The Wyandotte news-herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1943-1963, 1946-03-04
Congress Begins
Streamlining Job
To ReOrganize

WASHINGTON, March 4-UR)-
A special Senate House committee
today recommended elimination of
more than half Of the standing con-
greSsional committees as part Of a
far-reaching. 37-point reorganiza-
ton plan designed to meet "a grave
constitutional crisis"
A $1,000 a year increase I'm con-
gressional salaries and a pension
plan for Congressman were among
other proposals made by the r.
man committee after four month
study Of ways to streamline the
national legislature.
The Committee said its recon-
mendationS were made Gin response
to a widespread congressional and
public belief that grave constitu-
tional crisis exists In which the fate
Of representative government itself
is at stake"
More and more, the report said,
public affairs are being handled by
administrative agencies headed by
non-elective officials with only
casual oversight by congress" But
the government by administration
1t declared, Is a dangerous object
of group pressures which weaken
its protection of the public interest"
Under these conditions" the COM
mittee said, cit was believed the
time is ripe for Congress to recon-
slider its role in the American scheme
Of government and TO modernize its
organization and procedures.
The report said the existing
committee system was the No. 1
problem involved in an attempt to
reorganize Congress because it
was obsolete and overlapping"
and represented a luxury and
waste Of manpower."
It recommended that the Sen
ate's SO standing committees be or
ganized into Is and that the Houses
48 be consolidated into 18.
It proposed that each senator
be limited to membership on two
standing committees and each rep
resentative to one major committee
assignment. At present. 1t said, many
senator's serve on as many as 10
committees while some house men,
bers on as many as six or more.
Committee recommendations also
included:
I. Raise salaries Of senators and
representatives from $4,000 to
$4,000 a year and permit them to
make the same income tax deduc-
lions Tor expenses which are now
allowed business and professional
men.
2. Bring Congressman under the
federal retirement system provided
they have contributed six per cent
OF their pay annually. have served
at least six years, and have reached
age 81.
4 Raises salaries Of Senate and
House employees so per cent.
A CLEARLY define the jurisdiction
of each committee, give It the power
OF subpoena and investigation, and
abolish all special investigating COM
mittees.
s. Authorize the committees TO
keep a running check on the admin
istration on all legislation after 1t
leaves their hands.
g. Provide for regular summer
recess, except in periods OF emer-
pency, running from June 30 to Oct.
1.
7. Experiment with three full days
NJ sessions and three full days OF
committee hearings each week: also
experiment with night sessions.
8. Relieve Congress Of the task OF
governing the District Of Columbia
and turn 1t over to the citizens OF
washington under q city charter
form of government.
Q. Let the court Of claims settle
IN. thousands Of small claims
against the government which are
presented each year to Congress.