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American Business Clubs, Spartanburg, SC, September 15, 1973
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4526509
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American Business Clubs, Spartanburg, SC, September 15, 1973
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Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
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1973
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The original documents are located in Box D35, folder "American Business Clubs,
Spartanburg, SC, September 15, 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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.
Distribution: 20capies u/F only
M OFFICE COPY
CONGRESSMAN
NEWS
GERALD R. FORD
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
RELEASE
--FOR RELEASE AT 6 P.M. SATURDAY--
September 15, 1973
Excerpts from a speech by Rep. Gerald R. Ford, House Republican Leader, before a
regional meeting of American Business Clubs, at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, 1973,
at the Sheraton Motor Inn, at Spartansburg, S.C.
Something exceedingly good for the country may be happening in Washington.
The Congress may be turning away from confrontation with the President to
cooperation with him.
This is a development fervently to be desired, because it is the spirit of
confrontation exhibited by the Congress which has produced stalemate of late in this
country--far more SO than any actions taken by the so-called Watergate Committee.
There is a burning need at present to put partisanship behind us and to
dedicate ourselves to the welfare of all the people.
There is a need, too, for honesty and accuracy on the part of the news media
if this country is to move forward.
It was not helpful, for instance, for the gentlemen of the press to quote
the President as saying Congress's record to date has been "very disappointing"
when the President was talking only about Congress's handling of Administration
legislation.
The press created a new basis for hostility between the President and the
Congress by its treatment of the President's press conference remarks of Sept. 5
when in actuality the President was simply holding out an olive branch and a
challenge to the Congress.
The Congress does have a respectable record to date--except on Presidential
initiatives. The President cited this record in his State of the Union Message of
Sept. 10. He noted that the Congress has enacted a new-approach farm bill, a
ground-breaking Federal highway bill, an increase in Social Security benefits,
airport development legislation, amendments to the Rural Electrification Act, the
Economic Development Administration and the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration
authorizations, an Older Americans bill, an emergency farm loan bill, a national
cemeteries bill, and a medical care bill for veterans.
He also pointed out, however--and every word he spoke hit the mark-that the
Congress has much to do before it adjourns if it is to write a truly outstanding
(more)
Digitized from Box D35 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
Page 2
legislative record this year. At the same time, the President pledged to work
closely with members of Congress to reach the compromises which must be hammered
out if major legislation is to become law.
It does not detract from congressional accomplishments to date to emphasize
that much remains to be done.
Our first goal must be a balanced budget. This is the major contribution
that Congress can make toward the fight against inflation. Every dollar of deficit
spending weakens us in the anti-inflation fight. Yet Congress has already enacted
programs which would exceed the President's budget by $2 billion and is considering
additional legislation which would add another $4 billion in deficit spending if
passed.
Some members of Congress would pad domestic spending and chop the defense
budget to make up for it. I am adamantly opposed to slashing defense spending. I
will support judicious cuts in military outlays, but to take a meat-axe to the
defense budget is to endanger our national security. It would profit us not at
all to expand our human resource programs if at the same time we exposed our
nation's heart to a fatal thrust.
We must keep our nation militarily strong and we must strengthen our economy.
And to build the sinews of our economy we must pass sound trade reform legislation,
impose controls on exports of food and other products where necessary, and provide
authority for selling those materials in our national stockpile which are no longer
needed for national security. Tax reform is another concern--a concern which
demands that we provide older Americans with property tax relief.
Another matter of top priority is the energy crisis. We must act swiftly
to get the Alaskan pipeline project moving, pass legislation to facilitate
construction of deepwater ports capable of off-loading large oil tankers, deregulate
natural gas, lay down reclamation standards which make possible expanded coal
mining, and reorganize the Federal energy effort under a new, independent Energy
Research and Development Administration. We must also encourage the establishment
of nuclear power plants by streamlining power plant siting procedures while fully
protecting the public safety and environment.
Human resource needs demand our attention. There must be fresh new
approaches to problems in the fields of education, housing, welfare administration,
manpower training, pensions and health care.
The Administration's proposals in these areas are worthy of the closest
possible scrutiny and should not be ignored. They hold the promise of progress
toward better schools and better communities. They are building blocks in the
fashioning of a better America. Congress would do well to work with the
Administration in the human resource areas--and abandon the tactics of
confrontation which sullied its performance earlier this year.
#
20 Copies u/F only
O OFFICE COPY
CONGRESSMAN
NEWS
GERALD R. FORD
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
RELEASE
--FOR RELEASE AT 6 P.M. SATURDAY-
September 15, 1973
Excerpts from a speech by Rep. Gerald R. Ford, House Republican Leader, before a
regional meeting of American Business Clubs, at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, 1973,
at the Sheraton Motor Inn, at Spartansburg, S.C.
Something exceedingly good for the country may be happening in Washington.
The Congress may be turning away from confrontation with the President to
cooperation with him.
This is a development fervently to be desired, because it is the spirit of
confrontation exhibited by the Congress which has produced stalemate of late in this
country--far more so than any actions taken by the so-called Watergate Committee.
There is a burning need at present to put partisanship behind us and to
dedicate ourselves to the welfare of all the people.
There is a need, too, for honesty and accuracy on the part of the news media
if this country is to move forward.
It was not helpful, for instance, for the gentlemen of the press to quote
the President as saying Congress's record to date has been "very disappointing"
when the President was talking only about Congress's handling of Administration
legislation.
The press created a new basis for hostility between the President and the
Congress by its treatment of the President's press conference remarks of Sept. 5
when in actuality the President was simply holding out an olive branch and a
challenge to the Congress.
The Congress does have a respectable record to date--except on Presidential
initiatives. The President cited this record in his State of the Union Message of
Sept. 10. He noted that the Congress has enacted a new-approach farm bill, a
ground-breaking Federal highway bill, an increase in Social Security benefits,
airport development legislation, amendments to the Rural Electrification Act, the
Economic Development Administration and the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration
authorizations, an Older Americans bill, an emergency farm loan bill, a national
cemeteries bill, and a medical care bill for veterans.
He also pointed out, however--and every word he spoke hit the mark-that the
Congress has much to do before it adjourns if it is to write a truly outstanding
(more)
Page 2
legislative record this year. At the same time, the President pledged to work
closely with members of Congress to reach the compromises which must be hammered
out if major legislation is to become law.
It does not detract from congressional accomplishments to date to emphasize
that much remains to be done.
Our first goal must be a balanced budget. This is the major contribution
that Congress can make toward the fight against inflation. Every dollar of deficit
spending weakens us in the anti-inflation fight. Yet Congress has already enacted
programs which would exceed the President's budget by $2 billion and is considering
additional legislation which would add another $4 billion in deficit spending if
passed.
Some members of Congress would pad domestic spending and chop the defense
budget to make up for it. I am adamantly opposed to slashing defense spending. I
will support judicious cuts in military outlays, but to take a meat-axe to the
defense budget is to endanger our national security. It would profit us not at
all to expand our human resource programs if at the same time we exposed our
nation's heart to a fatal thrust.
We must keep our nation militarily strong and we must strengthen our economy.
And to build the sinews of our economy we must pass sound trade reform legislation,
impose controls on exports of food and other products where necessary, and provide
authority for selling those materials in our national stockpile which are no longer
needed for national security. Tax reform is another concern--a concern which
demands that we provide older Americans with property tax relief.
Another matter of top priority is the energy crisis. We must act swiftly
to get the Alaskan pipeline project moving, pass legislation to facilitate
construction of deepwater ports capable of off-loading large oil tankers, deregulate
natural gas, lay down reclamation standards which make possible expanded coal
mining, and reorganize the Federal energy effort under a new, independent Energy
Research and Development Administration. We must also encourage the establishment
of nuclear power plants by streamlining power plant siting procedures while fully
protecting the public safety and environment.
Human resource needs demand our attention. There must be fresh new
approaches to problems in the fields of education, housing, welfare administration,
manpower training, pensions and health care.
The Administration's proposals in these areas are worthy of the closest
possible scrutiny and should not be ignored. They hold the promise of progress
toward better schools and better communities. They are building blocks in the
fashioning of a better America. Congress would do well to work with the
Administration in the human resource areas--and abandon the tactics of
confrontation which sullied its performance earlier this year.
#