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STATEMENT BY REP. GERALD R. FORD
- 2 -
October 23, 1965
The first session of the 89th Congress clearly demonstrates the evils of
one-party dominance of the national government.
When the party that occupies the White House holds a two-to-one majority in
the Congress, the Congress ceases to function as a co-equal branch of government,
the integrity of state and local governments is undermined, and the public interest
is often jeopardized.
The Executive branch unchecked becomes careless and arrogant. Arrogant is
a strong word, but there is no other to describe those who attempted to bull through
the appointment to the federal judiciary of a, man totally devoid of qualifications
for this high office. There is no other word for the conduct of an agency that
withholds federal funds from a city in defiance of thepprocedures clearly established
by Congress before such action can be taken. There is no other word for the methods
used to rush legislation through the Congress without adequate consideration and
without adequate opportunity to debate and to amend.
The House had no chance, for example, to consider any meaningful amendment
to the bill repealing Section (b) of the Taft-Hartley Act. In the consideration of
the Administration bill on elementary and secondary education, no opportunity was
granted to the sponsors of 14 amendments for explanation and debate.
Protest has been heard from both sides of the aisle. Democratic Congress-
woman Green, of Oregon, early in the session, condemned the "determined effort to
silence those who are in disagreement.' Many other Democrats have spoken out
in
similar terms in frustration and futility.
When either House of the Congress acts in this way, it abdicates its respon-
sibility. It ceases to be a, deliberative body and becomes a rubber stamp.
State and local governments have suffered because of one-party dominance in
this Congress, Congress has enacted far-reaching programs without concern for the
views of responsible state and local officials or the effect of federal action on
existing state and local programs. Especially significant was the Democratic
attempt to deprive governors of any shred of veto power over projects under the
poverty program.
Finally, this Congress has been prodigal with taxpayers' money, over and
above the military needs of the country. During this year $119 billion has been
appropriated -- $36 billion more than in the last year of the Eisenhower Administra-
tion. For many new programs this year's appropriation is only a small fraction of
the annual expenditure that will be inevitable when the programs are fully in opera-
tion.
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"ocrText": "STATEMENT BY REP. GERALD R. FORD\n- 2 -\nOctober 23, 1965\nThe first session of the 89th Congress clearly demonstrates the evils of\none-party dominance of the national government.\nWhen the party that occupies the White House holds a two-to-one majority in\nthe Congress, the Congress ceases to function as a co-equal branch of government,\nthe integrity of state and local governments is undermined, and the public interest\nis often jeopardized.\nThe Executive branch unchecked becomes careless and arrogant. Arrogant is\na strong word, but there is no other to describe those who attempted to bull through\nthe appointment to the federal judiciary of a, man totally devoid of qualifications\nfor this high office. There is no other word for the conduct of an agency that\nwithholds federal funds from a city in defiance of thepprocedures clearly established\nby Congress before such action can be taken. There is no other word for the methods\nused to rush legislation through the Congress without adequate consideration and\nwithout adequate opportunity to debate and to amend.\nThe House had no chance, for example, to consider any meaningful amendment\nto the bill repealing Section (b) of the Taft-Hartley Act. In the consideration of\nthe Administration bill on elementary and secondary education, no opportunity was\ngranted to the sponsors of 14 amendments for explanation and debate.\nProtest has been heard from both sides of the aisle. Democratic Congress-\nwoman Green, of Oregon, early in the session, condemned the \"determined effort to\nsilence those who are in disagreement.' Many other Democrats have spoken out\nin\nsimilar terms in frustration and futility.\nWhen either House of the Congress acts in this way, it abdicates its respon-\nsibility. It ceases to be a, deliberative body and becomes a rubber stamp.\nState and local governments have suffered because of one-party dominance in\nthis Congress, Congress has enacted far-reaching programs without concern for the\nviews of responsible state and local officials or the effect of federal action on\nexisting state and local programs. Especially significant was the Democratic\nattempt to deprive governors of any shred of veto power over projects under the\npoverty program.\nFinally, this Congress has been prodigal with taxpayers' money, over and\nabove the military needs of the country. During this year $119 billion has been\nappropriated -- $36 billion more than in the last year of the Eisenhower Administra-\ntion. For many new programs this year's appropriation is only a small fraction of\nthe annual expenditure that will be inevitable when the programs are fully in opera-\ntion.\n0000000-"
}