Evening star., 1954-05-23
House Nearing
End Of Hearings
On D. {. Budget
Floor Action Possible
/. Next Week; Speed
PIeoses Officials
BY Harold B. Rogers

By Harold 3. Rogers
House hearings on the Dis
trict's $l72.4 million budget for
next year are expected to be
finished this week and sent to
the floor for action probably
the following week.
Making good progress on testi-
mony from city department
heads since hearings opened last
Wednesday. Chairman Wilson Of
the House Appropriations SUBJ
committee hopes to conclude
executive meetings for such Of
flcials by this Wednesday.
Public sessions for civic Lead
ers are expected TO start Thurs
day and be concluded Friday
night. with the possibility Of at
least one night session.
Pleased By Speed.
Representative Wilson, Re-
publican. of Indiana, and the
District Commissioners have been
pleased with the speed with
which hearings have proceeded.
Tomorrow morning, officials of
the Health Department are ex-
pected to testify in closed session
on their estimates tOtaling $23.1
million. OF this amount $352, $50
was forwarded to the House as
supplemental estimates backed
by the Districts new long-range
public works revenue acts
financing.
The Wilson subcommittee may
devote tomorrow afternoon to
another field trip to investigate
some Of the city institutions.
The budget hearings are only
one highlight Of q busy program
Congress has scheduled this
week on various District bills
and issues.
Senate Acts Tomorrow.
The Senate will have before it
tomorrow for action on the floor
13 bills approved last week by
the Senate District Committee.
They include legislation to set
up a family court, tighten regu-
lation Of public utilities, increase
penalties for unlicensed practice
of the healing art, and give the
city heads power to regulate the
sale of shell eggs in retail
markets.
A bill to authorize incorpora-
tion of Washington National
Airport. requested by the Secre-
tary of Commerce. comes up for
q public hearing at 10 am. to-
morrow before the Senate Com
mittee on Interstate and Foreign
Commerce.
The controversial flair trade"
bill, opposed by the District
Commissioners. will be given a
public hearing at 10 a m. Tues
day by the Business and Com
merce subcommittee of the Sen
ate District Committee.
Opposition of the Commits
sioners was registered last week
when they replied to a request
for a statement from the SUBJ
committee headed by Senator
Pane. Republican, of Maine.
The city heads took the same
position as that laid before Con-
gress by q previous Board of
Commissioners when q similar
bill was pending. The measure
would permit manufacturers of
'name-brand" products to agree
with distributors to fix minimum
prices for sale of their merchan-
disc to the public. The Commits
sionerS objected to the measure
on the ground it would increase
prices and prohibit free compe-
tition.
House Unit Meets.
Five local bills will be consid-
cred by the House District Judi
ciary subcommittee at a public
hearing, 10 am. Tuesday.
They would: Strengthen the
law to require runaway ia
thers" to support their deserted
families; exempt from District
taxation property of the Vet
Grams Of Foreign Wars on First
street NE. facing Capitol Plaza,
where a new Washington head
quarters is to be constructed,
and authorize merger of Colum-
bus University with Catholic
University. Two separate bills
for the same purpose, to prohibit
picketing at the White House,
alS0 will he considered