Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-10-11
Pay Raise
Lobby Costs
Hit S182,467
BY Congressional Quarterly

Federal employe-lobby groups
reported spending total Of at
least $l82,467 to influence legis-
lation in the first half Of 1862,
a modest expenditure when you
figure they won a billion-dol-
|lar-a-year pay raise for their
members.
1t is a classic example of
successful lobbying. Scores of
Representatives of government
employe organizations went to
Capitol Hill to testify before
committees and buttonhole
Congressman.
Result: An estimated $504
million pay increase in fiscal
1868 and 81 ,049, 100000 in fiscal
1864 for persons covered by the
Classification Act, Postal Field
Service Act. Foreign Service
Act and Medicine and Surgery
Salary System Of the Veterans
Administrations other words
most Federal employees.
All this costs money. Agents
must be brought in from around
the country. Competent testi-
mony must be prepared, office
space maintained.
The United Federation of
Postal Clerks (AFL-CIO) re-
ported spending the largest
amount of any group reporting
under the Federal Regulation OF
Lobbying Act for the first half
of 1962-$84,006. The National
Postal Union reported $12.127:
the National Association Of Let
ter Carriers, $18,380; the Ma
tional Association Of Postal Su-
pervisors, $14,644; the Govern
ment Employees Council (AFL-
CIO), $15,461.
The $14,487 reported spent
in the first six months by the
Retirement Federation of Civil
Service Employees of the United
States Government also seems
to have been a prudent invest
ment. The provisions OF HR
1927, the postal rate-Federal
pay bill, included an authorize
ton of S per cent increase in
annuity benefits for persons
under the Civil Service retire
ment and disability fund. The
bill also authorized an auto
matte increase in benefits II
the cost Of living index rose 8
per cent in g. year.
To all these special efforts in
behalf Of the Federal pay in
crease bill must be added part
of the $40 03 reported spent in
the January-June, 1862, period
by the AFL-CIO. The pay bill,
of course, was only one Of the
issues pursued by lobbyists for
the AFL-CIO, which was the
third highest spender for the
period.
Second was the National
Committee for Insurance Tax
alton, which successfully lob
bied for a change in the tax
law permitting certain tax de-
auctions for mutual fire and
casualty companies. They re-
ported spending $81 .203 in the
effort during the first half Of
this year.
Other top spenders reporting
for the first six months:
The American Medical AS
ISOLATION, which had distinct
success in stopping medical
care for the aged under Social
Security. Top Spender last
year, the ANA reported SGT, 1886
for the first half of this year.
The United States Savings
and Loan League reported
$62 1872, which produced mixed
results. While they stopped
Withholding of taxes on inter-
est, they were unable to keep
out of the tax bill a provision
the amount of money
that mutual savings and build
ing and loan associations may
transfer to tax-free reserves to
cover had debts.
The American Farm Bureau
Federation was pleased with
the results of its lobbying.
which they reported cost $50
SGT. The Bureau was especially
pleased that the supply man
agement concept was not ap-
piled to feed grains. The Ma
tional Farmers Union was fair
ly encouraged with farm legis-
lation this year, for which it
spent $48,552. The Farmers
union said it was highly pleased
by the wheat plan in this years
farm bill which authorized a
long-term supply management
prog am for wheat in 1864 and
thereafter.
copyright, 1882