COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION B. EVERETT JORDAN, North Carolina, Chairman HOWARD W. CANNON, Nevada WINSTON L, PROUTY, Vermont GORDON F. HARRISON, Staff Director AD HOC SUBCOMMITTEE TO CONSIDER THE APPOINTMENT OF FEMALE PAGES HOWARD W. CANNON, Nevada, Chairman JAMES B. ALLEN, Alabama WINSTON L. PROUTY, Verm JAMES H. DUFFY, Counsel (II) CONTENTS Opening statement of Hon. Howard W. Cannon, chairman of the Ad Hoc Subcommittee To Consider the Appointment of Female Pages---- Hon. Jacob K. Javits, a U.S. Senator from the State of New York____ Hon. Charles H. Percy, a U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois_- Robert G. Dunphy, Senate Sergeant at Arms; accompanied by James M. Powell, chief, Capitol Police; and John C. Hoffman, principal, Capitol Page School, Washington, D.C‒‒‒‒‒‒ Written statement of Hon. Fred R. Harris, a U.S. Senator from the State Exhibit 1.-Historical information on the page system, from the records of the Senate financial clerk. Exhibit 2.-Requirements for Senate pages, prepared by the Senate Exhibit 3.-Excerpts from the Standing Orders of the Senate.. Exhibit 4.-Excerpts from title 2 of the United States Code. Exhibit 5.-Excerpts from the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970_. Exhibit 6.-Pages of the United States Congress and Supreme Court, pre- pared by the Legislative Reference Service, Library of Congress---- APPOINTMENT OF FEMALE SENATE PAGES THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1971 U.S. SENATE, AD HOC SUBCOMMITTEE TO CONSIDER THE APPOINTMENT OF FEMALE PAGES, ・Washington, D.O. The committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:10 a.m., in room 301, Old Senate Office Building, Senator Howard W. Cannon, chairman of the ad hoc subcommittee, presiding. Present: Senators Cannon (presiding), Allen, and Prouty. Also present: Gordon F. Harrison, staff director; James H. Duffy, counsel to the ad hoc subcommittee; Hugh Q. Alexander, chief counsel; Burkett Van Kirk, minority counsel; John P. Coder, professional staff member; and Thomas P. McGurn, professional staff member. Senator CANNON. The hearing will come to order. On February 4, 1971, the Committee on Rules and Administration created an ad hoc subcommittee for the purpose of considering requests for permission to appoint female pages in the Senate. Senators Allen, Prouty and I were named to the subcommittee, and today we are holding a public hearing to obtain testimony bearing upon all aspects of the Capitol page system. Pages have served the Congress almost from its inception in 1789, although the first Senate page was appointed about 1829. We are aware of a quickened interest in the Capitol page system and, in particular, as concerns the appointment of female pages in the Senate. Before putting any questions to you, I believe it should be said, in behalf of this subcommittee, that questions have been raised relative to the existing operation of the entire program. For example, how much have we as Senators known about pages except that they are appointed and we see them in the performance of their duties? How many of us know that a page must be between the ages of 14 and 17? How much do we know about their housing accommodations-how they find these accommodations-where they find them-and what kind of housing they take? What do pages do with their time when they are not attending classes or working in the Capitol? Since they are all minors and most of them are a long way from home, are we to assume that they receive little or no day-to-day parental supervision? These questions apply to the page program as it presently exists. Now, however, the Senate is asked to approve the appointment of girl pages. In my opinion, this new request intensifies the responsibility of the U.S. Senate to examine its role with respect to these children. This subcommittee has an obligation to the Senate to consider not only the problems affecting pages directly, but also those which impos an indirect but very real danger, such as crime. Washington, D.C., is only one of many cities where the rate of crime is high. The police are working very hard to reduce the incidence and to discover the basic causes. However, since the crime rate is high, it is incumbent upon the Senate to give careful attention to every phase of a page system which, under present conditions, exposes teenagers to risks not encountered in other areas of the country. The subcommittee hopes that witnesses will direct themselves, in tention upon crime, especially as it has affected Capitol Hill. We hope to point out the very real need for an overhaul of the Capitol page system. The subcommittee hopes that witnesses will direct themselves, in good spirit, toward the discovery and examination of all germane information pertaining to the employment, duties, and life style of Senate pages. At this point, I introduce for incorporation into the appendix of the record of the hearing the laws and standing orders of the Senate governing pages, and other material on the Capitol page system prepared by the Senate Library and the Library of Congress. (The material referred to may be found in the appendix of the hearing, p. 39.) Senator CANNON. Senator Allen, do you have comments at this time? Senator ALLEN. No, except that as I understand it, Mr. Chairman. it is your thought that the subcommittee will consider not only the matter of employing girl pages, but also the overall page system. and vou feel that that is within the scope of the work of the com mittee? Senator CANNON. That is correct. And that will include such matters as pay, and the age-for example, the Senate has a different age limit than the House has. And there are three groups of pages emploved, in the House, the Senate, and the Supreme Court. We will go into the entire system. Senator ALLEN. As I understand it, Senator Javits is interested primarily in the matter of the employment of girl pages. Is that not correct? STATEMENT OF HON. JACOB K. JAVITS, A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK Senator JAVITS. My answer to that is. "Yes." But I would not add the word "primarily." Senator. I am interested in the whole page system. Senator ALLEN. I understand. |