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White House - Congressional Leadership Meeting, 9/19/69 (includes minutes)
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White House - Congressional Leadership Meeting, 9/19/69 (includes minutes)
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Robert T. Hartmann Papers
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U.S. Postal Service. 7/1/1971-
Compulsory national service
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These documents were scanned from Box 106 of the Robert T. Hartmann Papers at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
DIARY OF WHITE HOUSE LEADERSHIP
MEETINGS -- 91st CONGRESS
September 19, 1969
The special meeting convened for breakfast at 8:00 a. m.
in the West Room. Tables arranged in a semicircle
faced the charts used the last meeting. The menu con-
sisted of choice of juice, choice of scrambled eggs or
Eggs Benedict, bacon, sausage, kippers, and toast,
sweet rolls and coffee. At 8:40, the President recognized
Laird, who said that the November and December draft
calls will be canceled, and the October quota (29, 500)
will be spread over the 3-month period by administrative
action. He hopes to narrow the selection group and employ
the moving age group system. To facilitate this, we will
press for legislative action that will make possible the
random selection system. That is not a lottery system but
a system which bases draft calls on birth dates arbitrarily
chosen from the 12 months following each draft call.
Mrs. Smith said that this would be extremely helpful to
the Party on campus, but she is afraid it will be impossible
to avoid a dozen difficult amendments on the floor of the
Senate. Tower agreed that the bill would become a
"Christmas tree" on the floor. Arends reported that
Ribers has agreed to hold hearings on draft reform follow-
ing action on the procurement bill scheduled next week.
RMN said that the Party should strive to make draft reform
a major issue. It involves either directly or indirectly
nearly every family in America. At this point, he expressed
concern about a news story following the last meeting. It
said that the White House had already written off part of its
own legislative program as hopeless. He expressed the hope
that there would be no similar statement to the press which
could be the basis of such a misstatement. The President
takes the position that the Congress will do its duty and enact
legislation in all of the fields covered in legislative proposals
made by the President.
GERALD FORD VIBRARY
2
Before introducing Blount, RMN said again, as he has
said each time the opportunity has arisen, that he fully
supports the Postmaster General in the postal reorganiza-
tion fight and would continue to support him even if he
had not a single ally in the Congress. Blount said that
on Tuesday the Committee will vote to decide whether
to take up the Dulski bill or the Administration bill.
Fourteen of the 26 members have committed their support
to the latter. He discussed the pay bill in much the same
terms as he did at the last meeting but ventured the pre-
diction that passage of H. R. 13000 would have the effect
of killing all chance for postal reform. He criticized the
Pay Commission proposal in the pay bill and suggested
that the decision will soon have to be made whether to
attempt to amend the pay bill into acceptable form or to
allow the bill in its present unacceptable form to be passed
and incure veto. Three hundred editorials favor postal
reform; 19 oppose. RMN concluded the subject by observ-
ing that his Administration was not elected to manage the
mess better but to change the system so that there would
be no mess and so it would better serve the people.
Ford agreed that what happens to the reorganization bill
depends in great measure upon what happens to the pay
bill and the rate bill. Mayo said that the pay bill would
cost $1. 25 billion for the balance of FY70 and for FY71,
$4 billiom
Before recognizing Mitchell, RMN said that the Chief of
Policy of the City of New York has told him that there is
a new spirit in the department based upon a conviction that
local police departments will have the backing of the Justice
Department and the cause of law enforcement has therefore
"turned the corner." He warned, however, that with the
coming of new disorder in the streets and on the campus,
the law and order issue which is now relatively quiescent
will become vital again. He attributed Reagan's unprece-
FORD VIBRART
3
dented gubernatorial popularity to the hard line Reagan
has taken on campus revolts.
Mitchell reported that the most recent FBI Crime Index
reportsshows that for the first half of 1969, the rate of
increase in crime is down. Turning to the charts, he
said that so far as the District of Columbia is concerned,
"we will never reduce the statistics until we get the
criminals in the clink. 11 He emphasized the need for more
police, more judges, speedier trials and pretrial detention.
Specifically, he believes that passage of legislation will be
necessary for the progress already made to be advanced.
He called attention to the fact that while the Senate Judiciary
Committee has completed hearings, there has been no final
action on the Organized Crime bill and that the House has
been inactive an all crime legislation.
RMN anked me (Poff) what the prospects are in the House.
I began by saying that I felt we should consider the policies
and politics of tactics. At the last meeting. there seemed
to be a feeling that the Judiciary Committee should be
attackedtfor inaction. However, I reminded the group that
more than the Judiciary Committee is involved in the
administration of the 7-point crime package. In addition
to the Judiciary Committee, the Committee on the District
of Columbia, the Interstate and Foreign Commerce Com-
mittee and the Ways and Means Committee have jurisdiction
over some of the Administration's crime bills. I reported
that a House subcommittee has already completed hearings
on witness immunity; that another Judiciary subcommittee
has scheduled hearings on obscenity legislation for Septem-
ber 25; and that still another has scheduled hearings on
bail reform for October 15. In the Senate, the Judiciary
Committee staff has completed a redraft of S. 30, which
tentatively the Committee expects to begin considering some-
time in the middle of the month. I agree with the Attorney
General that we need the laws the Administration has
requested if we are to be successful in reducing the crime
1245
4
statistics and that this will be the best political posture
we can present to the electorate next year. For that reason,
I counseled caution in making a frontal attack upon the legis-
lative committees, at least until next January, when the issue
will be more visible to the electorate.
RMN agreed that we should not make individual attacks upon
individual chairmen, but he felt that Congress as a whole
should be attacked in general for dragging its feet on the
legislation necessary to deal with the crime crisis. He
suggested that the message should be that we will finish the
job if the Congress will give us the tools. Scott stand that
the Democratic Policy Committee in the Senate controls the
progress of legislation and that it is obvious the Policy Com-
mittee has instructed the Democratic leadership in the
Senate to halt the legislative process with respect to crime
legislation and all other legislation recommended By the
Administration.
RMN then reviewed the subjects discussed at the last meet-
ng,including Vietnam, inflation and the legislative stale-
mate. He was in rare form. He was intense and yet relaxed;
vocal yet anstous to listen; obviously acutely aware of the
political significance of each of the issues reviewed and yet
concerned for the impact of each upon the welfare of the
nation.
The meeting adjourned as the President arose at 10:40.
RICHARD H. POFF
RHP:MJ
CERALD LIBRARY R. FORD
K Send to But
Hartmann
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 19, 1969
OFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
THE WHITE HOUSE
PRESS CONFERENCE
OF
SENATOR GORDON ALLOTT
AND
REPRESENTATIVE GERALD FORD
FOLLOWING REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP MEETING
THE ROOSEVELT ROOM
10:50 A.M. EDT
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: Good morning.
The first news conference of the leadership since
before the trip to California of the President finds Senator
Allott and myself appearing. I don't want to pre-empt what
a Senator might say, but I think in order to explain the situa-
tion, Senator Scott had to catch a plane for Pennsylvania,
someplace in his State, and as a result, Senator Allott is
standing in for him in the Senate Leadership at this time.
We had the second of two meetings with the Presi-
dent and went into, again, in greater detail, more compre-
hensively, the long list of legislative recommendations made
by the President since he took over in January.
As all of you know, it is an extensive list of
some 40 programs. The conclusion is that the Administration
wants action on the whole program, or all of the various pro-
grams. There is some disappointment that there has not been
more affirmative action across the board.
There were extensive discussions in three areas,
which I think all of us agreed need immediate action. One
would be the wide variety of crime bills that the Administra-
tion has sent to the Congress. I think there are seven in
all. The Attorney General was there and he was encouraged by
the recent statistics in the City of New York.
The FBI will make am announcement, I think on September
23rd, where Mr. Hoover points out that while the rate of
increase in crime for the first half of 1969 was less severe
than the two preceding years, the President, and all of us,
feel that the Administration must be given these new legis-
lative tools so that we can do a better job in the area of
law enforcement.
There was discussion of the need and necessity
for the President's recommendation for draft reform. It
does look encouraging that action will be taken in the
House committee, and hopefully in the Congress as a whole.
There was a discussion of the need and necessity ---
and this is very high on the priority list -- of postal re-
form. The Postmaster General was there. We are a bit
optimistic that that legislation, hopefully, will move in
the near future.
MORE
GERALD LIBRARY FORD
- 2 -
That is, in broad outline, the situation. Senator
Allott may want to add to it or expand.
SENATOR ALLOTT: I don't think there is much to add
to it, Gerry. I think you will all be interested in the
announcement made by the President this morning. It is a
reform of the draft situation which many of us have been
calling for for a long time, which I think will give our
young people much encouragement and much hope for their own
futures. This has been the fruit, in my opinion, of a lot
of the unrest among our young men and women particularly.
I might say that the fact that I am here doesn't
mean that we have had an election in the Senate yet. I am
just merely filling in for Senator Scott.
The emphasis we want to put on this today is that
we have a broad area of legislative proposals by the Presi-
dent and we believe that those are all necessary -- every one
of them, not only in the area of postal reform, which has been
a mess a long time, but in social welfare and all of these
other areas -- are necessary if we are going to turn this
country around and really get hold of the Government and
eventually control inflation.
Q
Gerry, you say the whole program. At this late
setting, is it realistic to expect that kind of action?
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: Naturally, we would be opti-
mistic, but we are realistic and cannot really expect the
total program to be approved during this session. It is such
a broad program, it has so much meat and substance in it,
that the Congress would be here until New Years Eve if we were
able to do the whole job.
But the President's emphasis will be on getting
the Congress, from subcommittee to committee to Floor action,
in getting movement, and we are a little disappointed that
there has not been quite the response that I think the public
wants and certainly we want.
2 Gerry, just so we don't make a misinterpre-
tation of this, would I be right in understanding that this
lack of accomplishment is due solely to the Majority opposi-
tion in Congress?
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: I would not say that the
view of the Administration, including myself, is that the
blame at this point should be placed on any part of the
EIBRAST GERALD FORD
Majority party. I say for myself, the cooperation I have
gotten from the Democratic Leadership in the House has been
excellent. But there are elements in the Democratic Party,
and I think they are among those in the more liberal part
of the spectrum, that have not given as much cooperation in
getting some of this legislative movement as I think we should.
0
Senator Allott, did the President indicate in
any way his preference for someone for Minority Leadership?
SENATOR ALLOTT: No, he did not. I am sure that
it is the attitude of the President, he having had long
experience with the Congress, that he knows well that this
is the prerogative of the Senate, and I am sure that the last
thing he would do would be to try to interfere in any way.
MORE
- 3 -
Q
Would you care to voice a prediction on who
will win?
SENATOR ALLOTT: No, I would not.
0
Congressman Ford, beyond the three topics you
mentioned, crime control, the draft and postal reform, are
there any other priorities that have been set forth by the
President as far as the legislative program for the year is
concerned?
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: As I said at the outset, there
are about 40-plus programs that are on the agenda submitted
by the President. I think they want them all. These were
the three that got the most attention this morning. I would
not want to pick and choose any further at this point.
a
There was some suggestion that a priority
list, in effect, of those things to which you wanted to give
the most attention was likely to come out of this meeting.
Did it?
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: There was no such decision
made this morning. There may be subsequent discussion,
further refinement in our regular meeting next Tuesday. This
is something that has to be done on a day-to-day basis because
some action may be taken in the House or Senate that changes
the situation.
All we can say right now is, the whole program is
backed by the President and the Leadership, but we are, at
this precise moment, concentrating in these three areas.
&
Do these three areas constitute what we often
hear described as a "must list"?
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: That term wasn't used, but
the mere fact that these three were discussed in perhaps
greater detail than some of the others might indirectly
indicate that was what was intended.
Q
Senator Allott, has the President given up
on separate action on the investment tax repeal?
SENATOR ALLOTT: I could not answer that because
that matter was not discussed.
?
Is tax reform on the priority list?
SENATOR ALLOTT: I would not say that there was
a priority list. I think it is a mistake to get this idea
out. As Gerry Ford has discussed here, we went over several
items this morning. The three that got the highest attention
were the ones he named, but there is no such thing as a
priority list. These were discussed at length and, therefore,
deemed to be of very great importance.
But there is no such thing as putting 1, 2, 3, 4
on any list. We think the whole program is important.
MORE
&
FORD
GERALD
LIBRARY
- 4 -
Q
The electoral reform bill swept through the
House yesterday. Would both of you gentlemen address your-
selves to its prospects in the Senate?
SENATOR ALLOTT: I will have to refer to Will
Rogers at this time: It is not what I read in the papers,
but what I hear in the halls.
I think there will be a great deal of discussion on
it in the Senate, and I do think there will be electoral re-
form in this Congress, not necessarily this fall. But in the
Senate I believe that the district plan, one of two or three
that are being offered, will receive much more thorough
support than it received in the House. So it could well be,
although I don't say it will happen, it could well be that
when the Judiciary Committee finishes with this, that there
would be a considerable difference between the House and
Senate versions, although there is strong support in the
Senate, as you all know, for the version which the House
passed.
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: I would be the last one to
estimate what the Senate might do on a matter of this impor-
tance, but I can say that in the House of Representatives the
vote was unbelievably good, 339 to 70, as I recall. In Janu-
ary of this year I never would have forecast that as a possi-
bility. But the merits of the system vis-a-vis the existing
method of selecting the President, and the other alternatives,
the evidence was accumulated over the time in the committee
and elsewhere, and I think the House felt under all the cir-
cumstances this was the best way to do it.
I hope the Senate will go through the same exper-
ience and we can do something in this Congress so we can get
on with the job of getting State ratification, if not by
1972, certainly for '76.
MORE
BERRLD FOAD LIBRARY
-5-
Q
Was tax reform discussed at all this morning?
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: Not tax reform in detail. The
President reiterated his support for tax reform, but the details
of the bill were not discussed.
Q
Congressman Ford, we are now almost a quarter of
the way through the fiscal year of 1970 and not a single approp-
riations bill has cleared the Congress. Is there anything the
President can do or is contemplating doing to get the Congress
to pass the bills that keep the government running?
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: As a former Member of the
Committee on Appropriations, I am disturbed that there has not
been final action, that there has not been more action, on bills
in both the House and Senate. I think this is caused by two
problems : One, the expansion of authorization proposals on a
one-year basis; and two, the transmission from one Administration
to another.
I hope that we can get over this hump in 1969 and
in 1970 do a better job. I believe that pressure has to come
from Congressional leaders primarily in this area.
Q
Has the President expressed himself about this?
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: Not in my presence.
2
I mean this morning.
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: No.
Q
Does the President plan anything so far as either
of you know to light a fire under this Congress?
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: I would not want to say, in
the first place I don't know, just exactly what the President is
going to do in this regard. I say again, there is a disappoint-
ment shared by myself and the other leaders, along with the
President, that more has not been done. But how he will approach
the problem, I cannot say at the moment.
Q
Congressman Ford, you mentioned these three
areas, that there was more discussion on these, and you said
postal reform was a very high priority. Do you regard all these
three as something for action in this Session of Congress, for
final passage?
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: Well, if not final passage,
substantial action. What distresses me is that the President
FORD
sent a program in the area of crime up 5, 6 or 7 months ago.
For example, witness immunity was sent up April 23; a message
GERALD
or program on illegal gambling on April 23, a message on
LIBRARY
organized crime April 23; proposals in the area of obscenity in
May of 1969, drug control a month or two ago, wage earner tax
amendments, a long time ago. Very little has come out of either
subcommittees or committees yet.
These are highly important legislative tools that
the new Administration badly needs to get more results in fight-
ing crime across the board. I hope and trust that the Committee
on the Judiciary in both House and Senate will move more quickly
than they have in these particular areas. This is most important
fromthe point of view of law enforcement around the country.
MORE
-6-
2
Is the Democratic Study Group in the House opposed
to these measures? Are these the liberals you are talking about
who are blocking this legislation?
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: I think in some areas that is
accurate. The bail reform legislation has meet with some
resistance by some of the liberals. The preventative detention
program of the Attorney General has been opposed by some of the
liberals. Yet, the Attorney General spoke this morning and he
said in many instances when a man is before the courts in the
District of Columbia he will be up there not on one charge, one
alleged crime, but four or five. It is the existence of these
known criminals roaming around the District of Columbia that has
caused a good bit of our current crime problem right here in
the District of Columbia and it is probably true elsewhere.
The liberals in this case have been a roadblock in
this legislation.
&
I wonder if I could ask one last question,
Congressman Ford. You keep talking of being disappointed and
you talk of putting pressure, which, of course, is an old
weapon. Yet, nothing is being done.
I wonder if you could be objective. Would you
accept that this is a do-nothing Congress? On the record, Gerry,
is this a do-nothing Congress?
REPRESENTATIVE FORD: I will not pass judgment on
this Congress at this point. My feeling is, and I have said
it before, that on the things we have done, I think a quality
job has been accomplished. There are many things left undone,
but I will pass final judgment on it when we adjourn in sine
die.
THE PRESS: Thank you.
END
(AT 11:05 A.M. EDT)
GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY
(RTH 9/15/69)
SUMMARY OF HOUSE ACTION ON ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM
The House and Senate have enacted and the President has signed into law:
1. Reorganization Authority
2. Debt Ceiling Increase
3. Commodity Credit Corporation
4. I. D. A.
5. Six-month Surtax Extension
The House completed Congressional action and sent to the President on
September 3rd:
6. Older Americans Authority
House action has been completed on the following:
1. Water Quality Improvement Act (April 16th)
2. Elementary and Secondary Education Amendments
(April 23rd)
3. Maritime Authorization (May 15th)
4. Hill-Burton Extension (June 4th)
5. Military Construction Bill (August 5th)
6. Interest Equalization Tax (August 7th)
7. Tax Reform Bill (August 7th)
8. Peace Corps Authorization (September 8th)
9. Student Loans (September 15th)
The House has also passed six Fiscal 1970 Appropriations Bills, as follows:
1. Treasury, Post Office and Executive Office
2. Agriculture
3. Independent Offices and H. U. D.
4. Interior and Related Agencies
5. State, Justice, Commerce, the Judiciary and
Related Agencies
6. Labor and H. E. W.
The Legislative Appropriation Bill will be on the Floor this week (September
15-20th)
The Public Works Appropriation Bill is due for markup soon.
Hearings are underway on the Department of Transportation Appropriation Bill.
Defense, Military Construction and Foreign Aid Appropriations Bills are
waiting upon authorization. District of Columbia is awaiting revenue
legislation. There probably will be the usual supplementals.
(The Senate has passed the Treasury, Post Office etc. Appropriation Bill,
which is now in conference; and the Agriculture Bill, not yet sent to
conference.)
GERALO
The House will vote this week (September 15-20th) on Electoral Reform
Constitutional Amendment.
Thus the House will have completed action this week on 23 major items.
The progress of major Administration proposals pending in House Committees
is as follows:
Agriculture: Hearings are underway on Food Stamp program; Hardin is being
pressed by the Chairman for Administration farm bill
recommendations on September 24th.
Armed Services: Markup started August 12th on Military Procurement (includes
Safeguard.) There has been no action on Draft Reform.
Banking and Currency: Bank Holding Companies compromise bill was reported
July 23rd. Rule was sought September 1st.
Export Control hearings are completed. Straight
extension for two years seems likely.
Housing Bill markup is underway.
Interest Control Authority is expiring September 21st;
temporary 90-day extension likely.
District of Columbia: No action on Court Reorganization Bill. The Revenue
Bill was passed August 11th.
Education and Labor: Coal Mine Safety: Hearings are completed; it is now
before full committee.
Manpower Training: Nothing is scheduled.
Occupational Safety: Hearings are scheduled to start
September 16th.
0. E. O. Extension: Hearings are completed. Nothing is
scheduled.
Equal Opportunity Enforcement: Nothing is scheduled.
Foreign Affairs: Foreign Aid authorization hearings are completed; markup is
underway. Administration asked $2.6 billion; dollar amount
is in doubt.
Government Operations: Grant Consolidation: Hearings completed. Republicans
may try to add Roth catalog amendment in committee.
Prognosis good.
I. C. C. Reorganization plan is stuck on technical
point; how can you transfer function (naming chairman)
not expressly authorized by statute?
Consumer Affairs hearings are due in mid-September
on perennial Department bill. Fountain subcommittee
plans Medicare-Medicaid probe; Moss subcommittee is set
to investigate A. I. D. operations in Viet Nam; Thailand;
Phillipines etc. (Committee would like to get Revenue
LIBRARY is
Sharing and Population Control recommendations away from
Ways and Means. Holding own hearings on Population Growth.)
3
Interior and Insular Affairs: Field hearings on Alaskan Native Land Claims
scheduled for October 12-19th. Committee is
awaiting Administration recommendations on water
resources, recreational areas and Trust territories.
Interstate and Foreign Commerce: Airport-Airways Bill hearings were completed
September 9th; it must go to Ways and Means.
Public Broadcasting Corp. rule was granted.
Judiciary: Obscenity hearings are scheduled September 25th; prognosis for 1969
is good.
Voting Rights: Administration substitute was rejected in committee;
rule has been asked.
Preventive Detention: Hearings scheduled for October 15th.
Organized Crime: Nothing is scheduled.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries: Awaiting Administration recommendations.
Hearings are scheduled September 16th on National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency.
Post Office and Civil Service:
Postal Reform bills: Hearings are completed.
Postal Rates hearings began September 10th.
Udall Pay Bill was reported September 9th;
awaiting rule.
Obscenity hearings are underway.
Eliminating Postmaster Confirmation: Awaiting
subcommittee action.
Public Works: California Disaster Relief conferees considering Camille add-on.
Truck and Bus Size and Weight Bill: Markup underway.
Ways and Means: Airways Users Tax hearings are scheduled September 16th.
Tariff/Trade revisions may be next.
Unemployment Insurance: Nothing is scheduled.
Narcotics Control: Nothing is scheduled.
Population Growth: Nothing is scheduled.
There are no reports from the Committees on House Administration, Internal
Security, Rules, Science and Astronautics, Small Business, Standards of Official
Conduct and Veterans Affairs.
Presidential messages, but no draft bills, have been received on Welfare
Reform, Revenue Sharing and Social Security.
UERELD FORD LIBRARY
HOUSE ACTION, PERIOD SEPTEMBER 16 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 18, 1969
Tuesday, September 16, 1969
INTEREST RATES, DIVIDENDS - TIME EXTENSION
The House passed S.J.Res. 149 by voice vote, to extend for three months
the authority to limit the rates of interest or dividends payable
on the time and savings deposits and accounts, thus clearing the
measure for the White House.
Wednesday, September 17, 1969
STUDENT LOANS
The House disagreed to the amendments of the Senate to H.R. 13194, to
amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize Federal market
adjustment payments to lenders with respect to insured student
loans. The House asked for a conference with the Senate and
appointed as conferees Congressmen Perkins, Green of Oregon,
Brademas, Carey, Hathaway, Burton of California, Thompson of
New Jersey, Scheuer, Stokes, Clay, Ayres, Quie, Reid of New York,
Erlenborn, Esch, Dellenback, Scherle, and Steiger of Wisconsin.
Tuesday, September 16 through Thursday, September 18, 1969
ELECTORAL REFORM
AMENDMENTS REJECTED
The Dowdy substitute, "THE DISTRICT PLAN", by a teller vote of
159 yeas to 192 nays. Under this plan a candidate would have
received one electoral vote for each congressional district he
carried and two for each State. If a candidate got less than a
majority of the electoral vote, the decision would go to a joint
session of Congress with each Member casting one vote.
By a teller vote of 147 yeas to 179 nays, the House rejected the
Poff substitute, "THE PROPORTIONAL PLAN", under which the electoral
vote of a State would be divided among the candidates in proportion
to their share of the popular vote. In the event of no electoral
vote majority, the decision would go to a joint session of Congress,
with the choice being between the two highest contenders, each
Member having one vote.
By a teller vote of 64 yeas to 98 nays, the Eckhardt substitute was
defeated which would have eliminated the "FAITHLESS ELECTORS",
&
FORD
CERALD
LIBRANT
- 2 -
AMENDMENTS REJECTED
By a voice vote the Wylie substitute which would have incorporated
the winner-take-all, district, proportional and direct popular
vote plans, was rejected. This substitute would have allowed
the States to select the plan of their choice.
The McClory amendment that would have provided for the ratification
of the Constitutional Amendment by State Conventions was defeated
by a division vote of 9 yeas to 63 nays.
The Ryan amendment which provided that the voters vote separately
for the President and the Vice President was defeated by voice vote.
The Hutchinson amendment that provided that both candidates for
President and Vice President of the same party could not be
from the same State, was defeated by a division vote of 40
yeas to 53 nays.
The Coughlin amendment which provided that in the case of a run-off
the House would choose between the highest two candidates and
each Member would vote, was defeated by voice vote.
The Ryan of New York amendment providing that Congress establish
uniform residency qualifications for voting, and the Conyers
amendment to this eliminating the word "residency", were both
defeated by voice vote.
The Fish amendment providing that the winner should receive at
least 35% of the votes was defeated by voice vote.
The Waggoner amendment providing that the winner receive at
least 50% of the votes was defeated by a teller vote of 71 yeas
to 91 nays.
The Rogers of Colorado amendment providing that the winner receive
at least 45% of the votes was rejected by a teller vote of 67 yeas
to 87 nays.
The Pucinski amendment providing that the total electoral vote
of a State would be proportioned by the ratio of the popular vote
to the total electors of that State, was defeated by voice vote.
The Ryan amendment which stated that Congress set the time, place
and manner for a run-off election was defeated by voice vote.
PASSAGE
The House passed H.J.Res.681, proposing an amendment to the
Constitution of the United States relating to the election of
the President and the Vice President, was passed by a roll call
vote of 339 yeas to 70 nays.
R.
FORD
CERALD
LIBRARY
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PASSAGE Continued
Prior to passage, the Poff amendment which provided that Congress
could provide for the case of the death, inability or withdrawal
of any candidate before election, was passed by voice vote.
RECOMMIT
The Dennis motion to recommit with instructions to include the
"DISTRICT PLAN", was defeated by a roll call vote of 162 yeas
to 245 nays.
Thursday, September 18, 1969
CALIFORNIA DISASTER RELIEF
The House passed by voice vote the conference report to accompany
H.R. 6508, the California Disaster Relief Act.
ENPL