THE ENERGY CRISIS is now touching the lives of millions of Americans. And just as the people of this country are doing their part to meet this crisis, now it is time for the Federal Government, your Government, to do its part by enacting legislation that will accomplish these goals.
In a meeting with the legislative leaders this morning, I set forth these primary objectives that I consider to be of the highest priority for the Congress as it begins its new session:
--First, we must protect the jobs of American workers.
--Second, we must prevent price gouging when you buy gas for your car and heating oil for your homes.
--Third, we will compel the oil companies and other energy producers to provide the public with complete information on their supplies. And we will prevent them from making windfall profits as a result of the sacrifices that you are making.
Today, I asked the Congress to enact over 15 different legislative measures which will accomplish these goals. In the next few weeks, I will be sending up additional proposals to get this job done. This legislation is urgently needed to meet the current crisis and to assure that we, the United States, can become self-sufficient in energy by 1980 and not be dependent upon any other country for our energy needs.
For several weeks now, millions of Americans have voluntarily accepted sacrifices in their comfort and convenience so that no American would suffer hardship because of the energy crisis.
It is that sacrifice that has helped us to get through this emergency so far. If that kind of cooperation by millions of Americans continues, it means that we can help to avoid gas rationing this spring.
Note: The President spoke at 3:37 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White House. His remarks were filmed for later broadcast on radio and television. Earlier in the day, the bipartisan Congressional leadership, meeting with the President at the White House, was briefed on the President's energy message by Federal Energy Administrator William E. Simon. On the same day, the White House released a fact sheet and the transcript of a news briefing on the message by Mr. Simon and Frederick W. Hickman, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Tax Policy.
On January 22, 1974, the President met separately with Senator Bob Dole of Kansas to discuss energy legislation and with Peter J. Brennan, Secretary of Labor, and Frank E. Fitzsimmons, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, to discuss the effects of the energy crisis on the trucking industry. The White House released, on the same day, the transcript of a news briefing on their meeting with the President by Secretary Brennan and Mr. Fitzsimmons.
