. STEWART. On a contract basis. Mr. NORRELL. Any further questions? INCREASE IN SALARY RATES OF UNCLASSIFIED LABORERS Mr. Bow. I have one further question on this increase of $12,066 for the 22 unclassified laborers compensated under title V of the Federal Employees Pay Act of 1945, as amended. Tell us a little more about that, if you will, Mr. Stewart. It seems to me from what you say there is some inequity here. Mr. STEWART. There is an inequity that has existed for some years. If I may, I would like to ask Mr. Ridgell to explain that. Mr. Bow. What is the work they do? And when were they set up? Mr. RIDGELL. The jobs were set up in 1933 when the New House Office Building was opened. Mr. Bow. What do these people do? Mr. RIDGELL. They move Members' offices, put up scaffolding, and all the labor work. The raises they have had, have been only the general Government increases. The wages of the wage board laborers who work side by side have gone up disproportionately. Mr. Bow. What is your citation of authority? Mr. HENLOCK. Public Law 200 of the 77th Congress gives the Architect of the Capitol the right to administratively fix the salaries of any temporary or unclassified employees without regard to the Classification Act. That is the authority we have operated under for many years and our accounts have been audited annually by the Comptroller. Mr. Bow. Are you having difficulty in keeping these employees that receive less pay than others, doing comparable work on the job? Mr. RIDGELL. Yes, the good employees. Mr. Bow. You feel if this increase were granted, you would be able to keep your good employees on the job and not have the turnover you have now? Mr. RIDGELL. That is right. Mr. NORRELL. We will recess until 2 o'clock. ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY, CONSTRUCTION, AND EQUIPMENT, ADDI- Mr. NORRELL. We will go now to page 65, which is the "Acquisition of property, construction, and equipment, additional House Office Building." By the way, what are we going to call this building-the third office building? Mr. STEWART. There has been much talk about the naming of the three buildings. I have heard suggestions of A, B, and C; I have heard suggestions of 1, 2, and 3; and I have heard suggestions of Longworth, Cannon, and Rayburn. In order to avoid any contro versy in this period of indecision, we, in the interim, call this the additional House Office Building. Mr. NORRELL. For this project you ask for $13 million for 1961? Mr. STEWART. Yes, sir. Mr. NORRELL. We have previously appropriated $61,500,000? Mr. STEWART. That is correct. Mr. NORRELL. We will insert the justifications in the record so there will be a complete progress report. (The justifications follow:) ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY, CONSTRUCTION, AND EQUIPMENT, ADDITIONAL HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION Public Law 24, 84th Congress, “Additional House Office Building Act of 1955.” Amount of contract authorization: To be determined by the House Office Building Commission. Appropriation requested in the budget for the fiscal year 1961------ 13, 000, 000 Acquisition of property, construction, and equipment, additional House Office Building, $13,000,000 This project is authorized by the "Additional House Office Building Act of 1955," Public Law 24, 84th Congress, approved April 22, 1955. Under the provisions of authorization act, the planning of the additional office building and other authorized changes and improvements and the determination of contract atuhorization are vested in the House Office Building Commission, consisting of Speaker Rayburn, Representative Vinson, of Georgia, and Representative Auchincloss, of New Jersey. The project is broken down into seven parts, as follows: Acquisition of property as a site for an additional office building and for additions to the Capitol Grounds. Construction and equipment of an additional office building. Changes, alterations, and remodeling of the Old House Office Building. Changes, alterations, and remodeling of the New House Office Building. Construction and equipment of security vaults and other underground struc tures. Subways and underground transportation systems. Landscape development of five squares acquired for additional House Office Building project. Numerous meetings have been held by the House Office Building Commission and various directives have been issued by the Commission to the Architect of the Capitol. The following is a report on accomplishments to date: Acquisition of property.-All properties directed by the House Office Building Commission to be acquired for the additional House Office Building project have been purchased. The properties consist of five squares, located immediately south and west of the present House Office Buildings, known as squares 635, south of 635, 637, 691, and 692. Title, in fee simple absolute, to these properties Bow vests in the United States of America. Square 635 has been completely cleared of structures and is one of the two squares on which the additional House Office Building is being erected. The other square (square 636) was already owned by the Government, and prior to commencement of the project, was used as a parking area for Members* automobiles. Square south of 635 has also been completely cleared of structures and is now used as a parking lot for automobiles. Square 637 has been cleared of all structures except the General Outdoor Advertising Building, now used by the Architect of the Capitol as a field construction office. Square 691 has been cleared of all structures except the George Washington Inn, which is now being used to provide temporary office and committee facilities for the House of Representatives. The remainder of the square is being used as a parking lot for automobiles. Square 692 has been cleared of all structures except the Congressional Hotel, which is being operated under lease by the Knott Hotels Corp. The remainder of the square is being used as a parking lot for automobiles. These five squares have been acquired, cleared of structures, and graded at a total cost of $7,993,254. Associate architects and engineers for project.-By direction of the House Office Building Commission, the following architects and engineers have been engaged, by personal service contracts, for the additional House Office Building project. Under the terms of their contracts, they are compensated on a fee basis, in accordance with rates established for such work by the American Institute of Architects. Additional House Office Building: John Harbeson, William J. Hough, William H. Livingston, and Roy F. Larson, architects of Philadelphia, Pa. Changes, alterations, and remodeling work, Old House Office Building: Roscoe DeWitt and Fred L. Hardison, architects of Dallas, Tex. Changes, alterations, and remodeling work, New House Office Building: Alfred Easton Poor and Albert Homer Swanke, architects of New York City. Security vaults and other underground structures: Jesse M. Shelton and Alan G. Stanford, of Robert & Co., Associates, Atlanta, Ga. Subways and underground transportation systems: Jesse M. Shelton and Alan G. Stanford, of Robert & Co., Associates, Atlanta, Ga. Landscape development of five squares acquired for additional House Office Building project: Robert Wheelwright, Markley Stevenson, and Joe W. Langran, landscape architects of Philadelphia, Pa. Construction and equipment of additional office building.—The estimated cost of the new building, as approved by the Commission, to date, including sewer relocation cost, is $68 million. As approved, the new building provides accommodations for eight major standing committees and 15 subcommittees, 170 three-room office suites, storage facilities for Members, and other appurtenant and necessary facilities; also, parking accommodations for approximately 1,600 automobiles. The new building is to be located on the two squares immediately west of the New House Office Building. These two squares have been combined into one square through the closing of Delaware Avenue. Contracts were awarded in 1955 for engineering soils analyses and in 1956 for foundation test borings, necessary to determine the proper foundation for the new building. Work under these contracts has been completed. Contract was awarded, December 21, 1956, to Gunnell Construction Co., for construction of a large sewer in square 635, on the site of the new building. This contract included part of the excavation and foundation work for the new building, as the new sewer is located beneath and constitutes a part of the new building structure. As the new sewer integrates with the city sewer system, it was necessary to install it in this location to provide proper drainage. Work under this contract has been completed at a cost of $1,392,805. Contract was awarded, May 8, 1958, to McCloskey & Co., of Philadelphia, Pa., for excavation, excavation bracing, foundation piles, and pile caps for the new building. Work under this contract is now about 76 percent complete and is expected to be completed by October 1960. The present amount of the contract is $8,269,767. Contract was awarded, July 9, 1958, to the Bethlehem Steel Co. for furnishing, delivery, and erection of the structural steel for the new building. This part of the job was awarded as a separate contract in order to expedite construction work. Work under this contract is now about 40 percent complete and is expected to be completed by December 1960. The present amount of the contract is $6,893,573. Contract was awarded, March 10, 1960, in the amount of $50,793,000, for the superstructure for the new building. Work under this contract is scheduled for completion by June 1963. Occupancy of the new building is expected to commence prior to completion. The contract was awarded to McCloskey & Co. Changes, alterations, and remodeling of the Old House Office Building.—The estimated cost of changes, alterations, and remodeling of the Old House Office Building, as approved by the Commission, May 17, 1956, on the basis of preliminary plans and estimates of cost, is $9 million. As approved, the old building is to be remodeled in such a manner as to provide 135 three-room office suites, 3 major standing committee rooms, 5 subcommittee rooms, and other miscellaneous appurtenant and necessary facilities, including an underground garage in the courtyard. To effect these improvements, major structural changes will be necessary; also, a general rearrangement of existing physical facilities and major changes to the plumbing and toilet systems; electrical and lighting systems; heating, ventilating, and airconditioning systems; and elevator and other transportation facilities. Contract was awarded to Kirk Lindsey, Inc., January 24, 1958, for construction of a three-level garage in the courtyard of the old building, providing parking accommodations for 291 automobiles. Work under this contract has been completed at a cost of $1,326,082. The garage was occupied and placed in operation in June 1959. Further remodeling work in the old building is being deferred by order of the Commission. Changes, alterations, and remodeling of the New House Office Building.—The estimated cost of changes, alterations and remodeling of the New House Office Building, as approved by the Commission, May 17, 1956, on the basis of preminary plans and estimates of cost, is $9.500.000. As approved, the New House Office Building is to be remodeled in such a manner as to provide 142 three-room office suites, 6 major standing committee rooms, 4 subcommittee rooms, 14 two-room office suites, and 16 odd rooms, and other miscellaneous appurtenant and necessary facilities, including a cafeteria building in the courtyard. To effect these improvements, major structural changes will be necessary; also, a general rearrangement of existing physical facilities, and major changes to the plumbing and toilet systems; electrical and lighting systems; heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems; and elevator and other transportation facilities. Contract was awarded to Irons & Reynolds, Inc., September 3, 1957, for construction of a one-story building in the courtyard of the New House Office Building, covering the entire courtyard, to serve as a cafeteria for the House, containing seating accommodations for approximately 575 persons. Work under this contract has been completed at a cost of $954,560. The new cafeteria was placed in service February 5, 1959. With the exception of remodeling the space vacated by the old cafeteria for use by the House post office and certain other minor changes, further remodeling work in the New House Office Building is being deferred by order of the Commission. Construction and equipment of security vaults and other underground structures.-Action has been deferred with respect to these items. Subways and underground transportation systems.-This matter is still under study, and plans and specifications for this part of the project are expected to be completed during the fiscal year 1961. The estimated cost of a subway and subway transportation system from the third House Office Building to the House wing of the Capitol is $5 million. Landscape development of five squares acquired for project. This matter is still under study. Appropriations, obligations, and expenditures.-A total of $61,500,000 has been appropriated for the additional House Office Building project to date. In the fiscal years 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, and 1959, obligations totaling $33,188,551 were incurred. In the fiscal year 1960, obligations totaling $51,362,894 have been incurred to March 25, 1960, and additional obligations totaling $943,828 are expected to be incurred during the remainder of the fiscal year, or a total obligation of $52.306,722 for the fiscal year 1960. In the fiscal year 1961, the amount of obligations to be incurred is estimated at $5,420,000. This makes a grand total obligation-estimated and actual-of $90,915,273 for the fiscal years 1955, 1876, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, and 1961. Of these obligations, $23,236,073 have been liquidated to March 1, 1960, and $51.263.927 are expected to be liquidated during the period March 1, 1960, to June 30, 1961, or a grand total liquidation of $74,500,000 for the fiscal years 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, and 1961. As the appropriations available to cover these liquidations total $61,500,000, an additional appropriation of $13 million is requested for the fiscal year 1961. |