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7338507
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Text of the Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate regarding annual appropriations for the White House Office, the Executive Residence, Special Assistance to the Presidentà
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7338507
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Text of the Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate regarding annual appropriations for the White House Office, the Executive Residence, Special Assistance to the Presidentà
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White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
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1975-03-26
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1975
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Digitized from Box 9 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 27, 1975
Office of the White House Press Secretary
THE WHITE HOUSE
March 26, 1975
TEXT OF THE LETTER FROM THE
PRESIDENT TO THE SPEAKER OF THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
I transmit herewith for the consideration of the
Congress draft legislation which would authorize
annual appropriations for the White House Office,
the Executive Residence, Special Assistance to the
President (i.e., assistance provided to the President
by the Vice President for Executive branch duties),
the Domestic Council, and funds to meet unanticipated
needs for personnel and administrative expenses.
The activities provided for in this bill have been
funded over the years in annual appropriation acts
but these acts have been delayed the past few years
because some provisions were not authorized in per-
manent legislation. This bill was drafted to remedy
that situation and I am now requesting that permanent
authorizations be enacted to facilitate the appropria-
tion process.
The bill sets upper limits on the pay level of senior
staff assistants in each of the offices concerned and
is consistent with the present levels approved by the
Congress in annual appropriation acts. It also autho-
rizes and sets pay limitations on consultants hired by
these offices. In addition, travel and official enter-
tainment expenses, which are appropriated annually,
would be made subject to the authorization provided
for in this bill.
The bill would not change the requirements for annual
appropriations for each of the offices concerned.
Budgets will continue to be submitted annually to
the Congress and the Appropriations Committees will
have an opportunity for complete review during their
hearings.
I urge the Congress to act favorably on this proposal
and trust that its enactment will expedite the
appropriation process.
Sincerely,
GERALD R. FORD
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A BILL
To clarify existing authority for the employment of
personnel and the procurement of services by the
President and the Vice President, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of America in
Congress assembled, That section 103 of title 3,
United States Code, relating to travel expenses of the
President, is amended by deleting "$40,000" and inserting
in place thereof "$100,000".
Sec. 2. (a) Section 105 of title 3, United States
Code, is amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 105. Assistance and services for President and
Vice President.
"(a) Without regard to any other provision of law
regulating employment and pay of persons in the Govern-
ment service, the President is authorized to appoint and
fix the pay of--
"(1) fourteen administrative and staff
assistants in the White House Office at the rate
of basic pay then currently in effect for Level II
of the Executive Schedule of section 5313 of title 5,
and such other administrative and staff assistants
as may be necessary in the White House Office at rates
less than the rate of basic pay then currently in
effect for Level II of the Executive Schedule of
section 5313 of title 5, and
"(2) assistants, clerical, and other
personnel in the White House Office at respective
rates not more than the maximum rate of basic pay
then currently paid under the General Schedule of
section 5332 of title 5;
who shall perform such official duties as the President
may prescribe.
"(b) The President is authorized to procure and
provide within the White House Office services, as
described in and in accordance with section 3109(b) of
title 5, but at respective daily rates of pay for
individuals not more than the daily equivalent of the
rate of basic pay then currently in effect for Level II
of the Executive Schedule of section 5313 of title 5.
"(c) The President is authorized to provide for
the procurement of goods and services (other than services
authorized to be procured and provided under any other
provision of this chapter) necessary in connection with
the performance of his official duties (including, with-
out regard to any other law, care, maintenance, repair
and alteration, refurnishing, improvement, heating and
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3
lighting including electrical fixtures, operation, and
preservation of the Executive Residence, for which
purposes the President may procure services as described
in and in accordance with section 3109(b) of title 5).
"(d) There are authorized to be appropriated each
fiscal year and for the period July 1, 1976 through
September 30, 1976--
"(1) to the President, when specified in
regular appropriation acts, such sums as may be
necessary to pay official reception, entertainment,
and representation expenses, to be expended at
the discretion of the President and accounted for
solely on his certificate, and
"(2) such sums as may be necessary for
allocation within the Executive Office of the
President for official reception and representation
expenses.
"(e) Without regard to any other provision of law
regulating employment and pay of persons in the Govern-
ment service, there are authorized to be appropriated
each fiscal year and for the period July 1, 1976 through
September 30, 1976, such sums as may be necessary to
enable the Vice President to provide assistance to the
President in connection with the performance of functions
specially assigned to the Vice President by the President
in the discharge of Executive duties and responsibilities,
including the use of such funds to--
"(1) establish the basic pay for one position
at a rate not more than the rate of basic pay then
currently in effect for Level II of the Executive
Schedule of section 5313 of title 5, and such other
administrative and staff assistants as may be
necessary at rates less than the rate of basic pay
then currently in effect for Level II of the
Executive Schedule of section 5313 of title 5; and
"(2) procure and provide services as described
in and in accordance with section 3109(b) of title 5,
but at respective daily rates of pay for individuals
not more than the daily equivalent of the rate of
basic pay then currently in effect for Level II of
the Executive Schedule of section 5313 of title 5."
(b) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 2
of title 3, United States Code, is amended by deleting-
"105. Compensation of secretaries and executive,
administrative, and staff assistants to
President."
and inserting in place thereof--
"105. Assistance and services for President and Vice
President.
if
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4
Sec. 3. (a) Section 106 of title 5, United States
Code, is amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 106. Assistance to President for unanticipated
needs.
"There are authorized to be appropriated to the
President each fiscal year and for the period July 1,
1976 through September 30, 1976, such sums as may be
necessary to enable the President, in his discretion,
without regard to any other provision of law regulating
employment and pay of persons in the service of the
Federal Government or regulating expenditures of Federal
Government funds, to respond to and deal with unantici-
pated needs for furtherance of the national interest,
security or defense, including personnel needs, services
as described in and in accordance with section 3109(b)
of title 5, but at respective daily rates of pay for
individuals not more than the daily equivalent of the
rate of basic pay then currently in effect for Level II
of the Executive Schedule of section 5313 of title 5;
and administrative expenses related thereto."
(b) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 2
of title 3, United States Code, is amended by deleting--
"106. Administrative assistants."
and inserting in place thereof--
"106. Assistance to President for unanticipated needs."
Sec. 4. (a) Chapter 2 of title 3, United States
Code, is amended by adding the following new section
at the end thereof--
"Sec. 112. The Domestic Council.
"There are authorized to be appropriated each
fiscal year and for the period July 1, 1976 through
September 30, 1976, such sums as may be necessary to
enable the Domestic Council, without regard to any
provision of law regulating employment and pay of
persons in the Government service, to provide assistance
to the President in connection with the performance of
functions assigned to the Council by the President in
the discharge of Executive duties and responsibilities,
including the use of such funds to--
(a) establish the basic pay for such administrative
and staff assistants as may be necessary at rates less
than the rate of basic pay then currently in effect for
Level II of the Executive Schedule of section 5313 of
title 5; and
'(b) procure and provide services as described in
and in accordance with section 3109(b) of title 5, at
respective daily rates of pay for individuals not more
than the daily equivalent of the maximum rate of basic pay
then currently in effect under the General Schedule of
section 5332 of title 5 for grade GS-18."
(b) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 2
of title 3, United States Code, is amended by adding--
"112. The Domestic Council."
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