Evening star., 1946-07-25
Housed 0pponentsFigh
Three Senate Sections
OF StreamIining Bill

OF StreamIining Bill
Legislation to reorganize con-
greSSional procedure came under
a cross-fire of criticism today as
the House took up the measure.
Opponents centered their fire on
provisions of the Senate passed bill
which would:
l. Increase the pay of Congress
members from $4,000 to $4,000 a
year and allow them to become eligi-
BILE for retirement pay.
2. Reduce the number Of House
committees from 4S to 18.
3. Establish a new budget pro-
cedure under which Senate and
House committees which pass on
revenue-raising measures would have
a voice In fixing ceiling" on ex-
penditures.
A move to make the measure more
palatable developed at the outset of
two hours of general debate when
Representative Brown. Republican,
OF Ohio, a member of the House
Rules Committee, told the House he
would offer an amendment for an
Increase in the pay of members OF
Congress from $4,000 to $4,000, in
stead of to $4,000.
Coupled with this, however, would
be provision for a $4,000 tax-free
expense account for each member.
Under the bill as submitted to the
House the present $2,500 tax-free
expense allowance would be aban-
doned with the adoption of the sug-
gested $4,000 annual salary, all of
which would be taxable.
Mr.. Brown said he was opposed
to the bill as submitted an told his
colleagues the people of the country
would be told the members of Con-
gress had increased their pay by
so per cent. On this point he
stressed that members of Congress
are in class by themselves in hav-
ing to pay their expenses out of
their own pockets.
Mr.. Brown added it was entirely
justiflable for Congress to allow
each member $4,000 for expenses,
and argued an increase in salary to
$4,000 would amount only to 20 per
cent. This, he said, is in line with
pay raises in Government and in
dustry.
Committeeman Opposed.
Members of the Appropriations
Committee took the lead in fighting
the budget procedure provision.
Talking with reporters before the
House met, Chairman Cannon called
it "unWorkable'' and contended It'll
will cost much more than it will
save"
That provision directs that the
Senate and House Appropria tions,
the Senate Finance, and the House
Ways and Means Committees meet
jointly at the beginning of each
Congress, prepare an estimate of re-
ceiptS, and recommend the maxi
mum amount to be appropriated.
Its hackers contend that Appro-
priations Committees now pass on
spending bills individually without
adequate consideration for what
total expenditures or total Govern
ment income will be.
Appropriations Controversial.
Representative Monroney, Demo-
crat, of Oklahoma, co-author of the
legislation with Senator La Toilette
Progressive, of Wisconsin called the
budgetary provision the most con-
troversial in the bill
But many chairmen of commit
tees slated for abolition are fighting
the committee reduction plan and
have the support of top-ranking
Democrats and Republicans. The
latter hope to become chairmen
themselves if their party wins con-
troll of the House in this years elec-
tions.
The pension and pay raise plans
were causing considerable concern.
Under the pension proposal, men,
bers OF Congress could authorize
contributory deductions from their
salaries, and, under certain condi-
tions, have the same retirement
benefits now accorded Government
civil service workers. Similar pro-
posals have been rejected by the
House in the past.
Would Lose Money.
Some members figure they might
lose money by raising their pay to
$4,000 and aboliShing the existing
$500 expense allowance. The
higher pay, subject to taxation.
would put them in a higher tax
bracket.
Wed actually lose money by
raising our pay under those con-
ditions," one member commented.
Other major provisions of the leg
islation, passed by the Senate on
June II, expand the legislators
technical and administrative assist
ance and require committee meet
lngs to be open to the public.
Eliminated from the Senate meas
re by a House committee were pro-
visions for majority and minority
policy committees, $4,000 executive
assistants for members, ban against
special investigating committees and
docket day. for members to plead
for approval of their bills before
committees.
The legislation is the outgrowth of
long study by a special Senate
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