Evening star., 1951-10-28
Two Senator's Urge
Improved Handling
OF Appropriations
By ]. A. o'Leory

Amid indications the Federal
budget will be the biggest job fac
ing Congress when it returns in
January, two Democratic Senators
called yesterday for an improved
method of handling appropria-
tionS.
Senators johnson of Colorado
and Monroney of Oklahoma both
urged early action on a pending
bill to set up a Joint Appropria-
tions Committee, with an ade-
quate staff, to correspond to the
joint tay committee which has
functioned for many years.
Senator johnson also sounded
the fist call for drastic cuts in
appropriations next year. includ-
ing the military, to bring spend
ing into complete balance with
revenues"
No Increase In 1852.
The Colorado Senator said fiat
ly there will be another tax-in-
crease bill at the 1852 session. He
is a member Of the tax-writing
committee, and said he does not
know of a single member OF that
group who would support another
tax boost next year.
Unless world conditions take a
sudden turn for the better, how
ever. it would seem to be an
impossible task to achieve bal
anced budget in the next year
or two without another tax hike.
The desire of the lawmakers to
avoid raising taxes again in 1852,
on the eve of a national election,
may spur them to pass some of
the pending measures to provide
closer examination of appropria-
tionS.
The session which just ended
appropriated nearly $92 billion,
not counting interest on the pub
lie debt Of more than $5 billion.
Many OF these appropriations will
not be spent this year. but even
II expenditures are held to $40
billion, there will be a deficit. The
new tax bill, which goes into
eject Thursday. will bring total
revenues up to about SGT billion.
Peak Of Spending.
In the fiscal year starting next
July the budget will be even fur
ther out of balance, because in
that year the Government is ex-
pected to reach the peak of de-
tense spending out of funds
authorized over period of several
years.
Congressional committees have
been told that the spending fig-
ure in 1858 may be more than s85
billion. This higher rate of spend
ing probably win produce some in
crease in the SGT million revenue
estimate. but would still leave q
big deficit in prospect.
Senator johnson said the pro-
posed joint Committee on Appro.
prlatlons and its staff would act
as Congressional budget bureau
giving Congress the same close
cneck on proposed spending figures
1nat the Federal Budget Bureau
gives the President.
A bill to set up Joint commit
zee is sponsored by Chairman Nc
Ciellan Of the Expenditures Com
mlttee' and has been reported IA
vorably to the Senate.
Senator Monroney said he would
favor this bill with one change
TO have the joint Committee
chosen from the House and Sen
ate Appropriations Committees
instead of including members
from the Expenditures Com
mittees.
Ceiling Based on Income.
The Oklahoma Senator also be-
lieves Congress should try again
TO adopt a procedure for fixing a
ceiling on Government spending
at the start of each session. based
on probable income.
Another budget reform still in
the works is the Byrd resolution
In the Senate. seeking to have
both Houses return to the one
package appropriation bill plan
they abandoned after a one-year
try in 1850.
Regardless Of what changes In
budget procedure are made, Sen
ator johnson believes Congress
will finish its 1852 work by Au-
gust l. The approaching national
election will provide incentive for