Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-15
House Action
Due This Week
On 7 Bridges
Compromise on D. c.
Payment to Jobless
Scheduled to Pass
By Harold B. Rogers

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Legislation authorizing two
bridges over the Potomac River
is expected to come up for action
In the House sometime this week
as Congress rushes towards adj
journment.
The measure is one Of the few
remaining Washington area bills
likely to be enacted during the
closing days Of this 83d Congress.
1t calls for two crossings. one at
Jones Point, Alexandria, and o
second to serve the central area
of Washington from Virginia
into Twenty-fourth street NV.
The bill came out of the House
providing for one bridge at Jones
Point. But it was held up in the
Senate until an agreement
among warning factions over the
location of another site was
reached.
The Senate recently passed
and sent the bill for two bridges
to the House. II the House takes
the Senate amendment, the
measure would 60 to the White
House.
Jobless Pay Issue to House.
The House also probably win
be called upon soon to approve
compromise bill to modernize
the Districts unemployment
compensation law.
Worked out by House-Senate
conferees to iron out differences
between House and Senate
versions, the bill would raise the
maximum jobless pay here from
its present $40 q week for 40
weeks to $50 a week for 26 weeks.
The measure would limit total
payments to one-third Of the
past years earnings.
A conference report on this
measure will be acted on first by
the House and later by the SEN
ate. Enactment is fully expected
by its proponents.
One important bill to set up
two different commissions re-
lating to Metropolitan area mass
transportation was reported last
night to be in a somewhat ques-
tionable status.
Transportation Dispute.
Considerable opposition was
known to have arisen to the legis-
lation which now is in the form
Of q conference report to COM
pose the differences between
House and Senate measures.
The bill would set up q Presi-
dentially appointed commission
to make q comprehensive study
OF area transportation problems,
including highways, bridges and
vehicular service to the public.
The second commission would
regulate and control mass trans
portation in the District and be-
tween the District and nearby
Maryland. But this second COM
mission would not regulate mass
transportation b e we n the
National Capital and Virginia,
nor in nearby Virginia.
The Senate is scheduled to act
first on this conference report.
But there was no indication last
night as to when it might come
up.
A new Office building for the
Atomic Energy Commission, now
housed in four structures here,
would be built about 30 miles
from Washington under a pro-
posal now on its way through
Congress.
Already approved by the
House Public Works Committee,
the project is to be acted on
next by the Senate Public Works
Committee without the necessity
Of passage by either House or
Senate.
Under Lease Purchase Law.
The project is the first big
building proposal under the re-
Gently enacted lease purchase
law. Under procedure of this act,
the General Services Admins
tration could proceed to adver-
tise for bids and let a contract
for construction as soon as it is
approved by the House and SEN
ate Public Works Committees
and the Bureau of the Budget.
Approval by the Senate Com
mittee and the Budget Bureau
Is expected soon.
Another public building prof.
ect which is not expected to be
enacted this session is under
careful study by a Congressional
committee and high-level execu-
tives. This is the redevelopment
Of Southwest Washington.
The House Public Works Com
mittee is expecting a letter
sometime this week from the
Office of Defense Mobilization
on legislation authorizing the
so-called zeckendorf plan for
the development Of the South
west.
Discussed at Cabinet Meeting.
Because this plan includes
new Federal buildings to house
agencies now in temporary struc-
lures, the issue was discussed
yesterday at President Eisen-
hower's cabinet meeting at Thur
mont, Md.
Reaction Of the cabinet was
reported as mot unfavorable'
toward the pending legislation.
Under the Government policy
for dispersal of Federal build
ings housing persons engaged in
essential functions. however. it
was indicated that any Federal
construction in Southwest Wash
tngton should house only mon