Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-06
New Money Voted
In Recent Session
Totals Ssh Billion
By Robert K. Welsh

By Robert K. Welsh
Congressional attitudes and
actions on spending came into
calmer and somewhat clearer
light today when a tally of
appropriation totals showed the
Senate wanted to provide 1910
million more than the. House for
the fiscal year ending next June
80.
Supply bills passed by an
adjourned Congress, while hardly
light summer reading, offer room
for fall and winter reflection.
House Appropriations Committee
Chairman Taber, Republican, of
New York pointed it up this
way:
Il want it to be thoroughly
understood that the job of the
committee is not complete. There
is much to be done. We must
grid ourselves to be ready for the
work that will begin early next
year at the opening of Congress
to find the things in the new
budget that can be reduced and
that will contribute to a balanced
budget and a solvent United
States"
$53 Billion New Money.
On the basis of figures fur
nished by Mr.. Taber and
committee stats, Congress ap-
propriated $50. 460, 6O1 1888 in new
money for Government opera
tions, services and programs in
regular and supplemental ap-
preparation bills for the current
fiscal period.
That does not include some ST
billion for permanent charges
such as interest on the national
debt. 1t does not contain another
Sill billion in deficiency or sup
Elemental appropriations applied
to the previous fiscal year. 1t
does not deal with huge 1858
fiscal year carry-over sums that
can be spent in fiscal 1854. Nor
does it anticipate how much
Congress might have to put I'D
IN additional funds before this
fiscal year ends.
But the $53.4-billion figure tells
a sufficient and significant story
in itself. Involved in it are stu
atlonS and problems far more
comprehensive. dramatic, politi-
cal and oftentimes nerve-rack-
ing than any cold calculation can
indicate.
Senate More Generous.
Appropriation bills, as origi-
nally voted by the House, totaled
$50, 967 1873, 225. When they first
got through the Senate they
Swelled to $50, 1897 ,94O,991. The
difference of $87O,O7O.766 was
foned out mainly by conferees.
The enacted total of $53,46O,-
COL, 1888 was some $377 million
less than the Senate had wanted.
but almost 1892 million more
than the House initially ap-
proved.
At that, however, the gap be-
tween House and Senate totals
was much narrower than in
many past years when the Sem
ate greatly increased House
bills.
The House was harder than
the Senate, not only on budget
requests submitted last January
by former President Truman but
also on the revisions recon-
mended by President Eisenhower.
Truman Asked S66 Billion.
Truman estimates for the year
that began last July called for
appropriation of $66, 303 ,413, 638.
The House cut that by $13,335.-
534,413 and the Senate by $12,-
465. 472.647. The final outcome
was $12,842.811.750 less than
Mr.. Truman suggested.
Actually, as Mr.. Taber in
formed the House on adjourn
ment night, the cuts from the
Truman budget exceeded S14
billion, if the deficiency and sup
Elemental bills for the 1853
fiscal year were included in the
compilation.
Eisenhower requests for 1854
fiscal year appropriations to-
tailed 6,894, 634,836. That was
almost $40 billion under the
Truman budget. The House,
however, trimmed the Essen
hover total by $50 billion. The
Senate reduced the Eisenhower
total by So billion. Final enact
ments provided $3,434, 232, 948
less than Gen. Eisenhower had
urged.
Two Bills Increased.
In two major instances, how
ever, Congress voted more
money than the White House
asked. The House added SO mil
lion and the Senate $13 million
to the Agriculture Department
bill. The measure, as enacted,