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OPL - Administration (4 of 7)
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Records of the White House Office of Public Liaison (Reagan Administration)
Morton Blackwell's Subject Files
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Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Digital Library Collections
This is a PDF of a folder from our textual collections.
Collection: Blackwell, Morton: Files
Folder Title: OPL - Administration (4 of 7)
Box: 17
To see more digitized collections visit:
https://reaganlibrary.gov/archives/digital-library
To see all Ronald Reagan Presidential Library inventories visit:
https://reaganlibrary.gov/document-collection
Contact a reference archivist at: [email protected]
Citation Guidelines: https://reaganlibrary.gov/citing
National Archives Catalogue: https://catalog.archives.gov/
OPC.
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
OPD
&
OPL
Blucked
Abortion
Uhlmann/Galebach
Jepsen
ACTION
Carleson/Bradley
Jepsen
Agriculture (Not Food Stamps)
Boggs/B. Leonard
Burgess
Antitrust & Trade Regulation
Uhlmann
Burgess
Auto Industry
Gunn/Smith gaitinkel
Valis Jacobi
Banking
Porter/Denend
Valis
Black Colleges
Carleson/Bradley
Duggin
Block Grants
Carleson/Bradley
Civil Aeronautics Board
Uhlmann
Jambi
Commerce
Gunn/Smith gartinked
Valis Jacobi
Communications
Uhlmann/Gunn
Jacobi
Community Development (HUD)
Carleson
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Uhlmann
Jasobi
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Uhlmann
Knauer
Civil Rights Commission
Uhlmann/Bradley/4685+
Duggin
Civil Rights Policy
Duggin
Crime
Uhlmann
Triplett
Depository Institutions Deregulation
Comm.
Porter/Denend/Fairbanks
Disaster/Emergency Preparedness
Uhlmann/Denend
Drug Abuse Policy
Turner/D. Leonard,
Triplett
Uhlmann/Carleson
Economics
Porter/Denend
Caveney
Jacobi
Education
Carleson
Triplett
Bradley/Bauer- Barr
Equal Employment Opportunity Comm.
Uhlmann/Bradley/Mogson
Duggin
Equal Employment for Women
Uhlmann/Bradley/Hokson
Jepsen
Returned to Leah with MCB corrections/additims. 6/2/82
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
OPD
OPL
Energy
Boggs
Bonitati
Enterprise Zones
Carleson/Bradley
Zuniga
Environment and (EPA)
Boggs/M. Smith
Valis Jacohi
Environment Protection Agency
Boggs/M. Smith
Valis Jashi
Export/Import Bank
Gunn/Porter/Denend
Valis Jacobi
Federal Budget Process
Porter/Denend
Caveney
Federal Emergency Management
Uhlmann/Denend
Administration
Federal Communications Commission
Uhlmann/Gunn
Jambi
Federal Credit Policy
Porter/Denend/Fairbanks
Caveney
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Uhlmann/Gunn/Boggs
fesh
Federal Home Loan Bank Board
Porter/Denend/Fairbanks
Federalism (Including ACIR)
Carleson
Triplett
Federal National Mortgage Assn.
Porter/Denend/Fairbanks
Federal Reserve and Monetary Policy
Porter/Denend
Caveney
Federal Savings & Loan Insurance Co.
Porter/Denend/Fairbanks
Federal Trade Commission
Uhlmann
Knauer Jacobi
Denend
Finance (Corporate & Government)
Porter/Hemel/Gunn
Caveney
Food and Drug Administration
Uhlmann/Leonard
Knauer
Food Stamps
Carleson
Burgess
General Services Administration
Uhlmann/Bradley
Government National Mortgage Assoc.
Porter/Denend/Fairbanks
Gun Control
Uhlmann/Barr/Galebach
Blackwell
Health
Carleson/Roper
Knauer
Housing Production and Finance
Porter/Denend/Fairbanks Valis
Immigration
Uhlmann/Bradley
Zuniga
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
OPD
OPL
Indians
Uhlmann
notat OPL
Blackwell
Interior
Boggs/M. Smith
Jacobi
Bonitatic
Interstate Commerce Commission
Uhlmann
Bonitati
Jawbi
International Law
Uhlmann
Triplett
International Trade Commission
Gunn
Jacobi
Justice
Uhlmann
Triplett
Labor
Porter/Denend
Bonitati
Law of the Sea
Uhlmann
Jasobi
Bluchwell
Legal Services
Uhlmann
Triplett
Maritime Policy
Gunn/Uhlmann
Jacobi
Bonitati
Military Manpower
Uhlmann
Minority Business Development Agency
Gunn/Bradley/i
Zuniga
NASA
Boggs
Burgess
National Credit Union Administration Porter/Denend/Fairbanks
National Endowment for the Arts
Uhlmann
National Endowment for the Humanities Uhlmann
National Science Foundation
Boggs
Jasobi
National Security (Impacting Domestic
Porter/Denend
Blackwell
Excluding Selective Service)
Natural Resources
Boggs/M. Smith
Bonicati
Jacobi
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Boggs/M. Smith
Pension Policy
/
Porter/Denend
Lozano
Postal Issues
Uhlmann
Poverty Issues Generally
Carleson/Bradley/Mosse
Lozano
Puerto Rico
Carleson/Bradley
Zuniga
Refugee and Immigration
Uhlmann/Bradley
Zuniga
Regulatory Reform
Uhlmann/Boggs
Valis Jawhi
Revenue Sharing
Carleson
School Prayer
Uhlmann/Galebach
Blackwell
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
OPD
OPL
Security (OPD)
Uhlmann
Blackwell
Securities Exchange Commission
Uhlmann
Jacobi
Selective Service
Uhlmann
Science and Technology
Boggs
Jasobi
Small Business Administration
Valis
Social Security
Carleson/Ferrara
Lozano
Tax Policy
Porter/Denend
Caveney
Telecommunications Policy
Gunn/Uhlmann
Jacobi
Thrift Industry
Porter/Denend/Fairbanks Valis
Trade
Gunn/MMidd/Porter
Valis Jacobi
Transportation (Except Auto Industry)
Gunn/Porter
Jaylin
Bonitati
Treasury (Except Revenue Sharing
Porter/Denend
Valis
& Tax)
Tuition Tax Credits
Carleson/Porter/
Blackwell
Burgess
Fairbanks/Barr
Urban Affairs
Carleson/Bradley
Zuniga
Veterans Affairs
Carleson
Blackwell
Voluntary Organizations
Uhlmann/Galebach/Bradley Duggin
Welfare
Carleson/Bradley
Duggin
Womens Issues
Uhlmann/Bradley/4osso/
Jepsen/Jacki/
Buckuless
*Diana Lozano coordinates all policy work for OPL.
CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
Weekly Report
Vile VileOPL
Vol. 39, No. 23
is
Pages 973-1020
*
June KECU 64 1981
$
PRES
Reagan Saleswoman
22/PH
FH
Elizabeth Dole
(975)
OREGON
Education
Block Grants
(1005)
Senate GOP )
Conference
(993)
Executive Branch
Part Cheerleader, Part Listening Post:
eral Trade Commission, she has an in-
sider's knowledge of business and gov-
Public Liaison Chief Dole
ernment. And she is married to one of
the most well-placed men in Congress,
Robert Dole, R-Kan., chairman of the
Senate Finance Committee. It is a
Reaches to Outside Groups
connection she plays up. (Dole back-
ground, box, p. 976)
To Sell Reagan's Programs
For example, Dole, with a spark-
ling smile, confided to the lobbyists
assembled by the Chamber of Com-
In the frescoed "hall of states" at
president, Cabinet members and staff
merce, "I heard something interesting
the U.S. Chamber of Commerce head-
for business and community leaders,
at home last night." Thanks to "great
quarters in Washington, Elizabeth
farm groups and others. Dole herself
leadership," she said, the Finance
Hanford Dole, President Reagan's
gives numerous speeches. And it is her
Committee had just given Reagan sub
public liaison chief, was preaching to
office that arranges for presidential
stantially larger budget cuts than re-
the converted.
greetings, on film or tape, for a fledg-
quested. (Weekly Report p. 795)
Scores of Washington representa-
ling Hispanic radio service or a Team-
"She is very bright and very
tives for trade associations savored a
sters' convention.
good," said one prominent labor lob-
champagne toast to the victory of the
Her assets include impeccable
byist who does not support Reagan
first fiscal 1982 budget resolution,
professional and political credentials
policies.
which was to be voted on in the House
and her own contagious enthusiasm.
But Dole's impact is difficult to
the next day. (Weekly Report p. 783)
As a one-time member of the Fed-
measure. It is inseparable from such
The May 6 audience listened ap-
preciatively as Dole invited them to
bring their ideas and problems to her
White House Public Liaison Office.
Part cheerleader, part listening post,
Dole is charged with building support
for Reagan and his policies, and defus-
ing criticism.
She thanked her audience for the
effort they already had put into lobby-
ing for the budget resolution. Their
support included lavish newspaper
and television advertisements, mes-
sages mailed to stockholders and visits
paid to members of Congress by cor-
porate executives.
"We're in the same business,"
Dole assured the assembled lobbyists,
"communication, coalition-building,
outreach."
Indirect Pressure
Like the White House's legislative
liaison operation, headed by Max L.
Friedersdorf, Dole's office brings pres-
sure to bear on Congress to pass the
president's programs. But she does it
in an indirect fashion, going to mem-
bers' constituent groups, never to the
lawmakers themselves. Many mem-
bers say they are not familiar with her
office. (Legislative liaison, Weekly
Report p. 747)
Her stock in trade includes invita-
tions to White House briefings by the
"We're in the same business - communication, coalition-building, out-
reach," Elizabeth Dole told a group of lobbyists assembled by the U.S. Chamber of
-By Elizabeth Wehr
Commerce.
COPYRIGHT 1981 CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY INC.
Reproduction prohibited in whole or in port except by aditorial clients
June 6, 1981-PAGE 975
Executive Branch - 2
works essential to spur grass-roots
support - or both.
Dole Well Backgrounded For Post
For example, the chamber, with a
$70-million-a-year annual budget, has
done little else this year but promote
Official Washington's high re-
Dole led commission efforts to
Reagan's economic program, accord-
gard for Elizabeth Hanford Dole
translate its reservoir of technical
ing Jeffrey H. Joseph, manager of the
has not flagged since she showed up
information into broadcast adver-
chamber's business and governmental
at the White House in 1968 as a
tisements and readable brochures
affairs division.
legislative aide for President John-
for consumers on such subjects as
Reagan economics received favor-
son's consumer affairs adviser,
women's credit rights. She spoke
able coverage - to the virtual exclu-
Betty Furness.
out firmly against what she viewed
sion of other topics - in the cham-
She was, Furness once told an
as abuses in the nursing home in-
ber's weekly television show, syn-
interviewer, "dandy."
dustry.
dicated to 140 stations, its weekly
Colleagues at the Federal
Dole brought a strong con-
radio program for 400 stations and its
Trade Commission (FTC). lapse
sumer orientation to the FTC from
weekly newspaper with 800,000 sub-
into superlatives when asked to re-
assignments as executive director
scribers.
call her tenure as a commissioner
of a presidential commission on
Dole says her work is to pave a
from 1973 to 1979.
consumer interests (1968-71) and
"two-way street" by creating under-
Hard work, keen intelligence
deputy director of the White House
standing for the president outside the
and North Carolina charm made
office of consumer affairs (1971-
White House while making sure that
Dole, 44, "very, very easy to work
73).
Reagan and his advisers are aware of
with and very good," said David
In 1979 Dole resigned her FTC
groups' priorities.
Clanton, acting FTC chairman.
position to assist her husband, Sen.
She counts as an early accom-
Her involvement in controver-
Robert Dole, R-Kan., in his brief,
plishment the removal of bilingual
sial FTC actions on children's tele-
unsuccessful presidential cam-
education funding from the adminis-
vision advertising, and the funeral
paign. She later toured the country
tration's block grants proposal. That
and housing industries have
for Reagan, and during his transi-
decision, made after Education Secre-
prompted some questions about
tion chaired a task force on human
tary T.H. Bell met with Hispanic
whether Dole fits into the conser-
services. After her 1975 marriage to
groups at Dole's urging, meant contin-
vative Reagan administration.
Dole, she had taken a leave of ab-
ued separate funding for that pro-
But fellow commissioners such
sence from the FTC during his vice
gram, which would have had to com-
as Lewis A. Engman, now president
presidential campaign.
pete with others within the block
of the Pharmaceutical Manufactur-
Of her marriage and well es-
grant.
ers' Association, say Dole cannot be
tablished career, Dole once ob-
A February session between Rea-
categorized easily.
served that "there's a lot of inter-
gan and farm group leaders, meant to
A former FTC staff attorney
est, but no conflict."
soften farm anger at the Soviet grain
recalls that Dole approached each
She believes that she and her
embargo, was less successful in head-
issue with a fresh perspective and
husband "may be the only two law-
ing off a Senate vote to force Reagan's
"a healthy skepticism about the
yers in Washington that trust each
hand on the issue. An anti-embargo
limits of government regulation."
other."
Senate vote did occur on March 24,
and Reagan lifted the embargo a
month later. (Weekly Report p. 561)
factors as Reagan's personal popular-
employees from seeking to influence
ity, residual momentum from last No-
Congress.
Good Marks
vember's election and the work of
Like the others, too, she says she
Anne Wexler, Dole's predecessor
other White House officials such as
is in the information business. "The
in the Carter administration, finds
Lyn Nofziger, presidential assistant
more information we provide, the
Dole's early work impressive. "Before
for political affairs, and Friedersdorf.
more people will understand Presi-
you could blink, there were a series of
And White House efforts clearly
dent Reagan's program," she says.
groups in to meet the president,"
are having an impact.
However, some observers, like
Wexler noted. "They got everybody on
"Public opinion and attitude play
Rep. Tony Coelho, D-Calif., chairman
record in favor of the economic pro-
an enormous part in what Congress
of the Democratic Congressional Cam-
gram and locked in early."
does," says House Majority Whip
paign Committee, perceive Dole's op-
By the end of April, Dole's office
Thomas S. Foley, D-Wash., citing the
eration as "wholly political."
had engineered 19 meetings at which
indications members received during
the president or vice president spoke,
the Easter recess that their constitu-
Being an Insider
89 White House sessions with Cabinet
encies were strongly in favor of Rea-
Essential to Dole's credibility
and staff members, 148 follow-up
gan. Those constituent signals were
with outside groups is her ability to
talks and nine large-scale East Room
credited with bringing some House
appear as a White House insider. Only
briefings. Dole's outside speaking en-
Democrats around to the GOP posi-
then will they turn to her office in
gagements numbered 29. She collected
tion on the budget resolution.
their quest for presidential access.
general endorsements of the economic
Like Friedersdorf and some other
If such groups like their welcome,
program from nearly 200 groups and
White House officials, Dole has to be
they can offer a president either so-
corporations.
careful not to step outside the bounds
phisticated Washington lobbying for
Those endorsements generally
of a federal law that prohibits federal
his programs or the funds and net-
came from organizations that had sup-
COPYRIGHT 1981 CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY INC.
PAGE 976-June 6, 1981
Reproduction prohibited in whole or in part except by editorial chents
Executive Branch - 3
ported candidate Reagan - business
groups, the Teamsters, the Moral Ma-
jority and others. The conservative
American Farm Bureau Federation,
for instance, endorsed the program
while the National Farmers Union,
did not.
Dole plans out-of-town meetings
for the president and Cabinet mem-
bers with interested groups. Like
Wexler, she also plans to solicit opin-
ions on legislation "early on, not after
the fact from interested parties."
But the president's Social Secu-
rity proposal, which elicited almost in-
stant objections from interest groups
and Congress, did not move through
Dole's office. (Weekly Report p. 936)
And it is clear that her office is
not the only route into or out of the
Reagan administration.
Some Washington insiders, like
one influential health lobbyist, say
they have not altered their normal
Elizabeth Dole has breakfast at the White House with President Reagan, Vice
routines to include Dole. "I talk to
President George Bush, presidential counselor Edwin Meese III, Labor Secretary Ray-
[White House Counselor Edwin]
mond J. Donovan and labor leaders.
Meese, and I talk to the people I know
at the Office of Management and
occupy a similar slot was William
derson, Clifford proposed that Tru-
Budget and the department" of
Baroody Jr., who served in the Ford
man invite "labor leaders
to the
Health and Human Services, the lob-
administration as the first official
White House to flatter them." But he
byist said.
public liaison chief.
warned that such consultations should
Officials at The Independent Sec-
But appealing to non-government
be "on general issues. To invite advice
tor, a coalition of voluntary service
sources of support is far from new to
on specifics, and then not follow it, is
groups and donors to such groups, also
the White House, although the task
to court trouble," he said.
approached Meese when seeking a
has become increasingly specialized.
Charles Colson, eventually snared
Reagan endorsement of a bill to en-
Franklin D. Roosevelt's free-
in the Watergate affair, began his
courage tax deductible contributions.
wheeling aides often had such broad
White House career in 1969 as a coali-
Chamber of Commerce officials,
responsibilities that people who
tion-builder for President Richard M.
on the other hand, speak highly of
sought them out knew they were talk-
Nixon.
their contacts with Dole's office.
ing indirectly to the president - and
Late in Nixon's second term,
Because the internal structure of
directly to the person who wrote legis-
Baroody, now president of the Wash-
Reagan's White House differs signifi-
lation, ran programs and lobbied in
ington-based American Enterprise In-
cantly from that of Carter's, it is not
Congress.
stitute, a policy research center, pro-
clear whether Dole's involvement in
Thomas G. Corcoran, for exam-
posed creation of a separate office for
policy decisions will be as deep as
ple, drafted major 1933 and 1934 secu-
interest group contacts.
Wexler's.
rities bills and also marshaled his ex-
traordinarily wide contacts in and out
First in the Job
The triumvirate of Meese, chief of
staff James A. Baker III and deputy
of government on behalf of Roose-
It was President Gerald R. Ford
chief of staff Michael Deaver, com-
velt's programs, according to Patrick
who carried out the suggestion, ap-
bined with a Cabinet arranged into
Anderson's 1968 study of presidential
pointing Baroody to the new position.
issue-oriented councils, mean a
aides, The President's Men.
Baroody launched what is now
"tighter grasp of policy-making," said
Louis Howe, a close aide and per-
the most visible part of the public liai-
John Post, executive director of The
manent house guest at 1600 Pennsyl-
son operation: meetings, large and
Business Roundtable, a lobbying
vania Ave., supervised several New
small and often publicized, between
group of corporate executives.
Deal programs and occasionally took
the president and top administration
Still, Dole is one of the top White
to the radio for "spontaneous" pro-
officials and various organizations and
House officials to meet daily at 8 a.m.
Roosevelt question-and-answer ses-
leaders. The sessions were held both
to discuss what should be taken up
sions - that he had carefully written
at the White House and outside
with the president. The sessions, Dole
out in advance.
Washington.
says, "provide a great deal of insight.
In the administration of Harry S
Baroody's goal was to end the
We're all going over the big picture at
Truman, adviser Clark Clifford sug-
president's isolation and to counter
least once a day."
gested what has become a standard
Watergate-generated distrust of the
ingredient for modern public liaison
president and government, according
Development of the Office
operations - capitalizing on the
to the newly-published study, Por-
The position that Dole holds is a
glamour of the White House.
traying the President, by Michael
relatively new one. The first person to
In a lengthy memo quoted by An-
Grossman and Martha Kumar.
COPYRIGHT 1981 CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY INC.
Reproduction prohibited in whole or in part except by editorial clients.
June 6, 1981-PAGE 977
Executive Branch - 4
Private Funds Sought to Offset Budget Cuts
As the federal government retrenches, Elizabeth
ance Society, the National Conference of Catholic Char-
Dole hopes that corporations, churches, other private
ities and the American Red Cross.
groups and individuals will "take up the slack" with
O'Connell doubts that "foundation and corporate
more pro bono legal work, more philanthropy, perhaps
philanthropy will make up for a good part of the antici-
free medical services.
pated government cutbacks."
For Dole, such private involvement in social ser-
He cites figures showing that corporate giving -
vices is the other side of the coin of federal budget
just 1/20th of the nation's philanthropy - grew only 4
reductions. But she does not expect private efforts to
percent in 1980. Individual giving was going down even
replace government programs: "Obviously, they're not
before the advent of double-digit inflation. Between
going to be able to step in completely."
1976 and 1980, the nation's total annual level of dona-
Still, she is encouraged by the fact that at the same
tions, $48 billion, did not grow at all when adjusted for
time she began to think about more volunteerism,
inflation.
groups began contacting her White House Public Liai-
Reagan's budget cuts not only mean substantially
son Office suggesting it.
less money for services, according to a just-released
Some 13 West Coast corporations already have be-
Urban Institute study commissioned by O'Connell's
gun a pilot project of pledging jobs to individuals on
group and the National Society of Fund Raising Execu-
federal disability rolls who can be trained by cooperat-
tives. The cuts also would shrink the network of organi-
ing community service groups. Dole's office will try to
zations that deliver services, since many non-profit
stimulate and coordinate such activities.
groups depend on federal as well as private sources for
operating expenses, the study found.
Little Increase in Corporate Giving
The coalition hopes that the Reagan administra-
Brian O'Connell, president of the Independent Sec-
tion's interest in volunteerism will translate into active
tor, also thinks that private sources cannot replace fed-
support of legislation (HR 501, S 170) to permit taxpay-
eral funds dollar-for-dollar. O'Connell's group is a coali-
ers to deduct their charitable contributions even if they
tion of nearly 300 donors and recipients, including the
do not itemize their other deductions, as is now re-
Ford and Rockefeller foundations, Equitable Life Assur-
quired.
In a recent interview, Baroody
highly professional assist to Carter's
power. And congressional Democrats
stressed his intention to assure the
relations with Congress.
concede that they have nothing com-
public equal access to the White
Casting a broad net, she sought to
parable.
House with Congress and the press.
demonstrate benefits of a given piece
Coelho launched a. "congressional
He also originated "town hall" meet-
of legislation to as many groups as
news service" at the campaign com-
ings outside Washington that had
possible - "including those that were
mittee, mailing releases to home-dis-
some unanticipated benefits.
not necessarily Carter loyalists," she
trict newspapers of Republicans who
Typically, Baroody sought spon-
said.
cast votes for higher spending levels
sorship of such meetings from a dozen
Wexler believed that interest
on specific programs than they had
or so groups representing a range of
groups had to be involved "in the de-
voted for on the first budget resolu-
community loyalties, such as local
velopment of policy at the earliest
tion.
chambers of commerce, labor unions,
stages" and that they should be kept
House Budget Committee Chair-
and ethnic and minority organiza-
involved. Publicity was an important
man James R. Jones, D-Okla., met
tions. For speakers at the daylong,
ingredient; Wexler made sure that
personally with business groups dur-
question-and-answer sessions, he oc-
newspapers and television stations
ing the Easter recess, unsuccessfully
casionally chose Cabinet-level offi-
were alerted to upcoming White
seeking support for his alternative
cials, such as those for energy and en-
House visits of local citizens.
budget.
vironmental policies, with potentially
For Wexler, the payoff was two-
But Foley and Coelho admit that
conflicting points of view.
fold. Within the White House, "our
even if they had an apparatus similar
"If you had to address the same
input was often critical on what was
to Dole's, the Democrats still remain
questions, in the same forum, in pub-
going to fly" in Congress. And, "we
divided on policy and strategy.
lic, it kind of forced some unity on
were able to present Congress with
"It's never going to be possible for
issues," Baroody remarked.
pretty good evidence that certain is-
all the Democrats, under any leader-
President Carter's first public li-
sues had broad-based support."
ship, to march out
Wehrmacht-
aison chief, the outspoken Midge
like, taking a single position," Foley
Costanza, occasionally gave the ap-
Democrats Left Behind
told NBC's "Meet the Press" after the
pearance of pposing Carter rather
The public liaison offices gener-
House budget vote.
than building support for him, and by
ally are assets for a president. And
More recently, Foley said, "There
1978 she had been replaced by Wexler,
Dole's office appears to fit into that
is a great reverence for the office of
a respected nuts-and-bolts political
mold.
the presidency, and the opportunity to
operative.
But duplicating the prestige or fi-
invite people to the White House is
Wexler stressed coalition-build-
nancial resources of the White House
very potent.
It's impossible to rep-
ing. and her efforts were viewed as a
always is difficult for the party out of
licate."
COPYRIGHT 1981 CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY INC.
PAGE 978-June 6, 1981
Reproduction prohibited in whole or in port except by editorial clients.
0 PL
memos
astre
THE WHITE HOUSE
generator
WASHINGTON
August 9, 1982
This is a weak speech.
It is largely defensive, and
indicates that the President
neither has a plan nor is
developing a plan to cure our
economic problems.
There should be no such
speeches now. We should be
doing everything possible to
recapture the themes of the
1980 elections. Neighboring
Idaho had as its state GOP
convention theme this summer:
"We've Only just begun!" That's
the spirit which will lead to
further victories.
If we play "statesman" and
avoid controversy, we will lose.
Didna
Document No.
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
DATE:
8/6/82
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS TO BILLINGS, MONTANA, CENTENNIAL
SUBJECT:
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
GERGEN
MEESE
HARPER
9
BAKER
JAMES
DEAVER
JENKINS
STOCKMAN
MURPHY
CLARK
ROLLINS
DARMAN
P
ISS
WILLIAMSON
DOLE
WEIDENBAUM
DUBERSTEIN
BRADY/SPEAKES
FIELDING
ROGERS
FULLER
Remarks:
Please provide any comments directly to Aram Bakshian by
Noon Monday, 8/9, with an information copy to my office.
Thank you.
Richard G. Darman
Assistant to the President
(x2702)
Response:
August 6, 1982
4:00 p.m.
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: BILLINGS, MONTANA CENTENNIAL
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1982
Thank you, the stage was on time today.* I am very happy to
be here in Billings for your centennial celebration. By the way,
save the candles on the cake; I'll be able to use them in a few
years.
I'm told that an Indian chief once said of Billings, "The
Great Spirit has put it exactly in the right place: while you
are in it you fare well." Wish the chief had said that about
Washington.
But I think I know why Billings has fared better than
Washington. The people of Billings, Montana, have remained true
to the values of their ancestors. You still admire independence,
resourcefulness, and determination. You have the legacy of those
ideals, and you have a history so colorful, well, even your
sunsets cannot match it. Proud Indian peoples, explorers like
Lewis and Clark, trappers and traders, miners, ranchers, even
what we might politely call the soiled doves who worked the dance
halls, have all contributed to Montana's rich past. Later came
the homesteaders who ploughed the plains and, according to the
Indians, left the sod "wrong side up."
Of course, you can still feel the openness of the land and
the expanse of the sky out here. This is a place, as one man put
* The President will enter the arena in a stagecoach pulled by a
team of horses.
to aul to
MEMORANDUM
inemos
OPL
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
SEPTEMBER 16, 1982
FOR:
ALL WHITE HOUSE AND EOB STAFF
FROM:
MICHAEL EVANS
WHITE HOUSE PHOTO OFFICE
M.E
SUBJECT:
VIEWING PRESIDENTIAL CONTACT SHEETS
The White House Photo Office is becoming increasingly congested with
staff members and visitors who are looking at contact sheet books.
Because the photographs need access to their desks, equipment and
supplies as well as some freedom of movement, it is necessary that we
once again remind everyone that viewing of contact sheets MUST be done
in Room 473 OEOB. In addition to having a full set of contact books
and extra viewers, there is more space and comfort for viewing.
This policy will be strictly enforced. To avoid wasting your time, please
call Room 473 (6505) before your arrival to make certain that someone
is available to assist you.
OPL DISTRIBUTION
M Blackwell
B Bonitati
J Burgess
Thelma D
M Gale
Dee Jepsen
V Knauer
Diana L
MEQuint
Bob Steeves
Bill Triplett
Wayne Valis
Henry Zuniga
EHD
RC
Document No.
081044SS
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
DATE:
7/22/82
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
Monday, 7/26/82
S. J. Res. 95 - FDR MEMORIAL
SUBJECT:
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
GERGEN
MEESE
HARPER
BAKER
JAMES
DEAVER
JENKINS
STOCKMAN
MURPHY
CLARK
ROLLINS
DARMAN
P
SS
WILLIAMSON
DOLE
WEIDENBAUM
DUBERSTEIN
BRADY/SPEAKES
FIELDING
ROGERS
FULLER
Remarks:
Please provide any comments/recommendations by Monday, 7/26/82.
Thank you.
I a
suggest A. $30million veto. is too costly; so is / million/geor operation.
Richard G. Darman
B. It is on ogly design.
Assistant to the President
(x2702)
Response:
C. Roosevelt once told Justice
Black he wanted a memorial
"that would be no larger Than his desk
M. Bleewell
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
OFFICE . SERVIS UNITED
OFFICE OF management AND BUDGET
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20503
JUL 22 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
Subject: Enrolled Resolution S. J. Res. 95 - FDR Memorial
Sponsors - Sen. Hatfield (D) Oregon and seven others
Last Day for Action
July 28, 1982 - Wednesday
Purpose
Authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Interior to construct
the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial.
Agency Recommendations
Office of Management and Budget
Approval
Department of the Interior
No objection
Discussion
S. J. Res. 95 authorizes and directs the Secretary of the
Interior, under the supervision of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Memorial Commission, to construct the FDR Memorial in West
Potomac Park in the District of Columbia, according to the design
developed by the Commission. The enrolled bill, which passed
both houses of the Congress by voice vote, also directs the
Secretary of the Interior to operate and maintain the memorial as
part of the National Park System, and authorizes appropriations
of such sums as are necessary for such construction and
operation, beginning with fiscal year 1983. We expect
construction to cost some $28,625,000 and annual operating costs
to exceed $763,000. During congressional consideration of the
resolution, the Administration took no position with regard to
enactment of the proposal, and deferred to the Congress to
determine what would be an appropriate memorial for FDR.
(Signed) James M. Frey
Assistant Director for
Legislative Reference
Enclosures'
OPL
memo
THE WHITE HOUSE
the
WASHINGTON
September 27, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR KEVIN HOPKINS
FROM:
MORTON BLACKWELL
SUBJECT:
Domestic Policy Briefing Papers
Attached are the amendments that I suggest for the above papers.
Suggested amendments to Domestic Policy Briefing papers.
1. EDUCATION
(i)
Page 2, paragraph 2:
Delete " 466 verbal/482 math in 1967 ::
Insert If 478 verbal/502 math in 1963
(ii)
Page 2, paragraph 2:
Insert new paragraph after " (SAT scores)
" -- SAT test scores increased last year for
the first time in 19 years despite a
reduction in the Department's funding
and a cut in its programs from 150 to
120 under this administration. "
2. ABORTION
(i)
Page 1, paragraph 3:
Insert after Roe V. Wade, "
" invalidated state abortion laws and "
3. SCHOOL PRAYER
(i)
Final Page, paragraph 1:
Delete
"
before adjournment October 2."
Insert "
before the Congress adjourns in October."
4. TUITION TAX CREDITS
(i)
Page 10, paragraph 4;
Delete entire paragraph beginning " * Tax Credits
cannot be disallowed
=
(ii) Page 10, paragraph 5:
Delete "In the past, federal aid to schools...' "
Insert "In the past, federal aid to education... "
Document No.
PI
Date 9/21/82
THE OF OF THE UNITED
White House Office of Policy Information
Time
SEAL STATES
MEMORANDUM
Due By 9/23/82
Time
6pm
Staffing Memorandum
X
Clearance Memorandum
Please respond whether or not you have comments
and/or corrections
Subject
ACTION
FYI
ACTION
FYI
OFFICE OF POLICY INFORMATION
OFFICE OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT
HOPKINS
HARPER
COBB
PORTER
DUFF
BARR
LAMBERTON
BOGGS
SCHUETTINGER
BRADLEY
SMITH
CARLESON
DENEND
FAIRBANKS
JENKINS
FERRARA
KEYWORTH
GALEBACH
ROLLINS
GARFINKEL
MUSS (PRB)
GUNN
CRIBB
LEONARD, B.
BLACKWELL
LEONARD, D.
DUNLOP
MONTOYA
GERSON
ROCK
HEMEL
TURNER
THOMPSON
UHLMANN
ADMINISTRATION
REMARKS:
Kevin R. Hopkins
Please return this tracking
Director, Office of Policy Information
sheet with your response
Special Assistant to the President
(x6556)
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
September 21, 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR
MORTON C. BLACKWELL
FROM:
KEVIN R. HOPKINS KRH/ARS
SUBJECT:
DOMESTIC POLICY BRIEFING PAPERS
Attached are five of a set of documents OPI is preparing
that describe, in briefing format, the President's rationale
and record with respect to key domestic policy issues. Each
brief is divided into five sections:
I. The Problem
II. Past Approaches
III. The President's Answer
IV. How It Works
V. The Record
Please review the attached briefs for:
1. Accuracy of information.
2. Comprehensiveness.
If any points in the briefs can be documented more cogently
with additional arguments or statistics, please make any
suggestions.
We would appreciate your response by 6 p.m. Thursday,
September 23. Thanks!
Attachments:
Department of Education
Abortion
Busing
School Prayer
Tuition Tax Credits
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
I.
The Problem
o The existence of a cabinet-level Department of
Education is unnecessary.
-- Education is primarily a state and local
responsibility; the federal role should be
strictly limited, and does not justify a
cabinet-level department.
-- Federal education programs can be coordinated
without the coordinating agency having Cabinet
status.
o The existence of a cabinet-level Department of
Education is harmful.
-- It promotes the notion that education is a federal
responsibility, unnecessarily stimulating
counterproductive federal "solutions" to education
problems.
-- It encourages intrusive federal intervention into
education decisions which are more properly -- and
more beneficially -- the province of states,
localities, parents, and teachers.
o Greater federal intervention in education has not, on
the whole, materially improved the quality of
education for most students.
-- Although the federal education budget has
increased from $
billion in 1965 to $
billion in 1982, test scores have declined
478
502
virtually every year -- from 166 verbal/ math
in 1967 to 424 verbal/466 math in 1981 (SAT
scores).
* Insert new text (see attached
II. Past Approaches
sleet)
O The Department of Education was established in 1979
to coordinate federal education programs.
o The establishment of the Department was the key
element of the previous president's education
program.
III. The President's Answer
0 Dismantle the Department of Education.
o Replace it with a sub-cabinet level Foundation for
Education Assistance (FEA).
IV. How It Works
O The FEA would be headed by a director, to be
appointed by the President and confirmed by the
Senate.
O The FEA would have responsibility for:
-- Block grants and consolidated aid for state and
local education agencies.
-- Student loans and grants.
-- Support for compensatory and equal educational
opportunity programs, and a core of informational,
statistical, and research services for education.
O Activities not directly associated with education
support functions would be reallocated, as
appropriate, to other agencies.
O For these reasons, the FEA proposal would be of
significant benefit:
-- Would be less costly:
*
Reduce agency employment levels by 22%.
*
Reduce budget costs by $56 million.
-- It would be more efficient.
*
Ninety-six federal programs would be
consolidated into 38 programs.
*
Regional activities would be abolished.
*
Eleven unnecessary federal boards and
commissions would be eliminated.
*
Twenty-three unproductive federal education
programs would be terminated.
-- Twenty-eight Federal programs would be transferred
to other federal agencies where they can be more
efficiently operated.
*
Rehabilitation and other programs for the
disabled would be transferred to the Department
of Health and Human Services where they could
be coordinated with other federal programs for
the disabled.
*
Indian education programs would be transferred
to the Department of the Interior to improve the
coordination of federal programs serving
American Indians.
V.
The Record
o The President introduced the FEA proposal as part of
his FY 1983 budget.
ABORTION
I. The Problem
Each year, 1.5 million abortions take place in the
United States.
O One out of every
human beings conceived is
aborted.
II. Past Approaches
O The 1973 Supreme Court decision, Roe V. Wade,
invalidated state abortion laws and
effectively legalized abortion throughout the
country.
O Previous administrations have attempted to avoid this
controversial issue.
-- Expressions of "personal opposition" to abortion.
--- No support given for legislation or constitutional
amendment to end abortion.
-- Opposition to congressional in initiatives to
eliminate, federal funding for abortion.
III. The President's Answer
O Recognizes that "all human life has intrinsic value."
O Supports constitutional amendment to prohibit
abortion except in cases where mother's life is in
danger.
A to
better # ?
sing
a mondent
O Support of legislation that would:
to reverse
the Rãe U.
-- Affirm the humanity of the unborn child.
Wide decision
-- Permanently ban federal funding and support for Peter
the taking of life of an unborn child except to Genna
save the life of the mother.
considers
original
-- Provide an opportunity for the Supreme Court to wading is
reconsider its previous rulings on abortion.
OK
IV. The Record
O President Reagan is the first president to support a
constitutional amendment to end abortion.
o The President has repeatedly expressed his support
for legislation to restrict the practice of abortion
and to submit a constitutional amendment to the
states for: ratification.
O The President signed legislation to help provide aid
for unwed mothers, reducing economic motivations for
many abortions.
O The President directed federal agencies to apply
legal measures on behalf of severely handicapped
newborn babies so that there are no recurrences of
the Bloomington baby case, in which a severely
handicapped baby was permitted to starve to death.
O On September 8, 1982, the President urged members of
the Senate to end a filibuster against legislation to
ban abortion funding.
BUSING
I.
The Problem
o Intentional racial segregation in public schools
prevents minority children from attaining equal
educational opportunity. Americans justifiably abhor
such practices, and want them eliminated.
o At the same time, Americans want the remedies to
school segregation to be consistent with the
important principles of local control of schools and
quality education for all children, regardless of
race.
II. Past Approaches
Mandatory busing has become the most widespread
approach to desegregation. It is also one of the most
ineffective and harmful:
O Priorities are wrong.
-- Concern of most mandatory busing remedies is not
educational quality or even so much racial
desegregation as it is the attainment of a
numerical "racial balance.' "
-- Provided there is no intentional school
segregation, the foremost goal of school system
should be educating students, not shuffling them
from school to school like tokens in a parlor game
just to meet an arbitrary assignment quota.
O Parents oppose mandatory busing.
-- A 19 survey by
showed that
olo
of white parents and
% of black parents
opposed busing.
-- Parents in Los Angeles in 19 voted to eliminate
the mandatory busing scheme which had been imposed
by the courts on their school system.
-- In 1979 black parents and school board members in
Nashville, Tennessee urged that busing be scaled
back to prevent closing of black inner-city
schools.
O Mandatory busing does not effectively desegregate;
whites move or leave the public school system.
-- In the Los Angeles schools, white enrollment
dropped from 37% to 24% after busing had been in
place for
years.
-- In Boston, white enrollment dropped from 57% to
35%; in Dayton, from 53% to 43%; in Denver, from
57% to 41%.
-- Similar histories in Cleveland, Atlanta, Memphis,
Detroit, and others.
O Mandatory busing does not improve educational
quality.
-- There is no statistically significant evidence
that racial mixing by itself contributes to
academic growth by black children.
* Recent Coleman Report-II supports this view.
-- Children bused for hours each day lose valuable
study time and chance to participate in extra
curricular activities.
-- In Los Angeles, educational scores declined for
blacks overall in the first year of busing.
O Mandatory busing hurts inner-city schools.
-- The flight from urban schools has eroded the tax
base in many cities, which has in turn made it
more difficult to provide high-quality education
to students, both white and black.
-- Loss of parental support and involvement has
robbed many public school systems of a critical
component in successful educational programs.
III. The President's Answer
O President Reagan strongly supports the elimination of
intentional segregation by race in the nation's
public schools.
O However, he rejects mandatory busing as a tool of
desegregation.
o He supports, instead, more effective voluntary
alternatives to ending desegregation, such as magnet
schools and voluntary incentive transfer plans.
IV. How It Works
O Voluntary plans permit students to transfer to other
schools in order to alleviate desegregation, while
maintaining parental choice and local control.
o Examples of alternatives:
-- Magnet schools are schools with special programs
and curriculum designed to attract students of all
races from throughout a school system.
-- Majority to minority transfer programs permit
students of majority race at one school to
transfer to schools where they will be in the
minority.
-- Open enrollment plans permit students to attend
any school in the district they and their parents
choose.
V.
The Record
o The Administration has strongly supported voluntary
desegregation plans.
-- The Department of Justice proposed a metropolitan
wide plan of voluntary busing for St. Louis, a key
feature of which was the offering of free state
public college attendance for students who
transferred.
-- The Department proposed establishment of a
desegregation plan for Caddo Parrish in Louisiana
that included the establishment of magnet schools
and voluntary majority to minority transfer.
o Through the Emergency School Aid Act, the
Administration in 1981 assisted 482 school districts
and 800 projects in the elimination of desegregation.
-- As part of a block grant, this program allows
significant local flexibility.
-- Voluntary desegregation through magnet: schools is
a priority of the program.
SCHOOL PRAYER
I.
The Problem
Freedom of expression -- especially religious
expression -- has deep roots in American heritage.
For two centuries, free exercise of religion, public
prayer and acknowledgment of a Supreme Being have
been an important part of American life.
-- American religious heritage:
*
America began as a refuge for those persecuted
because of their religious beliefs.
*
Declaration of Independence recognizes that it
is man's Creator which endows him with
inalienable rights.
*
Pledge of Allegiance: "One nation, under God. "
* Coins and currency: "In God We Trust. "
*
Supreme Court has observed, "We are a religious
people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme
Being. "
-- Prayer is an especially important part of this
heritage:
*
Sessions of Congress and many State legislatures
open with prayer.
*
Military retains chaplains, chapels, hymn books.
*
President, many governors and mayors hold annual
prayer breakfasts.
*
Each new session of Supreme Court opens with
"God save the United States and this honorable
Court. "
Supreme Court's 1962 and 1963 rulings prohibited
prayer in public schools on the premise that allowing
prayer violated separation between church and state.
Subsequent decisions have removed virtually all forms
of voluntary worship from the nation's public
schools.
-- In one case, courts allowed the school principal
to forbid kindergarten students from saying grace,
even on their own initiative, before meals.
-- The Supreme Court approved a lower court decision
barring students from participating, upon their
own request and with their parents' consent, in a
one-minute prayer meditation at the start of the
school day.
-- Courts have also forbidden the accomodation of
students' desires to join in prayer or religious
study on school property even outside regular
class hours.
O These decisions:
-- Violate the intent of the framers of the First
Amendment.
-- Place a discriminatory burden on students in their
exercise of religious beliefs.
o As long as the government requires its citizens to
attend school, the school should not be prohibited
from accommodating those citizens' freedom to worship
as they choose.
II. Past Approaches
Since the Supreme Court decisions in the early 1960s,
no U.S. President has proposed a constitutional
amendment to restore school prayer.
III. The President's Answer
O President Reagan wants to restore Americans' right to
participate in voluntary school prayer. He believes
that individuals should be allowed to decide for
themselves whether to join in such prayers.
O The President has proposed this ammendment: "Nothing
in this constitution shall be construed to prohibit
individual or group prayer in public schools or other
public institutions. No person shall be required by
the United States or by any state to participate in
prayer. "
IV. How It Works
O The amendment would allow the restoration of school
prayer.
-- Under the proposed language the courts could not
construe the First Amendment so as to ban
individual or group prayer in public schools.
-- School authorities would be allowed to accommodate
individual or group prayer at appropriate times,
such as prior to class or before meals.
o The amendment would not limit the types of prayers
that would be constitutionally permissible.
-- The amendment is not limited to
"non-denominational prayer. "
--- Such a limitation might be construed by the courts
to rule out virtually any prayer except when
practically devoid of religious content.
O The amendment would also protect the right not to
pray.
-- The amendment would prevent the establishment of
a uniform national rule on the conduct of
voluntary prayer; it would allow state and local
authorities to decide these issues.
-- The second sentence of the proposed amendment
would assure that no one need pray against his
will nor make a VOW to religious beliefs he or she
does not hold.
O The key issue: Should the presence of one or more
students, who do not wish to participate in prayer,
be allowed to prevent the remainder of students from
praying? The President does not believe it should.
Thus, the President's amendment, while protecting the
rights of those who do not wish to pray, would
restore the freedom to pray to those who want to.
V.
The Record
O The President transmitted legislation proposing the
School Prayer Amendment on May 17, 1982.
O Congressional action:
-- The Senate held hearings on July 29, August 18,
and September 16 -- with a vote expected before the
adjournment October 2.
Cougress
-- The House has not held hearings. The House
Judiciary Comittee has conducted hearings on
similar proposals in previous sessions of
Congress, but is likely to await Senate action
before holding hearings on the President's
proposal.
TUITION TAX CREDITS
I.
The Problem
O Quality and diversity of our educational system have
become threatened.
-- Educational performance has declined.
* SAT verbal scores down from
in 1967 to
in 1980.
* SAT math scores down from
in 1967 to
in 1980.
-- Crime rates up in public schools.
-- Yet costs have continued to climb -- often beyond
what inflation and enrollment levels would seem to
justify.
O Result: growing numbers of Americans want a greater
choice in education, but many -- middle-income
Americans as well as low-income families -- cannot
afford to make a choice.
-- Parents are faced with double burden of paying
state and local taxes to support public schools
rising tuition payments for their children who
attend private schools.
-- Those who desire alternatives to public education
often have no real choice.
II. Past Approaches
No previous president has offered legislation to
establish tuition tax credits.
III. The President's Answer
"The Educational Opportunity and Equity Act of 1982"
would provide tuition tax credits to parents whose
children attend private elementary and secondary
schools.
O The credits.
-- Individual taxpayers could take a credit against
their income taxes of 50% of the cost of tuition
and fees for each child in non-public elementary
and secondary schools up to a maximum amount
established in the legislation.
-- As proposed, the maximum credit would be phased in
over a three-year period, rising from $100 in
1983, to $300 in 1984, and ultimately to $500 in
1985 (Senate bill: $100; $200; and $300).
-- For taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes over
$50,000, the amount of credit would be
proportionately reduced; for families with incomes
of $75,000 and above, the credit would not be
available. (Senate bill: $40,000 and $50,000).
o Conditions for use of credits. Taxpayers could
qualify for tuition tax credits only if the schools
their children attend are:
-- Not-for-profit tax exempt institutions.
-- Provide a full-time elementary or secondary
school program for eligible students.
-- Do not discriminate on the grounds of race or
national origin.
IV. How It Works
O Promoting educational freedom of choice.
-- Tuition tax credits would help give parents the
financial means to make a genuine choice in
deciding what kind of education they wish to
provide their children.
* At present, many parents' choice is limited by
the combination of high state and local tax
payments (used to finance local public schools)
and the similarly high costs of private tuition.
*
Thus, the typical low- or middle-income family
may have no real option but to send its children
to the local public school.
* While many public
schools provide high quality education, parents
who are not satisfied should be able to send
their children to schools elsewhere.
- The ability to make this choice should be
widely available, and not an option open
solely to the wealthy.
- A tuition tax credit would help expand this
choice by permitting a working family to keep
more of its income to devote to the education
of its children.
-- Tuition tax credits would provide the greatest
benefit to those who need it most -- low- and
middle-income families.
* Fixed-dollar credit is of greater proportional
value to someone with a relatively lower income.
* Lower- and middle-income families are
proportionately the largest users of non-public
schools, even with the financial constraints.
- In 1979, fully 54% of the students in private
schools came from families with incomes below
$25,000.
- Indicates how much people are willing to
sacrifice for children's education -- a strong
reason to expect they would take advantage of
a credit.
* Members of minority groups and the disadvantaged
would also benefit significantly.
- A 1978-79 survey by the National Catholic
Education Association, for instance, showed
that 18.6% of the students in Catholic schools
-- the nation's largest private school system
-- were minority group members.
O Providing tax equity.
-- Low- and middle-income families who are able to
send their children to private schools not only
pay for the education of their own children, but
education of the children of other families,
including the wealthy.
-- In addition, public school students now receive
substantial financial benefits from federal
programs.
-
* Parents who choose public schools receive an
average of more than $600 per pupil in direct
and indirect federal aid, a total of as much as
$25 billion.
* By contrast, children who attend private schools
receive very little federal assistance.
-- Tax credits will reduce this unfairness.
*
Parents should receive some financial relief
from, in effect, having to "pay twice" -- relief
which the tax credits would provide.
-- Parents who send their children to private schools
relieve the public schools of the costs of
educating their children, yet still pay property
and other taxes to support these schools.
O Restoring competition to our educational system.
-- Competition important in education just as it is
in providing quality goods and services at
affordable prices.
* If a school has little or no competition, it may
lack the incentive to improve its educational
quality since its students, as virtual
"captives," have to attend the school regardless
of its educational standards.
* If, however, the students have additional
options, the school would face the choice of
either suffering an undesired drain on its
enrollment to other institutions, or upgrading
its standards in order to maintain its level of
student attendance.
-- This improvement in quality through competition
would provide the greatest help to those very poor
families who could not afford, in any case, to
send their children to other than the local public
school.
O Protecting against discrimination.
-- The President's bill ensures that no credits will
be permitted to taxpayers who enroll their
children in schools that discriminate on the basis
of race or national origin.
*
Any school that wishes the parents of its
students to be eligible for a tuition tax credit
must file a statement with the Treasury
Department each year attesting that it has not
followed a racially discriminatory policy.
* The bill authorizes the Attorney General, upon
complaint by a person who believes he has been
discriminated against by a school, to bring a
law suit against the school.
* If the federal court then finds the school
discriminates, tax credits available to parents
of those attending the school are automatically
taken away for three years, retroactive to the
year the discrimination suit was filed.
-- The bill also protects the legitimate interests of
private schools.
* A school cannot be found racially discriminatory
merely because it fails to pursue or achieve
racial quotas.
* A school is free not to file an annual
non-discrimination statement if it does not wish
the parents of its students to be eligible for
tuition tax credits.
* The Attorney General cannot bring an action
against a school until the school has had an
opportunity to comment on allegations made
against it.
* The Attorney General must give the school a
chance to show that it has abandoned a racially
discriminatory policy.
Tax credits cannot be disallowed until all court
don't
appeals have been exhausted
o Safeguarding against additional federal interference.
education
-- In the past, federal aid to schools has all too
frequently been used as a means of infringing,
either directly or indirectly, on the operation of
local schools in areas that should properly be of
no concern to the federal government.
* These federal dictates have done little to
improve the quality of education.
*
They have instead done a great deal to undermine
local autonomy.
-- The President's legislation specifically precludes
an increase in federal interference by affirming
that the tax credits are provided as tax relief to
individuals rather than as aid to institutions.
As such, they are not to be construed as federal
assistance to schools.
V.
The Record
O President Reagan submitted to Congress "The
Educational Opportunity and Equity Act of 1982" on
June 22, 1982.
O Other legislation: