Evening star., 1951-01-07
Electric Vote Facilities
And New Debate Rule
Urged for Congress

the House and new rules to limit
debate in the Senate were among
the next steps for improving
Congress. recommended last night
by the National Committee for
Strengthening Congress.
"a Robert Heller, Cleveland busi-
ness engineer and chairman of
the group. made public his fourth
annual letter on how the La
Toilette Monroney Congressional
Reorganization Act of 1916 is
working. Mr.. Heller, who helped
bring about the 1946 law, said
the 81st Congress did Credit
able" job during 1850 in many
areas of its operation, but that
much remains to be done to i'm
prove legislative procedures.
On the credit side of the ledger
for 1850. Mr.. Heller praised Con-
gress for: consolidating eleven ap-
preparation bills into an omnibus
supply measure; passage of the
Budget and Accounting Procedures
Act; use of the "2l4day rule" in
the House to force action on bills
blocked in the Rules Committee,
and creation of new congressional
watchdog" committees in certain
fields.
Failures" Listed,
On the debit side, Mr.. Heller in
cluded the following in a list of
congressional failures of 1850:
Failure of Congress to rid itself
of the load of private and local
bills, and failure to pass the Dis
trict Of Columbia home rule bill.
Failure of the new cloture rule
to limit irrelevant debate in the
Senate.
Creation or continuance of
nine special committees, in viola
ton of the spirit of the LaFollette-
Monroney Act. and failure to OBJ
serve the budget-ceiling require
ment in that act.
Although the 82d Congress is
less than week old, there have
been developments already which
90 not foreshadow any further
streamlining of the lawmaking
machinery this wear.
Step in Opposite Direction,
In fact, on the opening day of
the session last week, the House
took a big step in the opposite
direction by repeating the 21-day
rule. Designed to bring bills to
the floor of the House whenever
the Rules Committee holds them
more than 81 days. the rule was
adopted only two years ago, and
was listed by Mr.. Heller as one of
the accomplishments of the old
Congress.
In suggesting an electric voting
system for the House, Mr.. Heller
reported that that branch of Con-
eress spent 1872 hours during the
1850 session of the 81st Congress
taking las quorum calls and 143
yea-and-nay votes-"the equiva-
lent of 80 legislative days" He
said most of that time could have
been saved by electric voting.
Study of Report Promised.
Senator Monroney. Democrat, of
Oklahoma, co-author of the origi-
nal Congressional Reorganization
Act, said last night he expects to
make study of the Heller report
and of other suggestions on the
subject this year. He is Just be-
ginning his career as a Senator
after long term of House service,
and has been put on the Expendi-
lures Committee. which handles
reorganization. He said he hopes
hearings will be held on the sub
ject some time during this session.
Other steps Mr.. Heller said
should be taken included:
Further trial of the omnibus
bill procedure; allow
a majority to limit Senate debate,
instead of the present requirement
of two-thirds of the entire mem
bership; plugging the loopholes to
the Lobby Law, and an increase
in party responsibility.