Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-16
House Approval
Seen as Senate
BoostsD. C.Fund
Action on d Million
Stop Cop Increase
Expected This Week
By Don 5. Worren


Predictions that the House
will approve the temporary 81
100000 increase in the Federal
share of National Capital costs
as adopted yesterday by the
Senate, came last night from
leading members of the House
subcommittee in charge of the
l947 District appropriation bill.
Both Chairman Coffee and the
ranking minority member, Repre-
sentative Stefan, Republican. OF
Nebraska, gave their personal in
dorsements to increasing the s6,ooo,-
600 lump sum payment to s10Ooo,-
600 and said they expected final
House approval.
The Federal payment raise was
written into the supply bill by the
Senate, by unanimous action, at the
request of Senator O'Mahoney,
Democrat, of Wyoming, head of the
District Subcommittee of the Sen.
ate Appropriations Committee. 1t
is intended as stop-gap until Con-
gress has acted on the O'Mahoney.
Overton land-based formula for an.
nual adjustment of the size of the
FEDERAL payment, now pending be-
fore the Senate District Committee.
Approve Increased Supply Bill.
Representatives Coffee and Stefan
also voiced general approval of
the action of the Senate in raising
the District supply bill total for the
year beginning July l to SIG, Ats, 1852,
although it is some S6,S93 900 above
the outlay approved by the House.
Greatly increased appropriations
proposed by the Senate for charging
the staff at Gallinger Hospital ap-
peared to be the major question of
difference between the two houses.
Mr.. Coffee and Mr.. Stefan said they
would look closely into this move, in
the thought that more efficient and
economical operation" might permit
improved service without a large in
crease in staff.
The House subcommittee leaders
said they were inclined to favor the
increased sums voted by the Senate
Tor expansion of the teaching staff
and buildings for public schools and
for other services.
Nine Million Cut From Budget.
The House had slashed nearly &c..
000, 900 from the s81 sos 900 budget
submitted last January by the Pres
ident and the Commissioners. This
was primarily because of the threat
ened District revenue crisis during
or after the new fiscal year and be-
cause of Federal demands that vet
Grams housing be given preference
over all other construction.
Since the House acted April 5, it
was brought out. National Housing
Administrator Wilson Wyatt has
found it possible to loosen up"
somewhat on other necessary con-
struction projects. Also, it was noted
on the House side, the Senate has
moved to ease the Districts financial
problem by proposing an increase in
the Federal payment.
, Chairman Coffee, who is to head
the House conferees on the supply
bill, said, L warmly congratulate
the Senate on the increase it rec
mends in the size of the Federal
payment. l hope this move is a
of increased recognition
by the Congress of the heavy extra
load it has been placing on the tax
payers of the District by reason of
Federal policies and interests.
Wishes House Had Led Way.
MY only regret is that the House
was not the first to adopt this fair,
sound and logical move
His statement recalled that the
Coffee subcommittee had adopted,
after extensive hearings, an out
line of reasons why the Federal pay
ment should be increased. This was
knocked out of the House report on
the bill because, for technical rea-
sons, it did not propose an increase
in the payment.
Mr. Stefan said he was convinced
the old 100000 lump sum Fed
eral payment was obsolete"
IF it was sufficient years ago,
when the District budget was much
it certainly is too small and
out of date today, when the total
budget is far higher" he
declared
The District bill is expected to
be sent to conference early this
week, probably tomorrow when the
House receives the report of the
Senate action. Because of the ap-
preaching end of this fiscal year,
(See FEDERAL SHARE, Page A-6.)