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    "localId": "4525521",
    "label": "Ford Press Releases - Congress, 1965-1966",
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    "id": "4525521",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Ford Press Releases - Congress, 1965-1966",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/4525521",
    "collections": [
        "Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers",
        "Press Releases Subject Files"
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    "subjects": [
        "U.S. House of Representatives. (03/04/1789 - )",
        "House Republican Policy Committee (U.S.)",
        "U.S. Congress. (1789 - )",
        "Legislation"
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        "logicalDate": "1966-11-01",
        "month": 11,
        "year": 1966
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{
    "seq": 62,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/ford/grf-0054/642076/4525521/4525521_Page_63.jpg",
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    "ocrText": "7.\nThe Republican Membership in the House of Representatives rejected and opposed\nthis radical and unnecessary proposal. They recognized that in a period of rising\ninflation, it is the individual with a limited or fixed income that suffers the\ngreatest hardship. Without question, the real casualty of such controls would be\nthe family with substantial needs but moderate means. These individuals do not\nhave the resources to pay cash or make a large downpayment when they purchase an\nautomobile, a refrigerator, or some other household appliance.\nFortunately, a sufficient number of Democrat Members joined the Republicans and\nthe standby authority to impose consumer credit controls was stricken from the\nlegislation. In this instance, the control philosophy was voted down. Thus,\nextreme and unwarranted powers were kept from the hands of the very individuals\nwhose spending policies have caused the inflationary problem.\n(See June 14, 1966 Policy Committee statement.)\nFighting Waste, Bungling, and Scandal in the Poverty Program\nDuring the past year, efforts by the Republican Members of the Education and\nLabor Committee to gather information which would be helpful in drafting effective\nanti-poverty legislation were hampered and handicapped at every turn. The Democrat\nmajority on the Committee repeatedly promised a full-fledged study and was given\n$200,000 for this purpose. However, field hearings did not materialize and an\never-changing investigative staff was confused by changes in direction, cancelled\ntrips, and recalls from investigations. The reports which were issued were sketchy\nand contained statistics and percentages rather than material needed to draft\ncorrective legislation. Moreover, some reports were intentionally withheld from\nthe Republican Members.\nThe hearings that were finally held on the anti-poverty legislation developed\ninto an 8-day parade of Administration spokesmen and apologists for the poverty\nprogram. The Republican Members of the Education and Labor Committee recommended\n62 witnesses who were knowledgeable in all aspects of the anti-poverty program.\nHowever, these recommendations were igncred and the hearings were abruptly termi-\nnated. When Chairman Powell of the Education and Labor Committee was asked why\nthis had been done, his only reply was \"Because I am the Chairman.'\nIn spite of this arbitrary and woefully inadequate action, there was no real\nattempt made by the Democrat leader3hip to correct the many abuses and gross\nmistakes that plagued the present program and $1.75 billion for fiscal year 1967\nwas ultimately authorized.\nFortunately for the American public, the Republican Members of the Education and\nLabor Committee conducted an independent investigation of the poverty program.\nAbuse after abuse was documented and exposed. A solid basis for an overall reform\nof the anti-poverty program was established. In order to effectuate the essential\nreforms and changes, the Republicans introduced substitute legislation entitled the\nRepublican Opportunity Crusade. Unfortunately, this bill and the reforms that it\nwould impose, was rejected. However, a good start on an eventual clean-up of\nthis scandal-ridden program has been made. Republicans will continue to press for\nneeded controls and reforms in the next Congress.\n(See July 19, 1966 Policy Committee statement.)"
}