Letter to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the Hoover Commission Recommendations.

Dear :

On April 18, 1957, in commenting on House Resolution which asked me to provide the House of Representatives with suggested ways in which the 1958 Budget could be reduced, I indicated that there were a number of bills pending before the Congress which would implement various Hoover Commission recommendations for which legislative action is required.

Subsequently I have received an up-to-date report from my Special Assistant, Mr. Meyer Kestnbaum, outlining progress in implementing the Hoover Commission recommendations. Much of the action needed for further implementation of specific recommendations requires no additional legislative approval. However, some of the remaining outstanding recommendations of the Hoover Commission will require Congressional action.

I am aware of the fact that the Congress already has enacted a number of bills which provide for implementation of Hoover Commission recommendations. I realize also that a large number of bills to implement other recommendations are before this session of the Congress. In order to assist in the consideration of such measures in this session, I am listing herewith a series of such bills on which this Administration has favorably reported, including those to which the Administration would attach top priority.

Specifically, in order that we may have final Congressional action at this session of the Congress I would urge that priority be given to bills implementing the following Hoover Commission recommendations:

1. Extension of the Reorganization Act of 1949.

2. Authorization of appropriations on the basis of annual accrued expenditures.

3. Provision for training of Federal personnel at public or private facilities.

4. Repeal of provision for clearance of real property transactions with Congressional Committees.

5. Discontinuance of the Postal Savings System.

The attached memorandum from the Director of the Bureau of the Budget indicates the status of bills concerned with each of these proposals, as well as other Hoover Commission proposals now pending before the Congress which the Administration has supported. I am glad to note favorable action by one or the other House on some of these proposals. I commend these measures to the Congress for its earnest consideration with the thought that approval of them would be further evidence of our joint determination to take advantage of every opportunity to bring to our Government greater efficiency and economy in operation. Even though implementation of such recommendations does not always manifest itself in dollar savings which can be readily identified in a budget, I know the Congress is as eager as I am to achieve every possible improvement in our Government.

Sincerely,

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER