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Fifth District Weekly Radio Reports, June-October 1973
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Fifth District Weekly Radio Reports, June-October 1973
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Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
Weekly Radio Reports
subjects
Soviet Union
Department of Defense. 9/18/1947-
Agriculture
Arms control
Commerce
Economic stabilization
Energy policy
Federal budget
Food
Health
Impoundment of funds
Inflation (Finance)
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Obscenity (Law)
Pension trusts
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Political reform
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The original documents are located in Box D36, folder "Fifth District Weekly Radio
Reports, June-October 1973" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and
Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box D37 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF JUNE 2-3, 1973.
This is your congre ssmem, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
About 30 million Americans now look to private pensions for economic security
in their older years. There are 34,000 private pension plans operating in the
United States, controlling assets of $140 billion--the largest amount of virtually
unregulated capital in the country.
But despite these impressive statistics,
private pensions have not
lived up to their promiser
In all too many cases, the pension promise shrinks to
this: If you remain in good health, and if you stay with the same company until
you are 65 years old, and if the company is still in business, and if your department
has not been abolished, and if you haven't been laid off for too long a period, and
if there is enough money in the fund, and if that money has been prudently managed,
then you will get a pension, which may or may not be adequate for your needs.
Pension reform will be one of my major legislative efforts during the 93rd
Congress.
Visting to protect ones persion, portability ensurance
vitally important
the Congre SS works on pension plans,
a Labor Department regulation which
requires the disclosure of full information on what existing pension plans do is
scheduled to go into effect on July 31. The administrators of the pension plans must
make this information available by the July date. Every worker can get this information
in notices which are
supposed to be posted on company bulletin boards and in
company newsletters. In addition, the individual worker can receive this information
on reque st.
The "description form" that must be made available is supposed to tell each
employee in simple language what he has to do to be eligible for pension benefits.
It is also supposed to tell him the amount of money being put into the fund by employee
and
ALD
employer, how benefits and contributions are computed, how long an employee must
-2-
work for basic and full rights, what the disability benefits are, what happens to
benefits in case of a mergetor the sale of the company, and how claims can be filed.
If an employee writes the pension plan headquarters for a copy of the form,
the employer must notify the employee that a copy will be delivered within 30 days.
As the Congress works to improve private pension plan systems, this full-dis-
closure regula tion should go a long way toward clear ing up the mystery that surrounds
some plans.
mission.
Now let me turn to an entirely different subject--the current Skylab
With our astronauts actually living in a laboratory
out in space,
the United States has entered into a new era of space exploration. What you may not
know is that Michigan will play a major part in the success of the Skylab mission.
The Skylab project includes as one of its major functions the use of $37 million
worth of scientific cameras and sensors
designed to study earth resources from
our orbiting laboratory in space. The Environmental Research Institute of Michigan
atamarbor
will play a major role in analyzing and interpreting the data
gathered with
Skylab&s scientific instruments.
Skylab is the size of a 10-story high building. It provides spacious
accommodations in which the astronauts are conducting their experiments. For the
first time in manned space flight,
astronauts have adequate facilities
to conduct inti ensive scientific tests. Their experiments should provide solid evidence
of the usefulness--or lack of usefulne ss--of space flight, in solving the scientific
problems of the earth.
The Environmental Research Institute of Michigan will be conducting seven earth
resource projects with Skylab data These involve detectors of oil pollution in the
oceans, the mapping of mineral deposits, and the aerosol content of the atmosphere.
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capit a. VIBRANT
I'll be back next week--same time, same
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF JUNE 9-10, 1973.
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, talking to you from the nation's capital.
The 200th birthday of our nation is less than four years away. Unless we
acti
to clean up our environ ment, it will be celebrated in a growing clutter
of litter. We will be unable to put our best foot forward in 1976 if the path is
strewn with debris.
The need for a cleanup is great, since no part of nature is exempted from the
pervæsive influence of pollution. The
byproducts of industry, wastes from
our homes, industrial chemicals, noxious gases and burned crankcase oil from auto-
mobiles help to comprise this dangerous momolith. The solutions to many of these
problems
are very complex and expensive. The individual citizen
often feels incapable of doing anything to help alleviate these problems.
There is, however, one form of pollution which is a direct result of actions by
individuals and, therefore, can be eliminated by individuals. I refer to land pollution
caused by careless littering.
Litter is a national disgrace. It dots our landscape and spreads over it like
an uncontrollable form of cancer. Litter is caused by careless people, and it can be
cleaned up by people who care.
It is heartening to note that people from all across the nation are rallying to
a nationwide cleanup project called Johnny Horizon 176, - a project
of
the
U.S.
Interior Department. In the words of Interior Secretary Rogers Morton, "Johnny
Horizon '76 stands for action. He represents and speaks for each and every concerned
citizen who wants to do something about making America a better place in which to
live. "
The Johnny Horizon Program was established by an act of Congre SS in
September GERAL FORD LIBRARY
of 1970 and signed into law by President Nixon. The slogan is: "Let's Clean Up
-2-
America for our 200th Birthday."
The task before us is staggering. Last year, Americans bought 60 million tons
of packaging and threw away 54 million tons. This amount is going up by six pert cent
each year, so it is predicted that by 1976 each person in America will use 660 pounds
of packaging in one year. All too often, proper di sposal is not utilized and the
costs
waste is thrown on the g round or into a river. Cleanup of this litter
an
astounding $500 million a year, and the cost is rising.
Thus we are buying packaging and then we are paying to clean it up. In aerosol
cans, for instance, 16 per cent of the product cost is for the container. In baby
food, 36 per cent of the cost is for the jar. Returnable bottles made an average
of 31 trips between user and manufacturers 20 years ago, and now the average is down
to 19. Much of what we regard as garbage can and should be recycled instead of thrown
into the environment.
The Johnny Horizon Program is an effort to explain the problems of pollution
and what each of us can do to help in the fight against pollution. More than 1,500
organizations across the country have taken it upon themselves to join in this
worthwhile project. They include chambers of commerce, schools, churches, youth
groups,
conservation, civic and commercial organizations. In addition, the
American Revolution Bicentennial Commission has of ficial ly recognized this program
as part of its activities leading up to 1976.
Johnny Horizon 176 is a program in which both young and old can participate.
For the young, brochures, posters, litter bags and recorded instructions are available
in a way which appeals to children. For adults, different types of anti-pollution
campaign packets have been prepared with emphasis on how to conduct cleanup campaigns
in every community. Information can be obtained by writing the Johnny Horizon Program
Coordinator, U.S. Department of Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240.
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
I'll be back with you next week--same time, same station.
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF JUNE 16-17, 1973.
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
This week I would like to touch on a variety of topics in this
radio report.
First off, let me tell you how pleased I am that the sident has announced
a 60-day freeze on wholesale and retail prices, with the freeze to be followed by
an effective system of price controls.
There is no question that the Administration made a bad mistake in going to
loose voluntary controls last January--the so-called Phase III system. Phase III,
very plainly, was a flopdn many anas
Now we are back to a freeze, which gives us a good chance to get a real handle
on the inflation problem again. You may be sure I will do everything I can to help in
the fight against inflation.
Another topic I would like to focus on today is tax reform. As you may know, the
House
Ways and Means Committee has conducted a number of hearings on tax reform and
the Administration has submitted its tax reform proposals to the committee. Something
I have discovered, through my mail, is that notax all of my constituents realize I
have sponsored a tax reform proposal which would give a tax credit to parents for part
of the tuition paid to gend their children toy nonpublic nonprofit elementary and
secondary schools. My bill has the support of Ways and Means Chairman Wilbur Mills--and
Mr. Mills recently said that "undoubtedly" my tax credits proposal will be
included in the big tax reform bill to be prepared by his committee. Speaking of the
tax credit for nonpublic school education bill,
Chairman Mills said: "I'm definitely
committed to it; the President's committed to it; and I think many of us in the Congress
are."
There are many other tax reform proposals under consideration as well, of
BERALE course, FORD JARARY
-2-
One of these, which I support most strongly, would provide - taxpayers 65
and older with a Federal tax credit for local property tax payments in excess of 5
per cent of their income--up to a maximum of $500.
In addition, one of the major features of the Administration's bill is aimed at
preventing the wealthy from avoiding the payment of Federals
income
taxes.
This
proposal would wipe out tax shelters and produce about $800 million in extra revenues
during its first year of operation. It would affect about 130,000 taxpayers.
The outlook for enacting these and other reform measures still remains uncertain.
As with every piece of major legislation, there are differing points of view which
must be re solved before any significant action is taken. I, for one, am going to
continue to pre SS for these tax reform measure and will urge my colleagues to do the
same.
I would like now to voice some thoughts about the meetings about to take place
between President Nixon and Soviet leader Brezhnev.
I am most hopeful that these meetings will provide a sound foundation for
improved relations between the United States and the Soviet Unions for years to come.
It is possible that the Nixon-Brezhnev meetings will pave the way for a second
SALT Agreement reducing the danger of nuclear warfare, a new trade relationship which
will be beneficial to both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., a European Security Treaty which
will result in a mutual reduction of forces, the elimination of mutual irritants, an
easing of tensions, and a new era of space cooperation.
If these meetings are as successful as they might be, we could emerge with real
prospects for agents a generation of peace.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's
vapital. I'll be talking with you again next week-same time, same station.
GERALD'S LIDRARY
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF JUNE 30-JULY 1, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
I would like to comment today on
two
topics-the Nixon-Brezhnev summit
and
talks tax credits for parents sending their children to nonprofit nonpublic elementary
and secondary school
As I look back upon the Nixon-Brezhnev summit meetings, I feel a great satisfaction.
These meetings at the summit produced a number of significant steps toward world peace.
The fruits of the Nixon-Brezhnev conference constitute historic advances toward peace
for all mankind.
Let us consider what was achieved at the summit.
The United Sta tes and the Soviet Union formally agreed to consult each other
whenever there is a risk of nuclear war and to refrain from any threat or use of force
that would
Deopardize world peace. Fürthermore, in this "Agreement on the Prevention
of Nuclear War," the two nations joined in an alliance against nuclear confrontation,
pledging that they would work together to maintain world peace and to avoid serious
international confrontations.
President Nixon and Soviet leader Brezhnev also signed a Declaration of the
Seven Principles, which promises to pave the way for a second Strategic Arms Limitation
Agreement.
These guidelines are similar to the joint U.S.-Soviet pronouncement
in May 1971 which broke the impasse in the stalled SALT I negotiations.
The Seven Principles Agreement commits the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. to conclude a
treaty limiting offensive nuclear weapons by 1974; pledges both nations to a permanent
limitation on strategic nuclear weapons; and broadens SALT II talks to include
"qualitative improvements" in offensive nuclear weapons. It commits both sides not
only to
the limiting of such weapons but to an actual reduction of strategic weapons.
Mr. Nixon and Mr. Brezhnev also signed an agreement calling for increased
13 FORD LIBRARY
-2-
cooperation in developing peaceful uses of atomic energy-the first such practical
agreement
between the U.S. and the Soviet Union on a working level. Both sides
are seeking a breakthrough that might result in the development of a nuclear reactor
producing pollution-free electrical energy.
As the summit meetings concluded, Mr. Brezhnev invited Mr. Nixon to visit Moscow
next year and Mr. Nixon accepted. That 1974 summit might well be the occasion for
the signing of a broad treaty limiting offensive nuclear weapons, just as the 1972
summit in Moscow saw the signing of the treaty limiting defensive nuclear
weapons.
There is no question but that the summit meetings recently concluded have
strengthened peaceful relations between Washington and Moscow and have been most
fruitful and productive. As we continue to build on this foundation, we can look
forward to peace not only for this generation but beyond.
Turning now to another topic, we find that the Supreme Court last week
struck down the use of tax credits in New York and Pennsylvania to assist parents
who send their children to nonpirofit nonpublic elementary and secondary schools.
It would seem to rule out Federal income tax credits for such purposes.
I consider this decision most unfortunater and ungair. A In my view, parents whose
children attend nonpublic schools deserve a tax break because they carry a
double burden. They pay public school taxes as well as the tuition necessary to
keep nonpublic schools operating. I also believe it is healthy for the country to
keep our nonpublic schools in operation as competition for the public school system.
But the facts are that many of our nonpublic schools are being forced to shut down for
financial re asons. So I believe the Supreme Court decision on tax
credits for parents on of nonpublic school pupils to be most regrettable.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
LIBRA
I'll be back with you again next week-same time, same station. #####
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF JULY 7-8, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
I am deeply concerned about the possibility of food shortages due to the current
price freeze. The stories about the killing of baby chicks because it is unprofitable
are
for poultry producers to raise chickens absolutely shocking. The sooner we
move from the freeze into Phase IV price controls the better. I don t know how
must
2 hope stirll be
sech the Administration will be ready to get into Phase IV
a strong & realistic program
within OF two
The poultry producers, the livestock raisers, the fruit and vegetable farmers, the
canners and the grocers have all told the
Cost of Living Council the same
story. The freeze has put them in a squeeze between rising costs and the prices
they are able to charge. As a result, they can't afford to produce certain items
or stock them on their grocery shelves. Consequently, they say, shortages will soon
develop if relief from the freeze in the form of a cost pass-through is not granted.
The Administration unfortunately also is caught in a squeeze. Any abrupt easing of the freeze
will cause a new bulge in consumer food prices.
Next
week the U.S. House of Repre sentatives is going to be considering a farm
Itisa production incentive approved
bill which is aimed at assuring plentiful food for consumers. It would put a
floor under farm prices and would be effective for the next five crop years.
The bill the House Agriculture Committee is sending to the House floor is
similar to
a bill already passed by the Senate.
Known as the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act, the farm bill has a target
price concept. It would set a floor on prices for each crop. If the farmer can get
that price, or a higher one, in the open market, the government will pay him
nothing. If the farmer can't obtain a price equal to the target price, he can
still sell his crop in the open market but the government then will pay him
GERALD the FORD LIBRARI
-2-
difference between what he received and the target price.
Under the current farm program, the government pays producers of basic crops
whether the free market prices are high or low.
Farmers want to earn their money in the marketplace whenever they can.
Since food supplies are vital and because farmers have le SS control over what they
receive for their products and what they must pay for their supplies than almost any
The encentive provisions
other business, they de serve a floor against disaster. And this will also assure
adequate food supplies for consumers.
There is a difference between the House and Senate bills as to what the target
farm prices should be. And the Administration feels that the target prices in both
so some masmable amendments will be proposal
the House and Senate bills are too high, So there will have to be & empromise.
Whatever the final target prices are, they will have to be tied to farm production
costs. If the costs of operating a farm go up or down, the target prices should be
increased br decreased. This is only fair.
Another change in the new farm bill is that payments to a producer cannot exceed
$20,000. At present, there is a limit of $55,000 per commodity which is too high
The current wheat certificate program will be ended--as will the proce ssor's
tax, sometimes referred to as "the bread tax." This should help consumers & baker.
The milk program would be supported at 80 per cent of parity. The sale of grain
abroad under the Public Law 480 program--the Food for Peace Program--would be
continued.
This new farm program is important to all Americans. Everyone is a consumer of
good. Beyond that, about one-fourth of all jobs in private employment are related
to agriculture. About 41 million people are employed in agriculture, almost as many
as in the transportation, steel and automobide industries combined.
GERALD FORD CIBRARY
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation capital.
I'll be badk next week--same time, same station. ########
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF JULY 14-15, 1973.
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
It is a measure of how far America and the rest of the world have travelled toward
peace that the public is more concerned today about
tearing down tax shelters than
it is about building fallout shelters.
We have been using the slogan, "A generation of peace." Before we fall into
the habit of accepting it just as a slogan, let's look at some of the things that
have happened in this world in the last two years.
Not only has America entered into productive talks with Russia and the People's
Republic of China, but the pursuit of peace has taken hold throughout the world.
North Korea is talking with South Korea. China is talking to Japan. Pakistan is
talking to India. East Germany is talking to West Germany. North Vietnam and South
Vietnam, despite some problems remaining to be resolved, are talking to weach other.
The war in Vietnam has been ended and our American combat forces have come home.
Home, too, are out American POWs. Their heads are held high, and they are on their
feet-not on their
knees.
For the first time in a generation, no young
Americans are being drafted to serve in the armed forces of four country.
Because of the agreements beached between the
United States and the Soviet
Union, our two nations are engaged in the far more productive pursuit of rattling
plowshares instead of rockets.
Our talks with Russia are easing tensions,
and the
direct talks between our two nations are centering on trade. We may well
be headed toward a mutual reduction of force: although let me say at this point that
it would be a terrible mistake for the United States to reduce its forces in Europe
unilaterally. If we did that, what would there be to negotiate?
A new spirit of conciliation has replaced the old enmities which provented
depente. This is why I am hopeful
about a mutual reduction of
forces. R.FORD LIBRARY
-2-
Never before have the chances been so good for our children and grandchildren to
live in a peaceful world. The symbolic Doomsday Clock which had been ticking forward
is being
with each straining of world tensions now
turned back.
Fourteen years ago a Soviet leader talking about "burying" the United States.
It is good that now we are talking about burying our differences.
There are of course many other problems facing the United States at this juncture
in our history. We have the
horror of Watergate, which is being exposed in
the Watergate
the Senate Erving Committee hearings. I am appalled by incident andy all of its
ramifications. But with the Senate Committee operating, and a special prosecutor
functioning, and a grand jury functioning, I feel sure the entire truth will come out
and that all of the guilty will be brought to justice.
We must also at this point be very concerned about our economy. As I view it,
the economy currently is slowing down and will continue to slow down but without a
back
rece ssion. This is a healthy development. It will tend to hold prices with or
without Phase IV. At the same time, unemployment is going down.
But we must move to Phase IV of price controls as quickly as possible because the
present price freeze is
producing difficulties throughout the food
industry. The freeze is nothing to cheer about when it causes Crown Packing Company,
Michigan's second largest meat packer, to shut down and brings a warning from
Frederick & Herrud, the largest meat packer in the state, that they might have to
do y the same. You cannot expect the meat packers e or anyone else connected with the
food industry to supply the public with food at prices that mean a loss instead of a
profit.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's
capital. I'll be talking with you again next week-same time, same station.
ERALD FORD LIBRARY
#######
SERIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF JULY 21-22, 1973.
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
During the last month, Treasury Secretary Shultz, the chairman of the Cost of
Living Council, other members of the Council and senior staff officials of the Cost
of Living Council have been consulting with consumers, busine ssmen, farmers,
Congressional leaders, and government of ficials in lp parts of the country. On the
basis of all those sconsultations, the Cost of Living Council has put together the
Phase IV price control program announced last Wednesday.
In my view, the Phase IV program is the best that could be devised to meet the
present situation as regards inflation and the economy.
Although the freeze was keeping prices stable at retail levels, it was causing
busine SS shutdowns and unemployment and creating shortages in the food industry.
Among the problems created by the freeze were situations where the cost of
processing or distributing food products was above the freeze price. It is exactly
this which forced Crown Packing Co., the second largest meat packer in Michigan, to
shut down on July 4 and mearly closed down Frederick & Herrud, which
operatesp plants in Grand Rapids, Detroit and Wilmington, N.C. The freeze also caused
fresh fruit and vegetable farmers to incur losses because low market prices had
prevailed during the base period or the freeze prices were based on last year's crop.
So now price ceilings have been lifted on all agricultural products except beef
in order to permit a pass-through of raw agricultural product cost increases incurred
since June 8 by processors, distributors and retailers on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
Ceilings on beef prices will continue until September 12. on Sept. 12, the
price
ceiding will end and there will be a pass-through of other cost increases on a
ddllar-for-dollar basis. This second stage of the food controls program will place the
food sector under control rules similar to the rules for the industrial service, retail LIBRAT
-2-
and wholesale sectors of the economy.
Except for foods, the freeze on prices will remain in effect until August 12.
However, modifications of the freeze rules will be made to relieve its
most
serious inequities.
The fundamental pricing rule of Phase IV is that prices are permitted to rise
as much as costs rise, in dollars per unit of output, without any profit margin on
the additional costs.
Large firms--those with annual sales in excess of $100 million--will be required
to notify the Cost of Living Council of intended price increases and may not put them
into effect for 30 days. During that period, the Council may deny or suspend the
proposed increase.
These are tough rules--in some respects tougher than during Phase II. But the
inflationary situation today is in www.ways more difficult than during Phase II.
Nowhere have the difficulties created by price controls been made more apparent
than in the case of food. Since the ceilings were placed on meat prices on March 29,
and especially since the freeze was imposed on June 13, food has given the clearest
evidence of the harm that controls do to supplies. We have read of baby chicks being
drowned and pregnant SOWS and cows, bearing next year's food, being slaughterek and
packing plants closed down.
Special attention is being given in the post-freeze period to stabilizing the cost
of food. But the real key to curbing food prices lies
in increasing
supplies, not in price controls. There is# no way, with or without controls, to prevent
a substantial rise in food
prices. However, by 1974 we should be able to
achieve
a much more moderate rate of inflation. By that time, the good feed crops
ALD
LIBRA
in prospect for this year should have produced a much larger supply of food,
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital
I'll be back with you again next week-same time, same station.,######
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF JULY 21-22, 1973.
# This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
The "Battle of the Budget" between the President and the Democratic-controlled
Congre SS continues. The spending merchants in Congre SS still seem to have the upper
hand, although Presidential vetoes have been upheld on the big spending bills.
The battle of the budget is being waged in the congressional committees and on
the floor of the House and Senate. This year it is being waged with a special kind
of grimnesska because the Administration and its supporters realize it'sxe a case of
"now or never" if W3 are to get a handle on Federal spending.
One of the most fiscally irresponsible pieces of legislation passed by the House
this session is the Health, Education and Welfare Department appropriation bill. It
would increase funding for HEW XI and the Labor Department by $1.9 billion over læt
year. I opposed this measure. I voted against it after a move by House Republicans
to cut $632 million from the bill failed. I cannot understand how anyone EXM in the
Congre SS can vote for sharp increases in Federal X spending at the same time that
prices are rising and the dollar is being devalued. Until we taxand learn to live
within a budget, we are going to continue to increase our national debt, and the
problems of inflation and devaluation will continue.
Debt statistics are not interesting. they do, however, tx tell a story. As
recently asi9k0 1940, our national debt was $43 billion. Now, xt a little over
three decades later, it tops $455 billion, a tenfold increase. The per capita
share of that debt has risen from $367 to ** $2,046--or $8,184 for the average family
of four. There have been three wars in the meantime, which balboosted the debt
considerably. But that isn't the whole story. And regardless of how we spent it
the fact remains that we did spend # nearly half a trillion dollars more than we
took in over this period from 1940 to the present.
GERALD, FORD LIBRARY
-2-
It has always been popular to advocate spending on social welfare programs.
If a politician tries to buy votes with private money, he's a crook. But if he tries
to buy them with the people's own money, he's a great liberal. Since public money
doesn't appear to belong to anyone, there's always the temptation to bestow it on
someone in the name of the public good.
This is why social welfare spending has gone from $24 billion in1965 to $71.8
billion in 1972 and to $83.6 billion in 1973. For fiscal 1974, the President is
proposing $93.8 billion, a 12 per cent increase over last fisdal year. But even an
increase of 390 per cent in just nine years isn't enough for the spending merchants
of the 93rd Congre They They want still more of your tax dollars spent. And if
they spend more tax dollars than the Government collects under present tax rates, then
we either add to the Federal debt or a tax increase is in order. I personally am
strongly opposed to any kind of a Federal tax increase--gasoline tax or any other kind.
I am K supporting Pre sident Nixon in his efforts to collar spending. to get mutour
outlays in line with what we take in. We can't afford to makrxembark on massive
fiscal fantasies. broad-scale programs with small-scale planning.
Gpvernment is our single biggest bu siness. In 1971, the last fully year for
which total figures are available, Federal, State and local government generated
$137 billion in income for wage-earners. In the same year, private services totalled
$110.5 billion; durable goods manufacturing, $132.8 billion; non-durable goods,
$90.2 billion; wholesale and retail trade, $130.7 billion. Income from Government
provides nearly one dollar out of every five in our national earnings. Government
spending has adixa a direct effect on our economy. Government over-spending hase
created today's inflationary binge. I would like to see Americans tell their congre somen
and senators how their tax dollars should be spent. If they support fiscal responsibility
they should say SO. It's their money their future their country!
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation capital,
I'll be back next week. same time, same station. ### #
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SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT STATIONS THE WEENEND OF AUGUST 4-5, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the
nation's capital.
Recently Congress has been focusing on recapturing powers which
supposedly have been usurped by the Executive Branch. To this end, the
Congress has passed legislation limiting the power of the President to
refuse to spend funds appropriated by the Congress and a bill sharply
curbing the President's power to wage undeclared war.
To limit the President's power to hold back on spending the House
passed a so-called anti-impoundment bill. This bill would require the
President to inform the House within 10 days of a decision to impound
certain funds. The President would be forced to spend this money if
either the House or the Senate disapproved his impoundment decision within
60 days.
As passed by the House, this bill also set a spending ceiling of
$267.1 billion for fiscal 1974 which Republicans unsuccessfully tried to
reduce to $263.3 billion. If the Congress exceeds the budget ceiling,
the President then would have to make a flat percentage cut across the
board in all but certain sacrosanct programs to bring the total outlays
down to the ceiling.
I voted against this bill because the Congress should be getting
hold of Federal spending in a responsible way -- by adopting budgetary
control procedures unanimously recommended by a House-Senate Study
Committee three months ago. Instead of bringing this budget control
bill to the House floor, the Democrats have allowed it to languish in
the House Rules Committee. In a move marked by extreme partisanship,
they passed over the budget control bill and brought up the anti-impoundment
legislation
which the Preisdent is almost certain to veto.
The Senate has also passed an anti-impoundment bill. The Senate
bill would order an end to impoundment unless both Houses of Congress
approved the President's action within 60 days.
I would like to turn now to the war powers legislation.
(more)
Page 2
If we learned anything at all from our frustrating experience in
Vietnam, it was that we must prevent congressionally UNauthorized
U. S. participation in future Vietnams.
That was the mood when the House wrestled with the controversial
War Powers Bill. That measure restricted the power of the President to
involve the United States in future armed conflicts. As passed by the
House, the bill requires the President to stop any commitment of U. S.
armed forces to combat outside the United States at the end of 120 days
unless Congress has approved his action.
The problem with this approach to undeclared wars is that it is negative
rather than positive. Under terms of the War Powers Bill, Congress
by
remaining inactive, by doing nothing
would have veto power over a
Presidential decision.
Before the bill was finally passed, the House voted on a pair of
positive amendments -- amendments which I supported. One amendment would
have required Congress to act one way or the other by approving or
disapproving, within 120 days, the President's commitment of U. S. troops
to combat. The other amendment would have required affirmative action
by the Congress to terminate a military action undertaken by the President
in emergency situations. I supported both amendments, but unfortunately
both failed.
Congress, I believe, should be willing to stand up and be counted
not lie back in the weeds and make major policy decisions by default.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the
Nation's capital. I'll be back with you next week -- same time, same
station.
###
SCRIPT PREPEREFOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF I AUGUST 4-5, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Fords, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
Recently Congress has been
focusing on recapturing powers which supposedly
have been usurped by the Executive Branch. To this end, the Congress has passed
legislation limiting the power of the President to refuse to spend funds appropriated
by the Congress and a bill sharply curbing the President's power to wage undeclared
war.
To limit the President's power to holdy back on spending the House passed a
so-called anti-impoundment bill. This bill would require the President to inform
the House within 10 days of a decision to impound certain funds. The President would
be forced to spend this money if either the House or the Senate disapproved his
impoundment decision within 60 days.
As passed by the House, this bill also set a spending cealing of $267.1
billion for fiscal 1974 which Republicans unsucce ssfully tried to reduce to $263.3
billion. If the Congress exceeds the budget ceiling, the President then
would have to make a flat percentage cut across the board in all but
certain sacrosanct programs to bring the total outlays down to the ceiling.
I voted against this bill because the Congress should be getting hold of Federal
spending in a responsible way-by adopting budgetary control
procedures unanimously recommended by a House-Senate Study Committee three months ago.
Instead of bringing this budget control bill to the House floor, the Democrats have
allowed it to languish in the House Rules Committee. In
a move marked by extreme
partisanship, they passed over the budget control bill and brought up the anti-
impoundment legislation, which the President ist almost certain to veto.
FORD
The Senate has also passed an anti-impoundment bill. the Senate bill would BERRA order
LIBRARY
an end to impoundment unless both Houses of Congress approved the President action
-2-
within 60 days.
I would like to turn now to the war powers legislation.
If we learned anything at all from our frustrating experience in Vietnam, it was
that we must prevent congre ssionally
UNauthorized U.S. participation in future
Vietnams.
That was the mood
when the House wrestled with the controversial War
Powers Bill. That measure restricted the power of the President to involve the
United States in future armed conflicts. As passed
by the House, the bill
requires the President to stop any commitment of U.S. armed forces to combat
outside the United States at the end of 120 days unless Congress has approved his
action.
The problem with this approach to undeclared wars is that it is
negative
rather than
positive. Under terms of the War Powers Bill, Congress by
remaining inactive, byr doing nothing. would have veto power over a Presidential
decision.
Before the bill was
finally passed, the House voted on a pair of positive
amendments amendments which I supported. One amendment would have required Congress
to ac one way or the other by approving or disapproving, within 120 days, the
President's commitment of U.S. troops to combat. The other amendment would have
required affirmative action by the Congress to terminate a military action undertaken
by the President in emergency situations. I supported both amendments, but unfortunately
both failed.
Congress, I believe, should be willing to stand up and be counted. not lie back in
the weeds and make major policy decisions by default.
FORD i LIBRARI 0768
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the Nation's capital.
I'll be back with you next week--same time, same station.
GERALD R. FORD
MICHIGAN OFFICE:
FIFTH DISTRICT. MICHIGAN
425 CHERRY STREET SE.
GRAND RAPIDS 49502
Congress of the United States
Office of the Minority Leader
house of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
PLEASE NOTE
BECAUSE OF THE AUGUST RECESS OF
CONGRESS, THE NEXT RADIO TAPE WILL
BE SENT TO YOU FOR USE THE WEEKEND
OF SEPTEMBER 8.
FORD JAKARY
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF AUG. 11-12, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford.
Congress is in recess this month and I am touring the Fifth District
in my mobile office. This is also a good time to take stock of what Congress
has done during the first seven months of this year.
Most of the major legislation is still in the congressional pipeline.
There is very little important legislation that has gone through the entire
legislative process.
We approved an increase in Social Security benefits. We passed a
minimum wage bill. We approved an omnibus farm bill. And we hammered out
a compromise which calls for an end to the bombing of Communist forces in
Cambodia on August 15.
But, mostly, Democrats in the Congress have been engaged in forcing
the President to spend more tax dollars, to increase the federal deficit.
You may recall that the President was determined to hold total Federal
outlays for fiscal 1973 to $250 billion, and so he impounded billions of
dollars that had been appropriated by the Democratic-controlled Congress.
He refused to spend the money on the basis that certain programs could not
be justified.
The liberal Democrats did their darndest to try to force the
President to spend these additional billions. They passed legislation
mandating the spending, and the President followed suit with several vetoes.
Then the liberal Democrats tried to pass the mandated spending bills over
the President's veto but fortunately there were enough fiscally responsible
members of Congress to prevent this. And so the veto override attempts
failed.
The President had anticipated a Federal deficit of $25 billion even
with total Federal outlays held to $250 billion. Fortunately, Federal
revenues exceeded estimates. And this, coupled with the President's success
in holding back spending, meant that we ended up fiscal 1973 with a deficit
of $14.4 billion instead of the expected $25 billion deficit.
The liberal Democrats underscored their confrontation mood by passing
so-called anti-impoundment legislation. These bills, approved by both
Page 2
the House and Senate, would force the President to spend funds which he
had chosen to impound. The bills also set a fiscal 1974 spending ceiling
and provided that if Congress exceeds this ceiling the President shall make
proportional cuts across the board except for certain exempted programs.
In the House, Republicans tried to cut the spending ceiling by about
$4 billion but were defeated.
A much better approach to economy in the federal government is the
Budgetary Control Act, which would establish a Budget Committee in the
Senate and the House to make sure that Congress does not exceed the budget,
or provides the necessary revenue if it does. This is the approach to
fiscal responsibility I favor-not the confrontation approach of an
anti-impoundment bill. The President should have some flexibility when it
comes to spending--or not spending--appropriated funds.
There are, of course, many other bills which should be approved
before the Congress calls it quits this year. We should pass trade reforms,
pension reforms, tax reforms, health insurance legislation, health maintenance
organization legislation, a bill to keep the Northeastern Railroads operating,
an anti-hijacking bill, and a bill establishing a new Natural Resources
Department.
Time is running out for major bills still in the congressional
pipeline. The House Ways and Means Committee was supposed to be well
along with the trade bill by August Recess time, but now that committee
will be lucky to report a trade bill out by October. Waiting in the wings
is tax reform. Hopefully, we will get action on both trade reform and tax
reform this year.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford. I'll be talking with you
again after Congress resumes its deliberations in September.
# # #
LIBRARY
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF AUGUST 11-12, 1973.
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Fords
and I am touring the Fifth District in my mobile office. This is also
Congre SS is in recess this month
a good time to take stock
of what Congress has done during the first seven months of this year.
Most of the major le gislation is still in the congressional pipeline. There is very
little important legislation that has
gone through the entire legislative
process.
We approved an increase in Social Security benefits. We passed a minimum wage bill.
We approved an omnibus farm bill. And we hammered out a compromise which calls for an
end to the bombing of
Communist forces in Cambodia on August 15.
But mostly Democrats in the Congre SS have been engaged in forcing the President
I Spend more tax dollars, to increase The federal deficit
in
trying
to
make
the
You may recall that the President was determined to hold total Federal outlays for
fiscal 1973 to $250 billion, and so he impounded billions of dollars that had been
appropriated by the Democratic-controlled Congress. He refused to spend the
money on the basis that certain programs could not be justified
liberal
The Democrats did their darnedgest to try to force the President to spend these
additional billions. They passed legislation mandating the spending, and the President
withoutd votoes!
Liberal
followed suit
Then the Democrats tried to pass the
mandated spending
bills over the President's veto but fortunately there were enough fiscally responsible
members of Congress to prevent this. And so the veto override attempts failed.
The President had anticipated a Federal deficit of $25 billion even with total
Federal outlays held to $250 billion.
Fortunately, Federal revenues
exceeded estimates. And this, coupled with the President's
success in holding
back spending, meant that we ended up fiscal 1973 with
a deficit of $14.4
instead of the expected $25 billion deficit.
VERARY GERALD
-2-
The liberal Democrats underscored their confrontation mood by passing so-called
anti-impoundment legislation. These bills, approved by both the House and Senate,
would force the President to spend funds which he had chosen to impound.
The bills
also set a fiscal 1974 spending ceiling and
provided that if Congre SS exceeds this ceiling the
President shall make proportional cuts acros the board except for certain exempted
programs. In The Honor Republicans tried to cut the spending cuting by
about $4 Gillion but were defented
which
Congress
I
snact
before.
a much better approach to economy in the got is
the Budgetary Control Act, which
would establish a Budget
Committee in the
Senate and the House to make sure that Congress does not
exceed the budget or provides the necessary revenue if it does. This is the approach
to fiscal responsibility I favor-not the confrontation approach of an anti-impoundment
not spending
bill. The President should have some flexibility when it comes to spending appropriated
funds.
There are, of course, many other bills which should be approved
before the
Congress calls it quits this year. We should pass trade reforms, pension reforms,
tax reforms, health insurance legislation, health maintenance organization legislation,
and
a bill to keep the Northeastern Railrodds operating, an anti-hijacking bill, a bill
establishing a new Natural Resources Department
and
Time is running out for major bills still in the congressional pipeline. The House
Ways and Means Committee was supposed to be well along with the trade bill by August
Recess time, but now that committee will be lucky to report a trade bill out by
October. Waiting in the wings is tax reform. Hopefully, we will get action on both
trade reform and tax reform this year.
FOR
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford.
I'll
be talking with
you again after Congress resumes its deliberations in September.
#######
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF AUGUST 11-12, 1973.
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford,
and I am touring the Fifth District in my mobile office. This is also
Congress is in recess this month
a good time to take stock
of what Congress has done during the first seven months of this year.
Most of the major legisiation is still in the congressional pipeline. There is very
little important legislation that has gone through the entire legislative
process.
We approved an increase in Social Security benefits. We passed a minimum wage bill.
We approved an omnibus farm bill. And we hammered out a compromise which calls for an
end to the
bombing
of
Communist forces in Cambodia on August 15.
But mostly Democrats in the Congress have been engaged in fighting with the President
over spending and in trying to make the President look bad.
You may recall that the President was determined to hold total Federal outlays for
fiscal 1973 to $250 billion, and so he impounded billions of dollars that had been
appropriated by the Democratic-controlled Congress. He simply refused to spend the
money.
liberal
The Democrats did their dernechest to try to force the President to spend these
additional billions. They passed legislation mandating the spending, and the President
liberal
followed suit by vetoing it. then the Democrats tried to pass the mandated spending
bills over the President's veto but fortunately there were enough fiscally responsible
members of Congress to prevent this. And SO the veto override attempts failed.
The President had anticipated a Federal deficit of $25 billion even with total
Federal outlays held to $250 billion. Fortunately, Federal revenues
exceeded estimates. And this, coupled with the President's
success in holding
back spending, meant that we ended up fiscal 1973 with
a deficit of $14.4 billion
instead of the expected $25 billion deficit.
GERALD LIBRAR GERALD R. FORD
-2-
The liberal Democrats underscored their confrontation mood by passing so-called
enti-impoundment legislation. These bills, approved by both the House and Senate,
would force the President to spend funds which he had chosen to impound.
The bills
also set a fiscal1974 spending ceiling and
provided that if Congress exceeds this ceiling the
President shall make proportional cuts acro $ the board except for certain exempted
programs.
There are many pieces of major legislation which Congress should enact before
adjourning for the year.
One of these is the Budgetary Control Act, which
would extablish a Budget
Committee in the
Senate and the House to make sure that Congres does not
exceed the budget or provides the necessary revenue if it does. This is the approach
to fiscal responsibility I favor--not the confrontation approach of an anti-impoundment
or
bill. The President should have some flexibility when it comes to spending appropriated
funds.
There are, of course, many other bills which should be approved
before the
Congress calls it quits this year. We should pass trade reforms, pension reforms,
tax reforms, health insurance legislation, health maintenance organization legislation,
a bill to keep the Northeastern Railroads operating, an anti-hijacking bill, a bill
establishing a new Natural Resources Department, and a fuels and energy bill.
Time is running out for major bills still in the congressional pipeline. The House
Ways and Means Committee was supposed to be well along with the trade bill by August
Recess time but now that committee will be lucky to report a trade bill out by
October. Waiting in the wings is tax reform. Hopefully, we will get action on both
trade reform and tax reform this year.
R.FORD
This is your congre saman, Jerry Ford,
I'll
be talking wi
you again after Congress resumes its deliberations in September.
######
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF SEPT. 8-9, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the Nation's
capital.
It is not only legislative developments which have an impact on the
lives of Americans. Two fairly recent events which are important to us all
are the Supreme Court decisions dealing with pornography and governmental aid
to nonpublic schools.
The Supreme Court ruled against aid to nonpublic schools in New York
and Pennsylvania cases involving tax credits. This is the approach contained
in a bill I introduced at the outset of the first session, 93rd Congress, in
the hope of providing tax relief for parents sending their children to
nonprofit nonpublic elementary and secondary schools. My bill would have
provided parents of nonpublic school children a Federal income tax credit of
up to $200 per year per student. But the Supreme Court decision indicates
that this approach would be declared unconstitutional.
I hope some alternative can be worked out. Because of the potential
flood of students into public schools if our nonpublic school system should
collapse, every taxpayer could feel the effects of the Supreme Court decisions
in the New York and Pennsylvania cases. Besides that, I have always felt it
is unfair to make the parents of nonpublic school children carry a double
load simply because they were exercising their right to send their youngsters
to schools of their choice.
The Supreme Court's decision on pornography gives citizens the right to
say what kind of literature and movies they want in their communities. The
ruling, if properly enforced, will help to rid us of the plague of smut while
not compromising freedom of speech.
President Nixon's four appointees to the Supreme Court, joined by
Associate Justice White, performed corrective surgery on prior rulings by
the liberal Warren Court. The Burger Court held that a challenged work must
show "serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value" which may be
judged by "contemporary standards.
Moreover, the Court said that a national standard of pornography is
unworkable. It ruled that states and communities, working within the Court's
Page 2
broad guidelines, may now use local standards in determining the merits of
a work.
The turnabout is of monumental importance to the United States. The
smut industry, which had wrapped itself in the cloak of freedom of speech
under the Warren Court rulings, had emerged from the underground and spread
its wares across the country like a disease. Pornography became big business.
The rise of pornography was encouraged by the inability of the Warren
Court to decide on a viable definition of pornography. Justice Brennan said
he was "reluctantly forced to conclude that none of the available formulas are
acceptable."
The decision of the Burger Court is not perfect. The Court agreed on
a working definition of pornography, but further clarification may be needed.
In addition, many state legislatures may have to rewrite statutes dealing with
pornography before the new guidelines can be fully implemented.
Despite the shortcomings, however, the Supreme Court has taken a step
toward reaffirming the basic morality of the American people.
Hard-core pornography is a plague that demeans the First Amendment
freedoms and eats away at the American spirit. To allow it to flourish would
say something about our society that we are not willing to say or have said.
There is no inconsistency in upholding freedom of speech while pro-
hibiting the rampaging of pornography in our communities. As Chief Justice
Burger said, obscenity has never been protected by the First Amendment. The
Supreme Court, after 15 years of permissiveness, has reaffirmed that the moral
foundation upon which this nation was built is still intact.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the
nation's capital. I'll be talking with you again next week-same time, same
station.
# # #
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF SEPT. 8-9, 1973.
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the Nation's capital.
It is not only legislative developments which have an impact on the lives of
Americans. Two fairly recent events which are important to us all are the Supreme
governmental
Court decisions dealing with pornography and
aid to nonpublic schools.
The Supreme Court ruled against aid to nonpublic schools in
New York and
Pennsylvania cases involving tax credits. This is the approach contained in a bill
I introduced at the outset of the first session, 93rd Congress, in the hope of
Revent molile office
providing
tax relief for parents sending their children top nonprofit
nonpublic elementary and secondary schools. My bill would have provided parents of
a
$200
nonpublic school children
Federal income tax credit of up to
per year peru student. But the Supr teme Court decision
indicate that this
approach would be declared unconstitutional,
I hope some alternative can be worked out.
Because of the potential flood
of students
into public schools if our nonpublic school system should collapise,
every taxpayer could feel the effects of the Supreme Court decisions in the New York
and Pennsylvania cases. Besides that, I have always felt it is unfair to make the
load
parents or nonpublic school children carry a
double
simply because
they were exercising their right to send their youngsters to schools of their choice.
The Supreme Court's decision on pornography gives citizens the right to say what
kind of literature and movies they want in their communities. The ruling, if properly
enforced, will help to rid us of the plague of smut while not compromising freedom
of speech.
President Nixon's four appointees to the Supreme Court, joined by Associate
Justice White, performed corrective surgery on prior rulings by the liberal Warren
Court. The Burger Court held that a challenged work must show "serious 1 Cterary,
LIBRARY
-2-
artistic, political or scientific value If which may be judged by "contemporary
standards."
Moreover, the Court said that a national standard of pornography is unworkable.
It ruled that states and communities, working within the Court's broad guidelines,
may nown use local standards in determining the merits of a work.
The turnabout is of monumental importance to the United States.
The
smut industry, which had
wrapped itself in the cloak of freedom of
speech under the Warren Court
rulings, had emerged from the underground and
spread its wares across the country like a disease. Pornography became
big busine SS.
The rise of
pornography was encouraged by the inability of the Warren
Court to decide on a viable definition of pornography. Justice Breman said he was
#reluctantly forced to conclude that none of the available formulas are acceptable."
The decision of the Burger Court is not perfect. The Court agreed on a working
definition of pornography, but further clarification may be needed. In addition,
many state legislatures may have to rewrite statutes dealing with pornography before
the new guidelines can be fully implemented.
Despite the shortcomings, however, the Supreme Court has taken a step toward
reaffirming the basic morality of the American people.
Hard-core pornography is a plague that demeans the First Amendment freedoms and
eats away at the American spirit. To allow it to flourish would say something about
our society that we are not willing to say or have said.
There is no
inconsistency in upholding freedom of speech while pro-
hibiting the rampaging of pornography in our communities. As Chief Justice Burger said,
obscenity has never been protected by the First Amendment. The Supreme Court, after
15 years of permissiveness, has reaffirmed that the moral foundation upon which this
nation was built is still intact.
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
I'll be talking with you again next week--same time, same station
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF SEPT. 15-16, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the
nation's capital.
The President last Monday sent the Congress a second State of the
Union Message, pointing up the legislation he would like to see the Congress
pass this year. The President stressed, particularly, the need to balance
the fiscal 1974 budget and to deal with the energy crisis.
I share those concerns. There are no higher priorities than to
balance the Federal budget as a means of fighting inflation and to act now
to meet this Nation's future energy needs.
I hope and trust that the Congress will work with the Executive Branch
to hold down Federal spending SO the Congress does not break the Federal
budget and thus raise the prices of every family in America.
The Federal budget is one of the fronts on which we must constantly
fight inflation. We have also adopted a stiff new set of price controls. The
Federal Reserve Board is tightening up on the money supply. And the
Administration and the Congress have acted to encourage greatly increased
production of food supplies with the hope of not only halting the rise in
food prices but eventually lowering them.
To meet the energy needs of this Nation we must have congressional
action right now. We must complete action on legislation permitting
construction of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline; we must step up research and
development in the use of our vast coal resources; and we must consider the
deregulation of natural gas.
For the near term, we apparently must accept some combination of
four very unattractive choices--increased reliance on foreign oil; increased
disturbance of our ecology; an increase in the number of instances when we
fail to meet energy demands; and an increase in prices for energy in all
forms.
One way to ease this situation is to speed up the use of nuclear
power in this country. The President is determined to do this by shortening
the length of time presently involved in licensing nuclear plants.
Page 2
As of Jan. 1, 1973, there were 29 nuclear plants in operation in
the United States. At the same time, 55 were being built, and 76 were on
order.
Nuclear power has its own set of ecological problems, of course.
But these problems are less severe than the ecological problems associated
with the use of fossil fuels like coal and oil.
If nuclear power plants come on line at the rate indicated, we could
gradually reduce our dependence on oil import and minimize energy shortages.
Meantime, our most abundant source of energy is coal. We must manage
to make more use of coal in such a way that we do not damage the land we
inhabit or the air we breathe.
Surface mining is both the most economical and the most environmentally
destructive method of extracting coal. But the damage caused by surface
mining can be repaired and the land restored. Strip mining does not have to
be a blight on the land. It is not a lasting environmental cost if
reclamation processes are used to restore the environment.
The President has proposed legislation to establish reclamation
standards which would regulate all surface and underground mining in this
country. These standards would be enforced by the States. This legislation
should be enacted. It would enable us to increase the supply of a highly
economical fuel while avoiding the severe environmental penalties we have
often paid in the past.
The energy bills proposed by the Administration can and should be
passed this year. Along with the fight against inflation, this is one of
our top priorities.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the
nation's capital. I'll be back with you next week-same time, same station.
###
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF SEPT. 15-16, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the
nation's
vapital.
The President last
Monday sent the Congress a second State of the Union Message,
pointing up the
legislation he would like to see the Congress pass this year. The
President stressed, particularly, the need to balance the fiscal
1974 budget and
to deal with the energy crisis.
I share those concerns. There are no higher priorities than to balance the Federal
budget as a means of fighting inflation and to act now to meet this Nation's future
energy needs.
I hope and trust that the Congress will work with the Executive Branch to hold
down Federal spending so the Congress does not break the Federal budget and thus raise
the prices every family in America.
paidby
The Federal budget is one of the fronts on which we must constantly
fight
inflation. We have also adopted a stiff new set of price controls. The Federal
Reserve Board is tightening up on the money supply. And the Administration and the
Congre SS have acted to encourage the
production greatly increased of food supplies products with
hope of not only halting
the rise in food prices but eventually lowering them.
To meet the energy needs of this Nation we must have congre ssional action. We
must complete action on legislation permitting construction of the trans-Alaska oil
and
pipeline; we must step up research and development in the use of coal; we must consider
the deregulation of natural gas.
For the near term, we apparently must accept some combination of
four very
unattractive choices--incre ased reliance on foreign oil; increased
disturbance of our ecology; an increase in the number of instances when we fail to
meet energy demands; and an increase in prices for energy in all forms.
The one way to ease this situation is to speed up the use of nuclear
GE power ENALD LIBRA FORD
-2-
this country. The President is determined to do this by shorteming the length of
time presently
involved in licensing
muclear plants.
As of Jam. 1, 1973, there were 29 nuclear plants in operation in the United States.
At the same time, 55 were being built, and 76 were on order.
Nuclear power has its own set of ecological problems, of course. But these
problems are less
severe than the ecological problems associated with the use of
fossil
fuels like coal and oil.
If nuclear power plants come on line at the rate indicated, we could gradui ally
reduce our dependence on oil imports and minimize energy shortages.
Meantime, our most abundant source of energy is coal. We must manage to make
coal
more
use of
in such a way that we do not damage the land we inhabi or the
air we breathe.
Surface mining is both the most economical and the
most environmentally
destructive method of extracting coal. But the damage caused by surface mining can
be repaired and the land
restored. Strip mining does not have to be a blight on
the land. It is not a lasting environmental cost if reclamation processes are used
to restore the environment.
The President has proposed legislation to establish reclamation standards which
would regulate all surface and undergrounde mining in this country. These standards
would be enforced by the States. This legislation should be enacted. It would enable
us to increase the supply of a highly economical fuel while avoiding
the severe environmental penalties
we have often paid in the past.
The energy bills proposed by the Administration can and should be passed t this year.
Along with the fight against inflation, this is one of our top priorities.
RALD FORD LIBRAR
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's rapital.
I'll be back with you next week--same time, same station
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF SEPT. 15-16, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from
the nation's capital.
The President last
Monday sent the Congress a second State of the Union Message,
pointing up the
legislation he would like to see the Congress pass this year. The
President stressed, particularly, the need to balance the fiscal
1974 budget and
to deal with the energy crisis.
I share those concerns. There are no higher priorities than to balance the Federal
budget as a means of fighting inflation and to act now to meet this Nation's future
energy needs.
I hope and trust that the Congress will work with the Executive Branch to hold
down Federal spending SO the Congress does not break the Federal budget and thus raise
the prices of every family in America.
The Federal budget is one of the fronts on which we must constantly
fight
inflation. We have also adopted a stiff new set of price controls. The Federal
Recerve Board is tightening up on the money supply. And the Administration and the
Congre SS have acted to encourage greatly
production increased of of with
the
hope of not only halting
the rise in food prices but eventually lowering them.
RIGHT NOW
To meet the energy needs of this Nation we must have congre ssional action. We
must complete action on legislation permitting construction of the trans-Alaska oil
our out and
pipeline; we must step up research and development in the use of n coal we must consider
the deregulation of natural gas.
For the near term, we apparently must accept some combination of
four very
unattractive choices--incre ased reliance on foreign oil; increased
disturbance of our ecology; an increase in the number of instances when we fail to
meet energy demands; and an increase in prices for energy in all forms.
the way to ease this situation is to speed up the use of nuclear 13 power
ALD FORD it LIBRAR
-2-
this country. The President is determined to do this by shorten ing the length of
time presently
involved in licensing
nuclear plants.
As of Jan. 1, 1973, there were 29 nuclear plants in operation in the United States.
At the same time, 55 were being built, and 76 were on order.
Nuclear power has its own set of ecological problems, of course. But these
problems are le 88
severe than the ecological problems associated with the use of
fossil
mains
fuels like coal and oil.
If nuclear power plants come on line at the rate indicated, we could gradui ally
reduce our dependence on oil imports and minimize energy shortages.
Meantime, our most abundant source of energy is coal. We must manage to make
more
use
of
in such a way that we do not damage the land we inhabit or the
air we breathe.
Surface mining is both the most economical and the most environmentally
destructive method of extracting coal. But the damage caused by surface mining can
be repaired and the land
restored.
Strip mining does not have to be a blight on
the land. It is not a lasting environmental cost if reclamation processes are used
to restore the environment.
The President has proposed legislation to establish reclamation standards which
would regulate all surface and underground mining in this country. These standards
would be enforced by the States. This legislation should be enacted. It would enable
us to increase the supply of a highly economical fuel while avoiding
the severe environmental penalties we have often paid in the past.
The energy bills proposed by the Administration can and should be passed this year.
Along with the fight against inflation, this is one of our top priorities.
FORD
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's vapital.
GERAL
IBRARY
I'll be back with you next week--same time, same station
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF SEPT. 22-23, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the
nation's capital.
Although I favor a sound health insurance program, particularly for
catastrophic illness, prospects are not favorable for any congressional action
this year. However, both the House and Senate have passed different versions
of important health care legislation which sould lead to lower medical care
bills for countless Americans.
This legislation would encourage the establishment of health
maintenance organizations--also known as HMO' throughout the country.
HMO's are a relatively new concept in the health field. Basically,
they are private organizations that bring together a comprehensive range of
medical services in a single organization so that a patient is assured of
convenient access to all services. Medical care is provided on a prepaid
group plan basis for a fixed premium. The emphasis is on preventive
medicine--regular checkups that are aimed at keeping a person healthy. The
premium covers the cost of the checkups as well as any treatment necessary
if a person does fall ill.
The success of nearly 60 HMO's established to date has convinced
many government officials and members of Congress that with Federal help
HMO's could provide a major step toward solving our country's growing health
problems. I personally am strongly in favor of limited Federal aid for
HMO's in an attempt to alleviate the crushing burden of high medical and
hospital costs and the inequities in the access to good medical care--
especially for the poor and the rural areas.
The House-approved legislation would authorize $240 million over a
three-year period to set up approximately 100 HMO's. The Senate has passed
a much costlier bill, calling for $805 million for 200 HMO's. Now the
House and Senate must seek to compromise their differences and advance the
goal of improving health care throughout the country.
As Congress begins to get into high gear following the August recess,
the House Administration Committee has begun hearings on campaign reform.
I have repeatedly said that some good may come out of the Watergate scandal-
namely, campaign reform.
Page 2
Of the some 60 bills now before the House Administration Committee,
many are duplicates but at least a dozen major points contained in these
bills will be given careful consideration.
The House Republican Task Force on Election Reform has made a
diligent study of ways to improve campaign financing and has offered a
number of recommendations in this area. The major recommendation is that
an independent Federal Elections Commission be established to supervise the
Federal Election Campaign Act. This commission would have all the powers
of the existing supervisory authorities and, in addition, would have the
power to subpoena. Prosecuting powers would be left to the Justice
Department.
The Republican Task Force wants to see our campaign laws amended to
achieve a number of goals:
To build public confidence in the electoral process by making the
process visible, understandable and credible.
To ensure maximum individual participation in election campaigns and
reduce the excessive influence of vested interests, strengthen political
parties and make them responsible for their candidates.
To increase penalties for election law violations and to ensure
vigorous and complete enforcement of the election laws.
Obviously, the election law enacted by the last Congress, although
an improvement, is not adequate to do the job.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the
nation's capital. I'll be back with you next week-same time, same station.
# # #
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF SEPT. 22-23, 1974.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
Prospects are nil that there will be any congressional action on national
health insurance this year.
But both the House and Senate have passed different
versions of important health care legislation which may lead to lower medical care
bills for countless Americans.
This legislation would encourage the establishment of health
maintenance organizations--also known as HMO' throughout the country.
HMO's are a relatively new concept in the health field. Basically, they are
private organizations that bring together a comprehehsive range of medical services
in a single organization 0 that 2. patient is assured of
convenient access
to all services. Medical care is provided on a prepaid group plan basis for a fixed
premium. The emphasis is on preventive medicine--regular checkups that are aimed at
keeping a person healthy. The premium covers the cost of the checkups as well as any
treatment necessary if a person does fall ill.
The success of nearly 60 HMO's established to date has convinced many government
officials and members of Congress that with Federal help HMO's could provide a major
step toward solving our country's growing health problems. I personally am strongly
in favor of
limited Federal aid for HMO's in an attempt to alleviate the crushing
burden of high medical and hospital costs and the inequities ind the access to
good medical care-especially for the poor the rural areas.
overa 3-year period
The House-approved legislation would authorize $240 million to set up
approximately 100 HMO's. The Senate has passed a much costlier bill, calling for
$805 million for 200 HMO's. Now the House and Senate must seek to compromise
their differencest and advance the goal of improving health care throughout the country.
As Congress begins to get into high gear following the August recess,
GERALD LIBRARY GERALD R.
-2-
the House Administration Committee has begun hearings on campaign reform. I have
repeatedly said that some good may come out of the Watergate scandal namely, campaign
reform.
Of the some 60 bills now before the House Administration Committee, many are
duplicates but at least a dozen major points contained in these bills will be given
careful consideration.
The House Republican Task Force on Election Reform has made a diligent
study
of ways to improve campaign financing and has offered a number of recommendations
in this area. The major recommendation is that an independent Federal Elections
Commission be established to supervise the Federal Election Campaign Act. This
commi ssion would have all the powers of the existing supervisory authorities and,
in addition, would have the power to subpoena. Prosecuting powers would be left to
the Justice Department.
The Republican Task Force wants to see our campaign laws amended to achieve
â number of goals:
To build public confidence in the electoral process by making the proce & visible,
understandable and credible.
To ensure maximum individual participation in election campaigns and reduce the
exce ssive influence of vested interests, strengthen political parties and make them
responsible for their candidates.
To increase penalties for election law violations and to ensure vigorous and
complete enforcement of the election laws.
Obr viously, the election law enacted by the last Congre SS is not adequate
to do the job. If necessary, we may even have to strike this law and start all
over again. This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's BRAR
capital. I'll be back with you next week-same time, same station ######
GERAL
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF SEPT. 29-30, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the
nation's capital.
The movement to permit voluntary prayer in our public schools is
not only very much alive but is gaining in strength.
Currently, hearings are being conducted before a Senate subcommittee
on a proposed constitutional amendment which would declare "the right of
persons lawfully assembled in any public building to participate in voluntary
prayer.' The amendment was introduced by Senator Richard Schweiker,
Republican of Pennsylvania, and has 48 cosponsors.
The American Legion last Monday urged the Senate subcommittee to
approve the proposed Amendment. The Conference of Catholic Bishops also
has endorsed the idea of permitting voluntary prayer in public schools.
Last June 17 marked the tenth anniversary of the Supreme Court
decision barring prayer in public schools. Regrettably, it also marked the
tenth year that Congress has failed to do anything about that decision.
Hopefully the hearings now being conducted in the Senate are an
indication that Congress finally is ready to respond to the will of the
great majority of the American people.
Ten years ago, the Court found that Bible reading and prayer
constitute religious and not secular exercises. Thus, such practices were
held to be in violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution.
When the decision was handed down, I said--and I still believe this
today-that voluntary school prayer does not violate First Amendment rights.
The First Amendment requires that Congress make "no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
Many renowned constitutionalists have contended that the "no
establishment" clause, while it prohibits Congress from giving preference
to any one religion, was not intended to withdraw religion in general from
Constitutional protections. In fact, this thought was the basis of Justice
Potter Stewart's dissenting opinion in the school prayer decision--and I
agree with Justice Stewart. Stewart said he could not understand how an
"official religion" is established by "letting those who want to say a
Page 2
prayer, say it." He said: "To deny the wish of school children to join
in reciting prayer is to deny them the opportunity of sharing in the
spiritual heritage of our nation."
This is the heart of the issue. To say that children cannot
voluntarily participate in giving thanks to their Creator in a public
school is, in effect, a ban on one facet of religious freedom.
There is obvious inconsistency in the Supreme Court's decision. Our
land is a land of religious heritage. Indeed, the freedom to worship was
one of the primary reasons this nation was founded. Evidence of this heritage
can be seen every day. Both houses of Congress, for example, begin each
day's proceedings with a prayer by their chaplains. The phrase, "In God We
Trust," has been America's official motto since 1956. It had been inscribed
on our currency for many years before that. The examples are endless.
Thomas Jefferson, who coined the phrase, "wall of separation of
church and state," paid appropriate tribute to our religious heritage
when he said, "God who gave us life, gave us liberty. Can the liberties
of a nation be secured when we have removed the conviction that these
liberties are the gift of God?"
The act of amending our constitution is not to be taken lightly.
But I believe the Court has misinterpreted the Constitution, and a
Constitutional Amendment to reinstate prayer in the public schools appears
to be the only viable alternative.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the
nation's capital. I'll be back with you next week-same time, same station.
###
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF SEPT. 29-30, 1973.
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
The movement to permit voluntary prayer in our public schools is not only very
much alive but is gaining in strength.
before a Senate subcommittee on
Currently, hearings are being conducted a proposed constitutional
amendment which would declare "the right of persons lawfully assembled in any public
building to participate in voluntary prayer." The amendment was introduced by
Senator Richard Schweiker, Republican of Pennsylvania, and has 48 cosponsors.
The American Legion last Monday urged the Senate subcommittee to approve the
proposed
Amendment. The Conference of Catholic Bishops also has endorsed the idea
of permitting voluntary prayer in public schools.
Last June 17 marked the tenth anniversary of the Supreme Court decision barring
prayer in public schools. Regrettably, it also marked the tenth year that Congress
has failed to do
anything about that decision.
Hopefully the hearings now being conducted in the Senate
are an indication
that Congre SS find ly is ready to respond to the will of the great majority of the
American people.
Ten years ago, the Court found that Bible reading and prayer constitute religious
and not secular exercises. Thus, such practices were held to be in violation of the
First Amendment to the Constitution.
When the decision was handed down I said--and I still believe this today-that
voluntary school prayer does not violate First Amendment rights. The First Amendment
requires that Congre So make "no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
Many
and renowned constitutionalists have contended that the
FORD & LIBRARY
establishment" clause, while it prohibits Congress from giving preference to any one
-2-
religion, was nott intended to withdraw religion in general from Constitutional
protections. In fact,
this thought was the asis of Justice Potter Stewart's
dissenting opinion in the school prayer
decision--and I agree with Justice
Stewart. Stewart said he could not underetand how an "official religion" is established
by "letting those who want to say a prayer, say it." He
said: "To deny the wish
of school children to join in reciting
prayer is to deny them the opportunity of
sharing in the spiritual heritage of our nation."
This is the heart of the issue. To say that children cannot voluntarily
participate in giving thanks to their Creator in a public school is, in effect, a ban
on one facet of religious freedom.
There is obvious inconsistency in the Supreme Court's decision. Our land is a
land of religious heritage. Indeed, the freedom to worship was one of the primary
reasons this nation was founded. Evidence of this heritage can be seen every day.
Both houses of Congress, forexample, begin each dey's proceedings with a prayer by
their
chaplaims. The
phrase, "In God We Trust, If has been America's of ficial
motto since 1956. It had been inscribed on our currency for many years before that.
The examples are endless.
Thomas Jefferson, who coined the phrase, "wall of separation of church and state, 11
paid appropriate tribute to our religious heritage
when he said, "God who gave us
life, gave us liberty.
Can the liberties of a nation be secured when We have removed
the
conviction that these liberties are the gift of
God?"
But
The act of amending our constitution is not to be taken lightly.
I believe
and
the Court has misinterpreted the Constitution a Constitutional Amendment to reinstate
prayer in the public schools appears to be the only Viable alternative.
D.R.FORD
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
I'll be back with you next week--same time, same station,
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF OCT. 6-7, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the
nation's capital.
The President's announcement of mandatory allocations of fuel oil
and propane is good news. A system of mandatory allocations should be
helpful in alleviating any heating oil shortages we may encounter this
winter.
Our energy problems are assuming ever growing importance. There
is, of course, no way of telling how severe these problems will be during
the winter of 1973-74. This will depend on such variables as the harshness
of the winter weather and fluctuations in the international oil market.
However, now is the time to prepare for emergencies that may lie ahead.
The system of mandatory allocations does not ensure adequate
supplies of heating oil and propane for every customer. It simply means
we will have a more equitable distribution of heating oil and propane so
that no one area of the country will suffer undue hardship. This is
especially important for the Upper Midwest and the Northeast, for these
are the regions most likely to be hard hit by shortages.
As John Love, director of the Federal Energy Policy Office
expressed it, "To the fullest extent possible, we want to ensure that no
home or hospital goes without adequate heat and no farm is without
adequate propane.' Love said he believes any shortages this winter will
be manageable. And he urged all Americans using fuel oil and propane to
employ all possible measures of conservation.
I have a couple of ideas that might help avert major fuel oil
shortages this winter. One is to establish a national reserve of fuel
oil. This would ensure fuel for essential needs in critical times as
they arise. The other idea is to set up a Federal "hot line" to provide
immediate relief for those who cannot find fuel from any source for
essential needs. Inasmuch as most of the major fuel oil suppliers have
interstate operations, a national hot line should be effective.
Prior to the Administration's action, the Senate approved legislation
establishing mandatory allocations of petroleum products and the House
Page 2
was scheduled to act the week of Oct. 8. We certainly must explore every
means possible of attacking our energy problems--the opening up of new
sources of supply, the use of controls where absolutely necessary, and
conservation wherever possible.
I would like to comment now on the President's trade bill,
particularly since I consider trade expansion to bevital to Michigan's
trade-dependent economy.
Although an expansionist trade policy benefits the entire country,
few areas will benefit as directly as our state. Aggressive international
marketing builds a stronger agricultural base here and builds jobs in our
technically-oriented local economy.
The President's trade bill, designed to give our trade negotiators
broader powers, will give America greater flexibility in developing
agreements with our trading partners. The bill will give us both the
carrot and the stick. We will have more to offer those who treat us well,
and we can get tough with those who don't.
Domestic conditions here are right for rapid expansion of our
trade-oriented economy. We should reach compromises which make that
expansion possible.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the
nation's capital. I'll be back next week--same time, same station.
# # #
S6RIBT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF OCT. 6-7, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you rom the nation's capital.
The President's announcement of mandatory allocations of fuel oil and propane
is good news. A system of mandatory allocations should be
helpful in alleviating
any
heating oil shortages we
may encounter this winter.
Our energy problems are assuming ever growing importance. There is, of course,
these
no
way of telling
how severe LOIS problems will be during the winter of
1973-74. This will depend on such variables as the harshness of the winter weather
and fluctuations in the
international oil market. However, now is the time
to prepare for any emergencies that may lie ahead.
The system of mandatory allocation does not ensure adequate supplies of heating
bil and propane for every customer. It simply means we will have
a
more equitable distribution of heating oil and propane SO that no one area of the
country will suffer undue hardship. This is
espectially important for the
Upper Midwest and the Northeast, for these are the regions most likely to be hard
hit by shortages.
As John Love, director of the Federal Energy Policy Office expre ssed it, "To
the fullest extent possible, we want to ensure that no home or hospital goes
without adequate heat and no farm is without adequate propane." Love said
he
believes any
shortages this winter will be manageable. And he urged all
Americ ans using fuel oil and propane to employ all possible measures of conservation.
I have a couple of ideas that might help avert major fuel oil shor tages this
winter. One is to establish a national reserve of fuel oil. This would ensure fuel
for essential needs
in critical times as they arise. The other idea is to set up
a Federal "hot line" to provide immediate relief for those who cannot find fuel from
any source for e ssential needs. Inasmuch as most of the major fuel oil suppliers
have LIBRAR
-2-
interstate operations, a national hot line should be effective.
Prior to the Administration's action, the Senate approved
legislation
establishing mandatory allocations of petroleum products and the House was scheduled
to act the week of Oct. 8. We certainly must explore every means possible of attacking
our energy problems- -the opening up of ne W sources of supply, the use of controls
where absolutely necessary, and conservation wherever possible.
I would like to
comment now on the President's trade bill, ,particularly
since I
consider tradem expansion to be vital to Michigan's trade-dependent
econ omy.
areas
Although an expansionist free-trade policy benefits the entire country, few
will benefit as directly as our state and
Aggressive
international marketing builds a stronger agricultural base here and builds jobs in
our
technically-oriented local economy.
The President's trade bill, designed to give our trade negotiators broader powers,
will give America greater flexibility in developing agreements with our trading
partners. The bill will give us both the carrot and the stick. We will have more to
offer tho SB who treat us well, and We can get tough with those who don't.
I am disappointed, however, that the House Ways and Means Committee
is making
it difficult if not impossible for the Administration to grant the Soviet Union
"Most Favored Nation trading status. I do not think we should
interfere
directly with the Soviet Union's internal affairs anymore than I would expect any
other nation to interfere with ours. I am concerned about civil liberties in the
Soviet Union and about the
Soviets' emigration policies, but I don't think
we should try to use the withholding of Most Favored Nation
trading status
in an attempt to force change upon the Soviets.
Domestic conditions here are right for rapid expansion of our trade-oriented
SERALD LIBRARY
economy. We should reach compromises which make that expansion possible.
I'll be back next week-same time, same station
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF OCT. 13-14, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the
nation's capital.
The price of everything has become the number one topic of conversa-
tion these days.
The Administration has tried various phases and freezes in an effort
to reduce the rate of inflation and to stabilize prices. For awhile, the
price control program was relatively successful.
The international economy underwent fundamental changes which were
to have far-reaching effects on the economies of several countries most
notably the United States. We devalued the dollar in order to become more
competitive in international markets. The dollar devaluation was necessary
because of our comparatively low productivity growth and a high balance of
payments deficit. The tight controls of Phases I and II lessened the
immediate effect of the change on our domestic economy but these Phases in
turn created their own problems which came home to roost in Phase III.
American goods became cheaper to foreign buyers as a result of the
international currency realignment. Worldwide demand for American
commodities increased substantially. Price controls at home made the same
goods equally attractive to the American consumer. When controls were
lifted in Phase III, the increased demand drove prices up further. At the
same time, farm product scarcities developed in various parts of the world
due to crop failures and this produced highly unusual demands for American
agricultural commodities.
Since June, the country has suffered through a general price freeze,
a beef price freeze, and now, in Phase IV, limited price controls.
This latest plan for economic controls finds us with a continuing
high foreign demand for American goods.
Where has the Congress been during the months of economic anguish
for the American consumer? Both the House and Senate have given top
priority to legislation designed to deal with inflation and the country's
economic problems. Extensive authority to control the level of prices
and wages was delegated to the President at his request.
Page 2
Much of the inflation problem is due, of course, to the
unprecedented worldwide demand for goods of all kinds, including key
U.S. products and commodities. Ninety per cent of the world's soybeans
are grown in America. Soybeans are an important feed grain and are a
key source of protein for many people throughout the world.
It is not fair to blame either the Congress or the Administration
for the unprecedented foreign purchases of our foodstuffs. Neither the
Administration nor the Congress is to blame for unfavorable crop weather
in Australia and in North and South Africa, the wheat crop failure in the
Soviet Union, monsoons in India, a poor rice crop throughout most of Asia,
and the collapse of the Peruvian anchovy industry which is normally a major
source of protein for livestock feed. That various other crop failures
followed upon our wheat sale to Russia is most unfortunate--but none of
this could have been foreseen.
Now the reports are that relief from high food prices is on the
way at last. The answer is, of course, greatly expanded production. We
are getting expanded supplies from the record autumn harvest and a
backlog of livestock. Grain and meat prices have definitely slipped
well below the peaks reached earlier this year.
Gasoline and heating oil prices also are a problem. Many people
ask
why the increases? The main reason is that the United States
imports 30 per cent of its crude oil, and the delivered price of much
of this oil has doubled in the past three years. We have to pay the
price of the exporting nations; it's their oil, not ours. And that means
higher prices for gasoline and fuel oil. What all of this points to is
that we must make every possible effort to develop other energy sources
so we will not be so dependent on oil imports.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the
nation's capital. I'll be back with you next week-same time, same
station.
###
SCRIPT FOR USE BY FIFTH DISTRICT RADIO STATIONS THE WEEKEND OF OCT. 13-14, 1973.
This is your congressman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
The price of everything has become the number one tppic of conversation these days.
The Administration has tried various phases and freezes in an effort to reduce
the rate of inflation and to stabilize prices. For awhide, the price control program
was relatively successful.
The international economy underwent fundamental
changes which were to have far-reaching effects on the economies of several countries...
most notably the United States. We devalued the dollar in order to become more
competitive in international markets. The dollar devaluation was
necessary
because of our comparatively low productivity growth and a high balance of payments
deficit. The tight controls of Phases I and II le ssened the immediate effect of the
change on our domestic economy but these Phases in turn created their own problems
which came home to roost in Phase III.
American goods became cheaper to foreign buyers as a result of the international
meriand
currency realignment. Worldwide demand for American commodities soared. Price
controls at home made the same goods equally attractive to the American consumer.
When controls were lifted in Phase III, the increased demand drove prices up further.
At the same time, farm product scarcities developed in various parts of the world due
agricultural
to crop failures and this produced highly unusual demands for American commodities.
Since June, the country has suffered through a general price freeze, a beef
price freeze, and now, in Phase IV, limited price controls.
This latest plan for economic controls finds us with a continuing high foreign
demand for American goods.
Where has the Gongre SS been during the momths of economic anguish for
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American consumer? Both the House and Senate have given top
priority to
legislation designed to deal with inflation and the country's economic problems.
Extensive authority to control the level of prices and wages was delegated to the
President at his request.
Much of the inflation problem is due, of course, to the unprededented worldwide
demand for goods of all kinds, including key U.S. products and commodities. Ninety
per cent of the world's soybeans are grown inf America. Soybeans are an important
feed grain and are a key source of protein for many people throughout the world.
It is not
fair to blame either the Congress or the Administration for
the unprecedented foreign purchases of our foodstuffs.
Neither the Administration
unfassable weather
nor the Congress is to blame for in Australia and in North and South Africa,
the wheat crop failure in the Soviet Union, monsoons in India, a poor rice crop
throughout most of Asia, and the collapse of the Peruvian anchovy industry which is
normally a major source of protein for livestock feed. That various other crop
failures followed upon our wheat sale to Russia is most unfortunate--but none of this
could have been
foreseen.
Now the reports are that relief from high food prices is on the way at last. The
answer is, of course, greatly expanded production. We are getting expanded supplies
from the record authmn harvest and a backlog of livestock. Grain and meat prices
have definitely slipped well below the peaks reached earlier this year.
Meantime, we should keep our inflation problem in proper perspective as far as
food is concerned. It's true that between 1962 and 1972, food prices in the U.S. rose
by 34 per cent. But at the same time the price of movier tickets went up 98 per cent;
physician's fees, 65 per cent: dontist's fees, 56 per cent; a semi@private hospital
FORD
room rate, 166 për cent; and the price of ne wspapers, 68 per cent. But keep in mind, too,
that during the same 10 year period, wages and salaries went up 112 per cente
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
I'll be back next week-same time, same station.,AHIII
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3
Gasoline and heating oil prices also are a problem. Many
people ask
why
the increases? The main reason is that the United States imports 30 per cent of its
crude oil, and the delivered price of much of this oil has doubled in the pæt three
years. So We have to pay the price of the exporting nations; it's their oil, not ours.
And that means higher prices for g asoline and fuel oil. What all of this points to
is that we must make every possible effort to develop other energy
sources so we
will not be so dependent on oil imports.
This is your congre ssman, Jerry Ford, reporting to you from the nation's capital.
I'll be back with you next week--same time, same station.
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