Lewis Warns of Outcry on New Floor at Capitol

Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Redlands) suggested Thursday that House members concerned about potential election-year downers have to look no farther than the floor beneath their feet.

Old carpet-covered floors in three congressional “members only” elevators have been replaced with elegant black-and-white marble. The cost: $6,000 apiece.

Lewis, whose district includes part of Palmdale, said the new floors could prompt an outcry over congressional profligacy during hard times. Lewis raised the issue at a meeting of the House Appropriations subcommittee that handles Congress’ own budget.

“Nobody knew about it,” Lewis said later in an interview. “It certainly raises the sirens’ song around here that suggests reform is appropriate.”

Such issues are particularly noticeable in light of the enormous federal deficit and disclosures last year that many lawmakers had written overdrafts at a House bank, which was subsequently closed, and had run up unpaid bills at the House dining room.

The new floors, paid for from an account controlled by House Speaker Tom Foley (D-Wash.), were installed during Congress’ winter recess, from which lawmakers returned this week.

Foley’s spokesman, Jeffrey R. Biggs, said the work is part of “an ongoing effort to renovate and refurbish the Capitol. In both the architect and the Speaker’s mind, this is the people’s Capitol, in which they should take a certain amount of pride. It’s not an office building.”

In addition, Biggs said, “marble floors are, among other things, easier to maintain for the thousands of people who come through the Capitol every day.” Biggs said the elevators are open to the public when lawmakers are not voting on legislation.

The Associated Press, however, reported that one floor developed a crack after its first day in service and another was looking dingy a week after it was installed. The AP also said that elevator operators don’t like the new floor because the marble is hard on their feet.

Lewis, who is the third-ranking Republican House leader, said he called attention to the elevator issue during a discussion about the intense public attention devoted to appropriations bills. He noted that the expensive new floors are the kind of expenditure that newer Republican members are inclined to spotlight.

“It’s just the kind of thing that brings heat to the legislative branch unnecessarily,” Lewis said.

The high-priced elevators, combined with other disclosures about controversial congressional perks, “could become a major controversy this session,” Lewis said.

Biggs disagreed. “I’m assuming it’s a one-day story,” he said.