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The original documents are located in Box 17, folder "12/30/74 SJR224 March of Dimes
Birth Defects Prevention Month" of the White House Records Office: Legislation Case
Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Exact duplicates within this folder were not digitized.
Digitized from Box 17 of the White House Records Office Legislation Case Files
at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
APPROVED
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20503
DEC 1 9 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
oe/el
Subject: Enrolled Resolution S.J. Res. 224 - March of Dimes
Birth Defects Prevention Month
Jo bechines
Sponsor - Sen. Montoya (D) New Mexico and 31 others
1/2/15
Last Day for Action
December 30, 1974 - Monday
Purpose
Authorizes and requests the President to proclaim the month
of January 1975 as "March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention
Month.
Agency Recommendations
Office of Management and Budget
Approval
Department of Health, Education,
and Welfare
No objection
(informal)
Discussion
S.J. Res. 224 would authorize and request you to designate
January 1975 as "March of Dimes Birth Defects Month." It
would also invite the Governors to issue similar proclamations
and would urge the people of the United States to consider the
problem of birth defects and to support programs designed to
prevent their occurrence.
The Senate report accompanying S.J. Res. 224 states that an
estimated 15 million Americans suffer birth defects serious
enough to affect their daily lives. According to the report,
these include 3 million mentally retarded, 4 million
diabetics, 1 million with congenital bone, muscle or joint
disease, 500,000 totally or partially blind, 750,000 with
impaired hearing, 350,000 with congenital heart or
circulatory defects, and 100,000 with severe speech problems.
FORD LIBRARY
2
The Senate report notes that the National Foundation/March
of Dimes began in 1958, with its victory over polio, to
focus its full resources on the campaign against birth
defects. The March of Dimes effort is directed both to
the prevention of birth defects and to the treatment of
those born with disease or damage due to prenatal factors.
HEW has prepared and we have reviewed the attached
proclamation which would carry out the request in the
bill.
muhal H. Ronemed
Assistant Director for
Legislative Reference
Enclosures
GERALD ? FORD
ACTION
THE WHITE HOUSE
Last Day: December 30
WASHINGTON
December 27, 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR
THE PRESIDENT
FROM:
KEN CODE
SUBJECT:
Enrolled Resolution S.J. Res. 224
March of Dimes Birth Defects
Prevention Month
Attached for your consideration is S.J. Res. 224,
sponsored by Senator Montoya and thirteen others, which
authorizes and requests you to proclaim the month of
January 1975 as "March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention
Month.
"
OMB recommends approval and provides you with additional
background information in its enrolled bill report (Tab A).
Max Friedersdorf, Phil Areeda both recommend approval.
Paul Theis has approved the text of the proclamation.
RECOMMENDATION
That you sign S.J. Res. 224 (Tab B)
MA7
That you sign the Proclamation (Tab C)
FORDS is STYNES LIBRARY
MARCH OF DIMES BIRTH DEFECTS PREVENTION MONTH
By the President of the United States
A PROCLAMATION
The nation's most precious resource is our children, but each
year about 150,000 babies born alive in this country have some kind of a
birth defect and in the first year of life, birth defects are a leading
cause of death.
Today, more than 1,500 genetic defects have been cataloged, and
new defects are being described in increasing numbers. Some of these are
pre-existing defects handed from parent to child, some are caused by
factors in the environment such as radiation exposure, drugs, chemicals
and infections, and the cause of others is still unknown.
The discovery that a baby has a birth defect is devastating to
the parents. In some families, however, the probablity that a specific
birth defect will occur can be predicted with some accuracy.
Some defects can be diagnosed before, at, or shortly after birth.
Almost as many are discovered during the first year of life. A few do not
become evident until years later. Some birth defects are obvious, such as
the undeveloped limbs of babies whose mothers took the drug thalidomide.
Some defects can be corrected during the earliest months of life, but others
unfortunately result in life-long handicaps and are irreversible. Some
defects are severe and same are SO mild that they can be overcome with
specialized medical management.
Birth defects occur in families in every social, economic, racial,
and educational level. Today, the problems presented by birth defects are
different than they were 10 years ago. The damage caused to an unborn in-
fant by the German measles virus could virtually be eliminated with the use
of the German measles vaccine, and a further reduction in many birth defects
can be made using other knowledge already available. Good prenatal care
from the earliest weeks of pregnancy, or, better yet, even before pregnancy,
can help to protect the pregnant woman and her unborn child from potential
factors known to cause these tragic defects. In addition, new information
about genetics and the effects of drugs taken by a pregnant woman upon the
developing child is being used to prevent these disorders.
Prevention is far better than a cure. It is very fitting, there-
fore, that this Administration recognize the efforts of medical researchers
and practitioners throughout the country, the other health professionals,
and the voluntary organizations who work so hard toward achieving this
goal of prevention.
By joint resolution, the Congress authorized and requested that
the President annually designate the Month of January as March of Dimes
Birth Defects Prevention Month. Only through a joint effort by government
and the public it serves can we continue to improve the health of our most
precious resource.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GERALD R. FORD, President of the United States
of America, do hereby designate January 1975 as March of Dimes Birth Defects
Prevention Month.
I invite the Governors of the States and appropriate local govern-
ment officials to support March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Month
activities and I call upon the nation's mass communications media to join
in encouraging all Americans to heed the message of March of Dimes Birth
Defects Prevention Month--prevention of birth defects before they occur.
I urge everyone: government officials at all levels-national,
state, and local--voluntary organizations, and private groups everywhere,
to give special attention to these efforts for the continuing prevention
of birth defects and to helping those who are afflicted.
I urge the citizens of this country to fight against birth defects
and particularly encourage all mothers to appreciate the importance of main-
taining good health by seeking medical care during the childbearing years.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
day
of
,
in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and seventy-four,
and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and
ninety-ninth.
TON MEMORANDUM
WASHINGTON
LOG NO.: 820
Date: December 21, 1974
Time:
4:00 p.m.
K 10AM
FOR ACTION: Pam Needham
cc (for information): Warren Hendriks
Max Friedersdorf
Jerry Jones
Phil Areeda
Paul Theis
Je 12/23/74
1974 DEC 23 AM 10 38
FROM THE STAFF SECRETARY
DUE: Date: Thursday, December 26
Time: 10:00 a.m.
SUBJECT:
Enrolled Resolution S.J. Res. 224
March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Week
ACTION REQUESTED:
X
For Necessary Action
For Your Recommendations
Prepare Agenda and Brief
Draft Reply
X For Your Comments
Draft Remarks
REMARKS:
Please return to Judy JOhnston, Ground Floor West Wing
PLEASE ATTACH THIS COPY TO MATERIAL SUBMITTED.
If you have any questions or if you anticipate a
delay in submitting the required material, please
Warren K. Hendriks
telephone the Staff Secretary immediately.
For the Fresident
THE WHITE HOUSE
ACTION MEMORANDUM
WASHINGTON
LOG NO.: 820
Date: December 21, 1974
Time:
4:00 p.m.
FOR ACTION: Pam Needham ob. oh cc (for information): Warren Hendriks
Max Friedersdorf
Jerry Jones
Phil Areeda
Paul Theis ok
FROM THE STAFF SECRETARY
DUE: Date: Thursday, December 26
Time: 10:00 a.m.
SUBJECT:
Enrolled Resolution S.J. Res. 224
March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Week
ACTION REQUESTED:
For Necessary Action
X For Your Recommendations
Prepare Agenda and Brief
Draft Reply
x For Your Comments
Draft Remarks
REMARKS:
Please return to Judy JOhnston, Ground Floor West Wing
PLEASE ATTACH THIS COPY TO MATERIAL SUBMITTED.
If you have any questions or if you anticipate a
delay in submitting the required material, please
K.R. COLE, JR.
telephone the Staff Secretary immediately.
For the President
THE WHITE HOUSE
ACTION MEMORANDUM
WASHINGTON
LOG NO.: 820
Date: December 21, 1974
Time:
4:00 p.m.
FOR ACTION: Pam Needham
CC (for information): Warren Hendriks
Max Friedersdorf
Jerry Jones
Phil Areeda
Paul Theis
FROM THE STAFF SECRETARY
DUE: Date: Thursday, December 26
Time: 10:00 a.m.
SUBJECT:
Enrolled Resolution S.J. Res. 224
March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Week
ved 12/23/74
ACTION REQUESTED:
X
For Necessary Action
For Your Recommendations
Prepare Agenda and Brief
Draft Reply
X For Your Comments
Draft Remarks
REMARKS:
Please return to Judy JOhnston, Ground Floor West Wing
PLEASE ATTACH THIS COPY TO MATERIAL SUBMITTED.
If you have any questions or if you anticipate a
delay in submitting the required material, please
Warren K. Hendriks
telephone the Staff Secretary immediately.
For the President
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
December 23, 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR:
WARREN HENDRIKS
FROM:
MAX L. FRIEDERSDORF m.6
SUBJECT:
Action Memorandum - Log No. 820
Enrolled Resolution S.J. Res 224
March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Week
The Office of Legislative Affairs concurs in the attached proposal
and has no additional recommendations.
Attachment
is SERALD
ACTION MEMORANDUM
WASHINGTON
:
LOG NO.: 820
Date:
Time:
December 21, 1974
4:00 p.m.
FOR ACTION: Pam Needham
cc (for information): Warren Hendriks
Max Friedersdorf
Jerry Jones
Phil Areeda
Paul Theis
FROM THE STAFF SECRETARY
DUE: Date: Thursday, December 26
Time: 10:00 a.m.
SUBJECT:
Enrolled Resolution S.J. Res. 224
March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Week
ACTION REQUESTED:
X
For Necessary Action
For Your Recommendations
-
Prepare Agenda and Brief
Draft Reply
X
For Your Comments
Draft Remarks
REMARKS:
Please return to Judy JOhnston, Ground Floor West Wing
he anda 12/23
PLEASE ATTACH THIS COPY TO MATERIAL SUBMITTED.
If you have any questions or if you anticipate a
delay in submitting the required material, please
Warren K. Hendriks
telephone the Staff Secretary immediately.
For the President
Paul
Their
By the President of the United States
A PROCLAMATION
however,
nation's most precious resource is our children
E each
year about 150,000 babies born alive in this country have some kind of
birth defect in the first year of life, birth defects are a leading
cause of death.
Today, more than 1,500 genetic defects have been cataloged, and
new defects are being described in increasing numbers. Some of these are
pre-existing defects handed from parent to child, some are caused by
factors in the environment such as radiation exposure, drugs, chemicals
while
and infections, and the cause of others is still unknown.
discovery that a baby has a birth defect is devastating to
"
parents. In some families, however, the probablity that a specific
birth defect will occur can be predicted with some accuracy.
Some defects can be diagnosed before, at, or shortly after birth.
Almost as many are discovered during the first year of life. A few do not
become evident until years later. Some birth defects are obvious, such as
the undeveloped limbs of babies whose mothers took the drug thalidemide.
Some defects can be corrected during the earliest months of life, but others
unfortunately result in life-long handicaps and are irreversible. Same
defects are severe and some are SO mild that they can be overcome with
specialized medical management.
Birth defects occur in families in every social, economic, racial,
there
Today
and educational level.
the problems presented by birth defects are
different than they were 10 years ago. damage caused to an unborn in-
can
fant by the German measles virus cruild virtually be eliminated with the use
of the German measles vaccine, and further reduction 5/in in many birth defects
other
can be made using knowledge already available. Good prenatal care
from the earliest weeks of pregnancy, or, better yet, even before pregnancy,
can
help
protect the pregnant woman and her unborn child from potential
factors known to cause these tragic defects. In addition, new information
about genetics and the effects of drugs taken by a pregnant woman upon the
developing child is being used to prevent these disorders.
GERALD FORD
Prevention is far better than a cure. It is very fitting, the
fore, that this Administration recognize the effectsvot medical researcher
and practitioners throughout the country, other health professionals,
and
voluntary organizations who work SO hard toward achieving this
goal of prevention.
By joint resolution, the Congress authorized and requested that
the President annually designate the Month of January as March of Dimes
Birth Defects Prevention Month. Only through a joint effort by government
and the public it serves can we continue to improve the health of our most
precious resource.
NOW,THEREFORE, I, GERALD R. FORD, President of the United States
of America, do hereby designate January 1975 as March of Dimes Birth Defects
Prevention Month.
I invite the Governors of the States and appropriate local govern-
ment officials to support March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Month
activities and I call upon the nation's mass communications media to join
in encouraging all Americans to heed the message of March of Dimes Birth
Defects Prevention Month--prevention of birth defects before they occur.
I urge everyone: government officials at all levels--national,
state, and local--voluntary organizations, and private groups everywhere,
to give special attention to these efforts for the continuing prevention
of birth defects and to helping those who are afflicted.
that
I urge citizens of this country fight against birth defects
and particularly all mothers approciate the importance of main-
taining good health by seeking medical care during the childbearing years.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
day
of
,
in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and seventy-four,
and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and
ninety-ninth.
MARCH OF DIMES BIRTH DEFECTS PREVENTION MONTH, 1975
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
The nation's most precious resource is our children.
Each year, however, about 150,000 babies born alive in this
country have some kind of birth defect. In the first year
of life, birth defects are a leading cause of death.
Today, more than 1,500 genetic defects have been cataloged,
and new defects are being described in increasing numbers. Some
of these are pre-existing defects from parent to child, some
are caused by factors in the environment such as radiation
exposure, drugs, chemicals and infections, while the cause of
others is still unknown.
Discovery that a baby has a birth defect is devastating
to parents. In some families, however, the probability that a
specific birth defect will occur can be predicted with some
accuracy.
Some defects can be diagnosed before, at, or shortly after
birth. Almost as many are discovered during the first year of
life. A few do not become evident until years later. Some
defects can be corrected during the earliest months of life,
but others unfortunately result in life-long handicaps and are
irreversible. Some defects are severe and some are so mild that
they can be overcome with specialized medical management.
Birth defects occur in families in every social, economic,
racial, and educational level. The problems presented by these
defects today are different than they were 10 years ago. Damage
caused to an unborn infant by the German measles virus can vir-
tually be eliminated with the use of the German measles vaccine.
GERALD + ADVRESS FOND
2
Further reductions in other birth defects can be made using
knowledge already available. Good prenatal care from the earliest
weeks of pregnancy, or, better yet, even before pregnancy, can
help protect the pregnant woman and her unborn child from
potential factors known to cause these tragic defects. In
addition, new information about genetics and the effects of
drugs taken by a pregnant woman upon the developing child is
being used to prevent these disorders.
Prevention is far better than a cure. It is very fitting,
therefore, that the efforts be recognized of medical researchers
and practitioners throughout the country, other health professionals,
and voluntary organizations working so hard toward achieving
this goal of prevention.
By joint resolution, the Congress authorized and requested
that the President annually designate the month of January as
March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Month. Only through a
joint effort by government and the public it serves can we
continue to improve the health of our most precious resource.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GERALD R. FORD, President of the
United States of America, do hereby designate January 1975 as
March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Month.
I invite the Governors of the States and appropriate local
government officials to support March of Dimes Birth Defects
Prevention Month activities and I call upon the nation's mass
communications media to join in encouraging all Americans to
heed the message of March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention
Month -- prevention of birth defects before they occur.
I urge everyone: government officials at all levels --
national, state, and local -- voluntary organizations, and private
groups everywhere, to give special attention to these efforts
for the continuing prevention of birth defects and to helping
those who are afflicted.
3
I urge that citizens of this country fight against birth
defects and particularly emphasize to all mothers the importance
of maintaining good health by seeking medical care during the
childbearing years.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord nineteen
hundred and seventy-four, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the one hundred and ninety-ninth.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DECEMBER 30, 1974
Office of the White House Press Secretary
(Vail, Colorado)
THE WHITE HOUSE
MARCH OF DIMES BIRTH DEFECTS PREVENTION MONTH, 1975
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
The nation's most precious resource is our children. Each year, however,
about 150, 000 babies born alive in this country have some kind of birth
defect. In the first year of life, birth defects are a leading cause of death.
Today, more than 1, 500 genetic defects have been cataloged, and new defects
are being described in increasing numbers. Some of these are pre-existing
defects from parent to child, some are caused by factors in the environment
such as radiation exposure, drugs, chemicals and infections, while the cause
of others is still unknown.
Discovery that a baby has a birth defect is devastating to parents. In some
families, however, the probability that a specific birth defect will occur can
be predicted with some accuracy.
Some defects can be diagnosed before, at, or shortly after birth. Almost
as many are discovered during the first year of life. A few do not become
evident until years later. Some defects can be corrected during the earliest
months of life, but others unfortunately result in life-long handicaps and are
irreversible. Some defects are severe and some are so mild that they can
be overcome with specialized medical management.
Birth defects occur in families in every social, economic, racial, and
educational level. The problems presented by these defects today are
different than they were 10 years ago. Damage caused to an unborn infant
by the German measles virus can virtually be eliminated with the use of the
German measles vaccine. Further reductions in other birth defects can be
made using knowledge already available. Good prenatal care from the earliest
weeks of pregnancy, or, better yet, even before pregnancy, can help protect
the pregnant woman and her unborn child from potential factors known to cause
these tragic defects. In addition, new information about genetics and the
effects of drugs taken by a pregnant woman upon the developing child is
being used to prevent these disorders.
Prevention is far better than a cure. It is very fitting, therefore, that the
efforts be recognized of medical researchers and practitioners throughout the
country, other health professionals, and voluntary organizations working so
hard toward achieving this goal of prevention.
By joint resolution, the Congress authorized and requested that the President
annually designate the month of January as March of Dimes Birth Defects
Prevention Month. Only through a joint effort by government and the public
it serves can we continue to improve the health of our most precious resource.
(MORE)
- 2 -
NOW, THEREFORE, I GERALD R. FORD, President of the United States of
America, do hereby designate January 1975 as March of Dimes Birth Defects
Prevention Month.
I invite the Governors of the States and appropriate local government officials
to support March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Month activities and I
call upon the nation's mass communications media to join in encouraging all
Americans to heed the message of March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention
Month - prevention of birth defects before they occur.
I urge everyone: government officials at all levels -- national, state, and
local voluntary organizations, and private groups everywhere, to give
special attention to these efforts for the continuing prevention of birth defects
and to helping those who are afflicted.
I urge that citizens of this country fight against birth defects and particularly
emphasize to all mothers the importance of maintinaing good health by
seeking medical care during the childbearing years.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of
December, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and seventy-four, and of
the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and
ninety-ninth.
GERALD R. FORD
#
#
#
93D CONGRESS
}
SENATE
REPORT
2d Session
No. 93-1294
MARCH OF DIMES BIRTH DEFECTS PREVENTION
MONTH
OCTOBER 21, 1974.-Ordered to be printed
Mr. HRUSKA, from the Committee on the Judiciary,
submitted the following
REPORT
[To accompany S.J. Res. 224]
The Committee on the Judiciary, to which was referred the joint
resolution to authorize and request the President to issue annually
a proclamation designating January of each year as "March of Dimes
Birth Defects Prevention Month," having considered the same, reports
favorably thereon with amendments, and recommends that the reso-
lution be agreed to.
AMENDMENTS
On page 1, line 4, delete the word "annually".
On page 1, line 5, following the word "January" insert ", 1975, ".
Amend the title to read: "To authorize and request the President
to issue a proclamation designating January, 1975, as 'March of Dimes
Birth Defects Prevention Month'."
PURPOSE OF AMENDMENTS
The purpose of the amendments is to limit the bill to a nonrecurring
proclamation applying to January 1975 only.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the bill, as amended, is to authorize and request
the President of the United States to issue a proclamation designating
January, 1975, as "March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Month",
inviting the Governors of the States to issue similar proclamations and
urging the people to participate in programs to prevent the occurrence
of such defects.
STATEMENT
Senate Joint Resolution 224 was introduced by Senator Joseph
M. Montoya on July 27, 1974. Thirty-one Senators have joined as
cosponsors.¹
Humphrey, Tunney, Beall, Kennedy, Young, Hollings, Percy, Inouye, Hughes, McGovern,
1 Senators McIntyre, Ribicoff, Randolph, Hart, Clark, Pell, Stevenson, Pastore, Bible,
Javits, Clark.
Moss, Abourezk, Mansfield, Bentsen, Domenici, McGee, Eagleton, Church, Taft, Hartke,
38-010
2
The problem of birth defects affects the lives of all Americans.
Every year, about 250,000 babies are born in this country with some
type of defect-mental or physical. This amounts to almost 1 in 14
births or 700 babies a day-about 7 percent of all live births. Official
statistics indicate that of those born alive more than 60,000 die each
year in infancy, childhood, or in adult life as a direct result of birth
defects.
A 10-year study conducted at the University of Florida College of
Medicine suggests that birth defects cause some 129,000 deaths a year,
more than twice the officially reported number. Birth defects are im-
plicated in fully half the deaths of preschool children and are respon-
sible for the death of almost two-fifths of elementary school age
youngsters. In addition, there are some 500,000 spontaneous abor-
tions, stillbirths, and miscarriages each year due to defective fetal
development.
Altogether the committee takes note that more than 560,000 lives a
year are destroyed by birth defects. Only heart disease claims more
lives.
As a result, birth defects are estimated to cost the United States
some $80 billion annually in lost lifetime earnings. Because this loss
begins with birth, rather than late in life, it is more than four times
greater than for any other disease. In addition, some 1,200,000 are
hospitalized in the United States each year for the treatment of birth
defects at an estimated cost of over $800 million.
It is estimated that approximately 15 million Americans suffer from
birth defects serious enough to affect their daily lives. These include
3 million mentally retarded, 4 million diabetics, 1 million with con-
genital bone, muscle, or joint disease, 500,000 totally or partially
blind, 750,000 with impaired hearing, 350,000 with congenital heart or
circulatory defects, and 100,000 with severe speech problems.
With its victory over polio, the National Foundation/March of
Dimes began in 1958 to focus its full resources on the campaign against
birth defects. Its efforts are directed both to the prevention of birth
defects and to the treatment of those born with disease or damage
due to prenatal factors.
For nearly 40 years, the March of Dimes has had a concentration
of public education and publicity during the month of January. Each
year, January has been proclaimed March of Dimes Month by nu-
merous Governors and mayors. The following States have declared
a March of Dimes month in January at least once since 1970: Ala-
bama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois,
Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New
York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont,
Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
In the crusade against birth defects, the committee recognizes it is
necessary for the people of the United States to consider fully the
nationwide problem and its effect on present and future generations.
Passage of Senate Joint Resolution 224 will further promote the
efforts of the March of Dimes and serve as an appropriate vehicle
through which information about education, nutrition and prevention
of birth defects can be fully transmitted to the public.
In agreement with the foregoing views, the committee recommends
that the resolution be agreed to.
S.R. 1294
LIBRARY
FORD
S.J. Res. 224
Ainety-third Congress of the United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday, the twenty-first day of January,
one thousand nine hundred and seventy-four
Joint Resolution
To authorize and request the President to issue a proclamation designating
January, 1975, as "March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Month".
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the
United States is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation-
(1) designating January, 1975, as "March of Dimes Birth
Defects Prevention Month";
(2) inviting the Governors of the States and territories of the
United States to issue proclamations for like purposes; and
(3) urging the people of the United States to consider fully the
nationwide problem of birth defects and their effect on future
generations, and to support all essential programs to prevent
their occurrence.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.
December 18, 1974
Dear Mr. Director:
The following bills were received at the White
House on December 18th:
X
S.J. Res. 224
S. 3191
S.J. Res 260
S. 4013
S. 425
+
H.R. 7978
y
S. 939
t
K.R. 8193
X
S. 2343
H.R. 8864
Please let the President have reports and
recommendations as to the approval of these
bills as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Robert D. Linder
Chief Executive Clerk
The Honorable Roy L. Ash
Director
Office of Management and Budget
Washington, D. C.