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7336546
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Veto Message to the House for H.R. 15323, amending the Atomic Energy Act [Veto Statements and Announcements]
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7336546
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document
title
Veto Message to the House for H.R. 15323, amending the Atomic Energy Act [Veto Statements and Announcements]
citationUrl
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White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
Press Releases
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U.S. House of Representatives. (03/04/1789 - )
Legislation
Vetoes
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7336546
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12
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1974-10-12
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10
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1974
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nara-archive
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600cc845f14a53f9
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Digitized from Box 3 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 1974
Office of the White House Press Secretary
THE WHITE HOUSE
TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
I am returning without my approval H.R. 15323,
"To amend the Atomic Energy Act, as amended, to revise
the method of providing public remuneration in the event
of a nuclear incident, and for other purposes."
The first eleven sections of the bill basically
carry out recommendations of the Atomic Energy
Commission, and I would be glad to approve them if
they stood alone.
Section 12, however, would provide that "the provi-
sions of this Act shall become effective thirty (30) days
after the date on which the Joint Committee on Atomic
Energy submits to the Congress an evaluation of the
Reactor Study, entitled 'An Assessment of Accident Risks
in the U. S. Commercial Nuclear Power Plants, AEC Report
Number WASH-1400, except that it shall not become effective
if within the thirty (30) day period after the Joint
Committee submits its evaluation, the Congress adopts a
concurrent resolution disapproving the extension of the
Price-Anderson Act." The import of this section is that
after I have approved the bill, the Joint Committee and
the Congress would further consider whether it should
ever become effective.
I cannot approve legislation under these circumstances --
if, indeed, the bill can properly be called legislation
rather than merely the expression of an intent to legislate.
The presentation of a bill to me pursuant to Article I,
section 7 of the Constitution amounts to a representation
by Congress that, as far as it is concerned, the legislation
is ready to become effective, subject perhaps to some
extrinsic condition precedent, but not to further con-
gressional deliberation. Here, however, Congress in
effect requests my approval before it has given its own.
In this instance, the clear constitutional infirmity
of the bill not only affects my powers and duties but
directly endangers substantial and important private
rights. If the bill is unconstitutional, it will remain
unconstitutional despite my signing it. As a result, a
sure source of funds for prompt payment of public
liability claims, a primary objective of the Price-Anderson
Act, would be in doubt. The uncertainty over nuclear
liability protection would also adversely affect that
private investment which will be necessary as nuclear
power assumes its vital role in meeting the nation's
energy requirements. The public interest would not be
served by approving legislation which creates these
uncertainties.
I urge the Congress to reenact the bill promptly
so as to remove the problems which Section 12 now
raises.
GERALD R. FORD
THE WHITE HOUSE,
October 12, 1974
####