Remarks Upon Signing the Consumer Goods Pricing Act of 1975

Obviously, I am extremely pleased to have the opportunity of signing this very important piece of legislation. And I congratulate my former colleagues in the Congress on a bipartisan basis for the rapid and, I think, constructive enactment of this important legislation.

The repeal of the fair trade laws will permit consumers to get the discounts in all 50 States. And the best way to ensure that consumers are paying the most reasonable price for consumer products is to restore competition in the marketplace. This legislation will do that.

This is one of the prime examples of how I intend to work with the Congress, the House and the Senate, on a bipartisan basis to get the Government out of unnecessary, inefficient regulation in the setting of prices and return that function to the marketplace.

I look forward to working with the Congress to restore competition in other areas of our economy now under inefficient Government regulation. I have submitted to the Congress proposed regulation, or the abandonment of regulation, in a number of areas, including financial institutions, transportation--including the airlines, the rails, and the trucking areas--as well as energy. And I hope that we can work together to make some substantial progress in all of these areas.

I congratulate those who have worked with the Congress in getting this legislation through to give the consumer a better break in the marketplace so that competition will be the prime factor in ensuring a fair and reasonable opportunity for the consumer to be the prime beneficiary.

I congratulate the Members of Congress. And it is a real pleasure for me on this occasion to sign this legislation.