Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Source Description
This file contains material relating to Richard Nixon.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
4525480
label
Ford Newsletter, January-March 1972
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
4525480
sourceUrl
contentType
document
title
Ford Newsletter, January-March 1972
description
This file contains material relating to Richard Nixon.
citationUrl
collections
Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
Newsletters
subjects
Busing for school integration
Drug abuse
Labor disputes
Legislation
Rural areas
Veterans
largeImageUrl
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
4525480
coverageEndDate
logicalDate
1972-03-31
month
3
year
1972
coverageStartDate
logicalDate
1972-01-01
month
1
year
1972
levelOfDescription
fileUnit
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
document
mediaId
42bd209669064efc
ocrText
This document scanned from Box D2 of the Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
**
Report
Serving
From Your Congressman
Kent and Ionia Counties
JERRY FORD
(NOT PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE)
January 31, 1972
SECOND SESSION OF CONGRESS OFF TO A GOOD START
The second session of the 92nd Congress got under way rapidly. Both the House and Senate
went to work immediately, taking up where they left off last year.
Even before receiving the President's State of the Union Message, the House approved the
final version of election campaign reform legislation which had previously been passed by the
Senate and sent it to the President for his signature. This legislation is the first major
overhaul of campaign spending laws in 46 years.
I strongly supported the campaign reform legislation, which passed on a 334 to 19 roll call
vote.
The Senate began debate on legislation to broaden the powers of the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission. The issue was whether the commission should have the power to issue
cease and desist orders or should go into court to enforce its rulings. The House has approved
a bill requiring the commission to get court enforcement of its edicts.
CAMPAIGN REFORM BADLY NEEDED
There is no over-emphasizing the importance of the election campaign reform legislation.
Much needed, it replaces a law which is completely outmoded and has been on the books since 1925.
The new law limits campaign spending by a congressional candidate to 10 cents per voting age
person in the district or $50,000, whichever is greater. This can be used for advertising and
paid telephone campaigns. Of the total, only 60 per cent can be used for radio and television
advertising.
In the case of presidential candidates, the limitation in the new law becomes $13.9 million.
Of that total, roughly $8.4 million can be spent on radio and television.
Looking to the future, the new law provides for increases in campaign spending limitations
tied to rises in costs.
The new law goes into effect 60 days after the legislation is signed by the President.
HOUSE O.K.'S DELEGATES FOR GUAM, VIRGIN ISLANDS
The House at long last has voted to give the unincorporated territories of Guam and the
Virgin Islands one non-voting delegate each in the House of Representatives. These territories
have been seeking this right since the 84th Congress.
The vote on the legislation was 232 to 104. I voted for it because I believe the people
living in these territories should have an elected spokesman who can participate in the legisla-
tive process in Congress--on a non-voting basis--and make sure that Congress properly considers
the interests of Guam and the Virgin Islands.
Guam's population is about 87,000. That of the Virgin Islands is roughly 64,000. This is
more than the population of many of our territories which sent delegates to the House earlier in
our history.
The United States acquired the Virgin Islands in 1916. Guam came to the United States in
1898 under the treaty which ended the Spanish-American War.
At the present time the House has a non-voting Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico and a
non-voting delegate from the District of Columbia.
PRESIDENT SETS RIGHT TONE FOR SECOND SESSION
The President set exactly the right tone for the second session of the 92nd Congress when
he kept his State of the Union Message absolutely non-political.
The main thrust of the State of the Union Message was a plea to the Democrats, who control
the Congress, to lay aside partisanship for the duration of the session and to join with the
President in enacting major new laws for the good of the Nation.
It remains to be seen whether the Democrats will heed this appeal.
Because there are 90 Administration measures still awaiting congressional approval, the
President kept new initiatives to a minimum.
One initiative is a proposed partnership between the Federal Government and the private
sector to develop new technology for the betterment of the American people.
Another was a proposal, yet to be shaped in detail, to substitute Federal fund-raising for
the local school property tax.
I heartily approve of both initiatives, although I am reserving judgment on any new Federal
tax. I certainly do not believe there should be any new Federal taxes this year when we are
seeking vigorously to move the economy forward. I see near-future relief from increases in
local property taxes coming from the President's proposal for Federal revenue sharing.
We must have relief from the local property tax burden by some means. I will support any
proposal which is in the best interests of the taxpayer.
I SIGN ANTI-BUSING DISCHARGE PETITION
At one point in his State of the Union Message the President said that "educational quality--
so vital to the future of all of our children--is not enhanced by unnecessary busing for the sole
purpose of achieving an arbitrary racial balance.
Last week I threw my weight behind a move to force a House vote on a proposed Constitutional
Amendment which would rule out forced busing to achieve racial balance.
I signed a petition which would take away from the House Judiciary Committee and bring to
the House floor a proposed Constitutional Amendment introduced by Rep. Norman F. Lent, R-N.Y.
This Constitutional Amendment provides that "no public school student shall, because of his
race, creed, or color, be assigned to or required to attend a particular school.' Sen. Robert
Griffin has introduced an anti-busing Constitutional Amendment in the Senate.
Our concern should be with quality education, not with forced busing to achieve racial bal-
ance. I believe in the concept of the neighborhood school.
We need the names of 218 House members on the dis-
U.S. TROOPS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
charge petition before we can bring the Lent
Build-up and Withdrawal
amendment up for a vote. This will not be easy.
My name on the petition was 135.
Nixon takes 543,400
Thousands
office
Once we get a vote, we need two-thirds in both the
500
Peace talks
House and Senate for approval and then the o.k. of
begin
three-fourths of the State Legislatures.
400
PRESIDENT SETS RECORD STRAIGHT ON VIETNAM
300
200
President Nixon last week revealed the vigorous
secret negotiations he has pursued in an effort to
69,000
end the Vietnam War.
100
/-
He has offered to negotiate with the North
23,000
Vietnamese both on the military issues and a
0
1965 '66 '67 '68 '69 '70 '71 I '72
political settlement.
ENDING U.S. INVOLVEMENT President
The possibility of movement toward an ultimate
Nixon has announced that U.S. troops in
settlement appears to exist.
Vietnam will be drawn down to 69,000 by
May 1. He has offered to withdraw all
It may be, as the President said, that making his
U.S. troops in exchange for an Indochina
secret negotiations public will serve to break the
cease fire and release of all U.S. prison-
deadlock that has blocked a settlement.
ers of war.
###
REWIEW
Report
Serving
From Your Congressman
Kent and Ionia Counties
JERRY FORD
PRINTED
February 14, 1972
CONGRESS VOTES DOCK STRIKE END
The House last week joined the Senate in approving what amounted to an insurance policy
against continuation of the West Coast dock strike.
Following up on Senate action, the
UNITED STATES TRADE BALANCE
House sent the President a bill pro-
-
Mil.U.S.
viding for binding arbitration of the
Dollars
labor dispute should a tentative agree-
+6,000-
-
ment between the International Long-
+4,000-
-
shoremen's and Warehousemen's Union and
the Pacific Maritime Association fall
+2,000-
-
through.
o
How urgent was it that we end the dock
-2,000-
- strike? American exports would have
been $600 million higher during the
-4,000-
-
initial 100 days of the strike except
-6,000
Est.
- for the work stoppage. During the June-
September period, farm exports from the
-8,000-
-
West Coast dropped from $288 million in
-10,000
the same period in 1970 to $73 million
1961
'63
65
'67
'69
'71*
*
'73
'75
in 1971. Losses of port service indus-
tries were estimated at $8 million a
U.S. TRADE DOWN America's merchandise trade bal-
week; the loss to shippers at $3 million
ance varies greatly from year to year but the basic
a week; the loss in wages, $410,000 a
trend has been down. The West Coast dock strike was
day.
most damaging. U.S. exports would have been about
$600 million higher in 1971 except for the strike.
The bill guarantees an end to the strike.
I argued hard for the arbitration bill because I felt a continuation of the dock strike was
so damaging to the economy of the entire country that it could not be allowed.
Despite the opposition of Democratic leaders, the House voted 214 to 139 for binding arbi-
tration. The House acted after receiving assurances from the President that he would wait to see
whether the tentative labor-management agreement came unstuck.
The West Coast dock strike was complicated by a jurisdictional dispute between the Long-
shoremen and the Teamsters Union. Republicans told the House that this dispute threatened the
tentative agreement reached by the Longshoremen and the Maritime Association and made the stand-
by legislation mandatory.
The West Coast dock strike began last July 1 and lasted for 100 days until the President
obtained an 80-day injunction under the Taft-Hartley Act and the men returned to work. The
injunction expired Dec. 25 but the longshoremen kept working until Jan. 17 when they resumed the
strike. On Jan. 21 the President asked Congress for legislation providing for binding arbitra-
tion to end the strike.
The legislation approved by Congress is similar to that of the President except that it lays
down different rules for selecting the arbitration board.
HOUSE APPROVES NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR ELDERLY
Convinced that the elderly have special nutritional problems, the House last week approved
a bill to provide Americans 60 and over with one hot meal a day, five days a week.
The bill passed 350 to 23. I voted for it. I felt that if we are committed to better health
for our elderly citizens, we should help provide them with a proper diet.
The House Education and Labor Committee said its hearings showed that as many as 30 per
cent of the elderly live in poverty, many of them lack the skills to prepare nourishing meals
for themselves, and many of them lack the mobility to shop and cook for themselves.
The elderly taking part in the nutrition projects authorized by the bill need not be impov-
erished but the heavy emphasis is on the poor. The program is to begin July 1, with Federal
funds to pay 90 per cent of the cost. The local share can be "in kind" services.
The bill authorizes appropriations of $100 million in fiscal 1973 and $150 million in fiscal
1974.
HOUSE VOTES COORDINATED ATTACK ON DRUG ABUSE
The House has approved a bill which would mount a comprehensive, coordinated attack on drug
abuse. It establishes a Special Action Office in the White House with authority over drug addict
rehabilitation and treatment and drug abuse education. The bill also establishes a liaison
between the Special Action Office and law enforcement groups concerned with the drug traffic.
Besides setting up the Special Action Office, the bill also would:
Establish a Special Fund to be used by the Director to fund promising new concepts or
methods for the treatment of drug addiction, as well as to expand existing activities
that prove effective.
Authorize $45 million over two years to encourage and promote research, especially in the
areas of nonaddictive synthetic analgesics, long-lasting nonaddictive blocking or
antagonistic drugs for treatment of heroin addiction, and better detoxification agents.
Establish clinical research facilities.
*
Establish a National Drug Abuse Training Center.
*
Set up a 15-member National Advisory Council for Drug Abuse Prevention to advise the
director of the Special Action Office regarding planning and policy objectives.
*
Provide $120 million over two years to initiate drug treatment and rehabilitation pro-
grams in community mental health centers.
Provide $31 million over three years for planning grants to States and local units of
government.
*
Increase the authorization for Community Health Centers Act appropriations by $100 mil-
lion over a two-year period.
*
Provide for the establishment of drug treatment and rehabilitation programs in the
hospitals and clinics of the Public Health Service.
In all, the House bill authorizes appropriations totalling $411 million over a three-year
period. The Senate has approved a bill authorizing an appropriation of $1.8 billion. The House
and Senate now will try to resolve the differences between their two drug abuse attack bills.
V.A. FUNDS BENEFIT KENT, IONIA COUNTIES
More than $15.5 million in Veterans Administration funds went to Kent and Ionia County
veterans during the last fiscal year.
Veterans in Kent County received a total of
$13,996,947, including $9,520,304 in pension
and compensation money, $2,972,188 for read-
justment and vocational rehabilitation, and
$1,504,455 in insurance and indemnities.
Payments to Ionia County veterans totalled
$1,576,541. This included $1,066,195 in com-
pensation and pensions, $332,860 for readjust-
ment and rehabilitation, and $168,486 in in-
surance and indemnities.
CONGRESS RECESSES
In line with custom, the House went into re-
cess from the close of business Feb. 9 until
noon Feb. 16.
THESE FIVE 5th District young people have
been interning in my Washington office. From
I took advantage of the recess to visit the
left, they are: Mary McCormick, Aquinas sopho-
district. One of my more pleasant chores was
more; Thomas Lawson, Samford University
introducing astronaut Al Worden as the
(Birmingham, Ala.) junior; Douglas Kamstra,
speaker at a dinner in Grand Rapids.
Calvin junior; Dawn DePuyt, Calvin senior; and
Suzanne Edwards, Aquinas senior. Dawn, Doug and
Kent County's Lincoln Day dinner will be
Tom have completed their internships. Mary and
Feb. 17 in Grand Rapids. Sen. Bill Brock,
Suzanne will be with us until May 15.
R-Tenn., will speak. I will introduce him.
"
gilson press
authorized but must pass
approp bill yet.
June 15 H.
June 27 Sea
No comf
Not law yes
S3. 6 mill for Mich to be distrib
by state
631 North Ave., N.E.
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
Telephone 459-4539
Report
Serving
From Your Congressman
Kent and Ionia Counties
JERRY FORD
NOT PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSES
BAR
February 28, 1972
HOUSE ADOPTS RURAL DEVELOPMENT ACT
By voice vote, the House last week passed a bill entitled the Rural Development Act of 1972.
The bill is aimed at upgrading the standard of living in rural America and stimulating
economic growth in our rural areas.
Unfortunately, the proposed program is costly and duplicates many existing programs and
overlaps others. I backed a number of provisions in the bill but found others unsound.
The bill would establish four new categorical grant programs:
--A grant authority of $50 million providing for pollution abatement and control grants to
"public, private, or cooperative organizations organized for profit or nonprofit or to
individuals.'
A second grant authority earmarking $25 million annually in grants to farmers for
pollution abatement and control. This would duplicate and overlap the existing Rural
Environmental Assistance Program (REAP).
--A Third grant authority permitting up to $50 million annually to be donated to small towns,
cities or other public bodies for a host of rural economic development activities. The
scope of this grant would never begin to meet the demand for such "free money."
--A fourth grant authority providing $10 million per year for comprehensive planning. This
duplicates Section 701 of the Housing Act.
In total, the bill would authorize appropriations of up to $580 million a year in grants.
INDEX
TRENDS IN OUTPUT PER MAN-HOUR IN MANUFACTURING
(1958 100)
U.S. AND MAJOR INDUSTRIAL COUNTRIES
ADMINISTRATION BILLS BETTER
JAPAN
300
The Administration has offered a
better solution to the problem of
building rural America.
ITALY
FRANCE
The Administration approach is
200
based on Rural Revenue Sharing
GER
and Rural Development Credit
U.K.
Sharing.
U.S.
Rural revenue sharing would com-
100
bine the funding for a number of
existing programs into a single
more flexible program for rural
community development. This pro-
gram would add $179 million to
0
present funding.
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
U.S. PRODUCTIVITY LAGS The productivity of Ameri-
Under Rural Development Credit
can labor and industry has not increased as rapidly as that
Sharing, 8. new Fund would be
06 our important trade partners. Our rate of inflation in
established to provide loans, loan
recent years has been unacceptably high, and the dollar had
insurance and loan guarantees to
become overvalued. The combined effect has been a reduc-
the states for use in assisting
tion in the competitiveness of U.S. products in both for-
rural development. This Fund
eign and domestic markets. The President's Council on
could be used to establish or
International Economic Policy is working on programs to
LISTA
improve businesses, install water
improve our competitiveness and boost our exports.
and sewer facilities, and to build
other public works and community facilities such as industrial parks and community centers which
work directly or indirectly to provide employment opportunities.
I think this is the approach we need. It would really help to build rural America and to
stem the flow of out-migration from the "country" into the cities.
HOUSE VOTES TO EXPAND O.E.O. PROGRAM
Turning aside efforts to extend the anti-poverty program at its existing level, the House
has voted to greatly expand it and to convert the legal services program into a Legal Services
Corporation. The vote on final passage was 234 to 137.
I voted for a two-year extension of the existing program but this move was defeated 206 to
159. I wanted the present program extended while efforts were made to perfect child development
and legal services legislation.
Instead the Democratic majority insisted upon a bill which expands the Head Start Program
authorization from $316 million to $500 million this fiscal year and balloons it to $1 billion
in fiscal 1973 instead of the $394 million sought by the Administration. In addition, the
Democrats' bill would require that the President name 11 of the 17 members of the Legal Services
Corporation board of directors from lists of names submitted by bar associations, by other law
groups and by representatives of the poor. This requirement is unprecedented. The President,
Democrat or Republican, should have the freedom to make his own choices, subject to Senate con-
firmation.
FOREIGN STUDY SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE
In cooperation with the American Institute for Foreign Study, I am offering a $1,000 scholar-
ship to a high school junior for six weeks of study and travel in Europe this summer. I have
sent complete information regarding this scholarship to every high school principal in Kent and
Ionia Counties. Any 11th grader in Kent and Ionia who is interested may obtain further informa-
tion from the school principal. Applications are to be filed with my Grand Rapids Office before
April 1.
UNDERWITHHOLDING AND OVERWITHHOLDING
Some people have been amazed to find that more income tax is being withheld from their pay
despite the fact that Congress last year voted to cut personal income taxes.
There has been a cut in income taxes. Taxes have not been increased. This year some 60
million taxpayers will share in a $3.6 billion reduction in individual income taxes under pro-
visions of the Revenue Act of 1971.
But when the Congress cut taxes last year Congress also adopted new income tax withholding
tables. The reason was that individual income taxes had been underwithheld since the Tax Reform
Act of 1969 and many people found themselves with 8. sizable tax bill at income tax time.
Now we are finding that employes who do not have a wage-earner spouse or who itemize deduc-
tions and come up with a far higher total than the standard deduction are being "overwithheld.
The answer is for these individuals (except for those with two jobs) to file a new Form W-4
claiming special exemptions. These forms may be obtained from employers or the I.R.S.
U.S. TROOP STRENGTH
MANPOWER COSTS
Year ending June 30-
Year ending June 30-
3,547,000
56%
1973
TOTAL
2,713,000
51%
(est.)
MEN
2,358,000
1971
IN
UNIFORM
42%
Pentagon Payroll and Related Costs,
1968
as Percentage of Total Defense Outlays
1968
1971
1973 (est.)
Army
1,570,000
1,123,000
841,000
DESPITE a one-third cutback
in U.S. troop strength, manpower
Navy
765,000
623,000
602,000
costs are eating up more and more
Marine Corps
307,000
212,000
198,000
of the total U.S. defense budget.
This is due to inflation and pay
Air Force
905,000
755,000
717,000
raises needed to attract an all-
volunteer Army.
REVIEW
Report
Serving
From Your Congressman
Kent and Ionia Counties
JERRY FORD
NOT PRINTED AF GOVERNMENT EXPENSE
March 13, 1972
HOUSE FAVORS VETS' SCHOOL ALLOWANCE BOOST
The House last week voted unanimously to raise allowances of Vietnam veterans attending
school full time by 14 per cent and to boost the allowance for on-the-job training by 48 per
cent. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee is considering a similar bill.
The only question in the House was how large the increases should be. Some members feel
that Vietnam veterans are being shortchanged on assistance under the so-called G.I. Bill in
comparison with the treatment given World War II veterans.
The World War II vet received $50 a month under the G.I. Bill, plus up to $500 a year for
tuition, fees, supplies and travel expenses.
The Vietnam vet receives a monthly allowance which started out at $100 and has risen to
$175. He receives no tuition allowance.
Some House members have proposed giving Vietnam veterans up to $1,000 a year for tuition,
plus their present living allowance.
No amendments were allowed to the bill approved by the House last week, due to the procedure
under which it was considered.
The bill raises the allowance of a single veteran from $175 a month to $200; a married vet-
eran from $205 to $234; a married veteran with a child, from $230 to $262; the allowance for each
extra child from $13 a month to $15.
HOUSE LAUNCHES NOISE CONTROL EFFORT
The House has passed the Noise Control Act of 1972--the first effort to deal with noise
"pollution" on a national basis. The rollcall vote was 356 to 32. I strongly supported the bill.
The bill sets up a noise control program to be
BY 1975, THE COST OF POLLUTION ABATEMENT
administered by the Environmental Protection Agency
COULD BE ALMOST DOUBLE THE 1970 LEVEL
(EPA). Assuming Senate approval of the legislation,
it is hoped that noise levels in the country can be
in billions of dollars
$18.3
reduced within three or four years.
The bill requires EPA to set noise emission stand-
$7.8
Solid Wastes
ards within 18 months for new construction equip-
ment, motors, engines and electrical and electronic
devices.
$9.3
$5.8
Water
Local units of government retain the power to deter-
$5.7
mine and enforce noise abatement and control levels.
EPA will coordinate the noise control programs of
$3.1
$4.7
Air
seven Federal departments and agencies, as well as
$0.5
12 minor programs conducted by other agencies. EPA
1970
1975
will work with the Federal Aviation Agency on the
Data: Based on Environmental Protection Agency Data
problem of aircraft noise.
The legislation adopted by the House is in line with recommendations made by the President
in February of 1971 urging that Congress "provide a method for measurably reducing major noise
sources, while preserving to State and local governments the authority to deal with their par-
ticular noise problems.
(over)
JURY DUTY FOR 18-YEAR-OLDS
The House voted last week to lower the minimum age for Federal court jurors from 21 years
to 18. I voted for the bill.
I felt that if 18-to-21-year-olds are mature enough to vote for members of Congress who
enact Federal laws and for the Chief Executive who has the authority to enforce such laws, then
they are mature enough to serve as jurors, as do other citizens.
OUR AREA TO GET FRUIT PEST MANAGEMENT PROJECT
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has agreed to earmark roughly $100,000 a year for three
years for a fruit pest management pilot project in the West Central apple district to be admin-
istered by the Cooperative Extension Service of Michigan State University with the USDA and the
Michigan Department of Agriculture cooperating.
The greatest benefit in the long run is the probability of substantially reduced pesticide
use in agricultural production. The program will lessen the danger of environmental pollution.
The program is also great news for our fruit growers. It will mean a big reduction in the
cost of pest control to fruit growers. In some cases, the saving will amount to $50 an acre.
Other states also sought the project, but Michigan won out. I contacted USDA officials to
indicate my strong support for MSU's proposal.
Some 5,000 acres of apples will initially come under the pest management procedure.
Since the highest cost in growing apples is spraying, especially for pesticide materials,
any innovations that get the job done cheaper and without loss of fruit quality would be most
beneficial in reducing growing costs.
Michigan's fruit industry is faced with acute financial difficulties. Fruit growers are
caught in a squeeze between high costs and low prices and profits. An improvement in production
efficiency, particularly the pest control program, can mean the difference between success and
failure for many growers.
HOUSE REAFFIRMS STRONG ANTI-BUSING STAND
The House and Senate have both passed higher education bills containing language aimed at
discouraging forced busing to achieve racial balance. However, the House provisions are much
stronger than those in the Senate bill.
To make sure that its strong anti-busing provisions prevail in the final version of the
higher education legislation, the House last week ordered a firm stand by the House members who
will "negotiate" with their Senate counterparts in writing the compromise version of the bill.
When Rep. Earl B. Ruth, R-N.C., made a motion to instruct the House conferees to insist on
the House's anti-busing language, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Carl D. Perkins,
D-Ky., moved to table Ruth's motion. The House rejected the Perkins motion 139 to 270. I voted
against the tabling motion. The House then adopted the motion to instruct the conferees, 272 to
139. I voted for that motion.
I urged the House to order the House conferees to
hold fast because only three of the 20 House members
named as conferees on the higher education bill had
voted for the anti-busing amendments to begin with.
There was therefore some question as to how enthus-
iastic they would be about upholding the House's
position unless the House insisted upon it.
HOUSE O.K. 'S ANTI-BIAS BILL
By a vote of 303 to 110, the House approved and
sent to the White House the final version of a bill
giving the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
the power to enforce its orders through court
action. I voted for the bill.
DISTRICT VISIT
VISITING 'STUDENTS' Three Yugoslavs
recently spent five days in Grand Rapids
My district assistant, Gordon Vander Till, will be
studying urban problems there. They sub-
in the City Council Room at Belding from 2:30 to
sequently visited me in my Washington
5 p.m. March 17 to speak on my behalf with anyone
office and reported briefly on their study
who has a problem or simply wants to discuss the
of Grand Rapids.
issues.
WASHINGTON
Report
Serving
From Your Congressman
Kent and Ionia Counties
JERRY FORD
(NOT PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE,
10
March 27, 1972
SICKLE CELL ANEMIA FIGHT VOTED-GRAND RAPIDS EFFORT CITED
The House last week unanimously approved a three-year $105 million fight against sickle cell
anemia, the hereditary blood disease which afflicts thousands of black Americans.
The Senate last year voted to authorize a $142 million three-year battle against the disease.
Selected members of the House and Senate (conferees) will meet soon to iron out the differences
between the House and Senate bills.
The legislation will establish a national program for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention
of sickle cell anemia, together with screening, counseling and informational programs.
Blacks afflicted with the disease suffer from painful recurrent sickle cell "crises" through-
out their lifetimes and generally do not live beyond the age of 30.
of the 25 million black people in America, roughly 2.5 million may have the sickle cell trait
and at least 50,000 may suffer from the disease.
A systematic effort such as that contemplated by the bill just passed may bring about the
kind of effective control needed to end the scourge of sickle cell anemia.
During the House debate on the bill, I described the work done by Dr. Robert M. Nalbandian of
Blodgett Memorial Hospital and his team on sickle cell anemia screening and the testing program
carried out in the Grand Rapids schools. I also cited the excellent documentary on sickle cell
anemia, "Paradox of Neglect, produced by WZZM-TV (Channel 13).
RADIO FREE EUROPE FATE POSTPONED
TOTAL COMPENSATION PER HOUR WORKED IN
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, SELECTED COUNTRIES
1960-70 (IN U.S. DOLLARS)
$ PER HOUR
4.50
For many weeks the House and Senate have fought
over whether to continue funding of Radio Free
U.S.
Europe and Radio Liberty.
4.00
House members--I among them--strongly believe that
3.50
the radios should continue to operate, since this
CANADA
is the only way to get the truth through the Iron
Curtain.
3.00
Certain senators, led by Foreign Relations Chair-
2.50
man J. William Fulbright, want to silence the
radios. They contend the radios are "one of the
GERMANY
last vestiges of the Cold War."
2.00
ITALY 17
Last week the House agreed with Senate insistence
FRANCE M
that the radios be funded only through the end of
1.50
U.K.
this fiscal year, with the understanding that the
fight will be renewed over funding the radios for
JAPAN
1.00
fiscal 1973.
50
CONGRESS RAISES PRICE OF GOLD
0
1980
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
M IT HALE 12/0 ONLY
The House last week voted to raise the official
price of gold from $35 an ounce to $38. The Sen-
THESE ARE the latest available fig-
ate had passed the bill March 1. The effect of
ures on how the earnings of u. S. workers
the action is to lower the price of U. S. goods
in manufacturing compare with those 06
sold overseas and raise the price of foreign
their foreign counterparts.
imports.
HOUSE VOTES 'REHAB' EXPANSION
In a major expansion of existing vocational rehabilitation programs, the House last week
approved legislation extending and improving "rehab" services for disabled Americans. The action
was unanimous.
Sponsors of the bill called it "the most significant advance in assistance to handicapped
persons in half a century."
The bill would:
*
Extend existing vocational rehabilitation programs for three years;
*
Authorize appropriations for comprehensive services to the severely disabled;
Establish comprehensive rehabilitation centers for the low-achieving deaf, for rehabilita-
tion of people with spinal cord injuries, for people with end stage kidney disease who
can be kept alive and rehabilitated with modern methods of transplants and hemodialysis;
*
Establish 8. National Information and Resource Center for the Handicapped; and
*
Establish a temporary National Commission on Transportation and Housing for the Handi-
capped.
In fiscal year 1971, more than one million individuals received services from the State
vocational rehabilitation agencies. Of these persons, 291,272 were rehabilitated. The average
cost of such rehabilitation was $2,168 per person--considerably less than that of any other
manpower or related program with similar objectives.
The latest count shows 17.7 million disabled persons in the United States between the ages
of 18 and 64.
SOCIAL SECURITY LEGISLATION PENDING
I am receiving a number of inquiries from elderly constituents wondering when a pending
increase in Social Security benefits will be forthcoming.
It is impossible to answer that question except to say that the Senate Finance Committee is
working almost daily on B. House-approved welfare reform bill which provides for a rise in Social
Security benefits. Action providing a Social Security benefits increase will be taken sometime
before Congress adjourns for the year.
Those wishing to urge a speedup of Senate action may write to the chairman of the Senate
Finance Committee, Sen. Russell B. Long, Room 217, Old Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.,
20515.
HOUSE SHARPENS ATTACK ON DRUG ABUSE
The House has voted unanimously to authorize a $1 billion three-year Federal attack on drug
abuse, including treatment and rehabilitation of addicts.
The bill gives Congressional sanction to the Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention
established by President Nixon last June.
The Special Action Office already has had an impact in the fields of drug abuse education,
treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention. The Office is working to coordinate programs which
are spread through nine Federal agencies and to develop a national strategy to guide these
efforts. With Congressional authority, the Office will be able to do much more.
'AG' YEARBOOK AVAILABLE
I have 300 copies of the 1971
Department of Agriculture year-
book, "A Good Life For More
People." You may obtain a copy
by writing to me at my Washington
office, Room H-230, U.S. Capitol
Building, Washington, D.C., 20515
Please do not call my Grand Rapids
THIS GROUP FROM CASCADE Christian Church--21 young
office to ask for the yearbook.
people and five adults--met with me recently at the U.S.
The yearbook is available on a
Capitol for a question and answer session.
first-come, first-served basis.
####
Statementplaced
PRODUCTION
in Congressional Record,
¥-13
4/17/72
BOX Z GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN 49501 (616) 364-9551
April 10, 1972
with
The Honorable Gerald R. Ford
p/w
WAT
Room H-230
U. S. Capitol Building
Washington, D.D. 20515
Pid,
Dear Mr. Ford:
may
Your March 27, 1972 Newsletter described your part in the debate on the
recent House bill regarding some funding for Sickle Cell Anemia. You had
cited the documentary produced by WZZM.
May I take this opportunity express thanks to you for the national recog-
ny, nows.
nition that this represents? May I also point out the real members of
the team that struggled against some odds in order to see this documentary
project successfully completed? Those who put in considerable work behind
mix
the scenes of course, received due screen credit, but are not always iden-
tified in publicity about this project. They are William D. Corder, execu-
tive producer; John L. Bailey and Bill Prins, directors; Werner Schneider
and Robert Cross, cameras; Jim Jenson and Rod Caszatt, producers-writers.
This film was produced by Production Thirteen, the film unit of WZZM-TV.
As manager of Production Thirteen, I am naturally concerned that those of
us who contributed so much to the success of "Paradox of Neglect', are
not overlooked.
Keep up your good work. I personally look forward to your representation
of this district for years to come.
Sincerely,
w
AB
John L. Bailey
Manager Production Thirteen
The Film Production Unit of WZZM-TV