Evening star., 1953-03-13
Approval Seen
For Bill GivingFSA
Full Cabinet Status
By J. A. OLeoN

Speedy congressional approva
appeared likely today for Presi.
dent Eisenhower's first Govern.
ment reorganization order, rails
ing the Federal Security Agency
to cabinet status.
In the House, wheels were al
ready turning to get action next
week. In the Senate, a subcom-
mittee headed by Senator Mar
garet Chase Smith, Republican
Of Maine. will handle the order
To expedite action, the House
and Senate Committees on Gov
ernment operations arranged tc
hold joint hearings starting al
10 am. Monday.
Ordinarily, reorganization plans
do not take effect until sc
days after they are submitted tc
Congress. This time lag was in
tended to give the House or Sen
ate the opportunity to veto an
order if a majority Of the entire
membership Of either House was
against it.
In this case, however, there
were no immediate signs Of op-
position. and steps were taken
to have the order approved with
out waiting so days.
To-Day Resolution.
Representative Hoffman, Re-
publican. of Michigan, chairman
Of the House Committee on OPP
erations. introduced a resolution
which would make the Federal
Security Agency a full-fedged
department within 10 days after
the resolution passes.
Mr.. Hoffman hopes to take
the question to the Rules Com
mittee Tuesday and ask for
House passage Wednesday.
Senator Smiths Office said she
wants to get the reaction of lead
ers in the fields of medicine, ed
ucation and social security be-
fore reaching a decision.
Senate Majority Leader Taft
said he has heard of no opposi-
tion, and Democratic Floor
Leader johnson of Texas also
gave it his Endorsement.
Both Parties Consulted.
Senator Johnson said mem
bers of both parties were con-
suited in the drawing-up of the
plan. He said the administration
has met some of the objections
that were raised against an ear
lier attempt to reorganize the
Federal Security Agency in 1949.
They have done a good job
in working out this order, and
am proud of the way it has been
handled" said the Democratic
leader.
Senator George, of Georgia,
ranking Democrat on the FL
nance Committee, which handles
social security legislation, also
Endorsed the Eisenhower plan.
He said he did not favor it in
1949, but is for this plan because
the functions of the several
health and welfare agencies are
not 1nterfered with.
Senator Mccarthy, Republican,
of Wisconsin, chairman of the
Committee on Government OPP
erationS, Endorsed the plan "over-
all" His only complaint was that
it did not go far enough in en-
abling Mrs. Oveta Culp Hobby
ito get rid of deadwood and
debris" in the agency which she
heads. He pointed out this was
not the fault of the President,
whose power under the reorgan-
ization law is limited.
$1,000 Salary Raise.
Mrs. Hobby is slated to remain
at the head of the agency with
cabinet rank. This will raise her
salary from $17,500 to $22,500.
The order also provides an
undersecretary and two assistant
secretaries. 1t also provides for
special assistant to the secre-
tary, who would be an expert
advisor in health and medical
affairs.
Some members of Congress
thought the title of the new cab
met post-Secretary of Health,
Education and Welfare-is too
long. but there was no disposition
to delay the plan by trying to
change it.