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Office of the Chief of Staff Files
Hamilton Jordan's Confidential Files
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U.S. Congress. (1789 - )
Legislative liaison
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Congress/President
Folder Citation: Collection: Office of the Chief of Staff Files; Series:
Hamilton Jordan's Confidential Files; Folder: Congress/President;
Container 34a
To See Complete Finding Aid:
http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov/library/findingaids/Chief_of St
aff.pdf
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS SERVICE
WITHDRAWAL SHEET (PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES)
FORM OF
DOCUMENT
CORRESPONDENTS OR TITLE
DATE
RESTRICTION
memo
Walter Mondale to NJ
7/20/77
FILE LOCATION
Chief of Staff (Jordan 1 of Congress/President
Confidential File
RESTRICTION CODES
(A) Closed by Executive Order 12065 governing access to national security information.
(B) Closed by statute or by the agency which originated the document.
(C) Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in the donor's deed of gift.
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
GSA FORM 7122 (REV. 1-81)
DRAFT
ADMINISTRATIVELY CONFIDENTIAL
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
FROM:
FRANK MOORE
DAN TATE
BILL CABLE
SUBJECT:
CONGRESSIONAL RELATIONS
I. INTRODUCTION
You have asked us to respond to you regarding points
raised at the recent House Whips' meeting, and again during a
subsequent conversation you had with Mr. Brademas, as well as
the letter from Jim Mattox.
The Whips' meeting in question was held on the morning of
Thursday, February 9. It came in the immediate wake of the
defeat of our Consumer Agency bill. The meeting began with
the Speaker severely chastising the Democrats for not having
adequately supported either the bill, the Leadership, or you.
His remarks generated a heated outburst of rebuttals, most of
which were aimed at the Administration.
Although the meeting itself has precipitated much dis-
cussion and debate, it is important that we not view it as
a single event or as the expected consequence of losing the
Consumer bill. For it is true that the frustrations which
Electrostatic reproduction made for preservation
purposes."
DRAFT
- 2 -
produced the vehemence at that meeting have been simmering for
quite some time; it is equally true that no single meeting will
vent all those frustrations, and no simple way can be found
to overcome them.
We must remember, as well, that not all of the factors
which have produced the current level of disharmony originated
in the Administration. In fact, many of the tensions have a
Congressional ancestry rather than a Presidential one. The
growing institutional independence of Congress, the "demo-
cratization" of the House and the reduced power of committee
chairmen, the evaporation of party loyalty, and the growing
political independence of individual Members have all con-
tributed to the current situation. Many seeds of difficulty
were sown long before your campaign for President was
announced, let alone the advent of your Administration itself.
Nevertheless, we do have some very serious problems
facing us; some of those problems are inherited from previous
administrations, but others are of our own making. All of
them must be addressed, however, and immediate consideration
is warranted.
WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS?
Brademas has grouped Congressional complaints into three (3)
categories:
1. Logistical Failures. This category includes the
obvious but persistent irritants such as unreturned
DRAFT
- 3 -
phone calls, lack of notification on grants, and
appointments, etc., lack of notification of visits
to Members' districts by high-level Administration
officials, and so forth.
2. Political Failures. Many Members believe that
this Administration has failed to use discretionary
powers of the Executive Branch to benefit our
Democratic allies in Congress. Again, grants and
appointments are the items most frequently mentioned.
3. Esprit. Too many, perhaps a majority of Democrats,
in Congress do not feel they share common goals with
you or the Administration generally. They lack a
feeling of camraderie and common purpose. Some
apparently have gone SO far as to suggest that we are
aloof and arrogant, but most just do not feel as
close to us, and you personally, as they would like.
In meetings and discussions that we have had with Members
and Hill staff in the past week to ten days, the serious
nature of the problem has been brought home time and again.
For example, we have been told that the Administration
is viewed merely as another "interest group", not unlike
organized labor, business or environmentalists. We have been
told that one consequence of "Cabinet government" is that the
DRAFT
- 4 -
Administration's program lacks coherence, that too often de-
partments pursue their own interests even if those interests
conflict with stated Administration goals. We have been
told that the White House Congressional Liaison staff is
"unable to deliver," that it "lacks clout."
One of the most frequently heard criticisms is that
there seems to be no distinction between good performance and
bad performance, either by people within the Administration
or on the Hill. Good performance by an Administration
official goes unnoticed, but so does poor performance. On the
Hill, we hear it said that Members who support us consistently
are not rewarded and, to make matters worse, there are no
sanctions against those who regularly oppose us.
Regardless of the relative accuracy or the fairness of
these complaints, it is the perception with which we must deal
and the perception on the Hill is not good. In fact, our
friends in Congress consider the situation to be very serious;
they are saying that we are at a critical point in the life
of this Administration.
SOLUTIONS ALREADY UNDERWAY
We are already working on ways to improve our relations
with Congress:
1. We have scheduled informal meetings at Blair
House with small groups of House Members and senior
DRAFT
- 5 -
White House staff to give them a chance to get to
know each other socially.
2. We are continuing the series of individual meetings
could
with Members which you began in January. The purpose
of the meetings is to have a brief exchange on
5 fine at
legislative priorities as well as to enlist their
support for our program.
3. The process of "prioritizing" our legislative
agenda is an ongoing one and is designed to (a) give
Agree Get
clear signals to the Hill as to what is most important
and, (b) inform the Leadership of our views on the
c
preferred timing of priority issues. This should be
updated soon.
4. The Congressional Liaison office is coordinating
an ambitious program to assist Democratic incumbents
in securing top-level officials to appear in their
states and districts to help with re-election efforts.
This effort is beginning to work.
5. We are constantly trying to find better ways to
coordinate with the Domestic Policy staff, OMB, and
NSC to ensure that "our own house is in order" and
to see to it that confusion is minimized. We have
done a good job of making sure that "mixed signals"
do not emanate from the White House.
DRAFT
1 6 -
ADDITIONAL STEPS TO BE TAKEN
While we have already moved on several fronts to improve
the situation, additional steps are recommended:
1. We need to create several new staff positions in
the Congressional Liaison office as follows:
Notifications Unit. We need three (3) people
to track, monitor, and process a portion of the dis-
cretionary grants available to the Administration.
Cabinet
So long as this process remains solely within the
departments, we are prevented from gaining any political
first
capital whatsoever. A "notifications unit" would permit
the White House to use such grants, and their announce-
ment, in a timely and productive way. This could
possibly be done from outside the White House staff.
Personnel. We need one (1) additional person
whose sole function it would be to handle Congressional
recommendations for Executive Branch appointments. It
would be this person's responsibility to work with the
Goordination? Good now. is
White House Personnel Office on processing recommenda-
tions, to expedite Congressional clearances, to do
Congressional notifications and to track our nominations
in the Senate. The appointments and nomination situation
is so important to Congressional relations generally
that it merits at least one person who has that as his/
DRAFT
- 7 -
her only responsibility, and that person should be
assigned to Congressional Liaison.
Legislative Coordination. We need two
additional persons, to help review legislation
currently moving through the process, to help assign
priorities, to coordinate timing, to establish and
monitor the legislative teams, and to "trouble-shoot"
wherever necessary. There is simply too much
See
me
legislation involved to have this important function
staffing, re your
handled by the current staff of two. This does not
overlap with Stu's function.
House and Senate Liaison. To do our job
effectively, we need two additional persons to work
after
the House side (plus a "back-up" person for each) and
trip
one more on the Senate side (plus a "back-up" person).
While it is true that our "Hill staff" is now
the same size as that which existed under the previous
Administration, our staff functions in an entirely
different situation and atmosphere.
For one thing, the Nixon/Ford CL staff was not
pushing an ambitious legislative program. Secondly,
the majority in the Congress (which is now 2 to 1),
expects special treatment when its party controls the
White House. Under Ford, the CL staff had to please
only 145 Republicans. We have to cater to 288 Democrats.
DRAFT
- 8 -
Finally, our job is to garner majority votes to secure
passage of our legislation, whereas the previous CL
staff merely had to get one-third plus one to block
veto overrides.
With our liaison staff taking the lead on most of
the top legislative priorities, there is simply more to
do than our current "Hill staff" can adequately handle.
ALLOCATION OF YOUR TIME
Tim Kraft and the entire scheduling staff have done a
superb job in meeting our scheduling needs up to this point;
they have been particularly willing to maintain the flexi-
bility necessary for appointments that are generated on short
notice or in "crisis" situations. It should be noted, as
well, that you spend more time meeting with Members of Congress
than did previous Presidents.
In
Not only do we need to continue "substance meetings," we
also need to block out time each week for photo opportunities
willing
for Members and their constituents; we need to increase the
number of bill-signing ceremonies in order to include
seemingly minor bills that take on great importance to individual
Members. These suggested uses of your time may seem frivolous
at first glance, but they represent one excellent way of saying
"thanks" to our supporters.
DRAFT
- 9 -
COORDINATION OF DEPARTMENT CONGRESSIONAL LIAISON OFFICERS
We intend to substantially alter the relationship that we
have with agency CL officers. Instead of using our weekly
Friday meetings to receive oral reports from each of them, we
will start holding meetings with smaller groups, making
may
assignments of specific Members on individual pieces of
assign
to
these
legislation, and then following up with a review of their
you
performance. We hope that this will make some progress in
alleviating one of the major problems we have -- that is there
is little accountability for any actions taken by that level
of the Administration. There is no reward or recognition
for people who do well and there is no accountability for
mistakes, inept performance or for those individuals who go out
and pursue a strategy that is directly contrary to a stated
Administration position. This must be stopped and we intend
to do so.
You asked me to comment on the Jim Mattox letter. As you
know, Jim McIntyre has begun a study of this subject. I would
like to meet with his people this week and review progress of
this study before I comment.
DISCUSSION WITH CABINET
I
At the appropriate time, we think it is important that
you perhaps call a special session of the Cabinet to discuss
agree
DRAFT
- 10 -
the ways in which we can increase coordination and cooperation
to ensure that the Administration as a whole pursues and
achieves its goals. We believe that if this is done properly,
the concept of Cabinet government can remain intact, but at
the same time we can ensure adherence to overall Administration
goals.
Mr. President, we know that these proposals are
extensive. However, they have been discussed at considerable
length within our staff, and we are in complete agreement that
these changes are essential for us to be able to perform our
function, to serve you as best we can.
THURMOND - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
-
THURMOND - EPA
Morris College Gets $435,000 Grant
Morris
College
has: grand total of $650,000.
'grateful and pleased at
received a $435,000 grant
Dr Coolidge M. Johnson,
receiving these funds.
Thurmond
from
the
Economic
pastor of the Majority Baptist
Hopefully, we will proceed
Development
Ad
Church, Spartanburg, South
with construction in late
Announces
ministration. The money will
Carolina, was the guest
January. The Morris College
be used as matching funds for:
speaker for the affair.
Family is indeed proud of this
New
a 1.2 million dollar loan Ifors Senator Strom Thurmond
Grant
milestone in the institution's
the construction of a new was a special guest at the
continued development."
library and fine arts center
day's activities. He praised
The Baptist Educational
Senator Strom Thur-
the College highly for, the
and Missionary. Convention
Announcement of the funds
fine work it is doing and
mond, announc-
are the owners and operators
was made on Thanksgiving
pledged his continued
of the institution. Other ac-
ed yesterday that a
Day at the Annual Baptist
cooperation in helping the
tivities on Thanksgiving Day
federal grant of $17,205
Family Thanksgiving Rally
institution acquire funds such
included an alumni reception,
will be awarded to the
Program. Baptists from all
as the EDA grant.
a special sunrise service, and
Chesterfield County
over the State of South
the annual homecoming
Board of Commissioners
Carolina were present and
According to Morris
parade. Over 5,000 persons
for wastewater treatment
raised an additional $215,000
College President, Dr. Luns
were present for these ac-
works construction.
for the Sumter Institution,
C. Richardson, "we are very
tivities.
Thurmond said the
funds were awarded by
the U.S. Environmental
THURMOND - HUD
Protection Agency. The
grant will be used to in-
Sen. Thurmond
THURMOND - EPA
ease performance of a
wer system evaluation
Lilure
survey for the Town of
Announces
Chesterfield.
6/23/77
Holle
Grant
Edgefuld
Hill
Grant Announced
THURMOND - DOD
10 news
WASHINGTON, D.C.-The Town of
Senator Strom Thurmond
Elloree, S.C., will receive a grant or
(R-S.C.) announced Mon-
$225,000 from the Environmental Protec-
Review Team
day, a Federal grant of
tion Agency for waste water treatment
$58,155.00 to Edgefield Co-
unty, South Carolina, for
construction, according to Sen. Strom
Will Visit
Thurmond R-S
Community Development.
Charleston
Thurmond said the funds
Thurmond said Tuesday the EPA grant
were awarded by the U.-S.
Washington Bureau
Department of Housing and
stabilization pond and spray irrigation.
would be used to upgrade the existing
Urban Div. The funds will
Elloree Mayor Ralph T. Crim said details
WASHINGTON - A feder-
al review team will be in
be used for completion of
regarding the project would be announced
at a later date.
Charleston, S.C., soon doing
water treatment facilities
preliminary studies on the en-
and distribution system.
vironmental consequences of
possibly building an East
Coast Trident base at
THURMOND - EPA
Charleston.
That information has been
relayed to Sen. Strom Thur-
mond's office, but Thurmond,
R-S.C., stresses that the envi-
Grants announced
ronmental study does not
mean a Trident base is com-
Sen. Strom Thurmond announced today federal grants of
ing to Charleston.
$138,342 to the Western Carolina Regional Sewer Authority for
Thurmond still believes the
1.
wastewater treatment works construction.
?avy has taken actions which
Thurmond said the funds were awarded by the Environmen-
indicate that King's Bay, Ga.,
tal Protection Agency.
is the Navy's preferred loca-
The funds will be used for designs to upgrade and expand
tion for a Trident base, if one
existing Taylors lagoon facility, $39,600; design of interceptor
is built on the Atlantic sea-
sewer for Rock Creek, $24,000; and design for treatment plants
board.
and interceptor sewer for Parker lakeside area, $74,742.
THURMOND - HUD
>
Norway water 4
Grant Approved 8/2/T
By JOYCE W. MILKIE
Of The Times and Democrat
THURMOND - HUD
NORWAY, S.C. The Town of
Norway will receive federal
Christopher Towers
funds to assist in much-needed
Gets Solar Grant
water systems improvement,
according to the office of Sen.
WASHINGTON (UPI) - A
Strom Thurmond, R.-S.C.
$189.325 grant was awarded
Thurmond announced Monday
Thursday by the Department of
morning that a federal grant of
Housing and Urban Develop-
$92,500 has been approved for
ment for a solar energy heating
Norway for community
project in a Columbia, S.C.,
development.
complex for senior citizens.
The funds, awarded by the U.S.
The money will go to Christ-
Department of Health and Urban
opher Towers. The purpose of
Development. will be used for a
the project. announced through
water system improvement
the office of Sen. Strom
Thurmond. R-S.C. is to reduce
project.
energy costs through the use of
Norway Mayor Jimmy
a solar heating system.
Williams said Monday that this is
"the best thing that ever has
happened here in 20 years, at
MAYOR JIMMY WILLIAMS
least financially."
Williams said another $6,500 of
Williams said $76,000 of the
the grant will be used for a
grant will be used for a badly
comprehensive planning
needed expansion of the water
program which involves several
THURMOND EPA
system.
studies the town is required to
"This will be out of the cor-
make in order to remain eligible
Sewer Grant
porate limits of the town,"
for further federal grants.
Williams said, "where an area
has been developed with about
"This will include housing
Is $297,804
100 families and they need water
assistance planning and a
badly.
general comprehensive com-
Senator Strom Thurmond
munity plan which we would
(R-SC) has announced federal
"It is so crowded there, with no
have had to do anyway. With the
grants totaling $297,804 to
water supply, building permits
Pickens County Water and
government grant, we are able to
are being refused DI til water can
Sewer Authority, Easley, for
do it now at no cost to our tax-
wastewater treatment works
be supplied to the area.
payers," Williams said.
construction.
Thurmond said the funds
"This expansion of the existing
"The remaining $10,000 will go
were awarded by the U.S.
system will tremendously benefit
for administration of the other
Environmental Protection
the people living in that section,"
two programs."
Agency. The funds will be
the mayor said, "but it will also
The mayor said there has been
used as an increase for per-
be a tremendous boost for the
some criticism that the town is
formance of a sewer system
Town of Norway."
not providing sufficient
evaluation survey for the
1
Williams said Norway has a
recreational facilities, but he
following towns: Easley,
completely adequate supply of
said for the past three years,
$144,096; Liberty. $77,769:
water for the town and also good
they have asked for funding for
Central $44,531; and Clemson
pumping facilities, which supply
such a program and each year,
$30,408 ichens 8/17/77
:
the 225 customers in Norway.
he said, it has been turned down.
THURMOND - DOD
4/4/78 STATE
Army Won't Make
Drastic Cutbacks
At Fort - Thurmond
By LEE BANDY
will de cutbacks across the board at all
Washington Bureau
training installations.
THURMOND - FmHA
Last month, Sen. Ernest F. Hollings.
WASHINGTON - The Army has de-
D-S.C., protested Army plans to make
cided against making any drastic per-
what he called a "disproportionate" cut
sonnel cutbacks at Fort Jackson. accord-
at Fort Jackson. He termed it "un-
Gifford Guardia 5/11/77
ing to Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C.
justified" to propose such a large reduc-
After talking with "responsible of-
tion "at the most efficient base.
Instead of suggesting a 24 percent
Water $'s
ficials" at the Pentagon, he said he had
been advised that the deep personnel cuts
cutback at Fort Jackson, as originally
originally planned would not be made.
planned. it now appears the Army will
recommend a reduction of between four
The Army did not mention the size of
Okayed
the reduction. However. the senator's
and six percent.
The realignment is being caused by
Senator Strom Thurmond
fears of a huge cutback were allayed.
fewer personnel to train and the new one-
announced Monday, May 9. a
Earlier projections ranged anywhere
station training concept approved by Con-
federal loan of $53,200. and a
from 3,200 and up. There was talk of
gress.
federal grant of $70,600, to
relocating five companies at Ft. Benning.
Thurmond. a ranking Republican on
Town of Gifford. Thurmond
Sa., the current site for one-station unit
the Senate Armed Services Committee,
said the funds were awarded
training testing.
said he was "highly pleased" to get this
by Farmers Home
The Army stresses, however, there
preliminary report from the Army.
Administration.
The funds will be used to
drill a deep well and provide
a water system to serve 10-1
THURMOND - HUD
users. The community also
plans to provide a storage
Esun
anthara
(Cont. on Page 3)
Gifford Water
$500,000 Sewer 1/28/71
(Continued From Page 1)
tank, pump, treatment equip-
this Fm.H.A. grant had been
ment and pump house as well
assured to the town for
Extension Aid
as distribution lines to serve
waterworks. He asked county
residents west of the town.
assistance to obtain sup-
plementary funding to extend
In a special appearance
before Hampton County
the system to 21 outlying
A $500,000, grant for a project designed to extend
houses and buildings outside
Town of Estill sewer system to serve an additional
Council May 2, Gifford Mayor
town limits). Council took the
James Risher advised council
300 low-income residents has been approved by the
request under advisement.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD). This Community Betterment Block grant will
make possible town sewer services in three low-in-
come housing areas, including a section of Morrison
Avenue, according to Mayor Ralph Winn.
Confirmation of the HUD grant came to the
newspaper last Thursday from both the offices of First
District Congressman Mendel Davis and U.S. Senator
Strom Thurmond
MAYOR WINN PLEASED
Mayor Winn told The Guardian, "This is a good
thing for the Town of Estill, because expanding our
sewer system will help to correct some existing condi-