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White House - Congressional Leadership Meeting, 9/19/72
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White House - Congressional Leadership Meeting, 9/19/72
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Robert T. Hartmann Papers
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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
SEPTEMBER 19, 1972
OFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
THE WHITE HOUSE
PRESS CONFERENCE
OF
SENATOR HUGH SCOTT, SENATOR ROBERT P. GRIFFIN,
CONGRESSMAN GERALD R. FORD
AND
CONGRESSMAN LESLIE ARENDS
THE BRIEFING ROOM
AT 10:15 A.M. EDT
MR. ZIEGLER: The Leadership Meeting this morning
was a breakfast meeting which was held over in the Dining
Room on the first floor, the Dining Room just off the
State Dining Room.
The President met this morning with the leaders
who are here with me and also attending the meeting was
Dr. Kissinger and John Ehrlichman and Cap Weinberger. During
the meeting the President and the leaders reviewed the
legislative proposals that are still before the Congress and
where that stands and had a thorough discussion of that
and also Dr. Kissinger discussed with them much of what he
talked to members of the press about the other day, but in
a little more detail regarding his recent visit to the Soviet
Union and to Germany, France and Great Britain.
So, with that, I think the leaders can take your
questions.
Senator Scott.
SENATOR SCOTT: Before questions, there is something
that was not discussed, but I read in the paper that Sargent
Shriver said his net worth is only around $100,000. I can't
believe it. I think his net worth is considerably less than
that, unless, of course, you are talking about dollars. (Laughter)
I imagine she must have cut his allowance. (Laughter)
CONGRESSMAN FORD: I think in light of what Ron said,
it is best that we just go to questions. It was a thorough
discussion of the legislative program and the report by
Dr. Kissinger.
Q
Did Dr. Kissinger say anything about Vietnam,
Congressman, discussions on Vietnam with the Soviet Union?
CONGRESSMAN FORD: He has had discussions with
them, but we didn't get any details of the discussions in
that regard.
Q
Do you people agree with Senator Dole that
the Watergate case is going to turn out to be a plus
for the Republicans?
MORE
- 2 -
CONGRESSMAN FORD: I would answer it this way. The
indictments are on the record now and it certainly clears
the White House and any of the responsible people in the
Committee to Re-elect. I think the American people have
faith in the judicial system and in my canvassing last
Saturday in Michigan, I think no one we canvassed out of
25 homes raised that issue at all. The American people are
more concerned about the affirmative things that involve
peace and prosperity, and they don't believe that this is
an issue because they know the White House is not at all
connected with it.
SENATOR SCOTT: We canvassed over 100 people in
Minneapolis and St. Paul. Two of the four precincts
were strongly Democratic. I never got a single question
about it. It is what I call perhaps a Washington issue.
The people of this country are satisfied that
the judicial system is operating. They have confidence
in it. Evidently Senator McGovern feels that he will
gain some rallying by attacking the judicial system,
attacking the Grand Jury method of procedure. He is not
going to get anywhere.
Q Senator Scott, I would like to go back to
an issue that you raised last week and it has become
somewhat confused since then and that is whether or not the
President is under any circumstances going to ask for a
tax increase.
I believe that you qualified your statement and
said that it depended to some extent on what the Congress did.
Mr. Ziegler and Mr. Ehrlichman removed your qualifications
and said there were no circumstances under which a tax
increase would be requested. Yesterday Treasury Secretary
Shultz put back your qualification.
I wonder if you could explain to us just what the
tax situation is?
SENATOR SCOTT: There is no confusion about it.
If the Congress will adopt a spending ceiling, if the Congress
is responsible, that is it. The President believes that
if his advice is followed there is no reason why he should
have a tax increase. Certainly he doesn't intend to do
anything that would bring about the necessity for such a
tax increase.
CONGRESSMAN FORD: Let me reiterate somewhat
differently, but I think with the same result. The President
reiterated this morning there would not be a tax increase and
urged us to fight for the spending ceiling and indicated that
any of the various authorizations or appropriations that
would undermine the spending ceiling or produce fiscal
irresponsibility would be vetoed.
Q
Does that mean even if Congress does not stay
below the spending ceiling there will still not be a tax
increase or is it a conditional thing?
MORE
- 3 -
CONGRESSMAN FORD: I think that is too speculative to
really give a fair answer to. We have to talk about the
realities of trying to get a spending ceiling which the
President is fighting for and we hope to pass in the House
and to try and convince the Congress to hold down appropriations
and authorizations which we hope to do with those of us in
the minority.
So, I don't think we can go beyond that. The
President did say again this morning he was opposed to a
tax increase.
Q Senator Scott, do you share Senator Stennis'
concern about the Lavelle thing, that the higher-up's
perhaps had any knowledge of it?
SENATOR SCOTT: As you know, I never adopt anybody
else's views and then go on from there. I have views of my
own. I am not on the Committee. I will wait for the
Committee's recommendation and I think it will exercise the kind of
judgment that the Committee is known for and when the Armed Services
recommendation comes in, we will guide ourselves accordingly.
I am not going to say what Senator Stennis says.
He and I were schoolmates together and I have known him
ever since those days as a man who can speak for himself.
Q
Sir, newspapers have reported that the Soviets
are sending arms to the fedayeen and thus to the Black
September group. In view of the fact that one of the
murdered members of the Israeli team was American-born,
what are your views, the views of the leadership, on this?
SENATOR SCOTT: This is not a matter where we are
confronted with any evidence. I think it is not a matter
for legislative consideration at this time. I would rather
know what the facts are and I think this is an executive matter
and one which again the Executive would probably want to
know whether there are any facts here and whether they call
for any reaction.
I myself can't go by what the papers report on,
absent some obligation of mine to comment.
I would like to say on the question of Senator
McGovern's proposal that we surrender the fight against
inflation by abandoning the controls, it is pretty well
known that the McGovern jawboning proposal was tried in
several Administrations, that jawboning does not work and
even George McGovern's jawboning doesn't work and a
proposal that we surrender is, of course, an errant refuge
from responsibility.
Senator McGovern failed to vote on the Economic
Stabilization Act December 1 last, which passed 86 to four.
He wasn't even there. He did, I believe, comment other
than on the Senate Floor that it was two or three years late.
Now he wants to take it off altogether, and above everything
else, he didn't even show up to vote for it or against it.
MORE
- 4 -
Q
Secretary Shultz indicated yesterday that the
Administration is losing some of its interest or enthusiasm
for value added tax as a substitute for the property tax. Did
the President say anything about that?
CONGRESSMAN FORD: We didn't discuss that particular
aspect of tax matters this morning, but I noted that the Vice
President, who is a member of the Intergovernmental Commission,
indicated that he was turning against the value added tax.
The President is waiting for a recommendation from
that group and with the President taking that point of view,
and I suspect a number of others who I have personally talked
with, I would doubt they would recommend it and that certainly
would have a significant impact.
Q
Congressman Ford, did you discuss with the
President this morning the Watergate case?
CONGRESSMAN FORD: We did not. It did not come up.
We talked about the legislative program.
Q
Could you give us more detail on what you
discussed with the President?
CONGRESSMAN FORD: We went down the list of legis-
lative items that are either in the House or Senate or in
conference in relationship to when we thought the Congress
would adjourn. The White House is going to be working with
the Congress trying to get some of the things that have been
held up or roadblocked, such as H.R. 1, the Welfare Reform
bill, the various other matters that are still in either
one House or the other. There is no judgment on the part
of the White House as to whether this is a good or bad
record until the Congress concludes.
MORE
- 5 -
I
Do you agree with what you claim is the public
attitude that the Watergate affair is an insignificant thing?
CONGRESSMAN FORD: It doesn't appear to be among
the voters a very significant matter.
Q
What about your own opinion of it?
CONGRESSMAN FORD: I don't think it is. I think it is
far more important that we make progress both at home and
abroad, internationally as well as domestically, on solving
some of our problems. The judicial process will take care of
whether individuals are guilty or innocent and I think that is
the way the American people feel.
SENATOR SCOTT: I think the word "insignificant" could
cause some misunderstanding. The question here is not what
is .significant or insignificant. The indictment of these
people is very significant to them. If they are guilty, then
it was a shabby and misbegotten thing they did, and they should
be punished for it.
But the point is that charges as to others have utterly
failed of any proof and if those charges continue to be made
without proof and without a willingness to present proof, they
open themselves to slander or libel charges as the case may be.
I think we have had enough of this kind of abuse of the
public's credibility .he public's willingness to accept those
charges - - the public is not willing to accept them and that
is why they ought to ask the questions.
Q
What charges specifically are you talking about?
SENATOR SCOTT: I am not going to give further
currency by repeating the charges that George McGovern makes.
I will say they are silly charges, they have been made by George
McGovern and they have been widely reported.
Q
Some observers are saying that Senator McGovern
is doing so poorly in the polls and the President is doing so
well with, so far, a minimum of campaigning that perhaps the
President should let Senator McGovern do all of his
campaigning for him.
Looking ahead do you see the polls staying the way
they are?
SENATOR SCOTT: Well, the President will, in due time,
announce his own plans. He certainly will have things to say.
Whether the polls stay the way they are depends on whether
the voters stay the way they are. My own canvassing indicates
an overwhelming support of the President. Normally the polls
tend to contract a little as the undecided make up their minds
one way or another. The only poll that counts is on November 7.
Q
Do you see a landslide?
SENATOR SCOTT: No. I would hope that the President
would receive the larges possible vote and that he would carry
in a Republican House and Senate. I would be very happy with
a landslide. I wouldn't ask for a recount. (Laughter)
THE PRESS: Thank you, gentlemen.
END
(AT 10:29 A.M. EDT.)
Sent by GRF on September 19, 1972 to
White House-Leadership meeting, but
only Ford, Arends, Scott, and Griffin
were at this meeting. NOT DISTRIBUTED.
Included in next Run-Down.
LIBRARY GERALD F FORD
HOUSE ACTION, PERIOD SEPTEMBER 12, 1972 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 18, 1972
Tuesday, September 12, 1972
CLEARED FOR THE PRESIDENT: The House cleared for the President the
following bills, by agreeing to the amendments of the Senate thereto:
U.S. magistrates salaries: H.R. 7375, to amend the statutory ceiling
on salaries payable to U.S. magistrates.
Survivors benefits: H.R. 10670, to establish a survivor benefit plan.
Forgery and counterfeiting: H.R. 9222, to correct deficiencies in
the law relating to the crimes of counterfeiting and forgery.
CHILD NUTRITION ACT
It was made an order to consider the conference report on H.R. 14896
Child Nutrition Act, on Wednesday, September 13.
IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT
GERALD R. FORD
RULE
By a voice vote, the House adopted H. Res. 1108, providing for one
hour of open debate.
PASSAGE
By a voice vote, the House passed H.R. 16188, to amend the Immigra-
tion and Nationality Act.
RECOMMIT
By a record vote of 53 yeas to 297 nays, the House rejected a motion
by Mr. Price of Texas to recommit the bill to the Committee on the
Judiciary.
COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROL
The House agreed to the conference report on S. 3442, to extend the
authorization for grants for communicable disease control and vaccination
assistance. Subsequently, agreed to H. Con. Res. 698, authorizing
the Secretary of the Senate to correct the title of the bill S. 3442,
clearing the measure for Senate action.
-2-
Wednesday, September 13, 1972
FORD B GERALO LIBRARY
MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY
The House insisted on its amendment to S. 976, to promote competition
among motor vehicle manufacturers in the design and production of
safe motor vehicles having greater resistance to damage, and agreed
to a conference asked by the Senate. Appointed as conferees: Repre-
sentatives Staggers, Moss, Stuckey, Springer, and Broyhill of North
Carolina.
AIR PASSENGER FEES
The House insisted on its amendments to S. 3755, to amend the Airport
and Airway Development Act of 1970, as amended, to increase the U.S.
share of allowable project costs under such act, to amend the Federal
Aviation Act of 1958, as amended, to prohibit certain State taxation
of persons in air commerce, and agreed to a conference asked by the
Senate. Appointed as conferees: Representatives Staggers, Jarman,
Dingell, Harvey, and Kuykendall.
ADVISORY COMMITTEES
The House disagreed to the amendment of the Senate to H.R. 4383, to
authorize the establishment of a system governing the creation and
operation of advisory committees in the executive branch of the Fed-
eral Government, and asked a conference with the Senate. Appointed
as conferees: Representatives Holifield, Monagan, Fascell, Steiger
of Arizona, and Brown of Michigan.
REVENUE SHARING
The House disagreed to the amendments of the Senate to H.R. 14370, to
provide payments to localities for high-priority expenditures, to
encourage the States to supplement their revenue sources, and to au-
thorize Federal collection of State individual income taxes, and agreed
to a conference asked by the Senate. Appointed as conferees: Repre-
sentatives Mills of Arkansas, Ullman, Burke of Massachusetts, Griffiths,
Betts, Schneebeli, and Broyhill of Virginia.
MILITARY PROCUREMENT AUTHORIZATION
RULE
By a record vote of 347 yeas to 23 nays, the House adopted H. Res. 1115,
waiving the 3-day rule and waiving points of order against sections
605 and 608.
PASSAGE
By a record vote of 336 yeas to 43 nays, with 1 voting "present," the
House agreed to the conference report on H.R. 15495, military pro-
curement authorization for fiscal year 1973, clearing the measure
for Senate action.
(MORE)
-3-
Wednesday, September 13, 1972 (continued)
GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY
CHILD NUTRITION ACT
By a record vote of 378 yeas, the House agreed to the conference
report on H.R. 14896, Child Nutrition Act. The House receded and
concurred in Senate amendment No. 26, clearing the measure for
Senate action.
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
RULE
By a record vote of 341 yeas to 34 nays, the House adopted H. Res.
1114, waiving all points of order except section 743, and waiving
the 3-day rule.
The House concluded all general debate on H.R. 16593, making appro-
priations for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 1973, and
began reading the bill for amendment when the Committee of the Whole
rose. Proceedings under the 5-minute rule will continue on Thursday.
Thursday, September 14, 1972
DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
RULE
By a record vote of 341 yeas to 34 nays, the House on Wednesday,
September 13, 1972, adopted H. Res. 1114, waiving all points of
order except section 743, and waiving the 3-day rule.
PASSAGE
By a record vote of 322 yeas to 40 nays, with 1 voting "present,"
the House passed H.R. 16593, making appropriations for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1973.
Prior to final passage, the following action was taken:
By a record teller vote of 265 ayes to 116 noes, the House agreed
to an amendment by Mr. Sikes that adds $100 million of funds
transfer authority for the further use of civilians in KP duties.
By a record teller vote of 160 ayes to 208 noes, the House rejected
an amendment by Mr. Addabbo that sought to terminate U.S. troop
involvement in Indochina within 4 months, conditioned upon the
release of all American prisoners of war and a full accounting
of the missing in action.
By a record teller vote of 98 ayes to 256 noes, the House rejected
an amendment by Mr. Riegle that proposed a 5-percent reduction of
funds in the bill actually spent in fiscal year 1973.
-4-
660420 A. FORD TIBRARY
Monday, September 18, 1972
NO LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS DUE TO THE DEATH OF CONGRESSMAN WM. F. RYAN OF
NEW YORK.
PROGRAM AHEAD
Tuesday, September 19, 1972
CONSENT CALENDAR
PRIVATE CALENDAR
H.R. 16654 - Labor-HEW Appropriations, FY 1973
H.R. 15003 - Consumer Product Safety
(OPEN RULE - TWO HOURS OF DEBATE)
Wednesday, September 20, 1972, and Balance of Week
H.R. 7130 - Fair Labor Standards Act Amendments--WEDNESDAY
(MOVE TO GO TO CONFERENCE)
H.R. 10295 - Cargo Security
(SUBJECT TO A RULE BEING GRANTED)
H.R. 15859 - Emergency Medical Services
(SUBJECT TO A RULE BEING GRANTED)
H.R.
- Foreign Assistance Appropriations, FY 1973
(SUBJECT TO A RULE BEING GRANTED)
H.R. 16645 - Eisenhower Memorial Bicentennial Civic Center
(SUBJECT TO A RULE BEING GRANTED)