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7346046
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Presidential statement upon the adjournment of Congress [Ford Speech or Statement]
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7346046
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contentType
document
title
Presidential statement upon the adjournment of Congress [Ford Speech or Statement]
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collections
White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
Press Releases
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7346046
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5
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1976-10-05
month
10
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1976
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0e92a1e6feaa1d26
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Digitized from Box 32 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 5, 1976
Office of the White House Press Secretary
(San Francisco, California)
THE WHITE HOUSE
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Few Congresses have been presented with such a clear challenge to deal
forthrightly with the Nation S problems than the Congress that has just
adjourned -- and few Congresses have fallen so short of meeting the
challenge.
Over the past two years I have placed before the Congress a wide variety
of programs addressed to the hopes and needs of the future. Rather than
make the necessary hard decisions, this Congress has more often respon-
ded with weak compromises and evasions.
I asked Congress to cut the rate of growth in Federal spending by 28
billion dollars, and to give that 28 billion dollars back to the taxpayers
in tax cuts.
The Congress refused to go beyond the temporary tax cuts that were made
in 1975. Instead, they added 17 billion dollars tA my recommendations
for spending, and every one of those dollars came Aut of the American
taxpayers' pocket.
If all of this Congressional spending had been for good purposes, we
might take a more charitable view of Congress' performance. But that
is not the case.
This Congress ignored major parts of my comprehensive energy policy.
They took no action on my proposals to reorganize and reform health,
education, child nutrition and social services programs-- apparently
preferring instead to continue the current jumble of programs that fail in
too many cases to help those who need and deserve our help.
They took no action on my recommendation for catastrophic health insurance
for older Americans, and took no action on my request for legialation that
would bring new jabs to areas of chronic unemployment.
They were unwilling to follow my lead in restoring the financial integrity
of the Social Security System. In the heat of an election year they prefer-
red to quietly duck the entire issue, rather than do what we all know is
right.
1 hope the adjournment of this Congress marks the end of an era -- an
era marked by a growing gap between Congress and the people. The
people understand the need for change. But this Congress has persisted in
the discredited ways of the past.
Last week Great Britain's Prime Minister Callaghan told his people,
"Britain for too long has lived on borrowed time, borrowed money, and
borrowed ideas. We will fail if we think we can buy our own way out of
our present difficulties by printing confetti money and by paying ourselves
more than we earn."
America does not have to repeat Britain's experience to learn from it.
As long as I am President, I will use every Constitutional power at my
command to avoid this situation in America.
I look forward to working next year with the 95th Congress. The Congress
elected next month will, I am convinced, come to Washington prepared to
carry out the will of the people.
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