Congress Cuts Down on Some Benefits

Reacting to public anger over perquisites for federal officeholders, Senate and House leaders announced Friday that members of Congress will pay higher fees for health clubs and medical services and may no longer buy low-cost luxury items at special stores at the Capitol.

The Senate also sharply reduced the hours of operation for the senators’ dining room, while the House reaffirmed that congressmen no longer will be able to get parking tickets fixed by the sergeant-at-arms.

The changes will not affect other benefits, such as reserved free parking at the Capitol and nearby airports, free postage and free flowers or plants for congressional offices.

Public resentment has centered on Capitol Hill perquisites since disclosures that hundreds of House members wrote unlimited overdrafts without penalty at the now-defunct House bank. The overdrafts in effect constituted interest-free loans amounting to more than a month’s take-home pay.

Effective immediately, senators and members of the House will pay a $400 annual fee to use the fitness centers, which include swimming pools and weight rooms, on both sides of the Capitol. They had paid $100 a year.

Members of the Senate and House who continue to use the services of the Capitol physician will pay $520 a year, instead of receiving free medical care. The fee will be in addition to the charges now paid by members of Congress for private health insurance, the announcement said.

Both the Senate and House decided to eliminate the sale of fancy gift items, such as costly fountain pens and crystal, in their stationery supply stores. Instead, such items and souvenirs will be sold in a gift shop that will be open to the public.

The decision came after staff aides, anticipating such a move, stormed the Senate stationery store last week to buy expensive Mont Blanc pens, crystal candle sticks and leather wallets at 5% above the store’s wholesale cost.

“The House stationery supply store will stock and sell only those items directly related to members’ official duties and the operation of House or committee offices,” the announcement said. The Senate issued a similar rule for its store.

Another money-saving change would reduce the hours of the senators’ restaurant and another Senate restaurant for the public so they would be open only from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

No dining will be available during evening sessions of the Senate and lawmakers and their aides will have to buy carry-out meals from a basement snack bar on the many days when the Senate works far into the night.

Both the Senate and House leaders said they will insist that congressional travel overseas be “necessary, productive and fully justified,” while the Senate underscored that it had barred free travel by consultants, relatives of senators and members of the media. The House said it will issue further guidelines on foreign trips.