The National tribune., 1882-05-27
WHAT CONGRESS Is DOING.

WHAT CONGRESS Is DOING.
| On the Goth of June the fiscal year expires
| Congress met more than five months ago. and
| yet of the fourteen regular appropriation biiS
only four have been passed, the Post OIhce
Indian, Fortifcations and Agricultural Oils
The Consular and Diplomatic and the Military
Academy bills still remain unacted upon. Inc
Army and District appropriation bills are pc
fore the Senate. The River and Harbor BIZ
| are ready to be reported to the House, but are
delayed by the contested election case. -Four
other important bills, all involving large appro-
priatiOns, and all demanding immediate action,
are not yet fully completed in committee. The
most important of these, of course, is the PEN
sion bill, which, as we have hitherto explained,
has been agreed upon in committee, and the
others are the Navy, Sundry Civil. Legislative,
Executive, and Judicial appropriation bills.
The last two named contain the appropriations
for the entire civil establishment of the Gov
ernment. 1t will be thus readily seen that
prompt action will be necessary in both Houses
| in order to dispose of passing matters of legis-
lation before adjOurning for the summer recess.
Appended will be found the important proceed
ings during the week:
SENATE.
In the Senate on Thursday. May Is, Mr..
Ferry presented a petition of Fairbanks Post,
No. II, Grand Army OF the Republic, Detroit,
Michigan, praying for the passage of Senate
bill No 1895 and House bill No. 1410, granting
| additional pensions to soldiers losing an arm or
leg or suffering disability equal thereto; which
was referred to the Committee on Pensions.
bill was passed to pay Hiram Johnson and
others various sums of money, being the sur
plus Of military assessment paid by them in
| excess of the amount levied for the destruction
Of property of loyal citizens by rebel troops ut
Henderson, Tenn. also bill for public build
ings at New Castle, Del, and Greensborough,
n. c..
On Friday in the Senate bills were passed
for the erection of public buildings at Roches-
! ter, N. Y, Syracuse, n. Y, Hannibal, Mo-, Gal
weston, Texas, Council Bluffs Iowa, Detroit,
Mich, POughkeepsie, n. Y. and La Crosse, Wis.
THESE bills had previously passed the House.l
bill was passed to Incorporate the Garfield
Memorial Hospital. A bill was also passed for
public buildings at Louisville, Ky. The mill
tary and land warrant bill was amended and
passed. bill was introduced by Mr.. Call to
provide protection for inventors.
There was ON session of the Senate on Satur-
day.
In the Senate on Monday bill was reported
for the prevention of the spread of epidemic
diseases. A large number of personal pension
bills were reported favorably. 4 bill was de-
feated increasing the pension of Col. De Witt
Clinton Thomas from $50 to $50 month. The
Geneva award bill was further considered.
On Tuesday in the Senate bills were reported
donating condemned cannon to Grant Post, No.
9, of California to the village of East Bloom
field, n. Y; to the Soldiers Monument Asso-
citation of Birmingham, Conn; to Anna VI.
Ross Post, No. 81, of Philadelphia, all of which
were passed. The Geneva award bill was fur
ther discussed and passed.
In the Senate on Wednesday the House bill
appropriating S16O0OO0O to supply a deficiency
in the appropriation for army pensions was
adopted. The bill to regulate prize-.noney aud
| pensions in the navy indefinitely post
poned. The remainder OF the session was de-
| voted to the consideration of the bill for the
relief of the officers and crew of the United
State steamer Monitor, who participated in the
action with the rebel ironclad Merrimac in 1862.
The amount appropriated is in the neighbOr-
hood of 100000