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PHW THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON INFORMATION September 11, 1973 MEMORANDUM FOR: THE PRESIDENT FROM: ROY L ASH SUBJECT: Congress and the Budget Battle As you requested, I have taken a number of actions to build on your forceful statements with regard to holding the line on Federal spending. With respect to keeping the 1974 budget under control, I plan to deliver a major statement next week and am working with the Press Office to arrange additional personal appearances. Mel Laird, Bill Timmons, and I also plan to meet to discuss our posture on individual threats now pending in the Congress. We are also initiating a broad effort to minimize potential opposition to our upcoming 1975 budget proposals. The objective here is to condition Hill leaders to the general budget outlook for next year, provide them an opportunity to advise on their views of budgetary priorities, and to "gain the benefit of their insights" as we begin formulating 1975 budget recommendations. This is to be accomplished through a series of informal meetings over the next two months with the Chairman and ranking Republican of the various substantive committees in both the House and the Senate. Either Fred Malek or I, , plus the Associate Director relevant to the committee involved, will conduct each meeting. We plan to give them a strong caution on the need to keep spending down in 1975 and then to solicit their views on priorities in their particular areas. We will avoid making any commitments or foreclosing subsequent Administration programs. While the meetings may help key Hill figures to feel they have had