Statement of Members' salaries and expense appropriations for fiscal year 1963 Fiscal year 1963 salary for 438 Members at $22,500– Additional for the Speaker_--- Contributions for life insurance (438 Members at $65) Contributions for health insurance (438 Members at $81.12). Total_____ Disbursed for fiscal year 1963: July 1962 through January 1963 based on 438 Members. 1963 436 Members' salary. --- 29.000.00 $9,855, 000, 00 12,500.00 35, 500.00 740, 000. 00 10, 672, 000. 00 8, 183, 229. 10 23.425. 26 24, 327.88 598, 885. 42 1962 438 428 8,829, 867. 66 Statement of Members' salaries and expense appropriations for fiscal year 1964 FACILITIES FOR CLERK'S ACTIVITIES Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Chairman, I do not know if this is the time to bring it up, but talking about the Rayburn Building, as far as economy and service is concerned, I wrote the Architect a letter in 1962 about space for a new stationery room, file room, library, and property cus todian. I have not received any answer so far. If they are going to provide those quarters, if they would do it now it would result in a big saving to the Government rather than wait until the building is completed and then tear it all up and provide those rooms. Mr. STEED. When the Architect appears we will try to get some information from him on that. Mr. ROBERTS. I did get some action on the radio and television rooms. Mr. STEED. I understand some of these problems might not be taken care of in the new building. Mr. ROBERTS. I do not know where, but there must be some additional space for the stationery room, file room, labrary, and additional storage space for equipment. Mr. STEED. You may proced with your statement, Mr. Roberts. HOUSE RESOLUTIONS Mr. ROBERTS. At this point I would like to have printed in the record the following resolutions: 87TH CONGRESS (1) House Resolution 603, adopted April 16, 1962. 88TH CONGRESS (1) House Resolution 225, adopted March 6, 1963. H. RES. 603 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S., Resolved, That (a) there is hereby created in the Office of the Speaker the new position of Messenger the basic compensation of which shall be at the rate of $2,100 per annum, and (b) There is hereby created in the Office of the Parliamentarian the new position of Clerk-Messenger the basic compensation of which shall be at the rate of $3,300 per annum. SEC. 2. The basic compensation of each of the two positions of Telephone Clerk (one minority) in the Office of the Doorkeeper of the House of Representatives shall be at the rate of $3,000 per annum. SEC. 3. The additional amounts necessary to carry out the provisions of this resoltuion shall be paid out of the contingent fund of the House of Representatives until otherwise provided by law. SEC. 4. This resolution shall take effect May 1, 1962. H. RES. 735 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S., July 25, 1962. Resolved, That, until otherwise provided by law, there shall be paid out of the contingent fund of the House of Representatives, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Committee on House Administration, such amounts as may be necessary to pay (1) toll charges on strictly official long-distance telephone calls, and (2) charges on strictly official telegrams, cablegrams, and radiograms, made or sent by or on behalf of each Member of the House of Representatives (including the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico), other than the Speaker, the majority leader, the minority leader, the majority whip, and the minority whip, aggregating not to exceed ten thousand units during a term. The units authorized under this resoltuion shall be in addition to the number of units to which such Member otherwise may be entitled during a term. SEC. 2. As used in the first section of this resolution, the words "unit" and "term" shall have the meaning given such words by section 2 of the Act of June 23, 1949 (2 U.S.C. 46g). H. RES. 773 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S., September 26, 1962. Resolved, That, effective September 1, 1962, until otherwise provided by law, there shall be paid out of the contingent fund of the House of Representatives compensation for the employment of (1) three additional laborers, Office of the Doorkeeper of the House of Representatives, at a basic salary rate of $1,650, each, per annum; and (2) two additional mail clerks, Office of the Postmaster of the House of Representatives, at a basic salary rate of $2,100, each, per annum. H. RES. 225 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S., March 6, 1963. Resolved, That effective February 1, 1963, the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce is authorized, until otherwise provided by law, to employ two additional employees at rates of compensation to be fixed by the chairman in accordance with section 202 (c) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946. These resolutions were adopted during the 87th and 88th Congresses. They represent all the resolutions adopted with respect to salaries and positions which were not reflected in the 1963 appropriation bill. 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. Some are now being financed out of the contingent fund, and in the applicable individual estimates for 1964 they have been provided for as will be seen as we reach the paragraph involved. We respectfully request that they be made permanent law in this bill, following the customary procedure. They will be referred to by the appropriation paragraphs affected, as each such paragraph is reached in the budget estimates. SALARIES, OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES We will now take up the individual items under "Salaries, officers and employees," the first of which is: OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER For the Office of the Speaker, $94,875 compared with $87,650 appropriated for 1963, or an increase of $7,225. We are requesting this increase to carry out the provisions of House Resolution 603, adopted April 16, 1962, which provided for a messenger at the basic rate of $2,100 per annum; and an increase of $1,919 as provided by the Salary Act of 1962. OFFICE OF THE PARLIAMENTARIAN For the Office of the Parliamentarian, $75,380 compared with $67,840 appropriated for 1963, or an increase of $7,540. We are requesting this increase to carry out the provisions of House Resolution 603, adopted April 16, 1962, which provided for a clerk-messenger at the basic rate of $3,300 per annum. OFFICE OF THE CHAPLAIN For the Office of the Chaplain $9,425 compared with $9,250 appropriated for 1963, or an increase of $175. This increase is provided by the Salary Act of 1962. OFFICE OF THE CLERK For the Office of the Clerk: $1,260,970, compared with $1,210,220 appropriated for 1963, or an increase of $50,750. We are requesting this increase to provide additional funds for the Disbursing Office (lump sum) in the amount of $20,370; to increase the longevity pay of the telephone operators by $6,600 as provided by Public Law 87-730; and an increase of $23,780 as provided by the Salary Act of 1962. DISBURSING OFFICE Mr. STEED. There is remaining some $20,000 increase in this item. Could you give us more information on that? Mr. ROBERTS. On the Disbursing Office? Mr. STEED. Yes. Mr. ROBERTS. Well, Mr. Chairman, when we were before this committee last year we discussed the data processing system and we told you at that time if we did not adopt that system it would be necessary for us to employ more clerk hire in the Disbursing Office to carry on the duties there. Last fall in October we hired three additional girls and borrowed a man from the General Accounting Office to help us over the pay increases, which was an added burden at that time and we needed these employees very badly because of the extra work that was imposed upon the Disbursing Office. Mr. Megill, who has the detailed knowledge of the Disbursing Office, is here and I will ask him to explain the reason. Mr. MEGILL. Mr. Chairman, the workload in the Disbursing Office of the House of Representatives has been considerably increased by the great variety of duties imposed upon the Clerk of the House as its budget and finance officer. There has been a steady increase in the number of persons carried on the rolls of the House, magnifying the activity in the many ramifications necessary to process appointments to the end that the individual may receive his check. With each new appointment the process of administering the health benefits. insurance, bond, and retirement programs-to mention a few of the more than 16 steps required in the clearing process-has been enlarged. The Disbursing Office is concerned with every item, in one way or another, that is being presented here today. Consider that the overall budget of the House of Representatives has increased, requiring added activity in the personnel, audit, and bookkeeping operations. Over 4,350 employees receive their monthly checks, while a total of 6,035 employees entered the rolls of the House during 1962. Our payrolls, of which there are five, are continuously changing, and there is no delayed pay period. It can be said that we have the greatest variety of salary rates in our tax tables-over 4,000. The total number of disbursements by voucher is well over 1,000 a month. To meet this responsibility, the Clerk found it was necessary to make a few additions to the staff early last fall. The plain fact is that loyal, qualified, and industrious people had become so overburdened that they were stressed to meet the workload being thrust upon them. The three appointments made last fall eased the situation to a degree. Aid also came in the form of a loan from the General Accounting Office of a technical employee for audit and control of accounts. This employee has been called back by the Comptroller. His type of work should be continued at the earliest possible time. The proposed increase in the item for the Disbursing Office is modest but will enable the Clerk to retain the three excellent persons appointed last fall as well as to provide the means of employing an additional technical person in the Audit Department. These requirements are a bare minimum in maintaining the degree of efficiency which the Disbursing Office customarily gives and the House has a right to expect from this very important financial division of the Clerk. We cannot urge this committee too strongly to give very serious consideration to this request. Should it not be granted, I am inclined to think that this service will return to the conditions existing prior to last October, a time when loyal efficient employees were barely able to maintain the service but carried a workload far beyond their capacity to sustain. The need is imperative. This request, in my judgment, is in the extreme good interests of this House and we trust that the committee will grant it. DECEMBER 20 PAYDAY Mr. STEED. You still have the problem in December of each year of the pre-Christmas pay? Mr. ROBERTS. We do. Mr. STEED. We discussed that last year. Mr. MEGILL. There was a discussion at the hearing last year and I know there was an indication that perhaps steps should be taken to repeal that provision permitting the clerk to pay the employees on the 20th of December instead of the 30th. Actually, the experience since that time, particularly at the end of a Congress, which we have just gone through, indicates it is a sort of a blessing to the office because we were able to get out the December pay and then proceed with the changes that occur in the new Congress beginning in January of each odd-numbered year. There were approximately 2,300 changes from |