Evening star., 1960-06-01
EXPENSES
Continued From First Page

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possible terms the limitations
that the rules put on members
IN claiming expenses. This
might be regarded as a warning,
although I don't like to use that
word. Nevertheless, we intend
to make a strong reminder to
members that they must be
exact and correct"
The chairman said this re-
minder probably will be first in
the form Of a letter to chair
men of all other House COM
mittees. He added that after
conferences with House leaders
he will convene the committee
again, probably next week, to
decide what further remind
ers" or actions might be ad-
visable.
Difficult to Enforce
at Is very difficult to tell
q member Of the House that he
is exceeding items in an ex-
pense voucher" he said. How
ever, we have done it in numer-
Gus instances in the past when
we discovered questionable
items. Some such items were
dropped and others were ex-
plained to our satisfaction. With
hundreds of expense claims
coming through to us constant
ly, a few incorrect or excessive
ones might skip through"
Mr.. BurleSon noted that
House regulations relating to
contingency fund expenses for
committees apply specifically to
travel, hotel bills, meals. neces-
sary telephone and telegraph
service, and reasonable taxi
rides and tips. They do not per-
NIT expenses for such things as
liquor and valet service, he said.
Must Be Certified
Mr.. Burlson explained that
expense claimes by committee
members on official trips are
presented on voucher forms
and must be certified by the
member or members as being
correct and just" The chair
man of the full committee also
must certify that the services
listed in the voucher were
performed as stated, that they
are in accordance with the or
ders therefore and that the
prices charged are just, reason
able and in accordance with
agreement"
Without passing Judgment on
any of the voucher claims men,
toned in the news stories to-
day, Mr.. BurleSon said it is con-
ceivable that an apparently ex-
cessive item for meals or hotel
accommodations might be
cleared up by the explanation
that one member paid the bill
for several others. He said that
recorders examining the bulky
voucher books might have over
looked letters of explanation
that often accompany voucher
claims.
Asked whether his committee
might investigate expenses of
investigating committees, Mr..
BurleSon indicated that the Job
would be too extensive for his
group, and that in event of i'm
proper or illegal claims a more
effective examination probably
could be made by the General
Accounting Office.
The charges of irregularities
were contained in copyrighted
dispatch by Reporters Don
Oberdorfer and Walter Pincus
of the Knight newspapers. They
said House records show that
congressman spent tax dollars
on trips to resort areas, on night
clubbing and tipping aboard
luxury liners"
The receipts supporting the
expense-account claims them
were altered in some instances,
the story said, to show differ
ent purposes for the expend-
itures.
1t said exp ,se accounts of
only few members of the
House are involved in the un-
usual expense bills. In those
checked while the records were
still public, alterations or
amendments appeared on hotel
bills of more than 20 present
or former congressman"
Records Locked
The story said the records
in the House Disbursing Office
"had long been public docu-
ments open to public inspec-
ton" But it added:
House officials threw Sc
crecy cloak around the (rec-
ords) after learning OF press
interest a few days ago. The
door to the fund record room
was locked and all access to
the public sealed off,"
The story said the practices
"are concentrated in the ex-
penSe accounts of House inves-
tigating committees-the very
groups which have been scru-
tinizing everybody else. But