During its lifetime, the HIPPARCOS satellite observed approximately
180 RR Lyraes. From these observations an homogenous set of proper
motions and V magnitudes will shortly be published. In particular, the
unprecedented accuracy of proper motions, 
milliarcsecs/yr, makes it
worthwhile to repeat the Statistical Parallax analysis of Hawley et al.
(1986) and Strugnell et al. (1986) in order to re-determine the RR Lyrae
absolute magnitude-metallicity relation.
The Statistical Parallax method requires, in addition to proper motions and V magnitudes, radial velocities and abundances. Examination of the list of RR Lyraes observed by HIPPARCOS showed that many have either no published radial velocities and abundances or else they were of relatively low quality. Consequently during the last two years we have made spectroscopic observations of these RR Lyraes at McDonald Observatory in Texas and in this paper we present the resulting radial velocities and iron abundances. Further observations were made at the Calar Alto Observatory, Spain, and the Sutherland Observatory, S. Africa, and these results will be presented in a subsequent paper (Solano et al. 1997).