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White House - Congressional Leadership Meeting, 3/23/71
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1551016
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White House - Congressional Leadership Meeting, 3/23/71
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Robert T. Hartmann Papers
House of Representatives Subject Files
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Concorde (Jet transports)
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1971-03-31
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1971
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1971-03-01
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1971
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These documents were scanned from Box 107 of the Robert T. Hartmann Papers at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 23, 1971 OFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS CONFERENCE OF SENATOR HUGH SCOTT AND CONGRESSMAN GERALD F. FORD THE BRIEFING ROOM AT 10:23 A.M. EST MR. ZIEGLER: The Leadership met for a little over two hours this morning with the President. Senator Scott and Congressman Ford are here to give you a report on the meeting. We will begin this morning with Senator Scott. Senator. SENATOR SCOTT: The Secretary of Transportation spoke on the SST and then the President spoke for at least 15 minutes with great emphasis and great determination, an expression of his strong belief in the necessity for proceeding with this important and dramatic breakthrough. He feels that this country must not evidence that it has lost the feel for greatness, its willingness to proceed with innovation, its willingness to maintain one of its great industries and mentioned that we had at times lost ground with some other industries, as in electronics, that we should not do this with the aircraft industry, that he had utter confidence that with the strict limitation of this program to two prototypes only with the reduction in the decibal figure to an amount lower than those exhibited by current planes in many instances from 116 to 108, that the need for the program, he felt, was evident, that the ecological aspects were taken care of by the assurances contained in the research program. Secretary Connally spoke on it and said that in his view it would be unbelievable for the country to refuse to go ahead with a program which so strongly affects our balance of payments, that at times when we have our fiscal problems to pass up what would ultimately amount to $22 billion in balance of payment figures, he thought, would be, as I said, quite unthinkable. CONGRESSMAN FORD: The other matter that was discussed was a presentation by Governor Connally as a member of the Ash Council and as Secretary of the Treasury urging the Members of the House and the Senate to look with favor on the restructuring of the government that will be submitted in a Message to the Congress with bills the latter part of this week. The Governor, from his experience both in the Executive Branch of the government, as Secretary of the Navy and as Governor and as now Secretary of the Treasury, spoke very forcefully on the basis that he felt the American people, as well as himself, thought government was ineffective and inefficient, and that we were going to provide the kind of services to the American people that they deserve for the investment they make through their taxes. MORE -2- We had to have the restructuring from 11 to 7 Cabinet offices. It is a reorganization that is very fundamental, that will be on a functional basis, and when the Congress has an opportunity to look at it, it is hoped that we will bite the bullet, so to speak, and change these 11 Departments or Cabinet offices to 8, the four that we have and the four that will be left after we go from 7 to 4, so the people can get a better return on their investment, better service in a more functional way. Q What are the chances for the SST? What is the outlook now? SENATOR SCOTT: I could tell you better, Helen, tomorrow right after four o'clock. Q Tell us today. (Laughter). SENATOR SCOTT: We are doing everything that is humanly possible to persuade our colleagues of the viability of the program, and point out that the environmental studies are still going on, that the President has given assurance that there will be no development beyond the prototype unless we are satisfied as to the environmental effects of the plane. We think that has moved certain Senators. The vote will be close and we are doing our best to assure that we have enough. I can't tell you precisely, because there are several uncommitted Senators. But we believe they are open to persuasion and we are doing just that. Q Senator, are you getting a great deal of help from some of the labor unions in order to put this over? SENATOR SCOTT: I know what you know on that, that the AFL-CIO is strongly committed to the program. There are some 53,000 jobs involved. I think to vote against the program, unless you have good reason, and some people feel they do, I don't agree, but to vote against the program is also going to put a number of people out of work and possibly more later. This has a wave effect on the aerospace industry, and those people who grieved so much about unemployment might consider what they are doing to it. Q Senator, we were told here last week that alternate means of financing the prototypes would be examined if the Congress failed to act properly. Was there any discussion of that today? MORE -3- MR. ZIEGLER: Just so we put the question in perspective, in the statement from the White House last week, in response to questions on what you raise, Gene, I indicated that I assumed that if it did not pass the Senate there would be suggestions made to us. I did not say that we were examining, nor that we were considering examining. So, I would preface that question with that statement. Q I am sorry. You didn't say last week, Ron, that if the Congress failed to approve the SST prototypes that alternate means of financing it would --- MR. ZIEGLER: No, sir, because the point I was making at that time was the fact of the ratter is that our hope rests with the Senate of the United States. Q I know where your hope rests. MR. ZIEGLER: It is our objective to have the Senate of the United States restore the funds for the SST. We have not considered, except in a way to determine that most alternatives that could be put forth would not be viable alternatives to the Senate action. But we do not have under active consideration any other step than to work as hard as we can through the Senate leadership and within the Senate to assure passage of the SST. 2 Senator, I assumed that your answer would be that this wasn't discussed this morning. SENATOR SCOTT: It was not discussed this morning. 2 Ron, has the White House sent letters to key bankers in the country to see if they would be interested in financing the SST program privately if it doesn't pass the Senate? MR. ZIEGLER: No, I am not aware of any such letters. CONGRESSMAN FORD: There were no letters to my knowledge, but there were letters, I believe, to Bill Magruder, to the effect that this was a good investment and there were letters from Gene Black and one of his associates, and a letter from one of the Vice Presidents of one of the large New York banks, addressed to him that when the two prototypes were built and had proven their air worthiness, et cetera, that it was a good investment for the private sector for the production models up to 500. And it was a good investment for the airlines. MORE -4- SENATOR SCOTT: And there has been government support for every new major development in aircraft construction in this country. And the competition is with government-supported, government-constructed, government- subsidized airlines in other countries. But in this country, some $400 million from private and industry is also involved in SST development. I Senator Scott, earlier the Administration position appeared to be just for the prototype development program. Has the position shifted now to the production of the SST? SENATOR SCOTT: No. I Because you are tying in balance of payments. That, of course, is an ultimate situation. SENATOR SCOTT: No, of course, it hasn't shifted. And nothing that I have said would indicate that it has shifted. We are sticking to the two prototypes. If they work, you have an ongoing prospect in industry which would involve a $22 billion balance of payments situation. But we are not saying that it will be done. We are saying we are trying to find out whether it is feasible to do it and whether you have a clean plane when you have done it. Q Senator Scott, initially, it was my under- standing at least, that the government felt that the payments for the prototypes would eventually be shouldered by private industry, if the plane proved feasible. Has that plan been dropped or am I wrong? SENATOR SCOTT: No, you are right on that, that over a period of time the money would come back to the government through private industry. But the government is making the initial outlay, as it has done in other instances, in support of other scientific progressions over the years, and as other governments are consistently doing in their attempt to undercut and ultimately to destroy the U.S. aircraft industry, if they could. That is the essence of competition here. CONGRESSMAN FORD: It is my understanding that if the prototypes are built, and if the decision thereafter is made to proceed with the production, that the United States Government, because of its investment in the two prototypes, will begin to get a royalty on the production and delivery of every aircraft to the airlines throughout the United States. MORE -5- And at the point of 300 aircraft, if the decision is made to proceed, the Federal Government's investment will be returned with interest and if the decision is made to go on to a production of 500, the United States Government will get back on this royalty basis $1 billion in benefits. Q Congressman, wouldn't the record on the C5A and the TFX lead one to doubt whether that will actually come about? CONGRESSMAN FORD: Not at all, because as Secretary Volpe said this morning, in the last three years, the production cost figures on this aircraft have remained relatively stable. That was not true in the case of the C5A. It was not true in the case of the F-111, but in the SST; because of good management, they have been able to keep the cost estimates for the last three years relatively stable. So the figures that I mentioned about the return on the investment on the part of the Federal Government will come into being if we build 300. Or if we build 500 the Federal Government will make $1 billion. 2 Mr. Ford, last week you predicted the House was going to pass this and obviously, you were wrong on that. But how do you think the House would feel about the idea of underwriting private investment, if this fails in the Senate? CONGRESSMAN FORD: I would hope, and I have hoped for some time, that when we get to the production that we can find a means of private financing for the production through a COMSAT type of financial arrangement, with the Federal Government perhaps guaranteeing the securities that are used to finance the production. I believe it is feasible. I would hope that would be the way in which we would move into production; to relieve the Federal Government of any further investment. I think we can do it and I hope we will. Q Sir, I mean if the plan does not go through the Senate tomorrow, then you have to move to some other alternative. I am asking you what about the underwriting of private investment for the prototype. CONGRESSMAN FORD: If you want to get my analysis of what happens if the Senate turns down the SST tomorrow, I think within a relatively short period of time you will have layoff slips for 13,000 employees who are now working at the various plants in the production of the two prototypes. There will be at least 13,000 layoff slips going out. And in the second tier of sub-contractors, I think the estimate is another 10,000 or 15,000. That will be the immediate action. Some 20,000 or more layoff slips in a very short period of time. MORE -6- They cannot proceed, if the appropriations aren't made available. Whether there is a possibility that some other force would come in or not, I just don't see how it could be done in a timely fashion. I think the program would undoubtedly collapse. And the jobs would be gone and the leadership of the United States in this very important field would be lost permanently. SENATOR SCOTT: The Russian supersonic plane will be on exhibition at the Paris Air Show this autumn. They are ready to sell planes. They are negotiating with Japan and India right now. I find it very hard to visualize the decision where the United States will be willing to sacrifice its most successful industry, perhaps, an industry which builds 85 percent of all the commercial jets in the world, to Russia and to Britain and France because of the refusal and the timidity of the American Congress under pressure in refusing to go ahead with the development of just two prototypes of this plane to be tested out on some remote airfield. Q Do you mean that the House would have any hesitancy about accepting those funds? They turned them down by a pretty good margin, even if the Senate approves them tomorrow. CONGRESSMAN FORD: I don't think we should speculate at this point what the House might do. I disagree with your analysis that there was an overwhelming defeat. Q It was 15 or 20 votes. CONGRESSMAN FORD: No. It was 214 to 203. Q 217 to 204. CONGRESSMAN FORD: Let's talk about the role call vote. You are talking about the teller vote with the clerks. On the final vote, it was 215 to 204, on the role call vote. If there had been 5 more votes on our side to make it 209, and if there had been 5 less votes on the other side, the Speaker could have voted either to make a tie or break a tie and the amendment would not have prevailed. So there are 5 votes out of 435. There were 219 members present. That means that because of 2 absentees, or 2 seats not filled because of deaths, you have 433. So you have 14 people who are absent. I think the absentees could very easily make the difference. Q Senator Scott, the British and French aircraft industries are old hands at building aircraft and both have been very successful in constructing aircraft in World War I. As a matter of fact, the British aircraft industry, as you know, put out the first successful jet transport. They MORE -7- have gotten together in recent years and they have built the Concorde. The Concorde has cost far more than they ever thought it would in the beginning. And its per mile return now,it is figured, cannot be successful, unless this aircraft is flown on each flight crammed to the gills with people, which is an unreasonable prediction. Yet, you two gentlemen seem to have a boundless faith that this aircraft we are talking about isn't going to cost any more than is being predicted at this time. Doesn't the experience of the Concorde give you some pause as to how much this American SST might well cost? SENATOR SCOTT: I think your question involves a considerable amount of editorializing. (Laughter) I don't accept a lot of the premises. But that would mean going back and taking each sentence apart. I would summarize it by saying that you have already concluded that the British can't fly it. There were a lot of people who said that about the Wright Brothers, too. I recall that when Isabella asked --- Q Do you recall? SENATOR SCOTT: Yes, I recall. (Laughter) I do. I have been around a long time. I recall that when Isabella asked whether it would be possible to make this voyage of discovery, the six wisest men of the court all advised her that this couldn't happen. Yes, it costs money for research. Yes, it may cost more. But it is certainly more important to preserve an industry and to find out with two prototypes whether or not this is workable. Perhaps the British-French were not as good as managers as they might have been. Perhaps a joint partnership of this kind between two nations is not the most economical way to develop a plane. But the Concorde, in my opinion, is going to fly. It is going to compete and it is going to compete with government subsidies. We had better try to find a way where we can compete in this country with that British-French plane. That is my view. Q The Santa Maria sank. (Laughter) SENATOR SCOTT: The Santa Maria sank, but that was a 66.7 percent successful operation. Q Was there any discussion of Laos or troop withdrawals? -8- CONGRESSMAN FORD: The President, I think, pretty adequately covered the situation last night in his interview. The objectives of the operation are being accomplished. They were to disrupt the flow of supplies and manpower down the trails. The withdrawal is according to schedule. I think the President's statement on television last night pretty well summarized the objectives and the results. Q Senator, on the SST, you have made sort of a clear-cut case why the SST, the fact that it is only two prototypes, no problem with sound, no problem with ecology, the threat of unemployment, the prestige of American aviation, the threat and the importance on the economy. Why the hard-core opposition? SENATOR SCOTT: The hard-core opposition, I think, arises in part from the fact that so many Members of Congress who were candidates in the last campaign were led into giving some indication of their future voting intentions, perhaps without full awareness of all of the arguments that I have made so well and so skillfully here. (Laughter) When you are appearing before a bunch of voters, or constituents, you often make statements that you live to regret, as no one knows better than I do. I have run into a number of people who have said, "I wish I hadn't moved so fast here, because the ecologists made it appear that this was a violently dirty operation all the way through, as if we were going to build the planes, fly them and so besot the atmosphere that you couldn't breathe." You only have to recall some of the cartoons to get that picture. Then it was told to the candidates that it was economically not feasible, they had the priorities in the wrong order and they hung themselves on every cliche in the book. Now it is a little hard to go through the process of extraction. It is very difficult for a man who has hung himself on the coat hook in the back to disengage himself. α Senator Scott, one Pennsylvania Congressman told me that his mail was running 100 to 1 against SST. How has your mail been running and do you have any feel for Senatorial mail in general on this? SENATOR SCOTT: I don't speak for the others. My mail is surely running against it. I am not sure I can give you any percentage. But it is several times to one against the SST. This is normal. It also would run against a number of other things, which are needed. Mail generally reflects who is the most active in the pressure groups, and I take it that the AFL-CIO activity may equalize that to some Senators. MORE -9- I have learned not to just weigh my mail in attempting to weigh my judgments. Also, I have found that people who are against something of this type are also against a dozen other things. And there is an ancient maxim: People can be against you thirteen times. They can only vote against you once. I suggest that to my colleagues. Q Mr. Congressman, you said that the withdrawal is according to schedule. Was it always the plan that on March 22, March 21, we would pull out of Loas? CONGRESSMAN FORD: I don't think there was ever a precise date that was picked or selected. But when the basic objectives have been accomplished, then the mission is in the process of being terminated. When you look at the payoff, when you see the whole truth, which is the substantial disruption of the supply lines, the very, very heavy casualties on the part of the enemy, when you see that this operation is going to accelerate our troop withdrawal, when you see that the threat to the American forces has been diminished and when you see the increased capability of the South Vietnamese, I think we can say that a great deal has been accomplished for the good of the United States. 2 Would not have been accomplished had the South Vietnamese remained in Laos until the end of the dry season? CONGRESSMAN FORD: I think this is a decision that is made by General Abrams and his counterparts in the South Vietnamese forces. I wouldn't want to pass judgment from Washington on that. Q You think the decision was based on the fact that they had completed their objectives? CONGRESSMAN FORD: I have to believe that to be the basis for the decision. THE PRESS: Thank you, gentlemen. END (AT 10:48 A.M. EST) HOUSE ACTION, PERIOD MARCH 9, 1971 THROUGH MARCH 22, 1971 Tuesday, March 9, 1971 APPOINTMENTS The Speaker appointed the following Members on the part of the House to the below listed: Commission on Highway Beautification: Representatives Wright, Edmondson, Don H. Clausen, and Schwengel. Board of Directors of Gallaudet College: Representatives Carey of New York and Ruth. SELECT COMMITTEE ON CRIME By a voice vote, the House agreed to H. Res. 115, creating a select com- mittee to conduct an investigation and study of all aspects of crime affecting the United States. Wednesday, March 10, 1971 PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE--SPECIAL REVENUE SHARING FOR RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT The House received and read a message from the President containing a pro- posal for a new program of rural community development through revenue sharing--referred to the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union. (H. Doc. 92-66) COMMISSION ON MODERNIZATION OF HOUSE GALLERY The Speaker appointed as members of the Special Commission on Moderniza tion of House Gallery Facilities, Representatives Waggonner, Scheuer Denholm, Smith of California, and Devine. GERA R. FORD LIBRARY WAGE AND PRICE CONTROLS RULE By a voice vote, the House adopted H. Res. 276, providing two hours of open debate. PASSAGE By a record vote of 381 yeas to 19 nays, the House passed H.R. 4246, to extend until March 31, 1973, certain provisions of law relating to in- terest rates, mortgage credit controls, and cost-of-living stabilization. (MORE) -2- Wednesday, March 10, 1971 (continued) WAGE AND PRICE CONTROLS (continued) RECOMMIT By a voice vote, the House rejected a motion by Mr. Rousselot to recommit the bill to the Committee on Banking and Currency with instructions to report it back forthwith containing an amendment that strikes out section 2 of the bill (extension of standby wage and price control authority). Prior to final passage, a point of order by Mr. Patman was sus- tained against an amendment by Mr. Brown of Michigan that sought to strike out the standby wage and price control authority and would authorize the Joint Economic Committee to conduct a study on the necessity for such controls. INTEREST EQUALIZATION TAX RULE By a voice vote, the House adopted H. Res. 277, providing four hours of general debate. FORD A. GERALD LIBRARY PASSAGE By a record vote of 391 yeas to 5 nays, the House passed H.R. 5432, to provide an extension of the interest equalization tax. APPOINTMENTS The Speaker appointed the following Members on the part of the House to the below listed: National Visitor Facilities Advisory Commission: Representatives Gray, Blatnik, Howard, McEwen, Schwengel, and Zion. National Commission on Consumer Finance: Representatives Sullivan, Gonzalez, and Williams. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Commission: Representatives Thompson of New Jersey, Murphy of New York, Gude, and Fish. Thursday, March 11, 1971 NO LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS -3- Monday, March 15, 1971 PUBLIC DEBT LIMIT The House disagreed to the amendment of the Senate to H.R. 4690, to increase the public debt limit set forth in section 21 of the Second Liberty Bond Act, and agreed to a conference asked by the Senate. Appointed as conferees: Representatives Mills, Watts, Ullman, Byrnes of Wisconsin, and Betts. PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE--ARMS CONTROL AND DISARMAMENT The House received and read a message from the President wherein he transmits to Congress the report of the U.S. Arms Control and Dis- armament Agency for calendar year 1970--referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. FORD R. GERALD LIBRARY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS It was made in order to consider on Tuesday, March 16, H. J. Res. 465, making a supplemental appropriation for fiscal year 1971, for the Department of Labor. LOBBYISTS The compilation by the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate of all new registrations and reports for the fourth calendar quarter of 1970, and reports for the third calendar quarter of 1970 received too late to be previously published, that were filed by persons engaged in lobbying activities appear in this issue of the Congressional Record. SELECT COMMITTEE ON CRIME The Speaker appointed the following Members to the Select Committee on Crime: Representatives Pepper, chairman, Waldie, Brasco, Mann, Murphy of Illinois, Rangel, Wiggins, Steiger of Arizona, Winn, Sandman, and Keating. Tuesday, March 16, 1971 PUBLIC DEBT LIMIT--SOCIAL SECURITY By a record vote of 358 yeas to 3 nays, with one voting "present," the House agreed to the conference report on H.R. 4690, to increase the public debt limit set forth in section 21 of the Second Liberty Bond Act, clearing the measure for Senate action. SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS--LABOR By a record vote of 356 yeas, the House passed H.J.Res. 465, making a supplemental appropriation for the fiscal year 1971 for the Department of Labor. -4- Tuesday, March 16, 1971 (continued) APPOINTMENTS The Speaker appointed the following Members on the part of the House to the below listed: Canada-United States Interparliamentary Group: Representatives Gallagher, chairman, Johnson-of California, Randall, Morgan, Kyros, Stratton, Meeds, Harvey, Horton, Buchanan, McEwen, and VanderJagt. U.S. Group of the North Atlantic Assembly: Hays, chairman, Rodino, Clark, Brooks, Burton, Arends, Devine, Corbett, and Mathias of California. Mexico-United States Interparliamentary Group: Nix, chairman, Wright, Johnson of California, Gonzalez, de la Garza, Moss, Kazen, Frelinghuysen, Thomson of Wisconsin, Steiger of Arizona, Wiggins, and Lujan. Wednesday, March 17, 1971 PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGES FORD R. GERALO LIBRARY Read the following messages from the President received on Tuesday, March 16: Pollution Control: Message transmitting to Congress the Department of Transportation's report on "Control of Hazardous Polluting Substances" --referred to the Committee on Public Works and ordered printed with illustrations (H. Doc. 92-70). National Science Foundation: Message transmitting to Congress the Twentieth Annual Report of the National Science Foundation--referred to the Committee on Science and Astronautics and ordered printed with illustrations (H. Doc. 92-69). Public Broadcasting: Message transmitting to Congress the Annual Report of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for fiscal year 1970--referred to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Message transmitting the Twenty-Second Semiannual Report of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration--referred to the Committee on Science and Astronautics and ordered printed with illustrations (H. Doc. 91-371). CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS--TRANSPORTATION (including SST) RULE By a voice vote, the House adopted H. Res. 300, providing modified closed rule (closed on Sec. 1 only) three hours of debate. (MORE) -5- Wednesday, March 17, 1971 (continued) CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS--TRANSPORTATION (continued) The House concluded all general debate on H. J. Res. 468, making certain further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 1971, and began read- ing the measure for amendment when the Committee of the Whole rose. Proceedings under the 5-minute rule will continue tomorrow. VOTING AGE RULE By a voice vote, the House adopted H. Res. 299, providing for the con- sideration of and 2 hours of general debate on H. J. Res. 223, con- stitutional amendment extending voting rights to 18-year-olds. Thursday, March 18, 1971 CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS--TRANSPORTATION GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY RULE On Wednesday, March 17, 1971, the House, by a voice vote, adopted H. Res. 300, providing three hours of modified closed debate (closed on Sec. 1 only). PASSAGE By a voice vote, the House passed H. J. Res. 468, making certain fur- ther continuing appropriations for fiscal year 1971. Prior to final passage, by a record vote of 215 yeas to 204 nays, with 1 voting "present," the House agreed to an amendment by Mr. Yates that strikes out further funding of the SST (while in the Committee of the Whole, same amendment was agreed to on a record teller vote of 217 yeas to 203 nays). PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE--SPECIAL REVENUE SHARING FOR TRANSPORTATION Received and read a message from the President containing his proposal for a Special Revenue Sharing Program for Transportation--referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and ordered printed. (H. Doc. 92-71). Monday, March 22, 1971 NO LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS. (MORE) -6- PROGRAM AHEAD Tuesday, March 23, 1971 FUNDING RESOLUTIONS FROM HOUSE ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE 1. H. Res. 149 - Committee on Veterans' Affairs 2. H. Res. 175 - Committee on Judiciary 3. H. Res. 202 - Committee on Armed Services 4. H. Res. 210 - Committee on Rules 5. H. Res. 218 - Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries 6. H. Res. 225 - Committee on Ways and Means 7. H. Res. 226 - Committee on Banking and Currency 8. H. Res. 236 - Committee on Standards of Official Conduct 9. H. Res. 253 - Committee on Agriculture 10. H. Res. 272 - Committee on Education and Labor 11. H. Res. 279 - Committee on Post Office and Civil Service 12. H. Res. 285 - Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs 13. H. Res. 290 - Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce 14. H. Res. 301 - Committee on House Administration H. J. Res. 223 - Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the U. S., extending the right to vote to citizens eighteen years of age or older. (OPEN RULE - 2 HOURS DEBATE) FORD a. GERALO LIBRARY Wednesday, March 24, 1971, and Balance of Week H. Res. 304 - Committee on Government Operations Investigating Authority. H. R. 7 - Rural Telephone Bank (SUBJECT TO A RULE BEING GRANTED)