Evening star., 1955-02-13
Congress Pay Raise
Opponents Seek 70
Restrict Increase
By Robert K. Welsh

The House Judiciary Commit
tee planned to file a detailed
report before the House on
Wednesday takes up the meas
ure increasing salaries not only
for Senators and Representa-
tives and the Vice President and
Speaker but also for Supreme
Court Justices, other Federal
court judges, the Deputy At
torney General, Solicitor Cen
eral, Assistant Attorneys Gen
eral, United States Attorneys
and Assistant United States
Attorneys.
The measure approved by the
committee last week differs in
two major respects from a bill
previously backed by the Senate
judiciary Committee. The SEN
ate bill. marking time until the
House acts, would lift overall
compensation of members of
Congress by $500.
Tax Deduction Unchanged,
Members Of Congress who now
get $15.000-$12,500 basic COM
pensation and a $4,000 expense
allowance-would get $22,500
plus the $2,500 allowance, in the
House bill. The Senate bill would
make it 22,500, with no allow
ance.
Salaries Of the Vice President
and Speaker would be increased
from the present $4,000 to $685.
0G0. as well as the $4,000 ex-
pense allowance they now re-
ceive. There would be no change
In the $4,000 income tax deduc-
ton to which House members
currently are entitled for living
expenses in Washington.
Legislative leaders predict en-
actment of a congressional and
judicial pay raise bill in this non
election year.
Plan to RecOmmit Seen.
The House bill is expected to
reach the floor under a rule re-
amendments. Several
indicate that if they
cannot defeat the bill they will
try to recommit it with instruc-
tions to lower the amount of the
increase. Speaker Rayburn re-
portedly frowns on the idea of
higher pay for himself and the
Vice President.
Representatives Gentry, Demo-
crat of Texas, and Heating, Re-
publican of New York, have
spoken out against any raise for
members of Congress. Repre-
sentative Burdick, Republican of
North Dakota. who has been con-
sistently cool to the proposal,
limited last week he might 60
along with a boost of about
1000.
Calls For Balanced Budget.
Mr.. Keating, one of the five or
six Judiciary Committee mem
oers who voted against reporting
put the bill. explained he would
support a congressional pay ad-
justment only if the Federal bud
get were brought into balance
and governmental employees in
general received a pay raise.
President Eisenhower has
urged the legislators to pay
themselves more. But his State
If the Union message last month
suggested no specific amount.
The House bills provisions for
salaries of the judiciary, JUS
ice Department officials and
United States Attorneys are not
expected to encounter much
They nevertheless will
,ffer some members an oppor-
unity to discuss. perhaps with
;austic remarks, the record and
administration of the courts and /
If the Justice Department.
The House bill would increase
hose salaries as follows: Chief
Justice. from $25,0O0 to $4,000:
Associate Justices $4,000 to
;35 900; judges of the Court of
Appeals, Court of Customs and
Patent Appeals, Court of Claims,
md Court of Military Appeals,
'l7,500 to $4,000; judges of Dis
rict Courts, Customs Court and
Tax Court, $4,000 to $22, 500. ;
The salary of Chief Judge Bo-
itha j. Laws of the u. S. Court
or the District of Columbia
would be $4,000 instead of the
resent $15,500.
The salary ceiling for United
'ttaes Attorneys would be 500
90 instead of $4,000. and for
heir assistants $4,000 instead
+ $4,000. The Deputy Attorney
Generals salary would be set
t $21 900 and that of the So
lcitor General at $20,500. Each
low receives $17.500. Assistant
attorneys General who now get
$4,000 would be paid $4,000 +
Salaries of Supreme Court
Justices and judges of the Dis
rict Courts and Courts of APP .
,eals have stayed at present
nvels since 1916.
The net cost of the proposed
alary increases for the judiciary
1ould be about So million addi- .
ional a year. the Senate COM /
nittee estimated. On the basis
f the $500 increase proposed
n the Senate bill for members of
congress the additional cost
would be approximately S28
House bill provisions for
congressional salaries would cost