The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-02-05
|PENSIONS-FOR-
| CONGRESSMAN ACT
Senators Seeking Repeal
of Bill Are Counting on
Public Pressure
BY JOHN r.. BEAL
limited PYeSs Staff COrreSunndA nfl

NShAkSN \ AC0o oAA8A SOAACSRVAAOCAkJ
Washington, Feb. 5-(UP)-Sen-
ators seeking repeal Of the pensions
for-congressmen part OF the newly
enacted civil service retirement law
counted on public pressure today to
aid them.
The four senators sponsoring the
repealer-Harry F. Byrd, D., Va,
Harold H. Burton, r. o. Josiah w.
Bailey d. N. c., and Ed G. Johnson,
D., Colo.-indicated that they
wouldn't press for immediate action
In the hope that public reaction
would shortly make their task
easier. Byrd however, plans to make
a Senate speech on the subject
soon.
Byrd was the author Of an I'M
successful Senate amendment which
would have required senators and
representatives to make five years
back payments into the retirement
fund before becoming eligible for its
benefits. johnson and Burton both
voted for Byrd's amendment, and
Bailey was recorded as not voting.
It was defeated "a to 20.
AS enacted on President Roose-
velt's signature, the bill permits
members Of Congress up for re-
election this year to wait until after
the election before deciding whether
to apply for inclusion in its ben
efits. A member with the necessary
age and service requirements might
even enter the system on December
81 and retire January l, on payment
Of $1.40, or five per cent of one days
pay. The civil service commission
said 1t did not believe any congress-
man would do such thing.
Burton said that while the idea
Of pensions for elective officials had
merit, Congress should vote it only
for those elected hereafter. He
pointed out that enactment Of the
bill made 1t necessary to seek repeal
OF the whole section.
Strange Responsibility
"In these days when Congress Is
called on to pass so many pension
plans, 1t has a peculiar RESPONSE
bility," Burton said. Already the
Townsend old-age pension organiza-
ton Is using the pensionS-for-con
gressmen act as ammunition in its
drive for universal old age pen
SION"
Senator Bennett G. Clark, D., NO.,
who was Ill and was recorded as
not voting when the bill was in the
Senate, said. he would vote for the
repeater, although he added that an
actuarily sound pension system
should include elective officers.
The pensions-for- congresmen pro-
vision was part of bill introduced
In the House last February by Rep.
Robert Ramspeck, D., Ga, as chair
man Of the civil service committee,
to which 1t was referred. It, was
not considered in the House until
December on a call of the consent
calendar, and passed without objec-
ton after an explanation which
took only 16 lines In the Congress
sional Record.
On a request from Rep. Albert
Gore, D., Tenn, Ramspeck ex-
planned 1t as follows:
This bill undertakes to amend
the civil service retirement act in
three or four particulars. 1t extends
the coverage Of the act to quite
number Of people who are not now
under the civil service retirement
act. or the social security act. It
extends the age limit at which peo-
pie must be retired for two groups;
one from 81 to 10 years, and one
from IS to 10 years, and permits all
employees that come under the act
to retire at 60 years If they have had
80 years in the government. 1t in
creased the rate of contribution for
retirement from 3h per cent to 5
per cent. In brief, that Is what the
bill does"