Statement by the President Upon Signing Bill Relating to Payments to Certain Employees of the House of Representatives.

I HAVE signed H.J. Res. 446, relating to the continuance on the payrolls of certain employees in cases of death or resignation of Members of the House of Representatives, Delegates, and Resident Commissioners.

While I have no objection to the purposes for which I understand this joint resolution was enacted, there is one provision in the joint resolution which does not appear to be necessary to accomplish these purposes, and which I believe may give rise to serious difficulties in the future unless it is corrected by the Congress.

Section 2 of the joint resolution allows certain service in the employ of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau to be credited for retirement purposes under the civil service retirement law. I am informed that .the purpose of the Congress in enacting this section was to allow credit for past service rendered by certain individuals formerly in the employ of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau.

I assume that the Congress gave due consideration to the circumstances involved in the cases of these particular individuals and found the facts to justify extending these benefits to them. However, the section as drafted may be construed to permit any person who is now or hereafter covered by the Civil Service Retirement Act to get credit under that act for any service heretofore or hereafter rendered in the employ of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau. The Pan American Sanitary Bureau is an international organization. There is no more reason for extending to its employees benefits of the civil service retirement laws of the United States, than there is in the case of other international organizations.

I do not believe that the Congress, by enacting this joint resolution, meant to start down the path of extending such benefits to the employees of all international organizations. Consequently, I hope that the Congress will act promptly at its next session to correct this defect in the present joint resolution.