Evening star., 1945-01-17
Monroney Opposes
Pay Increases Now
For Congressman

Salary increases for members
of Congress should not be con-
sidered until wartime wage con-
trolls over other walks of life
have been lifted. Representative
Monroney, Democrat, of Okla
homa said today. commenting
on the recommendation of the
National Planning Association
that Senators and Representa-
tives be raised from $4,000 to
$25, 900 a year as part of the pro-
posed reorganization of Congress.
Mr.. Monroney, who helped put
through the resolution in December
for a joint congressional committee
to study ways of improving legisla-
tive machinery, welcomed the sur
vey prepared for the Planning Asso-
citation by Robert Heller, Cleve-
land business management con-
sultant.
The Oklahoman expressed the be-
lief, however, that recommendation
dealing with the mechanism of
handling legislation should be given
first attention.
Celler to Seek Action.
Representative Celler, Democrat,
of New York recently made known
he would ask the present Congress
to raise the salary of it's members
to S12,500 to cover the wartime in
crease in living costs.
This $4,000 salary proposed was
one of IA specific suggestions con-
tanned in the Heller report to i'm
prove the efficiency of Congress,
others of which included retire
ment plan. substitute for the
seniority rule in committee pro-
motions and abandonment of the
practice of combining unrelated
bills by adding one as a rider to
another.
On the question of seniority, Mr.
pointed out that it is not
a written rule, but a tradition, which
the membership can change when
ever sentiment favors a. different
method. Some veteran observers onI
Capitol Hill doubt that there is any
practical substitute that would work
any better than seniority in moving
members up to chairmanships.
Other recommendations In the |
Heller report are:
Reorganization of the structure, |
and reduction in the number, of
standing committee in both houses,
so as to minimize overlapping of
Jurisdictions and permit members to
do good job on one or two i'm
portant committees rather than
scatter their efforts over several.
Establishment in each House of
a majority policy committee and a
policy committee, thereby
providing an effective mechanism
for the exercise of party leadership
and a focus of responsibility for
Congress actions and inactions.
Assistants for Members.
Provision of adequate assistance
for individual members of Congress
to help reduce the work load on
members themselves and allow them
to spend more time on major issues.
Provision of competent staffs for
congressional committees and ex-
pansion of the legislative refer
ence service to enable committees,
and ultimately Congress as whole,
to function efficiently.
Adoption of a cloture rule rigid
enough to eliminate the filibuster,
thus preventing a small group of
men from imposing their will on
the majority.
Expansion of provisional legis-
lation to enable Congress to avoid
begging down over details and yet
exert control in advance of execu-
tive action.
Development of a trend toward
reasonably broad appropriation bills
and away from detailed bills, there
by allowing more of Congress time
for the important matter of ex-
penditure policy and permitting
sufficient f1exibility for administra-
tive expenditures
More effective use of the Cen
eral Accounting Office as an instru-