Statement About the Legislative Record of the 91st Congress

THE 91st Congress of the United States has now passed into history. Much useful and valuable, even historic legislation, was enacted--responsive in whole or part to the initiatives and recommendations of the Administration. Yet, regrettably, this Congress will be remembered and remarked upon in history not so much for what it did, but for what it failed to do.

With the rising national demand for governmental reform and innovation in the arena of social policy, with a multiplicity of Administration initiatives before it, the 91st Congress had the opportunity to write one of the most productive and memorable chapters in the history of American Government. That opportunity was lost. The Nation was the loser.

In the final month and weeks of 1970, especially in the Senate of the United States, the Nation was presented with the spectacle of a legislative body that had seemingly lost the capacity to decide and the will to act. When the path was finally cleared, vital days had been lost, and major failures insured.

In probably no month in recent memory did the reputation of the whole Congress suffer more in the eyes of the American people, than in the month of December 1970. In these times when the need to build confidence in government is so transparent, that was good neither for the Congress nor the country. Let us hope that it never takes place again.

Even a partial listing of the vital legislation rejected, or left unenacted, by the departing 91st Congress provides a yardstick of just how far this Congress fell short of the mark of becoming the Great Congress--that might have been. Left unenacted were:

--our proposal to consolidate the complex and complicated grant-in-aid system, jerry-built over the years of the Federal Government

--the historic proposal, endorsed by both party platforms in 1968, to share Federal revenues on an annual basis with the revenue-starved States, counties, and cities

--the family assistance plan, the most far-reaching social reform in four decades, to overhaul America's chaotic and costly welfare system by providing a floor of dignity under every family and the incentives for Americans to begin to move off welfare rolls.

Rejection of these reforms is nothing short of tragic at a time when the burden of welfare bears down with increasing severity upon States and municipalities confronted, all, with a mounting fiscal crisis.

But there were other excellent proposals, excellent ideas, that died of neglect in the 91 st Congress:

--the emergency school aid proposal to assist those school districts bearing the special burdens of the rapid desegregation now underway--

--the proposal for establishment of a National Institute of Education

--the Higher Education Opportunity Act itself, a long overdue reform

--pay increases for enlisted men in the armed services, a first step toward realization of our goal of zero draft calls and an army composed entirely of volunteers

--added reforms to make selective service more equitable and just for young Americans

--half a dozen separate measures dealing with control of pollution and threats to the environment four separate bills designed to help protect the consumer from victimization vitally needed Administration legislation for helping the Nation deal with national emergency strikes, a recurring and dangerous phenomenon

--the proposed increase in social security benefits that died in the very last days of this Congress the proposed cost-of-living escalator in social security to provide permanent protection to old-age recipients from the rages of inflation

--trade legislation, giving the Administration authority over textile quotas, providing incentive programs for American exports, and repealing the American Selling Price

--electoral college reform

--national bail reform legislation

--wagering tax amendments

--authority to tax airline tickets to pay for protection against hijackings

--additional legislation to deal with the distribution of pornographic and obscene materials

--proposals to assist those who are perhaps America's most needy minority, the American Indian

--the proposal for establishment of a Federal City Bicentennial Development Corporation.

These are but some of the measures. All of them were worthwhile; none of them was enacted.

Congress' failure to enact them, however, in no way diminishes the desirability of the Administration's commitment. When the 92d Congress convenes, these and others will be presented for action, as the first order of Administration business.

Further, the Congress may wish to consider revision of the "turn-of-the-century" work schedules and procedures that now obtain on Capitol Hill. While there are many excuses for Congressional inaction-there are no good reasons.

Hopefully, the 92d Congress will pick up where the 91st faltered; hopefully, it can succeed where the 91 st did not; hopefully, it will become the Great Congress that the 91st Congress did not become.

To the Members of the 92d Congress I say: Let us open the New Year in a new spirit. Let us mutually commit ourselves to work, and work hard, for the record of achievement which we all can share. Let us thereby build the kind of society we all desire for our children and grandchildren. To that end, I pledge the full cooperation of this Administration.