Evening star., 1944-03-09
Senators Revive
$4,000
Job Approval
Fund Bill Changes
Also Affect Agencies
Set Up by President
ADMINISTRATION AIDES seek
peace with Congress. Page Al
BY J. A. O'LEARY.


The Senate Appropriations
Committee today voted to renew
the fight to require Senate con-
firmation of all Government en-
ployes drawing $4,000 or more a
year, in reporting out the $8,557,-
943 ,978 independent Offices sup
ply bill for the next fiscal year.
In a seres of other far-reaching
changes in the House bill, the COM
mittee also voted:
To place drastic congressional con-
trolls on operations of the Tennessee
Valley Authority by requiring it
to turn all its receipts INTO the
general fund of the Treasury and
obtain direct appropriations for its
expenses.
To require all agencies set up by
presidential order, including the
Fair Employment Practices Com
mittee, to require congressional ap-
proval for their continuance by July
l. If they have been in existence
for a year.
18 Agencies Listed.
Senator Russell, Democrat, Of
Georgia, estimated there are 18
agencies created by executive order
that would have to be authorized by
Congress within the next three
months if they are to remain in
existence after July /. He empha-
sized the amendment, which he
sponsored, would not affect agencies
set up originally by executive order,
but for which Congress has subse-
quently made direct appropriations
such as the Office of Censorship
and the War Production Board.
The Senate committee also cut
$4,995 ,504 from the Civil Service
Commissions $12, ,995 900 fund for re-
cruiting employees during the war
emergency. Acting Chairman Nc
Kellar said the committee felt the
Governmnt was lover the hump in
obtaining war personnel and could
get along with less.
The Budget Bureau also took
slash of $459,940 from House fig
ures, Of which $36O,O00 resulted
from Senate provision forbidding
operation of field offices by the
Budget Bureau.
FEC Funds Reduced.
The Senate committee also cut
$500 900 from what the House al
lowed the Federal Communications
Commission for the coming wear.
OF this total, 100000 was taken
from the fund for national defense
activities, leaving $4,191, ,143 for that
purpose. The remaining $2O9 900
was taken from the commission's
general salary budget.
The sweeping ban on use of any
Federal funds after July / to pay
the salary of any person drawing
$4,500 or more a year unless he or
she is nominated by the President
and confirmed by the Senate, is a
revival of fight Senator McKellar
waged unsuccessfully last year. The
same issue was fought out at that
time, both as rider to an appro-
priation bill, and as separate legis-
lation. The House refused to 20
along on the proposal.
Opponents of the general con-
firmation rule argued that if the
Senate inquired into the background
of all employees at or above the
$4,000 salary level, it would not have
time for anything else.
Supporters of the proposal con-
tended it would give Congress a
needed chack on the growth of
high-salaried jobs in Government
bureaus. Although the independent
Offices bill carries funds for only
a part of the executive branch of
Government, the job confirmation
amendment applies to all Federal
departments and agencies.
Senator McKellar announced that
the committee also eliminated
funds for purchase of new automo-
biles all through the bill.
Political Threat Cited.
The committee also approved a
special ban against political activity
by IVA. Asked by reporters what
prompted the offering of this
amendment, Senator McKellar de-
clared that David E. Lilienthal, iva
board chairman, had tried to unseat
him as a Senator from Tennessee.
In the hearings on the independ-
ent offices bill, Senator McKellar
also charged iva with outrageous"
discrimination in electric rates.
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